[GURPS Fenspace] Building Tips and Hints

[Cobalt Greywalker]

When you default a skill to another skil, you pay the difference between what it would cost to get the skill at the default level and what it would cost to get the skill at the full level. It's the same idea as when you raise a skill with earned experience.

OK, re-read B173 and I think I get it now.

In this case, A.C has Medicine! at IQ (plus talent bonus), so he has First Aid at IQ (plus talent bonus). It only costs 1 point to raise First Aid from IQ (plus talent bonus) to IQ+1 (plus talent bonus).

Right.

Similarly, it only costs 2 points to raise Esoteric Medicine from IQ (plus talent bonus) to IQ+1 (plus talent bonus)...

Um... The difference between Attribute+0 and Attribute+1 for Hard skills is 4 points. No change in points as far as I can see, just how it's written.

More work on the other writeups...

[Cobalt Greywalker]

Right, now I've recovered from the institutionalised brain-preserving exercise known as 'New Year', I'll post the next step.

I give fair warning here. I know I have a tendency towards overkill, and I've tried to fight it. I just don't think I've succeeded in this case however. To those of us here who are serious gamers (unlike myself, who is only playing), I apologise for whatever pain I'm about to cause you.

That said, here's A.C. as I see her, circa 2012 pre-OGJ. Any help in rounding things off would be appreciated.

---

A.C. Peters (Pre-OGJ)

ST: 27 [10]
DX: 20 [20]
IQ: 20 [60]
HT: 16 [0]

Dmg: 3d-1/5d+1
Basic Lift: 146
HP: 75 [0]
Will: 20 [0]
Per: 21 [5]
FP: 30 [0]

Basic Speed: 15 [0], Dodge 18
Basic Move: 15 [0]

TOTAL: 95

Advantages

Cultural Familiarity: Western [0], Fenspace [1]
Language: English [Native] [0], Japanese (Native) [6], Unusual Background (Omnilingual, Supers p.29) [40]
Wealth (Wealthy) [20] (+1 Status)
Independent Income 2 [2]
Reputation +1 (Rock Doc, Everyone x1, on 10 or less x1/2) [2]
Reputation +3 (Lady Mars, All Senshi x1/2, on 10 or less x1/2) [3]
Status 3 [0]
Military Rank 5 (S.H.I.E.LD. Marshal) [25] (+2 Status)

Common Sense [10]
Contact Group (Cybers, Skill 15, 15 or less x3, Usually Reliable x2) [60]
Gadgeteer (Quick) [50]
Gizmos 3 [15]
High Manual Dexterity 2 [10]
Intuition [15]
Legal Enforcement Powers (International jurisdiction, may engage in covert ops, may kill with relative impunity) [15]
Legal Immunity 3 [15]
Perk: Acrobatic Kicks [1]
Security Clearance 3 [15]
Talent: Artificer 2 [20], Healer 2 [20] (Total=40)
Versatile [5]
Visualisation [10]
--Total: 360

Body:
Body Enhancements:
Handwavium Cybernetic Bioroid/Combat Cyborg (Unusual Background [200])
--Primary: (TOTAL=540)
----Strength +16 [160]
----Intelligence +7 [140]
----Dexterity +9 [180]
----Health +6 [60]
--Secondary: (TOTAL=248)
----HP +43 [86]
----FP +14 [42]
----Basic Speed +6 [120]
Body: (TOTAL=705)
--Catfall [10]
--Doesn't Breath (Oxygen Storage, 25x (-50%)) [10]
--Doesn't Sleep [20]
--Enhanced Move 4 (Ground Speed 240, Handling +5 (+25%)) [100]
--Extra Attack 2 [50]
--Fit (Very Fit) [15]
--Flexibility [5]
--Hard to Kill 3 [6]
--Hard to Subdue 3 [6]
--Hyperdense Skeleton (Ultra-Tech p.214) [90]
----HP +5 {10 points}
----DR 40 (Skull Only -70%) {60 points}
----DR 20 (Limited, Crushing -40%, Tough Skin -40%) {20 points}
--Perk: No Hangover [1]
--Pressure Support 1 [5]
--Recovery [10]
--Reduced Consumption 1 [2]
--Regeneration (Fast) [50]
--Regrowth [40]
--Resistance (Metabolic Hazards +8) [15]
--Shapeshifting (Morph, Active Change +20%, Cosmetic -50%, No Memorisation Required +50%, Reduced Time 4 +80%) [200]
--Silence 2 [10]
--Super Jump 2 [20]
--Super Throw (Supers p.30) 3 [30]
--Temperature Tolerance 5 [5] (-15c/5f to 60c/140f)
--Unaging [15]
--Vacuum Support [5]
Brain: (TOTAL=481)
--Cybernetic Brain Enhancement (TOTAL=481)
----Acute Senses: (TOTAL=18)
------Hearing +3 [6]
------Taste & Smell +1 [2]
------Touch +2 [4]
------Vision +3 [6]
----Altered Time Rate 3 [300]
----Ambidexterity [5]
----Computer Implant (TOTAL=98)
------Absolute Timing [2]
------Accessory (Tiny computer) [1]
------Compartmentalised Mind 1 [50]
------Eidetic Memory (Photographic) [10]
------Language Talent [10]
------Lightning Calculator (Intuitive Mathematician) [5]
------Talent: Mathematical Ability 2 [20]
----Enhanced Time Sense [45]
----High Pain Threshold [10]
----Metabolism Control 1 [5]
Eyes: (TOTAL=84)
--Accessory (HUD) [1]
--Hyperspectral Vision [25]
--Microscopic Vision 2 [10]
--Nictitating Membrane 3 [3]
--Peripheral Vision [15]
--Protected Sense (Vision) [5]
--Telescopic Vision 5 [25]
Ears: (TOTAL=69)
--Discriminatory Hearing (Profiling +50%) [23]
--Parabolic Hearing 4 [16]
--Perfect Balance [15]
--Protected Sense (Hearing) [5]
--Subsonic Hearing [5]
--Ultrahearing [5]
Head:
--3D Spatial Sense [10]
--------Body Total: 2337

Attim:
Appearance (Very Beautiful) [16]
Fashion Sense [5]
Charisma 1 [5]
Danger Sense [15]
Enhanced Defences: Dodge [15], Parry (All) [10] (Total=25)
Gunslinger [25]
Perk: Cloak [1]
Perk: Schtick (High-Heeled Heroine) [1]
Reputation +2 (Scarlet Angel, People she's defending or rescuing x1/3, on 10 or less x1/2)] [1]
Talent: Smooth Operator 1 [15]
Trained By A Master [30]
Weapon Master: All [45]
--------Attim Total: 184

Darkeyes:
Perk: Fearsome Stare [1]
Perk: Sexy Pose [1]
--------Darkeyes Total: 2

Rei:
Voice [10]
--------Rei Total: 10

Advantage Total: 360 + 2337 + 184 + 2 + 10 [2893]

Disadvantages

Code of Honour (Professional) [-10]
Duty (JLI Council, 6 or less, Extremely Hazardous) [-7]
Sense of Duty (Friends and Allies) [-5]
Workoholic [-5]
--------Total:-27

Body: (TOTAL=-8)
Compulsive Behaviour (Goes into 'Heat' every 24 Hours (12)) [-5]
Infectious Attack (Handwavium Contamination, Blood Agent -40%) [-3]
Brain: (TOTAL=-25)
Amnesia (Partial) [-10]
Split Personality (12) [-15]
--------Body Total:-33

Attim:
Addiction (Cheesecake) [-1]
Reputation -4 (Scarlet Angel, People she's attacking, Criminals, and Pacifists x2/3, on 10 or less x1/2) [-6]
Bloodlust (15) [-5] *
Personality Change (Berserk) [-1] *
Personality Change (Callous) [-1] *
--------Attim Total: -14

Darkeyes:
Bloodlust (12) [-10] *
Bully (15) [-5] *
Callous [-5] *
Overconfidence (12) [-5] *
Sadism (12) [-15] *
--------Darkeyes Total: -40

Rei:
Bad Temper (12) [-10]
--------Rei Total: -10

Disadvantage Total: -27 + -33 + -14 + -40 + -10 [-124]

Skills

Bonuses:

Body:
+3 Climbing, Escape, Erotic Art
+4 Stealth {Motionless}
+2 Stealth {Moving}
Brain:
+3 Body Sense, Navigation (Air, Land, or Sea)
+1 Piloting
+2 Aerobatics, Free Fall, Navigation (Hyperspace or Space)
+1 Acrobatics, Climbing, Piloting

Attim:
+1 Fortune-Telling, Leadership, Panhandling, Public Speaking

Darkeyes:

Rei:
+2 Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Mimicry, Performance, Politics, Public Speaking, Sex Appeal, Singing.

Skill List:
Acting-22 [4] (IQ+1+1 Smooth Operator Talent)
Area Knowledge (Fenspace)-20 [1] (IQ)
Armoury/TL8^: Body Armour-22 [2] (IQ+2 Artificer Talent), Melee Weapons-22 [2] (IQ+2 Artificer Talent) (TOTAL=4)
Computers! (Supers p.37)]-20 [12] (IQ-1+1 Mathematical Ability Talent)
Current Affairs/TL8^ (Science & Technology)-20 [1] (IQ)
Disguise/TL8-20 [2] (IQ)
Driving/TL8^ (Automobile)-21 [4] (DX+1)
Electronics Operation/TL8^ (Comm)-22 [8] (IQ+2), (Scientific)-22 [4] (IQ+1)
Electronics Repair/TL8^ Scientific-23 [4] (IQ+1+2 Artificer Talent)
Engineer: Robotics/TL8^-26 [20] (IQ+4+2 Artificer Talent)
Environment Suit/TL8^ (Vacc Suit)-21 [4] (DX+1)
Esoteric Medicine/TL8^-23 [4] (Per+2 Healer Talent)
Expert Skill (Cybernetics)-23 [16] (IQ+3)
Finance-18 [1] (IQ-2)
First Aid/TL8-23 [1] (Medicine!+1)
Free Fall-20 [2] (DX)
Machinist/TL8^-23 [4] (IQ+1+2 Artificer Talent)
Mechanic/TL8^ (Robotics)-26 [16] (IQ+4+2 Artificer Talent)
Makeup/TL8-21 [2] (IQ+1)
Medicine! (Supers p.37)-22 [24] (IQ+2 Healer Talent)
Merchant-19 [1] (IQ-1)
Navigation/TL8^ (Space)-19 [1] (IQ-1)
Piloting/TL8^ (Aerospace)-19 [1] (DX-1), (High-Performance Spacecraft)-19 [1] (DX-1) (Total=2)
Professional Skill/TL8^ (Cyber-technician)-22 [8] (IQ+2)
Research/TL8-22 [8] (IQ+2)
Science!-19 [12] (IQ-1)
Speed Reading-22 [8] (IQ+2)
Weird Science-20 [8] (IQ)
--Total: 186

Body:
Light Walk-20 [4] (DX)
Mimicry (Speech)-18 [1] (IQ-2)
Typing-20 [1] (DX)
--Body Total: 6

Attim:
Acrobatics-20 [4] (DX)
Blind Fighting-19 [2] (Per-2)
Body Language-20 [1] (Per-1)
Detective!-18 [6] (IQ-2)
Detect Lies-21 [2] (Per-1+1 Smooth Operator Talent)
Diplomacy-19 [1] (IQ-2+1 Smooth Operator Talent)
Driving/TL8^ (Motorcycle)-20 [2] (DX)
Fast Draw: Pistol-22 [4] (DX+2), Ammo/TL8^-22 [4] (DX+2) (Total=8)
Fist! (Supers p.37)-20 [24] (DX)
Forgery/TL8^-20 [4] (IQ)
Guns/TL8: Pistol-22 [4] (DX+2), Sub-Machine Gun-22 [4] (DX+2) (Total=8)
Holdout-23 [12] (IQ+3)
Intelligence Analysis/TL8-21 [8] (IQ+1)
Leadership-20 [1] (IQ-1+1 Smooth Operator Talent)
Lip Reading-19 [1] (Per-2)
Lockpicking/TL8-19 [1] (IQ-1)
Parry Missile Weapons-22 [12] (DX+2)
Pickpocket-18 [1] (DX-2)
Savior-Faire (Military)-21 [1] (IQ+1 Smooth Operator Talent)
Slight of Hand-18 [1] (DX-2)
Soldier/TL8-20 [2] (IQ)
Sword!-20 [24] (DX)
Tactics-21 [8] (IQ+1)
Throwing Art-22 [12] (DX+2)
Traps/TL8^-20 [2] (IQ+2)
--Attim Total: 148

Darkeyes:
Erotic Art-21 [4] (DX+1)
Escape-20 [4] (DX)
Knot-Tying-22 [4] (DX+2)
Sex Appeal-19 [8] (HT+2+1 Smooth Operator Talent)
Whip! (Supers p.37)-20 [24] (DX)
--Darkeyes Total: 44

Rei:
Bow-19 [1] (DX-1)
Crossbow-20 [1] (DX)
Singing-16 [1] (HT)
--Rei Total: 3

Skill Total: 186 + 6 + 148 + 44 + 3 [387]

Techniques

Attim:
Bullet Parry-20 [6]
--Attim Total: 6

Technique Total: 0 + 0 + 6 + 0 + 0 [6]

Grand Total: 612 + 2310 + 324 + 6 + 3 [3257]

[Feinan]

Normally I'm a technomancer, not a necromancer...but I'll make an exception for this thread. Can those of you more familiar with GURPS 4E take a look at this set-up for me. This is the Jason circa 2010 or so, well before his biomod or SOS-con. You've seen the stories/snippets I've put up of him, and the things he's done. Does this seem reasonable to all of you?
Mind you - he should also probably have Allies (Fate, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) and Signature Gear (Fateful Lightning), but I have scarcely a clue as to where to start as to statting them out in the first place so the point values could be calculated. Help?

---

Name: The Jason
Race: Human

Attributes [100]

ST 10
DX 11 [20]
IQ 15 [100]
HT 8 [-20]
HP 10
Will 15
Per 15
FP 8

Basic Lift 20
Damage 1d-2/1d
Basic Speed 4.75
Basic Move 4
Ground Move 4

Social Background

TL: 8^ [0]
Cultural Familiarities: Fenspace [1]; Western (Native) [0].
Languages: English (Native) [0].
Advantages [91]

Gadgeteer [25]
Gizmo (1) [5]
Green Thumb (4) [20]
Reputation (Biomod expert) (1) (All the time; Almost everyone) [5]
Versatile [5]
Voice [10]
Wealth (Wealthy) [20]
Perks [3]

Alcohol Tolerance [1]
Deep Sleeper [1]
Standard Operating Procedure (Last Man Out) [1]
Disadvantages [-50]

Bad Sight (Nearsighted) (Glasses) [-10]
Curious (12 or less) [-5]
Dependency (Meds) (Very Common) (Weekly) [-10]
Sense of Duty (Friends/Family) (Small Group) [-5]
Sense of Duty (Kids/Fenkinder on their own) (Small Group) [-5]
Unfit [-5]
Very Fat [-5]
Xenophilia (15 or less) [-5]

Quirks [-5]   - the unused ones will be taken up later - I have some plans for them as I build the 2012 and the 2015 versions of the Jason.
Responsive [-1]
Unused Quirk 2 [-1]
Unused Quirk 3 [-1]
Unused Quirk 4 [-1]
Unused Quirk 5 [-1]
Skills [136]

Accounting IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Area Knowledge (Fenspace) IQ/E - IQ+0 15 [1]
Artist (Calligraphy) IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Artist (Pottery) IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Autohypnosis Will/H - Will-2 13 [1]
Bioengineering/TL8^ (Biogadgets) IQ/H - IQ+0 15 [2]
Bioengineering/TL8^ (Genetic Engineering) IQ/H - IQ+3 18 [16]
Bioengineering/TL8^ (Microbioengineering) IQ/H - IQ+0 15 [2]
Bioengineering/TL8^ (Tissue Engineering) IQ/H - IQ+0 15 [2]
Biology/TL8^ (Earthlike) IQ/VH - IQ+1 16 [1]  includes: +4 from 'Green Thumb'
Brawling DX/E - DX+0 11 [1]
Carpentry IQ/E - IQ+0 15 [1]
Computer Operation/TL8^ IQ/E - IQ+1 16 [2]
Connoisseur (Music) IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Cooking IQ/A - IQ+1 16 [4]
Current Affairs/TL8^ (Headline News) IQ/E - IQ+0 15 [1]
Current Affairs/TL8^ (Science & Technology) IQ/E - IQ+1 16 [2]
Driving/TL8^ (Automobile) DX/A - DX+1 12 [3]
Electronics Operation/TL8^ (Scientific) IQ/A - IQ+0 15 [2]
Electronics Operation/TL8^ (Sensors) IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Esoteric Medicine Per/H - Per-2 13 [1]
Farming/TL8^ IQ/A - IQ+3 18 [1]  includes: +4 from 'Green Thumb'
First Aid/TL8^ (Human) IQ/E - IQ+0 15 [1]
Fortune-Telling (Tarot) IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Free Fall DX/A - DX+0 11 [2]
Gardening IQ/E - IQ+4 19 [1]  includes: +4 from 'Green Thumb'
Hobby Skill (Knitting) DX/E - DX+1 12 [2]
Hobby Skill (Science-fiction/Fantasy) IQ/E - IQ+1 16 [2]
Hypnotism (Human) IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Inventor! IQ/WC - IQ-1 14 [12]
Jeweler/TL8^ IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Leadership IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Mathematics/TL8^ (Applied) IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Meditation Will/H - Will-2 13 [1]
Merchant IQ/A - IQ+0 15 [2]
Musical Instrument (Piano) IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Naturalist (Earth) IQ/H - IQ+2 17 [1]  includes: +4 from 'Green Thumb'
Navigation/TL8^ (Space) IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Occultism IQ/A - IQ+1 16 [4]
Pharmacy/TL8^ (Herbal) IQ/H - IQ-1 14 [2]
Piloting/TL8^ (Aerospace) DX/A - DX-1 10 [1]
Public Speaking IQ/A - IQ+1 16 [1]  includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Research/TL8^ IQ/A - IQ+1 16 [4]
Ritual Magic (Eclectic Pagan) IQ/VH - IQ+0 15 [8]
Science! IQ/WC - IQ-1 14 [12]
Scrounging Per/E - Per+0 15 [1]
Sewing/TL8^ DX/E - DX+1 12 [2]
Shiphandling/TL8^ (Spaceship) IQ/H - IQ-2 13 [1]
Singing HT/E - HT+4 12 [4]  includes: +2 from 'Voice'
Spacer/TL8^ IQ/E - IQ+0 15 [1]
Speed-Reading IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Swimming HT/E - HT+5 13 [1]  includes: +5 from 'Very Fat'
Teaching IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Vacc Suit/TL8^ DX/A - DX+1 12 [4]
Weird Science IQ/VH - IQ+0 15 [8]
Writing IQ/A - IQ-1 14 [1]
Stats [100] Ads [91] Disads [-50] Quirks [-5] Skills [136] = Total [275]

[itsune9tl]

(running total)

Stats [100] (100)
Ads [91] (191)
Disads [-50] (141)
Quirks [-5] (136)
Skills [136] (272)

= Total [275]

Conclusion, You have three more points you can spend.

[Feinan]

Nope. The three extra points are for the Perks. I don't know why they weren't added to the bottom total like everything else was. Must be a quirk in
the program that I was using to create the stats.

Does it seem OK to everyone? Any quibbles or problem-points? I'm hoping to put up the 2012 version next - the one soon after SOS-con, since the biomod was
right before the con started. That'll will be a pain to work up - got to figure out how to stat up certain limitations and all. Going to have to work my
way back through the books again, and see what I can come up with. Then finish up with the version for 2015 or so.

Also - should there be any handwavium skills or advantages/disadvantages that we should add to the possibilities? Right now, I was going with using an existing
skill with handwavium as a catalyst for what you're attempting, but I'm not sure if that's what everyone else would be going for. Ideas?

Finally...um...is TL8^ still appropriate, for Fenspace proper? For Earth, yes...but at this point I think we've introduced so many things to the mix
that...well...quite frankly, we're a mish-mash of ultra-tech. By GURPS standards, anyway...I was reading over the Biotech book, and what they considered
high-level biotech and, well....World-Trees are TL11. Plants that can produce animals are TL12 (Passenger pigeon plants, anyone?). Not to mention the computer
tech and everything else. Do we want to tweak/reconsider the TL for the GURPS template?

[M Fnord]

Finally...um...is TL8^ still appropriate, for Fenspace proper? For Earth, yes...but at this point I think we've introduced so many things to the mix that...well...quite frankly, we're a mish-mash of ultra-tech.

Pretty much, yeah. The ^ in TL8^ is intended to carry over the various ultratech goodies that we keep coming up with, but the baseline tech level is still TL8, or even TL7 considering how much nostalgia/legacy crap gets waved. Once the Whole Fenspace Catalog goes viral we'll start a slow transition into TL9^ around the late 2020-30s, with a 20% chance of quantum jump to TL11-12+ when all the quirks have been ironed out of handwavium, whenever *that* happens.
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[Cobalt Greywalker]

Also - should there be any handwavium skills or advantages/disadvantages that we should add to the possibilities? Right now, I was going with using an existing skill with handwavium as a catalyst for what you're attempting, but I'm not sure if that's what everyone else would be going for. Ideas?

The way you have gone for existing skills to use Handwavium with is how I put A.C. together. Basically, I use wildcard skills for things that cover multiple other skills (and simulate wave-granted skills whilst doing stuff with it), and Esoteric Medicine/Weird Science as catchalls for heavy Handwavium weirdness.