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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pawsplay" data-source="post: 5495086" data-attributes="member: 15538">There is no way of knowing which situation will be more common. It should probably be noted that in GURPS, someone who makes a habit of exercising their Broadsword-13 skill is probably going to end up dead (think 1st level AD&D fighter). Have you ever played GURPS? As I said before, the options presented more easily support a broader playing experience. Naturally, Lockpick Boy is going to be a little sad in a D&D 3e game, since his specialty consists of a few skill ranks, and maybe a feat, and if the going gets really rough, brute force or magic may be used to take out a locked door. Fortunately for him, that's just one piece of his competencies; he can also sneak attack and so forth. In GURPS, it's possible to specialize in lockpicking to a degree that amateurs just can't compete. Furthermore, GURPS doesn't offer XP-on-the-hoof, so avoiding losing battles is a good strategy. That's not to say you can't play a brave, slightly mad swordsman from the North, it's just not the only supported playstyle. Further, GURPS combat tends to be fairly precise. Hence, even cowardice can be interesting. Even a lowly lockpicker can execute an All-Out-Dodge and Hit the Dirt. In D&D the noncombat is sort of baggage, but in GURPS, surviving long enough to pick that lock and speak in an ancient language to that mummy could be a laudable goal. And again, there is nothing that prevents Lockpick Boy from being able to understudy the Broadsword and maybe a bit of lute-plucking as well. He just won't be as good as a specialist.A GURPS character concept might be, "21st century computer program residing in a chipslot in a canine bioroid, hacking the future and searching for meaning." How often will it be necessary to crack into a secure computer network? Unknown. How often will it be pertinent that his body is a swift quadruped that needs to breathe and eat? Unknown. Will he need to upload to a new chassis at some point for a special mission? Unknown. Will his interest in haiku lead to an important connection with an NPC sympathetic to rogue AIs? Unknown. And when it comes down it, will he need to program a droid as a rocket-launching assassin? Unknown. "People swing broadswords much more than they pick locks," only describes a subset of games. And even if it's true, the lockpicker can draw self-esteem from the depth of his ability when it is needed. He may not be a sword-wielding mercenary extraordinaire, but he's a lockpicker with High Manual Dexterity who can handle a dagger in a pinch. Umbran's hypothetical less useful character is mostly a self-inflicted wound, born of some combination of inexperience, masochism, or adherence to a concept. I don't think I've ever seen but one GURPS character that didn't have a combat skill of some sort.</blockquote>

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