Talents

This is regarding the concept with a handful of examples. For a fuller list see Power-Ups 3: Talents

Talents are a natural aptitude for a set of closely related skills and have two versions: "mundane" and Power which work differently.

They can be used with mundane or psi skills (p. 254).

Modifier PROHIBITION

P107 "apply gadget limitations to Talent (an exception to the prohibition against modifying Talent)."

GURPS Supers (p. 28): Unlike power Talents, mundane Talents can be bought with a source limitation (though not a power limitation, because they still can’t be included in a power).

Basic Set and Thaumatology also have a slew of modifiers for Magery, but you're not allowed to use Magery as Talent for Magical powers if it has any of them.

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

Talent and underlying attributes do not help with teaching others at the best rate, which requires "more points in the skill"

• One (1 skill): 2 points/level, max 3 Contrast with Racial Skills
• 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.
• Smooth (minimum 5 points): 1 point/level per skill affected.

As a Disadvantage

• Racial Ineptitude: Racial Incompetence Quirk. Limited to a maximum of 5 skills [-5]
• Inept in a group of related skills: figure them as a negative Talent.

Examples of Talents

• Animal Friend [5/level; 6/level]: Animal Handling, Falconry, Packing, Riding, Teamster, and Veterinary. Reaction bonus: all animals.
• Artificer [10/level; 9/level]: Armoury, Carpentry, Electrician, Electronics Repair, Engineer, Machinist, Masonry, Mechanic, and Smith. Reaction bonus: anyone you do work for.
• Business Acumen [10/level; 8/level]: Accounting, Administration, Economics, Finance, Gambling, Market Analysis, Merchant, and Propaganda. Reaction bonus: anyone you do business with.
• Gifted Artist [5/level]: Artist, Jeweler, Leatherworking, Photography, and Sewing. Reaction bonus: anyone buying or critiquing your work.
• Green Thumb [5/level]: Biology, Farming, Gardening, Herb Lore, and Naturalist. Reaction bonus: gardeners and sentient plants.
• Healer [10/level; 9/level]: Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, First Aid, Pharmacy, Physician, Physiology, Psychology, Surgery, and Veterinary. Reaction bonus: patients, both past and present.
• Mathematical Ability [10/level; 8/level]: Accounting, Astronomy, Cryptography, Engineer, Finance, Market Analysis, Mathematics, and Physics. Reaction bonus: engineers and scientists.
• Musical Ability [5/level] : Group Performance (Conducting), Musical Composition, Musical Influence, Musical Instrument, and Singing. Reaction bonus: anyone listening to or critiquing your work.
• Outdoorsman [10/level; 7/level]: Camouflage, Fishing, Mimicry, Naturalist, Navigation, Survival, and Tracking. Reaction bonus: explorers, nature lovers, and the like. DF and DFRPG add in options for Weather Sense and Disguise (Animals)
• Smooth Operator [15/level; 13/level]: 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.

Limits

A Talent doesn’t improve skills covered by or defaulted to wildcard skill if both are allowed to exist.

• The only noted exception to this is Wildcard Magery.

Skill Level

For members of a race that improve their racial skill ignore the Talent, calculate normally, and then add in the bonus or penalty.

FAQ

Dealing with Defaults for Talents

Powers

GURPS Powers (p. 8): Finally, each power has a Talent that represents natural or learned aptitude with the power. This is similar to a mundane Talent (see p. B89), but instead of giving a bonus to skill rolls, it gives a bonus to all success rolls made to activate or use any of the power’s abilities; e.g., Telepathy Talent 3 gives +3 to the IQ, Will, and Perception rolls to use telepathic abilities. The GM is free to interpret Talent creatively for abilities that don’t normally require a die roll; see The Role of Talent (p. 158) for ideas.

The cost per level of Talent can vary, as explained under Pricing Talents (p. 29), but most Talents cost 5 points/level. No one may buy more than four levels of a given Talent without the GM’s permission.

It’s possible to purchase the abilities of a power without taking the associated Talent, but most empowered heroes will find Talent indispensable. Likewise, the GM may allow Talent without abilities. Those in either situation possess the power in question, and can generally add the missing component later on; see Adding and Improving Powers (p. 33).

FAQ

PK: forums.sjgames.com

"Only unmodified Magery (or PI) can serve as a power Talent. See Existing Advantages as Talents (Powers, p. 29). By adding the Song limitation to Magery, it immediately becomes invalid for use as a power Talent, so a different solution had to be sought for the bard."

Designer's Notes

www.sjgames.com suggests lowering the prices

• as if a Limited Enhancement for Reliable
  • but emphasizes Talent cannot have modifiers.

See Also

• anti-Talent

References

• Basic Set p. 89-91, 254
• Powers (p. 8, 29, 33, 158)
• Supers (p. 28)