The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.
This is meant as a simple guide to get new players started in the character creation process.
0. Points
A player character for a typical Ymirean campaign is built using 150 points.
Up to 50 additional points may be gathered from disadvantages, more if a single,
large disadvantages is taken. 5 points may be gathered from quirks.
1.
Race
This is one of the truly fundamental questions. Due to the chauvinism which is predominant in Ymirea, to be
non-human means that one is eternally an outsider in human society, which
is where most of the game will probably take place.
If the character is a human, one should decide of which subrace.
The moderator attempts to keep the weird from becoming too commonplace. To avoid disruption of play, and to prevent dillution of wonder, no non-human character is permitted on a "why not a centaur" basis. Either you play a human or you argue persuasively for another choice. That said, there are dozens of non-human races which may conceivably be played, including centaurs, goblins, ogres and undead. However, players must endeavour to understand and embody the race in question.
The non-humans most commonly interacting with humans in a peaceful manner and on a regular basis are the small folk - dwarves and gnomes. In the Clemencian Grand Kingdom, goblins are also tolerated enough to be permissible as player characters.
Player characters cannot be elves.
2. Esoteric Influences
A character should be born under one of the many star signs, which may further influence his personality, and he may have some humoral imbalance, particularily if his race and star sign both pull in the same direction. A humoral imbalance may suggest certain advantages and disadvantages.
3. Status, Rank & Wealth
One's social
class is the second most important thing about a character. A nobleman
can get away with a lot of behaviour which would get a commoner hanged. Wealth
and Social Status are the prime limits to a person's freedom, and starting
wealth depends much upon status.
When the four brave men Maurice, Mikondor, Julius and Bardor helped save the Princess Bellabianca, Maurice got most of the credit, as he was a Baronet and therefore important.
Player characters are expected to keep class differences clear among themselves, and may incur social censure if they do not. Normally, no greater Status than +4 (Baron/Viscount) will be permitted for starting characters. Being a ruling baron will take up most of a character's points
4. Gender
The land of Avation is a rather sexist society, as are most of the human societies
of Ymirea. So much, that being a female character is considered a disadvantage.
If, despite the ever-present sexism, one wants to play a woman, one
can either play a female cross-dressing as a male (a 10 points Secret), and
avoid many of the restrictions of a woman, or one can try to do the best one
can within the cultural cage - using Taoist (or if you like - Machiavellian)
principles to be a mover and shaker without revealing one's power.
5. Name
A character must have a name (unless possessing Total Amnesia).
General rules for names and
forms of adress.
6. Attributes
Note that actual ability will probably have less impact on play than race,
class/wealth and sex. That said, a GURPS character has four attributes: Strength
(includes physical toughness, hit point etc.), Dexterity (includes both gross
and fine motor abilites, as well as physical flexibility),.Intelligence (includes
willpower and sensory acuity) and Health (includes endurance and sensory acuity).
If you are unwilling to familiarize yourself with the GURPS system, just indicate
a suggested level for each attribute.
No more than 130 of one's starting points may be spent on attributes, but lowered attributes count negatively against this total (one may start a character with ST 15 (+50) DX 13 (+60) IQ 9 (-20) and HT 14 (+40) (total of 130 points)
Do check up on the house rules for attributes and derivations.
6. Advantages/Disadvantages
These advantages are available to all characters:
Karmic Ties (CI39)
Reawakened (CI43)
These advantages are available to characters with strong religious convictions:
Blessed (CI34, B) (does not require Mageblood)
Divine Favour (CI36) (does not require Mageblood)
True Faith (CI47) (does not require Mageblood)
These are available to characters with Mageblood only:
Awareness (CI33)
Channelling (CI34)
Extra Life (CI36)
Harmony with the Tao (CI38)
Inherent Magic (CI38)
Mana Damper (CI40)
Mana Enhancer (CI40)
Medium (CI41)
Natural Spellcasting (CI41) (requires Magical Aptitude)
Oracle (CI42)
Second Sight (CI43)
The following Super advantages are allowed for starting characters
with Mageblood:
Extra Fatigue (CI24) (up to 4 levels with Mageblood)
Extra Hit Points (CI24) (up to 4 levels with Mageblood)
Hyper-Reflexes (CI58)
Hyper-Strength (CI58)
Parabolic Hearing (CI62)
Regeneration (10 pts level only) (CI64)
Speak with Animals (CI66)
Speak with Fish (CI66)
Speak with Plants (CI66)
Telescopic Vision (CI68)
Skills
Starting skill is limited to two points per year of life (i. e. maximum 40 points at age 20).