Thanks for the very helpful comments, TKD. Another SF fan out there! Let me jump right into your points:

Yazirian Battle Rage: My version is a simple update of the old article's version; and clearly, the old version is something I made from the perspective of wanting to use GURPS' "battle rage" (Berserk) framework. My thinking was that "+20% TH in melee" was a dull trait, with SF not having the crunchy tools to game the trait more interestingly. Players moving to GURPS would surely prefer its more dramatic and psychological take on the concept, I figured.

But a better (and less lazy : ) take would be to provide two versions: one, as close a translation as possible of the original SF trait, and two, whatever GURPSy rewrite I might prefer.

Thanks for the suggestion for the former. Yes, a DX bonus is pretty much the GURPS equivalent, though I would tend toward +2, a great big bonus in GURPS (boosting success rate at DX 10 by 24 percentage points). The player could choose the bonus, though. Any suggestion for what the total limitation should be to give the bonus Skill-Based and Accessibility (only for offensive melee combat use)? I don't have Powers yet, and don't know the value of Skill-Based.

As for the latter version of YBR, a GURPSified one: I revisited this while writing the new article, and have some words in defense of my cost. First, Berserk itself isn't all that bad a trait in terms of control. You can avoid Berserk on a Will roll. You can attempt to break out of it after each downed foe, and again after the last one. Friends are safe unless they try to restrain you, or unless you fail a couple of control rolls after you take care of foes.

My addition of the control skill isn't any real benefit, IMO. It lets you improve control at 4 pts/+1, yet full will only costs 5 pts/+1; the skill is a pretty poor bargain.

I did add two real benefits, both requiring skill rolls: temporary, one-second abatement of Berserk (good for making defenses), and a one-chance-per-combat bonus of +2 ST or +1 DX. Great bennies, though the first doesn't make for no-downsides Berserk; every time you fail that roll, it's pure AOA for your turn.

So those two items are the real benefits, and their combined cost is effectively 15 points (the difference between 5 pts and the Berserk-only cost of -10 points). 15 points is a lot. That said, I mistakenly thought Berserk was still -15 pts in 4e, meaning I was envisioning a 20-pt difference. If I boosted the cost to 10 pts, maintaining the 20-pt difference, do you think that's a good cost?

And on the other tentacle, I can see ditching it altogether, and suggesting the following for YBR:

1) Buy the +X on DX with Skill-Based on Accessibility limitations, as above, simulating the original SF trait;

2) Add by-the-book Berserk and/or Bad Temper if desired, for a more GURPS-flavored and interesting character.

That'd be easiest of all, perhaps. I like it.

And speaking of tentacles:

Sathar limbs: True, I just wrote them off as Extra Arms, but so does the SF text. Only that little drawing in the main racial writeup suggests otherwise, as you note (and by the way, the evil worm and his "feet" come across as pretty silly in that pose. Someone's wanting nice woolen stockings for his tenties this Christmas.)

Extra Arms with the Foot Manipulators limitation sounds fine as a GURPS revision of Sathar lower tentacles. (This adds the assumption that they do need the limbs to move.) Actually, the Extra Arms should also be stronger, and made less dextrous at fine manipulation; how do we do that for Extra Arms in 4e? Anyone?

As for Flexibility benefits: I'm all for that; don't know why I didn't suggest anything. Let me suggest the Double-Jointed version of Flexibility, plus possibly GURPS' Invertebrate – though I prefer my own version of Invertebrate ( http://www.gamesdiner.com/gurps/GULLIVER/B3body.htm#Invertebrates ) plus Squishy (see Dralasite writeup).

If you can comment again on the above, I'll happily update the article.

By the way, you were working on your own SF -> GURPS 4e article? Sorry to jump you on that one; the job was much easier for me, having only to update an old article. If you go ahead with yours, I'll gladly link to it from here – coopetition and all that. : ) Or if you'd like, we can further put our heads together and whip this article into better shape.