Talent

Variable

You have a natural aptitude for a set of closely related skills. "Talents" come in levels, and give the following benefits:

• A bonus of +1 per level with all affected skills, even for default use. This effectively raises your attribute scores for the purpose of those skills only; thus, this is an inexpensive way to be adept at small class of skills. (Generalists will find it more cost-effective to raise attributes.)
• A bonus of +1 per level on all reaction rolls made by anyone in a position to notice your Talent, if he would be impressed by your aptitude (GM's judgment). To receive this bonus, you must demonstrate your Talent – most often by using the affected skills.
• A reduction in the time required to learn the affected skills in play, regardless of how you learn them. Reduce the time required by 10% per level of Talent; e.g., Animal Friend 2 would let you learn animal-related skills in 80% the usual time. This has no effect on the point cost of your skills.

You may never have more than four levels of a particular Talent. However, overlapping Talents can give skill bonuses (only) in excess of +4.

Cost of Talents

The cost of a Talent depends on the size of the group of skills affected:

Small (6 or fewer related skills): 5 points/level.

Medium (7 to 12 related skills): 10 points/level.

Large (13 or more related skills): 15 points/level.

Skills with multiple specialties are considered to be one skill for this purpose. Once you buy a Talent, the list of affected skills is fixed. (Exception: The GM may rule that a Talent affects new skills appearing in later GURPS supplements, or skills he invents in the course of the campaign, if the Talent would logically be of value to those skills.)

Examples of Talents

The following Talents are considered standard, and exist in most campaigns:

Animal Friend: Animal Handling, Falconry, Packing, Riding, Teamster, and Veterinary. Reaction bonus: all animals. 5 points/level.

Artificer: Armoury, Carpentry, Electrician, Electronics Repair, Engineer, Machinist, Masonry, Mechanic, and Smith. Reaction bonus: anyone you do work for. 10 points/level.

Business Acumen: Accounting, Administration, Economics, Finance, Gambling, Market Analysis, Merchant, and Propaganda. Reaction bonus: anyone you do business with. 10 points/level.

Gifted Artist: Artist, Jeweler, Leatherworking, Photography, and Sewing. Reaction bonus: anyone buying or critiquing your work. 5 points/level.

Green Thumb: Biology, Farming, Gardening, Herb Lore, and Naturalist. Reaction bonus: gardeners and sentient plants. 5 points/level.

Healer: Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, First Aid, Pharmacy, Physician, Physiology, Psychology, Surgery, and Veterinary. Reaction bonus: patients, both past and present. 10 points/level.

Mathematical Ability: Accounting, Astronomy, Cryptography, Engineer, Finance, Market Analysis, Mathematics, and Physics. Reaction bonus: engineers and scientists. 10 points/level.

Musical Ability: Group Performance (Conducting), Musical Composition, Musical Influence, Musical Instrument, and Singing. Reaction bonus: anyone listening to or critiquing your work. 5 points/level.

Outdoorsman: Camouflage, Fishing, Mimicry, Naturalist, Navigation, Survival, and Tracking. Reaction bonus: explorers, nature lovers, and the like. 10 points/level.

Smooth Operator: Acting, Carousing, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Leadership, Panhandling, Politics, Public Speaking, Savoir-Faire, Sex Appeal, and Streetwise. Reaction bonus: con artists, politicians, salesmen, etc. – but only if you are not trying to manipulate them. 15 points/level.

Additional Talents: GURPS Fantasy

Allure: Dancing, Erotic Art, Makeup, Sex Appeal, Singing. 5 points/level.

Bard: Heraldry, Literature, Musical Influence, Poetry, Public Speaking, Singing. 5 points/level.

Devotion: Autohypnosis, Exorcism, Meditation, Religious Ritual. 5 points/level.

Goodwife: Cooking, Diagnosis, Gardening, Housekeeping, Sewing. 5 points/level.

Mariner: Boating, Crewman, Freight Handling, Knot-Tying, Meteorology, Navigation, Shiphandling. 10 points/level.

Master Builder: Architecture, Carpentry, Engineer, Forced Entry, Masonry. 5 points/level.

Sage: Archaeology, Expert Skill, Geography, Heraldry, Hidden Lore, History, Law, Literature, Occultism, Philosophy, Research, Theology. 10 points/level.

Additional Talents: Dungeon Fantasy 3

Forest Guardian: You're the product of eons of selective breeding for the task of sneaking around in the bushes, peppering litterers with arrows. This Talent adds to Bow, Camouflage, Fast-Draw (Arrow), Stealth, and Survival (Woodlands). Only elves can have it. Reaction bonus: Druids, faeries, and bunnies. 5 points/level.

Additional Talents: GURPS Space

Alien Friend: Anthropology (any alien culture), Diplomacy, Expert Skill (Xenology), History (any alien specialty), and Psychology (any alien race). Reaction bonus: aliens. 5 points/level.

Cyberneticist: Computer Hacking, Computer Operation, Computer Programming, Computer Programming (AI), and Electronics Repair (computers). Reaction bonus: other computer professionals, AI systems, and robots. 5 points/level.

Hot Pilot: Gunner (any), Navigation (Air or Space), Piloting (all types). Reaction bonus: other pilots. 5 points/level.

Custom Talents

At the GM's option, you may create your own Talent with a custom skill list. However, the GM's word is law when determining which skills are "related" and how may points the Talent is worth. Talents should always be believable inborn aptitudes. For instance, Sports Talent might make sense – some athletes really do seem to have a gift – but the GM ought to forbid Ninja Talent or Weapon Talent (but see Weapon Master).

Martial Arts

Two new Talents are germane to Martial Arts:

Forceful Chi: Breaking Blow, Erotic Art, Flying Leap, Hypnotic Hands, Hypnotism, Invisibility Art, Kiai, Power Blow, Precognitive Parry, Pressure Points, Pressure Secrets, Push, Throwing Art, and Zen Archery. Reaction bonus: honorable opponents, those who practice "hard" or "external" styles (including potential students and masters), and lovers (past or present). 15 points/level.

Inner Balance: Autohypnosis, Blind Fighting, Body Control, Body Language, Body Sense, Breath Control, Dreaming, Immovable Stance, Light Walk, Lizard Climb, Meditation, Mental Strength, [[Mind Block, and Sensitivity. Reaction bonus: pacifists, ascetics, and those who practice "soft" or "internal" martial-arts styles. 15 points/level.

Someone with Forceful Chi is gifted at projecting his chi – both subtly and violently – to affect objects and people. He can even influence missiles in flight, helping him aim his own ranged weapons and evade his enemies'. His tangible aura of fitness impresses those who face him on the battlefield, at the dojo, or in the bedroom.

A hero with Inner Balance has superior control over his body and mind. This inner peace strengthens his will, sharpens his senses, and enables him to perform impossible feats of endurance and balance. He's visibly at peace, and those who appreciate order and focus find him pleasant to be around.

Forceful Chi and Inner Balance are in many ways opposites. The GM could even make them mutually exclusive. However, the greatest masters of the Chinese martial arts – whose yang and yin are in perfect balance – might have high levels of both talents.

These Talents don't guarantee access to cinematic skills. If a skill lists Trained by a Master or Weapon Master as a prerequisite, you must possess the relevant advantage to learn it.