"Newbie" questions DFRPG/GURPS

[Anth]

i, i haven't played GURPS for almost a decade, but now I plan to start a GURPS/DFRPG campaign. So I need some help to restart my GURPS Fu.

Last I was DM:ing a DnD5 campaing up to level 10. During that time I came to hate DnD5, and when the campaign ended I decided to never more DM DnD5.
Problem is that my players loved the campaign and want to continue play with their PCs.

After some discussion we have decided to convert to DFRPG.
I know, you shouldn't convert, it never ends well, and I've explained this to my players.
So what we gonna do is to create new DFRPG characters as similar as possible as the original DnD5 characters.

Problem is that my DnD5-campaing was a little bit differnet. It basically was 1890 Steampunk with firearms and flying ships - so it will be a mix of DFRPG and other GURPS-books.

***

Q1
What are the differences between DFRPG vs. GURPS?
I found this page;
https://gurps.fandom.com/wiki/Dungeo...leplaying_Game
Is it missing something?
(the main differences seem to be jump, slam, and fright checks)

***

Q2
Is it worth buying the Dungeon Fantasy series pdfs?
Or are they redundant if I already have DFRPG?

***

Q3
Advantage Extra attack
In GURPS Basic you can buy one extra attack per limb, this implies you can't use extra attack with the same limb (you can attack with the same limb using all-out attack:double or rapid strike).
DFRPG doesn't seem to have this limitation, i.e. a knignt with a sword and shield can attack twice with his sword if he has the advantage.
Have I missed something?

***

Q4
Advantage Unusual Background
When we played GURPS a Mage was required to take the unusual background, DFRPG doesn't seem to have this. Should I interpret this as Magery isn't unusual in DFRPG?

***

Q5
Can I multiclass in DFRPG, i.e. mix two professions?
(of course I can do, I can do whatever I want - but are there any rules for this?)

***

I have some more questions but we start with these.

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by Anth

Q1
What are the differences between DFRPG vs. GURPS?
I found this page;
https://gurps.fandom.com/wiki/Dungeo...leplaying_Game
Is it missing something?
(the main differences seem to be jump, slam, and fright checks)

***

See also https://dungeonfantastic.blogspot.co...out-dfrpg.html

Also, the spells in "Spells" have been edited and revised.
Since Magic for 4th was a bit rushed and is sadly imperfect, I suggest you keep as much of DFRPG spells as you can, even if you switch to the full Gurps rules.

Originally Posted by Anth

Q2
Is it worth buying the Dungeon Fantasy series pdfs?
Or are they redundant if I already have DFRPG?

***

Some of it is redundant.

Some answers here :
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...PG#post2323331

Originally Posted by Anth

Q3
Advantage Extra attack
In GURPS Basic you can buy one extra attack per limb, this implies you can't use extra attack with the same limb (you can attack with the same limb using all-out attack:double or rapid strike).
DFRPG doesn't seem to have this limitation, i.e. a knignt with a sword and shield can attack twice with his sword if he has the advantage.
Have I missed something?

***

In DFRPG, Extra-attack is, under the hood,
extra attack(multi-strike, +20%; one weapon only, -20%) with the assumption that most characters will specialize in a primary weapon.

Originally Posted by Anth

Q4
Advantage Unusual Background
When we played GURPS a Mage was required to take the unusual background, DFRPG doesn't seem to have this. Should I interpret this as Magery isn't unusual in DFRPG?

***

It certainly isn't unusual among adventurers :)

Originally Posted by Anth

Q5
Can I multiclass in DFRPG, i.e. mix two professions?
(of course I can do, I can do whatever I want - but are there any rules for this?)

***

Not in DFFRPG, yes in DF (the rules are mostly in DF-3 for the main professions )
It offer a list of 50pts lenses for every profession, to make a mix with every others.

[ArchonShiva]

Pyramid (I think) #113 has Five Easy Pieces, which is native to DFRPG and allows multiclassing at character creation. It works quite well as post-creation lenses as well.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Anth

What are the differences between DFRPG vs. GURPS?

The Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game (DFRPG) is a self-contained game that gives you everything you need to run hack 'n' slash adventures in one box. GURPS is a generic system that can, with a lot of work and a lot of supplements, handle any genre or setting.

The DFRPG is based on GURPS, but where a GURPS rule, concept, or interpretation seemed too complicated or qualified – or in a few cases, wrong for the genre or just plain wrong – the DFRPG changed it and moved on. The differences are very subtle at times, and even as the designer, I'd hesitate to try to list them all!

If you've been away from GURPS for around 10 years, I'd recommend getting the DFRPG unless you feel like playing catch-up with both your reading and your supplement-buying.

Originally Posted by Anth

Is it worth buying the Dungeon Fantasy series pdfs? Or are they redundant if I already have DFRPG?

You'll find GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1-3 and the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters sub-series substantially redundant with the DFRPG. You'll probably find useful stuff in all the rest.

I'd particularly recommend GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 6 and the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Treasures sub-series for more loot; the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Adventures and GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Encounters sub-series for a bunch more ready-made adventure content; and the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Settings sub-series for ready-made world content.

If your players have a fondness for niche character types like artificers, ninjas, and psis, you might find GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 4, 12, 14, and so on useful. If they like summons and henchthings, get GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 5 and/or 15.

Originally Posted by Anth

Extra Attack [...] Have I missed something?

No. The DFRPG is based on GURPS but it isn't the same game. This is an example of where a GURPS rules interpretation seemed wrong for the genre, so I changed it.

Originally Posted by Anth

Unusual Background [...] When we played GURPS a Mage was required to take the unusual background, DFRPG doesn't seem to have this. Should I interpret this as Magery isn't unusual in DFRPG?

The DFRPG is a self-contained game. Everything in the box is intended to be "usual" for the genre, and the Unusual Background advantage was discarded as another thing that was wrong for the genre. There's nothing unusual about being a spellcaster in hack 'n' slash fantasy. Indeed, there's nothing unusual about it in most genres with spellcasters . . . even full-on GURPS doesn't normally require Unusual Background for that. That would be a campaign decision by a specific GM.

Originally Posted by Anth

Can I multiclass in DFRPG, i.e. mix two professions?

You can buy whatever the GM allows, because templates aren't rigid classes – they're just quick-start bundles. See Custom Professions (Adventurers, p. 14) for more. If you want quick-start rather than GM-mediated template mixing, you'll need to go outside of the DFRPG and get GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3. This is one of the few cases where I'd say that supplement isn't redundant with the DFRPG; another of those cases is to get less-common nonhuman races.

[Anth]

Thnx, your answers really helped.
First I thought that I should use DFRPG as yet another GURPS4-book, but you have convinced me to do the other way round; to run a DFRPG-game and only use GURPS for areas not covered by the DFRPG-rules.

Q6
The world will be Stempunk-ish.
I already have GURPS3 Steam-Tech, is it worth getting GURPS4 Stempunk, or is it redundant?

Q7
The last thing we did before we closed the DnD5-campaign was to introduce flying ships (Spelljammer) and Mind Flayers (Psionics).
Spelljammer doesnt seem to be a problem, I have found some excellent conversions on the interwebs.
But for Psionics: is DF14:Psi enough, or do I need GURPS4 Psionic Powers?

Q8
I will certainly need GURPS High Tech for weapons from 1890 (indeed I already used it when we played DnD, just to get all the weapons available).
Is there anything I should think of if I introduce firearms to DFRPG?

Q9
One of the Characters is a Monk/Kensai (sword master).
Is there anything I should think of if I use GURPS4 Martial Arts in DFRPG?

Q10
One of the Characters is a Sorcerer (inherited magic instead of learned from spellbooks).
Is GURPS Thaumatology:Sorcery a good solution for this?

Q11
Is it correct that DF7:Clerics uses powers instead of spells, and will it work seamlessly with DFRPG Clerics?

Q12
Right now I'm mostly interested in rules for character creation, like templates, lenses etc (monsters, traps, treasures have to wait for a while).
Is there anything from Pyramid that could be of interest, that isn't covered in DF/DFRPG?

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by Anth

Q11
Is it correct that DF7:Clerics uses powers instead of spells, and will it work seamlessly with DFRPG Clerics?

DF:7 add options to customize a Cleric, but use the same spell system, so it should work seamlessly with DFRPG Clerics

You can see a preview here with the table of content and a sample :
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/SJG37-0311 , preview link is in the middle.

Note : there is a preview for each Gurps book, always with at least the table of contents.
For exemple, you can check the 4th edition steampunk books :
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...ings-and-style
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...-and-shellfire
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...and-scientists
http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...nk-conveyances

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Anth

The world will be Stempunk-ish.
I already have GURPS3 Steam-Tech, is it worth getting GURPS4 Stempunk, or is it redundant?

Phil Masters's 4e Steampunk books are excellent and are, of course, written for 4e, so I would not hesitate to recommend them.

Originally Posted by Anth

The last thing we did before we closed the DnD5-campaign was to introduce flying ships (Spelljammer) and Mind Flayers (Psionics).
Spelljammer doesnt seem to be a problem, I have found some excellent conversions on the interwebs.
But for Psionics: is DF14:Psi enough, or do I need GURPS4 Psionic Powers?

DF14 should be good enough for psionic adventurers. Psionic Powers may be worth it if you want to do a lot more with psi, but not necessary for you at this point.

Originally Posted by Anth

I will certainly need GURPS High Tech for weapons from 1890 (indeed I already used it when we played DnD, just to get all the weapons available).
Is there anything I should think of if I introduce firearms to DFRPG?

Late 19th century guns are realistically vastly superior weapons to bows, let alone swords, axes, and the fists of martial artists, and introducing them makes most DF-flavored characters obsolete. What I might suggest is the use of either or both of the gunpowder-using character types from issue #36 of Pyramid. Think Three Musketeers rather than late Victorian.

[Balor Patch]

Originally Posted by Anth

Q11
Is it correct that DF7:Clerics uses powers instead of spells, and will it work seamlessly with DFRPG Clerics?

GURPS Powers: Divine Favor uses powers instead of spells and an article in Pyramid 3/36 makes it seamless with DF Clerics.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Balor Patch

GURPS Powers: Divine Favor uses powers instead of spells and an article in Pyramid 3/36 makes it seamless with DF Clerics.

But in order to make new prayers you'll need to understand how GURPS Powers work.

[Anth]

Originally Posted by Celjabba

You can see a preview here with the table of content and a sample

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

Phil Masters's 4e Steampunk books are excellent and are, of course, written for 4e, so I would not hesitate to recommend them.

Sorry, I missed the possibility of preview. I'll certainly use that feature in the future.

I also missed that the book I have is GURPS3 Steam-Tech, Not GURPS3 Steampunk - so I will probably buy the GURPS4 Steampunk series.

I have some GURPS books by Phil Masters and I really like them.