GURPSGEN GURPS GENRE GUIDE Most genres have several sub-genres. Assume that all recommendations from the main genre also apply to its sub-genres. These recommendations assume you are using the 4th Edition Rules and only suggest 3rd Edition books for background material, genre advice, and inspiration. ACTION Fast-paced excitement, with plenty of chases and probably some explosions. Inspirational fiction: Dirty Harry, James Bond, and Jason Bourne films. Required books: Basic Set. Recommended books: Action 1-2, High-Tech. Suggested books: Action 3-6, Martial Arts, Power-Ups 5. Suggested Pyramid articles: Alternate Guns Specialties and Techniques (3/65), Chase Cards (3/23), Hot Rides! (3/40), Monster Hunter Firepower at the Movies (3/31), Survivable Guns (3/44), The Football (3/112). Recommended optional rules: Chases (Action 2), Falls (Action 2), Simplified Range (Action 2). Beefcake Blockbuster 1980s action movie style, featuring heavily muscled cops and ex-military men. Inspirational fiction: Commando, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Rambo. Recommended books: Gun-Fu. Suggested books: Action 7, Power-Ups 7. Recommended optional rules: Cannon Fodder (Basic Set), Cinematic Explosions (Basic Set), Cinematic Knockback (Basic Set), Cross-Trained (Gun-Fu), Dumb Mooks (Action 2), Flesh Wounds (Basic Set), Flimsy Cover (Gun-Fu), Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy (Martial Arts), Infinite Ammunition (Basic Set). Choppy-Socky Focused on unarmed combat, either tournaments or street-fighting criminals. Inspirational fiction: Enter the Dragon, Kung-Fu Hustle, The Karate Kid. Recommended books: Action 3, Martial Arts. Suggested books: Martial Arts: Technical Grappling. Suggested Pyramid articles: A New Take on Grappling (3/34). Recommended optional rules: Cannon Fodder (Basic Set), Melee Etiquette (Basic Set), TV Action Violence (Basic Set), Unarmed Etiquette (Martial Arts). Cliffhangers Two-fisted action in the early 20th century. Inspirational fiction: Doc Savage, Indiana Jones. Recommended books: Cliffhangers (3rd Edition), High-Tech: Pulp Guns 1-2. Recommended optional rules: Cannon Fodder (Basic Set), Flesh Wounds (Basic Set), Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy (Martial Arts), TV Action Violence (Basic Set). Disaster! A natural or man-made hazard provides the main threat. Suggested books: Disasters: Hurricane, Disasters: Meltdown and Fallout, Underground Adventures. Recommended Pyramid articles: GURPS Fathom Five (3/26). Heroic Bloodshed Modern gangsters and hit-men settle things with stylized gunplay. Inspirational fiction: Hard Boiled, John Wick, Leon: the Professional, Shoot ʼEm Up. Recommended books: Gun-Fu. Recommended optional rules: Bullet Time (Martial Arts), Cannon Fodder (Basic Set), Cinematic Knockback (Basic Set), Cross-Trained (Gun-Fu), Dumb Mooks (Action 2), Flimsy Cover (Gun- Fu), Infinite Ammunition (Basic Set), Pants-Positive Safety (Gun-Fu), The Contest of Wills (Martial Arts). Tactical Operations Elite soldiers, law enforcement, and intelligence agents battle gangsters, guerrillas, and terrorists. Recommended books: Tactical Shooting. Suggested books: Cops (3rd Edition), Covert Ops (3rd Edition), SEALs in Vietnam, Special Ops (3rd Edition), SWAT (3rd Edition). DETECTIVE DRAMA Investigation of crimes, by professional or amateur sleuths, often in historical settings. Inspirational fiction: Phillip Marlowe, Poirot, Miss. Marple, and Sherlock Holmes stories. Required books: Basic Set or Lite. Recommended books: High-Tech, Mysteries. Suggested books: Cliffhangers (3rd Edition), Cops (3rd Edition), Social Engineering, Social Engineering: Keeping in Contact. Suggested Pyramid articles: Human, Flawed (3/42). FANTASY Magical adventures in other worlds. Inspirational fiction: Lord of the Rings, Lyonesse. Required books: Basic Set. Recommended books: Fantasy, Low-Tech, Magic, Thaumatology. Suggested books: Dragons, Low-Tech Companion 2, Powers, Religion (3rd Edition), Spirits (3rd Edition), Vehicles: Transports of Fantasy. Suggested Pyramid articles: A Killing Breath (3/33), It’s Pure Chemistry! (3/28), Languages, Culture, and the Common Tongue (3/16), Ten Tweaks to Customize Combat (3/34). Dark Fantasy Gloomy stories which combine fantasy and horror elements. Inspirational fiction: The Black Company, Zothique. Recommended books: Horror. Suggested books: Banestorm: Abydos, Locations: Hellsgate, Magic: Death Spells, Myth (3rd Edition), Undead (3rd Edition), Zombies, Zombies: Day One. Suggested Pyramid articles: Cruel and Unusual (3/9), Necromantic Tools (3/1), The Sin Eaters (3/19). Recommended optional rules: Power Corrupts (Horror).

DUNGEON FANTASY Required books: Basic Set, Dungeon Fantasy 1-2, Magic. Recommended books: Dungeon Fantasy 3, 5, 7, 8, & 15-18, Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 1-4, Low-Tech. Suggested books: Dungeon Fantasy 4, 6, 9-14, & 19-21, Dungeon Fantasy Adventures 1-3, Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Barbarians, Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Swashbucklers, Dungeon Fantasy Encounters 1-3, Dungeon Fantasy Treasures 1-4, Magical Styles: Dungeon Magic, Thaumatology, Thaumatology: Magical Styles. Suggested Pyramid articles: Auras of Power (3/19), Dungeon Saints (3/35), The Demolisher (3/35), The Musketeer (3/36).

DUNGEON FANTASY ROLEPLAYING GAME Required books: Adventurers, Exploits, Monsters, Spells. Recommended books: Magic Items, Monsters 2, Traps. Suggested books: Companion 2, Magic Items 2, Dungeon: Against the Rat-Men.

Epic Fantasy The heroes of epic fantasy are truly powerful, both personally and politically. Suggested books: Low-Tech Companion 1, Magic: Artillery Spells, Mass Combat, Powers: Divine Favor. Recommended Pyramid articles: All the Epic Ways (3/25). Fairytale Inspired by traditional stories featuring capricious magical entities. Inspirational fiction: Tales of 1,001 Nights, The Brothers Grimm. Recommended books: Thaumatology: Alchemical Baroque. Suggested books: Arabian Nights (3rd Edition), Fayrie (3rd Edition), Horror. Recommended Pyramid articles: The Magic of Stories. Furry Fantasy Instead of dwarves, elves, and goblins, furry fantasy has sentient animals. Inspirational fiction: The Chronicles of Narnia, Redwall. Recommended books: Furries. Suggested books: Powers: Enhanced Senses. Recommended Pyramid articles: When We Were Very Small (3/34). Gritty Fantasy Bleak stories where filth and squalor are common. Inspirational fiction: First Law, Game of Thrones. Suggested books: Low-Tech Companion 1 & 3. Suggested Pyramid articles: Driving Us Mad (3/32), Medieval Prisons (3/33). Historical Fantasy Rather than being set in another world, historical fantasy introduces fantastic elements to history. Inspirational fiction: Averoigne, Solomon Kane. Suggested books: Crusades, Hot Spots: Constantinople, Hot Spots: Renaissance Florence, Hot Spots: Renaissance Venice, Locations: St. George’s Cathedral, Middle Ages I (3rd Edition), Vikings (3rd Edition). Suggested Pyramid articles: City of the Caesars (3/16), Holy Dirty Money (3/10), Medieval Prisons (3/33), Roman Technology (3/33), Sanctuary and Right of Clergy (3/19), Templars: the Fighting Priests (3/19), The Fountain of Youth (3/16), The Tricks of the Shaman (3/19), The Vikings in the Atlantic (3/16). Magic School Students studying to become witches and wizards. Inspirational fiction: Harry Potter, the Black Magician trilogy, The Magicians, The Worst Witch. Recommended books: Social Engineering: Back to School. Suggested books: Locations: Worminghall. Mythic Fantasy Inspired by traditional mythology, with larger-than-life heroes. Suggested books: Celtic Myth (3rd Edition). Sword and Sorcery Competent but grounded heroes battle cults, dinosaurs, sorcerers and ape-men in exotic lands. Inspirational fiction: Conan, Elric, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Suggested books: Conan (3rd Edition), Lands Out of Time. Recommended optional rules: Bulletproof Nudity (Basic Set). Weird Fantasy Even more surreal, exotic, and populated with freakish creatures than other fantasy. Suggested books: Creatures of the Night 1-5, Powers: the Weird. HORROR Gruesome monsters and terrifying revelations. Inspirational fiction: Dracula, It, Frankenstein, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist. Required books: Basic Set or Lite. Recommended books: Horror. Suggested books: Zombies. Suggested Pyramid articles: Mummy Amulets (3/17), Penanggalan (3/32). Cosmic Horror Investigators struggle to maintain their sanity in an uncaring universe of alien monstrosities. Inspirational fiction: H. P. Lovecraft. Suggested books: Cthulhupunk (3rd Edition), Horror: The Madness Dossier, Powers: the Weird. Suggested Pyramid articles: The Black Chamber (3/5). Ghost Stories Dealing with spirits of the dead, often requiring a murder to be solved. Recommended books: Mysteries. Suggested books: Spirits (3rd Edition). Monster Hunters High-powered heroes fight against deadly creatures in a hidden struggle. Recommended books: Monster Hunters 1-2. Suggested books: Black Ops (3rd Edition), Conspiracy X (3rd Edition), Creatures of the Night 1-5, How to be a GURPS GM: Ritual Path Magic, In Nomine (3rd Edition), Monster Hunters 3-6, Monster Hunters Power-Ups 1, Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic, Voodoo: the Shadow War (3rd Edition). Suggested Pyramid articles: Monster Hunter Firepower at the Movies (3/31), Pulp Hunters! (3/31), The Network (3/31). Supernatural Conspiracy Magicians, mentalists, and monsters use their powers to manipulate human society. Suggested books: Atlantis (3rd Edition), Cabal (3rd Edition), Illuminati (3rd Edition), Mage: the Ascension (3rd Edition), Vampire: the Masquerade (3rd Edition), Werewolf: the Apocalypse (3rd Edition). POST-APOCALYPSE After the fall of civilization, survivors struggle to live in the harsh new world. Inspirational fiction: Mad Max. Required books: Basic Set or Lite. Recommended books: After the End 1-2, Low-Tech, High-Tech. Suggested books: Autoduel (3rd Edition), Disasters: Meltdown and Fallout, Horseclans (3rd Edition), Reign of Steel (3rd Edition), Reign of Steel: Will to Live, Y2K (3rd Edition). Suggested Pyramid articles: Name That Apocalypse (3/3), Survivable Guns (3/44), Zippemart! (3/3). Recommended optional rules: Long-Term Fatigue Points (After the End 1), Simplified Range (After the End 2). Suggested optional rules: Mutations and Freakishness (After the End 1), Radiation Threshold Points (After the End 1). Rebuilding Rather than just surviving, some people want to help society recover from the collapse. Suggested books: Low-Tech Companion 3. Suggested Pyramid articles: Are Humans a Renewable Resource? (3/3), At Play in the Fields (3/33). Zombie Apocalypse Zombies have overrun civilization. Inspirational fiction: 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead, The Walking Dead, Zombieland. Recommended books: Zombies. Suggested books: Zombies: Day One. ROBINSONADE Trapped in a remote place, civilized heroes must tame the wilderness. Inspirational fiction: Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson. Required books: Basic Set or Lite. Recommended books: Low-Tech. Suggested books: High-Tech. SCIENCE FICTION Set in a future of technological marvels. Inspirational fiction: Battlestar Galactica, The Expanse. Required books: Basic Set. Recommended books: Ultra-Tech. Suggested books: Space. Suggested Pyramid articles: More Ultra! More Tech (3/12), More Ultra-Tech Guns and Heavy Weapons (3/37), Mr Fixit (3/37), Thinking Machines (3/37). Alien Invasion Aliens attack Earth. Inspirational Fiction: Independence Day, Mars Attacks, War of the Worlds. Suggested books: Atomic Horror (3rd Edition), Horror, Mars Attacks, Monster Hunters 5, War Against the Chtorr (3rd Edition). Cyberpunk Near-future corporate-dominated dystopia where cybernetics and hacking are common. Recommended books: Cyberpunk (3rd Edition). Suggested books: Cyberworld (3rd Edition). Recommended Pyramid articles: Console Cowboys and Cyberspace Kung-Fu (3/21). Suggested Pyramid articles: Better Living Through Pharmaceuticals (3/24), Cyberme (3/20), The Voices in My Head (3/21). Hard SF Science fiction which tries not to violate the laws of physics. Suggested Pyramid Articles: Cold Horizon (3/18). Space Opera Optimistic stories set in outer space, with dubious science. Inspirational fiction: Flash Gordon, Lensman, Star Trek. Suggested books: Humanx (3rd Edition), Lensman (3rd Edition), Powers, Space Atlas 1-4 (3rd Edition), Tales of the Solar Patrol. Suggested Pyramid articles: Blaster and Laser Design (3/37), Doomsday Weapons (3/9), Starmaker, Starbreaker (3/37). Steampunk Retrofuturism based on 19th century society. Recommended books: Steampunk 1-3. Suggested books: Steampunk (3rd Edition), Vehicles: Steampunk Conveyances. Suggested Pyramid articles: Order of Precedence (3/39), Sword and Planet Swashbuckling adventures on worlds where much of the technology is primitive. Inspirational fiction: John Carter, Kane of Old Mars, Planet of Adventure, Viagens Interplanetarias. Recommended books: Low-Tech, Martial Arts, Steampunk 1-2. Suggested books: Planet of Adventure (3rd Edition), Planet Krishna (3rd Edition), Mars (3rd Edition). SUPERS In a world much like ours, a few people have extraordinary powers. Inspirational fiction: Avengers, Batman, Superman, Watchmen, X-Men. Recommended books: Powers, Supers. Suggested books: Psionic Powers, Psi-Tech. Suggested Pyramid articles: Expanded Psychokinesis (3/29), Infinite Teleportation (3/20), Small- Time Conquerors (3/2). SWASHBUCKLERS Daring heroes and dastardly villains in the early modern period. Inspirational fiction: The Three Musketeers. Required books: Basic Set or Lite. Recommended books: Martial Arts, Swashbucklers (3rd Edition). Suggested books: Action 2-4, Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Swashbucklers, Low-Tech, Supporting Cast: Age of Sail Pirate Crew. Suggested Pyramid articles: Extended Action (3/53). Recommended optional rules: Cannon Fodder (Basic Set), Melee Etiquette (Basic Set). WESTERN Brutal action in the late 19th century American West. Inspirational fiction: The Outlaw Josey Wales, Tombstone, True Grit, Unforgiven. Required books: Basic Set. Recommended books: Old West (3rd Edition), High-Tech, High-Tech: Adventure Guns. Suggested books: Action 1-4. Suggested Pyramid articles: Extended Action (3/53), Outlaws and Arrows (3/74), Steamboats and Locomotives of the Old West (3/74). Recommended optional rules: Cinematic Knockback (Basic Set), Chases (Action 2), Falls (Action 2), Flimsy Cover (Gun-Fu), Simplified Range (Action 2 or Gun-Fu). Weird West Western with a twist; magic, monsters, or strange technology. Inspirational fiction: Cowboys and Aliens, Jonah Hex, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Recommended books: Powers. Suggested books: Deadlands: The Weird West (3rd Edition), Horror, Powers: Totems and Nature Spirits, Steampunk 1-3, Screampunk (3rd Edition), Thaumatology, Zombies. Suggested Pyramid articles: A Westward Shambling Horde (3/74). Recommended optional rules: Assisting Spirits (Thaumatology), Paths and Books (Thaumatology).