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<blockquote data-quote="Dannyalcatraz" data-source="post: 4323861" data-attributes="member: 19675">While both HERO and GURPS are essentially toolbox RPGs, and the math is almost entirely front loaded on both of them.There are, however, certain differences which make all the difference to me (Mr. I-love-HERO-and-hate-GURPS):GURPS has a huge number of well researched, written and playtested supplements that are useful as sourcebooks even if you don't play GURPS.&nbsp; However, those supplements are not neccessarily balanced with the Core rules or with other supplements- they're designed to model a particular focused setting or campaign style.&nbsp; For instance, the Core rules for psionics are not as flashy and are more expensive than in some of the sci-fi or superheroic supplements.&nbsp; Where a Core PC may spend a host of build points to telekinetically lift a bowling ball, a supers Teke could spend the same amount of build points and toss a motorcycle.In contrast, in HERO, supplements are just designed to be consistent within the game, reality being merely nodded to.&nbsp; But in this system, points are points are points.&nbsp; Barring a DM tweak, psionic powers cost the same for a FRP campaign as they do in a sci-fi or superheroic game.&nbsp; The difference between campaigns is basically in how many freebie points the PCs can start off with- a 50 pt Energy blast power is going to be essentially the same power regardless of campaign.To me, that meant that GURPS didn't live up to the &quot;Universal&quot; in its name, and it bugged me in each GURPS campaign or playtest I was involved with.&nbsp; Whereas I can easily take a creature or NPC from any HERO supplement and run it as is- changing only its flavor text- for GURPS I had to make sure it was made under a set of compatible rules, or else it could either overpower or utterly underwhelm the party.&nbsp; GURPS simply lacked what I called &quot;internal cross-consistency.&quot;Caveat- I haven't played the latest edition, and Jurgen has assured me that the current version of GURPS is a LOT more internally cross-consistent.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dannyalcatraz, post: 4323861, member: 19675"] While both HERO and GURPS are essentially toolbox RPGs, and the math is almost entirely front loaded on both of them. There are, however, certain differences which make all the difference to me (Mr. I-love-HERO-and-hate-GURPS): GURPS has a huge number of well researched, written and playtested supplements that are useful as sourcebooks even if you don't play GURPS. However, those supplements are not neccessarily balanced with the Core rules or with other supplements- they're designed to model a particular focused setting or campaign style. For instance, the Core rules for psionics are not as flashy and are more expensive than in some of the sci-fi or superheroic supplements. Where a Core PC may spend a host of build points to telekinetically lift a bowling ball, a supers Teke could spend the same amount of build points and toss a motorcycle. In contrast, in HERO, supplements are just designed to be consistent within the game, reality being merely nodded to. But in this system, points are points are points. Barring a DM tweak, psionic powers cost the same for a FRP campaign as they do in a sci-fi or superheroic game. The difference between campaigns is basically in how many freebie points the PCs can start off with- a 50 pt Energy blast power is going to be essentially the same power regardless of campaign. To me, that meant that GURPS didn't live up to the "Universal" in its name, and it bugged me in each GURPS campaign or playtest I was involved with. Whereas I can easily take a creature or NPC from any HERO supplement and run it as is- changing only its flavor text- for GURPS I had to make sure it was made under a set of compatible rules, or else it could either overpower or utterly underwhelm the party. GURPS simply lacked what I called "internal cross-consistency." Caveat- I haven't played the latest edition, and Jurgen has assured me that the current version of GURPS is a LOT more internally cross-consistent. [/QUOTE]

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