Houserule - Sample Blood Gifts

I created some sample Blood gifts and, since I am using Delvers to Grow as a resource for character creation, some packages that could be taken in place of 25-point upgrade modules.

Quick rundown of terms: Manifestations are always-on physical changes. Abilities are special attacks or abilities; many require FP to use. Powers work exactly like spells of the same name except for any changes noted (such as using an alternate attribute instead of IQ). Advantages and Skills are normal.

Keep in mind this is not meant as a list from which to pick but a set of examples to help give an idea of what Blood Gifts are meant to accomplish.

Dragonborn

Generic - Dragon Breath [6/level]

You have manifested a flaming breath weapon.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Abilities: Fire Breath [6/level] - Costs 2FP per use. Creates a cone of fire 10 yards long and 2 yards wide at the end that deals 1d burning damage per level on a successful attack using Innate Attack (Breath).

Generic - Dragon Claws [3 to 11]

You have manifested claws appropriate to your Forbearer.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Manifestation: Choose one -

• Blunt Claws [3]: add +1 damage/die to punches and kicks
• Hooves [3]: +1 damage/die to kicks and feet gain +1 DR
• Sharp Claws [5]: change damage type of punches and kicks to cutting
• Talons [8]: change damage type of punches and kicks to your choice of cutting or impaling (choose before rolling each attack)
• Long Talons [12]: as Talons but +1 damage per die
  

Generic - Dragon Scales [3/level]

You have manifested protective scales appropriate to your Forbearer.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Manifestation: Dragon Scales [3/level] - Damage Resistance +1/level (as Tough Skin, p.A24). Max 3 levels.

Generic - Dragon Tail [3-14]

You have manifested a tail appropriate to your Forbearer.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Manifestation: Choose one -

• Prehensile Tail [12]: Your flexible tail can hold objects, wield weapons, block with shields, and grapple. Its ST is half your body ST.
• Spiked Tail [14]: Your spiky tail can attack at DX or Brawling for thrust impaling damage +1/die at reach 1. It can also parry at the higher of (DX/2)+3 or your Brawling parry.
• Sweeping Tail [3/level]: Your weighty tail can attack at DX or Brawling for up to 2d/level crushing knockback at reach C-1 (you can hit softer than max if you want). It does not deal penetrating damage.
• Whiptail [6]: Your long, thin tail can attack at DX-2 or Brawling-2 for thrust crushing damage +1/die at reach C-1. It cannot hold items or parry attacks.

Generic - Dragon Teeth [1 to 2]
You have manifested teeth appropriate to your Forbearer.

 
Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Manifestation: Choose one -

• Sharp Beak: deal thrust-1 large piercing damage [1]
• Sharp Teeth: deal thrust-1 cutting damage [1]
• Long Fangs: deal thrust-1 impaling damage [2]

Generic - Dragon Wings [8]

You have manifested impressive wings appropriate to your Forbearer.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Manifestation: Dragon Wings [8] - you cannot fly but you can break your fall; treat as Catfall (p.A39) but you need enough room to unfurl your wings (radius equal to your height); you can also gain +1 to Intimidation, influence, or reaction rolls, if appropriate, by dramatically unfurling your wings. Can be targeted and damaged as limbs.

Generic - Elemental Resistance [4/level]

You have manifested resistance to elemental attacks.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Abilities: Elemental Resistance [4/level] - Damage Resistance +1/level against elemental attacks (per Nature's Shield, p.A24). Max 4 levels.

Generic - Nictitating Membrane [1/level]

You have manifested a second, protective eyelid.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Manifestation: Nictitating Membrane [1/level] - Gain Damage Resistance +1/level for eyes and +1/level to HT rolls to avoid blinding effects or otherwise affecting eyes.

Arvyr - Enveloping Darkness [25 Points]

Your Forbearer, Arvyr the Eyeless, was at home without sight. You have inherited her affinity for darkness.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Advantages: Acute Hearing 2 [4], Night Vision 9 [9]
Powers: Blackout [4]
Skills: Blind Fighting (Per/VH) [8]

Jormungandr - Wavecutter [8/level]

Your Forbearer filled the oceans with his endless coils. You have inherited the Wavecutter, the bursting power of the seas.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Abilities: Wavecutter [8/level] - You can make a melee attack that deals 1d cutting damage/level. Divide DR by 2 before determining penetrating damage. Takes 5 seconds to recharge after use.

Karre - Binding Ice [4/level]

Your Forbearer was known as the Lord of Ice. You have inherited his icy stare.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Abilities: Binding Ice [4/level] - Costs 2FP per use. Ranged attack with 1/2D -, Max 20, Acc 3, ROF 50, Shots N/A, Rcl 1 using Innate Attack (Gaze)+6 (and another +6 for ROF). This attack generates a number of extra hits equal to the margin of success up to a maximum of 50. On a hit, the victim is grappled and rooted in place (-4 DX, cannot Move, Change Posture, or change facing). ST of grapple is equal to level; may layer additional attacks on bound victim for +1/ST per layer. Victim may escape with QC of ST vs Binding ST; takes 1 second and loses 1FP on failure. May also destroy binding; victim's Innate attacks hit automatically, other attacks at -4. Outside attacks hit normally but may strike victim on a miss. Binding has DR equal to 1/3 level. Successful attacks reduce Binding ST by 1 per point of penetrating damage. When Binding ST reaches 0, victim is freed.

Ryujin - Lightning Fast [25 Points]

Your Forbearer was renowned as the stormbringer, master of lightning and thunder. You have inherited a spark of his speed and power.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Advantages: Upgrade Combat Reflexes to Enhanced Time Sense [20]
Powers: Lightning Weapon (DX/H, self-only) [4]
Skills: Fast-Draw [1]

Shodhyn - Euphoric Breath [23 Points]

Your Forbearer brought delight to her chosen. You have inherited her breath, capable of sharing her joie de vivre.

Prerequisite: Dragonborn
Abilities: Euphoric Breath [23] - Costs 2FP per use. Breathe out a 2-yard-radius cloud of sparkling pink gas. Those inside must make a HT roll or suffer euphoria (-3 DX, IQ, skill, and self-control rolls) for a number of minutes equal to their margin of failure. The cloud persists for 10 seconds and continues to affect anyone who enters or remains inside each second. Takes 5 seconds to recharge after use.

Giantkin

Generic - Giant Stature [0 Points]

You have manifested the giant height of your Forbearers.

Prerequisites: Giantkin, SM 0

Manifestation: Gigantism - SM +1, Basic Move +1, purchase ST and HP at -10%, Reach C weapons become Reach C-1. [0]

Atlas - Hold the Heavens [25 Points]

Your Forbearer was said to hold the very heavens aloft. You have inherited his prodigious strength.

Prerequisite: Giantkin
Attributes: +1 ST [10]
Advantages: Lifting ST 5 [15]

Hogarth - Tough as Nails [9 Points]

Your Forbearer was known as the Iron Giant. You have inherited his steel-hard skin.

Prerequisite: Giantkin
Advantages: Tough Skin 3 [9]

Hogarth - Iron Arm [12 Points]

Your Forbearer was known as the Iron Giant. You have inherited the strength and resilience of his mighty Iron Arm.

Prerequisite: Giantkin

Powers: Iron Arm (HT/H) [4]

Skills: Power Blow (Will/H) [8]

Skrymir - Sudden Height [12 Points]

Your Forbearer was a trickster who often traveled in human size. You have inherited his ability to spring back to giant height.

Prerequisite: Giantkin

Abilities: Growth (SM +2) [12] - Costs 2FP to activate and 1FP per minute to maintain. Takes one hour to recharge after use. Grow to 15ft tall. Gain +1 to maximum Reach.

Skadi - Tantalizing Beauty [8/level]

Your Forbearer was renowned for her exceptional beauty. You have inherited her entrancing looks.

Prerequisite: Giantkin

Abilities: Tantalizing Beauty [8/level] - Costs 2FP to use. Takes one hour to recharge after use. Concentrate to force QC of Will vs Will+1 with victim; you get -1 per yard of distance, victim gets -1 per level of this ability. If you win, victim is stunned (roll Will+1 with -1 per level each second to recover) and suffers -3 DX per level for a number of minutes equal to their margin of failure.

Surtr - Flame Control [25]

Your Forbearer was the Lord of Flame. You have inherited a spark of his mastery and can summon forth his flaming sword.

Prerequisite: Giantkin

Advantages: Fire Resistance 5 [15], Trademark Move [1], Weapon Bond [1]

Abilities: You gain all of the following -

• Extinguishing Touch [2]: Can extinguish burning clothing (p.E68) on yourself or an adjacent ally with a single Ready maneuver. Objects you are holding in your hands benefit from your Fire Resistance.
• Flaming Touch [2]: You can deal 1 point of burning damage with a touch, or add to unarmed damage as a follow-up, even while wearing gloves or gauntlets. You can also light fires or ignite torches and candles with a single touch.

Powers: Flame Jet (DX/H) [4], can wield using either Innate Attack (Beam) or appropriate sword skill (based on length), but note that it cannot parry (or be parried by) other weapons!

Ulfarth - Bearserker [28 Points]

Your Forbearer was, Ulfarth, the Wolf-Bear. You have inherited his bearserker form.

Prerequisite: Giantkin

Ability: Form of the Bear - Costs 4FP to use and 4FP per minute to maintain. May only use while Berserk and only once per day. Gain +4 ST, DR 3 (tough skin), SM +1, basic move +1, max reach +1, punches and kicks do cutting damage, bite does thrust-1 cutting damage, can constrict after grapple (QC ST vs ST or HT, deal damage equal to MoV). May need to check again for crippling wounds, unconsciousness, or death when temporary HP go away.

Design Notes:

Written in the order the abilities were created. Unfortunately, the above list got long enough that I decided to reorganize with the Generics on top followed by alphabetical order.

Lightning fast was created for Goji, dragonborn Knight. I wanted to create a spell-based power and decided to make Lightning Weapon DX-based for a few reasons. One, to try an alternate casting stat. Two, to make the spell more reliable since he has a higher DX than IQ. And three, to get him closer to skill 15+ to reduce casting time and cost so he could use it more often. I think the "free" points from going to DX are fine given it's a buff spell and he is spending time casting instead of fighting. The self-only limitation means that it only works on a weapon he is using. He cannot cast it on others' weapons or cast it on his own and hand it to someone else to use. Enhanced Time Sense and Fast-Draw are for his lightning fast reflexes.

 

Enveloping Darkness would be more point efficient if you decreased Blind Fighting and bought more Acute Hearing, since it adds to Blind Fighting rolls. I just prefer to buy special skills or spells to a baseline of AT+0.

Euphoric Breath was my first attempt at a custom attack. Math: Affliction 1 [10] enhanced with Irritant (Euphoria) [+30%], Area Effect 1 [+50%], Contact Agent [+150%], Persistent [+40%] and limited by Costs Fatigue 2 [-10%], Emanation [-20%], and Takes Recharge 5s [-10%] = 23 points.

Tidecutter math: Innate Attack (cutting) [7/die] enhanced with Armor Divisor (2) [+50%] and limited by Melee Attack 1,2 (Cannot parry) [-25%] and Takes Recharge 5s [-10%] = 8/die

Binding Ice math: Binding [2/level] enhanced with Accurate 6 [+30%], Increased ROF 50 [+200%], Costs Fatigue 2FP [-10%], Reduced Range 5 [-20%] = 4/level

Sapping Ice: Binding Ice but Accuracy +4 [+20%] and Link [+10%] and linked attack Affliction 1 [10], Link [+10%], -4 ST [+20%], Malediction SSRT [150%], Costs Fatigue 2FP [-10%] = 4/level + 17

• Binding Ice with only +4 accuracy; on hit, linked Affliction QC Will vs HT, you roll at penalty for range as per Size and Speed/Range Table; if victim fails, suffers -4 ST for MoF minutes

Dragon breath math: Innate Attack (burning) [5/die] enhanced with Cone 2 yards [+60%] and limited by Costs Fatigue 2 [-10%] and Reduced Range 10 [-30%].

Dragon Claws and Teeth and Giant Stature are just advantages from Basic.

Dragon Tail math:

• Prehensile Tail: Extra Arms [10] with Extra-Flexible [+50%], Weak 50% ST [-25%], and made-up No Fine Manipulator [-5%] = 12
• I discounted the last 5% because the tail is not as capable as a hand at manipulating objects due to the lack of fingers; it has the effect of reducing the final cost from 13 to 12
• Spiked Tail: Striker (impaling) [8] with Long (only max range) [+75%] = 14
• My thought is the tail is thick and bulky, not able to bend inwards enough to spike yourself (like an evolutionary safety feature)
• Sweeping Tail: Innate Attack (crushing) [5/level] with Damage Modifier (Double Knockback) [+20%], Variable [+5%], Damage Limitation (No Wounding) [-50%], Melee Attack (Reach C,1; Cannot Parry) [-25%] = 2.5/level
• Whiptail: Striker (crushing) [5] with Long +1 [+100%], Cannot Parry [-40%] and Clumsy -2 [-40%] = 6

Hold the Heavens was created for Sasha Waybright, giantkin Swashbuckler. DtG has Hulk, which is similar, but I really wanted to push increased basic lift/encumbrance over damage. This allows Sasha to wear heavy armor without penalizing her Fencing weapon skills. Although not intended, it also has the effect of making her a seriously dangerous grappler using Fantastic Dungeon Grappling, although she will have to spend her own points on Wrestling.

Tough as Nails and Iron Arm were the first to deliberately cost fewer than 25 points to show a more a la carte purchase. Of course, you could combine them and add another 4 points to Iron Arm to get a 25-point package. I like that it combines advantages that otherwise could not be taken together (Tough Skin 3 is Barbarian only; Iron Arm is Wizard only; and Power Blow is Martial Artist only). I could see some trouble if a Barbarian took these. You could get naked DR 6 and Power Blow on top of the Barbarian's high base ST. However, leaving Power Blow Will-based definitely reduces its utility in combat. The HT-based Iron Arm makes it more broadly useful across classes but it does lose the Blocking spell drawback on non-casters. Of course, baseline parry skills are likely pretty good and Iron Arm does not benefit from DB, so possibly okay.

Bearserker math: +4 ST [40] modified by Link [+10%], Accessibility (Berserk) [-20%], Costs Fatigue 2 [-10%], Limited Use 1 [-40%]. Total adjustment -70% (extra -10% due to SM +1). Constriction Attack [15] and Tough Skin 3 [9] each modified by Link [+10%], Accessibility (Berserk) [-20%], Costs Fatigue 1 [-5%], Limited Use 1 [-40%]. Total adjustment -55%. Then Giant Stature [0], Sharp Claws [5], and Sharp Teeth [1] with Link [+10%], Accessibility (Berserk) [-20%], and Limited Use 1 [-40%]. Total adjustment -50%. Final costs +4 ST [12], Constriction Attack [7], Giant Stature [0], Sharp Claws [3], Sharp Teeth [1], Tough Skin [5] = 28.

Sudden Height is like the duergar ability to enlarge self. GURPS cares about verisimilitude and forces you to buy ST to 5 x final height in yards to ensure you can support your own weight but to that I say bah! This is for a ST 17 Barbarian and it would be prohibitive to buy +8 ST for 64 points just to use the ability. Also remember that each of these abilities is made with a particular character in mind. If he was already SM +1, I would not have made the ability go up two stages (to SM +3), just one to reach SM +2.

Tantalizing Beauty math: Affliction 1 [10] enhanced with Attribute Penalty (-3 DX) [+30%], Stunning [+10%], Based on (Will) [+20%], Malediction [+100%], Accessibility (only on attracted sex) [-20%], Costs Fatigue 2 [-10%], Sense-Based (Vision) [-20%], Takes Recharge (1 hour) [-30%] = 8/level

Flame Control abilities are taken from the Eldhud in Nordlondr Folk with Flame Jet and Innate Attack added on.