Copyright 1997, 2003, T. Bone, tbone@gamesdiner.com. All rights reserved. GURPS is a trademark of Steve Jackson Games, Inc. Copyrighted material appears courtesy of Steve Jackson Games. Star Frontiers is a trademark of TSR.
Credits: Dralasite notes enhaced with comments by Art Wendorf (croaker@txdirect.net)
Converting characters is simple, but squeezing a converted design into a set number of points may not be. Start each PC an appropriate number of CPs for the SF group's experience: 100 points for new SF hero, 150 points for those with a few planetary adventures behind them, 200 points for experienced Sathar fighters, etc.
Players and the GM should work together to figure out what set of GURPS attributes and skills reflect the old SF character write-up, based on the rough "translation" guidelines below. Buy those normally. Give players some leeway in setting the exact attribute and skill levels, as necessary to reach the final CP goal.
Allow PCs to buy disads that reflect the personalities they had exhibited in the old SF game: Code of Honor, Honesty, Impulsiveness, and so on. GURPS personality disads represent strong versions of the trait, so if the PC was only a little overconfident and not excessively so, a Quirk "Somewhat overconfident at times" may better than the Overconfident disadvantage. Encourage players to take a full five Quirks to round out their characters.
The most likely scenario for GMs reading these rules involves dusting off old, mildewy SF characters for games in a "modern" RPG. Use that opportunity to let players update the characters themselves.
Assume some time has gone by since the last set of adventures; players can add new abilities that PCs might logically pick up (Wealth and Strong Will, maybe; Eidetic Memory and magic spells, probably not). GURPS Cyberpunk or Bio-Tech will allow physical modifications that would otherwise be hard to explain.
This will re-invigorate player interest from the start, and reduce some fears over moving to a new game system.
Find the appropriate GURPS traits, below, and purchase normally.
SF STR/STA: Divide STR by 5 and add 1 to get GURPS ST; do the same for STA to get GURPS HT.
SF DEX/RS: As described in the SF rulebook, the two abilities in this pair are nearly identical; both together serve the same function as GURPS DX. Of the following two conversion methods, use whichever the player or GM prefers:
SF INT/LOG: As above, both of these scores are reflected in one GURPS score, IQ; use the preferable of the following two conversion methods:
SF PER/LDR: Purchase 5 CP worth of reaction bonuses (normally Charisma, but possibly Appearance, Status, Voice, etc.) for every 5 full points of PER over 50, and 5 points' worth of similar disadvantages (Odious Personal Habits, Shyness, etc.) for every 5 full PER points below 40.
For every 3 points of LDR above 50, spend 1 GURPS CP on the Leadership skill. For every 5 full points of LDR below 40, buy 5 points of the Shyness disadvantage (e.g., Crippling Shyness for LDR 25 or less).
Alternately, these points for low LDR could be spent on Weak Will, or possibly disadvantages like Gullibility.
IM: GURPS Speed fulfills the same function; compute Speed normally.
Racial abilities will have set CP costs for each PC.
Required advantages and disadvantages include:
Notes:
Squishiness: The Dralasites' body is perhaps best gamed with the Flexibility advantage. (Despite the name, this is a more powerful advantage than Extra Flexibility!) This normally costs 15 points, includes Double Jointedness, and allows one to bend and twist drastically.
The Dralasites go one better, however, and have a very limited shape-shifting ability. By spending 5 minutes, a Dralasite could squeeze through a small opening, become round or flattened out, etc. GULLIVER suggests a "Squishy" advantage for 5 points, which together with Flexibility simulates the Drals' ability.
Squishy relies on Shape Control (P/A) skill for control. Roll vs Shape Control to see if the Dral can fit through a foot-wide hole, or change a leg to an arm in only 4 minutes, or take on the rough shape of a Yazirian, etc. A high skill level in Shape Control would be respected among Drals, and useful for entertainers, assassins, etc.
Limbs: Extra Arms normally cost 10 points each. The Dral can have as many limbs as the old rules allow; divide GURPS DX by 2 to get the maximum number of limbs available. Any limbs over 4 (two arms and two legs) are extra, and cost 10 points each. A Dralasite with a max 3 limbs would have a -10 point disadvantage. Example: A Dralasite with DX 10 can have 5 limbs, for a 10 pt advantage. DX 14 allows 7 limbs, or a 30 pt advantage.
There is no bonus for the fact that the Dralasite won't always have the extra limbs ready, as he never has to withdraw them. In fact, the arms have a special advantage in that they can be withdrawn if desired, or converted to extra legs. Charge an extra 5 points to the Dralasites' basic body cost for this ability, making a base 25 points for their special Flexibility. Remember that regardless of the number of arms, Dralasites get no extra combat attacks, though extra arms are useful in close combat.
Regardless of DX, the player should be able to buy fewer extra limbs if he wants. Some otherwise-coordinated Drals just might not be good with extra limbs, or maybe it's a permanent effect of a Dral childhood disease. The Drals probably even have names for such individuals.
Senses: Instead of Acute Taste and Smell, the GM could consider Discriminatory Smell [15]. Either advantage could carry a -20% limitation: Restricted By Clothing. Or see broader rules for skin-based senses in GULLIVER.
Other options: Although not in SF, consider Extra Hit Points or Hard to Kill for those diffuse and duplicated organs, Rapid Healing, Regrowth, 1 or 2 points of Extra DR vs Crushing Attacks.
No special rules needed. A Quirk ("Nervous Around Vrusk") might be common, but if it's strong, the Vrusk should be allowed to purchase a -1 Odious Racial Habit ("Buglike", only affects some humans, [-2]).
Overall, racial likes and dislikes don't seem strong in SF, and so should probably be left to individual players. Mostly they will appear as Quirks (such as "Thinks Yazirians are violent" for a Dralasite, or "thinks Humans are unpredictable" for a Vrusk).
Required advantages and disadvantages include:
Notes:
Double-Jointed: Judging from TSR's description, Double Jointed might be better represented as Extra Flexibility [10], which allows the arms to reach any spot on the body easily. However, GURPS is unclear on other effects. Let Flexibility include Double Jointed, with the extra advantage that combat moves may be made from odd angles. For example, a Vrusk with a club in his right hand could parry an attacker on his left, normally not possible.
Comprehension: There is no Comprehension advantage in GURPS, but Cultural Adaptability [25] comes close, with an IQ roll to understand alien behavior. As the SF Comprehension ability is improvable, allow a Xenology skill roll to replace the IQ roll. Also, Xenology and possibly Psychology could be Racially Learned Skills for the Vrusk; the Empathy advantage might be common too.
Other options: A point of DR would represent Vrusks' hard carapace. Allow -4 on Swimming for [-1], for Vrusks' poor aquatic ability.
Vrusk working for corporations will have Patrons, Duties, and possibly Sense of Duty (to company), Code of Honor (Businessvrusk), etc. Those not in a company might have a -1 reaction from corporate Vrusk (Reputation: Loner, Maverick; [-2]). Savior-Faire (Vrusk business world) seems an important skill, and SF implies that this is very difficult for non-Vrusk to learn. . .
Required advantages and disadvantages include:
Notes:
Gliding: Many items of clothing or armor will be restrictive to Yazirians' Gliding, as would a broken arm, items carried in the arms, etc. Allow a -20% cost reduction on Gliding.
Life enemy: The life enemy custom is best gamed as a Vow (or even Obsession; the dividing line is vague). Whether that's worth -5, -10 or -15 points depends on how tough the enemy is, and how much time the Yazirian devotes to it. A -15 point Vow should be reserved for those that regularly expose the Yazirian to real physical danger. Yazirians who choose strong enemies can buy separate, positive Reputation bonuses, or possibly Status. If the enemy is one that actively tries to hurt the Yazirian, that's a separate Enemy disadvantage as well!
Battle Rage: The Battle Rage advantage is tough to translate. The +20 TH in SF is like the +4 TH from GURPS' All-Out-Attack, but in GURPS that also means the Yazirian can't defend himself, and will likely be hurt! Also, SF Battle Rage is an advantage, but GURPS' Berserk is a disadvantage, as the PC won't defend himself, and might even attack allies.
A suggestion for a whole new advantage, Yazirian Battle Rage:
YBR lets you fight as a berserker, with the same abilities to resist pain and shock. However, through skill it allows more control: on a successful roll vs Battle Rage skill (M/VH, with bonuses for Strong/Weak Will), you can avoid going Berserk, or can go Berserk at any time you wants. Roll versus Battle Rage to snap out after downing a foe, or roll each turn after all enemies are down to snap out and avoid attacking an ally. Also, during any turn of Berserk combat, roll versus Battle Rage to make a non-Berserk attack for that turn only. This will let you defend himself yourself without snapping out of Berserk, and maintain pain resistance.
Cost is [5] (an advantage), plus the cost of the skill, as it offers much more control than the Berserk disadvantage.
If that seems too expensive, let a separate Battle Rage roll (only one, at the beginning of combat) confer +2 ST or +1 DX, player's choice, for as long as he is Berserk. That approximates the SF idea better. (A Yazirian taking that ST or DX bonus should suffer double fatigue at the end of the battle, minimum 1 fatigue.)
Eyes: There is no Sensitive Eyes disadvantage, but it should be a form of correctable Bad Eyesight [-10]: -2 DX/IQ and -4 Vision rolls in bright light only, half that even in normal light, and quadruple any penalties and their durations for actual blinding lights (Flash attacks, etc.).
Basic sunglasses reduce these problems; dark, wrap-around glasses remove them entirely, letting the Yazirian function like any other character as far as bright lights are concerned. But either of those will make you blind in real darkness . . .
Required advantages and disadvantages include:
Notes:
Charisma: Charisma doesn't necessarily mean Sathar are liked; it means they're persuasive. If the GM wishes, he can turn the Charisma into an additional +2 Racial Skill Bonus on Leadership instead.
Other options: The usual assortment of Status, Military Rank, Patrons, Duties, etc. appropriate for a Sathar's place in his society is necessary.
There are no PSAs in GURPS; characters are free to learn any skills at normal cost. Most SF skills are very broad, with many subskills; each subskill will usually become a separate GURPS skill.
To purchase skills for new PCs, remember that PCs are free to pick any skills in GURPS, if the GM allows. But in some can be inappropriate or hard to come by. If the PCs are career members of Star Patrol, which teaches beam weapon usage but not Escape or Pickpocket, a 5-point Unusual Background (UB), "Grew Up On the Streets", might be needed for those latter skills.
Use more expensive UBs for PCs who want exotic martial arts skills, several native languages, unusual combat skills like Net and Lasso, etc. In the latter case, a 10-point UB "Grew Up In a Primitive Colony" would let the player have access to primitive combat, healing, and outdoor skills other PCs wouldn't have access to.
On the other hand, many skills aren't covered by SF, but should be available to PCs with no UB cost. A Star Patrol member might easily have picked up the skills Carousing and Gambling, or in his spare time have developed skills like Pottery or Musical Instrument.
To translate an existing SF character, figure out which GURPS skills are needed and purchase them at a level appropriate to the SF PC's levels. A suggestion: a PC with Level 1 in a skill has the appropriate GURPS skill at Skill-10. Add 2 to the GURPS skill for each SF Level above 1.
Example: A PC with SF Demolitions Level 4 has GURPS Demolitions-16. This is only a guideline; adjust the final number up or down a little, depending upon how many CP the player is willing to spend.
What to do about skills like SF Melee Weapons, which covers a huge number of GURPS skills? For a SF PC with Melee Weapons Level 3, it'll be impossible to purchase every GURPS skill covered by Melee Weapons at Skill-14 or so.
The solution is to let the PC buy as many appropriate skills as he wants at Skill-14 (or maybe 15 or 16 for a couple of main skills, as the numbers are just guidelines). These should be the ones that would most realistically have come from the PC's background. Remaining combat skills could be bought at a lower level, depending on how many CPs the player wants to spend.
Example: A Star Patrol PC with Melee Weapons Level 5 decides to buy GURPS Knife-19 and Fencing-18, which should be pretty expensive. The logic is that the Patrol teaches Knife, and Fencing is a popular hobby among recruits. The PC then decides to buy Force Sword-14, Short Sword-12 (from police baton training), and Buckler-11 (again, from Fencing training). The GM decides to limit skill in Broadsword, Axe/Mace, Flail, etc., as the Patrol wouldn't teach such skills.
Similar treatment will be required for other skills that have lots of GURPS counterparts, such as SF Computer Skill and Medical Skill.
Below are the GURPS skills that equate to SF skills:
These overlap somewhat, but are separate. Computer Operation is the skill to run software and manage basic hardware functions. Electronics Operation (Computers) is a hardware skill, such as connecting a network or installing a peripheral. Computer Programming creates or modifies software, and Electronics (Computers) creates or modifies hardware.
GURPS has many other skills that SF characters might have learned, such as Free Fall, Vacc Suit, etc.
PCs in the Star Patrol will have the Patrol as a Patron, and will in turn have a Duty to it. They may or may not also have a Sense of Duty to the Patrol, to civilians, etc. A Code of Honor (Patrol Member) is appropriate. A Patrol career is likely to result in Reputations, Status, Military Rank, etc., as appropriate for the campaign.
Players will probably enjoy their more detailed, "grittier" characters made with GURPS rules. Just make sure they understand the grittier combat rules as well! No more of this: " 'You take a machine-gun burst full in the chest.' 'Okay, I fire back.' "
A couple of sample combat sessions should serve to introduce any GURPS weapons and armor types the GM wishes to use, as well as graphically show the effects of a HE gyroc round on Dralasite protoplasm.
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