Some Thoughts on Designing Blood Gifts

Having built several advantages using the system in GURPS Basic, it is clear that certain effects are considered very potent based on their cost.

As an example, I wanted to create a breath of darkness ability for dragonborn. I based the effect on the Blackout spell (complete darkness, cannot see inside or through area). Making it a blood power would cost a few points for the spell skill, roll to activate, pay FP based on area affected. Even buying the whole chain for a wizard would be 5 points for Magery 0 and 4 points for the chain. Area spells can be cast at a distance and you can choose to affect only parts of the whole area.

To make this spell effect into an ability, it would start at 20 points for Obscure 10. This would not block infravision [+20%], it would only be a 2-yard radius (while Blackout can scale up) [+100% for 4-yard], and it centers the effect on you when you use it [Immunity to your own effect is +50%, or an enhancement to let you leave the area]. It also moves with you, so you would have to make it persistent [+40%] and maybe mobile [+20%].  It does have the benefits of not requiring a roll to activate nor an FP cost to use. Adding an FP cost and a recharge time would reduce cost but not much compared to the enhancements.

It astounds me that the euphoric breath ability, which needs no attack roll to hit and forces a HT roll every second for 10 seconds or suffer a -3 penalty to skills that lasts for 1+ minutes costs less than the ability to throw out an area of darkness that blocks line of sight. And you are immune to the euphoria essentially for free vs having to pay to see through the darkness.

The big takeaway is use a spell if one exists to keep point costs down for big or intense effects.