Revised GURPS Basic Set & DF Felltower

What newly featured rules in GURPS Basic Set will make it to Felltower?

Note this isn't automatic. We, by default, play with the DFRPG rules, adding in assorted extras from other sourcebooks. We don't automatically use all rules from Basic Set.

In no particular order, here are the ones I think we'll have to think about.

All-Out Defense (Mental Defense) - long requested, and I like it. This one is in. I don't see it getting used much, except everyone will start to ask if they can use it for a bonus on Will rolls outside of combat, to Will-based rolls outside of combat, to Will-based rolls in combat, etc. So no, it won't do that. It's a flat bonus to resist supernatural attacks if focus and concentration would matter in the GM's opinion.

All-Out Concentrate. Hmm. This is one I need to think about. Long requested, but it is basically a +1 to all spells outside of combat. Sure, sure, those don't matter too much, and failure is unusual . . . except this is a +1 to all Information spells. All of them. Always. No one casts Seek anything in combat. I may consider allowing this but say it does not affect Information spells. And you might need a Will roll to keep AOC going for the whole length of a long spell like Summon Demon or Zombie.

Simplified Range - we already do this most of the time.

Expanded hit locations - nope. Not that kind of a game.

Flat Cost Signature Gear - we already do this.

Retreat facing change - I'm okay with this, kind of. It's a bigger change than it looks - instead of facing the hex you left, you can face another hexside within limits. If it annoys us (me) in combat, it'll go.

Statistically Speaking - yes, if it seems like a good solution to large-group fights. My call when to use it or not.

Not much of anything else really changes anything for DFRPG.

What's new in the Revised GURPS Basic Set?

Wondering what's up with the revised GURPS Basic Set?

A guest post over on Ravens and Pennies looks at the changes.

GURPS 4th Edition Revised – Changes Review

Generally, the changes are fine. I'm mainly interested in the rules additions and the at-last fixes to say "damage" when "damage" is meant and "injury" when "injury" is meant. You can look at them all over at the link above.

I also like that some of the rules we use all of the time - Committed Attack, for example - shows up in Basic Set now. It will make future references to it easier since it's no longer text we'd need to repeat.


I did eventually get a comp copy of this revised Basic Set. I haven't written anything new for SJG in a number of years. But I did write a lot, and co-wrote GURPS Martial Arts - and that one early in the cycle. Sean and I got to writing it before Basic Set was out. So I'm down in the credits and that earned me a comp PDF.