" GURPS Humanx was written for GURPS 2nd edition. In this file, I've tried to update them to the latest standards. Advantages, Disadvantages and Skills are taken from Basic 3rd. edition, Fantasy Folk 2nd edition, and Compendium I. My comments are [in brackets thus].
New Books
Since GURPS Humanx was written, two new novels of the Commonwealth have come out.
Mid-Flinx. Alan Dean Foster. 1995. Ballantine, New York.
The Howling Stones. Alan Dean Foster. 1997. Ballantine, New York.

SPACE FARING RACES

Thranx
[Thranx take a big hit in point cost -- Passive Damage and extra limbs are expensive.]

Thranx have ST -2 (-15 points), DX -1 (-10), and HT -2 (-15). They have the advantages of Acute Taste +3 (6), Acute Vision +2 (4) and Common Sense (10). They have the disadvantages of Agoraphobia (-10), Hemophilia (-30) and Bad Sight (nearsighted, correctable technologically) (-10). Thranx have a sense called "faz" which allows them to maneuver in darkness (10) [CI55]. Their exoskeletons have PD 2 (50) and DR 2 (6). Thranx have an extra pair of feet (5) and hands (20). Their truhands have DX +2 (16) and their foothands have ST +2 (10). Using their foothands as feet, they have Enhanced Move (1.5 basic Move, Affects Move score, but not Combat Move or Dodge, 1/2 level, 5). Thranx can't swim (special effect, no points).
Thranx are 52 point characters.
[Most exoskeletal player character races for GURPS that I've seen have a PD of one, which would reduce the above cost by 25 for a total of 27.]
 

Ornithorpes
Ornithorpes have ST -1 (-10), DX +2 (20), and HT -1 (-10). They have Acute Vision +5 (10) and Peripheral Vision (15), but are Impulsive (-10) and mildly Claustrophobic (-15).
It costs 0 points to play an Ornithorpe.
 

Tolians
Tolians have DX +1 (10) and ST -2 (-15). They have Acute Taste/Smell +2 (4), Night Vision (10) and a slightly Extended Lifespan (1/3 level, 2). On all fours they have Enhanced Move (1.5 times base Move, Affects Move score, but not Combat Move or Dodge, 1/2 level, 5). Moving on their hind limbs only they have Reduced Move -2 (reduce move by 2, -10). They have the quirk that alcohol makes them ill, so they drink fermented Ropus lymph for intoxication (-1).
[I'd give the Tolians fur (DR 1, 1 point of Temperature Tolerance, 4 points) for a cost of 10 points.]

 

AAnn
AAnn have ST +1 (10) and DX -1 (-10). They have Scales (DR 1, 3), Fangs(impaling damage, 10) and Sharp Claws (do swing damage, 25).
They have a Reputation -4 (-20), Intolerance of all other races (-10) and Short Lifespan (-10).

[GURPS Humanx has AAnn doing impale damage with teeth and swing+3 with claws.
However Fantasy Folk 2 requires natural weapons doing that sort of damage to be large, 6 inches or more.
A resolution would be that military AAnn (and most civilians) enhance their natural weapons artificially.
Those that don't would have Sharp Teeth (5) and Claws (15) instead.
I would also count the tail as a Striker (5) for all AAnn.
The total cost would be 3 points for a military AAnn, -12 for a non-military.]
 
 
 

Porpoises
Fantasy Folk, 2nd ed has a good description of a dolphin for a fantasy campaign on p. 111. To modify this for a campaign set on Cachalot, delete the Mute disadvantage, add IQ +1 and increase Primitive to 9 levels, for a total of 35 points.

Orcas
Working from the Fantasy Folk dolphin, an Orca would have a split ST: ST 14, No Fine Manipulators (27); ST +40 (for a total of 54), No Fine Manipulators, No Fatigue Bonus (43). They have DX +3 (30); IQ +2 (20) HT+5 (60); Extra Hit Points +10 (50), Sharp Teeth (5) and DR 1 (3). They have Alertness +3 (15), Absolute Direction (5), Enhanced Move (Swimming) 1 (10), Nictating Membrane 1 (10), Peripheral Vision (15), Pressure Support (10) and Sonar Vision (25). Orcas have Bloodlust (-10), Dependency (Air, hourly, -20), No Manipulators (-50), Short Lifespan * 1 (-10), and Primitive -9 (TL0, -45). Orcas have Acrobatics at DX (4) and Gesture at IQ (1). Orcas are 198 point characters.

Baleen Whales
[Bestiary 2nd edition describes a GURPS whale differently from that in Humanx, and I've followed Bestiary.]
A large baleen whale has split ST: ST 14, No Fine Manipulators (27); ST +140 (for a total of 154), No Fine Manipulators, No Fatigue Bonus (58 -- each additional 20 points of ST cost 3 character points). They have DX +3 (30), IQ -2 (-15), HT +4 (45), Extra Hit Points +55 (275), PD 4 (100), DR 13 (39). They have Alertness +3 (15), Absolute Direction (5), Enhanced Move (Swimming) 1 (10), Nictating Membrane 1 (10), Peripheral Vision (15), Pressure Support (10) Sonar Vision (25), Subsonic Hearing (5), Subsonic Speech (20) and the Disadvantages Dependency (Air, hourly, -20), No Manipulators (-50), and Primitive -9 (TL0, -45). A Baleen Whale is a 559 point character.

Catodons
[Bestiary 2nd edition describes a GURPS whale differently from that in Humanx, and I've followed Bestiary except for IQ.]
A large toothed whale has split ST: ST 14, No Fine Manipulators (27); ST +100 (for a total of 114), No Fine Manipulators, No Fatigue Bonus (52 -- each additional 20 points of ST cost 3 character points). They have DX +3 (30), IQ +4 (45), HT +4 (45), Extra Hit Points +45 (225), PD 4 (100), DR 10 (30), and Fangs (10).Alertness +3 (15), Absolute Direction (5), Enhanced Move (Swimming) 1 (10), Nictating Membrane 1 (10), Peripheral Vision (15), Pressure Support (10), Sonar Vision (25), Subsonic Hearing (5), Subsonic Speech (20) and the Disadvantages Dependency (Air, hourly, -20), No Manipulators (-50), Primitive -9 (TL0, -45), and Intolerance (Non-whales, -10). A Catodon is a 554 point character. A Catodon with appropriate psionic powers may need to buy off all or part of the No Manipulators disadvantage.

Spacefaring Cetaceans
I prefer an alternate-universe Humanx Commonwealth with dolphin starship pilots.
I would let any cetacean character upgrade Absolute Direction to 3-D Spacial Sense by paying the difference in cost (5 points). Depending on campaign technology, an advantage to look at would be Neural Interface Jack (CI26, 10).

A technological dolphin
working in a Humanx-comfortable environment should delete the Dependency (Air) and Primitive disadvantages, and take off at least one of the two levels of Short Lifespan. They would have the disadvantage Needs Translation Computer (translator programs would be common, call it -5 points). They should add Aquatic (from Uplift, representing the extra life support required for spacefaring water-dwellers, -40) and Dependency (Salt Water, constantly [to keep the skin moist], -25). It would cost 40 points to play a dolphin with one level of Short Lifespan.
A technological orca
should delete Dependency (Air), Primitive, and Short Lifespan. An orca would add the disadvantages of Aquatic (-40), Dependency (Salt Water, constantly, -25), Needs Translation Computer (-5), Inconvenient Size (-15) and, at a guess, Increased Life Support 5 (Uplift, -50). It would cost 138 points to play an orca -- pricy for a 150 point campaign, but they have very high attribute totals a player could reduce.
A technological catodon
should delete Dependency (Air) and Primitive. An catodon would add the disadvantages of Aquatic (-40), Dependency (Salt Water, constantly, -25), Needs Translation Computer (-5), Inconvenient Size (-15) and, at a guess, Increased Life Support 10 (Uplift, -100). Again, psionic catodons might need to buy off all or part of No Manipulators. It would cost 434 points to play an catodon -- far too much for most settings, but I keep getting this image of a 750 point psionic whale Lensman...

Tran
Tran have fur (DR 1, 1 point of Temperature Tolerance, 4), Acute Vision +1 (2) and are Impulsive (-10). They have Ice Skates (5) that make moving on land difficult -- Reduced Move -2 (reduce move by 2, -10). They have the racial skills of Survival (Arctic) at IQ (2) and Skating at DX (4). They have a Reputation -3 among Commonwealth citizens (barbarians, -15) and live at TL3 (Primitive, 6 levels, -30). Tran cost -48
[Of course, in campaign set totally on Tran-ky-ky, the Primitive disadvantage wouldn't count.]

Saia
Saia have thin fur (0) and Acute Vision +1 (2). The have the racial skills of Survival (Mountain) at IQ (2) and History (Tran-ky-ky) at IQ-2 (1). They are considered barbarians by Commonwealth citizens (Reputation -3, -15) and live at TL4 (Primitive, 5 levels, -25). It costs -35 points to play a Saia.
[Of course, in campaign set totally on Tran-ky-ky, the Primitive disadvantage wouldn't count.]

Mai
The Mai have ST -2 (-15) and DX +1 (10). They have Acute Vision +3 (6), Greed (-15) and are Hard of Hearing (-10). They have Detect Lies and Scrounging at IQ (4). They have a Reputation of -2 among other races (-10). The Mai live at TL3 (Primitive, -30). It costs -60 points to play a Mai.
[The Mai were TL3 in the year 200 AA, about 450 years before the time of the Flinx novels. If I were running a Humanx campaign, I'd increase their TL to the campaign level and use them like the Ferengi are used in the Star Trek universe.]

Tsla
The Tsla have ST +2 (20) and +1 HT (10). They have the disadvantages of Truthfulness (-5), Pacifism (-15) and Fatalism (-5). Their flexible nose counts as a hand (short reach, no attack, bad grip, 0 points). Mai react to Tsla at -3 (-15). Tsla live at TL3 (-30). It costs -40 points to play a Tsla.
[If you're playing Tsla out in the greater Commonwealth, reduce the points for Reputation.]

Mu'Atahl
This race appears in Alan Dean Foster's Mid-Flinx. I've assumed that Chaa is an absolutely average member of his race. There's no social background provided in the novel.
Physically, the Mu'Atahl are large, four-legged sentients with broad chests supporting a thick neck. The neck supports four arms and ends in a tapering, heavy-browed head. The head has long jaws and two nostrils at the end. The Mu'Atahl are pale beige with white longitudinal stripes on the neck.  A Mu'Atahl has four legs (5) and four arms (20), Split ST (Arms ST13 with No Jumping Bonus, body ST30 with the No Fine Manipulators limitation, 67), DR 1 (3), Extra Encumbrance (5), Extra HP +3 (15), Enhanced Move 1 (10), Fearlessness +3 (6), and Inconvenient Size (-10), Increased Life Support (eats twice as much as a human, -10) and Incurious (-5). It costs 106 points to play a Mu'Atahl. "

last updated january 2000

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© 2000 Riccardo Fregi .the updated humanx races are copyright © 1997 of Tracy Ratcliff  and are published here with his permission.
GURPS is a trademark of Steve Jackson Games ,Fantasy Folk 2nd edition,
     and Compendium I, and GURPS Humanx is copyright of Steve Jackson Games, Humanx  is a trademark of Alan Dean Foster, image of the Aann by Denis Loubet . No infringement of rights is intended. This web site is for entertainment purposes only. If you own a copyright to something presented on this web site, please email me and I will gladly remove it at your insistence.
Disclaimer:
The material presented here is an original creation of Tracy Ratcliff, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.