The following information is copyright 1995 by David Terhune. Permission is granted to freely distribute this file provided this paragraph remains intact. Questions/Comments should be sent to me at: dterhune@sprint.uccs.edu This is a conversion from FASA's Mechwarrior RPG to GURPS. It allows one to convert existing characters, and includes special notes for that purpose. It is assumed that the user of this material has access to the 2nd Edition Mechwarrior rulebook and GURPS Basic 3rd Edition, Revised. The following GURPS books are highly recommended, but not absolutely necessary: High Tech, Ultra Tech. Space is useful for its treatment of hostile environments and differing gravities, as well as the description of the Acceleration Tolerance and 3D Spacial Sense advantages (useful for Aerospace pilots). Mechwarrior characters should be built on 150-200 points, with up to 40 points of disadvantages and the usual 5 quirks. This figure was arrived at by calculating the average point value of the archetypes in the Mechwarrior book using this conversion. ATTRIBUTES ST = 7 + BLD DX = 7 + RFL IQ = 7 + LRN HT = 7 + BLD ITN of 1 gives the character the Combat Paralysis disadvantage. ITN of 5 or more gives the character the Combat Reflexes advantage. ITN also modifies DX and IQ as follows: ITN Modifier Follow the progression for higher ITN scores, 1-2 -1 granting an extra +1 to DX and IQ at 8, 10, 3 0 etc. 4-5 +1 6-7 +2 The difference between the character's Mental and Social Mechwarrior characteristics is the overall reaction modifier (positive if Mental > Social, negative if Social > Mental). It is up to the player and GM to work out which advantages and disadvantages should be used to arrive at this total. It is recommended that Shyness be allowed to substitute for negative reaction modifiers, due to its being taken into account in the Mechwarrior CHA attribute. Mild Shyness corresponds to a -1, Severe to -2, and Crippling Shyness equivalent to a -3 reaction penalty. RACIAL PACKAGES The Clans' breeding programs produce warriors of superior quality compared to normal humans. The following racial packages represent the results of these breeding programs. Do not apply the racial Attribute modifiers to converted characters. They have already been accounted for under the Attribute conversions above. Clan Mechwarrior (30 points) +2 DX (20 points), +1 IQ (10 points), Combat Reflexes (15 points), Clan Code of Honor (-15 points) Clan Fighter Pilot (15 points) -1 ST (-10 points), +3 DX (30 points), +1 IQ (10 points), -1 HT (-10 points), Acceleration Tolerance (10 points, described in Space, page 33), Clan Code of Honor (-15 points) Clan Elemental (35 points) +2 ST (20 points), +1 DX (10 points), +2 HT (20 points), High Pain Threshold (10 points), DR 2 (10 points), Inconvenient Size (-10 points), Clan Code of Honor (-15 points) ADVANTAGES Mechwarrior Advantage GURPS Equivalent Ambidextrous Ambidexterity Exceptional Attribute converted under Attributes above Extra Edge see Edge below Land Grant see Wealth below Natural Aptitude see Natural Aptitude below Sixth Sense Danger Sense Title see Status below Toughness High Pain Threshold Wealth see Wealth below Well-Equipped see Wealth below Edge (5 points per level) For each level of Edge, a player can make one reroll per game session (or adventure, GM's option). This can only be done for a skill or attribute roll the player makes for his/her own character (this includes active defense rolls). Each Mechwarrior Edge is equivalent to one level of Edge. Natural Aptitude (varies) Natural Aptitude is a +2 bonus to one skill. It applies to all specialties of a given skill, including those skills which require specialization. Cost depends on skill class: Physical Skills Mental Skills Easy 2 points Easy 2 points Average 4 points Average 4 points Hard 8 points Hard 6 points Very Hard 12 points Convert from Mechwarrior by translating the skill to its GURPS equivalent, then figure the cost from the table above. Status (page B18) Status levels in the Inner Sphere are as follows: Status Title/Position 7 Successor State ruler 6 King, Prince 5 Duke 4 Marquess 3 Count, Viscount 2 Baron, Baronet 1 Knight 0 Freeman Negative Status levels are not covered in Mechwarrior, but GMs can figure these out on their own. To convert from Mechwarrior, look up the title and give the character that level of status. Wealth advantages do not modify the cost of status in a Mechwarrior campaign. If the character only stands to inheirit the title, it is worth 5 fewer points. As in Mechwarrior, one cannot be heir to a knighthood, it must be earned. Wealth (page B16) Average starting wealth for Mechwarrior characters is 500 C-bills in cash, and 200 C-bills worth of equipment. Wealth is 10 points per level in Mechwarrior, and confers starting wealth according to the table below. Unlike standard GURPS Wealth, Mechwarrior Wealth does not modify the characters income in any fashion. Starting cash may not be used to purchase equipment before the game. Well-equipped is 5 points per level, and confers an equipment allowance according to the table below. As in Mechwarrior, any of the character's equipment allowance that is not used to purchase equipment will add to starting cash. Level Wealth Well-Equipped -1 50 C-bills None 0 500 C-bills 200 C-bills, Availability A 1 5,000 C-bills 1,000 C-bills, Availability A,B 2 50,000 C-bills 5,000 C-bills, Availability A,B,C 3 500,000 C-bills 25,000 C-bills, Availability A,B,C,D Land Grant is 5 points per level, and confers a land grant with a yearly income according to the holdings table in Mechwarrior. Land Grant is converted according to the table below: Level Title Cost 1 Knight 5 points 2 Baronet 10 points 3 Baron 15 points 4 Viscount 20 points 5 Count 25 points 6 Marquess 30 points 7 Duke 35 points As in Mechwarrior, a character must posses the appropriate title in order to have a Land Grant. Characters may purchase Land Grant at a lower level in order to represent lesser holdings. SKILLS Convert Mechwarrior skill levels to GURPS character points according to the following table. Players may rearrange these points within the skill specialties the Mechwarrior skill represents. Mechwarrior Physical Mental Mental/VH Skill Level Skill Skill Skill 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 8 6 8 +1 +8 +2 +4 If a Mechwarrior skill corresponds to GURPS skills from more than one of these categories, use the one that gives the most character points. Special Skill Cases: Alternate Identity - This is not really a skill in GURPS. Change this to a Temporary Identity, with each level beyond the first giving a -1 to the chance for discovery. Check monthly instead of weekly to determine whether the identity has been discovered. Perception - Each level of this Mechwarrior skill confers a +1 Acute sense bonus. Two levels of this skill may be traded for +1 Alertness. GURPS Skill Notes: Beam Weapons - Available specialties in Mechwarrior (with defaults): Laser Pistol (Laser Rifle-4, Pulse Laser Pistol-4, Guns:Pistol-4) Laser Rifle (Laser Pistol-4, Pulse Laser Rifle-4, Guns:Rifle-4) Pulse Laser Pistol (Laser Pistol-4, Guns:Machine Pistol-4) Pulse Laser Rifle (Laser Rifle-4, Guns:Lt. Automatic-4) Driving - Available specialties from Mechwarrior BattleMech Tracked (Wheeled-4) Wheeled (Tracked-4) Electronics Operation - Available specialties from Mechwarrior: Communications (all conventional communications gear) Hyperpulse Generator (ComStar HPG equipment) Gunner - Defaults to other Gunner-4. Available specialties in Mechwarrior: Artillery (Long Tom, Sniper, Thumper, Arrow) Ballistic (MG, all AC, Gauss Rifle) Beam (all Laser, Flamer, PPC) Missile (all LRM, all SRM) Guns - Available specialties in Mechwarrior (with defaults): Grenade Launcher (Any Rifle-3) Gyrojet Pistol (Any Rifle-4, Any Pistol-2, Machine Pistol-4) Gyrojet Rifle (Any Pistol-4, Any Rifle-2, Shotgun-2, Grenade Launcher-3, LAW-3, Lt. Automatic-4) Light Anti-tank Weapons (Any Rifle-3) Light Automatic (Any Rifle-4, Machine Pistol-4, Beam Weapons:Pulse Laser Rifle-4) Machine Pistol (Any Pistol-4, Lt. Automatic-4, Beam Weapons:Pulse Laser Pistol-4) Needler Pistol (Any Rifle-4, Any Pistol-2, Machine Pistol-4) Needler Rifle (Any Pistol-4, Any Rifle-2, Shotgun-2, Grenade Launcher-3, LAW-3, Lt. Automatic-4) Pistol (Any Rifle-4, Any Pistol-2, Machine Pistol-4, Beam Weapons:Laser Pistol-4) Rifle (Any Pistol-4, Any Rifle-2, Shotgun-2, Grenade Launcher-3, LAW-3, Lt. Automatic-4, Beam Weapons:Laser Rifle-4) Shotgun (Any Rifle-2) Mechanic - Available specialties from Mechwarrior: Aerospace (Aircraft-4, Spacecraft-4) BattleMech Spacecraft (Aerospace-4) Piloting - Available specialties from Mechwarrior Aerospace (Fixed-Wing-4, Spacecraft-4) Fixed-Wing (Aerospace-4) Helicopter Hovercraft Jump Pack Spacecraft (Aerospace-4) SKILL CONVERSION LIST Mechwarrior Skill GURPS Skill(s) Acrobatics Acrobatics Administration Administration Appraisal Merchant Archery Bow, Crossbow Blade Any Melee Weapon Bureaucracy Administration Career Skills Closest Equivalent Climbing Climbing Communications Conventional Electronics Operation (Communications) Hyperpulse Electronics Operation (HPG) Computer Computer Operation, Computer Programming, Computer Hacking Cryptography Cryptanalysis Demolitions Demolitions Disguise Disguise Driving Driving (Tracked, Wheeled), Pilot (Hovercraft) Engineering Engineer Escape Artist Escape Forgery Forgery Gambling Gambling Gunnery Aerospace Gunner Artillery Gunner (Artillery) BattleMech Gunner Battlesuit Battlesuit Conventional Gunner Spacecraft Gunner Impersonation Acting Interrogation Interrogation Jump Pack Pilot (Jump Pack) Leadership Leadership Medtech Levels 1-2 First Aid Levels 3-4 add Diagnosis, Physician Levels 5+ add Surgery Navigation Astrogation Piloting Aerospace Pilot (Aerospace, Fixed-Wing, Helicopter) BattleMech Driving (BattleMech) Spacecraft Pilot (Spacecraft) Protocol Savoir-Faire Quickdraw Fast Draw Running Running Scrounge Scrounging Security Systems Electronics (Security Systems), Lockpicking Seduction Sex Appeal Small Arms Beam Weapons, Guns Special Interest Closest Equivalent Stealth Stealth Strategy Strategy Streetwise Streetwise Support Weapons Guns (Grenade Launcher, LAW, Lt. Automatic) Survival Survival Swimming Swimming Tactics Tactics Technician Aerospace Mechanic (Aerospace) BattleMech Mechanic (BattleMech) Electronics Electronics Mechanic Mechanic Weapons Armoury Throwing Weapons Thrown Weapon Tinker Engineer, Mechanic Tracking Tracking Training Teaching Unarmed Combat Boxing, Brawling, Judo, Karate, Wrestling BATTLEMECHS AND AEROSPACE FIGHTERS BattleMech is an advantage. Add or subtract 10 points for each technology class above or below campaign standard. Technology classes are (from lowest to highest): Inner Sphere Oldtech, Inner Sphere Newtech, Clan Technology. In a Newtech campaign, Dispossessed is a -10 point disadvantage. BattleMech Class Points Light 20 Medium 40 Heavy 60 Assault 80 Aerospace Fighter is also an advantage. Use the same technology modifiers as for BattleMechs, but use the cost table below: Aerospace Fighter Class Points Light 30 Medium 60 Heavy 90 SPECIAL NOTES ON MECHWARRIOR EQUIPMENT Medipack: The stimulant used in the medipack causes the loss of 1 Fatigue each time it is used. The recipient is treated as if he had made his HT roll to remain concious. Medkit: Grants a +1 bonus on First Aid skill. Basic Tool Kit: Allows simple tasks to be performed at base skill, normal repairs at a -2 penalty, and major repairs at a -5 penalty. Deluxe Tool Kit: As Basic Kit for skill use, but the tools are of higher quality. Repair Kits: Allow normal repairs at base skill. Major repairs are at a -2 penalty. Environmental Bubble: PD1, DR3. Ten points cutting damage in one attack, or 10 separate punctures will render it useless. Hostile Environment Suit: PD4, DR30. Light Environment Suit: PD2, DR3. Sneak Suits: Give a -3 penalty for spotting, and a -10 to skill for guided weapons using sensors the sneak suit protects against. Gripper Gloves: ST 20 for gripping purposes. Give a +3 to Climbing skill. Vibro Lockpick Kit: Gives a +5 to Lockpicking skill Ablative/Flak Armors: Ablative PD2, DR20. (Ablative means for every 10 points of damage, whether it penetrates or not, 1 DR is lost.) Patches repair 1 DR each. Armored Vests/Suits: PD4, DR30. Mechwarrior Combat Suit: PD2 DR16. Torso and helmet are PD4, DR30. Weapons and Accessories: Use the closest GURPS equivalent from High Tech or Ultra Tech. At some later date, I will produce a converted list using 3G3 (BTRC's universal weapon design system).