[Recruiting] [GURPS 4e] [TL9] Another World Within

[Jemal]

I am wondering about stuff like that as well.
The basic concept I'm working on is an Ex spec-ops/intelligence guy turned Corporate who's working for the takeover team, but only found out EN Route that he has a loved one(Friend, Family, Significant other maybe?) on the target ship.
So now he's trying to figure out his next move - can he save his friend without jeopardizing his mission? Should he switch sides and warn/help the Nebula?
I see him as being the 'badass bruiser with a soft center'

 

[Shayuri]

Hehe, I was originally doing ex specops too...but you can't do it on 100 points. Not realistically.

Ex-military is fine though. But specops are more than 100 points.

Hey, maybe our characters served together...or worked together before.

 

[Jemal]

well i do plan on taking the max disadvantages for the 150 points, stuff like code of honour, pacifism, sense of duty, vow, maybe overconfidence/honesty/curious.
Very much planning to make him a 'reformed badass who's good at what he does but doesn't really enjoy it anymore'

Why do you say can't do spec ops at 100 though? the examples for character points have
Heroic (100-200 points): People at the realistic pinnacle of physical, mental, or social achievement; e.g., Navy SEALs

I thought this would include the 'badass' types?
Granted I just started the system today, just wondering what you think makes it undoable?

 

[Shayuri]

He can be good at what he does, definitely.

But specops are on another level. I'd expect minimum stats of about ST 11 or 12, DX 12, IQ 11 or 12, and HT 13. And minimum is really too low...it wouldn't represent the high end of performance at that level.

They'd tend to have High Pain Threshold and Combat Reflexes...and probably levels of Strong Will and Alertness. Then of course their Rank. Plus whatever else you'd want on top of that.

But what really kills you is the skills. Specops guys know a LOT of skills, and they need to maintain them at a high level.

I think a reasonable specops soldier could be made pretty easily at 200 points. For 250, you can make an elite, top of the line, top of his class badass.

100 is a skilled, talented soldier who may have aspirations to special forces, but ain't there yet.

 

[Moon_Goddess]

Ok, you 2 may have to agree to disagree on the definition of spec ops.

As for the invasion, you're expecting minimal resistance, this takeover form of piracy is new, There should be security personal aboard the ship though. You have plans for a generic ship of it's class, Fusion torch and radiator fins at the back, long tube with cargo pods in the middle and a rotating habitat at the front. The habitat contains command and communications, living spaces, sickbay, mini-factory, etc. At the very front is the docking clamps and an airlock.

 

[Shayuri]

Okay. Thanks!

I have other questions, but they're more in-character questions my character would want to know as part of a briefing or something. So they can wait for now.

And you have a point about the definition of 'special operations.' I've very limited knowledge of the real-world military...mostly I've got friends. So I may be overly narrow in what the term means. And certainly for background purposes it doesn't matter if he's ex-specops as opposed to ex-military, because it's harmless flavor text.

My apologies, Jamal. Consider my protestations retracted.

 

[Jemal]

none necessary Shay, as said I know next to nothing about the system just looking for input.

 

[Jemal]

So I was looking at the Skill chart in the lite book and am wondering something.. The 'default' of easy/average/hard skills (Untrained) is -4/5/6 respectively, but the chart seems to allow for 'buying' a skill up to 3 higher than that for no cost, only having to pay a single point when you train a skill up to 4 higher than the 'default'.
For example, Easy skills are default: Attribute-4, but the chart says that attribute -3, -2, and -1 all cost nothing and attribute+0 is one point.
Does that mean you can buy 'some' training in a skill for zero points, or does it mean that you can't 'train' those numbers, it's either default or the 1 pt training, nothing in between?


Also, I've changed my character concept, I've decided to go with a 'badass bookworm' type of character - Scientifically minded but with a survivalist/Martial Arts background. Basically an advanced version of me.

 

[Shayuri]

There's a gap between default use, which is free, and trained use. You can't spend less than 1 point on a skill, and any kind of training or experience is represented by that point. If you want to represent someone who has natural talent, but no training or experience, you can buy bonuses to skills that would increase your effective attribute for that skill only. These are called Talents. They're bought in small packages of related skills generally. Not sure if the Lite ruleset includes them, but I can give you more details if you're interested.

As for concept, it sounds good to me. I would say a scientific knowledge germaine to mining and mineral resources is very plausible for a crew member on this expedition. They'd want someone to appraise the cargo's value once the ship had been taken over, after all. You'd probably be a surveyor/prospector/geologist on the Aurora...I could see some astrophysics being useful too, though that could be another crew member if you don't want to spread yourself thin.

 

[Jemal]

OK here's a first partial draft. I assumed that the common sense response to my question above (RE: 'partial training for zero points) is "NO you cant do that", so spent at least 1p in all the skills I want
*EDIT: Noticed that I missed Shayuri's answer. There is an advantage called 'talent' in the Lite rules, but it only gives three examples: Artificer, Outdoorsman, and Smooth Operator. All of them sound good, but the costs are nowhere near being worth it unless I was already spending like 4+ points per skill in several of the involved skills. As Is I've put one or two points into all the skills I want, and I have between a 62 and 84% chance of success on most 'standard' rolls not counting DM situational modifiers.

Please Tell me if I'm doing anything wrong or if you have any suggestions. (And yes, I know I haven't spent all points, this is just a partial first draft)
-Primary Attributes-
ST: 10
DX: 11(20p)
IQ: 13 (60p)
HT: 11(10p)
-Secondary Attributes-
HP: 10
WILL: 13
PER: 13
FP: 11
Dodge: 8
Basic Lift: 20
Basic Speed: 5.5
Basic Move: 5

Skills: 26p
Skills *Score/Difficulty*(cost)
*NOTE: I included the Difficulty for my own benefit when figuring out costs*
IQ skills: Computer Operation 13/E(1), Acting 12/A(1), Electronics Repair 12/A(1), Fast-Talk 12/A(1), Mechanic 13/A(2p), Survival 12/A(1), Computer Programing 12/H(2p), Engineer 11/H(1), Diplomacy 11/H(1), Mathematics 12/H(2), Naturalist 12/H(2), Tactics 12/H(2),
Natural Sciences 11/H(1) *Specifics TBD*
Dx Skills: Brawling 12/E(2), Missile weapon: Bow 11/A(2), Acrobatics 9/H(1)
HT Skills: Carousing 11/E(1), Sex Appeal 11/A(2)

Advantages: 17
Fearless 1(2p), Luck(15p)
Disadvantages/Quirks:
Bad Sight(10p), Lecherousness(15p), Overconfidence(5p), Jealousy(10p), Addiction: Pleasure Device(5p),*Found the pleasure device in the Ultratech book and thought it would be interesting to be addicted to it if we get stranded/etc, and I have to try to 'ration' the power I have for it.

90 attributes + 26 Skills + 19 advantages - 45 Disadvantages = 90 p