A short musing around the awarding of Character Points in play when using the GURPS rules set. As I move away from traditional “level-based” games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, and embrace the GURPS system, I noticed this interesting quotation from Dr. Kromm in the excellent, “How To Be a GURPS GM”:
Earned character points in GURPS aren’t in any sense “experience points” (xp) awarded to the character for feats and deeds, but are “bonus points” given by the GM to the player as a reward for attendance and good roleplaying, and in theory redeemable for anything the GM chooses to offer. This includes temporary and permanent benefits for the PC – which should logically be both in-game and meta-game, since the points themselves are awarded for meta-game concerns.
How To Be a GURPS GM, SJ Games (2017), page 14
Pretty clear that the Character Points awards are intended to be player rewards, not character rewards. Fair enough.
But here’s two curious points from Chapter Nine of GURPS Basic Set:
If you attempt a default skill roll in a stressful situation, you may try to acquire that skill during play, regardless of whether you succeeded or failed (you can learn from your mistakes!). The GM is the judge of whether a given situation qualifies as “stressful”…
GURPS Basic Set, SJ Games (2004), page 292
And also, with the Optional Rule on “Maintaining Skills”:
Realistically, if you do not use a skill, you will forget it or your knowledge will grow obsolete. At the GM’s option, if you haven’t used or practiced a skill for at least six months, you must make an IQ roll to avoid skill degradation
GURPS Basic Set, SJ Games (2004), page 294
Is there a tension there between the designer’s intent and the implications of those (admittedly) optional rules? Maybe. If the Character Point awards are purely out-of-game meta-rewards, how come character skills can degrade through non-use, presumably costing that character valuable Character Points?
I guess they are separate: the Character Points awarded are bonuses given for the player’s achievements and to show appreciation for things such as roleplaying consistently, turning up, and being clever enough to complete in-game goals. The character’s learning comes from in-game moments and failure to use skills can cost you that character expertise.
But here’s my question: does the in-play attempt to try an untrained skill imply an experience award? I think it does and this is reinforced by the idea that not using a skill leads to degradation of said skill.
To my mind, this in-turn reinforces Dr. Kromm’s first point – that Character Points are not, “aren’t in any sense” XP. In other words, you can add to your character as a reward for playing well; your character can also learn some new skills through having a go in-session. Those are separate elements of the game. Thus, both conditions make sense to me.
The main adjustment I need to make, which is entirely baggage from playing “level-based” games, is that Character Points are rewards for the players. These are meta-game awards that are designed to reward the type of play experience you want to have at the table. Interesting difference.
Game on!
Roleplay Rescue’s Blog 
I think the usual interpretation of “If you attempt a default skill roll in a stressful situation, you may try to acquire that skill during play…” is that if you do this, you have definitely qualified to spend a bonus point on the skill. Some GMs feel that you should only spend points on skills you have actually used, although personally, I’m more liberal on that point.
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Of all systems I like BRP the best. If you train in or use a skill you have a chance to gain it or improve it as the case mat be. Otherwise, it you don’t use it, you lose it.
Build Points can easily be used to buy totally illogical stuff like the Sailing skill when your in a Dungeon crawl. That or the judge has to veto it.
The character wants to improve his stealth skill but has he has never actually done any sneaking during the course of play, so the judge has to veto it. In BRP it’s just not an option unless he has done it or been training. Its baked in.
Yet I do like CP for building characters, especially when you have a solid A/D system like Hero or GURPS.
Some blending of the two would be very cool. BRP’s Big Gold Book is pretty close but GURPS and Hero gave a much better A/D system in my opinion.
And GURPS Magic is very cool.
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As I move towards building my own hack, BRP remains an influence in my thinking and the biggest of those influences is XP to skills actually used. With the rules behind the screen methodology, the Ref can simply check off skills that get used and apply earned XP to those skills. This allows for characters to simply get better at things they actually do. For learning new skills, there is the option of training through finding and paying a teacher. Thanks for the nudge.
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