GURPS:Main Page

This annotation project is intended to provide a cross-referenced source of information about the GURPS 4th Edition roleplaying system. It is not intended to replace the core books, nor should information from the core books be copied to any page on the wiki.

About GURPS

GURPS is a points-based system which proposes to simplify gaming in a number of ways.

Fewer dice

The only die used in GURPS is the d6. Most rolls are made with 3d6; the few remaining rolls are some other number of d6.

Flexible system

GURPS attempts to create a bare framework for roleplaying which can be overlaid with the specific details of any campaign setting or genre.

GURPS Lite is a free downloadable 32 page pdf that will give GMs and players the basics of the game to the extent that campaigns can be run off of it and it alone, though obviously greater detail is available with the full rules.

The system is point based and character traits are comprised of six basic groups, Attributes, Advantages, Skills, Perks, Disadvantages and Quirks. Attributes can cost positive, zero or negative points depending on their value. Advantages, Skills and Perks always cost postive points while Disadvantages and Quirks produce negative points that can be used to make other positive purchases.

Optional detail

The rules are written with the intention that only a certain core set of rules is actually required for play. The remainder add detail and/or realism at the expense of pace, and may be disregarded without making characters or campaigns incompatible with each other.

About this project

The goal of this project is to create an annotated guide for selection and interpretation of the rules of GURPS depending on the style of game your group wants to play. It was started on 02 June 2005 by Adalger.

How to contribute

Most new pages should fall into one of the following categories:

• GURPS:Attributes

There are 4 basic attributes in GURPS Strength (ST), Dexterity (DX) Intelligence (IQ) and Health (HT). There are subattributes as well, Perception (PER), Will (WILL), Hit Points (HP), Fatigue Points (FP), Basic Speed (SPEED) and Movement. Each of these are based on one or more attributes but can be adjusted by spending points or by selling off a subattribute to a lower value for the equivalent points.

Example, a character with a DX of 13 and HT of 12 has a basic speed of 6.25. The O.25 has some minor benefits, particularly with regard to initiative, but generally doesn't do much. A player can either raise his basic speed by spending 5 pts per quarter point of basic speed or sell of the excess. In this case he'd recover five points and have a basic speed of 6.0.

Other traits that are attributes in other games are found as either Advantages or Disadvantages. ie Charisma.

• GURPS:Advantages
• GURPS:Disadvantages
• GURPS:Genres
• GURPS:House rules
• GURPS:Magic

GURPS 3rd edition had a number of magic systems built to suit a variety of settings. What was called 'Standard Magic' was built for Fantasy genres and deals with casting spells in tactical time units. Standard Magic is little changed.

Spells are skills, are learned and improved as such and work on the premise of an ambient magical energy called mana being around. An Advantage called Magery allows casters to work magic anywhere where mana is available, though mana levels can affect spell skill level and general effects. It also adds to the effective skill of the spell.

Magery is available in levels. As of GURPS 4th, there is no upper level for Magery unless a GM sets one for a game. Standard Magic is a prerequiste learning system. For example, to learn the spell Explosive Fireball, which creates a fireball that travels from the caster and expands over an area, you need to first learn the spell Fireball, which sends a single target version of the spell. To learn Fireball, you need to learn two other spells, Create Fire, which produces a magical fire that requires no fuel, and Shape Fire, which in addition to molding fire, is able to animate it. These in turn have their own prerequisite spell either Ignite Fire, the barbecue chef's best friend (pile of charcoal bricks becomes burning pile of charcoal bricks in one second. No fluid needed.) or Seek Fire which will let a caster find the nearest source of a fire. These two spells are basic spells, spells that have no prerequisites.

Other magic systems used in 3rd edition have yet to be fully reintroduced in 4th edition to date.

• GURPS:Psionics

Psi in 4th edition has changed dramatically. Whereas previous editions had a variety of powers and skills specifically under the psionic umbrella, these powers are now generic in nature, and classified as advantages.

A character designer who specifies a power like mind reading is psionically based takes a minor limitation on the power, reducing it's cost. This limitation makes the power subject to another advantage, Psi Static.

• GURPS:Skills

Skills in GURPS 4th are resolved with a 3d6 roll (usually designated 3d since d6 is the only die used in GURPS) against a skill's level or lower. This is modified by circumstances ie piloting a damaged bomber). Skills are based on attributes or in a few cases the subattributes Perception and Will. Skills are ranked by difficulty. An easy skill is learned at it's governing attribute's level for 1 point, an average skill for two, a hard skill for 4 and a very hard skill for 8.

ALL skills follow the same basic cost path, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16... etc points for each level. In earlier editions of the game, points in skills represented the amount of time and training spent learning the skill. In 4th edition, this has been dropped. While most skill points still indicate training time there is no 'formula' for it and it can be used for exceptionally gifted characters to pick up a skill in very short time, GM's decision.

Most but not all skills have defaults and can be used untrained. Example Broadsword skill defaults to DX -4 so an untrained character with a DX of 13 weilds a broadsword with skill 9 or less.

Some skills do not have defaults. If it is studied, the character cannot use it. Computer Hacking is an example of a defaultless skill.

There is a subcategory of skilled called Techniques. In 3rd edition, they were called Maneuvers, but since that word has other uses in the game, the name was changed.

Techniques advance on a cheaper cost rate than skills. They generally default from skills and are specializations of those skills. ie 'Arm Lock' for the skill of Judo. This will improve the character's ability to put an opponent in an arm lock without improving the rest of the Judo package of abilities.

Techniques have one problem. The cost of improving more than three of them ends up costing more than improving the base skill, which would improve EVERY technique based on the skill. But it is a way to hone certain aspects of a skill to very high levels for relatively low cost.

• GURPS:Tactics
• GURPS:Terminology

Alternatively, a new page might fall into a subcategory -- e.g., GURPS:Cyberpunk might be a subcategory of GURPS:Genres, and you might want to create a page on Cyberpunk terminology, which would logically be most at home within the GURPS:Cyberpunk category. However, please avoid creating additional subcategories unless there is a compelling reason. If you have any doubt, please solicit discussion on the Talk page for the category where you're considering creating a subcategory.

What to do

A good start would be to pick your favorite genre. If a page for it exists, see if it says everything that needs to be said. If not, start it!

Other things that need to be done:

• Clarifications of rules that you think are hard to understand
• Lists of limitations and enhancements people use, with value modifiers, per skill/advantage/disadvantage
• Observed/common abuses of rules/skills/advantages/disadvantages/enhancements/limitations