Jumper (World) to Yrth and Beyond

[Alden Loveshade]

Some worlds, such as Yrth (GURPS Banestorm, etc.) restrict the Jumper advantage. For Yrth, the roll is at -25.

I see the point--the idea is that Yrth is almost completely blocked off. But some GURPS supplements do have people who can go and leave there without having to be caught in the Banestorm.

So imagine somebody's spent 4 or more points on Jumper (World). To get their current ability to the same level for Yrth would cost 100 points! I love Yrth--I believe I've spent more time there than on any other fictional world. But 100 points seems a bit much. So many years ago, a fellow GM and I made an advantage where one "can world jump in and out of Yrth, and other worlds that resist/restrict worldjumping, at normal skill level."

I'm currently re-evaluating the cost of such an advantage. What do you think it should cost?

[ericthered]

I've used cosmic, +50%.

That's higher than you probably want, but it's a number cheaper than the +100% that you're looking at. It's taken people off Yrth and Coventry in game. They didn't pay for it, it's a campaign advantage, but it's raw and it's a start.

One thing to note is that the ability to leave those worlds is highly prized and can attract powerful interests and enemies... That might compensate for the cost in some way

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by ericthered

I've used cosmic, +50%....

As it happens, that's effectively the same exact cost we had it at. (We defined it as Unusual Background, but the cost was effectively the same.) Maybe I'll leave it as is, or switch to Cosmic--but am open to other suggestions!

[TGLS]

Well, if the campaign is set principally on Yrth*, a Jumper advantage that doesn't work basically all the time is worthless. So one that does work at all is worth 100 points, as usual. If the campaign is not player directed enough, Jumper means, "I drive the bus to the place the Boss said." and one that let's you to go and from Yrth on demand is hardly worth it. If the campaign is sufficiently player directed, the ability to go and from Yrth on demand could be worth a fair deal. +50% is good start. Maybe +10% if Yrth isn't particularly special beyond inaccessibility.

*Read Yrth as "Yrth or some other hard to access world"

[ericthered]

Specific hard to reach worlds should cost less than all hard to reach worlds, I'd think. 5 or 10 points should do it... but you also need a story to go with it! (Well I'm from Yrth, so I suppose I learned to overcome it early on...)

I'd also note that cosmic +50% should be useful against wards and magical prisons and so forth as well. Only dealing with entire worlds with that sort of effect might be merely +40%.

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well, if the campaign is set principally on Yrth*, a Jumper advantage that doesn't work basically all the time is worthless. So one that does work at all is worth 100 points, as usual. If the campaign is not player directed enough, Jumper means, "I drive the bus to the place the Boss said." and one that let's you to go and from Yrth on demand is hardly worth it. If the campaign is sufficiently player directed, the ability to go and from Yrth on demand could be worth a fair deal. +50% is good start. Maybe +10% if Yrth isn't particularly special beyond inaccessibility.

*Read Yrth as "Yrth or some other hard to access world"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Specific hard to reach worlds should cost less than all hard to reach worlds, I'd think. 5 or 10 points should do it... but you also need a story to go with it! (Well I'm from Yrth, so I suppose I learned to overcome it early on...)

I'd also note that cosmic +50% should be useful against wards and magical prisons and so forth as well. Only dealing with entire worlds with that sort of effect might be merely +40%.

I admit I haven't fully done the math. But off the top of my head, both of your concepts seem reasonable.

[Donny Brook]

It seems somewhat similar to longevity-type advantages -- high cost for something of little campaign utility.

[johndallman]

If Yrth becomes important in a larger Infinite Worlds campaign, there is scope to add a secret way in and out that's easier to use.

I did that in Infinite Cabal, where the characters used L-Space to reach the library of St. Magdalene’s College in Abydos. Athena showed the characters how to do this, after they assisted the Olympians in a project.

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

It seems somewhat similar to longevity-type advantages -- high cost for something of little campaign utility.

That can certainly vary with the campaign, which is covered in some GURPS supplements including, er, um, one I wrote. Yes, for many campaigns, Unaging can be a waste of points. But if you have an elf PC like one of mine who recently celebrated her 700th birthday....

Originally Posted by johndallman

If Yrth becomes important in a larger Infinite Worlds campaign, there is scope to add a secret way in and out that's easier to use.

I did that in Infinite Cabal, where the characters used L-Space to reach the library of St. Magdalene’s College in Abydos. Athena showed the characters how to do this, after they assisted the Olympians in a project.

Interesting. Many years ago, I had a PC who was given help by Athena--but Athena wanted something in return. As my PC had recently acquired a scroll that could summon a devil lord, she offered to bring the devil lord's head to Athena. Which became a battle watched by several gods....

But to not derail my own thread, I"m guessing that L-Space is from Terry Pratchett/Discworld. Although there's also NASA's L'SPACE Program. (And there's a women's swimwear line, but I'm guessing it's not that.)

[pawsplay]

Even with -25 and no great ability, you are still going to succeed on a 3 or a 4, which is 1 in 54 rolls. Even if you only try twice a day, it will only take weeks to escape Yrth. Further, on a critical failure, you'll go somewhere. Escaping from Yrth with Jumper is merely inconvenient.

However, Cosmic (no roll needed) is probably a valid +50% Enhancement. While even rarer than Jumper itself, it seems plausible that plenty of people in the infinite worlds have it. Perhaps more common might be Energy Reserve (World-Jumping). With even two points, recharging every ten minutes, a jumper can likely escape Yrth inside of a few days.