The Beauty of GURPS

[xlyce]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

The rule of thumb I use is 12-14-16;
12 is the absolutely minimum for any skill you want to roll against. Less and you're going to constantly curse
14 is the same but for combat skills because you roll more often and expect more penalties
16 is the same but for ranged combat and contested skills, both are hard to succeed at even at 16

Add 4 for any skill you actually want to rely on

So you are saying my Knife skill of 10 in a 250 point modern horror/psi game is too low?

Before you ask, it is my only combat skill, but I do have Public Speaking at 18...

[AlexanderHowl]

If Public Speaking-18 is your highest skill on a 250 CP character, I would suggest that you are doing some wrong. I mean, you can easily get that with IQ 12 [40], Born Entertainer 4 [20], and Voice [10].

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by xlyce

So you are saying my Knife skill of 10 in a 250 point modern horror/psi game is too low?

Before you ask, it is my only combat skill, but I do have Public Speaking at 18...

Skill 10 is pretty low: its going to fail 50% of the time, and its parry score isn't better than dodge. Knife at skill 10 might be useful for delivering coup-de-gras on fallen foes your party members knock down, but I can't think of much beyond that.

Its probably worth raising knife to 12 with 3 points, along with possible switching to brawling (though that's setting dependent). If you've got a DX penalty, you may as well embrace your non-combatant status.

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

If Public Speaking-18 is your highest skill on a 250 CP character, I would suggest that you are doing some wrong. I mean, you can easily get that with IQ 12 [40], Born Entertainer 4 [20], and Voice [10].

If he's got a nice power set eating up his points and he's not using skill rolls for powers it might be a solid build. But then I'd expect him to say something like "I have mind Control and IQ+talent of 18"

[Anders]

Originally Posted by xlyce

So you are saying my Knife skill of 10 in a 250 point modern horror/psi game is too low?

Before you ask, it is my only combat skill, but I do have Public Speaking at 18...

Doug has a page on various combat skill levels here.

[AlexanderHowl]

Yes, Skill-24 for attack allows some really awesome attacks. Being able to launch attacks to the eyes at a '15' is nothing to sneeze at, especially since you have a Parry 16 with Combat Reflexes. If you really want to be obnoxious, purchase OHWT, increase TA (Thrust/Eyes) to skill-5, and use DWA to stab both eyes (which ends up being a '15').

[xlyce]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

If Public Speaking-18 is your highest skill on a 250 CP character, I would suggest that you are doing some wrong. I mean, you can easily get that with IQ 12 [40], Born Entertainer 4 [20], and Voice [10].

I only spent 45 points on skills, I am more Advantage based. I spent more on Allies than on skills, and more on Reaction Roll modifiers than skills, and more on magic and psi defences than skills.

Besides how good of a fighter should an appliance salesman be?

[xlyce]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Skill 10 is pretty low: its going to fail 50% of the time, and its parry score isn't better than dodge. Knife at skill 10 might be useful for delivering coup-de-gras on fallen foes your party members knock down, but I can't think of much beyond that.

Its probably worth raising knife to 12 with 3 points, along with possible switching to brawling (though that's setting dependent). If you've got a DX penalty, you may as well embrace your non-combatant status.



If he's got a nice power set eating up his points and he's not using skill rolls for powers it might be a solid build. But then I'd expect him to say something like "I have mind Control and IQ+talent of 18"

I don't believe in psionics, magic or eternal evil creatures, so I am more anti psi than anything else.

Besides, an appliance salesman in a small city with a low crime shouldn't be a combat wombat.

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by xlyce

I don't believe in psionics, magic or eternal evil creatures, so I am more anti psi than anything else.

Besides, an appliance salesman in a small city with a low crime shouldn't be a combat wombat.

An appliance saleman probably should not be a 250 CP character unless they are the best in their city. An appliance salesman should probably have Merchant as well as Public Speaking. If I was going to make a 250 CP appliance salesman, I would probably go with the following to represent a very successful salesman:

Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 14 [80]; HT 12 [20]

Advantages: Appearance (Handsome) [12]; Less Sleep 4 [8]; Status 1 [0]; Talker 4 [20]; Voice [10]; Wealth (Wealthy) [20]

Skills: Area Knowledge (City) (E) IQ+2 [4]-16; Current Affairs/TL7 (Business) (E) IQ+2 [4]-16; Detect Lies (H) Per+2 [1]-14; Diplomacy (H) IQ+6 [4]-20; Driving/TL7 (Automobile) DX [2]-12; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+6 [2]-20; Games (Bowling) (E) IQ+2 [4]-16; Guns/TL7 (Pistol) DX [1]-12; Hobby Skill (Stamp Collecting) (E) IQ+2 [4]-16; Knife (E) DX [1]-12; Merchant (A) IQ+2 [8]-16; Performance (A) IQ+2 [2]-14; Public Speaking (A) IQ+2 [2]-16; Savior-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ+4 [1]-18;

Of course, this is an incomplete template that can be customized further. When making a sale, the character uses his effective +10/+12 reaction modifier to convince his customers that they really want to purchase a new oven. When interacting with other merchants, he instead uses his Merchant-16.

[Alden Loveshade]

I think a great deal of this discussion comes down to a difference between real-life, practical levels; over-the-top-dealing-with-nearly-impossible-situations levels; and min-maxing.

The fact that all of these approaches can work very well, depending upon the GM and campaign is, to me, part of the beauty of GURPS.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

An appliance saleman

Attributes: ST 12 [20]

He's got to move these refrigerators; he's got to move these color TVs.

I don't think anyone's suggesting that a typical salesman in a strictly realistic game would have those stats. The IQ alone would put him in a better job. But then, GURPS also handles the case of Ash at S-Mart.