The Book of Dreams

I get the feeling GURPS has a lot of potential as "the game where you get to be creative." Not as an engine to run other game settings, or as a historical simulator, but as a general place of creative expression and for coming up with fun characters with interesting powers and abilities. I remember when I first saw a cleric design use a healing superpower as their holy healing ability, and the "class" didn't use traditional GURPS magic mechanics.

My first thought was, "That is not the way to do it."

Then my second thought was, "Why not?"

It works; it is quick and easy, and it communicates the concept without pulling in a massive subsystem. A cleric could be seen as a character with a collection of "holy powers," no matter where they come from. Yes, they are still essentially a superhero, but again, who cares? If that is what a "cleric" is in this world, so be it. GURPS should be a place where, as long as you are working inside the systems given, that is the "right" way to do it.

It is a more positive, holistic direction, and it fits the design and focus of the new book. I am also reducing my sarcasm here (with help) and trying to refocus on GURPS being a "creation engine" that beats 5E at its own game. If 5E is the "ultimate fantasy character creation system," then GURPS can be "the ultimate anything character creation system." It takes a more positive direction, focusing on GURPS not as "the game you go to when other games fail" but as "GURPS being the best character creation system ever, come and play with us!"

People play 5E because they feel they can be creative and make cool character builds.

GURPS is a much better game for that.

But the tone should be positive and supportive. We can be the "ultimate supportive creative place" and do things with character builds that 5E would take yet another crowdfunded book to accomplish. I am sorry; I am slipping into my sarcasm again, but yeah, 5E is an expensive hobby if you want more character options. The core two GURPS books (one, now) give you infinite "5E character option books" in just a small, focused game. You can spend $2-3000 on 5E books and not have 10% of what the base GURPS game gives you. GURPS will take a little more work to get started, but you will be happier having learned it and built it yourself.

That is not the point, though. It is not "look how much money you need to waste on 5E"; it is "we have such a cool, creative, and fun place over here." I spent a lot on 5E books, and I hate people telling me I wasted my money. I bought them because I felt something. In many cases, I am still looking for it. Sometimes the books I have stop being used as 5E books and become more inspiration for GURPS creations. They still see use.

The goal is to live up to that "book of dreams" feeling on the new GURPS revised hardcover.