Thomas Shey
Legend
I can absolutely see if Fate will do it for you that GURPS would be waaaay overkill.
GURPS Fantasy / Dungeon Fantasy (and beyond)
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I can absolutely see if Fate will do it for you that GURPS would be waaaay overkill.
Theory of Games
Storied Gamist
The versatility of GURPS is its strength, an unmatched strength in the ttrpg hobby space. Seeing what Mutants & Masterminds is shifting to (4e), I'll probably go with GURPS Supers and have just one ttrpg for all of my games going forward. I can do this because GURPS can do any genre 
Argyle King
Legend
If you don't mind a little extra reading...
I've found that you can mix Dungeon Fantasy with After the End for a pretty good post-apocalyptic fantasy game. If you wanted to do something that's in the vein of Dark Sun, Thundarr, or a fantasy reskin of Fallout; that would be a good place to start. You'd also have a good mix of pre-made monsters to form a solid bestiary with minimal work.
Search: 24 results found for "after the end" | Warehouse 23 Search: 24 results found for "after the end"
I've found that you can mix Dungeon Fantasy with After the End for a pretty good post-apocalyptic fantasy game. If you wanted to do something that's in the vein of Dark Sun, Thundarr, or a fantasy reskin of Fallout; that would be a good place to start. You'd also have a good mix of pre-made monsters to form a solid bestiary with minimal work.
Search: 24 results found for "after the end" | Warehouse 23 Search: 24 results found for "after the end"
Voidmoji
Perpetually Perpetrating Plots & Ploys
I started GURPS back with the 2e boxed set. I ran a fair amount of the game back in the day. Cyberpunk, superheroes, scifi, and, of course, fantasy. I loved it to pieces...until I didn't. At some point I found it kind of a sprawling mess, and didn't feel like the Compendiums went far enough. I also had a number of other issues that bothered me, and eventually gave up on it.
Now, 25 years later, I have come back to the system with 4e. While there are still things about GURPS that I am not keen on, in general I feel that 4e is a massive improvement. If feels so much more consistent. I have been buying up as much 4e stuff as my finances allow.
I am really itching to play it. I almost started up a fantasy game, but then I had group that included two newbs who wanted to get a game going, so I went for Shadow of the Weird Wizard, which I also wanted to run. But the next thing I run will very likely be GURPS. I've started working on a setting, along with how magic works.
Now, 25 years later, I have come back to the system with 4e. While there are still things about GURPS that I am not keen on, in general I feel that 4e is a massive improvement. If feels so much more consistent. I have been buying up as much 4e stuff as my finances allow.
I am really itching to play it. I almost started up a fantasy game, but then I had group that included two newbs who wanted to get a game going, so I went for Shadow of the Weird Wizard, which I also wanted to run. But the next thing I run will very likely be GURPS. I've started working on a setting, along with how magic works.
(queue up Bernie Sanders on the lawn chair meme...)
Once again, I'm here to talk to you about 1-second combat rounds.
1) In all the GURPS games I've run, I've focused on frenetic combat and kept a brisk pace. I see combat as chaos. Keep things moving so people don't get distracted. The 1-second round thing has never really impacted combat in any meaningful way. It runs and plays like any other combat system, with the caveat that people do one thing per turn. In modern games, people do a lot of aiming or evaluating. Experienced players are not afraid to move somewhere, aim, then fire. Getting hit is ugly. So, it's worth it.
2) With several options turned on, you have more to track and more rolls. That is the largest difference between GURPS and other popular d20 systems.
3) It says right in the rules that you don't have to maintain second-by-second turns when the action changes. You could have a running gun battle where a minute or even five are spent running and hiding, punctuated by several rounds of combat when someone catches up. I drop out of rounds all the time. It works fine.
For beginners, or those willing to try it again, don't focus too much on the timing and instead focus on the maneuvers you can take each turn, and don't be afraid to do something besides "attack" every turn. I have run the game for military veterans, and they squeeze every ounce of tactical know-how out of the combat system. It rewards tactical thinking and has options to support it.
Once again, I'm here to talk to you about 1-second combat rounds.
1) In all the GURPS games I've run, I've focused on frenetic combat and kept a brisk pace. I see combat as chaos. Keep things moving so people don't get distracted. The 1-second round thing has never really impacted combat in any meaningful way. It runs and plays like any other combat system, with the caveat that people do one thing per turn. In modern games, people do a lot of aiming or evaluating. Experienced players are not afraid to move somewhere, aim, then fire. Getting hit is ugly. So, it's worth it.
2) With several options turned on, you have more to track and more rolls. That is the largest difference between GURPS and other popular d20 systems.
3) It says right in the rules that you don't have to maintain second-by-second turns when the action changes. You could have a running gun battle where a minute or even five are spent running and hiding, punctuated by several rounds of combat when someone catches up. I drop out of rounds all the time. It works fine.
For beginners, or those willing to try it again, don't focus too much on the timing and instead focus on the maneuvers you can take each turn, and don't be afraid to do something besides "attack" every turn. I have run the game for military veterans, and they squeeze every ounce of tactical know-how out of the combat system. It rewards tactical thinking and has options to support it.
So, drilling into some of the differences in GURPS versus other game systems, one of the things which sets it apart is the available detail* in the combat system. If you are someone who like ‘fighting characters’ and wants them to be mechanically engaging then GURPS is a great system. The available granularity* in the mechanics means that fighters following different strategies will be noticeably different in play, too.
Straight out of the gate, GURPS combat has 13 different manoeuvres a character can pick from, and while this sounds a lot they are pretty straightforward and sensible once you have a a combat or two under your belt. These manoeuvres govern how far you can move, if you can attack (which could include attacking with a chosen advantage like doing more damage), and what defences you can employ (if any). You can do called shots to body locations if you want, and there are specific rules for what happens if you hit a hand, arm, leg, foot, head, or other body parts (or you can roll randomly, or just put all hits into the body). And there are rules for feints, multi-attacks, and more. All these things are available to every combatant. There are meaningfully different types of damage (cutting, impaling, crushing and more) which then interact with both body locations and armour types.
That’s a lot of available granularity if you want to use it. And I asterixed above because the detail is pretty much all optional. If you want a game where there are a smaller number of more detailed fights (like duels and so on) then GURPS is an excellent system to support that kind of game. With all the detail turned on, big combat scenes can take a fair bit of time, but there are option rules for ‘Cannon Fodder’ which makes designated enemies easier to hit in combat and easier to take out with damage. GURPS has a huge selection of dials and levers to allow you to fine tune a game to your preference.
Straight out of the gate, GURPS combat has 13 different manoeuvres a character can pick from, and while this sounds a lot they are pretty straightforward and sensible once you have a a combat or two under your belt. These manoeuvres govern how far you can move, if you can attack (which could include attacking with a chosen advantage like doing more damage), and what defences you can employ (if any). You can do called shots to body locations if you want, and there are specific rules for what happens if you hit a hand, arm, leg, foot, head, or other body parts (or you can roll randomly, or just put all hits into the body). And there are rules for feints, multi-attacks, and more. All these things are available to every combatant. There are meaningfully different types of damage (cutting, impaling, crushing and more) which then interact with both body locations and armour types.
That’s a lot of available granularity if you want to use it. And I asterixed above because the detail is pretty much all optional. If you want a game where there are a smaller number of more detailed fights (like duels and so on) then GURPS is an excellent system to support that kind of game. With all the detail turned on, big combat scenes can take a fair bit of time, but there are option rules for ‘Cannon Fodder’ which makes designated enemies easier to hit in combat and easier to take out with damage. GURPS has a huge selection of dials and levers to allow you to fine tune a game to your preference.
aramis erak
Legend
I liked the idea of GURPS, and got my copy of 1e on a preorder.
I wasn't thrilled with GURPS by 1990... and mostly shifted to Hero for my universal system needs.
I almost completely quit GURPS in the late 90's... I found G:IOU to be compelling setting, but completely ruined by the details of GURPS. It worked much better in TFT...
GURPS Autoduel 2, GURPS: Lensman, and GURPS OGRE all were turnoffs for me.
GURPS for fantasy does gritty really well, but the emergence of the GURPS player culture was part of what drove me away. And it drove me straight to Hero; I already had some one shots of Danger International, Robot Warriors, and a one-shot of Star Hero. (Prior to HSR 4, Hero used adapted standalone cores, like Palladium still does.)
Someone stole most of my GURPS books. I don't really miss any except GURPS: Japan.
Therefore, GDF holds little appeal for me. But if one needs a gritty fantasy system, GURPS in general is quite competent.
I wasn't thrilled with GURPS by 1990... and mostly shifted to Hero for my universal system needs.
I almost completely quit GURPS in the late 90's... I found G:IOU to be compelling setting, but completely ruined by the details of GURPS. It worked much better in TFT...
GURPS Autoduel 2, GURPS: Lensman, and GURPS OGRE all were turnoffs for me.
GURPS for fantasy does gritty really well, but the emergence of the GURPS player culture was part of what drove me away. And it drove me straight to Hero; I already had some one shots of Danger International, Robot Warriors, and a one-shot of Star Hero. (Prior to HSR 4, Hero used adapted standalone cores, like Palladium still does.)
Someone stole most of my GURPS books. I don't really miss any except GURPS: Japan.
Therefore, GDF holds little appeal for me. But if one needs a gritty fantasy system, GURPS in general is quite competent.
Spellslinging Sellsword
Adventurer
So I have Hero/Fantasy Hero and GURPS/Dungeon Fantasy but have only read them. Anyone with experience able to say how they play compared to each other?
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