One of the worst ideas in all of GURPS: Chi Abilities.  Who came up with this idea?

Chi Abilities are best used (as in "least bad") with a character who never leaves home (i.e. never goes out adventuring). A character with Chi Abilities will miss 1-6 hrs of sleep every night, which leads to sleep deprivation, which leads to minuses on their rolls plus interfering with their ability to heal.  And that's assuming they stay home. If they go out, it gets much worse!

A person with Chi Abilities needs to spend twice as money on "special foods" for their diet.  Wait, special foods?  As in rare or hard to find?  Adventuring?  Never mind the price, where in a dungeon do you even find special foods?  They need rare oils and incense.  Gee, I hope that doesn't attract the attention of wandering monsters or enemy patrols.  And it's not like you can suspend any of these things without losing all of the abilities you paid all those points to get!

Chi Abilities are worse than having an Addiction (which, at least, gets points back).  To maintain Chi Abilities, the character will be sleep-deprived.  The character needs to be always flush with cash, in order to buy foods, oils, and incense, assuming any of it is even available where they're going, slow the party down having to spend time with rituals that could easily draw negative attention... He better be one kick-ass fighter to be worth all this!
This message was last edited by the player at 10:04, Sat 01 Jan 2022.

Like a lot of things... depends.  RPM is Energy Accumulating, so every extra MoS you can scrape up each pass gets you closer to finishing the ritual faster.

However, if you always have a consecrated space, immediate access to the subject, Magery 0 or better, and all the time in the world (30 minutes minimum usually), then a 16 should suffice... if you're a Ritual Adept, you can forego a lot of the previous requirements and still get away with a 16.

However, I did mention that the higher your MoS the faster you "get 'er done", yah?  I've played (and GMed for) RPM ritualists who didn't feel happy with a 30 skill, of course they were trying to cast rituals on the fly that cost upwards of 300 energy...


If you're happy with hung or charmed spells, a 16 should suffice, especially if you have a good workshop, reagents, etc (if you can line up bonuses, or are just happy creating smaller charms).  Otherwise it is a staircase every stretching into the heavens with no end in sight, just like regualr Magic spells (I mean okay, Create Zombie at 50 is pretty much time to stop...).






Chi abilities are fine.  Those requirements only exist in DF, and they are to off-set the bonuses of the powers.


Or you lose time doing other things; IE you don't take a watch, you don't do in town activities, etc.  It averages out to 3 hours a day.  And if you roll that always 'feared' 6, do you know what the worst you suffer is?  You're down 3 FP the next day because you stayed up late doing your special exercises/meditations.


No they're common, available everywhere, they just cost money.  And with the right skills they can be Scrounged and Herbaled up.  Or at least the cost can be offset a bit.


You carry them in with you.  Just like your buddy the Knight carries in the rations they're going to eat...


If your GM does that, then that torch and lamp oil is also drawing monsters, as is the standard rations you and everyone else is eating.  And your GM is being an [DELETED].


It's pretty clear you've either never actually played in a game with them or your previous GM was a [DELETED].  Give them a try or play something else, like a Wizard or Cleric who have their abilities turned off just by walking into the wrong room.

And no, Martial Artists aren't the baddest of the bad warriors, they are versatile warriors, often a bit more fragile, but they have great utility and dungeon parkour ability*.  And with a slight investment, out thieves a Thief.  You want to moan about a Profession that gets the short end or the stick?  Play a Thief, everyone but Barbarians, Holy Warriors, and Knights can do their job, and those three Profession can often 'Barbarian' their way through a dungeon without a Thief.

* And do not play a Pixie Martial Artist, just don't do it.  Really subpar considering MA's deal damage based on ST.  I mean it's an interesting concept, and the right Player could have loads of fun with it, but you're trading out a bunch of the MA's specialties for being able to fly, hide well, and suck in No Mana Zones...

Feel free to use the most appropriate thread. Game Proposals/Interest Checks is for sussing out interest for games you’d like to run. The Rules Chat thread is to discuss rules and ask questions. Resources is for anything that might be helpful for GMs when running a game or players when playing. Game Advertisements is to promote games you need players for. The Lounge is the catch-all for general discussion or anything else that doesn’t fit elsewhere.

If we’re missing a useful thread topic, let me know, and we can create one. We don’t have an art thread or a map-making thread, for instance, but if someone wanted one, we could start one.

Edit: From Yestow's question, I realized that I sometimes post things here in the Lounge that ought to go in the Resources thread. Also, it would be a good idea to have a master post for the resources in that thread. I'll see about adding the resources from that thread to a master post, similar to how the RPOL mods handle Heaven.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Sat 01 Jan 2022.

Looking for a Consensus...

I had a guy in one of my campaigns who had a character with Cling.  Player was frustrated his PC only Moved at half, until I told him he could make up the difference by getting Superclimb.  Hooray!  The physical actions of climbing are essentially the same as crawling, except the character moves horizontally, rather than vertically, need not worry so much about handholds or footholds, and worry a lot less about falling to their death.  So I ruled that, with Superclimb, a character can crawl at least as fast as he climbs.

I can find nothing that contradicts me on this, nor can I find anything which supports me.  As I soon hope to introduce a character to a campaign who has Superclimb (albeit without Cling), could I have a (admittedly non-binding) consensus in support of this interpretation?

Super Climbing gives +1 move when climbing or using the clinging advantage. It does not change your speed with the clinging advantage, half basic move, to full move.

Its basically Basic Move (Climbing only, -40%) [3/lvl]

What Zoncxs said. Clinging is basically one of Spider-Man’s advantages. I’m curious, though. You said your PC only moves at half Move? Are they crawling everywhere, not just walls and ceilings? A PC with Clinging can still walk or run at normal Move.

As Zoncxs says, it's just +1 to Move when climbing, it doesn't alter any other calculations so just buy enough Super Climbing to make up the difference between their halved Move and full Move.  I mean it only costs 3 points per level so it's not like it's "expensive"*.


Also what are you looking to do and how much Move do you have?  The first question is because there may be a simpler (or more complicated but cheaper) way to get what you want to do, the second because depending on how much Move you need to make up, it may be less expensive to buy Flight with the limitations Must Touch Surface† -30% and Reduced/Increased Flight Move -2/lvl‡.



* It is.  Clinging and Super Climbing is stupidly expensive when compared to Flight (Low Ceiling, 5", -25%), Reduced Flight Speed -10 points, for an 'average joe".  Take 'Joe Regular Move', Basic Speed 5, Move 5.  So he can 'run up walls and across ceilings' using Clinging it costs him 26 points, Clinging [20] and Super Climb 3 lvls [6].  Inversely, buying Flight [20] [Flight 30 (Low Ceiling 5', -25%), Reduced Flight Move 5 lvls, -10], is cheaper and better.  If your allowed to go this route.

That's why in games I run Clinging is only 10 points and Flight Move starts equal to Ground Move.


† I eyeball "Must Touch Surface" at that to keep it more expensive than Clinging and treat it as "surface must bear your weight" and "does not avoid surface hazards".

‡ This is so ludicrously inexpensive, I have no idea what they were thinking, it's less expensive to increase flight move than climbing move.  *sigh*

I think Clinging for 10 points and half move makes a lot of sense, flying is not logical at 5" altitude, as any surface imperfection becomes a bad landing!

No more than it would be a 'trip and fall' hazard for a runner.  So yeah, if you'd make some make a DX (Acrobatics) check if they were running, do it for the flyer.

In reply to Zoncxs (msg # 231):

Super Climbing (page 89)
3 points/level
   You can climb very quickly. Each level of Super Climbing gives you +1 Move when climbing or using the Clinging advantage (p. 43).

Clinging
... Move while clinging is half your Basic Move.

  So, when Clinging, your Move is half, which is still better than just crawling, where your Move is a third.

  Since I was able to buy Super Climb to bring his Move while Clinging up to his full running Move, I figured I could use Super Climb to bring his crawling Move up as well, even if he wasn't using Clinging at the time (I just had to bring it up from a third -- for crawling -- instead of half -- for Clinging).

Different subject: can someone please tell me how to change the color of my text when posting?  I need it to meet format requirements for a character I'm submitting. (Not complaining, just at a loss.)

Ah, found it, never mind. Thanks!

Your game, your rules.  To be honest though, i'd allow it too, no reason you can't be 'climbing across the ground'.



If you're on mobile, I have no idea, but below the posting window in a regular browser window there are formatting options, the "style text" drop down has the colors.

If they aren't there, you can do it the hard way, for the most part formatting on this board uses carrots: <> and </> and then whatever is in the carrot is the formatting that will be down so...

<u>The</u> <i>quick</i> <s>borwn</s> <Brown>brown</Brown> <Serif>fox</Serif> ^jumped _over <small>the</small> <b>lazy</b> <large>dog</large>.

... yeilds:

The quick borwn brown fox ^jumped _over the lazy dog.

You can nest multiple <large></large> tags to make larger and larger and even larger words (I think 3 nests is the limit though).

The colors are Red, Orange, Aqua, Blue, Darkblue, Green, Darkgreen, Brown, Purple, Yellow, Pink, Royalred, Coral, Goldenrod, Seagreen, Periwinkle, Lavender, Rose, and Gray.

Ah, found it, never mind. Thank you!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:07, Sat 08 Jan 2022.

I would rule that if you have the clinging advantage then your crawling speed is now only half your move instead of a third of your move since that is what it implies from the advantage.

New Topic. I have a little story to tell...

There were these two brothers, the Rowe brothers, Mike and Mac, identical twins.  Basic Joe Regulars, six feet tall, 200 pounds each. The only difference between them was that Mike had practiced running enough that his Move was now 6, instead of 5 (like his brother).

These two, young men were walking down the street when, suddenly, an evil wizard appeared and zapped Mike with a powerful spell!  Instantly, Mike Rowe shrank down to SM -10!

Curiously, despite his change in stature, Mike's Move hasn't changed; it's still 6. In a foot race, Mike would still outrun his brother, who is forty times his height!  His tiny legs, pumping away, would be doing 240 .9" strides per second! Zzzzip!!!

At about the same time, some TL 12 miscreant steps out of an alley and hits Mac with a warp-reality beam; making him SM 10! The now 100 yards tall (300'!) Mac Rowe learns that his Move is still only 5.  His shoe is now 14 yards long and he can't shuffle a full half of that!  Despite now being 2,000 times his brother's height, Mac Rowe is still being outrun by his brother, Mike Rowe.

It gets worse!  Every 2 SM of increase and the weight is multiplied by 8.  Every 2 SM of decrease and the weight is divided by 8.  Starting at 200 lbs., Mac Rowe now weighs 200 x 8 x 8 x 8 x 8 x 8... = 6,453,600 lbs!  More than 3,000 tons!  With his ST still at 10, he wouldn't be able to lift a finger!

Mike Rowe, on the other hand, has a weight of 200 ÷ 8 ÷ 8 ÷ 8 ÷ 8 ÷ 8... = 0.09765625 oz.!  Less than a tenth of an ounce!

More later...

Rules can almost always be broken by taking things to extremes. They also cannot be written to cover every single possibility.
This is why GMs have license to make judgements (ie mike now runs 6/10 or 0.6 per move.
It's also why rules lawyers & munchkins are despised as someone can always find some other way to twist things to their benefit and rules be damned.

The ultimate purpose of the game is to have fun, and it requires each plaayer to contribute and to accept the GMs efforts to keep the story in balance nd moving.

 It's a GM error if the players go off in an unexpected direction and he forces them back onto his preprogrammed story line instead of inventing as it goes along.

I've long wanted SM to be redone, strip all the "freebies" (both advantage and disadvantage) from it and charge/give points for any benefits or drawbacks a size change brings.

So, my proposed solution is something I call DU ("Distance Units"). At SM 0, 1 DU is 1 yard, so a whose height is modeled on being 2 yards tall would continue to be 2 yards tall.

I ran a "Gee, I Show" campaign (more than once) where everyone's consciousnesses were involuntarily transferred into GI Joe action figures. Some marveled at the ramifications of No Blood, No Brain, Doesn't Breathe, and so on, while others mourned the fact that, even if they could get close to a Barbie doll (or, for some, a certain GI Joe), they now lacked the equipment to take advantage of the opportunity. [Sigh.]  The relevant part here is that a DU was now just 3½". Characters with a Move 8 still had Move 8, it's just that Move 8 now translated to Move 28"!  The guy whose bow could shoot 250 yards could now only shoot 875" (72'11")-- with a range modifier of -13.  But, hey, anyone crazy enough to attack a human will see them as 17 DU tall, meaning +6 to hit.

I also introduced WU ("Weight Units"). At SM 0, 1 WU is 1lb.  For the GI Joes at SM -6, 1 WU was a thirty-second of an ounce, or 0.03125 oz.!  So the guy with ST12, who can normally pick up 560 lbs. can now only lift 15 ⅝ oz.  Basic Lift of ⅞ lb.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:00, Sun 09 Jan 2022.

This message was deleted by the player at 09:01, Sun 09 Jan 2022.

This message was deleted by the player at 09:01, Sun 09 Jan 2022.

What's the most interesting race you've ever created/played with?

Well altering Orcs back into Uruk, standrd and Snaga was a big plus... each now has different abilities and fears. All Orcs are not mindless thugs, they have lives, dreams, and heir own life style (much borrowed from OrcWorld).

And then there are the Yalar, a banestorm introduced Race who are "lesser vampires". They must have blood to survive and it has to be mamalian blood. But they don't do Sentients. They are of course, hated and distrusted on discovery. Generally attacked by the populace upon discovery, but they have managed to hide within society and are fairly widespread in small groups. vI'll keep the rest of that race secret for now, but you should be able to use them if needed.

The Justification is: The Yalar were a nomadic "horse" people, and the blood they most used was that of their 'Padroni' or "horses" ... any other blood was considered a poor second. Today, for a big feast or important occasion, Horse blood is needed, and this causes problems, as killing a horse in Yrth is an exceptional act. Butchering a horse is almost unheard of unless it is an old Nag ... and stealing a good horse with desirable blood is a crime punished by death.  This does not negate the need in the eyes of the Yalar, and many a nobles fine steed has been stolen, never to be seen again.
A very few Yalar have found grasslands similar to their old home in the Nomad Territories north of Megalos, they live the old life with a few  differences.
The reason for the Yalar dependance on blood goes back to their old world, where the dark, cloudy world of swamps and grassland had few game animals, and protein was crucial to survival. Killing a 'Padroni' every few weeks was unsustainable, so it was found that by having a fair sized herd and bleeding a different 'Padroni' every day, you could sustain both the herd and the families protein requirements. A well to do man with a large herd could have a large family and perhaps two or three wives. Over the succeeding millennia, the dependance became absolute, and even raw meat will do only little to sustain a Yalar. Since their arrival on Yrth, it has become both necessary and desirable from a social aspect to adopt monogamy, and polygamy is no longer known among the Yalar except in the Nomad Lands. This dependance on blood does seem to have something to do with their long lives and ability to heal fully and quickly from most wounds. The millennia of existence on a dark cloudy world makes them quite light sensitive, although they appreciate the plenty of this world.

I saw a post on Reddit about building mobile bases in D&D as part of a specialist class. Here are some images of the pdf:

https://preview.redd.it/pxujfv...73cee64b1542e80a52fa
https://preview.redd.it/oc6yvj...5c4f217d06fc3c1b78b8
https://preview.redd.it/ao0spu...37763eda7e13ff9faeed
https://preview.redd.it/bi63nl...5d85d22974801e4a967d

What kind of ideas have you had for mobile bases, either as a player or a GM? Or bases in general?

Here's the pdf if you're interested: https://postavern5e.itch.io/ca...artificer-specialist

I find that bases that are too mobile remove a lot of interesting choice from play, like supplies and looting; when your house is right there, it frees PCs up to have to carry far, far less and they can more easily "make multiple trips to strip the 'dungeon' clean".

So, largely I avoid allowing them at all.