[GURPS] GURPS 4th: Fantasy, Mythos, Horror, Survival

[jbear]

Well, you could take me if you are desperate. I'm still interested in playing Osognir.

You'll have to walk me through the system for a little while til I catch on.

[Genocide Device]

Osognir's spot has now been filled but I'll still take a new player as posted before. The situation is less desperate now with a Third player but there's always room for one more. Have you read through the descriptions of Dwarven Life?

[jbear]

Yes, I just read through that now.

So you have Osognir, who is a martial fighter
And you had a priest character.
I recall the third character was a wizard of sorts, right?

I am not opposed to going through the character creation process to make a 4th PC for the campaign.

If there is no roguish character maybe I could build a roguish dwarven brewer who is currently disgraced and in need of restoring his place in society. Perhaps he was caught watering down the ale? And as punishment the Barman has thrust him with the heroes to aid them however the heroes see fit using his rather reprehensible talents.

Where would you recommend beginning the character creation process? What books would I need to look at?

[jbear]

Alright, so I'm looking at the GURPS Fantasy book, and to round out the party I'm thinking of a fighter/thief.

The Thief template costs 75 points. Let's see if I can figure out what it offers.

Attributes: DX bumped to 12 (40) IQ bumped to 11 (20) = 60 points
Secondary Characteristics: Perception 12 (5 points)
Advantages: Danger Sense (15), High Manual Dexterity (level 1 = 5 points) = 20 points
Disadvantages: Secret (Imprisonment) (-20) and Greed (-15 points); Overconfidence (-5)
Primary Skills: Search (A) Per+1 (4 points) and Lockpicking (A) DX+1 (4 points)
Secondary Skills: Stealth (A) DX+2 (8 points)
Background Skills: Traps, all (A) IQ-1 (1 point)

I count 58 points there, not 75. Must have missed something.

The Slayer template looks like it might provide some good grunt to his other talents.

Attributes: ST 11 (10 points); HT 11 (10 points)
Secondary Characteristics: None
Advantages: Fit (5points); Higher Purpose (5 points); Combat Reflexes (15 points)
Ambidexterity (5 points), Fearlessness level 2 (4 points) , Hard to Kill lvl 2 (4 points)
Night Vision level 1, Single-Minded (5 points)
Disadvantages: Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) (-10 points) Callous [-5],
Obsession [-10*], Weirdness Magnet [-15].
Primary Skills: One of Hidden Lore (any) (A) IQ+2 [8];
Weird Science (VH) IQ [8].
Tracking, (A) Per+1 [4]
Crossbow (E) DX+2 [4]-14; Polearm (A) DX+1 [4]
Secondary Skills: Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2]
Poisons (H) IQ-1 [2].
Fast-Talk IQ [2];
Background Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1]
Intimidation (A) Will [1];
Running (A) HT [1]

I count 60 points for this one. I think i must be doing this wrong as this template said 125. The points not added to DEX and IQ (as already added to thief) would only take that to 100

so I count 118 points so far

Hmm ... -80 in disadvantage point. So need to lose 20. So let's get rid of secret imprisonment (-20)

Which leaves points at 138. Still 62 points to spend.

But I have no idea how to build a a good character. I've just chosen things that sound like they might be good to have.

I'm imagining a tough roguish character. He has done something that has caused a fall from grace, probably due to one of his obsessions leading him down the wrong path. Now he has to make amends if he doesn't want to be a social outcast forever.

Anyway, very much a work in progress. I'll keep things bubbling away, see if I can come up with a decent character concept.

[Genocide Device]

Well it's a good start. Yeah the points don't seem to all work out on my end here either but lets not worry about that.

As a brewer you might want to consider some more basic science skills. You can also just take a profession skill or a master skill. At the current point level 200 (+65 disadvantages), you have a lot of room to work with and don't necessarily have to rely on the template more than just guidelines.

Don't limit yourself to fantasy, Martial Arts is good for this setting too. If you don't have it, I do and can make some great suggestions.

Also, 0 level magery skills are not out of the question if you're interested in minor Alchemy or Enchanting. I always recommend these for fantasy tech rogues, they come in more handy than one might think. It also matches the Dwarven "Low magic" Setting to have ritual based knowledge of the ambient powers inherent to nature.

Being displaced is going to be hard. Watering down brew is a big no no and could potentially get you executed. Greed is one of the worst hubris by Dwarven standards. I have an idea though if you don't mind me pitching it to you. You've been arrested, you were up for sentencing, you managed to subdue your captures and sneak out with the departing War Dispatch to Kiegars Keep. all you'd have to do is grab some military regalia from a barracks and leave with them. There'd be likely no sound method to easily track you once you're on the frontier. The problem with this is that not a lot of time has passed, and I'm not ready to introduce the War March just yet.

the only other option is that you play an actual Displace who is already at Kiegars Keep. With the leadership of Kriegmore (the enemy dwarf leader that was just killed by the party) broken, the 25+ dwarf displaced under his command will certainly suffer lack of discipline and mutiny. It would not be unusual for one or two to try and defect. However, this means you'll be walking into Kiegar's Keep as a displaced while it's on Black Watch. you could get killed right out the gate and if you get caught, you'll have to appeal to the party and the Elder NPC's. The good news is, they're already working with a Displaced Defector and he'll definitely speak on your behalf should you go this rout.

[jbear]

Okay, so any guidance from here would be greatly appreciated.

Science skills sounds good.
A bit of alchemy sounds like it would fit quite well with a brewer.
I like the sound of option b) defection. I'm all up for begging for my life! I'll try not to get killed right out of the gate.

If greedy is going to be too difficult maybe it would be better to leave that one alone?

So what would be a good idea from the martial arts stuff?

[Genocide Device]

Well... if you wanna get crazy, you can go full ninjitsu. Alternatively, there is an improvised weapon martial art. Of course it doesnt have to be anything so elaborate. There are some simpler styles. Pick anything out of history as well. How aboit Farbern?

For specific skills I'm gonna need my books which, I'm sorru to say you cuaght me on my net book. I'll get back to you on that so fornow lets try to flesh out the rough idea. Also, some diplomacy skills will really help you. Things like bluff or actual Diplomacy.

Yeah, greedy is going to be hard to negotiate. If you decide thats how you wanna roll, I'm compelled to give you extra points for it.

[jbear]

I think the type of guy who is emerging would more likely bluff than use diplomacy.
Hmm ... Farbern? What might that be?

Ninjitsu sounds like it might be quite cool rather than slayer. More fitting with a rogue type character.

I'll have a hard think on 'greedy'.

[Genocide Device]

Without my books I have no idea how its properly spelled and I'm not even close but basically Furber, farburn Fairbairn, farferd****ingwhatever, is a English/German school for martial assassins training. It emphasizes stealth and one shot, one kill methods using a big fat blade. Its a rather simplistic school that has a lot of the same elements as Ninjitsu but is a lot cheaper.

The full blown Ninja template is pretty nice. You may want to consider it over the Rogue template as it has wire fighting stuff going on. However, for that, you'd have to throw down 30pnts on unusual background I'm sorry to say. It's the same rules all the other players have been working under.

[jbear]

That's alright A ninja sounds pretty fun!

[Genocide Device]

kk... now if I can just get my books =D Here, I'm gonna call in some help.

[WoLT]

I believe it's called Fairbairn. I have it on Judah's sheet.

[Genocide Device]

no, no, no. Ninjitsu

It's in GURPS martial arts. Just need to know all the required skills, both realistic and cinematic.

[jbear]

Okay I have the book now. Ninjitsu seems to be a large combination of styles. It begins with Taijutsu (6 points) which has:

Then the side bar says train in one additional ninja weapon: Kenjutsu, Kusarijutsu, Kusarigamajutsu, Shurikenjutsu (nut I think that Fairburn training with knives might be a better option. More brutal and effective as I start to imagine this guy.
Then Cinematic ninjas should also add Kobojutsu to use so called ninja weapons (again perhaps not necessary as we aren't necessarily building a total ninja, just a stealthy brutal rogue with some surprising skills.


Fairbairn Close Combat Training costs 6 points

[Genocide Device]

Yup, that's right. Mind you, I've changed a lot of how the Cinimatic techniques work. There are certain cinematic skills such as Lizard Climb and Light Walk which now fall under Body Control abilities. However, I should point out that any of the cinematic skills are the wire fighting things I was refering to before. Invisibility arts is vanish from sight stuff, body control allows you to close wounds as well as hold your breath or fien death. They're sort of like GURPS Powers sets rather than just skills.