GURPS 4E Horseclans Templates

[Pursuivant]

Inspired by the GURPS 4E Horseclans Psionics thread, I adapted a few of the character "templates" from that book to GURPS 4E rules.

Point costs might be incorrect since I calculated them mentally.

I've added a few optional traits which seem appropriate for the setting but which weren't around when GURPS Horseclans was printed.


Horseclansman (4 points)

Attributes: +1 ST [10]; +1 HT [10].

Optional Advantages: Damage Resistance (Tough Skin) [3/lvl]; Fearlessness [2/lvl]; Fit [5]; Patron (Clan or clan leader) [Varies]; Temperature Tolerance [1/lvl].

Disadvantages: Intolerance (-1 reaction to non-clan plains rovers, -3 to Dirtmen) [-10]; Reputation (-3, Witchmen (Small Group), All the Time) [-5].

Optional Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Horseclansman) [-5]; Duty (Clan) [Varies]; Impulsiveness [-10*]; Honesty [-10]; Jealousy [-10]; Stubborness [-5]; Truthfulness [-5].

Quirk: Likes non-hostile Horseclansman (+2 reaction) [-1].

Features: Subtract 3" from height after calculating weight, Fair-skinned & fair-haired, Lean build. Taboo Traits: Cowardice, Delusion, or Sadism.

Horseclansman's Code of Honor: Avoid and distrust cheats, cowards, liars, and greedy people. Be Brave. Don't betray allies, family, or friends. Don't tolerate cheating, cowardice, lies, or greed among fellow clansmen. Fight honorably against honorable foes. Keep your word once given. Respect honor and bravery, even in foes.

Note: Might also overlap with the Pirate's Code of Honor. I added a few elements of the code which seem in keeping with the original write-up.

Sapient Horse (6 points)
Use Noble Horse template from GURPS Banestorm, but add:

Attributes: IQ: -4 [-80].

Optional Attributes: Altered ST [+/-5/lvl]; Increased IQ [20/lvl].

Secondary Traits: Per +6 [30].

Advantages: Remove Selfishness [+5]; Telecommunications (Telesend, Enhancement: Universal (+50%; Limitation: Telepathic, -10%) [+33]; Temperature Tolerance 2 [2].

Optional Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Appearance (Impressive) [Varies]; Combat Reflexes; Damage Resistance (Tough Skin) [3/lvl]; Fit or Very Fit [5 or 15]; Luck [15]; Status (Herd) [Varies].

Disadvantages: Illiterate [-3]; Increased Consumption 2 [-20]; Short Lifespan 1 [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].

Optional Disadvantages: Bad Temper [-10*]; Chummy [-5*]; Hidebound [-5]; Incurious [-5*]; Innumerate [-10]; Non-Iconographic [-15*]; Phobia (Fire, Predators, etc.) [Varies]; Stubbornness [-5]; Truthfulness [-10*].

Quirk: Obligate Herbivore [-1].

Optional Quirks: Cautious [-1]; Likes human comrades [-1]; Dislikes predators and their scents [-1]; Distrusts strangers [-1]; Likes battle [-1]; Suspicious [-1].

Features: Taboo Trait: Lame; Limited Skills.

Skills: Survival (Plains) Per [2]-12; Swimming (E) HT [1]-12.

Optional Skills: Choose from Acrobatics (H); Brawling (E); Detect Lies (H); Jumping (A); Leadership (Equine) (E); Mount (A); Running (A); Stealth (A); Survival (Plains) (A); Swimming (A); Tactics (Personal) (A).

Prariecat (276 points)
Loosely adapted from DF Allies and Basic Set Tiger template.

Attributes: ST: 21 [55]*†; DX: 14 [48]†; IQ: 8 [-40]; HT: 14 [40]
Secondary Traits: HP: 17 [0]; Speed: 7.00 [10]; Move: 10/15 [15]; Will: 11 [15]; Per: 14 [30]; FP: 12 [0] SM: +1; Dodge: 11 Parry: n/a DR: 1 [5]; Bite (16): 2d+3 imp; Claw (16): 2d+2 cutting.

Advantages: Acute Smell and Taste 3 [6]; Catfall [10]; Claws (Sharp) [5]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; Enhanced Move 0.5 (Ground) [10]; Flexibility [5]; Night Vision 9 [9]; Perfect Balance [15]; Striking ST 2 (Bite only, -60%; No Fine Manipulators -40%; Size, -10%) [2]; Striking ST 2 (No Fine Manipulators -40%; Size, -10%) [5]; Silence 4 [20]; Teeth (Fangs) [2]; Telecommunication (Telepathy, Limitation: Telepathic, -5%) [29]; Telepathy Talent 4 [20]; Vibration Sense (Air) [10].

Optional Advantages: Allies [Varies]; Reputation [Varies].

Perks: Fur [1]; Limited Camouflage (Dense Vegetation or Shadows) [1]‡; Skill Adaptation (Smell-based Detect Lies skill) [1].

Disadvantages: Colorblindness [-10]; Compulsive Behavior (Pouncing on small things that move suddenly) (12) [-10]; Cannot Speak [-15]; Quadruped [-35]; Short Lifespan 1 [-10]; Wealth (Poor) [-15].

Optional Disadvantages: Curiosity [-5]; Gluttony [-5*]; Hidebound [-5]; Laziness [-10*]; Loner [-5]; Phobias [Varies]; Sense of Duty (Partner and/or Family [-3 or -5]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-10]; Vow [-5 to -15].

Quirks: Dislikes Liars [-1]; Dislikes Water [-1]; Doesn't care about material wealth [-1]; Doesn't care about politics other than revenge [-1]; Likes battle [-1]; Likes people who can mindspeak (+4 reaction) [-1];

Optional Quirks: Somewhat lazy [-1]; Sybarite (likes physical pleasure like being petted, eating, and sex) [-1].

Features: Dislikes eating human flesh. Refer to themselves in the third person. Taboo Traits: Greed; Lame; Artistic, Craft, and Weapon skills.

Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4]-16; Jumping (E) DX+2 [4]-16; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4]-15; Survival (Plains) Per-1 [1]-13; Swimming (E) HT [1]-12.

* Cost reduced for Size (-10%).
† Cost reduced for No Fine Manipulators (-40%).
‡ Gives +2 to Camouflage and Stealth when standing completely still in the appropriate environment.

[RGTraynor]

A couple thoughts.

* Code of Honor (Horseclans) shouldn't be optional. Obviously not every Horseclansman subscribes to it, but it's so pervasive a social ethic that failure to conform to it carries significant penalties, demonstrated in the books. Few Horseclan folk dare to flout any particular of it.

* There are some skills that are also pervasive to the culture. Survival certainly, and any Clanfolk should have three or four points in a basket of skills pertinent to their lifestyle -- Animal Handling, Tanning, Weaving, Packing, Naturalist, Tracking, Leatherworking, Armoury and suchlike; it's depicted that in camp, everyone's working at something. It's also established that every female is taught to use a bow, and likely every male has a point into Saber and Brawling.

[acrosome]

Originally Posted by RGTraynor

* Code of Honor (Horseclans) shouldn't be optional.

And it should include "Only gang-rape women who are at least 14 years of age."

Those books really have not aged well...

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by acrosome

And it should include "Only gang-rape women who are at least 14 years of age."

Those books really have not aged well...

Even for 70s-80s post-apocalypse literature they're pretty rapey, and it's generally only presented as even a little bit bad if the bad guys do it, as I recall.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Even for 70s-80s post-apocalypse literature they're pretty rapey, and it's generally only presented as even a little bit bad if the bad guys do it, as I recall.

I distinctly recall having my 12-year-old mind blown in several ways when I found out that female-on-male rape is even possible and that it's totally okay in Horseclans culture if the victim is a Dirtman (as long as he isn't a coward about it and fights back and all, don't want no weaklings in the Clans if she has a rape baby). It's definitely a present theme. That said, mostly love the setting; was just talking about some other aspects of it the other day.

[Pursuivant]

Templates based off of the GURPS 2E Horseclans books, which I haven't read, hence the problems with CoH.

It sucks that there are nasty sexual elements to them which make them unacceptable to modern sensibilities.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

It sucks that there are nasty sexual elements to them which make them unacceptable to modern sensibilities.

Eh, if we can gloss over the ones from real history in our games we can do it with a series of novels.

[warellis]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Eh, if we can gloss over the ones from real history in our games we can do it with a series of novels.

Yeah but the words "well raped" are still rather creepy and disturbing. Especially with the author having his good guy protagonist do it.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by warellis

Yeah but the words "well raped" are still rather creepy and disturbing. Especially with the author having his good guy protagonist do it.

Well, yeah; I could've worded that better. My intended meaning was, "If we can gloss over the disturbing elements from real history in our games we can gloss over the disturbing elements from an otherwise-fun series of novels in our games."

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Baltotheesee [0]:

Culture: TL 1 [-10]; Languages: Theesee (Native / None) [-3];

Secondaries: HP -1 [-2]; Perception +1 [5];

Advantages: Fearlessness x1 [2]; Talent x1 (Fen-Person) [5]; Terrain Adaptation (Swampland) [5];

Quirks: Chauvinist [-1]; Mildly Paranoid [-1];

Notes: Created in the spirit of the original rather than as a direct 3e-4e stat conversion. Talent: Fen-Person improves Boating (Unpowered), Blowpipe, Poisons, Stealth, and Survival (Swamp); reaction bonus applies to other Baltotheesee. Skinny, Intolerance (Racial), and Xenophobia are common but not required. Kind of a one-note group as presented, but I always liked their style and felt like they had potential.