Da un sito ormai Morto...
Questo può tornare molto utile, considerando che sembrerebbe essere abb. ufficiale per la 3° ediz... magari vi aiuterà.
GURPS Character Creation Guidelines
This material is adapted from the character creation guidelines for GURPS Who's Who. Originally targeted at writers attempting to model historical characters, it has been edited so as to apply to general character creation.
I. Attributes
Remember that even a score of 11 or 12 will set a character apart from his immediate peers, a 13 or 14 will make him stand out in his society at large, and an attribute of 15+ is world-class. Avoid going overboard with high attributes by keeping three factors in mind:
Context. At a critical moment, a strategically positioned, slightly above-average man may be remembered as something of a wonder compared to his merely average peers. Both sycophantic contemporaries and admiring historians occasionally make outrageous claims like, "He was the strongest and wisest man of his time." The person being described in such situations was most likely exceptional, but that neither makes him the strongest, wisest, etc., man in the world nor entitles him to an extreme attribute score of 18, 20 or more!
Most of these "wonders" were likely 12s, 13s and 14s among the 9s, 10s and 11s.
Aptitude. If the character's defining trait is prodigious inborn talent in a narrow area controlled by one of GURPS' broad attributes, use an appropriate "aptitude" advantage rather than a high attribute score to reflect this. Alertness and Strong Will, Charisma (for leaders), Language Talent (for men of letters), Mathematical Ability (for scientists), Musical Ability (for musicians), Single-Minded (for the dedicated) and Versatile (for the multi-talented) can replace high IQ; Manual Dexterity (for artists and craftsmen) can stand in for high DX, and Fit/Very Fit (for athletes) and Hard to Kill (for survivors of assassination attempts) can be used instead of high HT.
Skill. If the character's defining trait is amazing skill in a specific field of endeavor, give him a high skill level in that field, not an excessive score in the controlling attribute. Note that Artistic skills can be viewed as "inborn talents" (p. B47), and note also that many skills replace or enhance attribute scores for the purpose of one specific task (e.g., Jumping skill).
ST and HT
A case can be made that average ST and HT should vary by time and place due to differences in diet, physical activity, hygiene and so on, but for the purpose of GURPS character design, please rate them in relative terms. This means that an average character from any time or place on Earth will have ST 10, HT 10, and exceptional scores will always be measured from that baseline. A similar remark applies to Appearance.
IQ
This includes education, and one could argue that average IQ should vary from place to place and time to time. Once more, we are setting the average at 10 in all historical settings, and request that this be used as the baseline in all cases.
II. Advantages
Most advantages represent extremes; e.g., Eidetic Memory is not merely good memory, but a nigh-cinematic talent for remembering things. While it is tempting to magnify the most remarkable traits of remarkable people, they were really no more likely to have possessed extreme traits than the people you know personally (with a few exceptions, given below). Please respect this by adding advantages only where they are clearly merited. Where an advantage comes in multiple levels, use low levels except where it is clear that this just won't do.
As a rule of thumb, one level in such an attribute is commonplace (Charisma 1 is the popular kid, the person who makes friends easily), two levels will tend to dictate careers (Charisma 2 is the politician with a particular talent for speechifying or working a room), three levels is exceptional, but not uncanny (Charisma 3 is the field commander whose men will follow him into extreme danger, or the film star who makes it big despite a face like the back of a bus), and five levels is history-making (Charisma 5 is pretty much limited to the founders of major religions).
Those exceptions include:
Aptitudes. As stated under Attributes, exceptional inborn talent in a narrow field is often best handled using aptitudes: advantages that increase effective attribute scores and skill levels in a tightly-focused area. Many historical figures are famous because of their talent in a specific area, and can justifiably be given these advantages (Mozart was given five levels of Musical Ability in GURPS Who's Who).
Learned advantages. Some advantages are learned and not inborn. They are more common as a result, and so are less likely to brand a character as "freakish." Such advantages can be used more freely. Examples include Acceleration Tolerance (for flying aces), Alcohol Tolerance (for legendary carousers), Combat Reflexes (for career warriors), Fit/Very Fit (for athletes), Literacy (for most thinkers and leaders) and Pious (for holy men).
Please consult the appropriate historical GURPS supplement for the precise meaning of various levels of Military Rank, Status, etc., in your character's society. Where his rank and title varied over time, provide his statistics at the time of his most memorable acts (his statistics at other times can be discussed briefly in the biographical text).
Some notes on specific social advantages:
Administrative Rank, Status: Most heads of state, world leaders, nobility, royalty, etc., will have one of these advantages. In general, someone who is widely regarded as living divinity, or who is the emperor of a feudal empire (a group of nation-states ruled from a single throne), should have Status 8. The ruler of a sovereign nation-state or a colonial empire (a single nation-state with satellite territories) should have Status 7. Princes, viceroys and territorial rulers should all have Status 6.
Communist, democratic and republican states often claim to be "classless." Feel free to use an equivalent level of Administrative Rank in such cases if you accept that. Of course, supposedly classless societies do not always live up to their ideals.
The rule adopted in GURPS Who's Who is that every THREE levels in Administrative, Military, or Religious Rank give one free level of Status (and the relevant character Advantages sections should be annotated to point this out). If this seems inappropriate to the specific culture of a character you are writing up, feel free to treat them differently, but put a brief note in the text explaining your decision.
Ally/Ally Group, Claim to Hospitality, Contacts, Favor, Patron: Employers, colleagues, employees and those above and below the character in a chain of command (e.g., in a military unit) are not normally purchased using these advantages. They are reserved for personal connections of importance; e.g., Ally Group could be used for someone's personal bodyguards, but not for the army he commands (use Military Rank for that!).
Family members will sometimes count as Dependents. Less often, they will count as Allies instead. True marital/career partnerships are interesting; you may even want to include a brief "character sheet" for the spouse. Note that the majority of a historical figure's family members will stay in the background, and should not appear in such detail.
Clerical Investment, Tenure: These special licenses apply only to those who are full-time members of a religious (Clerical Investment) or academic (Tenure) institution, and should not be applied to laymen of any kind.
Diplomatic Immunity, Legal Enforcement Powers, Legal Immunity, Security Clearance: These privileges are often incidental consequences of a high level of Administrative Rank, Military Rank or Status (especially in dictatorial or feudal societies). If this is the case, then they do not have to be taken separately; e.g., the President may have Diplomatic Immunity when he represents the U.S. overseas, but that's already part of his Administrative Rank 7. The down side to this is that enemies of the organization granting the perks become the character's own, but he gets no points for them. Only those who possess such perks without rank need purchase them separately.
Military Rank (including Courtesy Rank): Military Rank is typically limited to active members of standing, organized armed forces. In general, pirates, privateers and members of feudal, guerilla or mercenary armies do not normally possess Military Rank; members of forces that have a clear order of battle, a chain of command and an established system of grades and insignia usually do. Of course, there are always exceptions.
Heads of state should only possess Military Rank if they have direct administrative control over standing armed forces. Honorary or de facto commanders-in-chief need only have the appropriate level of Administrative Rank or Status. Feudal lords do not generally take Military Rank, unless they are also commanders of organized standing armies; their military command role is generally a function of their Status.
Many historical figures will have Courtesy Rank (p. CI23), thanks to military service early in their career. They may flaunt this for political purposes in nations where such behavior is acceptable.
Religious Rank: This replaces Administrative Rank and Status for clerics of the Catholic church, ministers of theocratic governments, and anyone who holds a position in a hierarchical church or temple unaffiliated with a national body.
Example: In the days when the Pope ruled the Papal States (effectively a theocracy), he had Religious Rank 8. This gave him rulership over that territory and spiritual authority over millions of Catholics (although that authority could only be exercised by relatively slow and indirect means). Modern popes also have Religious Rank 8, which gives them spiritual authority and considerable influence with hundreds of millions of Catholics world-wide. This power is slightly more subtle, but can be exerted through modern communications. They also have temporal power, equivalent to Status 6, in the Vatican.
Reputation: Do not confuse Reputation with the fame and respect (or hatred!) associated with high Status. A Reputation should always be for something specific (like being a sadist, a usurper or a particularly just ruler), and not just for being king or whatever.
III. Disadvantages
Most of what was said under Advantages also applies here. Disadvantages tend to represent extreme afflictions, and while it is tempting to amplify the greatest flaws of historical figures, the majority would not have reached the heights they did had they been saddled with truly crippling problems. Mental disadvantages in particular tend to be severe in GURPS, and should be relegated to quirk level (see Quirks, below) most of the time.
Exceptions include:
Age and Youth. Your historical figure should be presented at the zenith of his career. If this would dictate a certain level of Age or Youth, then the appropriate disadvantage should be applied.
Illiteracy. The common assumption that illiteracy was widespread in the past is factually suspect. In medieval Europe, those who couldn't read Latin were often dubbed "illiterate," even when they could read and write their native language. In Asia, those who could not read the scripts used by the learned were also deemed illiterate, despite literacy in other scripts. To this end, only include Illiteracy if your research shows that your historical figure was truly illiterate; if he was merely unfamiliar with the language of the educated classes, omit that Language skill.
Physical disadvantages. Many historical figures have suffered from physical handicaps. Some are best-known for their heroic efforts to overcome such handicaps! These traits are generally irrefutable (a missing leg isn't really open to academic debate) and should appear on the character sheet. Examples include Bad Sight/Blindness, Dwarfism, Epilepsy, Gigantism, Hard of Hearing/Deafness, Hunchback, Lame, One Arm, One Eye, One Hand, Quadriplegic and Terminally Ill (but only if the character is being portrayed near the time of his death!).
Social disadvantages. Some historical figures should be given social disadvantages to reflect unpopular deeds, enemies, etc. A few will have been inspired to greatness by their struggle as a member of a disadvantaged class or racial group. Once more, the appropriate historical GURPS supplement should be consulted for the precise meaning of these traits. A few specific notes:
Duties: A historical figure with an obligation to a nation, church or military force may well have a Duty, the frequency of which should be based on the percentage of his life monopolized by the Duty while he owed it. Keep in mind that ordinary jobs do not qualify as Duties!
Enemies: The "enemy" in a national or international conflict is not worth points as an Enemy for a soldier or statesman involved in that conflict. Enemies are always personal in nature: assassins, feudal foes, political rivals, etc.
Social Stigma: This should be determined in the context of the culture that the character actually lived in, not in the context of the culture that happened to be writing the history books at the time. E.g., the Romans may have considered the Celts barbarians, but a Celt living in his own land would not have a Social Stigma. A Celt who lived among the Romans in Rome would, however.
IV. Quirks
The personal accounts of people who actually met your historical figure in person are among the best sources for Quirks. It is also recommended that Quirks be used in lieu of full-blown mental disadvantages to represent "commonly known" predilections or tendencies.
V. Skills
Most "masters" will have skill level 16-20 in their area of expertise; skill levels over 25 aren't realistic. Keep in mind that the knowledge of a real-life expert is usually better characterized by its astounding breadth than by its excessive depth (see the sidebars on pp. CI114-115).
5 6 Untrained
7 8 9 Talented but untrained
10 11 Trained
12 13 14 Professional
15 16 Highly respected expert
17 18 Exceptional, but fails occastionally
19 20 21 Greatest of the Age
22 23 24 Greatest in History
Our rule of thumb is that a "Greatest in History" may have skill 22-24; "Greatest of the Age" will probably be around skill 19-20; "Truly Exceptional, but with serious competition or the odd interesting failuure" might mean skill 17-18; "Highly Respected by his/her peers, but not often quoted in textbooks" would be around skill 15, and "Held down a job, but really nothing special" could be skill 12.
Remember that skill level 12 is considered "professional" (i.e., good enough to get a job). Hobbies, passing interests, and things studied years ago but not much used since, will rarely be known above the half-point level. Even levels 8-10 are better than most peoples' defaults, and can give the impression that someone is highly proficient at the skill in question.
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"Meglio una regola migliore che una peggiore" "Se non ti piace il realismo gioca a DnD con gli altri"
"Non si possono risolvere tutti i problemi della vita con la spada: certe volte serve il fucile."
[Modificato da carraronan 11/08/2004 20.41]
[Modificato da carraronan 11/08/2004 20.42]