PDA

View Full Version : Should I buy GURPs?



xBlackWolfx
2013-03-05, 02:41 PM
I have this free pdf of the fourth edition, but its really not that useful to me since it doesn't cover supers OR magic.

I've discovered a 'gurps for dummies' book, which does appear to cover magic, though I dont know how far.

The main thing that deters me is the huge number of supplements, and the cost of each individual book. Even one book is a bit beyond my price range, and the idea i'd have to buy several just to play the game I want is a real turn-off for me. The only one i could really afford is the gurps for dummies book, but i have no idea how much that covers, it has a lot of topics in it (including magic and gming), but i have no idea how much of each topic is covered. How does magic work in GURPs anyway? Can you choose what magic system you use? Can you create custom spells for your campaign?

As for the system, do I even like it? Its certaily well designed and thought-through, at least this pdf I have is, but I really don't like the roll-under mechanic, primarily bc i prefer fantastical settings where its normal for monsters or even PCs to have insanely high attributes.

But being a homebrewer, I might be able to learn a few things from that system anyway, though I havent really gotten anything out of the pdf i do have (outside the fact that i'm currently experimenting with a small attribute system).

Should I get it, or should I just not bother wasting the money on a game that in all likelyhood I'll never play anyway? I already have three pdfs I paid for that I'll never use, and infact got pretty much nothing out of.

JusticeZero
2013-03-05, 03:08 PM
The system itself is mostly what you've already seen. The splats add skills and advantages, and there is a LOT of duplication and redundancy there, big sections of optional, setting-specific rules that the GM can offer if they want, and huge mountains of info about the setting. You could practically research a paper out of the detail they give. You don't need to collect a huge library of splats, though you probably will over time anyways if you like the system.

The splats try to shoehorn everything into the GURPS standard system a lot, even when the system is very different. The system tends to be very gritty and realistic, which makes it a bad mix with high fantastic romantic play with stunts. Advancement tends to require you to track the downtime jobs more than the points you get from adventures. GURPS has had a lot of criticism from the fact that you can stack a lot of relatively small bonuses easily and bring various checks out to crazy places like two standard deviations from the mean of a 3d6 roll. You really need to watch situational modifiers to keep that under control. DO NOT LET ANYONE TAKE EIDETIC MEMORY.

ngilop
2013-03-05, 06:04 PM
if you have a crazy and nonsensical* habit of paying hard enarned money on things you never used that are related to a thing you are pondeirng on spending more money on..

DON'T!

there is a saying somewhere about when in doubt.. but im sure theres a million of those too now that I think about it.


* people spenind money on things they will never use will never make any sense to me, but then again I grew up on the very very poor side of life.

xBlackWolfx
2013-03-05, 07:49 PM
if you have a crazy and nonsensical* habit of paying hard enarned money on things you never used that are related to a thing you are pondeirng on spending more money on..

DON'T!

there is a saying somewhere about when in doubt.. but im sure theres a million of those too now that I think about it.


* people spenind money on things they will never use will never make any sense to me, but then again I grew up on the very very poor side of life.

I thought I would use them when I bought them. There is a good reason why I'm so reluctant to buy rpgs now.

Gavinfoxx
2013-03-05, 08:04 PM
I wouldn't buy gurps. If you want to play a supers game, get a game that does and evokes supers really well. If you want to play a magic game, get a game that does and evokes the sort of magic you want, really well. GURPS is for groups who want to simulate, in precise and exacting detail, absolutely every ability of anything. It's really good for running, 'who would win in a fight?' one-offs... and it is good for an extremely focused on tiny precise details of abilities, gear, what you are exactly doing with your sword when you try and cut at his right arm, style of roleplay.

fusilier
2013-03-05, 08:52 PM
The base books should allow you to homebrew what you need -- there are two of them, I'm pretty sure that they address the basics of magic, and I think supers as well. You can then crank out new spells, etc., as you need.

If you are really strapped for cash, look for used editions either online (noble knight games, maybe even amazon?) or at local used book stores.

Third edition is another option, as it's a very similar system, and if you can get a deal on those books then go for it. I still run 3rd edition games, and am currently playing in a fourth edition campaign. There's one base book for third edition, and it also contains magic and a little bit on supers. You will probably want "Compendium I" which covers a lot of the extra skills ads/disads for character creation, but it's not necessary.

For either system you will probably want to pick up the "Magic" book, but it won't be necessary to play with magic. I think the same thing is true for Supers (I personally have never really looked into it), but the Supers book may be more needed for 3rd edition.

Grod_The_Giant
2013-03-05, 11:06 PM
If you don't like the basic mechanics, there's no need to buy the splatbooks, and the core PDF you have has probably already got what you need from a homebrewer's perspective.

Rhynn
2013-03-05, 11:13 PM
Buy the base book. You don't need anything else. GURPS is not really supplement-heavy - they're all optional. If you want to add huge depth and breadth of information on a specific thing (like biotechnology) into your game, you can get a supplement for it.

I use my various GURPS sourcebooks (Cyberpunk, Bio-Tech, Space, Pirates) for all sorts of games, because they contain a wealth of non-system-specific information and are generally the best-researched and most comprehensive books for any RPG. To the point that the Secret Service raided them (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jackson_Games,_Inc._v._United_States_Secret_ Service) when they were writing GURPS Cyberpunk.

xBlackWolfx
2013-03-06, 10:51 AM
I looked at a review of GURPS magic on rpgnet, and if nothing else, I would like to have the impressive spell list in that book, for inspiration if nothing else. But I'm not sure that $25 dollars for the pdf is really worth it just to have a list of hundreds of spells. The system I'm making now is a lot like gurps anyway, so I could feasibly use it for my system, with some modifications.

Mewtarthio
2013-03-06, 12:36 PM
GURPS Magic is a pretty specific sort of system. It's a bit of an anomaly as far as GURPS supplements go. Thaumaturgy is a broader book covering a variety of systems.

lightningcat
2013-03-06, 04:43 PM
I've gotten a lot of the GURPS books over the years, but until about a year ago I never bothered with the core book. I just used all the source books for insperation for other games.

steelsmiter
2013-03-06, 04:47 PM
I think GURPS is an absolutely amazing buy. I have several campaign settings that use the Basic Set, Powers, Supers, and Thaumatology (all 4th ed).

Path/Book magic is great, and I like the lack of Prerequisite chains that comes with the standard magic system. I even home brewed a point based enchanting system that took considerable time to perfect... then I took the math back out and said Here it is for 25 points :D.

Brennan1214
2013-03-06, 07:45 PM
{scrubbed}

xBlackWolfx
2013-03-06, 08:43 PM
{Scrub the post, scrub the quote}

I'd rather not go to prison just to have an expensive book.

pdellorto
2013-03-08, 09:21 PM
For whatever it's worth, I run a dungeon-bashing fantasy game with GURPS and I've blogged the session reports here:

http://dungeonfantastic.blogspot.com/p/my-df-campaign.html

It might prove inspirational if you're not sure how high-skill, high-stat, tough-monster games work out in GURPS. Short version, they do, but they have a very different style than, say, D&D or Rolemaster.

I wouldn't bother with the Dummies book, it has a poor reputation amongst actual GURPS players.

Full disclosure - I've been playing GURPS since 1985 and writing for the system since the mid-90s, so I may be biased. Or informed, take your pick.