The One System

GURPS 4th Edition

To provide rules and structure around resolving the failure or success of actions in the game, we use a system to provide us a kind of 'physics' for the world our stories take place in.
Adventures that take place in the Worlds of Andermyre use the GURPS 4th edition system.

The basics of the GURPS system is that a value of 10 is right in the middle of a bell curve of results gained by rolling 3d6. A normal value of '10' is based off of modern 21st century humans, and the many varieties of values assigned to stats, skills, powers, etc. can go up or down from there for some cost of character development, or increased or decreased by equipment used. Any attempt to resolve an action is a 3d6 roll compared to the value with a lower roll being desired. It's that simple!

Players can describe their actions in plain English using minutes and seconds and yards and pounds making resolving actions easy to assess and communicate.

You can find the basic GURPS lite from DrivethruRPG here or here from SJGames directly.

If you'd like to invest in the books you can order them on-line, but I suggest you purchase them directly from your friendly local game store if at all possible.

Rule Clarifications

We use every rule we can remember at the time we're playing. Here are some specifically worth calling out. Numbers in (###) refer to the page number in the book source:

(B)asic, (M)agic, (T)haumatology, (P)owers, (L)ow Tech, (H)igh Tech, (U)ltra Tech

Official Optional Rules

We do play using;

• Any advantage with the exotic or Supernatural symbol must have an in-game justification 'Unusual Background' (B32)

• Character Points for Self-Control with disadvantages (B121)

• ST and Jumping (B352)

• Extra Effort in Combat (B357)
  • Feverish Defense (B357)
  • Flurry of Blows (B357)
  • Might Blows (B357)

• Realistic Turning Radius (V²/10) (B394)

• Dual Weapon Attacks (B417)

We do not yet play with;
Wildcard/Bang! Skills (B175), Techniques (B229), Maintaining Skills (B294), Combat Facing (B385), Cinematic Combat Rules (B417), Bleeding (B420), Accumulated Wounds (B420), or Last Wounds (B420).

Not allowed (for PCs) are the following advantages and disadvantages;
Rapier Wit as written (B79), Sadism (B152), Unique (B160).

House Rules

These rules are different from, or non-existent, with the rules in the Basic books.

• Ability Scores have a normal range that is +/- 4 from Base racial normal.
  • e.g. Humans (that have a base racial normal stat of 10) can improve their ability scores within the range of 6-14 with no other story justification than training. Anything outside this range would need additional explanation; cybernetics, super-serum, realized half-alien, etc.

• We use a modified Influencing Success Rolls (B347) only for death saves and dodges.
  If you have banked CP you can use 1 CP to re-roll HT checks vs. dying. If that roll fails you can re-roll at a cost of 1cp x multiple of damage vs. HT (Roundup). Each additional attempt cost is double the last.
  

  Example. Rizzo the mutated Rat has 12cp banked and a HT of 8. After DR and the pi+ multiplier he takes a gunshot wound of 30hp. He fails his first HT roll vs. death, and wants to spend CP for a re-roll. He is at -22hp. -22hp/8HT(rounded up)x1 = 3cp for the first re-roll. Rizzo fails this one too. Now at 9cp banked he must spend 6cp for the second re-roll (the last cp of 3 doubled). Rizzo better make this one because the next roll would cost 12cp that he doesn't have.

Character Rules

Unusual Backgrounds

Unusual Backgrounds cost 20cp each

• Enhanced Human
  • Cyborg : Enhanced or additional body parts only at start. Must have a patron or the skills, resources and funds to repair themselves. No restriction on adding exotic abilities, but they must be funded and either found or engineered.
  • Trained by a Master : Must write backstory for the Master and decide if they are still living.
  • Weapons Master: Not available to start.

• Beyond Human
  • Alien [section:far fa-alien] : Must select from standard setting template options.
  • Metahuman : There must be an accident in your backstory. All powers must come under a theme. No restriction on adding exotic abilities, but they must come under the theme. For the supernatural version of this see Sorcerer below.
  • Mutant : As metahuman, but born that way. Usually a large investment of cp into 1 or 2 powers. No restrictions on increasing the power of existing powers. No new powers can be added under the mutant origin.
  • Robot : Machine meta-trait required. You must start with re-programmable and a Patron (or Enemy!).
  • Uplifted : Start with animal base template. Final form must be humanoid and be capable of speech. No (permanent) bestial.

Magic

• Magic Types
  
  • Divine (Blooded) : You are different. Your ancestors mated with otherworldly beings.
    This requires physical anomalies that result in physical advantages with an equal number of disadvantages chosen by the Game Master.
  
  
  • Divine (Disciple) : You have sought out and pledged yourself to paranormal powers.
    This requires the pact and patron advantages with an otherworldly being. Granted abilities are at the discretion of said creature.
  
  
  • Arcane (Wizard) : You've learned a few of the most useful cantrips along the way.
    No magery required to learn any spell, can cast spells with a number of prerequisites equal to IQ/10 rounded down. Cannot use any fatigue source other than self.
    Common, easily available cantrips are dependent on setting.
  
  
  • Arcane (Mage) : Magery required. Can learn any spell. Can create new spells. Can use any fatigue sources. The ability to cast is capped by number of prerequisites equal to IQ+magery(s)-10.

    Example The Mage has an IQ of 12, a General Magery of 2, and a Water aspect of magery for 3. This provides a spell cap of 7 for Water spells, and 5 for all others. Body of Ice is a water spell with 6 prerequisites and the wizard can cast it. If it was not a water spell the wizard would not be able to cast the spell.

  
  
  • Arcane (Sorcerer) : Magic is your blood and is wielded as naturally as walking.
    A group of themed advantages bundled under magical origin. Costs no Fatigue!
  
  
  • Ritual Magic
    Unless specifically called out in the spell all Fatigue must come from some other component.
    • Ritual Magic (Alchemist) : Must know the Alchemy skill.
      Can craft potions and transmute elements using a recipe. Can create new recipes.
    • Ritual Magic (Occultist) : Must have skill in Hidden Lore and Occultism.
      Can cast rituals from instructions at the lower of the two skills. Cannot create new rituals.
    • Ritual Magic (Magnus) : This technique requires the Ritual Magic Skill.
      This allows the casting and creation of new rituals.

• Magic Rules
  • Modifiers that affect skill can include:
    • Source of Fatigue: Self, Others, Powerstone, Environment
      
    • Environment of casting: sacred chambers, defiled ground, all participants pure of heart
      
    • Relationship to Target: Species, Nation, Guild, Friend, Enemy, Family, Lover.
      
    • Items of Essence: True name, lock of hair, prized possession, ancient symbols of otherworldly being.
      
    Rituals take significantly longer to prepare for and cast than spells.

Type

Natural