Free Build

In my last post (gods, two months ago?) I discussed the pros and cons of going for templates versus free build for my characters and I think I've figured out what I'm going to do. I actually settled on this awhile ago but between work and getting sick, and then taking care of my sick wife, I didn't think to actually write this down here.

I'm going to go with free build for the most part. I think it'll really highlight the differences between GURPS and other games we've played. Which has been mostly various flavors of D&D though most recently was the IKRPG. It'll also free my time up to actually putting stuff for the game down on paper and make it so I don't have to spend time making a couple dozen 25-50 point lenses for characters which was the other things I was thinking of doing. While that means my players will end up asking me more questions about how to build things it also works out that I'll end up knowing more about the PCs since I'll be helping build them all as well.

This isn't to say there won't be any templates at all. The non-human races available are all going to be represented with templates and I think I'll make some basic templates as examples for the spell casters just because those subsystems can be complicated and I don't want one of my players to make a wizard and find out later that he forgot to buy Thaumatology or something. Also I'm going to make up some "prestige class" templates for use when and if the PCs join up with a secret society or cult or something. Though those will be strictly optional and will probably be more useful as examples of members of those groups then anything else.