One frequent complaint about GURPS is
that it is "too lethal". But while the "default" style of play in GURPS indeed
tends towards the gritty side of things - especially if you use all the advanced
combat rules - it doesn't have to be this way. Here are a couple of minor
rules changes and suggestions that make the pace of the game more cinematic.
They don't quite stretch the believability like D&D does - if that's
what you are interested in, just play D&D in the first place. But they
make the PCs harder to kill, and more "heroic" in the "wading through opponents"
sense of the word...
Advantages
Extra Fatigue, Extra Hit Points, Hard To Kill
Designer's Notes: It is hard to feel heroic when your sword hand
gets crippled - and that happens all too easily. This rule still allows for
the variety of different hit locations, and of putting someone out of action
by crippling him instead of killing him - but it's not quite as easy to render
someone defenseless with a lucky blow.
- The "All-Out Charge" option from CI56 is allowed.
Designer's Notes: C'mon - what's the fun of playing a dwarfen Trollslayer
if you can't charge your enemies, foaming at the mouth? There is a berserker
in all of us...
Damaging Spells
Spells that directly deal damage (Fireball, Lightning
etc.) have a base casting time of one, which can be reduced normally through
a high skill. The skill roll to succeed also counts as the roll to hit the
target (with the size and range/speed penalites factored in afterwards –
thus it is possible to succeed at casting the spell and still missing the
target outright). Trying to hit the target does not take an extra turn –
unless the caster takes extra time to aim.
Designer's Notes: This was done to recast the mage as the "mobile
artillery" he is known in in other fantasy games. And having to wait several
rounds to build a spell up, and then using an entirely different skill to
aim it, really penalizes the mage when his fighter colleagues can attack
as a Contest of Skill and buy advantages like Weapon Master...
Injuries
- Crippling Injuries go away automatically once the character
recovers all hit points from
all injuries.
Designer's Notes: Unrealistic? Helly, yes. But it is really fun
to have a character who has to wear bracers for months, or even look for
a wooden leg while the other characters are out there whacking orcs? While
crippling injuries can still take a character down for the duration of a
fight, and some time afterwards, they won't take him out of the action permanently.
- Characters can make a roll for natural recovery after
a good night's sleep. They can make another if they rest for an entire day.
Designer's Notes: Hers don't rest in bed day after day while waiting
for their wounds to close. Heros charge after the bad guys while the trail
is still warm. Speeding up natural healing encourages this attitude.
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