Abstract Fast Combat System for GURPS

Abstract Fast Combat System for GURPS

As was outlined several posts ago, GURPS lacks an abstract fast combat system that can be used to resolve engagements, especially ones that have a scale between individual combat and mass combat. I thought about it, and I believe that the best option would be to combine parts of GURPS Mass Combat with the mass combat from ACKS II RR / Domains at War: Campaigns. For that, we will have to calculate the BR (Battle Rating) values for each combatant, which isn't actually that difficult.

The design goal of this system is to have a way to resolve combat quickly between almost any numbers of combatants. While I absolutely adore the nitty-gritty detailed combat system of GURPS, I realize the need for abstraction because resolving, for example, a random encounter between 5 PCs and 20 mercenaries on one side and 60 orcs on the other side is practically impossible on the standard GURPS scale. Let's see if I manage to write something that makes sense.

Wizardry: Lightning Spells II

Wizardry: Lightning Spells II

I got a request to create some lightning spells because the College of Lightning is very small. I looked through some D&D spells (I try to see if there are any existing spells that can be adapted before I plug holes with GURPS or original spells).

Forked Lightning is a lightning version of Burning Hands.

Lightning Bug is a lightning version of Magic Missile.

Lightning Curtain creates a wall of lightning.

Lightning Lash borrows the name from a D&D spell, but the effects from a GURPS Magic spell.

Lightning Reflection lets you bounce lightning attacks back at the attacker.

Lightning Rod is an interesting spell that turns a metal object into a single-use lightning rod against electrical attacks.

Lightning Shield is one of my favorite defensive spells (used to be called Lightning Armor in GURPS). The original D&D spell for some reason incorporates an acidic version because... I don't know. Electric erosion?

Lightning Storm creates a spherical spark storm.

Sea Voyage Procedure

Sea Voyage Procedure

ACKS II Judges Journal has three exploration procedures to make gameplay smoother and/or serve as checklists to the referees (you know, I find myself use "referee" instead of "GM" more and more often nowadays). Since I've already adapted wilderness and dungeon exploration procedures, let's adapt the one for sea voyages - something that, I believe, never came up in my games before. I'm a landlubber.

Blood Magic: Fiendish Codex II Spells

Blood Magic: Fiendish Codex II Spells

As promised, here are the fiendish spells from the previous post adapted to the blood magic framework.

Wizardry: Fiendish Codex II Spells

Wizardry: Fiendish Codex II Spells

Both Fiendish Codices are pretty damn good books for D&D 3.5. The first one is about demons, and the second one is about devils. I wish there were another volume that would cover other fiends, such as yugoloths, demodands, hordelings, etc., but alas it never happened. The dice roller told me to convert spells from Fiendish Codex II: Tyrants of the Nine Hells. There aren't many of them, and most of them belong to a new spell category - "investiture spells". They are not full-on polymorph spells, but spells that infuse the subject with fiendish essence, granting some qualities of a specific kind of devil. They also have a side effect of fatiguing the subject, which is accomplishable in GURPS. Since these spells are very fiendish, I will also make versions for blood magic in the next post.

Devil's Ego is a divine spell that imbues you with devilish charisma and good looks.

Devil's Eye is a self-only variant of Darkvision that has a much shorter duration and a minor negative side effect.

Investiture of [X] spells imbue the subject with essence of a devil. All such spells provide minor DR against fire, but make the subject vulnerable to silver and holy weapons, and make the subject lose 4 FP when the spell ends. In addition, each spell grants extra effects that depend on the devil in question. Overall, these spells are flavorful, but not very optimal in terms of character optimization. However, they allow wizards who specialize in the Gate college to gain some traits usually not associated with gates. Also, these are ranged buffs, which is a rare thing. Statblocks look disgusting.

Review: Brozer - Island of War and Winter

Review: Brozer - Island of War and Winter

In the online TTRPG discussion circles, you may hear the term “Braunstein” being thrown around. You may have heard that Braunstein was the precursor to D&D and tabletop RPGs in general, and that Blackmoor was first labeled “a fantasy Braunstein.” However, it’s much more difficult to understand what it is and how to run one. At least, it was until last year there was a very important release – Brozer: Island of War and Winter. I believe that it deserves much more publicity than it did, so I’d like to give you a quick rundown and review. For the most part, my ramblings are pointless because Brozer is free, and you can simply download it and read it yourself.

Food and Supplies in GURPS and ACKS

Food and Supplies in GURPS and ACKS

Before a party of adventurers sets out to clear out a wilderness area or dungeon, they have to buy enough supplies for the trip. The same thing is required when an army marches to war, but on a larger scale. How much do supplies cost in GURPS? This is actually a surprisingly difficult question despite resource management being such an important part of the game. I’m doing this topic for two reasons. First, I ran into this when calculating ACKS Battle Ratings for GURPS creatures, so it needs to be settled. Second, in my current game, one of the player characters is a food mage, and the question of supplies has arisen multiple times.

Abstract Combat Statistics: Heroes on the Mass Scale and ACKS

Abstract Combat Statistics: Heroes on the Mass Scale and ACKS

Not long ago, I was thinking about the necessity of abstracted combat resolution and remembered that GURPS Mass Combat exists, and that it probably can be applied to small-scale combat with some minor adjustments. However, one of the questions remains - how do you derive abstract combat statistics from the non-abstract combat characteristics of a creature? In my GURPS Monstrous Compendium, I calculated the Combat Effectiveness Ratings for all creatures but for a slightly different reason. And now I remembered about the existence of Heroes on the Mass Scale from Pyramid #3-84 that is... basically 90% the same thing, but I believe that these 10% of difference make it much better. I've already dabbled with this article in the past, but I had much less experience back then, so now let's revisit it.

Wizardry: Magic of Incarnum Spells

Wizardry: Magic of Incarnum Spells

The almighty random number generator told me to take a look at the spells from Magic of Incarnum. Not that long ago (not even two years), I reworked the way incarnum works in my games, because my first attempt was... the first attempt indeed. The Incarnum power modifier includes the existence of anti-powers, and magic spells are one of them. Thus, we will have spells that can counteract soulmelds. However, the book also has a bunch of spells that are incarnum-themed. Some of them allow the caster to spend essentia or HP for additional effects, some do some other soul-related stuff. For the most part, these spells will go into the Spirit college - a variant Necromantic college that is less about death and undeath, but more about spirits. Their presence on the list will make these two colleges feel more different from each other. I introduced a new keyword - Incarnum - that indicates that the spell can be enhanced by spending essentia/HP. This is also reflected in the Components line with a (E).

Adept Spirit is a delayed buff that temporarily improves some of your magical skills.

Animal Spirit is another delayed buff that temporarily increases Per and grants Night Vision. While normally I'd assign it to the Animal college that is inaccessible to arcane spellcasters, I decided to make an exception here due to thematic reasons.

Channel the Mishtai is a flavorful buff spell with semi-random effects.

Conjure Midnight Construct is a very cheap summoning spell that nonetheless can create a very useful ally. The duration is short, and it always costs HP or essentia.

Detect Incarnum is just a detection spell.

Essentia Lock is a spell that prevents the victim from using incarnum abilities.

Guardian Spirit is another delayed buff that temporarily boosts defenses.

Incarnum Arc is an interesting spell that deals toxic damage in a line between you and a mobile "lightning rod."

Incarnum Bladestorm creates soul-infused ephemeral blades that cut through material and immaterial victims.

Open Chakra has nothing to do with the original series of Open [x] Chakra. Now, this is a spell that grants chi talents, which seems appropriate to me because chakras are mostly a chi concept now, and incarnum's theme is that it can be used to boost abilities of other power sources.

Protection from Incarnum creates an ablative barrier that stops incarnum-based attacks, but prevents the subject from gaining essentia.

Rend Essentia is an attack that targets ER (Incarnum).

Soul Blight is the same as Rend Essentia, but in addition deals toxic damage equal to ER burned.

Soul Boon makes it difficult to harm your soul and dispel your soulmelds.

Soulbanned Zone is a very situational spell that probably is never worth learning (unless you're in an area where enemies often use incarnum). However, it could be a nice situationally useful scroll, couldn't it?

Soulbleed makes a weapon deal follow-up essentia and toxic damage.

Soulmeld Disjunction dispels all active soulmelds on the target creature and prevents their reactivation for a short time.

Steal Incarnum is an ER (Incarnum) variant of Energy Drain.

Suppress Magic lost its ability to affect soulmelds and now is a spell that temporarily suppresses magic items.

Valiant Spirit is the final delayed buff spell that increases DX and resistance to fear temporarily.

GURPS Monstrous Compendium II WIP

GURPS Monstrous Compendium II WIP

Remember my Monstrous Compendium? Not long ago, I started another volume, and now you can check out the first WIP version here.

"GM, I don't know what to spend money on"

"GM, I don't know what to spend money on"

“I don’t know what to spend money on.” How many times have you heard this complaint from players? How many times have you seen GMs asking for advice on how to deprive the player characters from money? How many times have you seen the game devolve into the characters scrounging for copper coins just because otherwise they would have no motivation to adventure, because once they get rich and have nothing to spend money on, there is no reason for them to go out into the wilds? I’ve seen plenty of that and, to be honest, I’m guilty of some of that too.