Re: Character Advantages

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Magic Resistance 2 points/level
You are less likely to be affected by magic of most kinds. Note
that this advantage cannot be combined with Magical Aptitude.
You cannot be both magically apt and magically resistant. Indeed,
if you have Magic Resistance, you can’t cast spells at all (though
you can still use magic weapons). Also, you cannot “turn it off” to
let friendly spells be cast on you.
Magic Resistance, and its precise level, can be recognized by
any mage who looks at your aura, or by anyone who casts a spell
against you. The level of your Magic Resistance is subtracted from
the caster’s skill with the spell. If you have a Magic Resistance of
3, and the caster has skill 15, his effective skill is 12. Magic
Resistance also adds to resistance against elixirs (see GURPS
Magic, pp. 98-100). Your Magic Resistance also adds to your ordinary resistance
against spells that can be resisted.
Your Magic Resistance thus protects you from having a spell
thrown directly on you. It does not defend you against (a) missile
spells; (b) attacks by magical weapons; (c) information-gathering
spells in which the spell is not thrown directly on you, like Aura.
Magic Resistance has no effect on psionic attacks.

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Military Rank 5 points/level of rank
Just as Status (p. 16) reflects your position in society, Military
Rank (also called “grade”) reflects your position in a military or
paramilitary organization. Each rank has authority over those of
lower ranks – regardless of personal ability. Cost: 5 points per rank,
up to Rank 8.
Titles of ranks vary between organizations. Typical examples:
Rank 8: Corps-level command or higher (Lieutenant General,
General or Admiral)
Rank 7: Division-level command (Brigadier or Major General)
Rank 6: Brigade/group/regimental command (Colonel) or Captain
of a capital ship
Rank 5: Battalion command (Lieutenant Colonel)
Rank 4: Company command (Captain or Major)
Rank 3: Platoon command (Lieutenant or Warrant Officer)
Rank 2: Non-commissioned officer (NCO) associated with platoon,
company, or battalion commands (Sergeant 1st Class, First
Sergeant or Sergeant-Major)
Rank 1: Squad/platoon NCO (Sergeant or Staff Sergeant)
Rank 0: Enlisted man (Private, Airman or Ordinary Seaman)
In good professional armies, field-grade officers (Rank 5 or 6)
must have a Leadership skill of at least 12; general officers (Rank
7+) must have a Leadership skill of at least 13. This prerequisite
can be satisfied by its default of ST-5. Incompetence in the higher
ranks is not tolerated under any circumstances. (But in many lessprofessional
or politically-dominated forces, incompetent officers
are common.)
It is strongly recommended that no PC be allowed to start the
game with a Military Rank above 5, since high rank is normally
bestowed only on leaders of proven ability.
Military Rank, unlike social status, costs no money to maintain.
But insubordination, extreme cowardice, or stupidity can cause a
permanent or temporary loss in rank, depending upon your superior’s
reaction (as played by the GM).
Brevet ranks are given by superior officers (usually of Rank 6 or
higher) to temporarily increase your rank for a predetermined
amount of time – until the end of a battle, campaign, or the like. To
keep a brevet rank, you must meet the requirements of that rank as
well as pay the point cost (see p. 81). In some armies, rank may be purchased for money. In such a
case, a PC who is Wealthy or better gets Rank 3 automatically if
desired. Higher levels still cost character points as well as cash. A
Wealth level of Average or less doubles the point cost to start with
a Military Rank from 1 to 6. Once a character has been created,
rank can be bought for the normal point cost, if the cash cost for the
campaign is met.
In many lands, Military Rank carries some automatic Social
Status, which need not be paid for separately and has no cash cost to maintain. The “default” here is one level of Status for every 3 of
Rank, rounding to the closest number. Where this varies, it will be
mentioned in society descriptions.
Military Rank is almost always accompanied by a significant
Duty (see p. 39).

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Musical Ability 1 point/level
You have a natural talent with music and musical instruments.
Your level of musical ability is a bonus when you study Singing or
a musical instrument. That is, when you learn a musical skill, learn
it as though your IQ were equal to (IQ + Musical Ability). This
bonus also adds to HT for the Singing skill. Cost: 1 point for each
+1 bonus.

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Night Vision 10 points
Your eyes adapt rapidly to the darkness. You cannot see in total
dark – but if you have any light at all, you can see fairly well.
Whenever the GM exacts a penalty because of darkness, except for
total darkness, this penalty does not apply to you.

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Peripheral Vision 15 points
You have an unusually wide field of vision. Whenever something
dangerous or interesting happens “behind your back,” the GM
rolls against your IQ. A successful roll means you saw it, or saw
enough to alert you in case of an attack.
If you are playing with a game map, you can attack into your
right and left hexes as well as front hexes. (Note that with a onehanded
weapon, an attack to the left is clumsy and is still considered
a “wild swing” – see p. 105.)
If you are attacked from the right or left hex, you defend without
penalty. Your active defense is at only -2 against attacks from the rear.
You still cannot attack a foe directly behind you (without a wild
swing).
Furthermore, you have a wider “arc of vision” for ranged
attacks. The figure below shows the arc of vision for a normal character
(white) and for someone with Peripheral Vision (gray plus
white).

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Psionic Resistance 2 points/level
Psionic Resistance interferes with all uses of psionic powers
against you, friendly or hostile, against or by the subject. It can
never be turned off!
If you have Psionic Resistance, the level of your resistance is
subtracted from the effective skill of any psionic attempt where you
are the subject – even psychokinesis and clairvoyance. It is also
subtracted from your effective skill with any psi ability. Therefore
if you have a high Psionic Resistance, it will be hard for you to
develop any significant abilities of your own.

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Rapid Healing 5 points
This advantage is only available if your basic HT is 10 or above.
You recover rapidly from all kinds of wounds. Whenever you roll
to recover lost HT, or when you roll to see if you can get over a
crippling injury, add 5 to your effective HT. This ability does not
help you get over being stunned, etc.

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Reputation Variable
A good reputation counts as an advantage. See p. 17.

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Status Variable
High social status is an advantage. See p. 18.

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Strong Will 4 points/level
You have much more “willpower” than the average person.
Your level of Will is added to your IQ when you make a Will Roll
for any reason, including any attempt to affect you by Diplomacy,
Fast-Talk, Sex Appeal, Interrogation (with or without torture),
Hypnotism, or psionic or magical attempts to take over your mind.
Strong Will adds to your resistance when you want to resist a magic
spell (p. 150). However, this advantage does not help against combat
shock, and so on. In questionable cases, the GM’s ruling is law.
Example: You have 3 levels of Strong Will. An enemy spy is
trying to seduce you. The GM rolls a Contest of Skills: the spy’s
Sex Appeal vs. your IQ. But you have a +3 in the contest, because
of your willpower.
Cost: 4 points per +1 bonus.

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Toughness 10/25 points
Your skin and flesh are tougher than the average human’s. Your
body itself has a Damage Resistance score. This DR is treated just
like the DR from armor: you subtract it from the damage done by
any blow, before you multiply the damage done by a cutting or
impaling weapon. Toughness does not make you any harder to hit
– it just lets you survive more injury.
Toughness does not let your skin “turn” weapons. They still
break the skin – they may even draw blood. But you’re not hurt. However, if a poisoned weapon breaks your skin, the poison will do
its normal damage. Note also that your eyes are not tough! A hit
there will do normal damage.
Cost: 10 points for DR 1, or 25 points for DR 2. Higher bodily
DRs are not possible to a “natural” human. But some creatures have
natural Toughness, or even natural armor that can stop weapons.

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Unusual Background 10 or more points
This is a “catch-all” advantage that can be used whenever it is
needed. For instance, if your parents were traveling merchants, you
could reasonably claim to have two or three “native” languages.
But that is clearly an unusual background, which costs points.
Similarly, if you have access to skills not available to the people
around you, that is Unusual. In general, any time a player comes up
with a “character story” that would reasonably give him some special
benefit, the GM should allow this, but require Unusual
Background to cover it.
The GM may charge extra points if he rules the background is
very unusual. “Raised by aliens” or “trained from birth by a mysterious
ninja cult” might be considered “very unusual” in most gameworlds.
Psi-users, supers or wizards are Very Unusual if they
appear in a game world where their special talents are unique.

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Voice 10 points
You have a naturally clear, resonant and attractive voice. You
get a permanent +2 bonus on all the following skills: Bard,
Diplomacy, Performance, Politician, Savoir-Faire, Sex Appeal and
Singing. You also get a +2 on any reaction roll made by someone
who can hear your voice.

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Wealth Variable
Wealth can be a truly wonderful advantage. See p. 16 for the
point cost for different levels of wealth. Remember that wealth is
relative, and determined by the game world you start in. The precise
meaning of each level will be defined, for each game world, in
that world’s book.

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