GURPS: 97 Characters and Adventure Groups

A comprehensive collection of precisely crafted heroes and teams using the Generic Universal RolePlaying System

Quick Reference: GURPS Character Building

Every GURPS character is a precision instrument built from character points, with each element mathematically balanced. Like an engineer's blueprint, every component serves a specific purpose while the whole creates something greater than its parts.

graph TD A[Character Points Budget] --> B[Primary Attributes] A --> C[Advantages] A --> D[Disadvantages] B --> E[Secondary Characteristics] C --> E D --> E E --> F[Skills & Techniques] F --> G[Equipment & Wealth] G --> H[Complete Character] style A fill:#4A90E2 style H fill:#7ED321

Solo Operators - Individual Excellence

Each solo character represents a self-contained story of expertise and ambition. These individuals showcase GURPS' ability to create precise, unique heroes through mathematical character construction. Each card is a highlight reel rather than a full sheet: the stated point total covers the attributes, the traits shown and the signature skills, with the remainder going to background skills not listed.

Load them into your sheets. All 97 characters on this page can go straight into the Character Sheets: press Load sample characters there, or download the sample sheet file and use Import. Each sheet has the card's point total, ST, DX, IQ and HT, every advantage and disadvantage at its listed cost (Will bonuses on the Will row), and each skill with its attribute, difficulty and the points that give the listed level; elemental colleges and Divination go on the Spells table with Magery. The card's own values stay exactly as given, and each sheet is finished as a legal build at its point total: the rest of the points buy more skills at Basic Set costs (and spells for the mages), with two to five quirks and, where a card's highlights cost more than its total, a small extra disadvantage. Each sheet also has a campaign tech level (a GM choice), weapons with damage, Reach, Parry, Accuracy and Range, armor DR, and gear bought from the Basic Set tables with the 20% of starting wealth set aside for adventuring gear, with the rest as cash. The Kit line on each card shows the TL, Dodge and Parry, DR, weapons and cash. Notes hold the tagline and goal, and group members get the group's roster and dynamic.

Perfect Partnerships - Complementary Pairs

These partnerships demonstrate how GURPS characters with different point allocations and skill sets can create balanced teams where individual strengths cover partner weaknesses.

Triumphant Trios - Three-Point Balance

These trios demonstrate how three specialists can create perfect operational triangles, each member essential while their combined expertise covers all mission requirements.

Formidable Foursomes - Complete Operational Units

Four specialists create comprehensive teams with redundancy and specialization. These quartets show how GURPS point-buy creates balanced groups where every member contributes essential capabilities.

Elite Quintets - Five-Specialist Teams

Five characters create teams with deep specialization and backup capabilities. These quintets demonstrate how GURPS point allocation can create complex operational units with overlapping expertise.

Supreme Sextets - Ultimate Team Operations

Six specialists represent the pinnacle of team complexity in GURPS, with deep redundancy and specialized expertise. These teams showcase how point-buy systems create balanced groups capable of handling any mission profile.

Extended Solo Character Gallery

Additional individual specialists demonstrating GURPS' versatility across genres and point levels.

Complete Disadvantage Integration Across All Characters

Every single character in this 97-character collection includes carefully balanced disadvantages that serve multiple purposes: providing character points for optimization, creating ongoing story hooks, generating roleplay opportunities, and establishing meaningful limitations that drive character development.

Systematic Disadvantage Application

Solo Characters (23 total: 10 Solo Operators + 13 in the Extended Gallery) - All Include Disadvantages

Example patterns: Military characters have Duty and Codes of Honor, Scientists have Obsessions and Social Stigma, Psychics have Social Stigma and Chronic Pain, Hackers have Enemies and Paranoia

Duo Partners (10 total) - All Include Disadvantages

Complementary limitations: Partners often have disadvantages that the other can help with - spy's Secret covered by bodyguard's protection, physicist's Absent-mindedness balanced by engineer's practicality

Trio Members (15 total) - All Include Disadvantages

Triangulated coverage: Three-person teams distribute disadvantages so each member's weakness is covered by teammates' strengths while maintaining individual character depth

Quartet Members (16 total) - All Include Disadvantages

Balanced distribution: Four-person teams allow for complex disadvantage interactions with redundant coverage ensuring no single limitation cripples the group

Quintet Members (15 total) - All Include Disadvantages

Specialized limitations: Five-person teams enable highly specialized characters with specific disadvantages that create unique tactical and social challenges

Sextet Members (18 total) - All Include Disadvantages

Complex interdependence: Six-person teams feature intricate disadvantage webs where multiple characters may share similar limitations while others provide essential coverage

Point Economy Analysis

Under 200 points (2 characters): Carry 25-30 points of disadvantages, focusing on personality traits and professional obligations

200-299 points (69 characters): Usually feature 20-35 points of disadvantages (full range 15-50), balancing personal limitations with professional obligations; four of the five at -50 are total pacifists, the fifth a greedy double agent

300+ points (26 characters): Carry 15-45 points of disadvantages, including major enemies, significant duties, or complex psychological conditions

The limit: No character goes past the usual disadvantage limit of half the starting points (B11, counting low attributes); one also has a single quirk [-1], which doesn't count against it

Storytelling Enhancement Through Disadvantages

Plot Hooks: Every disadvantage creates potential story complications - Enemies attack at inconvenient moments, Obsessions drive dangerous research, Duties create conflicting loyalties

Character Development: Disadvantages provide growth opportunities as characters learn to overcome limitations, adapt to restrictions, or accept permanent conditions

Team Dynamics: Group members must work together to cover each other's weaknesses, creating natural cooperation and interdependence

Moral Complexity: Codes of Honor and Vows force difficult choices between personal ethics and practical necessity

Collection Overview

Total Characters: 97

23 solo characters (10 Solo Operators + 13 in the Extended Gallery), 10 Duo Partners (5 pairs), 15 Trio Members (5 trios), 16 Quartet Members (4 quartets), 15 Quintet Members (3 quintets), 18 Sextet Members (3 sextets)

Point Distribution

175-199 points: 2 (2%), 200-249 points: 26 (27%), 250-299 points: 43 (44%), 300+ points: 26 (27%)

Disadvantage Integration

Every character includes 15-50 points of disadvantages, mostly mental and behavioral (Obsession, Curious, Workaholic, Code of Honor), backed by social ones (Duty, Secret, Enemy, Social Stigma)

Genre Coverage

Modern and near-future, science fiction, fantasy and the supernatural, and corporate/cyberpunk settings

Common Disadvantages Used Throughout Collection

Most Frequent: Duty (Various organizations) [-10 to -20], Code of Honor [-5 to -15], Obsession [-10 to -15]

Character-Defining: Enemy [-10 to -30], Secret [-10 to -30], Sense of Duty [-5 to -15]

Roleplay-Driving: Overconfidence [-5], Curious [-5], Workaholic [-5], Loner [-5]

Setting-Specific: Social Stigma [-5 to -15], Struggling Faith [-10], Paranoia [-10]

GURPS Character Generators

Use these tables to quickly generate balanced GURPS characters for any campaign setting or point level.

Point Level Templates (Roll d6)

  1. Competent (150 points): Experienced professional
  2. Heroic (200 points): Elite specialist or veteran
  3. Cinematic (250 points): Action hero or expert
  4. Superhuman (300 points): Enhanced individual
  5. Legendary (350 points): Exceptional being
  6. Mythic (400+ points): Reality-changing entity

Attribute Arrays (Roll d8)

  1. Balanced: ST 12, DX 12, IQ 12, HT 12
  2. Physical: ST 15, DX 13, IQ 10, HT 14
  3. Mental: ST 10, DX 11, IQ 16, HT 11
  4. Agile: ST 11, DX 16, IQ 12, HT 12
  5. Tough: ST 13, DX 12, IQ 11, HT 16
  6. Specialist: One 18, others 10-11
  7. Versatile: All 13-14
  8. Extreme: One 20, others 8-10

Key Advantages (Roll d12)

  1. Combat Reflexes [15]
  2. Eidetic Memory [5]
  3. Mathematical Ability [10]
  4. Charisma 2 [10]
  5. Intuition [15]
  6. Gadgeteer [25]
  7. Telepathy [50]
  8. Administrative Rank 3 [15]
  9. Will +2 [10]
  10. Empathy [15]
  11. Danger Sense [15]
  12. Wealth (Wealthy) [20]

Common Disadvantages (Roll d20)

  1. Code of Honor (Professional) [-5]
  2. Duty (Organization) [-10]
  3. Obsession (Personal goal) [-10]
  4. Enemy (Rival or criminal) [-10]
  5. Secret (Hidden past) [-10]
  6. Phobia (Common fear) [-10]
  7. Compulsive Behavior [-5]
  8. Overconfidence [-5]
  9. Curious [-5]
  10. Sense of Duty (Team) [-5]
  11. Workaholic [-5]
  12. Unluckiness [-10]
  13. Bad Temper [-10]
  14. Honesty [-10]
  15. Pacifism (Reluctant killer) [-5]
  16. Vow (Personal promise) [-5]
  17. Social Stigma (Minor) [-5]
  18. Addiction (Mild) [-5]
  19. Guilt Complex [-5]
  20. Struggling Faith [-10]

Campaign Frameworks and Adventure Hooks

Every character needs adventures worthy of their capabilities. These frameworks provide campaign structures for different point levels and team configurations.

150-200 Point Campaigns

  1. Corporate espionage in near-future setting
  2. Supernatural investigation in modern world
  3. Space station crisis management
  4. Historical time travel missions
  5. Frontier exploration and colonization
  6. Underground resistance against oppression

250-300 Point Campaigns

  1. Interdimensional crisis response team
  2. Galactic peace-keeping force
  3. Magical research and regulation bureau
  4. Elite military special operations
  5. Corporate board power struggles
  6. Superhuman phenomena investigation

350+ Point Campaigns

  1. Universe-scale threat management
  2. Reality engineering and stabilization
  3. Cosmic entity negotiation and diplomacy
  4. Multiversal exploration and mapping
  5. Timeline protection and paradox prevention
  6. Universal law enforcement and justice

Universal Adventure Seeds

  1. Team discovers their employer has been lying about mission objectives
  2. Characters must choose between following orders and doing what's right
  3. Former ally becomes dangerous enemy due to corruption or mind control
  4. Team's success creates unexpected consequences requiring further action
  5. Characters learn their abilities come from morally questionable source
  6. Mission requires cooperation with traditional enemies against greater threat
  7. Team must prevent disaster while maintaining cover identities
  8. Characters discover they're being manipulated by hidden puppet master
  9. Success requires sacrificing something important to team members
  10. Mission parameters change dramatically due to new information

Advanced Character Building Strategies

Master GURPS character creation through these proven strategies for point allocation, skill selection, and advantage combinations.

Point Allocation Philosophy

40-50% Attributes: Primary stats form your character's foundation. Higher attributes cost more but affect multiple skills and secondary characteristics.

20-30% Advantages: Select advantages that enhance your character concept and provide unique capabilities. Avoid "trap" advantages that sound cool but rarely matter.

10-20% Skills: Focus on skills your character will actually use. A few high skills outperform many mediocre ones.

5-15% Disadvantages: Take disadvantages that create interesting roleplay opportunities and meaningful limitations without crippling your character.

Skill Selection Strategies

Primary Skills: Invest heavily (16+ levels) in 2-3 skills that define your character's expertise.

Secondary Skills: Moderate investment (12-15 levels) in 4-6 supporting skills that round out your capabilities.

Tertiary Skills: Light investment (10-11 levels) in many skills provides basic competence in diverse areas.

Skill Synergy: Choose skills that complement each other and your advantages for maximum effectiveness.

Advantage Optimization

Combat Advantages: Combat Reflexes, Enhanced attributes, and Damage Resistance provide reliable benefits in dangerous situations.

Mental Advantages: Eidetic Memory, Mathematical Ability, and Intuition enhance problem-solving capabilities across multiple skills.

Social Advantages: Charisma, Empathy, and Status provide tools for non-violent conflict resolution and information gathering.

Supernatural Advantages: Magery, Telepathy, and other exotic abilities should match campaign requirements and personal goals.

Team Coordination

Skill Coverage: Ensure team covers essential competencies without excessive overlap in primary specializations.

Point Balance: Characters of similar point totals contribute equally; large point differences create protagonists and supporting cast.

Advantage Synergy: Combine advantages for enhanced effectiveness - telepaths work well with empaths, gadgeteers need engineers.

Weakness Coverage: Each character's disadvantages should be covered by teammates' strengths, creating interdependence and cooperation.

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GURPS is a trademark of Steve Jackson Games. This guide is an unofficial fan resource.