Introduction

In this section, Chris Norman introduces himself and the GURPS Character Sheet (GCS) software.

About Chris Norman and GCS

• Chris Norman is also known as Nose and is the co-author of the GURPS Game Aid for Foundry.

• He will be demonstrating how to use GCS for character creation.

Features of GCS

In this section, Chris talks about some features of GCS and how it can be customized.

Customization of GCS

• Rich provides a lot of customizable features for display.

• Over the years, Chris has changed his display settings so his version may look different from yours.

• The software is updated frequently which may cause differences in appearance but all versions work the same.

Creating a New Character Sheet

In this section, Chris explains how to create a new character sheet using GCS.

Setting Starting Points

• To start creating a new character sheet, open up a new character sheet in GCS.

• By default, some random data about what the character can be is filled in but you can override this by setting your own starting points.

• You can set your own starting points by typing in a new number or selecting from preferences.

Creating a Character Concept

In this section, Chris explains why having a character concept is important when creating characters in GURPS.

Importance of Having a Character Concept

• When creating characters in GURPS using GCS, it's important to have a character concept first.

• A good starting point for creating your concept is to think about what kind of fighter you want to have with one special power.

• Having a character concept helps you to focus on what attributes and skills your character should have.

Setting Primary Attributes

In this section, Chris explains how to set primary attributes for your character in GCS.

Setting Primary Attributes

• To set primary attributes, start with the left-hand side of the screen.

• The number in a square bracket next to each attribute is the cost in character points.

• You can set values for strength, dexterity, intelligence, and health by typing in a number or selecting from preferences.

• Changing these values will affect secondary attributes such as basic speed and basic move.

Understanding Attribute Ranges

In this section, Chris explains how attribute ranges work in GURPS and provides an example of setting attribute values for a beginning witcher.

Attribute Ranges Example

• Chris provides a list of attribute ranges for reference but notes that 150 points is considered low-level campaign based on the Basic Set idea of starting character points.

• He sets his character's strength, dexterity, intelligence, and health to 13 each which costs 30 points total.

• This results in secondary attributes such as basic speed and basic move being calculated automatically by GCS.

Adding Skills

In this section, Chris demonstrates how to add skills to your character using GCS.

Adding Skills

• To add skills to your character sheet using GCS:

• Open up the libraries tab

• Select the Basic Set library

• Select the Basic Set Skills sub-library

• Use the filter function to search for specific skills (e.g. sword)

• Drag and drop desired skill onto your character sheet

• Note that attacks do not come from skills but rather from equipment.

Equipping Your Character

In this section, Chris explains how to equip your character with weapons and other equipment using GCS.

Equipping Your Character

• To equip your character with weapons and other equipment using GCS:

• Open up the libraries tab

• Select the Basic Set library

• Select the Basic Set Equipment sub-library

• Use the filter function to search for specific items (e.g. swords)

• Drag and drop desired item onto your character sheet

• Attacks come from equipment rather than skills in GURPS.

Understanding Weapon Skills

In this section, the speaker discusses weapon skills and how they affect damage output. They also explore the different types of attacks that can be performed with a two-handed sword.

Two-Handed Sword Attacks

• Two-handed swords have a much less skill when used two-handed.

• The bastard sword has four different types of attacks because they're two-handed attacks.

• The two-handed swing attack's damage is based on swing and uses the skills dex minus five or four sword minus four or broadsword minus four two-handed sword or sword bang.

Increasing Skill Levels

• Increasing skill levels can improve attack levels.

• Changing the broadsword skill to 4 will give an attack level of 14.

• Setting both one-handed and two-handed sword skills to 4 gives an attack level of 14 for both.

Adding Advantages and Disadvantages

In this section, the speaker discusses adding advantages and disadvantages to a character. They explore sense of duty as an advantage and no sense of humor as a disadvantage.

Sense of Duty Advantage

• Witchers are there to protect all humanity, so sense of duty is added as an advantage.

• This gives her a -20 point disadvantage.

No Sense of Humor Disadvantage

• No sense of humor is added as a disadvantage since witchers are serious people.

• This gives her a reaction modifier where people like her less if they figure out she has no sense of humor.

Conditional Modifiers and High Pain Threshold

In this section, the speaker discusses conditional modifiers and high pain threshold in GURPS.

Conditional Modifiers

• A conditional modifier gives a plus six to all IQ rolls to wake up or recover from surprise or mental stun and a plus one to initiative rolls on your side.

• The advantages list is haphazard, but you can move things around by clicking on the title bar.

High Pain Threshold

• High pain threshold is important for anyone in melee combat. It means you never suffer from shock rules if you take damage.

• Combat reflexes adds to fright check. It also gives a skill level bonus of plus one to any skill whose name starts with fast draw, plus one to dodge, parries, blocks, and plus two to fright check.

Editing Character Sheet Layout

In this section, the speaker discusses editing character sheet layout in GURPS.

• You can change the order of advantages and disadvantages by clicking on the title bar.

• The character sheet editor is WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get), so changes made on screen will be reflected when printed out.

• Editing conditional modifiers can help save space on the character sheet.

Understanding Combat Reflexes

In this section, the speaker explains how combat reflexes work in GURPS.

• Combat reflexes is a powerful advantage that adds several features to your character sheet, including bonuses to skills and combat rolls.

• The conditional modifiers in combat reflexes can be edited to save space on the character sheet.

Editing Melee Weapon Attacks

In this section, the speaker discusses editing melee weapon attacks in GURPS.

• You can click on individual melee weapon attacks to edit their properties, such as usage and notes.

• Removing unnecessary notes from melee weapon attacks can help make the character sheet more compact.

Adjusting Basic Speed and Dodge

In this section, the speaker adjusts the character's basic speed and dodge attributes to improve their combat abilities.

Adjusting Basic Speed

• The character's basic speed is currently 6.5.

• By increasing it to 7, the character's dodge will increase to 11.

• Increasing basic speed costs an additional 10 character points.

Improving Dodge

• The speaker increases the character's dodge attribute to 7.

• This also increases the character's basic move by one hex.

Creating Witcher's Blast Power

In this section, the speaker creates a new power for the character called Witcher's Blast that allows them to knock back enemies without causing damage.

Using Innate Attacks

• The speaker looks in the Basic Set Advantages for Attack and finds all innate attacks.

• Crushing and cutting attacks can both cause knockback, but only crushing applies all damage to knockback.

• The speaker selects crushing as the type of attack for Witcher's Blast.

Adding Parameters

• Double knockback is added as a parameter for Witcher's Blast.

• No wounding is selected since this power does not cause damage.

• The power is named "blast."

Increasing Damage Output

• A single level of crushing only does one dice of damage, which averages out at 3.5 points of damage per hit.

• To increase knockback distance, five levels are added instead of just one.

Limitations on Range Attack

• Innate attacks are ranged by default, but since this power is meant for close combat, a limitation modifier is added to make it a melee attack instead.

Modifying an Attack

In this section, the speaker modifies an attack in GURPS by changing its cost and creating a new melee attack.

Modifying Cost Fatigue

• The modifier cost fatigue is currently set to one fatigue.

• The speaker changes it to two and applies PK's house rule that cost fatigue is minus ten percent per level.

• The speaker changes their own version of cost fatigue from minus five points per level to minus 10 points per level.

Creating a New Melee Attack

• The innate attack crushing five is eight points but the speaker wants to make it a melee attack.

• They open up an innate attack crush 5 and change its name to Witcher's Blast.

• They delete the ranged attack and add a melee attack with usage as punch, damage as 1d per level, type as crushing, double knockback, reach as c comma one, and parry modifier as zero.

• The speaker adds brawling skill at plus zero for the default skill used for this attack.

Adding Limitations

• The maximum percentage discount that can be obtained in limitations for an advantage is minus eighty percent.

• Currently, enhancements and limitations are at minus 70 percent so the speaker needs another limitation to get maximum discount on character cost.

• They look through basic set for other limitations.

Creating a Witcher Character in GURPS

In this section, the speaker discusses how to create a character for the Witcher universe using the GURPS system.

Adding Advantages and Limitations

• Characters can have advantages and limitations that affect their abilities.

• Enhancements and limitations can be added to advantages to modify them.

• The user description section allows players to describe their advantages thematically.

Spending Character Points

• Hit points are important, and players should consider increasing them.

• Skills are cheap and useful for characters. Acrobatics is recommended.

• Brawling is another useful skill that can be increased with remaining character points.

Equipping Your Character

• Leather armor provides two points of damage resistance in certain locations.

• Other equipment, such as backpacks, can be added without affecting encumbrance.

• Equipment can be moved between carried equipment and other equipment lists.

Display Settings

• Modifiers can be displayed in line or typed into the user description field.

• Notes may not be necessary for all players.

GCS Encumbrance Changes

In this section, the speaker demonstrates how encumbrance changes based on the amount of equipment carried in GCS.

Encumbrance Changes

• The highlighted yellow line changes based on the amount of stuff carried.

• The backpack turns red when carrying more than 40 pounds.

• Moving equipment to "carried" changes encumbrance level to medium level two, limiting move and dodge.

• Combat equipment should be put in "carried" while non-combat items should be placed in "other".

• Gerps Game Aid for Foundry allows for embedding formulas in VTT notes.

• Witcher's blast attack requires paying two fatigue points, which will automatically be removed upon execution.

• Natural attacks advantage can be edited to remove unnecessary attacks.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes by expressing their love for GCS and how it makes character creation easier.

Final Thoughts

• GCS is a great tool that makes creating characters much easier.

• As always, thank you for watching.