Water Leaper The welsh llamhigyn y dwr is a strange beasty that looks like a frog the size of a wolf, but has no bat wings instead of forelegs and no hind legs. It also has a long lizard-like tail with a stinger on the end. Despite its lack of legs, it can jump incredibly […]
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GURPS101: Barter and Trade
GURPS Basic Set assumes that characters can go to shops, stores, or whatever and exchange currency for whatever item they are seeking. This is built in deep to the system and several advantages (Wealth, Status, Independent Income, etc.) rely on it. Now, this does work for most campaigns, but what about post-apocalyptic campaigns where the […]
Continue readingBoil and Bubble: Diablorising Sorcery – The Witch Doctor – Part II
Damn it, man! *itches skin* I need a hit, okay? So…uhh.. hey, I got this necromancy spells, right? I can quit when I want…I just need one more hit. One more hit ought to do it, right? Yeah. That’s it. For old times sake. Like the previous installment, this one is all about Diablo III […]
Continue readingBoil and Bubble: Sorcerous Hexes
Behind Ritual Path magic, Sorcery (from Pyramid #3/63: Infinite Worlds II) is probably my second favorite magical system out there. It seamlessly blends two things that I like about GURPS: flexibility and power builds. There have been many powers-based approaches to magic using modular abilities before – but I think PK nailed it perfectly with his […]
Continue readingDesigner’s Notes: The Department of Occult Defense
Even longer than “It’s a Trap!” (I wrote the first draft in April 2013), “The Department of Occult Defense” was rejected twice (for both Pyramid #3/59: Conspiracies and Pyramid #3/58: Urban Fantasy II), but finally ended up in this month’s Pyramid (Pyramid #3/73: Monster Hunters II) after a good long while in the stew point. I wrote it fairly […]
Continue readingBoil and Bubble: Spell Kits for Casters – the Defender
In a previous post, I talked about various “wizardly” archetypes and how you might create them using RPM. I’ve already done this for the Gatemaker and the Necromancer, but what’s next? Well, I’ve been watching a lot of Agents of S.H.E.L.D. and shields defend…so hey! Defender. That’s the ticket. I described the Defender archetype as… “The […]
Continue readingBoil and Bubble: Ritual Path Magic Skill Levels
Anders sent me a PM the other day and asked a pretty simple question: What do skill levels mean for Ritual Path magic casters? You’ve got your shiny copy of GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic and you’ve just bought GURPS Template Toolkit 1: Characters…but now what? You’ve got your skill level description from p. 12 […]
Continue readingTriple Threat – Aillénsceith
Aillénsceith The original aillén was a monstrous three-headed reptile that terrorized the people of Ireland and put the people of Tara into a deep sleep and burned the Ráth na Riógh (the Fortress of the Kings) to the ground every year for 23 years. Eventually, Finn McCool killed the creature by stabbing it in the […]
Continue readingGamemaster’s Guidepost: Dungeon Fantasy Musings
GURPS Dungeon Fantasy is by far the most successful of the various lines for for the GURPS game engine. Up until a few weeks ago I didn’t run it as one of my constant campaigns – in fact I only use it for playtest games that require it or the occasional one shot. All of that changed […]
Continue readingDesigner’s Notes: It’s a Trap!
I don’t talk about it often, but I’m a/was a huge fan of Dungeons and Dragons. I dove into Wizards of the Coast’s 3rd edition like a pool on a scorching summer day. Finally, I thought, a edition that could be mine. I bought every book that came out, I visited the site regularly, I […]
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