Which is pretty odd if you think about it. These two games also have their downside, especially when it comes to martial arts and combat. And exhausting in the amount of skills available (especially GURPS). These two games have great skill systems. This skill ended up being incredibly useful in a Burn Notice sort of way.

Basic electrical, drywall, basic carpentry, plumbing, stuff like that.

Security systems is a listed skill, but I had to invent the Handy Man skill which let me do most home repair type things. I’m not sure if this is a house rule or a system rule, but it’s a good one.Įxample: I had a college student with a background in security systems and home repair. One thing that I like about Shadowrun is that you can make up skills. An advanced spell or skill has requirements, usually simpler skills or spells, before the advanced version can be learned. This is most obvious in the magic system. You must purchase some skills in order to possess others. The only restriction that GURPS has is a logical one. In GURPS, this is done to make it easier to find certain skills as they are grouped by type rather than a restriction on which skills to use. GURPS classes skills based on the type of skill. For example, Shadowrun has points that are used solely for knowledge based skills. Other games, like Shadowrun and GURPS, divide skills by attribute or type. Why don’t they get a haggling or merchant skill? I think that Bards do, and maybe thieves, but that’s about it.ĭoesn’t make sense to me, which is one of the main reasons why I hate this type of skill system. Wouldn’t a mercenary, a merchant, a thief, or an entertainer know how to haggle and barter? These are people who negotiate the pay that they receive for the work that they do. Why can’t a mage, especially one of noble blood, know how to duel with a sword? Why can’t a fighter learn to read? Is the game implying that someone who is good at combat is by default an uneducated lout? The skill lists are small, and the cost to do anything different is too high to be useful. This is my least favorite way of buying skills. Skills from other classes can be purchased, but at higher cost. These skills can be taken in any order as long as they correspond with the type. Some games, like DnD provide a list of skills to choose from based on a class or character type. I’m a nice guy, so I’ll indulge him and get this started. Zipdrive requested a discussion on skill systems in roleplaying games in the thread for Rangers are the Symptom.

Gurps 3rd edition combat light penalty