We now have the list of templates we are going to use with a short description of what role each template fulfills. We can now use
GURPS Template Toolkit 1: Characters to create those templates. But to fail faster, we will not create all of them now. Just the ones we need. And to show how we do that, we’ll use the Psionic Ranger as an example.
This blog post is longer and more thorough than fail faster would suggest, but it also works shows three different ways of doing this so that you can pick your own method.
In Templates the New Way, we listed that role as: “An outdoorsman powered by Psionics. That doesn’t say very much, but
Lone Wolf, the solo RPG book series that now also is a roleplaying game, might say more.
As that is an inspiration only, we can use the Psionic abilities from
GURPS Monster Hunters 1: Champions chapter four, as mentioned in New Rules, but we can also make up some Psionic abilities on the spot and add them to the mix. Abilities that goes well with the Lone Wolf book series.
Psionics
Books used for these abilities:
GURPS Basic Set,
GURPS Powers,
GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks.
* Animal Empathy (Psionics, -10%) [4.5].
* Combat Reflexes (Psionics, -10%) [13.5].
* Crushing Attack (Psionics, -10%) [4.5/level]. You can add Accurate, Armor Divisor, suitable Damage Modifiers, Guided or Homing, Increased Range, Jet, Malediction, or Rapid Fire. As well as Costs Fatigue.
* Danger Sense (Psionics, -10%) [13.5].
* Detect (Traps, Psionics, -10%) [9]. You can add Precise +100%, Reflexive +40%
* Empathy (Psionics, -10%) [13.5]. You can add Includes physical status, as listed in Monster Hunters.
* Healing (Psionics, -10%) [27]; You can add Xenohealing, Affects Self, +50%; Cure Afflictions, +60%.
* Invisibility (Electromagnetic Vision; Switchable, +10%; Psionics, -10%) [40]; You can add Affects Machines, Can Carry Objects.
*Mind Shield (Psionics, -10%) [3.6/level].
* Obscure (Scent; Psionics, -10%) [1.8/level]; You can add Defensive and Stealthy.
* Oracle (Psionics, -10%) [13.5].
* Omnidialectal [6]: You can use any dialect of one language at Native.
* Omnilingual (Reading only, -50%) [20].
* Passing Complexion [1].
* Regeneration (Psionics, -10%; Useless under stress, -60%) [3, 8, 15, 30, or 45].
* See Invisible (Electromagnetic; Psionics, -10%) [13.5].
* Speak with Animals (Psionics, -10%) [23].
* Telekinesis (Psionics, -10%) [4.5/level]. You can add Increased Range x2 +10%.
* Temperature Tolerance (Psionics, -10%) [0.9/level].
Template Building
Template Toolkit suggests that we start with a concept. Including a title for the template that describes its role, Psionic Ranger. What kind of template this is; and we have discussed this previously, these will be mandatory and limited dramatic templates; or in other words, everyone must have one and it won’t be the total point budget. And what traits it would need; Psionics point us to high IQ, Psionic talent, and psionic abilities. While outdoorsman shows us high DX, stealth, combat, survival, and mobility. Just to get started.
The next step is a more comprehensive description than the short sentence used to describe it in the second paragraph of this post.
You were raised in a monastery where you were taught how to use both your mind and your body. A self-reliant defender of the weak and helpless. You may not be as skilled an outdoorsman and archer as the Scout or have the brainpower of the Mentalist, but the two meld like sweet alchemy in your hands.
We’ll come back to that again, just in case defining the actual numbers will help us fix what the template is more firmly in our minds. The next step is setting the cost of the template and we’ve already decided that it will be 400 character points.
Having done that, let’s continue with the traits. There are a few ways to find the proper traits to assign to a template.
Template Toolkit continues to be useful here, as does
GURPS Action 4: Specialists, even though their more modern focus leaves something to be desired when we’re talking about supernatural templates.
The Old Way
The Iteration One method of merging two Dungeon Fantasy templates can still be useful. You merge them and see how many points are spent on each trait and you use that as an indication of where you should spend your points. But you also have to decide what traits are vital, important, and optional for the template you are trying to build.
Attributes: ST +3 [30]; DX +4 [80]; IQ +4 [80]; HT +2 [20]. That seems like a good start.
Secondary Characteristics: Will +2 [10]; Basic Speed +0.50 [10]. Template Toolkit suggests that you leave Secondary Characteristics alone at this stage, unless “the concept absolutely requires outstanding ability in one of these areas…” And I’d say that both of them does for this template.
Advantages: Psionic Talent 3 [30]; Unusual Background (Psionic) [10]; Heroic Archer [20]; Outdoorsman 2 [20] are the mandatory advantages. I’m not using Unusual Background and Heroic Archer seems like a trait we should leave with the Scout so that it remains special. But Psionic Talent and Outdoorsman are definitely vital. 60 points in Psionic traits is definitely vital too.
With 45 points for other Advantages, we’re keeping ST, DX, Per, Basic Speed, Basic Move, Combat Reflexes, Eidetic Memory or Photographic Memory, Fit or Very Fit, High Pain Threshold, Luck, Magic Resistance, Night Vision, Outdoorsman, Psionic Talent, Resistance to Psionics, Serendipity, Signature Gear, Unfazeable, and Weapon Bond for a well rounded set of options. Stronger, faster, smarter, fitter, more durable, luckier, and more powerful versions.
Disadvantages: Neither template has any mandatory disadvantages, but Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5] and Stubbornness [-5] are on both template’s important list. And Intolerance (Stupid people – IQ 10 or less
or Urbanites) [-5] is on the less important list. While Odious Personal Habits [-5 to -15], Loner [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10], and Paranoia [-10] are on both lists.
Other disadvantages for the important list could include Bad Temper [-10*], Curious [-5*], Honesty [-10*], Jealousy [-10], and Vow (Own no more than what can be carried [-10]. While Code of Honor (Pirate’s or Soldier’s) [-5 or -10], Obsession (Become a world-class psi at any cost) [-10*], Wealth (Struggling, Poor, or Dead Broke) [-10, -15, or -25], Weirdness Magnet [-15], or Xenophilia [-10*] can be on the less important list.
With the limit being -50 points of disadvantages, the important list gets -15 points and the other list gets -35 points.
Skills: The vital skills are: Camouflage [2], Hidden Lore (Psi) [4]. Observation [2], and Tracking [2].
The important skills are: Acting [1], Bow [16], Cartography [4], Climbing [1], Detect Lies [2], Diplomacy [1], Fast-Talk [2], Grappling [1], Gesture [2], Hiking [2], Innate Attack [4], Interrogation [2], Grappling [4], Melee [4], Mental Strength [2], Mind Block [2], Meditation [2], Melee [12+1], Mimicry (Bird Calls) [2], Navigation [1], Occultism [2], Public Speaking [1], Shadowing [4], Stealth [1], Striking [1], Survival [1], Throwing [4], and Traps [4].
The optional skills are: Aerobatics [2], Armoury (Missile Weapons) [1], Boating (Unpowered) [1], Body Language [1], Cloak [4], Fast-Draw [1+1+1], First Aid [1+1], Gambling [2], Garrote [1], Jumping [1], Hypnotism [2], Intimidation [1], Knot-Tying [1], Lip Reading [1], Prospecting [1], Psychology [2], Research [1], Riding [1], Running [1], Scrounging [1], Seamanship [1], Search [1+1], Shield [4], Shield (Buckler) [4], Skiing [1], Strategy [1], Swimming [1], Teaching [1], Thrown Weapon [4], and Weather Sense [1].
The Specialist Way
This method uses GURPS Action 4: Specialists to select the traits in the template. It starts with the Basic Action Template or BAT and to that you add disadvantages, skill sets´, and power-ups. As well as Psionic power, but that isn’t covered by this volume.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages are divided into categories and looking at those to determine which would best suit the Psychic Ranger, we end up with the following.
- Antisocial: Many Psionic Rangers travel alone, some may have come to prefer that.
- Cocky: Some Psychic Rangers may think they are better than they are or that bad things don’t happen to them.
- Dutiful: Many Psionic Rangers serve as protectors.
- Hard-Boiled: Psionic Rangers are trained to deal with evil, some may like it a little too much.
- Honorable: While other Psionic Rangers follow a code above everything else.
- Obsessed: Many Psionic Rangers are very goal oriented.
- Outgoing: Some Psionic Rangers may have spent too much time on their own, either training or traveling, and want to connect with others.
- Scarred: Fighting evil may have led you into one scrape too many.
- Virtuous: Many Psionic Rangers are heroes.
Now that we have determined which the suitable categories are, we will look at each individual disadvantage and determine how important it is to the concept.
Important: Charitable [-15], Code of Honor (Fight Fair!) [-5], Duty (Group; 9, 12,
or 15 or less) [-5, -10, or -15] or (Extremely Hazardous; 9, 12,
or 15 or less) [-10, -15, or -20], Honesty [-10*], Sense of Duty (Team) [-5], Stubbornness [-5],
Optional: Chummy or Gregarious [-5 or -10], Disturbing Voice [-10], Fanaticism (Psionic Ranger) [-15], Guilt Complex [-5], Loner [-5*], Missing Digit [-2 or -5], Nightmares [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10], Obsession (Become a world-class psi at any cost
or one of bringing a criminal to justice, exacting revenge, or solving a particular case) [-10*
or -5*], Odious Personal Habit [-5 to -15], Overconfidence [-5*], Truthfulness [-5*], Vows [-5 to -15],
Skill Sets
Skill sets are “a collection of traits relevant to a particular action niche…” We’re going to go through them alphabetically to see which of them are suitable to our concept. But as a caveat, these skill sets do not do fantasy nor supernatural.
Bushwacker seems fitting. Craftiness appears to be vital, as does Camouflage, Naturalist, Stealth, and Tracking. Traps appear to be important. While Tactics is optional.
We keep looking through the rest of the skill sets and pick up: Climber, Desert Training, Forest or Jungle Training, Linguist, Mountain Training, Obsolete Weapons, Parkour, Survival, and Unarmed Combat.
Vital Advantages: DX +2 [40]; IQ +1 [20]; HT +2 [20]; Craftiness 1 [5]; Fit [5].
Important Advantages: Language Talent [10]; Languages (Pick three) [12]; Outdoorsman 1 [10+10].
Optional Advantages: HT +1 [10]; Acute Hearing 1 [2]; Catfall [10]; Enhanced Parry 1 (One melee weapon) [5]; Enhanced Parry 1 (Bare Hands) [5]; Lifting ST 1 [3]; Perfect Balance [15].
Optional Perks: Equipment Bond (Climbing Kit) [1]; Sure-Footed (Sand) [1]; Sure-Footed (Uneven) [1+1]; 8+12 points in weapons perks.
Vital Skills: Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2+1+1]; Naturalist (H) IQ [4+4]; Stealth (A) DX [2+2]; Tracking (A) Per+1 [4+2+2].
Important Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX [4+4]; Climbing (A) DX+2 [8+4]; First Aid (E) IQ+1 [2]; Gesture (E) IQ [1]; Hiking (A) HT [2+2+2+2]; Jumping (E) DX [1]; Melee Weapon [2]; Navigation (Land) (A) IQ [2+2+2+2]; Survival (Pick one to three of desert, woodlands, jungle, mountain) (A) Per+2 [8+4+4]; Traps (A) IQ+1 [4]; Urban Survival (A) Per [2]; Unarmed Striking [12]; Unarmed Grappling [12].
Optional Skills: Knot-Tying (E) DX+1 [2+1]; Linguistics (H) IQ-2 [1]; Lip Reading (A) Per-1 [1]; Public Speaking (A) IQ-1 [1]; Scrounging (E) Per+1 [2]; Swimming (E) HT [1]; Tactics (H) IQ [4]; Throwing (A) DX [2]; Writing (A) IQ-1 [1]; 12 points in melee weapons, Parry Missile Weapons, or Armoury (Melee Weapons).
The Template Toolkit Way
This method uses GURPS Template Toolkit 1: Characters to select the traits on the template. At first it suggests picking whatever traits are suitable for the template in question and later makes a list of niches for ease of use.
Considering the Psionic Ranger, I would say that the niches of Combat, Esoterica, Exploration, Mobility, Outdoors, and Sneaking seem to be the most fitting. And those would add the following traits:
Vital Attributes and Secondary Characteristics: DX, IQ
Important Attributes and Secondary Characteristics: ST, Will, Per, Basic Speed, Basic Move
Optional Attributes and Secondary Characteristics: HT, HP
Vital Advantages: Combat Reflexes, Luck, Outdoorsman, Psionic Talent
Important Advantages: Danger Sense, Enhanced Defenses, Extra Attack, Fit, Honest Face, Intuition, Night Vision, Serendipity, Temperature Tolerance.
Optional Advantages: Acute Senses, Ambidexterity, Autotrance, Catfall, Eidetic Memory, Empathy, Enhanced Move (Ground) ½, Flexibility, Hard to Kill, Hard to Subdue, High Pain Threshold, Illuminated, Peripheral Vision, Perfect Balance, Rapid Healing, Trained by a Master, Weapons Master.
Vital Disadvantages: Disciplines of Faith, Sense of Duty,
Important Disadvantages: Vow, Xenophilia,
Optional Disadvantages: Berserk, Bloodlust, Callous, Curious, Divine Curse, Epilepsy, Flashbacks, Loner, Phantom Voices, Weirdness Magnet, anything self-imposed to keep nature pristine,
Vital Skills: Bow, Hidden Lore, one Melee skill, Navigation,
Important Skills: Acting, Architecture, Area Knowledge, Camouflage, Climbing, Escape, Expert Skill, Current Affairs (Regional), one Striking skill, one grappling skill, Hiking, Holdout, Mind Block, Naturalist, Observation, Occultism, Philosophy, Stealth, Survival, Tracking, Urban Survival,
Optional Skills: Acrobatics, Aerobatics, Aquabatics, Autohypnosis, Alchemy, Artist (Illusion), Body Sense, Breath Control, Cartography, Dreaming, Enthrallment, Exorcism, Fast-Draw (Arrows or Melee skill), Fishing, Flight, Free Fall, Fortune-Telling, Geography, Herb Lore, Housekeeping, Hypnotism, Jumping, Meditation, Mathematics (Surveying), Meteorology/Weather Sense, Mimicry (Animal Sounds or Bird Calls), Mount, Parachuting, Piloting (Glider), Prospecting, Religious Ritual, Ritual Magic, Running, Shadowing, Skating, Skiing, Smuggling, Sports, Swimming, Symbol Drawing, Thaumatology, Theology,
Everyman and Exploits
These are traits that everyone needs.
Important Skills: These skills are needed at least at skill level 12. Climbing, First Aid, Forced Entry, Gesture, Hiking, Holdout, Throwing, Stealth, one of Carousing, Diplomacy, Fast-Talk or Interrogation, one of Riding or Teamster, one of Observation, Scrounging, or Search, one of Savoir-Faire or Streetwise, one of Bow or Crossbow, one Melee weapon, one unarmed striking skill, and one unarmed grappling skill.
One of Counterfeiting, Dancing, Gambling, Musical Instrument, Panhandling, Performance, Pickpocket, Poetry, Public Speaking, Singing, Sleight of Hand, Theology, and Urban Survival can be useful to get a little extra cash.
One of Carousing, Current Affairs, Propaganda, Savoir-Faire, or Streetwise to find a job. Which skill you use can have a great impact on what kind of quest you find.
Optional Skills
Someone in the group has to know these. So either they have to be part of every template or every group has to include the templates that do have them or the group only does the quests they can complete. Or they can be left to the unrestricted character points.
A number of Area Knowledge, Current Affairs, and Hidden Lore specialties can be useful. As can Heraldry.
Someone needs to know how to discover critical facts and clues needed to complete the quest. Someone needs to make a plan. The group has to be able to get to wherever they are going, across distance, around obstacles, or through monsters.
The Psionic Ranger
Now that we have all of this information, we need to sift through the material and use the pieces to craft the template according to the given specifications.
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 14 [80]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs.; HP 12 [0]; Will 15 [5]; Per 14 [0]; Basic Speed 8.00 [-10]; Basic Move 6 [0];
Advantages: Luck [15], Outdoorsman 2 [20], and Psionic Talnt 3 [30]. * One 15-point Motivational Lens. * 60 points in Psionic abilities. * A further 20 points chosen from additional Psionic abilities and from among ST [10/level], DX [20/level], IQ [20/level], Basic Speed + 0.25 to +1.00 [5 to 20], Basic Move [5/level], Per [5/level], Catfall [10], Combat Reflexes [15], Craftiness [5/level], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], Honest Face [1], Language Talent [10], Languages [1-6 each], Night Vision [1/level], Outdoorsman [10/level], Perfect Balance [15], Psionic Talent [10/level], Serendipity 1 [15], Signature Gear [varies], Sure-Footed [1 each], or Temperature Tolerance [1/level].
Disadvantages: Vow (Own no more than what can be carried) [-10]. Choose another -15 points from among Bad Temper [-10*], Code of Honor (Fight Fair!) [-5], Code of Honor (Law-Abiding) [-5] or Honesty [-10*], Curious [-5*], Jealousy [-10], Overconfidence [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5], or Stubbornness [-5]. * A further -15 points chosen from among the previous traits or Code of Honor (Pirate’s or Soldier’s) [-5 or -10], Guilt Complex [-5], Obsession (Become a world-class psi at any cost) [-10*], Odious Personal Habits [-5 to -15], Loner [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10], Paranoia [-10].
Primary Skills: Camouflage (E) IQ+3 [2]-17 †; Hidden Lore (Psi) (H) IQ [4]-14; Naturalist (H) IQ+2 [4]-16†; Navigation (Land) (A) IQ+1 [1]-15†; Observation (A) Per [2]-14; Stealth (A) DX [2]-14; Tracking (A) Per+2 [2]-16†.
Secondary Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX-1 [2]-13; Climbing (A) DX [2]-14; First Aid (E) IQ [1]-14; Forced Entry (E) DX [1]-14; Gesture (E) IQ [1]-14; Hiking (A) HT [2]-12; Holdout (A) IQ [2]-14; Swimming (E) HT+1 [2]-13; Throwing (A) DX [2]-14. * One of Carousing (E) HT+2 [4]-14; Diplomacy (H) IQ [4]-14; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+1 [4]-15; or Interrogation (A) IQ+1 [4]. * One of Riding (A) DX [2]-14 or Teamster (A) IQ [2]-14; * One of Observation (A) Per [2]-14; Scrounging (E) Per+1 [2]-15; or Search (A) Per [2]-14; * One of Savoir-Faire (any) (E) IQ [1]-14 or Streetwise (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; * One of Bow (A) DX [2]-14 or Crossbow (E) DX+1 [2]-15; * One of Axe/Mace (A) DX [2]-14; Broadsword (A) DX [2]-14; Knife (E) DX+1 [2]-15; Shortsword (A) DX [2]-14; or Staff (A) DX [2]-14; * One of Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-15; Boxing (A) DX [2]-14; or Karate (H) DX-1 [2]-13; One of Judo (H) DX-1 [2]-13; Sumo Wrestling (A) DX [2]-14; or Wrestling (A) DX [2]-14; * 6 points spent on Monster Knowledge.
Background Skills: Acting (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Cartography (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Detect Lies (H) IQ-1 [2]-13; Escape (H) DX-1 [2]-13; Fishing (E) Per+2 [1]-16†; Meditation (H) Will-1 [2]-14; Mental Strength (E) Will [1]-15; Mind Block (A) Will-1 [1]-14; Parry Missile Weapon (H) DX [4]-14; Philosophy (Psionic Ranger) (H) IQ-1 [2]-13; Survival (Pick one) (A) Per+1 [1]-13†; Tactics (H) IQ-1 [2]-13; Urban Survival (A) Per-1 [1]-13; * Pick nine of Boating (Unpowered) (A) DX-1 [1]-13; Body Language (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Current Affairs (Pick one region) (E) IQ [1]-14; Cloak (A) DX-1 [1]-13; Fast-Draw (Arrow) (E) DX [1]-14; Fast-Draw (Suitable melee weapon) (E) DX [1]-14; Gambling (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Intimidation (A) Will-1 [1]-14; Jumping (E) DX [1]-14; Knot-Tying (E) DX [1]-14; Linguistics (H) IQ-2 [1]-12; Lip Reading (A) Per-1 [1]-13; Psychology (pick one) (H) IQ-2 [1]-12; Mimicry (Bird Calls) (H) IQ [1]-14
†; Running (A) HT-1 [1]-11; Shadowing (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Shield (E) DX [1]-14; Thrown Weapon (Pick one) (E) DX [1]-14; Traps (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; or Weather Sense (A) IQ-1 [1]-13;
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120. † Includes +2 from Outdoorsman.
Feedback
Vow (Own no more than what can be carried): As I’m creating the template, the suitability of this disadvantage as compared to Lone Wolf hits me like a ton of bricks and I just have to have it for the template.
Monster Knowledge: A series of skills that gives you knowledge about monsters. Biology, Hidden Lore (various), Naturalist, Occultism, Theology, and Veterinary.
Can we get a job? Yes, we can.
Do we have Psionic abilities? Yes, we do.
Can we do well outdoors? Yes, we can.
Do we fulfill the everyman requirements? Yes, we do.
It seems like it works.
