GURPS Vs D&D – Battle of the RPGs
In the world of RPGs, there is sure to be an argument about which system is better. Is A better than B, B is better than C, and C is better than Y? It all comes down to what you like. Do you like realistic games where you would roll dice to see if you can get on the back of a horse while arrows rain down on you from above? Do you prefer kick down the door and kill dragon type games? Read on and I’ll give you my take on these two RPG systems.
GURPS – Generic Universal Role Playing System
GURPS is a great game for role players. This system allows you to create virtually any character you can imagine. Want to play the ectoplasmic dancing toaster from the first Ghostbusters movie? Well, if you did, you could create it in GURPS. GURPS does exactly what it says. You can set up your game anywhere and anytime and be able to create a character to play.
However, this can create a real problem with new players. Information overload. The main problem most new players have is creating a character. Without the guidance of an experienced player, the many options and rules for character creation can really drive a new player to inaction. However GURPS is very scalable, you can play a game with some very basic rules or you can play a game that gets really complex.
If you can get past the complexities of character creation, then you’re in for a real treat. This system was designed to be pretty much THE only system you would really need to play any type of game that interests you or not. If you can think about it, there’s a good chance GURPS can do it.
GURPS is my favorite game system because of the possibilities of the system. It’s a sandbox filled to the brim with everything you need to create the best sandcastle you can make.
D&D – Dungeons and Dragons
D&D, this is the granddaddy of all RPGs. Without this game, there is a good chance that many of the games out there, RPGs and video games, would be very different than they are now. These games owe a lot to D&D. Being the first role-playing game with rules lays the foundation for what has become a worldwide hobby and industry for millions of people.
Although D&D is getting a bit long, the publisher has recently released D&D 4th Edition. I think this system has strayed a long way from its roots in Original D&D and Advanced D&D. The new system is more like a video game. Which, I’ll be honest, can attract a lot of new players to the hobby. But it’s not the old-fashioned D&D I grew up with.
D&D 4 is pretty straight forward, you create a character based on character classes and races and using the level based system your character advances and becomes more powerful. In D&D 3.5 there seemed to be a specific range of levels where the game was at its best. In D&D 4 I think they solved this problem where the game can be enjoyed at all levels.
D&D 4 is more about kicking in the door and killing whatever is in there and taking its treasure. Rinse and repeat. But I also think it has opened up the options for role-playing that D&D 2nd ed or 3.5 by removing certain abilities makes the game more of a real role-playing game in social settings rather than rolling the dice to see if they managed to talk to someone. That is just an example.
So can I choose one system over the other? Sure, but that’s because I’ve been playing the game for over 20 years, and yes, I did become a pretty good D&D RPG. But, as I’ve matured and become more interested in a lot more things, GURPS suits my interests and play style better than D&D. Not to say that a fast paced kick the door game isn’t fun at times. It’s just not something you want to play all the time.