ATTRIBUTES

Strength (ST) - ±10 points/level
Strength measures physical power and bulk. It is crucial if you are a warrior in a primitive world, as high ST lets you dish out and absorb more damage in hand-to-hand combat. Any adventurer will find ST useful for lifting and throwing things, moving quickly with a load, etc. Strength is more “open-ended” than other attributes; scores greater than 20 are common among beings such as large animals, fantasy monsters, and robots.

Dexterity (DX) - ±20 points/level
Dexterity measures a combination of agility, coordination, and fine motor ability. It controls your basic ability at most athletic, fighting, and vehicle-operation skills, and at craft skills that call for a delicate touch. DX also helps determine Basic Speed (a measure of reaction time, p. 6) and Basic Move (how fast you run, p. 6).

Intelligence (IQ) - ±20 points/level
Intelligence broadly measures brainpower, including creativity, intuition, memory, perception, reason, sanity, and willpower. It rules your basic ability with all “mental” skills – sciences, social interaction, magic, etc. Any wizard, scientist, or gadgeteer needs a high IQ first of all. The secondary characteristics of Will (p. 6) and Perception (p. 6) are based on IQ.

Health (HT) - ±10 points/level
Health measures energy and vitality. It represents stamina, resistance (to poison, disease, radiation, etc.), and basic “grit.” A high HT is good for anyone – but it is vital for low-tech warriors. HT determines Fatigue Points, and helps determine Basic Speed (p. 6) and Basic Move (p. 6).

Basic Lift (BL)
Basic Lift is the maximum weight you can lift over your head with one hand in one second. It is equal to (ST*ST)/5 lbs. If BL is 10 lbs. or more, round to the nearest whole number; e.g., 16.2 lbs. becomes 16 lbs. The average human has ST 10 and a BL of 20 lb.

Handedness
Decide whether you are right-handed or left-handed. Whenever you try to do anything significant with the other hand, you are at -4 to skill. This does not apply to things you normally do with your “off” hand, like using a shield. GURPS doesn’t distinguish between left- and right-handed characters; either is 0 points. However, Ambidexterity is an advantage that costs points – see p. 8.

SECONDARY CHARACTERISTICS
“Secondary characteristics” are quantities that depend directly on your attributes. You can raise or lower these scores by adjusting your attributes.

Hit Points (HP)
Hit Points represent your body’s ability to sustain injury. You have HP equal to your ST. For instance, ST 10 gives 10 HP.

Will
Will measures your ability to withstand psychological stress (brainwashing, fear, hypnotism, interrogation, seduction, torture, etc.) and your resistance to supernatural attacks (magic, psionics, etc.). Will is equal to IQ. Will does not represent physical resistance – buy HT for that!

Perception (Per)
Perception represents your general alertness. The GM makes a “Sense roll” against your Per to determine whether you notice something. Per equals IQ.

Fatigue Points (FP) represent your body’s “energy supply.” You have FP equal to your HT. For instance, HT 10 gives 10 FP.

Basic Speed
Basic Speed is a measure of your reflexes and general physical quickness. It helps determine your running speed, your chance of dodging an attack, and the order in which you act in combat (a high Basic Speed will let you “out-react” your foes).

To calculate Basic Speed, add your HT and DX together, and then divide the total by 4. Do not round it off. A 5.25 is better than a 5!

Dodge
Your Dodge defense (see Dodging, p. 28) equals Basic Speed + 3, dropping all fractions. For instance, if your Basic Speed is 5.25, your Dodge is 8. You must roll under your Dodge on 3d to duck or sidestep an attack.

Basic Move
Basic Move is your ground speed in yards per second. This is how fast you can run (although you can go a little faster if you “sprint” in a straight line; see p. 23).

Basic Move starts out equal to Basic Speed, less any fractions; e.g., Basic Speed 5.75 gives Basic Move 5. An average person has Basic Move 5; therefore, he can run about 5 yards per second if unencumbered.

Damage (Dmg)
Your ST determines how much damage you do in unarmed combat or with a melee weapon. Two types of damage derive from ST: Thrusting damage (abbreviated “thrust” or “thr”) is your basic damage with a punch, kick, or bite, or an attack with a thrusting weapon such as a spear or a rapier.

Swinging damage (abbreviated “swing” or “sw”) is your basic damage with a swung weapon, such as an axe, club, or sword – anything that acts as a lever to multiply your ST.

Consult the following table for your basic damage. This is given in “dice+adds”format.

Damage Table
Damage is sometimes abbreviated “Dmg.”On your character sheet, list thrust followed by swing, separated by a slash; e.g., if you had ST 13, you would list “Damage 1d/2d-1.”