Basic Roleplaying vs GURPS
Compare Basic Roleplaying and GURPS side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Basic Roleplaying | GURPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Play Style | Skill-Based, Modular, Simulation, Gritty, Roleplay-Heavy, Investigation, Low-Fantasy, Classless | Crunchy, Simulation, Sandbox, Character Building, Tactical, Realistic, Grid-Based |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d100 under your skill percentage to succeed. Critical success on 1/20th of skill value, fumble on 99–100. Opposed rolls compare results. Optional rules layer on complexity as desired. | Roll 3d6 under target number. Advantage/disadvantage system via character traits. |
| Dice | d100 | 3d6 |
| Complexity | Medium | Very High |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Community | Medium | Medium |
| License | ORC | SJ Games Online Policy |
| Cost | $$ | Free (Lite) / $$$ |
| Publisher | Chaosium Inc. | Steve Jackson Games |
| Year | 2023 | 2004 |
| Best For | GMs who want a modular, genre-agnostic percentile system they can tailor to any setting with optional rules for powers, combat, and more. | Groups who want a single system for every genre with granular simulation and deep customization. |
| Highlights | Highly modular — add or remove subsystems at will, intuitive percentile mechanic, unified system across any genre, skill-based progression through use, long design heritage | Highly customizable point-buy system, simulation-focused, one system for any genre |
| Considerations | Can feel generic without a specific setting, requires GM effort to select which optional rules to use, combat can be deadly and swingy | Character creation requires significant point-budget planning, combat rules are granular with many modifiers to track, full system spans two 576-page core books plus supplements, GM prep is substantial for campaigns using multiple sourcebooks |