Campaign Prospectus

[the_matrix_walker]

Playing with the abilities vs characterization balance is a beloved and delicate process for me, and a big part of the fun of character creation. The notion of buying power skills without picking your powers, and building a character without seeing a racial template is confusing to me, to say the least.

It's a shame you're not into supers, as that is the genre that would be most conducive to the "write up a normal and we'll add cool stuff" dynamic.

The only idea that I was working on that wasn't giving me anxiety was a gadgeteer, but come this morning, that's on both your potential players' shortlist.

I'll ponder it a bit more and see if anything comes to me that I'm comfortable with pursuing in this framework, but I may have to pass on this one.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Playing with the abilities vs characterization balance is a beloved and delicate process for me, and a big part of the fun of character creation. The notion of buying power skills without picking your powers, and building a character without seeing a racial template is confusing to me, to say the least.

You can certainly see a racial template before building your character, or ask me to present the power set before you're done or even start building the character. And you do get to pick your powers, you just don't get to stat them.



This is mostly because I'm struggling to make the budget concept work, and to put it into "Hard" rules.

[Bogie1494]

This sounds quite fun, and I would be interested in giving it a go. Full discloser though, I unfortunately have almost no experience playing GURPS. The one bit I had was a very short-lived post-apocalyptic PbP on these forums a handful of years ago. By the descriptions for character building and such, it sounds like it might take some knowledge and experience to be able to build and play effectively. If you also think it might be a bit too much for a newbie I understand completely. I'll follow the groups exploits across the multiverse, and maybe learn a bit more about the system.

[Hide]

Originally Posted by Bogie1494

This sounds quite fun, and I would be interested in giving it a go (...)

Don't worry about experience. Think about the stuff you want to do with your character, and grant him the skills to achieve them. IF that sounds hard, you can start (for example) with a 250 CP character template from dungeon fantasy and then (with the assistance of the GM) decide what your “power pack” will be, yielding you an additional 50 CP.

The official templates have been tested, so you could say they have a small investment of planning.

Remember that the challenges you will find, will depend on the GM (who already knows about your potential).

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

My dragon example is usually a shapeshifting dragon with morph.

Do you already have a Morphing Dragon template? This is actually kind of compelling... He could be looking for help against a powerful Litch, or a new homeland for the dragons since that damn elven nation has been expanding and encroaching steadily since their interconnected protection magics got a mind of their own...

[ericthered]

I've got most of one:


Dragon Template

ST +30 [210]
SM+3

Burning attack 3d (cone, 3 yards, 20 yard attack no half range, takes recharge 5 sec -10%)
Spit Fireball Burning attack 3d (area effect 4 yard radius, 50 yard range no half, 5 sec recharge, alternative attack)
Flame Jet 3d (jet, alternative attack)

DR 4 [20]
DR 6 (not on belly -10%) [27]
Nicatating membrane 2 [2]

Extra Legs (Four Legs)[5]; 
Flight (Winged, -25%) [30];
Enhanced move (air) (1/2) [10]
Enhanced move (ground) (1/2) [10]

Night Vision 9 [9];
Discriminatory smell [15]

Striker (Tail; Crushing)[5]
Teeth (Fangs) [2]
claws (talons) [8]

High Pain Threshold [10]
Immunity to Disease [10]
Temperature Tolerance 6 [6]
Horizontal [-10]
Bad Grip [-10]

 Morph [100]

The callout to ward makes me laugh.

[the_matrix_walker]

That seems to be (more than) a little outside our point power budget... Not surprising at all, of course! I was thinking it would have to be a cat-sized dragon to make it anywhere close to the stated 150 points...

I didn't mean to put you to work on it, just checking if it existed since you mentioned it.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

That seems to be (more than) a little outside our point power budget... Not surprising at all, of course! I was thinking it would have to be a cat-sized dragon to make it anywhere close to the stated 150 points...

I didn't mean to put you to work on it, just checking if it existed since you mentioned it.

ST, DR, innate attacks, natural weapons, and movement abilities are heavily discounted.



Yes, 150 is just an estimation.