[Mechanics] Questions about GURPS

[Schwarz]

The problem is that in the future, to learn a new form (Create, Understand or Control) will be harder than to find a master in a specific path.

So if you want to learn Animals 1, for example, you will be very mediocre only having the Form Understand 1, but having Understand 2 (30 points), Create 1 (15 points) and Control 1 (15 points), you will be far better performing the rituals of any new Path you may learn.

[MagicallyMusing]

Oh, I see. I was planning on focusing completely on plants, but I guess I should give it some thought.

How much advancement will there be in the future? It would be kind of cool to be an insanely powerful plant mage, completely useless at everything else.

[Schwarz]

I will put the difficulty to improve your magical skills below:

1. Improve or Learn a new Form: Very Hard;
2. Improve or Learn a new Path: Hard;
3. Improve your Main Path (the path with the higher focus): Medium.

Also, being a Master of the Plants Path sounds interesting.

[MagicallyMusing]

Ugh, I'm conflicted. I really kind of want to be crazy call-up-a-forest from nothing plant mage, but I do think that Rosemonde would be interested in learning from Gabriel (when she knows his secret, anyway) so maybe I should go with the more conservative set up.

[Karhald]

In my coming post today, I will likely be using a 'sense motives' Understand Human check on John, since he's sensed that Gabriel is hiding something. This is a well practiced magical effect that Gabriel has used on many people.

Just roll 3d6? He's got Understand 1 and Humans 4, so 3d6scl15 is the code I should use?

I'll write up a list of effects that I'm positive Gabriel would already have learned and practiced often. Assume that if it's a personal effect that the casual observer wouldn't notice, then he's used it often. If it's something a little more obvious, then he's practiced privately, and only when he was certain nobody else would have seen him. So, going Wolverine with bone claws is probably not something he can do, but seeing in the dark, heightening and lowering senses, sensing motives and reading surface thoughts, as well as powerful healing abilities (Human 4, probably can heal even serious wounds) are in his grasp.

For Main Path... do I state that his focus is healing and purging of diseases, poisons, and other ailments of the physical body? What about mental diseases? Can he 'fix' crazy?

I love freeform magical rules, but it can be tough to keep it under control, considering he is still a low powered character, lacking any real experiences so far.

[MagicallyMusing]

I'm going to split the difference and break it down like this:

Plants 5
Understand 1
Create 1

Then I haven't entirely hamstrung myself if I want to play with another path later, and I feel like it's a more efficient use of my remaining points.

[Schwarz]

Originally Posted by Karhald

Just roll 3d6? He's got Understand 1 and Humans 4, so 3d6scl15 is the code I should use?

For Main Path... do I state that his focus is healing and purging of diseases, poisons, and other ailments of the physical body? What about mental diseases? Can he 'fix' crazy?

I love freeform magical rules, but it can be tough to keep it under control, considering he is still a low powered character, lacking any real experiences so far.

1. Yes, to be successful you need to roll 3d6 and get a 15 or bellow. The target can make a WILL save to resist it.

2. The Main Path, in your case, is the Humans Path, any path that you learn from here will be secondary.

3. There is really a great amplitude of possibilities with this magic system, so it would be helpful to create a list for your character with what he knows and uses the most (100 hours of study to cast instantly). But it is optional since I'll be judging case by case and telling you the its "game effects" when it's needed.

[Karhald]

More questions! Yaaay!

1. In the example of trying to determine Lord Talbot's intents, I initially thought to use Understand 1 + Humans 4 for a skill check at 15 as my level of control for a 3rd circle power effect. So, would the fatigue cost be 4 points then? Or 6 points? Do I calculate fatigue based on the strength of just the path used, or path plus magic form (Understand/Create/Control). If it's just the path level that determines fatigue, and form helps with the potency of the effect, then I can see a lot more value in the Form. So... the question is: Fatigue is based on the circle of the paths effect? Or the Path + Form calculation? Followup: If Gabriel has Create 5 and Humans 6, but just wants to heal a little scratch (1HP of damage), does he take a huge hit to fatigue for a Circle 1 effect because of his immense magical talent?

2. If Gabriel gets to be much stronger, and learns another path, say... Arkanun (Black Magic, yeah!!!) and uses that power to perform an exorcism (force a demon out of a person) and that ritual requires, for example, Control + Arkanun 4 + Human 4, is that Control + 8 for fatigue calculation?

3. Character Advancement: I assume that GURPS doesn't use leveling up like DnD, but Character Points and selective purchases, such as World of Darkness? So, after an adventure, we get 20 Character Points to improve our skills, and I improve certain skills to shore up weaknesses, or advance my strengths using the same rules as in Character Creation?

4. The defined magical effects in the Humans path are great so far, body alteration, animal-human hybrids, mind control, and all of that. What about just mechanical healing? Do I use the Circle effect Damage dice chart in the 2nd post of the magic thread, but call it healing? So Gabriel wants to do a Circle 3 HEAL on someone, use Create 1 and Humans 4, is that a 15 skill check to heal 3d6 damage? What's the fatigue cost?


Edit: I'm very interested in this magic system! I've always enjoyed free-form, but I also need to know costs versus benefit, so I know what to adjust in the future. As it stands, Gabriel is good for 1 strong spell, then he needs a nap. I may need to invest a LOT of future growth into just improving his FP

[Schwarz]

1. The cost for a 3rd circle spell is Fatigue 4. You need to consider the level of a determined spell to discover how many FP you will lose (because it shows how much power is involved. Doing greater spells requires very much of the mage's body).
When casting a spell of the Humans Path, you will always use your higher skill check, in this case, 15 (even if you are casting a 1st circle magic).
At the 2nd circle Gabriel can only know basic emotions and feelings. Only at the 3rd circle he can discover inner intents.

2. No, the FP cost will be considered by the circle that the exorcism fits in. If 1st circle, costs 2 FP, if 4th circle, costs 4.

3. Yes, after the end of a campaign (or at any time by the GM's will), you will receive character points to spend as the character creation rules. However, it needs to make sense, for example, you can not improve your sword skill if you have never used your sword.

4. Yes, you need to use that table to discover any effects of your spells. If you have any doubts you can always request the effects to the GM.
In your example, using a 3rd circle effect you will only be able to heal yourself (check the column "Affected People"). The skill check is 15, as explained above. The healing power is 3d6 as the column "Direct Damage". As it will be considered as a 3rd Circle Spell, the FP cost is 4 points.

[Karhald]

Thank you. So... Gabriel is going to need a LOT of fatigue points in order to use more than 1 magic effect that affects other people.

I guess... if there's a fight, he'll hide in the corner until everything is done, then burn all of his fatigue to completely heal 2 people (circle 4 effect cast twice, 4d6 healing, 1 person, 4 fatigue each for 8 fatigue, then pass out)

I'm sorry, but more questions! I'm going to be very annoying, I am sorry.

1. Looking at the transformation, having Humans 4, I can only transform myself, but what about the single limb? That was a circle 3 effect, if done at circle 4, can I affect a single limb of another person?

2. The Damage reduction buff, I can harden my skin by an amount equal to the circle used to cast it... How long does it last? If I use a Circle 2 harden skin for DR2, is the DR2 a full body armor? Does it stack with the thick doublet for DR1 armor +DR2 magic for DR3 on torso/groin?

3. If Gabriel were to Harden someone else's skin with a Circle 4 effect (required to affect another person) would that be the full strength of DR4? Is there a way to affect another person with a lower level of power, to reduce the Fatigue costs?

4. I am seeing the value of the Forms, and would like to increase them, as well as Fatigue (two strong spells and Gabriel is on the verge of passing out) but the Forms are very expensive in Character Points, and at 3 CP for a Fatigue point, getting his fatigue to an acceptable level (20+) would cost a lot as well (33 CP+). At the end of a campaign or adventure, what is the normal CP reward? 25 points? 10 points? 5?

[Schwarz]

Hey, you can do as many questions as you want, it's great!

1. Well, let's say that you can heal (or something else) someone by touching his/her limb.

2. You can check the "Direct Damage" column, it will be considered as the number of rounds that a magic spell lasts. Your DR will stack with whatever other protections you may have, and it is for your full body.

3. Since he needs to cast a circle 4 magic to affect another person, the FP cost will be the same. However, I will judge on a case by case basis when you want to reduce a magic effect.

4. It depends on many things. Good roleplay, discovering new (or hidden) things and solutions, achieving success in your endeavors, etc... So I cannot say how much you will gain during a campaign.

5. Remember that since you have Forms 1 and Humans 4, you can cast 5th Circle magic spells.

[Karhald]

What is the duration on transformation effects? DR effects? Buff effects?

Should I roll the 'damage' dice, and say it's that number of rounds?

I'm thinking about giving James Forester 3d6 in ST (Circle 5 buff), having him hulk out, and just rip the door off the cell. Gabriel will nearly pass out from the effort of such a huge spell (6FP cost). So.. for example:

Gabriel spends 6 Fatigue Points, pats James Forester on the back, boosts his strength by

Dice Roll:

3d6

5, 4, 4

Total = 13

(13) for

Dice Roll:

5d6

2, 5, 3, 3, 2

Total = 15

(15) rounds

With those rolls, Forester would have 25 ST for 15 seconds. Enough time to rip the doors off the wall, and maybe run to the next door and break it down before the spell fades.

I'd rather turn his fingers into lock picks, but that would probably be a Circle 6 or even Circle 7 effect. Gabriel doesn't have that level of control yet.

[Schwarz]

Your calculation and understanding of the duration of a magic effect are correct.

You just need to note the column "Effect Radius". In this example, you can increase James ST without the need of touch him. If he is inside the 4 yards radius and is visible, then he can be targeted.

[Schwarz]

Originally Posted by Karhald

... Enough time to rip the doors off the wall, and maybe run to the next door and break it down before the spell fades...

Also, you cannot be sure that the outcome would be exactly like this...

[Karhald]

True... but here's to hoping!