TEXT: Written by JASON “PK” LEVINE
  Illustrated by ANGELA BOSTICK and DAN SMITH
  Additional Material by DAVID L. PULVER and CHRISTOPHER R. RICE
  Playtesters: Michele Armellini, S.A. Fisher, Robert “Rev. Bob” Hood,  
  Vicky “Molokh” Kolenko, Christopher R. Rice, and Antoni Ten Monrós
  Special Thanks: Chris and Ben Conrad, Robert Harrell, Sean Punch, Christopher R. Rice, and Melissa VanEyll
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  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  Stock #37-0328 
  Version 1.0 – May 2015
  ®
  GURPS System Design z STEVE JACKSON
  GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH
  Assistant GURPS Line Editor z JASON “PK” LEVINE
  GURPS Project Manager z STEVEN MARSH
  Production Artist and Indexer z NIKOLA VRTIS
  GURPS FAQ Maintainer z  
  VICKY “MOLOKH” KOLENKO
  Chief Executive Officer z PHILIP REED
  Chief Operating Officer z SAMUEL MITSCHKE
  Managing Editor z MIRANDA HORNER
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  Page Design z PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT
   Art Direction and Prepress Checker z NIKKI VRTIS
  Monster 
  Hunters
  TM5
  Applied Xenology
  TM
  
  IntroductIon  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3
  Decisions, Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  Recommended Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  1 . the ScIentIfIc elIte  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .5
  CharaCters  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 5
  Brother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Crusader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Experiment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Know Thy Alien. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Geek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Gifted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Magical Specialists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Inhuman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Magician. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  More Psychotronics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Occultist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Psi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Sage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  NBC Suit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Techie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Born to Be Wired. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Warrior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Witch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Campaign types .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 12
  Defenders of Earth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Interstellar Immigrants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  Space Cops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  The Secrecy Paradox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  2 . technomagIc  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .14
  the teChnomage  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 14
  Beyond Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Jargon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  haCking reality .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 15
  Fairer Bonuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Programmed Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  The Power of Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  On-the-Fly Rituals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Techno-Alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  Conditional Rituals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  Hand-Coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  hardware and software  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 20
  Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  New Perk: Overclocked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Computer Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Higher TLs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
  Mods and Hacks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  where strange forCes interseCt  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 22
  Magic vs. Technomagic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Ubiquity vs. Rarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Good vs. Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  Dual-Casting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  A Charming Dilemma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  3 . the truth IS out there .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .24
  aliens  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 24
  Alien Antipathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
  Alien Spaceships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
  Devourers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
  Greys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
  Immunity to Metabolic Hazards (Earth) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
  Inhuman Greys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
  Insectoids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
  Androids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
  Nordics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
  New Weapon Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
  Phasites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
  Inhuman Nordics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
  The Conspiracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
  Reptoids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
  Inhuman Reptoids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
  Stalkers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
  Inhuman Stalkers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
  Upgrade Via Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
  miCrobes and plagues  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 44
  Brain Flu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
  Cybercytes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
  Husk Virus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
  a thin Veneer of plausibility  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 47
  The Undead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
  Spirit Beings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
  Traits to Toss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  The Living. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Rogue Humans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
  Index .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .49
   
  Contents 
  2
  Contents
  Ash: This is the first time that 
  we’ve encountered a species like this. 
  It has to go back, all sorts of tests have 
  to be made.
  Ripley: Ash, are you kidding?  
  This thing bled acid, and who knows 
  what it’s gonna do when it’s dead?
  Ash: I think it’s safe to assume it 
  isn’t a zombie.
  – Alien
  
  “Are you sure we’re still following them?” Danielle whispered.
  Everett nodded, despite the fact that his infrared-enhancing 
  eyes were barely picking up anything at this point. But the two 
  hunters couldn’t drop this trail. They hadn’t had a lead on these 
  disappearances in days and the scene back by the abandoned 
  subway had definitely been a sign of the last victim struggling.
  Then he spotted the break in the wall. “Look! That shouldn’t 
  be there.”
  Danielle nodded to Everett and the two of 
  them headed in. It was some sort of connect-
  ing tunnel, bored out of the solid rock, that led 
  steadily downward. Eventually, the two saw 
  light up ahead, where the tunnel opened into a 
  natural cavern. In the middle was a huge ground 
  vehicle of some strange sort, surrounded by a 
  dozen beds, four of which had women hand-
  cuffed to them. And their kidnappers . . . scaly 
  brown skin, dark eyes, exchanging guttural 
  tones. Looked like they’d been right: demons.
  Everett nodded to Danielle, who stepped into the light, her 
  sacred fetish in one hand, pointing at the demons with the other. 
  “In the name of Papa Legba, I banish you from this world! 
  Return to Hell, monsters!” The five demons all turned to face the 
  hunters, and then calmly pulled out . . . wait, were those guns? 
  Suddenly, fire was raining down around Danielle and Everett, 
  who retreated back into the tunnel.
  “What kind of weapons were those demons using?” Everett 
  gasped.
  “I don’t know what those are, but I promise, they’re not 
  demons.”
  As written, the GURPS Monster Hunters series leans heav-
  ily toward the supernatural. Witches and holy crusaders bat-
  tle ghosts and demons, fighting for the futures and souls of 
  humanity. It’s an iconic conflict . . . but it’s not the only one. 
  After all, “monsters” exist in a wide range of genres, including 
  those in which science is truth and technology is king. And 
  some settings defy this split completely, happily blending the 
  supernatural with the scientific for a world in which reality 
  hackers use computer-assisted spellcasting to defeat aliens, 
  vampires, demons, and plagues from outer space!
  GURPS Monster Hunters 5: Applied Xenology exists to 
  add options to your Monster Hunters stories. It focuses on 
  ways to give a “scientific spin” to the campaign, examining 
  every aspect of the game – the templates, powers, magic, ene-
  mies, and rules – to offer suggestions, advice, and guidelines 
  about things that the GM may wish to include or change. 
  Some things work great in any type of setting, like the com-
  mando and most of the gear. Other things call for a few new 
  options, such as rethinking the experiment as “the alien-exper-
  imentation subject” and adding new plagues. And a few topics 
  could be overhauled completely if desired, including revamp-
  ing Ritual Path magic into “technomagic” and redefining the 
  sage to fit a campaign without spellcasters.
  Every Monster Hunters game can benefit from more, 
  and that’s what Applied Xenology offers: more heroes, more 
  monsters, and more options. Use them to tailor your cam-
  paign into exactly what you want it to be.
  DeCisions, DeCisions
  There are several ways to use the rules herein, depend-
  ing on how much you wish to change the default Monster 
  Hunters flavor. It’s time to ask some important 
  questions – below, but also under Inhuman (p. 8).
  Supernatural vs. Science
  The most important question is also the 
  broadest: Do science and the occult coexist in 
  your game or does one flavor predominate?
  Coexistence: This is the default assumption 
  of Monster Hunters. While the supplements do 
  focus heavily on the supernatural, they do so only 
  because there’s already plenty of science and tech-
  nology powering our world. The existence of champions like 
  the commando and techie proves the value of modern gear. 
  To emphasize both, consider letting casters use both normal 
  magic and technomagic; see Magic vs. Technomagic, below.
  Supernatural Dominance: To be honest, you probably 
  don’t need anything in this book! That said, the simplest way 
  to achieve this is to make most monsters immune to bullets; 
  cut the commando, geek, gunman, techie, and whitecoat as 
  options; and ignore all of the TL^ gear in GURPS Monster 
  Hunters 1: Champions.
  Scientific Dominance: Use the advice and rules in Chapter 1 
  to decide which templates to alter and which to cut. In Magic 
  vs. Technomagic, below, either cut magic altogether or replace 
  it with technomagic. Finally, allow players access to gear from 
  GURPS Ultra-Tech, GURPS Bio-Tech, and GURPS Psi-Tech 
  on a case-by-case basis.
  Science vs. the Occult: Both “forces” exist, but one is con-
  sidered relatively safe to embrace, while the other is wicked 
  and corrupting! This leads to a setting in which the heroes rely 
  on one bag of tricks to take down foes “on the other side.” For 
  example, a game focused on humanity saving itself might pit 
  human PCs who rely on technology (no powers, no inhumans, 
  and only technomagic) against foes wielding dark magic, mys-
  tic hoodoo, and inherent inhuman abilities.
  Adding complexity to any of the options above is the GM’s 
  right to say that certain types of supernatural beings or pow-
  ers exist while others do not. For example, a campaign might 
  adopt the Christian view that angels, demons, and Abrahamic 
  Mysticism are all real – and that magic works but is only used 
  by the bad guys – but that no other supernatural things exist.
  Magic vs. Technomagic
  Chapter 2 introduces a “technomagic” variant of Ritual 
  Path magic (RPM), which suits scientifically minded spell-
  casters. This allows for a few different options when it comes 
  to magic.
   
  introDuCtion 
  3
  introDuCtion
  
   
  introDuCtion 
  4
  No Magic: A reasonable choice in a non-supernatural game. 
  The witch and magician become invalid options, but the sage 
  is far more adaptable (see Sage, pp. 9-11).
  Standard RPM Only: No changes from the rest of the 
  Monster Hunters series; everything and everyone works as-is.
  Technomagic Only: This is a good way to justify magic in 
  a tech-based game. It isn’t the supernatural; it’s just highly 
  advanced programming!
  Both Types: Technomagic becomes just another option. 
  It may even be possible for casters to switch effortlessly 
  between the two. Alternatively, both may exist but only one 
  is available to champions – presumably because the other 
  has some significant drawbacks. For example, if the power 
  of technomagic corrupts the soul while “pure” RPM is safe 
  but weaker, this sets up a natural distinction between PC and 
  evil NPC casters. For much more on this, see Where Strange 
  Forces Intersect (pp. 22-23).
  The Monster Mash
  What foes the champions face may set the tone of the 
  game more than any other decision. Unlike the issues above, 
  however, this isn’t an “A and/or B” question; the range of 
  options is much wider. Think of this more as a checklist; you 
  can use any combination of these possibilities.
  Rogue Humans: Humans with terrifying abilities may 
  be the most dangerous foes possible. Rogues are covered 
  at length in Chapter 4 of GURPS Monster Hunters 3: The 
  Enemy. Deciding whether to use a certain type of rogue in a 
  game is very similar to deciding whether you’d allow that sort 
  of character as a PC; see Chapter 1 for advice.
  Supernatural Foes: These are enemies out of our myths and 
  legends, whose existence flies in the face of physics, logic, and 
  what most people consider possible. This includes all undead, 
  all spirit beings, and all lycanthropes. As written, these only fit 
  a game that embraces the supernatural; however, see A Thin 
  Veneer of Plausibility (pp. 47-48) for ways to justify bringing 
  them into a scientific game.
  “Plausible” Threats: While few people believe that cryp-
  tids like albino alligators and chupacabras (The Enemy, 
  pp. 22-24) actually exist, the fact is that they could without 
  grossly violating the laws of physics and biology. And dis-
  eases, microbes/parasites, and drugs are all real – and capable 
  of causing strange behavior, including short-lived “zombifi-
  cation.” These challenges can all be dropped into any game 
  without shattering its assumptions.
  Extraterrestrials: Chapter 3 introduces new threats from 
  beyond our world – aliens and microscopic parasites or 
  plagues – because these are common foes in science-minded 
  “monster hunting” stories. While aliens may seem unsuitable 
  if you’re running a purely supernatural game, simply chang-
  ing their names and labeling them “a new type of demon” will 
  go a long way toward fitting them into one. And it’s trivial to 
  turn an alien plague into a terrestrial one (see Microbes and 
  Plagues, pp. 44-46).
  reCoMMenDeD Books
  This supplement expands on the templates from GURPS 
  Monster Hunters 1: Champions and GURPS Monster 
  Hunters 4: Sidekicks, the deduction and plague rules from 
  GURPS Monster Hunters 2: The Mission, and the foes from 
  GURPS Monster Hunters 3: The Enemy. Each of those 
  books is required to get the full use out of these additions – 
  with the exception of the aliens in Chapter 3, which can be 
  used with just the GURPS Basic Set.
  As well, Chapter 2 introduces technomagic, a variant 
  of the Ritual Path magic system which was introduced in 
  Champions and expanded in GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual 
  Path Magic. Making use of these new rules requires one of 
  these supplements.
  ABout tHe AutHor
  Reverend PK Levine is the Assistant GURPS Line Editor 
  and creator of the GURPS Monster Hunters series, among 
  other things. He has wanted to write this expansion ever 
  since releasing the first four supplements, and would have if 
  his life were not constantly threatened by the Grey-Reptoid-
  Nordic war triangle from which he can’t seem to escape. He 
  lives just outside of Chattanooga with his beautiful wife and 
  Phasite-possessed cats.
  ABout gURpS
  Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support 
  of GURPS players. Our address is SJ Games, P.O. Box 
  18957, Austin, TX 78760. Please include a self-addressed, 
  stamped envelope (SASE) any time you write us! We 
  can also be reached by e-mail: info@sjgames.com. 
  Resources include:
  New supplements and adventures. GURPS continues 
  to grow – see what’s new at gurps.sjgames.com.
  Warehouse 23. Our online store offers GURPS adven-
  tures, play aids, and support in PDF form . . . digital cop-
  ies of our books, plus exclusive material available only 
  on Warehouse 23! Just head over to warehouse23.com.
  Pyramid (pyramid.sjgames.com). Our monthly PDF 
  magazine includes new rules and articles for GURPS, 
  systemless locations, adventures, and much more. Look 
  for each themed issue from Warehouse 23!
  Internet. Visit us on the World Wide Web at  
  sjgames.com for errata, updates, Q&A, and much 
  more. To discuss GURPS with our staff and your fel-
  low gamers, visit our forums at forums.sjgames.com. 
  The GURPS Monster Hunters 5: Applied Xenology 
  web page is gurps.sjgames.com/monsterhunters5.
  Bibliographies. Many of our books have extensive bib-
  liographies, and we’re putting them online – with links 
  to let you buy the resources that interest you! Go to each 
  book’s web page and look for the “Bibliography” link.
  Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us – but 
  we do our best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata pages 
  for all GURPS releases, including this book, are avail-
  able on our website – see above.
  Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for 
  the GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition. Page references 
  that begin with B refer to that book, not this one.
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  5
  Scott snorted. “Reptoids? Aliens? You’ve 
  got to be kidding me.”
  Anna shot Scott a pointed look. “Hey, 
  can you show some respect? I practically 
  begged this girl to come here, and I don’t 
  need you chasing her off.”
  Their visitor, Samantha, just shrugged. 
  “It’s a natural reaction to having one’s world 
  view expanded. I’ve seen it before. People 
  like to live in denial.”
  Before Scott could retort, Everett stood 
  up. “I think it’s important to remember 
  that not too long ago none of us knew that 
  demons and vampires existed. The world is 
  a strange place, and there’s always a new 
  threat. And these things were definitely 
  something we haven’t seen before.”
  “Unsurprising,” Samantha responded, 
  bringing up a diagram on her tablet. “The 
  Reptoids are smart enough to avoid detec-
  tion, and when they travel up here to the 
  surface, they use special devices to appear per-
  fectly human.”
  “Yeah,” Brad said. “A cloaking spell, 
  basically.”
  “No, not a spell. A morphology inducer. It’s 
  technology, pure and simple, and it’s import-
  ant to realize the difference.”
  As discussed in Decisions, Decisions 
  (pp. 3-4), supernatural PCs don’t fit every 
  campaign. Fortunately, there are often ways 
  around this issue, ranging from a simple 
  roleplaying decision to a complete revamp 
  of the character template. The following 
  rules and guidelines will help you strip  
  the mystical and magical aspects away  
  from champion and sidekick templates, leav-
  ing them more scientifically (well, pseudo- 
  scientifically) plausible. And after making any 
  necessary changes, you can decide whether 
  the heroes fit best into an existing campaign 
  type or one of the new ones from pp. 12-13.
  CHArACters
  The templates discussed below are from GURPS Monster 
  Hunters 1: Champions and GURPS Monster Hunters 4: 
  Sidekicks. Any template not discussed works fine as-is in a 
  scientific game; e.g., the commando (Champions, p. 9) is per-
  fectly suited to a tech-based game and will work great with 
  no changes.
  Universal Changes and Issues
  Some traits are found on many character templates (or may 
  need to be added to them) and thus deserve special discussion.
  Esoteric Medicine, Occultism, and Theology: In a science- 
  focused game, these may seem out of place. But rather than 
  cutting them, see Changes to Existing Skills (p. 7) for sug-
  gested fixes.
  Cinematic Traits: Extra Life, Luck, Prophetic Dreams, and 
  Serendipity are cinematic, not supernatural. They work on 
  the “meta-level,” and thus should suit any game. The GM has 
  the right to rule otherwise, of course, and must inform the 
  players if this is the case so they can avoid taking those traits. 
  If Luck is outlawed, anyone with mandatory Luck should 
  spend those 15 points on other template advantages.
  High TL: If the GM begins introducing TL9+ devices into 
  the game, he must decide how many levels of High TL cham-
  pions may take (using optional advantage points). This can be 
  “none,” even if the game features ultra-tech, if he wants such 
  gear to remain mysterious and rare. Because this is the GM’s 
  decision, none of the inhuman racial templates in Chapter 3 
  include High TL. 
  Magical Traits: The spellcasting templates (magician, sage, 
  witch) address magical traits in detail, but even templates with 
  no magical connection whatsoever have the option of taking 
  Magic Resistance, Magic Susceptibility, and/or Thaumatol-
  ogy. In all cases, these are options. The GM should inform 
  the players whether magic exists in the campaign; if not, they 
  should simply avoid those traits.
  CHApter one
  tHe sCientifiC 
  elite
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  6
  Powers and Races: Specific abilities are discussed under 
  their most relevant template: Bioenhancement under Experi-
  ment (p. 7), Mysticism under Crusader (below), psionics under 
  Psi (p. 9), and racial templates under Inhuman (p. 8).
  BrotHer
  see Sidekicks, p. 5
  The brother is a questionable choice in a non-supernatu-
  ral game, simply because his skills focus on the supernatural 
  while his advantages offer various “blessings.” In most cases, 
  it’s better to choose a different template, such as the occultist 
  (p. 9), with the clergy motivational lens to reflect your reli-
  gious background.
  For those who wish to use the brother template in a scien-
  tific game anyway, apply the following changes:
  Advantages: In the third section, omit Blessed and True Faith 
  as options, replacing them with Luck [15]. In the fourth sec-
  tion, remove the supernatural Contact Group and Contact.
  Primary Skills: If spirits with Possession don’t exist, drop 
  Exorcism and take four skills from the second list instead 
  of three.
  CrusADer
  see Champions, p. 10
  The viability of the crusader as a PC 
  depends on whether the GM allows Mysti-
  cism. If not, there’s no point in building a 
  crusader; either design a brother (above) with 
  a champion upgrade lens or take a different 
  template with the clergy motivational lens. 
  If so, follow the guidelines under Mysticism 
  (below) when choosing abilities and consider 
  making the following change to the template:
  Primary Skills: If spirits with Possession 
  don’t exist, drop Exorcism and take five 
  skills from the second list instead of four.
  Mysticism
  Even in a nominally “non-supernatural” 
  game, it’s worth contemplating whether Mys-
  ticism should be an exception. Many peo-
  ple in the real world scoff at the thought of 
  vampires and fae, but believe that religious 
  conviction can summon miracles (under the 
  right circumstances).
  If allowed, Mysticism is useful even in 
  games without supernatural foes, though 
  a few abilities require minor changes or 
  become less appropriate:
  Armor of Faith: Change the second limita-
  tion to “Half-strength unless you are holding 
  a holy item and praying aloud” (-10%). Cost 
  becomes 6 points/level.
  Ghost Weapon: If insubstantial threats still 
  exist and are common, this remains useful; 
  the GM should assume it works against those 
  threats (even alien ones). Otherwise, skip it.
  Resistant to Evil Supernatural Powers: 
  Useless if evil supernatural rogues or mon-
  sters don’t exist.
  Smite: Replace the Accessibility with 
  “Accessibility, Only against those currently 
  attacking me with deadly intent” (-10%) and 
  “Limited Use, 1/day” (-40%). Now Smite 
  can be used against anyone who’s actively 
  attempting to kill you (not for preemptive 
  strikes!), but only once.
  lenses
  While the focus of this chapter is on templates, the lenses that modify 
  them are just as important to character creation. Monster Hunters uses 
  two kinds of lenses:
  Motivational Lenses (Champions, pp. 6-9): These are unchanged. 
  Heroes who are willing to risk their lives against scientific threats do so 
  for the same reasons as those facing supernatural ones. (Even the clergy 
  lens remains valid, as that reflects social ties, not holy power.) The GM 
  may want to prohibit Divine Curse (Monster Magnet) due to its supernat-
  ural overtones – or he can just “rebrand” it as a potent, aspected version 
  of Unluckiness. Note the intentional lack of a “conspiracy theorist” moti-
  vational lens; “my PC knows The Truth” is a broad enough brush to cover 
  every champion in the game! For those truly obsessed with conspiracies, 
  use one of the existing lenses, but substitute the new Obsession below as 
  the -15-point disadvantage.
  Champion Upgrade Lenses (Sidekicks, pp. 20-22): A junior hunter 
  upgraded with one of these lenses should follow the advice given for 
  the nearest comparable champion template. Specifically, for caster, 
  see Witch (p. 12); for monstrous, see Inhuman (p. 8); for mystic, see 
  Crusader (below); for overman, see Experiment (p. 7); and for psychic, 
  see Psi (p. 9). The enhanced lens requires no special commentary.
  Unraveling Your Obsession
  A common trope is the alien hunter who cares more about the con-
  spiracy (p. 39) covering things up than about the invaders themselves. 
  For this type of champion, add Obsession (Unravel the conspiracy) (9) 
  [-15] to the list in Why We Fight (Champions, p. 7). This disadvantage 
  can be swapped into any motivational lens.
  This Obsession means you are always looking for the next layer of 
  the onion. When you find the hand pulling the strings, you immediately 
  begin looking for the strings attached to that hand. Make a self-control 
  roll whenever there seems to be a simple, straightforward reason why 
  something is happening; on a failure, you are convinced that there is 
  more to this case and will continue to probe. You can deal with the threat 
  in front of you first; e.g., if there are Greys abducting children, you’ll shut 
  that down, but will then focus on finding the officials who were covering 
  it up, even if there is no evidence that a cover-up was in place. A new 
  threat can pull you away, but you’ll keep trying to find ways to tie that 
  old case into these new ones.
  Because this is a disadvantage, it will never be helpful in building the 
  bigger picture! In fact, when you make a deduction roll involving an 
  overarching conspiracy, the GM should secretly make a self-control roll 
  for you; if this fails, he can insert a few red herrings into your deduction 
  that feed into your Obsession.
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  7
  Spirit Channeling, Spirit Communica-
  tion, Spirit Empathy, Supernatural Sense, 
  and Turn Evil: Useful only if the appro-
  priate types of creatures exist.
  experiMent
  see Champions, p. 11
  The experiment is the only “gifted” 
  champion who is 100% powered by 
  pseudoscience. This template is thus  
  an appropriate option even in games 
  without a hint of the occult.
  In a game with extraterrestrials (see 
  Chapter 3), this hunter is likely to have 
  been experimented upon by aliens. After 
  being abducted and probed, he was cut 
  open (perhaps while conscious the entire 
  time) and strange . . . things were done to 
  his body. At the GM’s option, this can be 
  represented with the new Bioenhance-
  ment variant below.
  Alien Bioenhancement
  Your incredible physical and mental 
  capabilities are the result of alien tinker-
  ing. Maybe they resequenced your DNA, 
  implanted strange bionics, injected you 
  with bizarre concoctions, or all of the 
  above! The upside is that you’ve become 
  more than human. The downside is that 
  they either let you go for later study or 
  are hunting you after you escaped.
  This power benefits from standard 
  Bio enhancement Talent (Champions, 
  p. 42) and gives you access to the usual 
  Bio enhancement abilities and skills 
  (Champions, pp. 41-42). However, it has 
  a completely different power modifier.
  Power Modifier:  
  Alien Bioenhancement
  ‑10%
  Extraterrestrial visitors gave you your abilities and now 
  they’re monitoring or tracking you. Instead of taking Unusual 
  Biochemistry, you must take Enemy (Alien Scientists; 
  Watcher; 9 or less) [-5]. Your former captors will rarely take 
  action directly against you, but any time you do something 
  that would interfere with one of their plots (whether you’re 
  aware of that or not), the GM will roll to see if they intervene 
  before you have a chance to derail their designs.
  Even worse, they know what you can do – because they 
  created you! They will have appropriate countermeasures; 
  e.g., energy fields that interfere with your Cerebral-Motor 
  Multitasking and gas that blocks your Adrenal- 
  Muscular Trigger.
  The relative benefit is that no Earth technology 
  will interfere with your abilities. Unlike a stan-
  dard experiment, you can take all the drugs you 
  can handle without them affecting your power. 
  (You may choose to take Unusual Biochemistry, 
  but even if you do, a bad drug result will not take 
  your Alien Bio enhancement power offline.) And 
  no human laboratory has a file on you. You aren’t 
  beholden to any shadow corporation or mad 
  scientist – just to a group of mysterious aliens. 
  That’s better in some ways . . . right?
  know tHy Alien
  As with any Monster Hunters game, the GM will tell the players which 
  of the categories in Know Thy Enemy (Champions, p. 16) are worth invest-
  ing in. Even in a relatively hard-science game, cryptids and microbes 
  (pp. 44-46) are likely to exist, and Psychology will always help you outthink 
  rogue humans. The following additions are recommended for games featur-
  ing the new enemies from Chapter 3:
  • Aliens: Hidden Lore (Extraterrestrials) (A) IQ [2].
  • Dark Conspiracies: Administration (A) IQ [2]; Expert Skill (Conspiracy 
  Theory) (H) IQ-1 [2]; Intelligence Analysis (H) IQ-1 [2].
  Changes to Existing Skills
  Most ineffective skills can be simply avoided; e.g., if demons don’t exist, 
  then don’t choose Hidden Lore (Demons) as a Know Thy Enemy skill. How-
  ever, a few skills require special consideration:
  Esoteric Medicine: This skill is always at least as effective as First Aid. In 
  addition, the user is trained in “whole body” treatment, which includes using 
  alternative-medicine remedies to relieve physical afflictions such as being 
  paralyzed by an alien blaster. The time required and skill penalty are up to 
  the GM, but will usually range from five minutes and no penalty (for simple 
  maladies) to 2d days and -10 (for bizarre issues).
  Occultism: As this skill already covers threats from our world and sev-
  eral other planes of existence, it’s not much of a stretch to assume that it 
  covers extraterrestrial threats as well – especially given its limited utility. 
  In a game where aliens are the only threat, consider renaming it “Ufology” 
  while keeping the same rules (The Mission, p. 8).
  Theology: In Monster Hunters, this skill primarily acts as a more gen-
  eral version of Hidden Lore. As such, in a game without demons, spirits, or 
  undead, it loses its utility. To compensate, treat Theology as a potent but 
  tightly focused social skill. When interacting with a member of that faith 
  (only), you may first roll against Theology to frame things in a scriptural con-
  text. Critical success gives +3 to reactions and further social skill rolls involv-
  ing that person; success gives +1; failure has no effect; and critical failure 
  gives -3. (In a game with supernatural monsters, Theology does not work this 
  way – but the faithful can add this benefit via a new perk: Social Scripture.)
  And that is why the “Men from Planet 
  X” are so important. They are the fulcrum 
  WOTAN will use to evolve us at high speed 
  no matter the damage to our souls.
  – The Book of the SubGenius
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  8
  Geek
  see Sidekicks, p. 7
  The geek works well in most games, but must pay careful 
  attention to what technology is available in the setting and 
  choose skills accordingly. For example, if psi and psi-tech 
  don’t exist, there’s no point in taking Electronics Operation 
  (Psychotronics).
  GifteD
  see Sidekicks, p. 8
  A seventh son of a seventh son is always an appropriate 
  choice; after all, a hero with luck and charm on his side fits 
  any cinematic game! And being empowered with Bioen-
  hancement makes sense whether it represents the work of 
  a secretive organization or alien experimentation (see Alien 
  Bioenhancement, p. 7).
  The other options depend on whether the GM is allow-
  ing those abilities in the game. For advice and guidelines 
  on whether to include Mysticism, see Crusader (pp. 6-7); 
  for psionics, see Psi (p. 9); and for inhuman-blooded, see 
  Inhuman (below).
  inHuMAn
  see Champions, p. 13
  In addition to the questions under Decisions, Decisions 
  (pp. 3-4), it’s important for the group to decide whether to 
  allow reformed monsters as PCs. The existence of the inhu-
  man template does not make this a foregone conclusion! 
  There are several reasons why inhuman PCs may be a poor 
  fit for a campaign:
  • If “humanity vs. inhumanity” is an important theme of the 
  game, including inhuman heroes can undermine that theme.
  • Adding monstrous champions can push the feel of the 
  game in the direction of urban fantasy, rather than pulp hor-
  ror. (This may be a desirable goal, of course.)
  • Some players look at this as a chance to be more “spe-
  cial” – under the assumption that reformed monsters are way 
  cooler than mere humans (even though Monster Hunters 
  humans are 400 points of pure awesome). Taken to an 
  extreme, this can lead to a group where everyone is a different 
  type of creature, all competing to be the most “special.” And 
  this can be a problem because . . .
  • Inhumans spend 200 points on a racial template, which 
  means 200 fewer points to spend on everything else! Granted, 
  their racial abilities are all potent – but most are useful in a 
  fairly specific way, which can make them extremely special-
  ized compared to the better-trained humans.
  As a compromise, a group can declare certain racial tem-
  plates available while keeping others as NPC-only; e.g., “evil 
  is evil, so only half-humans or angels can be PCs.” And obvi-
  ously, racial templates for creatures that don’t exist in the set-
  ting are off-limits; if there are no demons, you cannot be a 
  demon or demonspawn.
  In a game with aliens, extraterrestrial champions become 
  a possibility. See the boxes throughout Chapter 3 for new 
  inhuman racial templates. (However, note 
  that the inhuman Grey, p. 30, will not work 
  with this template or the monstrous lens; 
  instead, a Grey’s player may choose from all 
  of the other template options.)
  MAGiCiAn
  see Sidekicks, p. 11
  If magic doesn’t exist in any form 
  (Decisions, Decisions, pp. 3-4), then this 
  is not a viable option. However, if tech-
  nomagic is available, make the following 
  changes to create a technomagician:
  Advantages: In the third list (“Another 20 
  points chosen from among DX . . .”), 
  add the options of Born to Be Wired 
  (p. 11) [5/level], Eidetic Memory [5] or 
  Photographic Memory [10], Equipment 
  Bond (any computer) [1/item], Light-
  ning Calculator [2] or Intuitive Math-
  ematician [5], Mathematical Ability  
  [10/level], Overclocked (p. 20) [1], or 
  Quick-Sheathe (Device) (Limits on 
  Scripts, pp. 17-18) [1].
  Primary Skills: Replace Thaumatology with Computer Oper-
  ation (E) IQ [1]-14; and Computer Programming and 
  Mathematics (Applied)*, both (H) IQ [4]-14. Delete the last 
  list (“Archaeology or Hidden Lore”).
  Secondary Skills: Change the second list (“One of Breath Con-
  trol . . .”) to: Two of Fast-Draw (Device) (Limits on Scripts, 
  pp. 17-18) or Innate Attack (any), both (E) DX [1]-10; 
  Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Electronics Repair (Computers) or 
  Hidden Lore (Sacred Places), both (A) IQ-1 [1]-13; Archae-
  ology or Engineer (Electronics), both (H) IQ-2 [1]-12; 
  Alchemy, Computer Hacking, Physics, or Thaumatology, 
  all (VH) IQ-3 [1]-11; or Breath Control (H) HT-2 [1]-12.
  MAGiCAl speCiAlists
  Spellcasters should not treat the Path skill loadouts as fixed and funda-
  mental. The suggested Path values were chosen to create a well-rounded, 
  generalist caster – but some players prefer characters with more focus! 
  Thus, for the three “caster” templates, feel free to treat the section on Path 
  skills as:
  Magician: Spend 22 points on Path skills.
  Sage: Spend 21 points on Path skills.
  Witch: Spend 33 points on Path skills.
  The usual limits apply: Paths cannot exceed the lower of 12+Magery or 
  Thaumatology (or Computer Programming, for technomagic).
  For even more specialization, the magic Talents from “Ritual Path 
  Specialists” (in Pyramid #3/66: The Laws of Magic) are valid options in a 
  Monster Hunters game. You may spend the points above or advantage 
  points (from any list) on one of these Talents. You cannot have more 
  than one without GM permission, and it is limited to the usual four lev-
  els. You may also learn the Easy Refill perk, which allows you to use your 
  core skill to refill your mana reserve.
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  9
  Background Skills: Remove Computer Operation. Add Chem-
  istry or Pharmacy (Synthetic), both (H) IQ-2 [1]-12, to  
  the options.
  * If Mathematical Ability is taken as an advantage, the 
  magician can shift points out of this skill to spend on other 
  template skills, as long as its relative level remains at IQ  
  or better.
  oCCultist
  see Sidekicks, p. 13
  In a scientific game, consider renaming this template “the-
  orist” or “xenologist.” In addition, the supernatural flavor of 
  the available Contact Group and Contacts needs to change:
  Advantages: In the second section, delete the existing Contact 
  Group and Contacts and replace them with Contact Group 
  (Research team, tinfoil hat club, etc.; Skill-12, 15, or 18; 
  9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [5, 10, or 15] and Contacts 
  (Mole, scientist, etc.; Skill-12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Usually 
  Reliable) [2, 4, or 6].
  psi
  see Champions, p. 14
  Even more so than the crusader (pp. 6-7), the psi is 
  dependent upon his powers. This is thus a valid champion 
  type only if the GM allows psionics in the game (Decisions, 
  Decisions, pp. 3-4). Of course, psi has long been a science- 
  fiction staple – a way for authors to give their characters 
  magical powers without breaking genre – which means it 
  can fit even a non-supernatural setting without requiring 
  too much suspension of disbelief. If spirits do not exist, note 
  that both Spirit Channeling and Spirit Communication (both 
  Champions, p. 46) become inappropriate abilities.
  Including aliens (see Chapter 3) into the mix adds some 
  interesting options. Specifically, what if the psi received 
  his powers via alien augmentation? In effect, he’d be an 
  experiment (p. 7), but with psionics rather than Bioen-
  hancement. This variant power (Alien Psionics) uses the four 
  standard psionic Talents (Champions, p. 48) and psionic 
  abilities and skills (Champions, pp. 45-48), but has a new 
  power modifier (Alien Psionics, -10%) that works identically 
  to New Power Modifier: Alien Bioenhancement (p. 7). In brief, 
  the psi completely ignores human Anti-Psi and psychotron-
  ics, but must take the aliens as a -5-point Enemy (Watcher) 
  who may show up to interfere any time he causes them even 
  indirect problems.
  sAGe
  see Champions, p. 15
  The sage is an important role in any monster-hunting set-
  ting, whether the foes are magical mummies or angry aliens. 
  But as written, the template is a mix of knowledge, combat, 
  and magic – and the latter can cause problems in a game 
  where magic doesn’t exist (Decisions, Decisions, pp. 3-4). 
  Even if magic exists, but has been switched to technomagic 
  (see Chapter 2), the sage needs a few minor tweaks to use it.
  Fortunately, with just a bit of work – and one of the 
  following 0-point lenses – it’s possible to change the sage 
  template, either by altering the type of magic he uses or by 
  eliminating the focus on magic and replacing it with a differ-
  ent emphasis altogether.
  More psyCHotroniCs
  By default, these new devices (all from GURPS Psi-
  Tech) are not available to starting PCs, but instead repre-
  sent alien technology, inventions of a dark conspiracy, or 
  both. The heroes may be able to obtain them by defeat-
  ing said foes and looting their stuff, but see Technology 
  (pp. 25-26).
  Fear Extractor: A heavy weapon, often mounted on a 
  vehicle or tripod, that releases subconscious fears. When 
  fired, everyone within five yards of the impact point must 
  make a Fright Check at -4; in addition to the usual modi-
  fiers, Mind Shield and Resistant to Psionics both provide 
  bonuses. Repeated attacks within a 24-hour period give a 
  cumulative +3 to resist. Victims who fail the Fright Check 
  must make an additional check every time they go to sleep, 
  for the next 1d nights.
  Jump Beacon: Weakens space-time in a 500-yard 
  radius, giving teleporters (including psychoportation 
  users; see p. 30-31) +4 on all rolls to teleport into the area. 
  As a minor side effect, teleporters within five yards of the 
  device are at -2 to teleport away. Runs on batteries (12 
  hours) or external power. $40,000, 30 lbs.
  Null-Field Generator. Disrupts all psi within a 10-yard 
  radius of the device, as though affected by Psi Static 
  (p. B78). Affects both psis within the field and psis 
  attempting to affect anyone or anything within it. Runs 
  on batteries (one week) or external power. $50,000, 10 lbs.
  Psi-Impeder Helmet. Makes it impossible for the wearer 
  to use psi. Also protects the skull with DR 8. Runs on bat-
  teries (one week). $1,250, 3 lbs.
  Trance: This psi drug lowers a person’s natural psi 
  resistance. Each dose (up to three) gives -2 to any Will 
  (not HT) roll he makes to resist psionics, for the next six 
  hours. However, the subject must roll HT+3, at -1 per dose 
  past the first, or suffer injury equal to his margin of failure 
  and lapse into a coma! $15/dose, neg.
  GUNNER (BEAMS) (DX‑4, or other Gunner‑4)
   Weapon 
  Damage 
  Acc 
  Range 
  Weight RoF 
  Shots 
  ST 
  Bulk 
  Rcl 
  Cost
   Fear Extractor 
  spec. (5-yd.) 18 
  500 
  60 
  1 
  12(5) 
  15M† 
  -8 
  1 
  $80,000
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  10
  Handy Sage
  You are a skilled engineer, technician, and/or mechanic. 
  If there’s a dedicated techie on the team, you back him up 
  with assistance; if not, you fill that support role for the team 
  as well.
  Advantages*: Remove Magery 3 from the first list. Replace 
  the third list (“Another 20 points chosen from among 
  ST . . .”) with: Another 30 points chosen from ST +1 
  or +2 [10/level], Artificer [10/level], Born to Be Wired 
  (p. 11) [5/level], Contact Group (Online community, etc.; 
  Skill-12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [5, 10, 
  or 15], Contacts (Engineer, hacker, etc.; Skill-12, 15, or 
  18; 9 or less; Usually Reliable) [2, 4, or 6], High Manual 
  Dexterity [5/level], Languages [2-6/language], Signature 
  Gear [Varies], or Versatile [5]. In the fourth list (“A fur-
  ther 25 points chosen from among DX . . .”), spend 50 
  points instead of 25.
  Primary Skills: Replace this entire section with: Computer 
  Operation (E) IQ [1]-16; Mathematics (Applied) (H) IQ-2 
  [1]-14; and Scrounging (E) Per [1]-16. • One of Esoteric 
  Medicine (H) Per-1 [2]-15; First-Aid (E) IQ+1 [2]-17; or 
  Physician (H) IQ-1 [2]-15. • Seven of Stealth (A) DX+1 
  [4]-14; Armoury (Body Armor, Melee Weapons, Missile 
  Weapons, or Small Arms), Electronics Operation (Comm, 
  Psychotronics, Scientific, or Security), Electronics Repair 
  (Comm, Computers, Psychotronics, Scientific, or Secu-
  rity), Hazardous Materials (any), Mechanic (Automobile, 
  Clockwork, Gasoline Engine, Motorcycle, or Wheeled), 
  or Photography, all (A) IQ+1 [4]-17; Diagnosis, Engineer 
  (Automobiles, Electrical, Electronics, Psychotronics, or 
  Small Arms), or Naturalist, all (H) IQ [4]-16; Physics, Sur-
  gery, or Weird Science, all (VH) IQ-1 [4]-15; or spend 4 
  points for +1 to an existing skill.
  Background Skills: Remove Computer Operation and 
  Scrounging from the list of options. Take eight skills 
  instead of seven.
  * At the GM’s option, you can instead remove Magery 3, 
  take Quick Gadgeteer [50] and Versatile [5], and then spend a 
  total of 25 points on advantages from this lens and the fourth 
  list of the sage template. This is only recommended if there is 
  no techie in the group, however, to preserve niche protection.
  Holy Sage
  You are empowered not by magical skill, but by your con-
  nection to a higher power. Unlike the crusader (pp. 6-7), who 
  wields miraculous force directly, you rely upon more subtle 
  blessings, like the brother (p. 6).
  Attributes: Raise ST to 13 [30] and HT to 13 [30].
  Secondary Characteristics: HP becomes 17 [8], but Basic 
  Speed remains 7.00 [10].
  Advantages: Remove Magery 3 from the first list. Replace 
  the third list (“Another 20 points chosen from among ST 
  . . .”) with: Another 20 points chosen from ST +1 or +2 
  [10/level], Blessed [Varies], Clerical Investment [5], Con-
  tact Group (Clergy, etc.; Skill-12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Some-
  what Reliable) [5, 10, or 15]; Contacts (Engineer, hacker, 
  etc.; Skill-12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Usually Reliable) [2, 4, 
  or 6], Languages [2-6/language], Higher Purpose (Defend 
  the Faith) [5], Serendipity [15/level], True Faith [15], 
  or improve Luck [15] to Extraordinary Luck [30] for 15 
  points. In the fourth list (“A further 25 points chosen from 
  among DX . . .”), spend 50 points instead of 25.
  Disadvantages: You may choose from the crusader’s list  
  as well.
  Primary Skills: Replace this entire section with: Esoteric 
  Medicine (H) Per-1 [2]-15 and Theology (Abrahamic, 
  Shamanic, or Voodoo) (H) IQ-1 [2]-15. • Seven of Stealth 
  (A) DX [2]-13; Armoury (Melee Weapons or Small Arms), 
  Electronics Operation (Psychotronics), Hazardous Mate-
  rials (any), Photography, or Public Speaking, all (A) IQ 
  [2]-16; Diagnosis, Naturalist, Pharmacy (Herbal)*, or Reli-
  gious Ritual (same as Theology), all (H) IQ-1 [2]-15; Sur-
  gery (VH) IQ-2 [2]-14; Exorcism or Meditation, both (H) 
  Will-1 [2]-15; or spend 2 points for +1 to an existing skill.
  Background Skills: Take eight skills instead of seven.
  * Requires Naturalist prerequisite.
  Slayer Sage
  Unlike your more academic brethren, you have honed 
  your martial prowess nearly as much as you’ve focused 
  your brilliant mind. Your greatest value is still in pro-
  viding details and insight regarding The Enemy, but you  
  are on the front line when it comes time to dispatch them.
  NBC Suit
  This full-body suit prevents contact agents – like Insectoid 
  venom (see pp. 32-33) – from reaching the user’s skin. It can 
  be worn discreetly under clothing, but the gas mask must 
  be snapped into place (three consecutive Ready maneuvers; 
  one to remove) to protect against area effects. The suit  
  and mask are disposable, becoming unreliable after 72 
  hours. Because the NBC Suit skill is not used in Monster 
  Hunters, assume that the suit gives a flat -1 to DX and 
  DX-based skills, doubled to -2 if layered with other pro-
  tective clothing (Champions, p. 55). The mask gives Fil-
  ter Lungs, Immunity to Eye/Nose Irritants, No Peripheral 
  Vision, and No Sense of Smell/Taste (which makes Discrim-
  inatory Smell useless!) when in place. DR 1*, $200, 4.5 lbs.
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  11
  Attributes: Raise ST to 13 [30], DX to 14 [80], and HT to 13 
  [30].
  Secondary Characteristics: HP becomes 17 [8], but Basic 
  Speed remains 7.00 [5].
  Advantages: In the first list, replace Magery 3 with High Pain 
  Threshold [10]. Delete the third list (“Another 20 points 
  chosen from among ST . . .”) completely. In the fourth list 
  (“A further 25 points chosen from among DX . . .”), spend 
  45 points instead of 25 – and add the options ST +1 or +2 
  [10/level] and Contacts (Other hunters, etc.; Skill-12, 15, or 
  18; 9 or less; Usually Reliable) [2, 4, or 6].
  Primary Skills: Replace this entire section with: One of Eso-
  teric Medicine (H) Per-1 [2]-15; First-Aid (E) IQ+1 [2]-17; 
  or Physician (H) IQ-1 [2]-15. • Five of Forced Entry (E) 
  DX+1 [2]-15; Climbing or Stealth, both (A) DX [2]-14; 
  Armoury (Melee Weapons or Small Arms), Electronics 
  Operation (Psychotronics), Hazardous Materials (any), 
  Photography, or Soldier, all (A) IQ [2]-16; Diagnosis, Nat-
  uralist, or Tactics, all (H) IQ-1 [2]-15; Surgery (VH) IQ-2 
  [2]-14; Tracking (A) Per [2]-16; or spend 2 points for +1 to 
  an existing skill.
  Secondary Skills: Spend another 2 points on your striking 
  skill in the first list (for +1 to skill). Spend another 4 points 
  on your grappling skill in the second list (for +1 to skill).
  Background Skills: Take eight skills instead of seven.
  Technosage
  Rather than being trained in abstract Hermetic ritual-
  ism, you use technomagic to hack your way into reality. 
  Your Signature Gear is just as likely to be powerful comput-
  ers (p. 20) as anything else, and your mundane skills include 
  almost as much modern electronics knowledge as occult lore.
  Advantages: In the third list (“Another 20 points chosen from 
  among ST . . .”), add the options of Born to Be Wired 
  (below) [5/level], Lightning Calculator [2] or Intuitive 
  Mathematician [5], Mathematical Ability [10/level], Over-
  clocked (p. 20) [1], or Quick-Sheathe (Device) (Limits on 
  Scripts, pp. 17-18) [1].
  Primary Skills: Replace this entire section with: Computer 
  Operation (E) IQ [1]-16; Computer Programming (H) IQ-1 
  [2]-15; and Mathematics (Applied)* (H) IQ [4]-16. • Choose 
  four Path skills, each (VH) IQ-1 [4]-15; take the five other 
  Paths at (VH) IQ-3 [1]-13. • Six of Fast-Draw (Device)  
  (Limits on Scripts, pp. 17-18) (E) DX [1]-13; Stealth (A) 
  DX-1 [1]-12; First Aid (E) IQ [1]-16; Armoury (Melee Weap-
  ons or Small Arms), Electronics Operation (Psychotron-
  ics), Electronics Repair (Computers), Hazardous Materials 
  (any), Hidden Lore (Sacred Places), or Photography, all (A) 
  IQ-1 [1]-15; Archaeology, Engineer (Electronics), Diagno-
  sis, Naturalist, or Physician, all (H) IQ-2 [1]-14; Alchemy, 
  Computer Hacking, Physics, Surgery, or Thaumatology, all 
  (VH) IQ-3 [1]-13; Breath Control (H) HT-2 [1]-10; or Eso-
  teric Medicine (H) Per-2 [1]-14.
  Background Skills: Remove Computer Operation. Add Phar-
  macy (Synthetic) (H) IQ-2 [1]-14 to the options. Add the 
  option to spend 1 point to raise any existing primary skill 
  choice by one level.
  * If Mathematical Ability is taken as an advantage, the sage 
  can shift points out of this skill to spend on other template 
  skills, as long as its level remains at IQ or better.
  teCHie
  see Champions, p. 18
  The techie is a natural fit for a scientific game – so much so, 
  that the GM may even require one in the group! However, he 
  cannot build or acquire any esoteric gear that does not exist in 
  the campaign. For example, if psi doesn’t exist, then a techie 
  cannot make psychotronics (and should not take psychotronic 
  skills), regardless of how talented he is.
  In a game with technomagic (see Chapter 2), the techie and 
  witch are an amazing pair, as the former can turn many sim-
  ple electronics (e.g., a smart TV or game console) into com-
  puters with a high enough Complexity for the latter to compile 
  programs on. The GM may need to make frequent rulings on, 
  say, the effective Complexity of an upgraded digital thermo-
  stat; when in doubt, err on the side of awesome.
  wArrior
  see Champions, p. 19
  Although the warrior has some arguably “supernatu-
  ral” abilities in the form of cinematic martial skills such as 
  Immovable Stance and Power Blow, their effects are under-
  stated enough to escape notice unless under intense scrutiny.
  If there is a concern regarding this template, it’s that an 
  influx of ultra-tech weapons may render the damage done by 
  the warrior obsolete. Futuristic melee weapons (e.g., monow-
  ire swords) can help close this gap, but another option is to 
  add the lens below, which trades breadth of skill for depth. 
  Removing the wildcard Blade! and narrowing Weapon Master 
  takes away much of the warrior’s versatility, but this is made 
  up for with higher DX and much higher specific skills, allow-
  ing for precision hits and dazzling Deceptive Attacks.
  Focused Warrior
  Rather than being skilled with every weapon, you have a 
  single type that you focus on. Though you lack hyper-compe-
  tency (Champions, p. 28), you have excellent Luck, which you 
  save to offset the occasional bad roll in a fight.
  Attributes: Raise DX to 16 [120].
  Secondary Characteristics: Basic Speed becomes 7.50 [0]. 
  Consider raising this to a round 8.00 with advantage points 
  or lowering it to 7.00 as a disadvantage, as there’s little ben-
  efit from fractional Speed.
  Advantages: Replace Luck with Extraordinary Luck (Aspected, 
  Combat, -20%) [24]. Change Weapon Master to (One 
  Weapon) [20]. In the third list (“Another 35 points chosen 
  from among ST . . .”), add: improved Basic Speed [Varies] 
  and Weapon Master (additional weapons) [Varies].
  Born to Be Wired
  This Talent (from Sidekicks, p. 8) benefits Com-
  puter Hacking, Computer Operation, Computer Pro-
  gramming. Electronics Repair (Computers) and – in 
  games that use them – Cryptography and Expert Skill 
  (Computer Security). Reaction bonus: hackers, people 
  buying stock in your dot-com. 5 points/level.
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  12
  Disadvantages: Add reduced Basic Speed [Varies] to the 
  options.
  Wildcard Skills: Delete this section.
  Primary Skills: Spend twice as much on each skill in your 
  ranged-attack package (for +1 to each skill). Add: One of 
  Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, Spear, 
  Two-Handed Axe/Mace, or Two-Handed Sword, all (A) 
  DX+4 [16]-20. • Either Knife (E) DX+2 [4]-18 or an uncho-
  sen skill from the previous list at (A) DX+1 [4]-17.
  Secondary Skills: In the second list (“Two of Axe/Mace . . .”), 
  do not select weapon skills with both choices; at least one 
  should be a cinematic skill. In the third list (“Five of Forced 
  Entry . . .”), choose four skills instead of five.
  witCH
  see Champions, p. 20
  Unlike the sage (pp. 9-11), the witch is inextricably tied to 
  the art of magic; if spellcasting does not suit the setting, the 
  witch is not a viable champion. However, if technomagic (see 
  Chapter 2) is on the table, it is easy to convert the standard 
  witch into a potent technomancer:
  Advantages: In the third list (“Another 20 points chosen from 
  among FP . . .”), add the options of Born to Be Wired (p. 11) 
  [5/level], Eidetic Memory [5] or Photographic Memory 
  [10], Equipment Bond (any computer) [1/item], Lightning 
  Calculator [2] or Intuitive Mathematician [5], Mathemat-
  ical Ability [10/level], Overclocked (p. 12) [1], or Quick-
  Sheathe (Device) (Limits on Scripts, pp. 17-18) [1].
  Primary Skills: Replace this entire section with: Computer 
  Operation (E) IQ [1]-16; Computer Programming (H) IQ+1 
  [8]-17; Mathematics (Applied)* (H) IQ [4]-16; and Occult-
  ism (A) IQ-1 [1]-15. • Choose one Path skill at (VH) IQ+1 
  [12]-17; another Path at (VH) IQ [8]-16; two more Paths 
  at (VH) IQ-1 [4]-15; and the remaining five Paths at (VH) 
  IQ-3 [1]-13. • 6 points spent on any non-witch-related 
  skills from Know Thy Enemy (Champions, p. 16). • Two of 
  Fast-Draw (Device) (Limits on Scripts, pp. 17-18) or Innate 
  Attack (any), both (E) DX [1]-12; Electronics Repair (Com-
  puters), Hidden Lore (Sacred Places), or Research, all (A) 
  IQ-1 [1]-15; Archaeology or Engineer (Electronics), both 
  (H) IQ-2 [1]-14; Alchemy, Computer Hacking, Physics, or 
  Thaumatology, all (VH) IQ-3 [1]-13; or Breath Control (H) 
  HT-2 [1]-10.
  Secondary Skills: Delete Research.
  Background Skills: Delete Computer Operation. Add Phar-
  macy (Synthetic) (H) IQ-2 [1]-14 to the options. You may 
  also take any unchosen primary skill, or spend 1 point to 
  raise any existing 1-point primary skill choice by one level.
  * If Mathematical Ability is taken as an advantage, the 
  witch can shift points out of this skill to spend on other tem-
  plate skills, as long as its level remains at IQ or better.
  CAMpAiGn types
  In addition to the six campaign types presented on pp. 5-6 
  of GURPS Monster Hunters 1: Champions (and fleshed out 
  in GURPS Monsters Hunters 2: The Mission, pp. 35-37), a 
  few concepts are particularly suited to games featuring aliens 
  and conspiracies that go all the way to the top rung (of the gov-
  ernment, military, corporations, or what have you). Slightly 
  reworked, these can fit even a purely supernatural game; e.g., 
  instead of secretly relocating alien immigrants, perhaps the 
  government knows about vampires and sets up “bloodsucker 
  ghettos” in half-abandoned cities.
  DefenDers of eArtH
  One or more alien races aren’t content to simply explore 
  and exploit our planet; they plan to take it over! The cam-
  paign may begin with the PCs just beginning to realize that 
  something’s wrong, having full knowledge of the upcoming 
  siege (including who’s invading and why), or anywhere in 
  between. The less they know initially, the more early adven-
  tures should focus on learning the truth about what’s about 
  to happen.
  Any combination of lens and template can work here, 
  though the gaming group should decide early on whether the 
  PCs work for an organization. If so, will the agency believe 
  them and back them in this fight, will they have to go to 
  lengths to convince their bosses first, or do they have to act 
  “off the books” while avoiding being caught? (In the last case, 
  instead of taking a Patron, it makes more sense to take an 
  Enemy with the Watcher option.) While alien PCs may seem 
  problematic – particularly those from one of the races invad-
  ing Earth! – remember that inhumans are seen as traitors to 
  their race and thus will not have any inside information.
  1,500 years ago, everybody knew the Earth was the center of  
  the universe. 500 years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat.  
  And 15 minutes ago, you knew that people were alone on this planet. 
  Imagine what you’ll know tomorrow.
  – Agent K, in Men in Black
  
   
  tHe sCientifiC elite 
  13
  Assume that the invaders’ plan is subtle and long-term; 
  they won’t just be showing up in saucers and blasting human-
  ity. This isn’t just for dramatic purposes; realistically, even the 
  most well-equipped invasion force would suffer significant 
  losses in an open conflict. Thus, they are sending advance 
  soldiers to scout Earth and to hide weapon and equipment 
  caches for the inevitable day of reckoning. The PCs may stum-
  ble across this prepositioned tech . . . but so may others, which 
  can justify the government, a shadowy corporation, or even 
  normal two-bit criminals wielding alien gear!
  interstellAr iMMiGrAnts
  At least one government is fully aware of the exis-
  tence of aliens but has chosen to keep the secret by  
  literally containing the issue. A large, isolated, urban 
  area – probably a small city, but possibly the ghetto of 
  a much larger city if “sensible people” know to stay 
  out of it – has been turned into living space for one 
  or more alien races (masked by morphology inducers, 
  pp. 25-26). By definition, these races must be at least 
  nominally peaceful, which may necessitate toning down 
  a few of the racial disadvantages. These shouldn’t be 
  removed, however, only lessened (e.g., the Reptoids 
  don’t insist on eating sapient beings, they just prefer it); 
  this will reduce open conflict but produce an undercur-
  rent of resentment, likely leading to black markets and 
  criminal behavior.
  This campaign assumes that the PCs are all inhu-
  man aliens, of whatever race(s) are living in this new 
  community, trying to keep a lid on problems within 
  the community. They understand that if word gets out 
  to the government that something’s wrong, the Men in 
  Black are likely to step in and eliminate not only who-
  ever was causing the problem but also anyone even 
  remotely related to the situation (even the victims), just 
  to be safe. Any template fits; for motivational lenses, 
  both law enforcement and operative assume that the 
  champion works for a local, alien organization, not a 
  terrestrial one.
  Alternatively, this campaign can be flipped around so 
  that the heroes are (mostly) human agents working to 
  keep peace within this alien community. Individuals go 
  rogue, fleeing into the general populace to cause prob-
  lems. Criminal groups form, engaging in anything from 
  drug smuggling to human trafficking. Humans who 
  know The Truth infiltrate the ghetto to assault innocent 
  aliens. The champions – who are probably law enforce-
  ment, operatives, or soldiers – are the only ones with 
  the clearance and skills to stop these atrocities and keep 
  things from spiraling out of control.
  spACe Cops
  When aliens start causing trouble on other planets, 
  someone has to reign them in. Our heroes hunt danger-
  ous and/or criminal aliens, working for either an inter-
  stellar peacekeeping force or a human-run terrestrial 
  organization that knows The Truth. Either group may 
  employ a mix of humans and aliens, though the percent-
  age of humans will be much higher in the latter than in 
  the former.
  The operative lens may be ubiquitous – or the GM can 
  allow any motivational lens but insist that a certain level of 
  Patron must be purchased using advantage points from each 
  character’s lens and/or template. Any type of champion fits; 
  teams will need a mix of brains, brawn, and social skill to 
  figure out what’s actually going on and then resolve the sit-
  uation. Not every adventure will necessarily end in a blood-
  bath, as most intelligent aliens don’t want to die needlessly; 
  all of the options from Confrontation (The Mission, pp. 14-17) 
  should come up regularly.
  tHe seCreCy pArADox
  Monster Hunters takes for granted that the existence of 
  monsters is a secret . . . and must remain so, lest would-be 
  heroes decide to take matters into their own hands (and die 
  trying). However, the series also recommends setting up dark 
  conspiracies (see p. 39 and The Mission, pp. 34-35), which 
  requires that at least some people be aware of The Truth!
  This is not the paradox that it seems. Monster Hunters 
  assumes that the general public (which includes most local 
  authorities and law enforcement) is in the dark, while many 
  people in the shadowy underworld (where the paranormal is 
  taken seriously) know The Truth. As for the ruling class – the 
  people at the top rung of our governments, corporate con-
  glomerates, and so on – there’s wiggle room in deciding what 
  they know:
  • Nothing. The champions are the only ones who know 
  what’s going on! They must defend the world from threats 
  that nobody believes in. The GM should specify how easily 
  the secret can be exposed, from “just take minimal pre-
  cautions and you’re fine” to “every slip-up may destroy the 
  charade completely.”
  • Very little. The people in power know just enough to 
  be dangerous. They may send their own (underinformed) 
  teams into dangerous situations, track down the hunters to 
  demand answers, and so on; this will invariably make the 
  situation worse.
  • A lot. Those in charge aren’t as experienced as the heroes 
  but they have their own protocols and hunter teams (all off-
  the-books). The PCs may work for a government or corpo-
  ration; if not, these sponsored teams will likely be rivals and 
  annoyances. At this level, even a few local authorities (e.g., 
  state sheriffs and Bureau of Investigation directors) will 
  know The Truth.
  • Almost everything. Only the man on the street is igno-
  rant; the people running things know what’s going on. 
  Whether officially or not, the champions are working with 
  the 1% to protect the remaining 99%. A cover-up this massive 
  is already a conspiracy, but further “dark conspiracies” con-
  tinue to exist, representing alliances between individuals and 
  special-interest groups.
  The GM should inform the players of his decision. No 
  matter the choice, there will be outliers, of course! Even if 
  the ruling class is deemed completely unaware, a handful of 
  politicians and CEOs will know The Truth. And in a world 
  with an informed government, there will be some deniers 
  who insist that it’s a hoax.
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  14
   Just as they had feared, the cavern was completely deserted. 
  Danielle cursed and kicked a rock. Samantha hung back a bit, 
  obviously feeling awkward.
  Everett looked around carefully. “They left recently,” he 
  pointed out. “At the locations where their lights were, there’s still 
  residual heat within the rock.”
  Scott returned from his hasty recon. “Well, that’s a problem. 
  There are eight other tunnels leading out of here, and if they’re 
  anywhere near as long as the one we came down, it’ll take us at 
  least an hour to check each one. And I don’t think splitting up 
  is a good idea.”
  Brad started drawing a circle in the dirt. “Give me a few min-
  utes and I’ll see what kind of spell I can come up with.”
  “Uh . . . Brad?” Samantha quietly interrupted. “A spell to find 
  the nearest Reptoids?” When Brad nodded, she continued, “You 
  don’t have to do all that. I have one here.”
  As Brad paused, confused, Samantha pulled out her tablet 
  and scrolled through her apps before touching the one she was 
  looking for. The screen lit up brightly, as ancient symbols traced 
  themselves on the display and the tiny speakers looped a chant. 
  A moment later, the screen went blank . . . and then displayed an 
  arrow pointing due east.
  After a moment, Anna broke the silence. “Wait, you’re a magi-
  cian? Why didn’t you say so?”
  Samantha looked genuinely confused. “Because I’m not. My 
  friend Pamela is. She always makes sure I have useful programs 
  on this thing.”
  At heart, magic is about the imposition of willpower upon 
  the universe, temporarily overriding the natural laws of cau-
  sality and physics to accomplish something specific. Most 
  casters take this literally and learn to focus and channel their 
  mental “force,” essentially turning each spell into a psychic 
  wrestling match between themselves and reality. But some 
  have learned to harness the power of technology – specifically, 
  of digital computing.
  With the right programming, a TL8+ computer puts meat-
  brains to shame when it comes to precise calculations and 
  sheer processing power. If a spell requires a particular mantra, 
  a thaumatologically enhanced processor can repeat that man-
  tra a millionfold in the time it takes a human caster to intone 
  it once. Where ritual symbols must be drawn with care, a 
  high-definition screen can use vector graphics to display them 
  without error. Of course, a computer is only as good as its 
  programmer, which is where the technomage comes in. Less 
  “sorcerer” and more “coder who thinks outside the box,” these 
  versatile mages in the vein of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Jenny 
  Calendar or The Laundry Files’ “Bob” Howard don’t technically 
  cast spells, but instead enable their machines to do it for them.
  In some ways, technomages are more limited than stan-
  dard sages and witches, as they depend greatly upon their 
  computing devices; without at least a smartphone or similar 
  device, technomagic is laborious, slow, and weak. However, 
  technomages can rack up impressive bonuses from gear; their 
  spell-scripts are easily shared with others; and, unlike normal 
  conditional spells, many of their ritual programs can be run 
  (cast) more than once before expiring.
  This chapter focuses on the differences between tech-
  nomagic and standard Ritual Path magic, as described in 
  GURPS Monster Hunters 1: Champions (and later expanded 
  upon in GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic). Assume 
  that anything not covered herein is unchanged from the exist-
  ing system.
  tHe teCHnoMAGe
  A practitioner of technomagic uses the same Path skills 
  (Champions, pp. 32-33) as his more traditional peers, but 
  approaches magic from a fundamentally different perspective. 
  In particular, he does not need to learn Thaumatology, but 
  must replace it with two rather different skills:
  Mathematics (Applied): Understanding how specific thau-
  matological subroutines can affect the real world requires a 
  precise understanding of applied mathematics. This is not 
  considered a core skill – it has no direct effect on Path skills or 
  spellcasting except when hand-coding (p. 19) – but it must be 
  known at IQ level or better to work any technomagic.
  Computer Programming: This is the core skill of technomagic; 
  no Path skill can ever exceed Computer Programming. (Path 
  skills are also limited to no greater than 12+Magery, as usual.) 
  While all spellcasting rolls are technically “computer pro-
  gramming” rolls, they’re made against one of the Path skills, 
  reflecting the caster’s knowledge of how to code that particular 
  magical effect. In contrast to Mathematics (Applied), there is 
  no minimum Computer Programming skill required to work 
  technomagic; as long as at least a single point has been spent 
  on it, it is possible to begin casting spells. (Whether they’re 
  successful or not is another matter, of course.)
  The above skills are the only ones required to work tech-
  nomagic. Not even Path skills are strictly necessary, as all 
  Paths default to Computer Programming at -6. Any Paths 
  so defaulted cannot exceed a skill of 12, however, which is 
  why any serious technomage will also learn several Paths. 
  CHApter two
  teCHnoMAGiC
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  15
  Whether these are the same Paths that standard Ritual Path 
  magicians use is a campaign decision; see Dual-Casting (p. 23).
  In addition to the mandatory skills above, the following 
  optional skills are commonly found among technomages. 
  Those marked with a * are not normally useful in a Monster 
  Hunters game, but are listed here for the benefit of those 
  using this system in a different campaign.
  Computer Hacking or Expert Skill (Computer Security)*: 
  In many ways, technomagic is just “hacking reality”; thus, 
  the ability to hack into other computers is very common 
  among technomages.
  Computer Operation: This is nearly ubiquitous among tech-
  nomages. It is also a very useful skill for those who will benefit 
  from their interactive scripts (p. 17).
  Cryptography* and Mathematics (Cryptology)*: A natural 
  expansion of applied computer skills, especially for those 
  focused on eking out as many processing cycles as possible.
  Electronics Repair (Computers) and Engineer (Electronics): 
  The ability to design new systems and repair those that break 
  allows a technomage to be more self-reliant. For some specific 
  uses, see Mods and Hacks (p. 22).
  Mathematics (Computer Science)*: Most technomages have 
  a high enough Computer Programming skill to rely on the 
  default, but a few learn this specifically.
  Physics: Purists insist that this skill is as 
  mandatory as Mathematics (Applied). While 
  this is not game-mechanically true, it is the 
  intersection of mathematics and physics 
  that underpins a technomage’s programs. 
  Thus, as an optional rule, the GM may pull 
  the minimum Mathematics (Applied) back 
  to IQ-1,while adding Physics at IQ-2 or 
  better as a co-requirement. This is always 
  general Physics; none of the specialties (not 
  even Paraphysics) are broad enough to cover 
  the complexities of technomagic.
  Thaumatology: Though it does not fac-
  tor into their spellcasting at all, this skill is 
  still useful to technomages for its theoret-
  ical knowledge. A successful roll against 
  Thaumatology can answer most questions about magic, 
  regardless of the method used to cast it. As the same cannot be 
  said about Computer Programming or Mathematics (Applied), 
  this remains the skill of choice for mage-hunters, and is very 
  common among even the most progressive technomages.
  BeyonD skills
  All magical advantages – including Magery, Magic Resis-
  tance, Ritual Adept, and the Ritual Mastery perk – give the 
  same benefits to technomages as they do to traditional Rit-
  ual Path casters. For obvious reasons, the Talents of Born 
  to Be Wired (p. 11) and Mathematical Ability (p. B90) are 
  very common.
  Lightning Calculator and Intuitive Mathematician are 
  invaluable for the caster who has to hand-code (p. 19). These 
  fit the system so well, in fact, that as an optional rule, the GM 
  may declare that Intuitive Mathematician gives the same ben-
  efit as Magery 0 (avoiding the usual -5) for technomagic only, 
  while Lightning Calculator reduces that penalty to just -3. If 
  so, there is no special magical benefit to possessing Magery 
  and one of these advantages; this rule exists mainly to justify 
  potent NPC dabblers who lack Magery.
  HACkinG reAlity
  Magic makes frequent use of the Law of Sympathy; a caster 
  does something ritualistically so that the universe will echo 
  the action elsewhere. A traditional caster might “slash” his 
  hand with a dull knife, inflicting real, grievous wounds on a 
  victim. Or he will focus on “scorching thoughts,” igniting a 
  mental fire within himself until the book he’s staring at bursts 
  into actual flames.
  Technomagic relies even more heavily upon this law, by 
  first creating a virtual description of reality within a program 
  and then hacking that reality to produce a desired effect. This 
  is typically repeated millions of times, until the program has 
  built up enough of a “mana charge” to produce an actual 
  change in the world. A certain amount of this can be prepro-
  grammed – in particular, the initial simulation of the world 
  is always done using a combination of established “libraries” 
  (prewritten code packages) – but there’s no way to create a 
  set of libraries large enough to cover a wide range of magi-
  cal effects without also bloating the code so much as to make 
  it worthless. Thus, half the skill of a technomage is knowing 
  which libraries to import, how to relate them, and which func-
  tions and subroutines to use . . . while the other half is the 
  ability to adapt these things and create custom functions to 
  suit the specific needs of each ritual.
  There are three primary methods of programming a spell. 
  From most commonly used to least, they are:
  • Creating a programmed script (pp. 16-18) in advance, for 
  later use in the field.
  • Whipping up an on-the-fly ritual (pp. 18-19) when noth-
  ing already prepared will work.
  • Manually hand-coding (p. 19) when deprived of useful 
  gear.
  JArGon
  This chapter throws around a lot of computer and programming termi-
  nology, primarily to add flavor and verisimilitude. Of course, not everyone 
  is familiar with this field of technology, so it’s important to separate the 
  terms that do need to be understood (e.g., tablet, flash drive, and program) 
  from those that are simply flavor.
  Any word or phrase in the following list can be ignored if you are unfa-
  miliar with it. All other jargon actually matters; if you don’t know what it 
  is, you’ll want to look it up!
  API, app, array, bloated code, compiling, constant, debugging, function, 
  interpreter, library, runtime environment, subroutine, vector graphics.
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  16
  The first two options require a Complexity 3+ computer 
  running a thaumatological coding suite (TCS); see Hardware 
  and Software (pp. 20-22) for details. The third requires noth-
  ing more than time – though standard mathematical tools 
  (paper and pencil, a slide rule, a scientific calculator, etc.) 
  help tremendously.
  In all cases, use the standard Ritual Path magic rules to 
  determine the energy cost of the spell and which Path to use 
  as the casting (“coding”) skill. Note that non-adepts are lim-
  ited as usual (Champions, p. 36) by connection, consecrated 
  space, time, and Magery.
  As much as possible, spells should be explained in terms of 
  how the magical effect interacts with the computer on which 
  it’s running (like the on-screen tracking beacon in the vignette 
  on p. 14). This is flavor, however, and can be ignored if it truly 
  doesn’t fit a spell. If the GM wants to make this an important 
  part of technomagic, he can give a modest energy discount 
  (-5% to -10% at the most) for spells described in ways that 
  make sense as computer-assisted rituals.
  proGrAMMeD sCripts
  A carefully crafted program is a technomage’s best friend. 
  Programmed scripts can be written well ahead of time, which 
  makes them incredibly reliable, but also means that the caster 
  has to make his best guess about what his future magical needs 
  will be. A hard drive full of anti-undead scripts may seem like 
  a good idea when facing vampires . . . until you discover too 
  late that they’re actually “goth” cultists summoning demons!
  All programmed scripts must include an extra Lesser Con-
  trol Magic effect, as they are the technomage’s version of 
  charms. Once the energy cost and Path skill are determined 
  for a given spell, coding it as a script is done in a series of steps:
  1. The caster launches the thaumatological coding suite 
  (Software, pp. 21-22) and sets up the APIs, libraries, user inter-
  face, etc. – optimizing these things for the spell in question. 
  This takes a flat 60 minutes if he gives the script the option of 
  being run interactively (p. 17), 15 minutes if not.
  2. The caster begins writing custom subroutines while 
  testing and debugging the program. Treat this exactly as 
  Gathering Ambient Energy (Champions, p. 36), with each roll 
  against Path skill counting as five seconds (or five minutes for 
  non-adepts) of effort. This gathered energy represents poten-
  tial energy, to be released when the script is actually run. A 
  critical failure at this point reflects a misprogrammed version 
  of the spell being accidentally triggered while debug-
  ging! If the caster has enough energy from other 
  sources (see the next step), he may skip this step com-
  pletely; the program is simple enough that it doesn’t 
  require customization.
  3. Once he’s happy with the debugging – that is, 
  once he’s gathered enough (or almost enough) energy 
  – the caster may make up any difference with energy 
  from other sources (his mana reserve, sacrificing FP 
  and HP, etc.), so that the spell has enough energy to 
  succeed. If, in the previous step, he gathered enough 
  energy to power the spell, he may skip this step.
  4. The caster makes a final “compiling” roll as per 
  Casting the Spell (Champions, pp. 36-37).
  All rolls above are modified by Hardware and 
  Software (pp. 20-22).
  Once the program is complete, the technomage can 
  leave it on his system or transfer it to another Com-
  plexity 1+ computer using any standard data-trans-
  ference method. Moving it over a local network is 
  usually safe, but sending it over the Internet can be 
  dangerous; rival technomages may have snooping 
  programs running to detect such “emailed spells.” 
  Transferring the file to a new computer automatically 
  erases it from the old one, because the potential mag-
  ical energy stored within a script cannot be dupli-
  cated via copying.
  Running the spell is normally a Ready maneuver 
  for the computer’s user as long as the computer itself 
  is ready and the user is operating it properly; e.g., has 
  a smartphone in his hand and turned on or is sitting 
  down at a desktop with one hand on the mouse. The 
  user does not have to make a skill roll (unless run-
  ning the script interactively; see p. 17) and requires 
  no magical aptitude or training.
  If the spell is designed to work as soon as the program 
  runs, it does so. For example, an undead-immolation spell 
  might cause the nearest undead to burst into flames. 
  Other spells can be designed to activate when a certain 
  trigger happens, effectively casting a conditional ritual 
  (p. 19); once the spell’s script is run, it “locks onto” the 
  current subject or area and awaits the triggering event.  
  fAirer Bonuses
  Bestows a Bonus or Penalty (Champions, p. 34) is one of 
  the most versatile spell modifiers in Ritual Path magic. It can 
  represent weather magic (e.g., sleet as “Bestows a Penalty, -3 
  to Vision rolls, HT rolls for cold, and DX rolls for movement”), 
  make a weapon hit harder (e.g., “Bestows a Bonus, +5 to sword 
  damage”), and more. It is because of this potential versatility 
  that its energy costs start modest but quickly grow.
  However, many bonuses and penalties are inherently self- 
  limiting. For example, no matter how high a skill is raised, it is 
  subject to automatic failure on a 17 or 18. And the energy cost 
  for added damage should arguably flatten out at a certain point, 
  since all other damage effects do the same. Because of this, the 
  GM may allow the following optional change to the Bestows a 
  (Bonus or Penalty) table. Even with this change, he retains the 
  right to declare that a given modifier does not provide diminish-
  ing returns and thus must use the cost from the original table.
  In all cases, this should be a campaign-wide decision, affect-
  ing all casters equally. Letting, say, technomages use these costs 
  while Ritual Path mages must use the originals will produce an 
  unfair disparity in power.
   Modifier 
  Broad 
  Moderate 
  Single
   
  ±1 
  5 
  2 
  1
   
  ±2 
  10 
  4 
  2
   
  ±3 
  20 
  8 
  4
   
  ±4 
  40 
  16 
  8
   
  ±5 
  60 
  24 
  12
   
  ±6 
  80 
  32 
  16
   
  etc. 
  +20 
  +8 
  +4
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  17
  (A script “wrapped around” a conditional spell in this way 
  needs only the one Lesser Control Magic added, not two.)
  Technomagic scripts are designed to run on magically 
  resonant machinery (Hardware, p. 20). If run on a computer 
  without this feature, the spell will work, but the GM must roll 
  against the device’s (HT + Complexity) afterward as the spell 
  burns away; failure means that the machine glitches, becom-
  ing unusable for seconds equal to the margin of failure (or 
  until given a minor repair, on a critical failure).
  Interactive Scripts
  Many scripts are designed for maximum ease of use: click 
  the icon, let it run, and watch it disappear as all of its energy 
  “grounds out.” However, a programmer can code options and 
  behind-the-scenes controls into a script, trusting its user to 
  optimize for the current runtime environment. If done right, 
  this can reduce the strain on the hardware and software, 
  allowing the script to survive its activation.
  An interactive script never has to be run interactively; an 
  uninformed user can simply click the icon and stand back. 
  However, if run interactively, the user must make a Computer 
  Operation roll to configure the script as it is being run. (This 
  is possible in such a brief time only because it happens at the 
  speed of thought.) This roll is at -4 if the user has no magical 
  training – but as little as 1 point in Occultism will suffice as 
  long as the caster has given the user careful instructions. It 
  also takes interface modifiers (Computer Table, p. 20); e.g., it 
  is at -1 if the script is being run on a laptop or tablet and -2 on 
  a smartphone.
  If the Computer Operation roll fails, reduce the spell’s mar-
  gin of success by the user’s margin of failure, to a minimum 
  of 0. That is, the spell will still work, but probably not as well 
  as it otherwise would have. On a critical failure, the spell fails 
  as well, though the GM may invoke any of its quirks if that 
  sounds like fun!
  If the user succeeds, however, there’s a chance that the envi-
  ronment may be stable enough for the script to stick around. 
  The base target number for this is the Computer Operation 
  roll’s margin of success. If the computer running the script 
  is magically resonant (Hardware, p. 20), add its Complexity. 
  If the GM rolls this number or less on 3d, the script avoids 
  burning out and is available to run again (which also keeps 
  non-magically resonant computers safe). With enough skill 
  and a bit of luck, a technomage can make use of this to cast 
  the same spell several times with no additional energy needed!
  Example: Pamela creates a protection spell as an interactive 
  script for her friend Samantha (who puts it on her Complexity 
  3 tablet) and then makes a second one for herself (on her own 
  magically resonant Complexity 3 smartphone). When Pamela 
  runs the script interactively, her Computer Operation roll (at 
  -2 for using a smartphone) succeeds by 5; the GM rolls 3d 
  against a target number of 5 (margin) + 3 (Complexity) = 8. 
  On an 8 or less, Pamela may run the same script again later. 
  When Samantha configures and runs hers, her Computer 
  Operation roll (at -1 for using a tablet) succeeds by 6 – but her 
  computer is not magically resonant, so the GM must roll a 6 
  or less for her script to stick around. (If that 
  rolls fails, her computer must roll against 
  HT+3 or glitch briefly from the spell burning 
  out of its memory!)
  Limits on Scripts
  A technomage does not have a personal 
  limit on active scripts. In theory, he could 
  craft hundreds, all of which would retain 
  their potency indefinitely. However, there is 
  a strict limit on how many scripts each device 
  can store, equal to the Complexity of that 
  device, doubled if magically resonant. Thus, 
  a Complexity 1 smartphone can store one script, while a mag-
  ically resonant Complexity 4 desktop could store eight.
  Though they can pass transiently through mail servers 
  while being emailed, scripts cannot be stored on a server or 
  otherwise “in the cloud” – something about being on a server 
  designed for remote access causes the magic to fizzle. They 
  can also be transferred via flash cards or USB flash drives (a 
  well-made one can hold one script), in which case they count 
  as being loaded onto whichever computer they’re plugged 
  into at the moment. Most technomages buy color-coded flash 
  drives by the dozen, to avoid overloading their main computer. 
  Treat an external hard drive (even a huge one or an array) as a 
  flash drive: it has no Complexity and can hold only one script. 
  Scripts cannot be stored on static, disposable media, such as 
  CDs and DVDs.
  The capacity of portable (flash) storage is fixed, but a 
  computer’s limits can be pushed a bit. If a system’s limit is 
  exceeded, the GM will roll 1d every time the number of scripts 
  changes (e.g., because a new one was added or because one 
  was run and then vanished normally). If the number rolled is 
  equal to or less than the excess, one randomly chosen script 
  on the device disappears. If the device is still over its limit, 
  the GM will immediately roll again, and so on, until either he 
  rolls above the excess or the limit is met. You can use Luck 
  on this roll.
  Example: Pamela’s home desktop (Complexity 4, magically 
  resonant) has 10 scripts on it; she’s already two over her limit. 
  She programs a new one (now three over), and when the GM 
  rolls 1d, he gets a 1. One of the 11 scripts immediately disap-
  pears, leaving 10; since the desktop is still two over the limit, 
  the GM rolls again, getting a 2. So another script disappears, 
  leaving nine, and the GM rolls again. The roll is another 2, 
  which is greater than the excess, so he stops rolling.
  Technomages in the field will usually carry a high-end 
  laptop with a bandoleer of flash drives, a few expensive 
  smartphones, and/or a bandoleer of cheap smartphones 
  (“burners”). Or they can save money with PDAs instead of 
  smartphones, but those are getting harder to find every year! 
  You think the realm of the mystical is limited 
  to ancient texts and relics? That bad old science 
  made the magic go away? The divine exists in 
  cyberspace, same as out here.
  – Jenny Calendar,  
  in Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1.8
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  18
  In all cases, it’s useful to know how long it takes to swap all of 
  these devices in and out:
  Plugging in a USB Flash Drive: If the tablet, laptop, or desk-
  top is ready, this requires one Ready maneuver to retrieve the 
  flash drive, another to plug it into the computer, and then a 
  third to run the script.
  Plugging in a Flash Card: If the PDA, smartphone, or tab-
  let is ready, this requires one Ready maneuver to retrieve the 
  flash card, two more to plug it into the computer (it’s tiny!), 
  and then a third to run the script. A DX or DX-based Computer 
  Operation roll (modified by High Manual Dexterity or Ham-
  Fisted) can cut the middle step to a single Ready maneuver, 
  but failure wastes that turn and critical failure means you 
  dropped the card!
  Using a Stowed Smartphone or PDA: It takes one Ready 
  maneuver to retrieve the device and then a second one to run 
  the script. See above if you have to also insert a flash card 
  into it.
  If the device is kept in a pouch or pocket instead of a ban-
  doleer, retrieving it takes 1d Ready maneuvers instead of one.
  The times above assume that you don’t already have a 
  flash drive plugged in, a smartphone in hand, etc. To swap 
  between two devices, you must first stow the old one (which 
  requires two consecutive Ready maneuvers) or drop it onto 
  the ground (a free action). Unplugging a flash card (but not a 
  USB drive) adds one Ready maneuver to either decision, due 
  to its small size.
  To mitigate these times somewhat, champions can learn 
  Fast-Draw (Device) and the accompanying perk Quick-
  Sheathe (Device). The former turns retrieval into a free action 
  while the latter does the same with stowing (saving two turns!), 
  each contingent on a successful Fast-Draw roll.
  Realistic Timing
  The above rules for plugging in flash drives and cards 
  assume that the computer is able to see and load programs 
  the moment the storage device is plugged in. This is incredibly 
  generous, befitting a cinematic game like Monster Hunters.
  As an optional rule, the GM can secretly roll 1d+2 and 
  subtract the Complexity of the computer. This is the number 
  of seconds (minimum 0) that it takes the machine to mount 
  (load and read) the flash drive or card. No action is required 
  on the user’s part other than waiting; he doesn’t even have to 
  watch the screen, as the device can be set up to beep or flash 
  when ready. Once the storage device is mounted, he can take 
  the final Ready maneuver to run the program.
  Example: Samantha has a bandoleer of USB flash drives 
  from her friend Pamela, including a ward that she needs right 
  now. On her first turn, she succeeds at a Fast-Draw (Device) 
  roll to grab it as a free action and then takes a Ready maneu-
  ver to plug it into her Complexity 3 tablet. The GM secretly 
  rolls 1d+2 and subtracts 3, for a delay of two seconds. On 
  Samantha’s second turn, the GM tells her it isn’t mounted; 
  she keeps the tablet ready in her off hand and draws a silenced 
  pistol. On her third turn, it still isn’t loaded, so she fires a 
  few shots. On her fourth turn, the GM tells her it’s ready; she 
  drops her gun to the ground and takes a Ready maneuver to 
  run the ward script.
  This rule can add suspense and tension . . . or frustrate 
  players. Use it with caution!
  on-tHe-fly rituAls
  If a technomage lacks a ready-made script, he can launch 
  a real-time interpreter and whip something up on the spot. 
  While this may sound rash, it has the advantage of being tai-
  lor-made to this specific situation, so the caster can (safely) 
  leave out most of the redundancies that would normally be 
  called for.
  Creating a ritual requires a ready Complexity 
  3+ computer running a thaumatological coding 
  suite (TCS). The technomage begins putting 
  subroutines together, accumulating poten-
  tial energy, much as he would when creating 
  a programmed script. For game mechanics, 
  treat this exactly as Gathering Ambient Energy 
  (Champions, p. 36); each programming roll 
  is made against the appropriate Path skill and 
  takes five seconds (five minutes for non-adepts). 
  This can be reduced by the usual second (or 
  minute) per -1 to the gathering roll. It is modi-
  fied by Hardware and Software (pp. 20-22).
  Once the caster is close to generating enough 
  potential energy, he may tap into other sources 
  such as his mana reserve and sacrificed FP or 
  HP to make up the difference. There is nor-
  mally no roll required for this.
  When the full energy required is reached, the 
  caster must make one final roll to compile and 
  run the ritual. Treat this exactly as Casting the 
  Spell (Champions, pp. 36-37), except that it’s 
  modified by Hardware and Software (pp. 20-22).
  After the spell is cast, there is no program 
  left behind; if the technomage wants to cast 
  this spell again, he’ll need to create it again on the fly. A mag-
  ically resonant computer is unaffected by the ritual “burning 
  away” like this, but if it was compiled and cast on one with-
  out this feature, roll its (HT + Complexity) exactly as for the 
  wake of a programmed script (pp. 16-18).
  tHe power of plACe
  Technomagic is affected by all of the factors listed under Gathering 
  Ambient Energy (Champions, p. 36). This includes places of power, 
  which provide a bonus on “coding and debugging rolls” (the equiva-
  lent of energy-gathering rolls), simply because the local area is more 
  friendly and open to magical manipulation of any sort. And ritually 
  desecrated grounds hamper a technomage just as surely as they do a 
  Ritual Path mage, for similar reasons.
  At the GM’s option, some strange places, such as where dark matter 
  has crashed into the Earth, may count as places of power only for tech-
  nomagic, while others empower only Ritual Path magic. To take this 
  even further, assume that “standard” places of power only help Ritual 
  Path casters, while technomages benefit from places which resonate 
  with computing or technological energy. A small business’ server room 
  might give +1 while the NSA’s would give +5. Or the bonus may be 
  based on how long a technological marvel has been in use; e.g., a dam 
  used for power since TL6 gives +3 at TL8, while an old TL7 missile 
  silo gives +1.
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  19
  ConDitionAl rituAls
  By adding an additional Lesser Control Magic effect, a tech-
  nomage may create a conditional ritual (Champions, p. 38). 
  This follows the standard rules: he must set a trigger for it, can 
  no longer cancel it, and so on.
  Technomages prefer to use programmed scripts, and are 
  uncomfortable (at least, compared to their Ritual Path coun-
  terparts) juggling multiple “hung” spells. A technomage suffers 
  no penalties for having conditional spells hanging . . . until the 
  number exceeds twice his Magery. Past that, every additional 
  hung spell inflicts -1 to all of his technomagic skill rolls.
  Dormant scripts do not count against this limit; a technom-
  age may have dozens of scripts (on many different devices) 
  all waiting to be run. However, if one of these scripts is run, 
  that then casts a conditional spell (e.g., a script that, when 
  run, casts the conditional rit-
  ual “turn me invisible if I’m 
  attacked” upon the user), that 
  conditional spell is now hang-
  ing and counts against this 
  limit. A smart technomage 
  limits how many conditional 
  spell-scripts he hands out!
  HAnD-CoDinG
  Take away a technomage’s 
  toys and you’re left with one 
  very unhappy magician. Give 
  him plenty of time to plot 
  revenge afterward and you’re likely to regret doing it. Because 
  a technomage can do all of the necessary calculations of an 
  on-the-fly ritual (p. 18) the hard way . . . it’s just incredibly 
  tedious and difficult.
  The first rules change is that rolls are made against the 
  lower of the appropriate Path skill and Mathematics (Applied). 
  This is when theory matters above all else! If there is a penalty 
  for using three or more Paths, apply that penalty after deter-
  mining which skill is being used.
  The other major alteration is that the modifier for the hard-
  ware and software being used changes dramatically. Deter-
  mine what tools the technomage has access to and use the 
  single most favorable option of the following:
  None (it must all be done in your head): -15
  None (but with Eidetic Memory): -12
  None (but with Photographic Memory): -10
  Pencil and paper: -10
  Simple calculator*: -9
  Slide rule*: -8
  Lightning Calculator advantage: -8
  Scientific calculator: -7
  Complexity 1 computer without TCS: -7
  Complexity 2 computer without TCS: -6
  Complexity 3+ computer without TCS: -5
  Intuitive Mathematician advantage: -5
  * Assumes you also have either some way to write things 
  down or Photographic Memory. Add another -2 if you have 
  only Eidetic Memory or -5 if you have no way to record 
  your work.
  Fortunately, this is one of the rare situations where Time 
  Spent (p. B346) may be combined with magic, but strictly to 
  offset this penalty; it will never give a net bonus and cannot be 
  combined with taking a skill penalty to speed rolls up. Thus, 
  an adept could use hand-coding to create a technomagic spell 
  on a mundane desktop computer at no penalty by offset-
  ting the -5 for the computer with +5 for taking 30¥ as long 
  . . . which means every energy-gathering attempt would take 
  150 seconds (2.5 minutes), tapping into energy sources would 
  take 30 seconds each, and if the initial spellcasting roll failed, 
  he’d have to wait (margin of failure)¥30 seconds before trying 
  again! At which point, whomever took his toys had better be 
  far, far away . . .
  teCHno-AlCHeMy
  If the GM allows Ritual Path magicians to create 
  alchemical elixirs (Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic, 
  pp. 28-30), it’s only fair to let technomages do the same. 
  After all, technomagic is just as capable of making drastic 
  physical changes in the world, including transmuting a 
  bottle of mixed strangeness into a powerful concoction. 
  Note that it will fit their “feel” more if their elixirs have 
  expiration dates rather than other limits.
  Use the rules as written except for the following 
  changes:
  • A technomage’s elixirs take more modern forms. 
  They can create pills (must be swallowed; treat as powder 
  for that purpose), injectables (an invasive version of oint-
  ment, but safe to handle without gloves), atomizers (like a 
  grenade, but cannot be thrown), and drinks (which often 
  resemble energy drinks).
  • While their adherence to modern biochemistry limits 
  what techno-alchemists can concoct, it also makes their 
  alchemy potentially more reliable. Before creating an 
  elixir, a technomage may roll against Chemistry or Phar-
  macy, at +1 if he knows both skills. This roll is not modi-
  fied by alchemy lab quality. Critical success gives +2 to all 
  rolls to create the elixir, success gives +1, failure gives -1, 
  and critical failure gives -2.
  • A technomage’s alchemy kit costs and weighs the 
  same as a “standard” one, but its trappings are almost 
  entirely modern, with nary a pentagram or pestle to be 
  found. Because of this, a techno-alchemy workspace 
  (regardless of quality) counts as improvised equipment 
  for a standard Ritual Path alchemist, and vice versa. On 
  the positive side, a fully stocked chemistry or pharmacy 
  lab is almost as good as an alchemy kit for a technomage, 
  providing just -1 worse than its usual modifier. For exam-
  ple, an average chemistry lab (no modifier to Chemistry 
  rolls) would inflict only -1 to Alchemy rolls for a techno-
  mage – better than the usual -2 for improvised equipment!
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  20
  HArDwAre AnD softwAre
  For anything other than hand-coding (p. 19), technomagic 
  requires at least a Complexity 3 computer (p. B472) running 
  a thaumatological coding suite (TCS). In practice, however, 
  most technomages want a high-end system with heavy cus-
  tomization. After all, more computing power means more 
  magical power. (And as always, you cannot use a ritual to 
  become better at magic – which means that magical enhance-
  ments to a device’s Complexity do not apply for the purpose 
  of technomagic!)
  HArDwAre
  The Computer Table (below) greatly expands upon 
  Computers (Champions, p. 54), adding a much wider range 
  of devices for champions to use. In it, “C” is used as an abbre-
  viation for Complexity; e.g. “C2” means Complexity 2. The 
  cost to make such a device magically resonant is +19 CF based 
  on the standard model, and is thus a flat cost regardless of 
  quality. Bleeding-edge devices are not available to the gen-
  eral public; they represent experimental prototypes, secret 
  intelligence-agency gear, and so on. The GM may choose to 
  restrict them to those with an appropriate Patron, make them 
  a reward for an adventure, etc.
  Wearables, printed computers, smartphones, PDAs, tab-
  lets, and laptops run for five hours before needing recharg-
  ing, or indefinitely if plugged into external power. For some 
  devices, an extended battery pack is available that extends this 
  to 20 hours; see below. These time limits are for active use; the 
  user can put a device into standby to save battery life, though 
  it takes a Ready maneuver to wake it up. All other comput-
  ers use external power. Every system can network via Wi-Fi, 
  Bluetooth, etc.
  All computers have HT 10 and DR 1 (if 1 lb. or less) or DR 
  2 (if more than 1 lb.). Their accessories have HT 10 and DR 0. 
  Use the “Unliving/Machine” column of the Object Hit Points 
  Table (p. B558) to determine HP based on weight.
  Computer Accessories
  Battery Pack, PDA or Smartphone: $50, 
  0.2 lb.
  Battery Pack, Laptop or Tablet: $150, 1 lb.
  Flash Card: Useful for transferring 
  files; made well enough to hold one script. 
  $50, neg.
  USB Flash Drive: Like the flash card, but 
  easier to grab and use. $50, 0.03 lb.
  Computer Table
   Computer Type 
  Standard 
  Advanced 
  Bleeding-Edge 
  Magically Resonant 
  Notes
   Smartglasses (0.03 lb.) 
  C1/$300 
  C2/$1,250 
  – 
  +$5,700 
  [1]
   Wearable Computer (0.05 lb.) 
  C1/$100 
  C2/$1,050 
  – 
  +$1,900 
  [2]
   Printed Computer (0.05 lb.) 
  – 
  C1/$1,200 
  C2/$25,200 
  +$4,750 
  [3, 4]
   PDA, Basic (0.1 lb.) 
  C1/$60 
  – 
  – 
  +$1,140 
  [4]
   Smartphone, Basic (0.4 lb.) 
  C1/$55 
  – 
  – 
  +$1,045 
  [4, 5]
   PDA, Full (0.3 lb.) 
  C2/$210 
  C3/$2,110 
  C4/$50,110 
  +$3,990 
  [4]
   Smartphone, Full (0.4 lb.) 
  C2/$260 
  C3/$2,160 
  C4/$50,160 
  +$4,940 
  [4]
   Tablet (0.9 lb.) 
  C2/$150 
  C3/$2,050 
  C4/$50,050 
  +$2,850 
  [6]
   Laptop (2.5 lbs.) 
  C3/$2,050 
  C4/$21,050 
  C5/$501,050 
  +$38,950 
  [6]
   Desktop (17 lbs.) 
  C3/$1,500 
  C4/$20,500 
  C5/$500,500 
  +$28,500 
  [7]
   Microframe (52 lbs.) 
  C4/$10,500 
  C5/$200,500 
  C6/$5,000,500 
  +$199,500 
  [7]
   Mainframe (412 lbs.) 
  C5/$100,500 
  C6/$2,000,500 
  C7/$50,000,500 
  +$1,909,500 
  [7]
  Notes
  [1] All rolls to code or configure are at -2. In addition, cod-
  ing, configuring, and even running a script requires the user to 
  state each command (somewhat loudly). As of the mid-2010s, 
  smartglasses are only available as advanced wearables.
  [2] Represents a smartwatch, pendant, or similar tiny com-
  puter. All rolls to code or configure are at -5, and launching a 
  script takes two Ready maneuvers unless the user succeeds at 
  a DX or DX-based Computer Operation roll (modified by High 
  Manual Dexterity or Ham-Fisted).
  [3] A flexible computer, about 4”¥7”, printed on fabric – 
  typically inside of a jacket as an emergency backup computer. 
  The cost of the magically resonant modifier is based on a 
  theoretical standard model which, at TL8, would be $250 but 
  only C0 (and thus useless). At higher TLs (p. 21), this standard 
  model becomes a viable option.
  [4] All rolls to code or configure are at -2.
  [5] Anyone with Status 0+ may start with one basic smart-
  phone for free (assume cost of living covers it). This entry cov-
  ers a replacement or an additional, prepaid (“burner”) phone.
  [6] All rolls to code or configure are at -1.
  [7] Includes monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.
  New Perk: Overclocked
  You have a designated computer which just . . . resonates with you. For 
  the purpose of you storing your scripts in it (Limits on Scripts, pp. 17-18), 
  double its effective Complexity. For example, in a magically resonant C4 
  laptop, you could store 16 rituals. This perk synergizes well with Equip-
  ment Bond and Signature Gear.
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  21
  softwAre
  Coding anything – including programmed scripts 
  (pp. 16-18) and on-the-fly rituals (p. 18) – requires a com-
  puter running at least a basic thaumatological coding suite 
  (TCS). Higher-quality suites will produce better results (add 
  the bonus to all rolls to perform technomagic, from gathering 
  energy to casting the spell) but require high-Complexity com-
  puters to run. The computer running the TCS does not 
  have to be magically resonant.
  Stolen TCS: -1 to the final casting roll only; otherwise, 
  no modifier. Installs in about 10 minutes. Complexity 3 
  – unless you want to steal a Complexity 5 or 7 version, 
  despite gaining no benefits from doing so! Free.
  Basic TCS: No modifier to technomagic rolls. Installs 
  in about an hour. Complexity 3, $1,000.
  Good TCS: +1 to all technomagic rolls. Installs in 
  about two hours. Complexity 5, $10,000.
  Fine TCS: +2 to all technomagic rolls. Installs in 
  about three hours. Complexity 7, $100,000.
  The penalty for compiling with stolen (“pirated”) 
  coding software replaces the other modifiers; it does 
  not stack with them. This drawback is neither a moral 
  lesson nor a magical curse. The license that comes 
  with purchased software includes access to updates 
  specifically designed for that computer’s hardware and 
  operating system. By definition, stolen software was 
  optimized for someone else’s computer and thus does 
  not work as well.
  Digital Grimoires
  A grimoire in digital form is essentially a database 
  – a custom digital library of subroutines, constants, 
  and functions specifically designed to be used with a 
  single ritual. It doubles the time required to code the 
  ritual (grimoires are memory hogs), but there is no 
  other drawback. Digital grimoires cost the same as 
  standard, physical ones (Champions, pp. 56-57) and 
  must be installed into the TCS on the computer being 
  used to create the program, which takes about an hour. 
  (Uninstalling one takes about 10 minutes.) The tech-
  nomage can install the grimoire on multiple computers, 
  as long as he never uses the suite on more than one at 
  a time. Bad metaphysical things happen when multiple 
  copies of a grimoire are open at once!
  Once a copy of the grimoire has been loaded into a 
  given coding suite, the grimoire is considered “in use” 
  every time that TCS is up and running, whether it’s 
  being used to compile that ritual or a completely dif-
  ferent one. Thus, while technomages can share digital 
  grimoires with trusted friends, they have to coordinate 
  very carefully to avoid using their grimoire-enhanced 
  suites at the same time. If that ever happens, see result 
  4 on the Shared Grimoire Table (p. 22).
  Some cash-strapped casters find an online circle of 
  technomages who agree to share copies of a single gri-
  moire, setting up an alert to show when any of them are 
  using it. This “shareware” arrangement is not perfectly 
  reliable, but offers great savings as they will split the 
  cost of the grimoire among themselves (typically -0.8 
  CF). However, every time the caster uses a TCS with that gri-
  moire installed, he must roll 3d on the Shared Grimoire Table. 
  He can use Luck on this roll.
  Alternatively, the caster can simply steal the grimoire via 
  various methods, paying nothing! However, any grimoire 
  available “in the wild” like that is being made available to 
  many mages . . . Treat it as a shareware grimoire (above) 
  except roll 2d (not 3d) on the Shared Grimoire Table.
  HiGHer tls
  Monster Hunters is set in TL8, the first age in which tech-
  nomagic becomes truly possible. But what of the future? If 
  you’re using these rules in a different setting, all of the Com-
  plexity values listed under Hardware (p. 20) change:
   
  TL 
  Complexity  
  TL 
  Complexity
   
  9 
  +2 
  11 
  +5
   
  10 
  +4 
  12 
  +6
  As devices increase in Complexity, they become able to 
  hold far more programmed scripts without risking stability. 
  Just as important, it’s easier for them to run high-end thauma-
  tological coding suites; at TL10, even a basic tablet is C7, easily 
  able to run a fine TCS. (And if the Software Cost Table on p. 25 
  of GURPS Ultra-Tech is used, that suite costs a mere $1,000!)
  In most campaigns, this upgrade will actually help main-
  tain the balance between magic and technology. When com-
  mon devices can turn people invisible, allow wall-walking, 
  and cure all diseases, magic needs a boost to remain a via-
  ble option! The only balance issues come if other magic sys-
  tems exist as well; if so, the easiest fix may be to find a way 
  to power them up similarly . . . or to declare a particular type 
  of miracle off-limits to tech and technomagic, leaving it the 
  exclusive domain of a more archaic system. Alternatively, any 
  effect which could be accomplished via technology may have 
  its energy cost halved or even quartered, as the “power of con-
  sensual reality” allows the Ritual Path mage to more easily 
  coax the effect out of the universe.
  Lower TLs
  Technomagic only really comes into its own with TL8’s 
  digital computers and networking. Before that, most tech-
  nomages would have to hand-code (p. 19), at which point 
  standard RPM is a better fit for most games.
  However, with computers created using pp. 19-22 of 
  GURPS High-Tech – and a GM willing to allow the fast (+1C, 
  +19 CF) and genius (+2C, +49 CF) options at lower TLs – it 
  is theoretically possible to create programmed scripts and 
  on-the-fly spells in an earlier setting. A TL6 fast, mechanical 
  megacomputer could just barely run a basic TCS, taking up 
  a whole building to do so. And a late-TL7 genius, transistor 
  microframe could do the same in a “portable” 65-lb. package.
  In all cases, neither networking nor portable external stor-
  age exists, so scripts must be stored within the computer’s 
  “memory” (whatever that means for the system in question). 
  “Copying” a script usually means physically packing that 
  memory into boxes, carrying it to the new computer, and 
  manually loading it.
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  22
  In general, digital grimoires are 
  available only for fairly common spells. 
  However, it’s possible to find someone 
  willing to create one for an unusual spell. 
  If the creator retains the right to recre-
  ate and license the grimoire to others, 
  the cost is unchanged; if not, +2 CF. A 
  custom-made grimoire is, by definition, 
  not available stolen or as shareware.
  Shared Grimoire Table
  3 or less – Several instances of the grimoire happened to open 
  up simultaneously, causing a systemic conflict! All copies 
  of this grimoire, and the coding suites in which they’re 
  installed, become corrupted beyond repair and must be 
  reinstalled from scratch. Every device on which the gri-
  moire was installed must roll HT-5; failure means it is 
  unusable until given a minor repair, while critical failure 
  requires a major repair.
  4 – Another instance of the grimoire is in use. The copy on this 
  device (or on each such device, if you and your friends are 
  the reason this is happening!) becomes corrupted beyond 
  repair, as does the TCS in which it’s installed. You must 
  reinstall them to use technomagic on this computer again.
  5 – If you are using a stolen grimoire, treat this as result 4. If 
  you are using a shareware grimoire, another instance is in 
  use but the alerts actually did their job and warned you in 
  time. You cannot code on any device with this grimoire 
  installed, but your software will alert you when it frees up 
  again (typically in 1d¥1d minutes).
  6 or more – No issues.
  MoDs AnD HACks
  Not every upgrade requires paying retail. The tech-
  savvy can improve their own hardware and software . . . 
  to an extent. Grimoires are an exception to this; a more 
  potent grimoire must be created, an option not normally 
  available to Monster Hunters PCs (though one explored 
  on p. 32 of Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic).
  Hardware can be upgraded one step at most, either from 
  standard to advanced or from advanced to bleeding-edge. 
  This requires parts costing half the difference between the 
  two; e.g., upgrading a standard laptop to an advanced one costs 
  half of ($21,050 - $2,050), or $9,500 in parts. The redesign and 
  upgrade require 10 hours of work and a roll against the lower 
  of Engineer (Electronics) or Electronics Repair (Computers) 
  at -6 for a standard device; this becomes 25 hours of work and 
  -8 for an advanced one. Critical failure destroys the new parts; 
  normal failure lets you try again, but at a cumulative -2.
  A thaumatological coding suite can be further “tuned up” 
  to work with one specific system, allowing a stolen suite to 
  act as a basic one, a basic one to act as good, or a good one  
  to act as fine; it can only be upgraded one step. Its actual Com-
  plexity does not change. This requires 25 hours of work and a 
  roll against the lower of Engineer (Electronics) and Computer 
  Programming at -8 for a stolen or basic TCS; this becomes 50 
  hours of work and -10 for a good one. Critical failure means 
  you don’t “get” the synergy and cannot retry; normal failure 
  lets you try again, but at a cumulative -2.
  In all cases above, Time Spent (p. B346) can be used for a 
  bonus (or to rush things). During a long stretch of downtime, 
  it’s easiest to assume that the maximum time is being taken, 
  for +5.
  wHere strAnGe  
  forCes interseCt
  As first discussed in Decisions, Decisions (pp. 3-4), the GM 
  must decide whether to use technomagic and, if so, whether it 
  replaces or coexists with standard Ritual Path magic (RPM). 
  Of these choices, it’s the last that raises the most questions. 
  What happens when Ritual Path casters and technomages 
  share the same setting?
  MAGiC vs. teCHnoMAGiC
  When it comes to Meta-Magic, the default assumption is 
  that magic is magic. A Ritual Path spell can overwrite, dispel, 
  or alter a technomagic spell as easily as it could another RPM 
  ritual, and vice versa.
  Changing this can add flavor to the game, though it 
  should work both ways to maintain balance. For exam-
  ple, what if Stacking Spells (Champions, p. 37) were 
  tracked per spell system? A person under an RPM Lesser 
  Strengthen Body could also have a technomagic Lesser 
  Strengthen Body spell active at the same time! And if one 
  gave +2 to ST while the other gave +3, he’d get the full 
  +5. A team with both types of casters would be fearsome.
  In addition to the above or as an alternative to it, the GM 
  could rule that each magic system takes a flat -5 when coun-
  tering, affecting, overwriting, or otherwise interacting with 
  the other. That would mean that if a person were under a ST 
  +2 boost from technomagic, an RPM spell to overwrite that 
  with ST +3 would take -5 to the final casting roll due to the 
  clash of magical energies.
  uBiquity vs. rArity
  Simply declaring that one type of magic is the standard, 
  while the other is rare and unusual, will go a long way toward 
  differentiating the two. The obvious choice is to make tech-
  nomagic the rare one, since it joined the 
  Monster Hunters series late in the game.
  Be aware, though, that this will invariably 
  have the effect of skewing the numbers the 
  wrong way. Players want their characters to 
  be unique and special, which means that most 
  if not all of the casters on a team will likely 
  use whichever system is designated “rare.”  
  
   
  teCHnoMAGiC 
  23
  If the GM wants the team to be a microcosm of the 
  setting, he may wish to charge a modest Unusual 
  Background cost for access to the rare system, to 
  make it a less appealing option.
  GooD vs. evil
  One of the simplest ways to take advantage of 
  having two magic systems without confusing the 
  issue is to declare that one is the “good” system used 
  by the heroes and one is the “evil” one reserved for 
  The Enemy. It doesn’t have to be phrased in such an 
  ultra-simplified manner, of course. Generally, if one 
  system appeals only to dark forces, there’s a reason. 
  The GM’s challenge is to come up with that reason. 
  Here are a few suggestions:
  Energy Source: Both types of casters can gather 
  ambient energy and tap mana reserves (it changes 
  the system far too much to leave those out). But their 
  options past that are severely limited. The “good” sys-
  tem allows for drawing energy only from voluntary 
  sacrifice, while the “evil” system accepts only invol-
  untary sacrifice and natural life-force; see Shortcuts 
  to Power (GURPS Monster Hunters 3: The Enemy, 
  pp. 35-36).
  Divine Favor: The Powers That Be (that is, the gods 
  and loas behind Mysticism) have passed judgment 
  upon the two systems and given one their approval. 
  Anyone who uses the “evil” system cannot benefit from 
  standard Mysticism: crusaders cannot heal him, their 
  prayers will not help him, and so on. Even for a moral 
  relativist, it’s just smarter to use the magic that TPTB 
  prefer! (Of course, the GM could be mean and decide 
  that different religions favor different systems . . .)
  Dark Pacts: The “evil” system relies heavily on 
  Assisting Spirits (see GURPS Thaumatology, p. 90), 
  Corruption (see GURPS Horror, p. 146), or both. 
  While it is theoretically possible to use this type of 
  magic without becoming a twisted monster, the odds 
  of doing so are unlikely. For detailed advice on merg-
  ing these concepts, see “Alternative Ritual Path Magic” 
  in Pyramid #3/66: The Laws of Magic.
  DuAl-CAstinG
  If champions have access to RPM and technomagic 
  (Decisions, Decisions, pp. 3-4), it will likely be a matter of sec-
  onds before a player asks, “Can I use both systems?”
  The simplest decision is no, the two systems are completely 
  different ways of manipulating mana. This means that an 
  RPM caster can never learn technomagic and vice versa. This 
  is a bold option that throws the two styles into stark contrast.
  For more of a compromise, casters can learn both systems 
  of magic, but must buy Magery, Ritual Adept, Ritual Mastery, 
  and all Path skills separately – once for each flavor. Note 
  Magery as “Magery (Ritual Path)” or “Magery (Technomagic),” 
  buy Path skills as “Path of Body (Ritual Path)” or “Path of 
  Chance (Technomagic),” and so on. In effect, there is no over-
  lap or connection between the two styles; dual-casters have 
  two completely separate sets of magical traits that they may 
  switch between at will.
  The most permissive option is for the GM to allow cast-
  ers to wield both systems using the same magical traits: one 
  Magery advantage, one Ritual Adept advantage, and one set 
  of Path skills. However, there needs to be a cost for this (and 
  “you have to learn one or two new core skills” isn’t enough). 
  Being able to transition effortlessly between Hermetic power 
  and processing power requires the new Unusual Background 
  (Dual-Caster). Its cost is 1/5 the total cost of the caster’s Mag-
  ery and Ritual Adept. (This is equivalent to the cost of buying 
  those advantages as their own alternative abilities, though this 
  is not what is actually happening.)
  Example: The GM allows Pamela, a technomage adept, to 
  become a dual-caster; fortunately, she already has an excellent 
  Thaumatology skill. Because she has Magery 5 [55] and Ritual 
  Adept [40], she must purchase an Unusual Background cost-
  ing (55+40)/5 = 19 points.
  A CHArMinG DileMMA
  Technomages and Ritual Path casters balance their condi-
  tional spells in very different ways, but on the average, the dif-
  ferences are a wash. The former depend heavily on available 
  equipment to store their scripts (and can’t hold nearly as many 
  hung spells), while the latter keep things more personal by 
  tracking everything as part of a single pool.
  When it comes to handing out spells for the team to use, 
  though, a technomage with a high budget (to buy his friends 
  lots of flash drives and “burner” phones) arguably has an edge. 
  Because of that, the GM may wish to give Ritual Path casters 
  access to the following optional rule.
  Transferring Charms
  A caster may transfer “mystical ownership” of any physical 
  conditional object (a charm, potion, etc.) to another person, 
  thereby freeing one of his conditional spell “slots.” A non-mage 
  will have slots available equal to his Thaumatology skill, cal-
  culated as his IQ-7 default if necessary. Yes, this means the 
  average person uses their default of 3! Still, those are three 
  personal slots that the caster doesn’t have to dedicate to 
  charms for this person.
  The transference itself is an hour-long process per “gift,” or 
  it can be built into the casting ritual (requiring no extra time) if 
  the subject is present throughout the entire creation ceremony. 
  The transfer must be voluntary for both parties. The charm 
  cannot be transferred back (or to a new person) later.
  There is one restriction that makes the charm slightly less 
  useful: afterward, it will work only if activated by, or on behalf 
  of, its new owner. Thus, once the charm has been transferred, 
  it is no longer something that can be freely passed around to 
  protect or work for whomever holds it. (This prevents casters 
  from turning their parties into “charm banks” with no reper-
  cussions or limits.)
  If using the rules for buying charms (Thaumatology: Ritual 
  Path Magic, p. 27), it may be convenient to assume that sellers 
  have some sort of unique trait allowing them to facilitate this 
  transfer at some distance from the original caster. This way, 
  purchasers don’t have to worry about their bought charms sud-
  denly expiring.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  24
  “Scott, the leader’s getting away!”
  Scott pointed the alien flame-gun (it had way too much 
  range to call it a flamethrower) down the hospital hallway and 
  blasted the head Reptoid in the back. “Blam! I love this thing! 
  Totally my new favorite toy!” Then he noticed the fire spreading. 
  “Uh-oh, Brad?”
  Brad nodded and cracked one of his charms, snuffing out 
  the fire instantly. “It’s ironic that I made these to counter the 
  Reptoids, but have mainly just kept your fires under control.”
  “Hey man, whatever works,” Scott said as he started dragging 
  the alien’s body toward the laundry cart they’d been using for 
  body storage. “Maybe you and I can be a superhero team now: 
  Fire and Ice. Catchy, right?”
  Suddenly the door at the end of the hall burst open. Scott 
  instinctively threw a sheet over the Reptoid and moved behind 
  cover, before realizing it was Anna. “Jeez, you gave me a heart 
  attack, girl.”
  “Great! We’re like two floors above the Emergency Room, so 
  it’ll be a short trip. Anyway, Danielle and Samantha pulled the 
  ladies to safety and even managed to get them admitted without 
  raising any eyebrows.”
  “Really?” Scott was genuinely surprised. “How’d they avoid 
  a million questions?”
  Anna gave her best patronizing smile, “Because everyone is 
  more concerned about the explosions they heard. Up here. From 
  that.” She nodded to the fire-gun. “In fact, I’m pretty sure the 
  police are on their way.”
  Brad’s jaw dropped, “What? But we’ve got six alien corpses 
  here!”
  “Yes, and Everett has the truck backed up underneath that 
  window there. So let’s get to tossing.”
  As they threw the first dead Reptoid out the window, Brad 
  turned to Scott. “So, about the whole ‘Fire and Ice’ thing . . .”
  “Yeah, I know, I know. I’ll save her for special occasions.” 
  Scott sighed. “At least, until I figure out how to build her  
  a silencer.”
  A team of technology-armed champions needs some pseu-
  doscientific foes to fight! Admittedly, there’s no reason your 
  handy sages and technomages can’t continue to do battle with 
  the undead, spirits, and critters of GURPS Monster Hunters 
  3: The Enemy – in fact, A Thin Veneer of Plausibility (pp. 47-48) 
  aims to help you do just that. But this chapter exists to scratch 
  an itch that’s long been missing from Monster Hunters . . . 
  extraterrestrial threats.
  The tradition of fighting aliens may not go back as far as 
  stories of ghosts and curses, but its recency makes it no less 
  iconic. Films like Aliens and Predator are the flip side of John 
  Carpenter’s Vampires and Night Watch – brave heroes fighting 
  against horrific creatures that are not of this world. In many 
  ways, the only real difference between a demon and a Stalker 
  is the conveyance by which it ended up on our planet.
  Thus, before perusing the advice on how to add a scien-
  tific spin to existing monsters, consider the various threats 
  that originated in outer space, from large (aliens) to small 
  (microbes and plagues). If nothing else, it gives players one 
  more direction from which The Enemy may arrive . . . and a 
  little extra paranoia never hurt.
  Aliens
  Each alien race has certain overall goals and drives, but 
  it’s important to remember that because these are all sapient 
  beings, individuals have personal plans and motivations; if the 
  GM wants a Grey to blow up the nearby dam, he doesn’t have 
  to point to any racial traits to justify it, he just decides why 
  this particular Grey wants it to go boom.
  To help emphasize the sense of confusion and paranoia 
  surrounding aliens (see The Conspiracy, p. 39), each one 
  includes an “A.K.A.” (also known as) line showing some of 
  the other names used to describe them. Many civilians who 
  believe in aliens (called “believers” by those who know) take 
  these classifications very seriously and will fight over whether 
  (e.g.) the Reptoids, Draconians, and Nagarians are all differ-
  ent species.
  You may notice that the descriptions omit one important 
  datum: where each race comes from. This is intentional. In 
  a typical Monster Hunters game, either this will be com-
  pletely irrelevant (as all of the action stays on Earth) or it 
  will involve a major plot point of the campaign, probably 
  in which the heroes make their way to the aliens’ home-
  world and shut them down at the source. In the latter case,  
  this secret information is too important to spell out here! 
  CHApter tHree
  tHe trutH  
  is out tHere
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  25
  That said, the alternative names for many of the alien races 
  hint at suggested homeworlds – but in all cases, the GM should 
  make the decision that best fits the game.
  By default, none of these monsters are “supernatural” for 
  the purpose of Mysticism or magical wards. If the team con-
  tains mainly crusaders and spellcasters, however, this may 
  make them feel less useful. The GM can certainly overrule 
  this without hesitation; if the crusader’s god(s) and the witch’s 
  connection to the universe agree that these creatures are a 
  threat to existence, it’s fine for them to get painted 
  with the same brush as demons and undead. (If the 
  campaign is already underway when the GM makes 
  this decision, he could make it part of the game; per-
  haps the PCs have to convince the gods and/or cos-
  mos of how dangerous and evil these monsters are!)
  Technology
  Not every alien race has access to advanced tech-
  nology. Some have been trapped here on Earth for 
  centuries, their only equipment stolen from human-
  ity. However, many have arrived in spaceships full 
  of shiny alien gear, all ready to be wielded against 
  the people of Earth! Each race’s description includes 
  their most commonly used equipment, but if the 
  GM has GURPS Ultra-Tech, GURPS Bio-Tech, or 
  GURPS Psi-Tech, he shouldn’t hesitate to rely on 
  them to equip his aliens.
  Of course, that raises the specter of what to do 
  when the PCs kill The Enemy and take their stuff! 
  The commando will be far scarier with a Gauss 
  needler, while the techie will figure out how to use 
  that personal force-field in no time . . . the next thing 
  you know, the GM has to make every bad guy five 
  times tougher just to keep the challenges up. To 
  avoid this, the GM should think carefully about 
  which devices he’s comfortable with the PCs own-
  ing, and make those the only universally usable 
  gear. Other gear can be tied to the alien user’s life 
  force or presence: Kill the alien or drive it away, and 
  any of its left-behind gear slags itself internally. For 
  in-between cases (e.g., the GM is okay with the PCs 
  having DR 10 force-fields, but really needs to give 
  his aliens DR 50 for this adventure to work), have 
  the devices short out, but in a way that the geek or 
  techie can mostly fix – the gear works again, but not 
  as well as it originally did for those aliens.
  Morphology Inducer
  This common piece of gear needs statistics as 
  a gadget, since it pops up frequently on inhuman 
  racial templates. It is a belt that allows any human-
  oid alien to appear as a human of the same body type 
  and mass. This will fool all senses, even touch, and 
  fools most human technology; however, many aliens 
  and a few human groups have sensors that can see 
  past it. The basic model stores a single human “tem-
  plate,” while the advanced one can adapt to look like 
  any human and even allow impersonation (of some-
  one of similar mass).
  The morphology inducer is DR 2, HP 4, SM -6, 
  1 lb., and must be worn touching the user’s skin 
  (usually underneath clothing). Three consecutive Concen-
  trate maneuvers are required to shift between forms, during 
  which the user’s appearance flickers rapidly between the two. 
  It is connected to the user’s mind, which allows him to con-
  trol it mentally but means that he reverts to his actual form 
  upon losing consciousness. It lacks the Unique limitation 
  (p. B117); in theory, if a PC’s were stolen or destroyed, he 
  could obtain another one from the right aliens (or certain 
  conspiracy groups).
  Alien AntipAtHy
  An unofficial “cold war” exists between the Greys (pp. 29-32), 
  the Nordics (pp. 34-37), and the Reptoids (pp. 39-41). All three 
  races’ goals and motivations are complex and varied, but they 
  can be (over)simplified as the Greys wanting to experiment on 
  humanity, the Nordics wanting to exploit humanity, and the Rep-
  toids wanting to eat humanity.
  Each race has a different view of themselves and the others:
  • The Greys see themselves as enlightened, progressive sci-
  entists, advancing the cause of knowledge via research and 
  experimentation. To them, the Nordics are immature hedonists, 
  foolishly sinking to the level of these human animals by inter-
  acting with them. And the Reptoids are barely sapient monsters, 
  driven by their base impulses – content to merely survive, without 
  any thought toward advancing their race’s circumstances.
  • The Nordics see themselves as perhaps the only sane race 
  in existence. They are willing to do whatever it takes to come 
  out ahead, but prefer to avoid violence and bloodshed whenever 
  possible because that wastes resources on all sides. To them, 
  the Greys are narrow-minded obsessives who can’t see the for-
  est for the trees; handed a golden goose, they’d likely just cut it  
  up to see how it works. And the Reptoids are as much a dan-
  ger to themselves as to others, spreading destruction and vio-
  lence wherever they go; even from a distance, their actions make 
  everyone’s lives harder.
  • The Reptoids see themselves as the strongest and most 
  dominant race in existence; they allow the others to exist as 
  long as they know their place. Some members agitate for war 
  to prove their might against the Greys and Nordics, but most 
  believe that their assured victory is so self-evident that it is 
  proof. To them, the Greys are laughably weak, hiding behind 
  their psi (which is easily countered) and technology (which the 
  Reptoids have as well). And the Nordics are cowards, running 
  from any threat of violence and spouting whatever lies they 
  think you want to hear to save their own skins.
  The three races are in détente, all aware of each others’ pres-
  ence on Earth, but choosing to avoid each other rather than to let 
  things escalate. The exception is when one race interferes (delib-
  erately or not) with the machinations of another, in which case 
  the cold war can grow extremely hot in no time at all! When this 
  happens, it can set up an interesting situation for the champions 
  to wander into, quickly turning a dispute between two groups 
  of aliens into a three-way battle. Afterward, it’s up to the GM 
  whether this local incident ripples further, disrupting the détente 
  . . . but usually, things will settle back down, as all sides are fairly 
  comfortable with the current arrangement.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  26
  Basic Morphology Inducer: Alternate Form (Breakable, DR 
  2, SM -6, Machine, -35%; Can Be Stolen, Must be removed by 
  force, -10%; Cosmetic, -50%; Mundane countermeasures, -5%; 
  Reduced Time 2, +40%) [6]. 6 points.
  Advanced Morphology Inducer: Morph (Breakable, DR 2, 
  SM -6, Machine, -35%; Can Be Stolen, Must be removed by 
  force, -10%; Cosmetic, -50%; Mundane countermeasures, -5%; 
  Reduced Time 2, +40%; Retains Shape, -20%) [20]. 20 points.
  The inducer makes it trivial to avoid any problems from 
  low Appearance or a Social Stigma, as the alien can spend all 
  of its time “morphed” with no drawbacks. Because of that, 
  those disadvantages take a special -80% limitation: “Mitigator, 
  Morphology Inducer.” (If a demonic PC were to get his hands 
  on one, he’d have to make the same changes, buying down 
  those racial disadvantages in addition to paying for the mor-
  phology inducer.)
  Devourers
  A.K.A.: Anakim, Gels.
  In their natural state, Devourers are disgusting blobs of 
  gelatinous mucus . . . and if they were to stay in this form, 
  champions would have no trouble identifying and confronting 
  them. Unfortunately, Devourers are body thieves, assimilat-
  ing their victims by dissolving them and then recreating their 
  physical form as a “shell” around the alien mucus. And as they 
  consume more victims, they grow and multiply, until a single 
  Devourer has become its own pack.
  The Attack
  A Devourer in gel form will conceal itself in cracks, in 
  drains, under the dirt, etc. to attack an unsuspecting victim 
  or to wait (e.g., as a puddle) until a victim makes accidental 
  contact. A mere touch requires the victim to roll HT-5, with a 
  bonus equal to twice DR (and +1 for even normal clothing). 
  The alien will usually target exposed legs, arms, etc., to avoid 
  allowing this bonus. If the victim succeeds, he may make a 
  Touch roll, with a bonus equal to that margin of success, to 
  realize what just happened. If not, he is paralyzed for minutes 
  equal to the margin of failure.
  After paralyzing its prey, the Devourer will quickly (one 
  Attack maneuver) ooze inside the victim’s clothing, coating 
  him fully – and then dissolve him, inflicting 1d(5) corrosion 
  per second. Non-sealed armor, and innate DR with the Tough 
  Skin limitation, is ignored rather than divided by 5; the armor 
  divisor is reserved for sealed armor and any other inherent DR 
  (which humans do not normally have). Note that even thick 
  sealed armor will be dissolved eventually, though the Devourer 
  would normally not attack such a target to begin with.
  Once the victim is fully dissolved, the Devourer adds him 
  to its collection of available “shells” (see template, p. 27). 
  Forming such a shell takes 10 minutes of rest, after which 
  the Devourer appears to be that person in every appreciable 
  way. The Devourer retains the memories of all of its victims 
  – even their deepest, darkest secrets. Thus, losing a hunter 
  to a Devourer can be a terrifying situation, as the alien now 
  knows everything that champion knew about its greatest 
  enemy: a dedicated alien-hunting group.
  Divided We Stand
  A Devourer’s size can be measured in “person equiva-
  lents”; for example, a three-person Devourer masses about 
  as much as three humans, and could split into three differ-
  ent one-person Devourers. These would be formless gels to 
  begin with, but each could then grow a shell around itself. 
  Similarly, those three Devourers could later recombine back 
  into a three-person gel. Splitting and recombining requires 
  one Ready maneuver regardless of how many Devourers 
  are involved. Experts disagree over whether two different 
  Devourers can combine, as they are usually encountered 
  solo – and when not, it’s difficult to keep track of which gel 
  spawned from which monster!
  Every two humans (or, roughly, every 300 lbs. worth of 
  other creatures) consumed increase the size of a Devourer 
  by one person-equivalent. Devourers’ mucus-like bodies are 
  compressible enough to squeeze up to a two-person Devourer 
  into a human shell; anything bigger must either split off or 
  use a larger animal as a shell.
  Distributed Intelligence
  A Devourer’s consciousness is spread throughout its vari-
  ous bodies. Anything one sees, they all see, because they are 
  just one creature (albeit one capable of amazing multitasking). 
  However, the drawback is that the “pieces” of the Devourer 
  must remain in fairly close proximity or it gets harder for it 
  to think. This affects its IQ (though not Will and Per, which 
  remain constant).
  Figure the distance between the two farthest-apart mem-
  bers of the Devourer’s collective self and then consult the table 
  below to determine its IQ (for all of its “selves”). For distances 
  that fall between two values, use the larger, farther one.
   
  Distance 
  IQ
   
  2 yards or less 
  12
   
  7 yards 
  11
   
  20 yards 
  10
   
  70 yards 
  9
   
  200 yards 
  8
   
  700 yards 
  7
   
  1 mile 
  6
   
  Over 1 mile 
  See below
  The Devourer’s pieces cannot be more than one mile apart. 
  If this ever happens, it must instantly decide which of its 
  selves need to be removed from the collective to correct this 
  problem. Those bodies die, rapidly dissolving into an acidic 
  puddle that inflicts 1d corrosion (without the Devourer’s usual 
  (5) armor divisor) per second to anyone touching it; it loses 
  this potency after one minute.
  Alien Spaceships
  For most alien races – definitely including the Greys, 
  Nordics, and Reptoids – treat their typical spaceship as a 
  shuttlecraft (p. B465), but with stealth systems that give 
  -4 to be spotted visually and -8 to be picked up by any 
  sensors. In addition, once the ship escapes orbit, it can 
  safely engage a warp drive to return to the home planet.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  27
  Close Encounters: Devourers
  A Devourer will try to take over a small group of people, 
  particularly those who could logically explain staying close 
  together; e.g., a family. From there, it will spread out, keeping 
  some of its parts in gel form for easy feeding and others in 
  human shells to lure in new victims. A small Devourer is a 
  minor threat, but it’s possible for one to assimilate an entire 
  town if left unchecked – at which point, if threatened badly 
  enough to combine and revert to its natural form, it may be 
  the size of a city block! And it is smart enough to know to leave 
  a piece of itself behind and hidden, so that even if it’s “killed,” 
  a part of it lives on.
  Thus, the true threat of a Devourer is rooting it out com-
  pletely so it cannot come back. In a straightforward combat 
  situation, it isn’t likely to pose a huge challenge – though it will 
  stick to heavily populated areas, making explosives (the most 
  effective weapon against it) an inadvisable choice. However, it 
  has no reason to engage in straightforward combat and is far 
  more likely to run, escape down drains, and so on!
  Formerly Human Shell
  This is the reformed body of one of the Devourer’s human 
  victims, recreated around the core of a one-person gel (below) 
  – or a two-person gel compressing itself (and thus not acting 
  at its full potential). It is a separate entity from the Devourer 
  itself, and in combat, it acts as a sort of ablative armor. Any 
  attacks that penetrate DR do a flat 2 HP (or 1 HP for impal-
  ing or piercing) to the gel within, with the remaining dam-
  age taken by this shell. This applies even to explosive attacks, 
  unless they explode inside the body (which damages the 
  Devourer and shell simultaneously). The shell is destroyed 
  automatically at -HP; the Devourer may also choose to dis-
  solve the shell at any time as a free action. Destroying the 
  shell does not prevent the Devourer from reforming it later 
  (with the visage of any previous victim), but doing so takes it 
  a full 10 minutes of rest.
  A shell is hard to identify as a fake human without invasive 
  tests. Devourers excel at “running” the victim’s mind as a sort 
  of program, mimicking even their body movement and facial 
  quirks (use the Devourer’s Acting to fool observers). In addi-
  tion, surface tests will show the DNA, blood, etc. as belong-
  ing to the victim, and even bioscanners can be thrown off by 
  the recreated vital signs (roll a Quick Contest of Electronics 
  Operation vs. the shell’s HT to see past this).
  ST: 15 
  HP: 15 
  Speed: 6.25
  DX: 12 
  Will: 15* 
  Move: 6
  IQ: * 
  Per: 12* 
  Weight: 150 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: 14* 
  SM: 0
  Dodge: 10* 
  Parry: 11* 
  DR: 5
  Fright Check: N/A
  Punch or Bite (14): 1d+1 crushing; Reach C.
  Weapon (varies): Based on Damage 1d+1/2d+1.
  Traits: Fragile (Unnatural); High Pain Threshold; Injury Tol-
  erance (Unliving).
  Skills: As for the Devourer. It can also use any skills this vic-
  tim had, at -4.
  Notes: Statistics marked with * are for the gel within; for IQ, 
  see Distributed Intelligence (p. 26). May be wearing armor, 
  if available. A Devourer can also form shells for larger 
  animals that it has eaten; this requires per-
  son-equivalents equal to (animal weight 
  in lbs.)/150, rounded to the nearest whole 
  number. Improve the animal’s ST by 50% 
  and add +2 to DX, +3 to HT, and +5 to DR. 
  Optionally, use the same method to create 
  the shell of any exceptional character (e.g., 
  a devoured PC).
  Devourer (One-Person Gel)
  This Devourer is the beginning of an 
  incursion, something split off as the mass 
  grows, or the result of a human shell being 
  dissolved. The term “one-person” refers to 
  its size and volume, nothing more. If multi-
  ple such gels touch, they can combine into 
  larger ones; e.g., three of these would form a 
  “three-person” gel (Divided We Stand, p. 26).
  The Devourer’s body is not inherently corrosive; it has to 
  expose a bit of its inner core to dissolve things or to strike 
  with an inverted “limb.” However, it is inherently paralyzing; 
  anyone punching or kicking it must roll to avoid this! It regen-
  erates 1 HP every 15 minutes.
  This Devourer is a fair fight for one or two champions with 
  the capability of doing area-effect attacks – and note that jets 
  (like flamethrowers and sprayers) count for this purpose – or 
  two to three who cannot. This assumes that it’s free to fight 
  sneakily, slipping under cracks and into drains; in a sealed 
  room or featureless plains, it will be half as effective.
  ST: 15 
  HP: 40 
  Speed: 6.25
  DX: 12 
  Will: 15 
  Move: 7
  IQ: * 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 125 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: 14 
  SM: 0
  Dodge: 10 
  Parry: 11 
  DR: 0
  Fright Check: -2
  Acidic Punch (14): 1d+1 crushing + 1d(5) corrosion fol-
  low-up; Reach C. See Notes.
  Paralyzing Touch (14): Resisted with HT-5(0.5); see The 
  Attack (p. 26).
  Jennings: The organism is growing  
  at a geometric rate. By all accounts,  
  it’s at least a thousand times its original 
  mass.
  Scientist: This will put U.S. defense 
  years ahead of the Russians.
  – The Blob (1988)
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  28
  Traits: Appearance (Monstrous); Bestial; Combat Reflexes; 
  Doesn’t Breathe; Duplication (Variant); Hidebound; High 
  Pain Threshold; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards (Earth; 
  see p. 29); Immunity to Mind Reading and Control; Injury 
  Tolerance (Diffuse; Infiltration); Injury Tolerance (No 
  Eyes; No Head; No Neck); Low Empathy; Mind Reading 
  (Selves; Sensory); Mindlink (Selves); Morph (Variant; Vic-
  tims only); No Legs (Slithers); Obsession (Growing) (9); 
  Possession (Variant); Regeneration (Regular); Regrowth; 
  Telesend (Selves); Unusual Biochemistry.
  Skills: Acting-(IQ+2); Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Tactics-(IQ).
  Notes: See Distributed Intelligence (p. 26) for IQ. The corro-
  sion follow-up for Acidic Punch ignores DR with the Tough 
  Skin limitation.
  Devourer (Two-Person Gel)
  Remember that this Devourer can split into two of the 
  versions above, each sharing the same mind and thus able to 
  coordinate precisely. Thus, it’s fairest to think of this as “two 
  one-person Devourers” in terms of challenge level.
  ST: 18 
  HP: 50 
  Speed: 6.25
  DX: 12 
  Will: 15 
  Move: 7
  IQ: * 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 250 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: 14 
  SM: +1
  Dodge: 10 
  Parry: 11 
  DR: 0
  Fright Check: -2
  Acidic Punch (14): 1d+2 crushing + 1d(5) corrosion fol-
  low-up; Reach C, 1. See Notes.
  Paralyzing Touch (14): Resisted with HT-5(0.5); see The 
  Attack (p. 26).
  Traits: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel) (pp. 27-28) plus Extra 
  Attack 1.
  Skills and Notes: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel).
  Devourer (Three-Person Gel)
  The note for the two-person version above applies here  
  as well.
  ST: 21 
  HP: 57 
  Speed: 6.25
  DX: 12 
  Will: 15 
  Move: 7
  IQ: * 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 375 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: 14 
  SM: +1
  Dodge: 10 
  Parry: 11 
  DR: 0
  Fright Check: -2
  Acidic Punch (14): 2d+1 crushing + 1d(5) corrosion fol-
  low-up; see Notes.
  Paralyzing Touch (14): Resisted with HT-5(0.5); see The 
  Attack (p. 26).
  Traits: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel) (pp. 27-28) plus Extra 
  Attack 2 and Extra Arms 1.
  Skills and Notes: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel).
  Devourer (Five-Person Gel)
  The note for the two-person version above applies here  
  as well.
  ST: 25 
  HP: 68 
  Speed: 6.25
  DX: 12 
  Will: 15 
  Move: 7
  IQ: * 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 625 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: 14 
  SM: +1
  Dodge: 10 
  Parry: 11 
  DR: 0
  Fright Check: -3
  Acidic Punch (14): 2d+3 crushing + 1d(5) corrosion fol-
  low-up; Reach C, 1. See Notes.
  Paralyzing Touch (14): Resisted with HT-5(0.5); see The 
  Attack (p. 26).
  Traits: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel) (pp. 27-28) plus Extra 
  Attack 4 and Extra Arms 3.
  Skills and Notes: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel).
  Devourer (10-Person Gel)
  At this size, the Devourer can be scarier in combined form 
  than split into a horde of one-person gels. If the champions 
  lack the area-effect attacks to truly hurt it, the alien is likely 
  to use All-Out Attack (Strong) to hit for 3d+6 damage plus 
  corrosion – 10 times per turn! Even if they come armed with 
  explosives, flamethrowers, etc., this gel will likely be a fair 
  fight for an entire team, as it disappears into sewers and pops 
  up behind (or amid) them.
  ST: 32 
  HP: 86 
  Speed: 6.25
  DX: 12 
  Will: 15 
  Move: 7
  IQ: * 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 1,250 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: 14 
  SM: +2
  Dodge: 10 
  Parry: 11 
  DR: 0
  Fright Check: -4
  Acidic Punch (14): 3d+3 crushing + 1d(5) corrosion fol-
  low-up; Reach C, 1. See Notes.
  I know I’m human. And if you were all these things, then you’d just attack me 
  right now, so some of you are still human. This thing doesn’t want to show itself, 
  it wants to hide inside an imitation. It’ll fight if it has to, but it’s vulnerable out  
  in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. 
  And then it’s won.
  – MacReady, in The Thing (1982)
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  29
  Paralyzing Touch (14): Resisted with HT-5(0.5); see The 
  Attack (p. 26).
  Traits: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel) (pp. 27-28) plus Extra 
  Attack 9 and Extra Arms 8.
  Skills and Notes: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel).
  Devourer (100-Person Gel)
  These statistics are included mainly as an illustration. 
  A team having to face a beast like this would be justified in 
  instead concocting an excuse to call in an air strike or rigging 
  a gas main to explode!
  ST: 69 
  HP: 185 
  Speed: 6.25
  DX: 12 
  Will: 15 
  Move: 7
  IQ: * 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 12,500 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: 14 
  SM: +4
  Dodge: 10 
  Parry: 11 
  DR: 0
  Fright Check: -9
  Acidic Punch (14): 7d+7 crushing + 1d(5) corrosion fol-
  low-up; Reach C-3. See Notes.
  Paralyzing Touch (14): Resisted with HT-5(0.5); see The 
  Attack (p. 26).
  Traits: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel) (pp. 27-28) plus 
  Extra Attack 99 and Extra Arms 98.
  Skills and Notes: As for Devourer (One-Person Gel).
  Further Devourers
  A Devourer gel gets attacks and arms equal to the 
  person-equivalents, and has weight in pounds equal to 
  125¥(person-equivalents). Once weight is established, use 
  the cube root of that weight to figure the following:
  ST: Equal to 3¥(cube root of weight), rounded down.
  HP: Equal to 8¥(cube root of weight), rounded down.
  Fright Check: The penalty is -1 for every full 20 HP.
  SM: Divide cube root of weight by 3, and then look up 
  that result as “Longest Dimension” (in yards) on the Size 
  Modifier Table (p. 19). Remember that in-between values 
  use the larger SM.
  Example: A 50-person Devourer weighs 50 ¥ 125 = 6,250 
  lbs. The cube root of 6,250 is 18.4. So this Devourer has ST of 
  18.4 ¥ 3 = 55, has HP of 18.4 ¥ 8 = 147 (and thus Fright Checks 
  are at -7), and its SM is calculated as though it were 18.4/3 = 
  6.1 yards long, or SM +3.
  If a value is needed on the fly, or no decent calculator is 
  available, the GM can simply eyeball the values by compari-
  son to the existing examples.
  Greys
  A.K.A.: Martians, Reticulans, Sauroids.
  These small, pale humanoids may be the most common 
  extraterrestrials to visit Earth.
  This is not a good thing.
  It’s dangerous to generalize about the Greys’ motivations, 
  goals, plots, and so on, because they have multiple factions 
  and groups within their own culture. However, it can be safely 
  said that they regard humanity with roughly as much respect 
  as we regard mice. Even the most “friendly” one is more likely 
  to dissect a human to find the answer to a question than to 
  ask him. (Some do learn to speak our languages, though they 
  sound wrong doing so – like a voice box was thrown into the 
  street and trampled over by a rampaging mob to produce the 
  sounds of speech.)
  Grey culture is extremely science-focused. In many ways, 
  science takes the place of religion; they worship at the altar 
  of knowledge. Thus, most of their activities on Earth involve 
  acquiring knowledge: about our strengths, our weaknesses, 
  our technology, our minds, and so on. They do so coldly, dis-
  passionately, logically, and thoroughly. It’s impossible to say 
  how many humans have died at their hands, but those victims 
  may be the lucky ones. The Greys take a “highly experimental” 
  approach to their science; they will abduct people and implant 
  devices, take them apart and put them back together, see what 
  sonic frequencies can shatter their sanity, or other terrifying 
  experiments . . . and then, frequently, will drop the victims off 
  in a field and leave. It’s rare, but heartbreaking, for a team of 
  hunters to shut down a threat to humanity, only to realize at 
  the end that it was an innocent person whom the Greys turned 
  into this terrifying monster.
  For the Greys’ relations with other races, see Alien Antipathy 
  (p. 25).
  Anatomy and Physiology
  A Grey stands between 4’ and 5’ tall, with relatively short 
  legs, a long neck, and large head. Greys are slender, but not 
  frail; the average Grey is physically weaker than a human, 
  but not by much. They have pale skin with faint patterns 
  reminiscent of scales (though they are not scales and do not 
  provide DR).
  They have neither noses nor a sense of smell and taste, but 
  their huge eyes are capable of perceiving a wider range of light 
  than humans’ can. Their hands end in four fingers; though 
  they lack thumbs, their digits are dexterous enough to serve 
  as opposing pairs.
  Greys are asexual and reproduce via cloning, using bio-
  logical material from multiple donors to preserve genetic 
  diversity. (Presumably they had a different method at some 
  point in the past, but the details are unknown.) Their cloning 
  technology is highly advanced; they have even been known to 
  clone humans and force-grow them to adulthood in a matter 
  of days. (If you escape the Greys and then see yourself on the 
  news a week later killing the president, that’s why.)
  Immunity to  
  Metabolic Hazards (Earth)
  Most aliens (not robots) in this chapter have Immunity 
  to Metabolic Hazards (Earth, -20%). The limitation reflects 
  the fact that the being is immune to the issues that humans 
  face, but that tailored poisons, Martian viruses, etc., remain 
  a danger. When dealing with alien PCs, the GM should 
  throw that danger in every once in a while to justify the 
  reduced cost; regarding NPCs, expect the heroes to find 
  every way possible to exploit the limitation.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  30
  Terrifying Tech
  Greys are TL10, though with a heavy reliance on much TL9 
  gear. Their brilliant engineers and scientists have produced a 
  few TL11 marvels, though these are rare. They make use of a 
  wide range of gear; the advice under Technology (pp. 25-26) 
  is very appropriate here. In particular, the GM shouldn’t feel 
  restricted to just the devices that have been written up in exist-
  ing GURPS catalogs; if a nifty new device or process would 
  lead to a fun adventure, include it! (Just make it a fragile, one-
  off experiment if it might unbalance the game.)
  Areas in which the Greys specifically excel include:
  Bioengineering: The Greys don’t just clone living things, 
  they invent living things. Any cryptid could be a creation of 
  the Greys, and they have the skill to invent creatures spe-
  cifically for a given situation. For example, if they wanted 
  to start a fire in a coal mine without getting personally 
  involved, they could drop off coal-sniffing badgers with 
  endocrine systems so hyperactive that they’ll eventually 
  burst into flame.
  Cloning: Any living being can be cloned if the Greys 
  have a sample of its DNA. They can force-grow a clone 
  to maturity at the rate of 10 years per 24 hours. This pro-
  duces a specimen who is physically identical – unless the 
  original suffered an accident, etc., in which case it’s easy 
  for the Greys to reproduce that! Attempting to “copy” a 
  person is difficult, however. If they have a detailed brain-
  scan (which takes four hours and a completely subdued 
  patient), they can copy that over into the clone; his DX, 
  IQ, Per, and Will are all at -1 and his skills are at an extra 
  -2, but that’s close enough to fool most people. If not, they 
  can program a basic personality with DX 10, IQ 9, Per 9, 
  Will 8, 1 point in each of a few skills, and the Delusion that 
  “he” is the original.
  Human Upgrades: Many Greys are fascinated with the 
  idea of turning our pathetic species into something . . . 
  more. This frequently takes the form of a human/Grey 
  hybrid, often with other genes mixed in (for “flavor”). 
  Ideally, such a creation must be able to sustain and 
  reproduce itself, so it cannot simply be “decanted” as a 
  clone would. Instead, the Greys kidnap human women 
  and implant these monstrous embryos into them, before 
  microchipping them (see below) and turning them loose. 
  As far as most hunters know, no such experiment to date 
  has survived the birthing process.
  Microchipping: The Greys can implant a chip into a 
  human brain as a major surgical procedure. This allows 
  them to track the subject – using Electronics Opera-
  tion (Sensors) with Long-Distance Modifiers (p. B241) – 
  and to force him to take (or not take) certain actions.  
  Treat these commands as posthypnotic suggestions; roll a 
  Quick Contest of the Grey programmer’s Hypnotism at +2 
  vs. the victim’s Will-5 if he is unaware or Will if he knows 
  he’s been chipped. The chip can contain multiple sugges-
  tions, but each separate order past the first gives -1 to the 
  Grey’s Hypnotism. Frequently, the Greys will microchip 
  a clone (above) instead; clones are programmed never to 
  resist, so a successful Hypnotism roll is all that’s needed.
  Psi-Tech: All of the devices in Psychotronics (Champions, 
  pp. 57-58) and More Psychotronics (p. 9) are available to the 
  Greys, along with many more devices. The GM can draw 
  from GURPS Psi-Tech or simply invent new devices as he 
  sees fit.
  Psychoportation: Though the rarest psionic power among 
  humans, Teleportation is fairly common among psychic 
  Greys. By cloning the brains of these psis, the Greys create 
  powerful psychotronic teleportation machines that anyone 
  can use. These have two significant restrictions, however. 
  inHuMAn Greys
  You’ve gone over to the side of the humans, after tak-
  ing one of your people’s morphology inducers to better fit 
  in. You aren’t physically strong or fast, and you definitely 
  won’t be the social one, but you’re smart, hardy, and those 
  huge eyes aren’t just for show!
  Grey
  0 points
  Attribute Modifiers: ST-2 [-20].
  Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP+1 [2]; Basic 
  Move-1 [-5]; SM 0 or -1*.
  Advantages: Basic Morphology Inducer (p. 26) [6]; Hyper-
  spectral Vision [25]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards 
  (Earth, -20%; see p. 29) [24]; Language (Grey; Native) 
  [6].
  Disadvantages: Disturbing Voice [-10]; Low Empathy 
  [-20]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Social Stigma 
  (Monster) (Mitigator, Morphology Inducer, -80%) [-3].
  Features: Can buy off Low Empathy. Drugs and bio- 
  tech calibrated for humans do not work on Greys, and 
  vice versa.
  * Your choice; Greys range from 4’ (SM -1) to 5’ (SM 0). 
  If SM 0, you can use your morphology inducer to appear 
  as a short adult. If SM -1, you are limited to appearing as 
  a child or little person.
  Notes
  Alone among all inhumans to date, the Grey is a 0-point 
  racial template instead of a 200-point one. This means that 
  it can be added to any of the existing character templates 
  as-is; particularly apt choices include the commando, 
  psi, and techie, though don’t hesitate to try other things; 
  there’s no reason you couldn’t be cybernetically enhanced, 
  a holy warrior, or even a spellcaster! Ironically, the inhu-
  man character template and monstrous lens are the only 
  truly invalid choices, as each earmarks 200 points just for 
  race. You are considered an “inhuman” champion wher-
  ever that matters.
  You can (and should, unless the GM says otherwise) 
  take Reputation -4 (Traitor; Greys; 10 or less) [-5] as one 
  of your template disadvantages. With GM permission, even 
  a Grey who is not a gifted (psi), psi, or psychic can spend 
  advantage points and earned character points on psionics.
  In your native form, you have Social Stigma (Monster) 
  but not a negative Appearance. This is because you don’t 
  look particularly terrifying – in fact, most humans find a 
  certain elegance to the Greys – but there’s still the “holy 
  cow, that’s an alien!” factor.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  31
  First, they are too massive to be portable, and are found only 
  in their ships and bases. Second, they require orgone energy 
  to use – vital life force. This is usually acquired by strapping 
  humans to special tables and then draining their life energy in 
  the form of FP and HP. Refer to the Warp tables on p. B98; in 
  addition to the penalty for distance, each use of teleportation 
  requires FP and HP equal to 10¥(1 + the absolute value of that 
  penalty). That is, 10 FP and 10 HP for 10 yards, 20 FP and 20 
  HP for 20 yards, 30 FP and 30 HP for 100 yards, and so on. 
  This cost is unaffected by preparation time.
  Psychoportive Beacons: Many Greys assigned to work in 
  the field will wear these 2-lb. belts that read their vital signs. 
  Should they be killed, the psychoportation machine back at 
  base will teleport their bodies (and possibly their gear) away.
  Space Travel: The Greys have been visiting Earth for centu-
  ries and have established countless hidden bases; at this point, 
  they rarely need to make trips off-planet. Still, they have the 
  capability to do so, and sometimes use spaceships (p. 26) even 
  for planetbound travel.
  Close Encounters: Greys
  The Greys operate out of a series of well-disguised bases, 
  from subterranean lairs bored underneath mountains to office 
  buildings where no human ever travels above the second floor. 
  Most have adequate knowledge of Earth – certainly enough to 
  blend in using a morphology inducer, though not if the role 
  requires speaking. A Grey in disguise might feign laryngitis, 
  program a visible throat injury (e.g., from a laryngectomy) 
  into its disguise, lip-sync to prerecorded questions, or use a 
  synthesized speech generator; smart hunters will look for all 
  of these tells.
  Greys are invariably encountered on missions of some 
  type. These vary greatly, but the most common are kidnapping 
  (often single targets but occasionally whole groups), theft of 
  some sort of technology, assassination, introducing an exper-
  iment into the wild (e.g., adding chemicals to a town’s water 
  supply or returning an “improved” child back to his family), 
  and reconnaissance or research.
  Even if a Grey team’s short-term objective is obvious, the 
  long-term goal behind it is usually difficult to discern, as the 
  Greys do not shy away from complex plots. For example, a 
  kidnapping victim may be needed for genetic material, as 
  part of a cybernetic implant experiment, for a morphology 
  scan so they can impersonate him, to telepathically provide 
  detailed blueprints of his place of employment, as a micro-
  chipped pawn to cause a later distraction, or for any number 
  of other plans.
  In a confrontation, even the toughest Greys are not that 
  physically imposing. They rely on their technology (and occa-
  sionally psionics) to give them the edge in any fight, and will 
  not hesitate to retreat. The more important their mission,  
  the more likely they are to stick around and fight, but only if 
  an experiment is the culmination of its life work will a Grey 
  stay and fight an obviously losing, suicidal battle.
  Grey
  This is a typical specimen, but a Grey’s traits will vary 
  as much as any human’s. If the heroes ever manage to truly 
  draw the ire of the Greys, the aliens may even send their own 
  “champions” to hunt them; use the Inhuman Greys (p. 30) 
  template with those in Champions to create some terrifying 
  “human hunters”!
  Two to three normal Greys in light armor are a fair fight 
  for most hunters. Equipping them with heavy armor or add-
  ing one of the lenses below roughly doubles their threat level; 
  doing both triples it.
  ST: 9 
  HP: 11 
  Speed: 6.00
  DX: 12 
  Will: 14 
  Move: 5
  IQ: 14 
  Per: 14 
  Weight: 80-100 lbs.
  HT: 12 
  FP: 12 
  SM: -1 or 0
  Dodge: 10 
  Parry: 10 
  DR: See Notes.
  Fright Check: +2
  EMP Pistol (15): All electronics within a one-yard radius (of 
  impact) must roll HT-3 or short out for minutes equal to 
  margin of failure. Acc 6, Range 90/270, RoF 1, Shots 33(3), 
  Bulk -2, Rcl 1.
  Laser Pistol (15): 3d(2) burning. Acc 6, Range 200/600, RoF 
  10, Shots 33(3), Bulk -2, Rcl 1.
  Traits: Combat Reflexes; Disturbing Voice; High TL 2; 
  Hyperspectral Vision; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards 
  (Earth; see p. 29); Low Empathy; No Sense of Smell/Taste; 
  Social Stigma (Monster). Quick Gadgeteer and psion-
  ics (Champions, pp. 45-48) are very common, but not 
  universal.
  Skills: Varies greatly, but usually includes Beam Weapons (Pis-
  tol and/or Projector)-15. Grey enemies should be treated 
  much like rogue humans; they will have skills befitting 
  their current mission.
  Notes: No inherent DR, but most wear light armor (DR 10 
  vs. crushing, DR 20 vs. everything else) with or with out a 
  helmet (DR 18 for skull, DR 12 for face/eyes). On the rare 
  times they knowingly plan for a straightforward fight, they 
  wear heavy armor (DR 50 for torso, DR 30 for other loca-
  tions) and helmets (DR 40 for skull, DR 30 for face/eyes). 
  Many have morphology inducers (pp. 25-26).
  Grey Lenses
  Apply one of these lenses to the Grey above to quickly cre-
  ate a more dangerous foe.
  Psychokinetic: Add Cryokinesis 2, Pyrokinesis 3, and Teleki-
  nesis 8 (all as alternative abilities) and Psychokinesis Talent 4 
  to Traits. This Grey can roll a Quick Contest of effective Will 18 
  (minus range penalties) vs. victim’s Will. Victory inflicts 2d-2 
  fatigue with the freezing hazard or 3d burning, bypassing DR. 
  Alternatively, it can lift things within 20 yards as ST 8 (BL 13).
  Scientist: Raise IQ to 16. Add Quick Gadgeteer and Curi-
  ous (12) to Traits. Add Inventor!-15 and Science!-15 to Skills. 
  Improve one weapon in a minor way (e.g., give the laser armor 
  divisor (3) or widen the EMP to a two-yard radius).
  I don’t believe the greys have souls, 
  but are more like “Frankensteins”  
  or “zombies” or whatever term you  
  want to use for the “living dead.”
  – Karla Turner
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  32
  Soldier: Raise ST to 11, DX to 14, HT to 14, Basic Speed to 
  7.00, and Basic Move to 6. Add Enhanced Dodge 1 and either 
  Danger Sense or Gunslinger to Traits. Add Tactics-15 and 
  Judo-16 to Skills. Dodge and Parry become 12.
  Telepath: Add Mental Blow, Mind Control 2, Mindwipe, and 
  Telesend (all as alternative abilities), at least one human lan-
  guage, and Telepathy Talent 4 to Traits. This Grey can roll a 
  Quick Contest of effective Will 18 (minus range penalties) vs. 
  victim’s Will. Victory mentally stuns him, forces him to follow 
  the Grey’s orders, or erases the last (margin of loss) minutes 
  from his memory. (If Mind Control fails, the victim is immune 
  for the next 24 hours.) Alternatively, it can project its thoughts 
  into the mind of anyone within view.
  inseCtoiDs
  A.K.A.: Chrymorphids, Sirians.
  No one knows whether these terrifying killing machines 
  evolved naturally or were genetically engineered. Either way, 
  Insectoids are apex predators – an absolutely terrifying threat 
  from another world. They do not appear to be fully sapient, 
  but are cunning and careful, showing awareness of tactics and 
  using the environment against their foes. And every enemy 
  they dispatch becomes a potential incubator for creating a 
  new Insectoid to terrorize our world!
  Anatomy of a Nightmare
  An Insectoid is a centaurian creature with four legs and 
  two arms. True to its name, it has an exoskeleton of hard chi-
  tin which protects it from most threats; its feet are similarly 
  covered, but have thick pads of “chitinous hair” resembling 
  fur, allowing the monster to move quietly and stealthily even 
  on hard surfaces. Its chitin has a limited ability to shift colors, 
  matching any dark hues in the immediate vicinity; this allows 
  the alien to become nearly invisible at night.
  The Insectoid’s hands end in four claws, all opposable but 
  not optimized for fine manual dexterity. Its head is a flat, 
  protruding oval with four eyes in a horizontal row across the 
  front; it would almost look comically ungainly, if not for the 
  four rows of razor-sharp teeth displayed when it opens its 
  wide maw!
  It possesses a circulatory system of sorts, which appears to 
  be its gastrointestinal and reproductive system as well, confus-
  ing even skilled xenologists. Its bodily fluid (part blood, part 
  waste, part reproductive material) resembles a thin oil, appar-
  ently under heavy pressure, as it sprays out when the Insectoid 
  is injured badly enough. This fluid is highly poisonous to 
  humans, posing a problem for hunters; even brief contact on 
  bare skin can induce toxic shock. Because of this, this fluid is 
  referred to as the Insectoid’s venom. Sealed defenses like an 
  NBC suit (p. 10) are helpful, but the erosive spray can eat right 
  through their seals. Roll against the suit’s HT 12 every time 
  it’s exposed to the venom; on a failure, enough gets through 
  to affect the user and the suit’s HT drops by 1 for future rolls!
  Far worse results happen when the venom is administered 
  internally, however . . .
  Unwilling Surrogates
  An Insectoid’s tongue is hollow and connected to its repro-
  ductive (etc.) system. It can use this organ to inject reproduc-
  tive venom into a living or recently dead human. Anyone with 
  Immunity to Metabolic Hazards is immune; the Insectoid 
  may still inject them, but they will suffer no ill effect from it. 
  The Insectoid stores enough genetic material to infect only 
  one person; after that, it must wait 1d hours before attempt-
  ing it again.
  Against a living foe, this requires the alien first to grap-
  ple him. The injection is then a separate attack, which may 
  be defended against normally. (Though being grappled, the 
  victim has -2 to parry and -1 to dodge, and cannot retreat or 
  make an acrobatic dodge.) If the Insectoid has time, it may 
  first pin the subject, after which he cannot defend. Once 
  injected, the victim gets one HT roll; Resistant to Metabolic 
  Hazards applies. On a critical success, the venom fails to take; 
  otherwise, he is now infected.
  The venom is a poison that inflicts 1d+1 toxic damage 
  every minute for an unlimited number of cycles; the victim 
  is in agony (p. B428) the entire time. Use the rules under 
  Neutralizing Plagues (The Mission, pp. 23-24) for any attempt 
  to stop the progress; powers are at -10 and the venom resists 
  magic with HT 14.
  The GM must track damage inflicted by the venom sepa-
  rately. If the victim dies, he will rise up as a venom zombie 
  (p. 34) within 1d minutes. When this happens, erase all injury 
  caused by the venom to determine its current HP.
  Example: A champion with HP 13 loses a fight to an Insec-
  toid. It battered him down to -2 HP before grappling and 
  infecting him, after which he began losing 1d+1 HP every min-
  ute. After three minutes, he’s taken a total of 12 HP of injury 
  from the venom, bringing him to -14 HP, and he fails his HT 
  roll to survive. When “he” comes back as a venom zombie, he 
  will be at -2 HP, not -14. (Because venom zombies have Unkill-
  able 1, his body is a long way from worrying about “death,” as 
  that doesn’t occur until -130 HP.)
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  33
  With a dead body, the Insectoid has a much easier time; 
  no attack roll is even required. However, the GM must roll 
  1d, subtracting 1 for every full 30 minutes since the person’s 
  death. If the result is 0 or less, or the body was at -10¥HP 
  or worse, the process fails; otherwise, the body gets up as a 
  venom zombie in 1d minutes. Its HP are whatever they were 
  when the person died, which will generally 
  be much lower than they would be for some-
  one infected while alive. Due to these issues, 
  Insectoids prefer living hosts over dead 
  ones, even if the latter are easier to handle.
  A venom zombie is not automatically 
  hostile. Instead, its priority is on personal 
  survival. It will run and hide if possible, but 
  will fight viciously if confronted. Attacks to 
  the vitals and skull are the best way to put 
  it down, just as for a living human. The GM 
  will secretly roll 3d to determine how many 
  hours until the zombie explodes, releasing 
  a baby Insectoid (p. 34) into the world. The 
  child grows up quickly, imprinted with the 
  knowledge it needs to survive, reaching the 
  adult statistics once it is two days old.
  Behind the Chitin
  Insectoids have very simple, basic moti-
  vations: They want to survive, both indi-
  vidually and as a species (by reproducing 
  frequently). Unfortunately, this requires 
  fresh humans. No one has ever witnessed 
  an Insectoid attempt to infect an animal, 
  only humans, which lends credence to 
  the “Insectoids are engineered weapons” 
  theory. However, some xenologists have 
  proposed that the aliens’ high intelligence 
  (relative to their evolutionary development 
  and brain size) may depend on incubating 
  their children in the most intelligent hosts 
  possible (which, on Earth, are humans).
  There doesn’t seem to be any “Insectoid 
  society”; they are loners who don’t even 
  attempt to track down their own spawn. 
  While this has the downside of making it 
  hard to find the babies that get away, most 
  hunters agree that if the Earthbound Insec-
  toids ever began working together, we’d all 
  be in serious trouble.
  Close Encounters: Insectoids
  Hunter groups are alert for reports of bodies that appear to 
  have exploded from within, as this is often the first indication 
  of an Insectoid infestation. Once the champions move in, the 
  question becomes “Who spots whom first?” If the Insectoid is 
  aware that the hunters are on its trail, it will either ambush 
  them all (using its Tactics skill to estimate when they’ll be 
  most vulnerable), ambush and infect a single champion (if 
  possible), or – if the team is moving slowly – infect more unre-
  lated victims to help even the odds. If the heroes can locate the 
  alien first, they must corner it where it can’t easily escape, and 
  then survive the attack without having one of their own turned 
  into an incubator!
  Perhaps the most dangerous “false flag” is if multiple Insec-
  toids are in the same area, infecting people, at which point the 
  town bears all the hallmarks of a classic zombie infestation. 
  Hunters prepared to deal with standard zombies may be taken 
  by surprise when the Insectoid “parents” move in to protect 
  their creations.
  Insectoid
  A killing machine. See Baby Insectoid (p. 34) for its (indi-
  rect) spawn. One of these should be able to challenge one or 
  two champions; err on the lower side if they know in advance 
  to wear NBC suits (p. 10).
  ST: 27 
  HP: 27 
  Speed: 8.00
  DX: 16 
  Will: 15 
  Move: 12
  IQ: 6 
  Per: 15 
  Weight: 400 lbs.
  HT: 14 
  FP: 14 
  SM: +1
  Dodge: 13 
  Parry: 13 
  DR: 15
  Fright Check: -6
  Bite or Claw (16): 3d+1(2) cutting; Reach C (bite) or C, 1 
  (claw). Made as a Deceptive Attack (-1 to defend against).
  AnDroiDs
  Most intelligent alien races can’t easily interact with humanity, due 
  to looking . . . well, like aliens. For those races that lack access to mor-
  phology inducers (pp. 25-26), or who just want some extra manpower, 
  androids are an excellent choice. These are robots, shaped to look like 
  humans and programmed to behave like them, which can be operated 
  remotely or trusted to follow specific orders. An android can be crafted 
  to resemble (or replace!) a specific person or it can be given nondescript 
  features that are intentionally difficult to describe.
  In addition to aliens, many conspiracies are accused of using robotic 
  henchmen. In particular, the dreaded Men in Black – the spooky guys 
  in black suits and sunglasses who show up to intimidate witnesses and 
  cause problems – are often accused of being more machine than human. 
  In some cases, this may be true.
  Each android is roughly a fair fight for a typical champion. Hunt-
  ers who rely on bullets will be at a slight disadvantage, though, as the 
  android’s Machine meta-trait includes Injury Tolerance (Unliving).
  ST: 25 
  HP: 50 
  Speed: 6.50
  DX: 13 
  Will: 8 
  Move: 8/16
  IQ: 8 
  Per: 10 
  Weight: 200 lbs.
  HT: 13 
  FP: N/A 
  SM: 0
  Dodge: 9 
  Parry: 10 
  DR: 10 (Hardened 1)
  Fright Check: N/A
  Implanted Pistol (15): Based on weapon.
  Punch (15): 2d+3 crushing; Reach C.
  Traits: Digital Mind; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground); High Pain Thresh-
  old; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards; Indomitable; Machine; Mainte-
  nance (Five People; Weekly); Payload 5; Protected Senses (All); Sealed; 
  Unfazeable.
  Skills: Brawling-15; Intimidation-12; Wrestling-14; either Beam Weapons 
  (Pistol)-15 or Guns (Pistol or SMG)-15.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  34
  Venom Spray: 1d+1 toxic area-effect erosive contact agent 
  (p. B111). This fills one square yard immediately adjacent 
  to the Insectoid (toward its attacker) on any turn in which 
  it takes at least 1 HP of injury from a cutting, impaling, or 
  piercing attack.
  Traits: Bestial; Chameleon 4 (Only in dark surroundings); 
  Combat Reflexes; Doesn’t Breathe; Enhanced Dodge 1; 
  Extra Attack 1; Extra Legs (Four legs); Ham-Fisted 1; High 
  Pain Threshold; Indomitable; Injury Tolerance (No Vitals); 
  Loner (6); Low Empathy; Peripheral Vision; Pressure Sup-
  port 3; Resistant to Psionics (+3); Sealed; Silence 4; Ultravi-
  sion; Unfazeable (Not vs. fire); Vacuum Support.
  Skills: 
  Brawling-18; 
  Camouflage-10; 
  Observation-15; 
  Stealth-18; Tactics-10; Tracking-18.
  Notes: Stealth does not include Chameleon/Silence bonuses.
  Baby Insectoid
  This is a newborn. The GM should interpolate the “baby” 
  and “adult” statistics as it grows up over the course of two 
  days. It’s about half the threat level of an adult Insectoid.
  ST: 11 
  HP: 11 
  Speed: 6.50
  DX: 12 
  Will: 13 
  Move: 8
  IQ: 6 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 50 lbs.
  HT: 14 
  FP: 14 
  SM: -1
  Dodge: 11 
  Parry: 11 
  DR: 10
  Fright Check: -2
  Bite or Claw (14): 1d-1(2) cutting; Reach C.
  Venom Spray: As for Insectoid (pp. 33-34).
  Traits: As for Insectoid, but delete Extra Attack.
  Skills: Brawling-14; Camouflage-8; Observation-12; 
  Stealth-14; Tactics-6; Tracking-13.
  Notes: Stealth does not include Chameleon/Silence bonuses.
  Venom Zombie
  Values in parentheses are modifiers to be applied to the 
  victim’s original attribute or secondary characteristic. See 
  Unwilling Surrogates (pp. 32-33) to determine how many HP  
  the zombie actually starts with.
  Venom zombies are more of a side effect than an actual 
  threat; including several in a hunt will mainly have the 
  effect of distracting the champions, as they will (hopefully) 
  prioritize the zombies’ destruction to stop further Insectoids 
  from spawning.
  ST: (+2) 
  HP: Same 
  Speed: Same
  DX: (-2) 
  Will: 14 
  Move: (+1)
  IQ: 2 
  Per: 10 
  Weight: Same
  HT: (+2) 
  FP: N/A 
  SM: Same
  Dodge: Same 
  Parry: (-1) 
  DR: Same
  Fright Check: 0
  Venom Spray: As Insectoid (pp. 33-34).
  Traits: Fanaticism (Survival); High Pain Threshold; Termi-
  nally Ill (Less than a day); Unkillable 1.
  Skills: Same, but based on modified attributes and char-
  acteristics.
  norDiCs
  A.K.A.: Aryans, Lemurians, Men From Planet X (“Xists”).
  Tall, imposing, beautiful, perfectly sculpted . . . the Nordics 
  are an idealized version of humanity. They have been visiting 
  Earth for some time now in their spaceships (p. 26), helping 
  us advance and evolve to the next level, guiding us to discover 
  new things rather than simply handing them to us. New Age 
  “believers” point to the Nordics as proof that aliens are funda-
  mentally benevolent beings, or at least not all bad, and look 
  forward to the day when we can join our fellow races in the 
  harmonious galactic union.
  It’s all lies, of course. But the Nordics have gone to a lot of 
  trouble to spread them. As a race, they put public relations 
  and reputation above all other concerns, because they know 
  that fighting a war is much harder than simply convincing 
  others that you’re their greatest allies. The Nordics need only 
  dole out a few trinkets and solve a few basic scientific prob-
  lems, and the nations of the world happily give them what 
  they want – or just look the other way when they take it. Just 
  ask the Nazis, the Nordics’ most productive partners to date.
  For the Nordics’ relations with other races, see Alien 
  Antipathy (p. 25).
  More Human Than Human
  It’s no coincidence that the Nordics look like idealized 
  humans. Long ago – no human knows exactly when, but at 
  least two centuries back – the “Nordics” who visited Earth 
  looked nothing like us. They were humanoid (the universe 
  seems to default to that for sapient races) but hideous to our 
  eye. Undeterred, they began kidnapping and interrogating 
  humans to discover what we like – what our ideal “person” 
  would be. Once they narrowed that down, the genetic engi-
  neering of their own kind began. Within two generations, 
  they had achieved an ideal exterior without compromising 
  their minds.
  Yes, the Nordics here on Earth represent a small fraction 
  of their race who have been specifically optimized to inter-
  act with humans. Across the galaxy, other such “planet-opti-
  mized” Nordics exist, each bred to appeal to the inhabitants of 
  that world. Should the Nordics ever decide to abandon Earth, 
  all of the human-like Nordics would simply choose not to 
  reproduce, allowing this subrace to die out.
  Despite the names “Nordic” and “Aryan,” these terrestrially 
  adapted aliens come in all races. For every country and com-
  munity on Earth, there are at least a few Nordics who fit right 
  in. However, most human believers erroneously assume that 
  all Nordics are Caucasian with blond hair and blue eyes – sim-
  ply because the infamous ones who partnered with the Nazis 
  did fit that mold.
  The real good guys are other nordic 
  factions and whatever miscellaneous  
  lesser alien types are on their side of  
  non-interventionism.
  – Tom Montalk
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  35
  The Originals
  What do unaltered Nordics look like? That’s up to the 
  GM. If he decides to introduce them to a game, the revelation 
  should be a total surprise, which is why they’re not described 
  here (beyond “humanoid” and “two sexes”).
  We Come in Peace
  The Nordics have a few overarching goals and plots. First, 
  they want to keep humanity fragmented and desperate, to 
  encourage the leadership to turn to the Nordics for help. The 
  best possible situation is a world war, and the Nordics were 
  instrumental in bringing about WWI and WWII. (To be clear, 
  they didn’t cause those wars – socio-economic issues and 
  political tensions did – but they worked behind the scenes 
  to exacerbate things, get other nations involved, and string 
  things out so the wars lasted longer than they otherwise 
  might have.) Currently, much of their focus is on the 
  Middle East and Eastern Europe, fomenting distrust and 
  stoking the fires within would-be conquerors and fanat-
  ics. A large part of this is encouraging intolerance (racial, 
  religious, national, you name it), to keep us at odds with 
  each other.
  Second, they want to slow humanity’s natural progress, 
  preventing any scientific or technological breakthroughs. 
  They were largely responsible for tanking the American 
  and Russian space programs. They assassinate or kidnap 
  obscure scientists, and discredit famous ones, before they 
  can announce discoveries. If that isn’t possible, they’ll do 
  whatever is necessary; several wildfires and gas explosions 
  were caused by Nordics to destroy someone’s work as col-
  lateral damage.
  Past these general themes, every group of Nordics 
  has a different short-term plot. Some acquire humans to 
  sell to the Reptoids (pp. 39-41) as breeding stock. Others 
  arrange for ritualized deaths in a building equipped to  
  capture the orgone energy of the departing souls; they then 
  sell these “orgone batteries” to the Greys (pp. 29-32) to 
  power their psychoportive technology (pp. 30-31). Patient 
  ones may work to drive humans away from an area with 
  precious underground resources; once the area is com-
  pletely deserted, they can mine it (quickly and destructively) 
  and then cover up their actions with a fire, explosion, etc.
  White Noise
  Decades of research have produced the Nordic’s lat-
  est creation, the street drug “White Noise.” This designer 
  drug sends its users into a euphoric trance (ecstasy, 
  p. B428) for 2d¥10 minutes, after which they are Manic-
  Depressive (p. B143) for three times that duration. (Those 
  who were already bipolar have mood swings on a 12 or 
  less and all effective self-control numbers are half of Will, 
  rounded down.)
  White Noise is an inhalant. It cannot be “rushed” into 
  the system with a single breath, but must be administered 
  via nasal tube (cannula) over the course of a minute before 
  it takes effect. Thus, its dealers also administer the drug, 
  rather than selling it “to go,” creating “White Noise dens” sim-
  ilar to the opium dens of old. A portable delivery system is the 
  size of a paperback and weighs 1.5 lbs.
  A far lesser known effect of the drug is that the user  
  must make a HT roll while coming down from the euphoria; 
  on a critical failure, his Will drops by 1 permanently. This rep-
  resents the majority of his body’s serotonin fleeing his system 
  to bind with the White Noise proteins! The resultant micro-
  scopic package is exhaled and collected by the delivery sys-
  tem. The dealers are either Nordics in on the scam or humans 
  who know to bring the system back “for cleaning” (receiving a 
  small cash stipend for doing so).
  This serotonin, which is purer than anything even high-
  end biotech can produce, is sold as its own drug to races in 
  other systems, who have quickly become hooked on it. This 
  situation has been a win-win for the Nordics, who are able 
  to accumulate wealth on both ends of the transaction, which 
  gives them further leverage in each race’s world.
  Sweet-Talkers
  Enthrallment skills (pp. B191-192) are the exclusive domain 
  of the Nordics, who use them to masterfully manipulate 
  people. These are not magical or psionic abilities; merely a 
  reflection of the Nordics’ deep understanding of psychology 
  and memetics; those with Indomitable are immune.
  new weApon options
  The following options are adapted from those in 
  GURPS Ultra-Tech. The GM may declare them off- 
  limits, at least to starting characters. They make excel-
  lent rewards for champions who secure alien tech; see 
  Upgrade Via Acquisition (p. 44) for more.
  Costs are doubled from the usual progression (p. B27): 
  ¥4 for TL9, ¥8 for TL10, ¥16 for TL11, and ¥32 for TL12. 
  This reflects the difficulty of reproducing these with TL8 
  terrestrial equipment. A gadgeteer uses these harsher 
  prices and replaces the “every decade away” penalty with a 
  flat -5 per +1 TL, plus an additional -5 if he hasn’t yet been 
  able to break one down and study it; both penalties can be 
  reduced via Weird Science.
  Caseless Electrothermal-Chemical (ETC) (TL9): These 
  guns use an electrical ignition (using batteries built into 
  the magazine) to propel projectiles more efficiently. Multi-
  ply range and basic damage by 1.5 (round down); turn 1d 
  into 1d+2. For example, think of 7d+1 as 6d+1d+1, which 
  becomes 9d+(1d+2)+1, or 10d+3. This does not affect the 
  damage of anything carried as a special payload. Any gun*: 
  +4 CF for the weapon, magazine, and ammo.
  Superfine (TL9): Gives +2 and a (2) armor divisor to 
  cutting and impaling damage. Any edged weapon: +23 CF 
  (unless also a vibroblade; see below).
  Vibroblade (TL10): Gives +1d and a (3) armor divisor – 
  or (5) if the blade is also superfine (above) – to cutting (but 
  not impaling!) damage. See the Stalker’s longsword (p. 43) 
  for an example. Requires a Ready maneuver to switch on 
  unless a successful Fast-Draw roll is made. Internal bat-
  tery lasts for 300/(weapon weight in lbs.) seconds before 
  needing a recharge. Any edged weapon: +79 CF or a total 
  of +239 CF if also superfine.
  * Specifically, any weapon that uses Guns (LMG, Pistol, 
  Rifle, Shotgun, or SMG).
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  36
  A Nordic may attempt to enthrall a group up to (his Cha-
  risma+4) squared, with no upper limit. If the audience listen-
  ing is larger than that limit, the GM will randomly determine 
  who is targeted by the Enthrallment; the Nordic cannot say, 
  “I realize there are 200 people here, but I’m going to focus on 
  just the 49 congresspersons among them.”
  Multiple Nordics may work together to win over large 
  groups. Doing so allows them to add their effective audience 
  limits together! First, each must roll against Public Speaking; 
  only the ones who succeed can contribute. Then, all contrib-
  uting Nordics roll against the same Enthrallment skill; use 
  their lowest margin of success in the Quick Contest against 
  the audience’s Will.
  That said, Nordics rarely need to affect more than a dozen 
  people. They don’t give motivational speeches to sold-out are-
  nas or appear on television; doing so would invite too many 
  people to realize the truth. Instead, they use these skills to 
  manipulate small groups of politicians, businessmen, etc. 
  And even then, it is usually limited to Persuade and Sway 
  Emotions, with the occasional Suggest (“Stop bickering and 
  compromise!”); after all, there’s no point in forging an alliance 
  that will fall apart 10 minutes later.
  Nordics can use Time Spent (p. B346) to speed up their 
  Enthrallment. However, Enthrallment can never be done 
  instantly; at -10, read “minutes” as “seconds.” This lets the Nor-
  dics attempt Enthrallment in combat – but anyone currently 
  fighting them resists at +5! Elite Nordic NPCs have access to 
  “Speed Enthrallment” techniques to offset the penalty for fast 
  attempts; each is a separate Hard technique that defaults to 
  one Enthrallment skill and can be bought as high as skill+10. 
  Apply haste penalties to the Speed Enthrallment technique, 
  and then roll against the lower of the modified technique or 
  unmodified skill. (In other words, the technique is limited to 
  offsetting speed penalties; it will never give a bonus.) With per-
  mission, PCs can learn these techniques as well.
  Note that the skill Talker! (Champions, p. 30) replaces 
  Public Speaking for all purposes, including these rules, but 
  does not include Enthrallment skills.
  Close Encounters: Nordics
  More so than any other alien race, the Nordics are likely 
  to have powerful human allies, including politicians, corpo-
  rate CEOs, and more. These allies may or may not believe that 
  the Nordics are truly benevolent – whether they know of their 
  alien nature or think them human – but at minimum, they see 
  them as important, valuable partners, and will use their signif-
  icant resources to protect their working relationship. In other 
  words, Nordics and dark conspiracies (p. 39) go hand-in-hand.
  Champions confronting Nordics may have to do so in 
  a White Noise den, where things could quickly turn ugly. 
  Addicts coming down from White Noise are manic-depressive 
  and have low Will, making them vulnerable to Enthrallment 
  (or even just Influence skills) to turn them against the PCs. 
  For a greater challenge, perhaps a new, more potent strain 
  of White Noise temporarily turns its victims into zombies 
  (The Enemy, pp. 12-14); if so, tweak the zombie statistics by 
  deleting Immunity to Metabolic Hazards, Infectious Attack, 
  Injury Tolerance, Unhealing, and the Notes; adding Manic-
  Depressive; and raising IQ to 8.
  While they should not be underestimated in a combat 
  situation – even the lowliest Nordic is stronger, faster, and 
  tougher than a typical human – they do not get into fights if 
  they can help it. The Nordics prefer to solve things without 
  violence if possible . . . and when violence is the only solution, 
  they ambush, snipe, set traps, or blow up entire city blocks to 
  take out their target. Facing Nordic enemies is thus a game of 
  cat and mouse, each side trying to figure out the best way to 
  deal with the other without overplaying their own hand.
  Nordic
  Nordics have two sexes; the ones on Earth appear to be ide-
  alized humans. This genetic change affects even their biology; 
  the Nordics are one of the only alien races who are vulnerable 
  (though resistant!) to human drugs, poisons, etc.
  In a straight fight, it will usually take two to three Nor-
  dics per champion to pose a real threat. However, Nordics 
  usually retreat from such direct conflict. They love using 
  Enthrallment skills on unwitting foes; if one can do so before 
  a fight starts, he’ll usually attempt it – especially if he has the 
  Speed Enthrallment technique. Once a fight starts, the +5 for 
  foes to resist makes it pointless to target them, so the Nordic 
  is more likely to whip innocent bystanders into a frenzy for 
  use as expendable meat-shields.
  ST: 15 
  HP: 18 
  Speed: 8.00
  DX: 15 
  Will: 17 
  Move: 9
  IQ: 15 
  Per: 15 
  Weight: 160 lbs.
  HT: 15 
  FP: 15 
  SM: 0
  Dodge: 12 
  Parry: 13 
  DR: See Notes
  Fright Check: N/A
  Electrolaser Pistol (18): 1d-3 burning + linked HT-4 roll (at a 
  bonus equal to half DR) to resist being stunned. This affects 
  living beings and electronics. In “lethal” mode, each shot 
  counts as two, but if the HT roll fails by 5+ the victim suf-
  fers a heart attack (or electronics burn out). Acc 4, Range 
  40/80, RoF 3, Shots 36(3), Bulk -2, Rcl 1.
  There are about 80 different 
  species and some of them look 
  just like us and they could 
  walk down the street and you 
  wouldn’t know if you walked 
  past one. They are what we  
  call “Nordic blondes” and  
  also the Tall Whites who were 
  actually working with the  
  U.S. Air Force in Nevada.
  – Paul Hellyer
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  37
  Judo Throw (16): Victim falls and must roll HT or be stunned; 
  see p. B203. Can follow a successful grapple or Judo parry. 
  Made as a Deceptive Attack (-1 to defend against).
  Kick (16): 1d+3 crushing; Reach C, 1.
  Punch (16): 1d+2 crushing; Reach C. Made as a Deceptive 
  Attack (-1 to defend against).
  Traits: Appearance (Beautiful/Handsome); Broad Appeal*; 
  Callous; Charisma 4; Combat Reflexes; Compulsive Lying 
  (15); Empathy; High TL 2; Jealousy; Megalomania; Nordic 
  Manipulation Talent* 4; Resistant to Metabolic Hazards 
  (+8) (Earth; see p. 29); Sadism (15); Sanitized Metabolism; 
  Unusual Biochemistry; Very Fit; Voice.
  Skills: Acting-16; Administration-15; Beam Weapons (Pis-
  tol)-18; Captivate-20; Diplomacy-20; Fast-Draw (Pis-
  tol)-18; Fast-Talk-20; Interrogation-16; Intimidation-20; 
  Judo-18; Karate-18; Leadership-20; Mimicry (Human 
  Speech)-16; Persuade-20; Politics-16; Propaganda-18; Psy-
  chology (Human)-15; Public Speaking-22; Sex Appeal-22; 
  Streetwise-15; Suggest-20; Sway Emotions-20.
  Notes: No inherent DR, but Nordics usually wear nanoweave 
  clothing (DR 18 vs. piercing and cutting, DR 6 vs. every-
  thing else) that is not detectable as armor.
  * See Inhuman Nordics (below).
  pHAsites
  A.K.A.: Azurites (“Blues”), Ulterrans, Venusians.
  These bizarre energy-based aliens may best be described 
  as a central nervous system without the system. They are 
  almost intangible clusters of neural energy that exist largely 
  perpendicular to our own dimension, only nominally affected 
  by gravity and nearly impossible to see. Unfortunately for 
  them, our environment (from the atmosphere to within the 
  very earth) is toxic to the Phasites, slowly killing them for as 
  long as they’re exposed to it. But more unfortunately for us, 
  they have a way around this problem: possessing our nervous 
  systems and taking over.
  Fish Out of Water
  The Phasites’ natural environment is within the plasma of 
  a star. The loops of a stellar magnetic field are to them what 
  the continents and oceans are to humans. Due to reasons even 
  experts have yet to discover (overpopulation? war? wander-
  lust?), some Phasites have come to Earth, despite its relatively 
  hostile environment.
  A Phasite on our planet can live safely inside of a large 
  plasma ball (yes, those novelty lamps do contain plasma) or 
  by possessing a body (p. 38). Otherwise, it is exposed to our 
  world and loses 1d HP every 5 minutes. If possession is out 
  of the question (e.g., because every nearby host has resisted), 
  the Phasite can stay alive by draining energy (p. 38) from liv-
  ing things. A Phasite exposed with no living things around for 
  miles is almost certainly doomed; its best chance is fleeing 
  straight up, trying to reach space.
  An exposed Phasite is nearly invisible unless the viewer is 
  “out of phase” as well. It can be spotted only as a faint shim-
  mering in the air, which requires a Vision roll at -6. Once seen, 
  it can be attacked, though this is also at -6 as it is difficult to 
  track the Phasite’s movements. Even if hit, only attacks capa-
  ble of harming insubstantial beings will do anything; the Pha-
  site ignores standard physical and energy-based attacks.
  inHuMAn norDiCs
  You are the ideal of a perfect human, because that’s 
  exactly how your race wanted to be perceived. This makes 
  it trivial for you to manipulate the world around you, an 
  ability that’s very easy to abuse . . . but no! You have for-
  sworn your people’s wicked ways and vowed to help the 
  humans rather than dominate them.
  Nordic
  200 points
  Attribute Modifiers: ST+2 [20]; DX+2 [40]; IQ+2 [40]; 
  HT+2 [20].
  Advantages: Appearance (Beautiful/Handsome) [12]; 
  Broad Appeal* [1]; Charisma 2 [10]; Empathy [15]; 
  Fit [5]; Language (Nordic; Native) [6]; Nordic Manip-
  ulation Talent† 4 [20]; Resistant to Metabolic Hazards 
  (+8) (Earth, -20%; see p. 29) [12]; Sanitized Metabo-
  lism [1]; Voice [10].
  Disadvantages: Callous [-5]; Casual Liar‡ [-1]; Proud [-1]; 
  Unusual Biochemistry [-5].
  Features: Taboo Traits (Lowered Appearance; Truthful-
  ness). Can buy off Callous, Casual Liar, and Proud. 
  Considered human (though with Unusual Biochemis-
  try) for drugs, biotech, etc.
  * Your audience size for Enthrallment skills is not 
  capped at 25 people.
  † A racial Talent (p. B89) benefiting Captivate, Diplo-
  macy, Fast-Talk, Persuade, Suggest, and Sway Emotions. 
  Note: Instead of giving a reaction bonus, this Talent adds 
  to your Charisma when determining your maximum audi-
  ence size for Enthrallment. For more rules, see Sweet- 
  Talkers (pp. 35-36).
  ‡ You aren’t a compulsive liar, but you’d rather tell a 
  pleasant lie than an unpleasant truth. If you take Compul-
  sive Lying (which is always a valid option for a Nordic, 
  regardless of your character template), you must buy off 
  this quirk, as it replaces this.
  Notes
  This template is light on disadvantages because for a 
  Nordic to be heroic, he must buy off (or at least reduce 
  to quirk level) almost every racial disadvantage his peo-
  ple have!
  Enthrallment skills are not included in this template 
  (they aren’t racially learned), but a Nordic PC may divert 
  up to 15 points from his template’s optional advantages 
  and/or background skills to spend on Fast Talk, Diplo-
  macy, Public Speaking, and Enthrallment skills.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  38
  Body Snatching
  A Phasite may overlap the body of any creature with a 
  racial IQ of 7+ and attempt to possess it. This requires win-
  ning a Quick Contest: the Phasite’s IQ vs. the subject’s Will (at 
  +5 if he is aware of what the Phasite is attempting). If it loses 
  or ties, the alien is mentally stunned for 1d seconds and can 
  never attempt to possess that person again.
  If it wins, the Phasite is in control of that body indefinitely, 
  as the original owner loses consciousness. With a successful 
  IQ roll, the alien can learn any important fact about its host, as 
  the host’s mind and memories are an open book to the invader. 
  This makes it relatively difficult to spot the change (reflected 
  by its unusually high Acting skill), though the Phasite will 
  avoid loved ones as much as possible to be safe.
  Your Energy Is Mine
  Phasites can drain others’ life energy. They do so not only 
  to regain HP lost due to “exposure,” but also as their source 
  of nourishment while on Earth. A Phasite who goes a full day 
  without acquiring someone’s life energy loses 2 HP while sleep-
  ing; these points can only be replenished through draining.
  An exposed Phasite can easily overlap an unsuspecting vic-
  tim. Once they’ve been in “contact” for a full second, the vic-
  tim immediately loses 1d HP or FP (Phasite’s choice), which 
  is then transferred directly to the alien. If they stay together 
  another second, the victim loses another 1d to the creature, 
  and so on. There is no resistance roll! The only way to stop 
  this is to escape the alien, which is difficult when the victim 
  probably can’t even see it and has no idea what’s happening.
  A Phasite possessing a body retains this ability, but using it 
  requires actual physical contact. A brief touch won’t do, but a 
  handshake, hug, or grapple will. The Phasite may transfer the 
  HP or FP to its own “body” or to its host body; as a general 
  rule, it will always top itself off first and then “fix its ride.”
  Close Encounters: Phasites
  Phasites are often found in groups. Even experts don’t 
  understand how they reproduce; theories include “they build 
  a giant plasma ball and introduce stolen energy into it some-
  how” and “they possess humans and reproduce naturally, so 
  the child’s mind spawns a new Phasite.”
  Their thought processes are truly alien. When their survival 
  is in any doubt, they act logically (to the human eye): finding 
  a new host, draining energy as needed, and so on. But once a 
  Phasite is established, its goals and plans can be downright 
  bizarre. One might kidnap a dozen children and force them 
  to sing a strange, atonal melody. Another could adulterate the 
  output of a food-preparation facility with an odd combination 
  of chemicals – perhaps part of a long-term plan to affect our 
  nervous systems?
  Facing a Phasite can be a challenge, as killing its host does 
  nothing but inconvenience the alien (and leaves innocent blood 
  on the killer’s hands). Driving it out of a body without violence 
  is usually the work of a techie, though Exorcism works as well 
  on a Phasite as it does on a ghost (which is to say excellently, 
  unless the GM has changed it). Once out, however, the chal-
  lenge of how to hurt it remains. The Phasite’s Electrical dis-
  advantage gives surge attacks a chance to stun the alien, but 
  only if they can target Insubstantial foes. Psychotronics such 
  as ethereal barrier cords (Champions, p. 57) might work. The-
  oretically, any energy weapon could be modified specifically 
  to affect magnetized plasma fields (adding Affects 
  Insubstantial); doing so quickly requires a techie, 
  though if there’s more time, a geek or similarly 
  tech-minded champion may be able to pull it off. 
  The GM should reward creative plans!
  Phasite
  Much like ghosts, Phasites can be tricky to bal-
  ance in terms of challenge level. If the team has 
  no way to affect an insubstantial foe or force it to 
  materialize, they may be unable to do anything to 
  stop it! If they can – and do so to one of the Phasites 
  – the others are likely to stay in their possessed 
  bodies, at which point the danger they pose is 
  based on whom they’re possessing. A possessed champion, for 
  example, becomes about 50% more dangerous (due to the spe-
  cial drain attack and knowledge of his friends’ weaknesses). It 
  would take about two or three typical bystanders, possessed, 
  to challenge a full hunter, but note that if a crowd of people 
  is nearby, one Phasite can effectively keep swapping bodies 
  unless stopped during the brief instant in which it is exposed!
  ST: 0* 
  HP: 20* 
  Speed: 7.00*
  DX: 12* 
  Will: 14 
  Move: 8*
  IQ: 12 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: –
  HT: 15* 
  FP: 15* 
  SM: 0*
  Dodge: 10* 
  Parry: 9* 
  DR: 0*
  Fright Check: -2* (if seen)
  Energy Drain: 1d HP or FP loss, ignoring DR. This is trans-
  ferred to the Phasite (or its host). Requires a grapple (using 
  DX) or subterfuge.
  Traits: Digital Mind; Doesn’t Breathe; Draining; Electrical; 
  Immunity to Metabolic Hazards (Earth; see p. 29); Insub-
  stantiality (Affect Substantial; Always On); Invisibility 
  (Fringe; Substantial Only); Leech 4 (Accelerated Healing; 
  Heals FP; Selectivity; Steal FP); Possession (Full Mem-
  ory Access; Spiritual); Weakness (Environment; 1d per 
  5 minutes).
  Skills: Acting-15; Stealth-13*.
  Notes: Stealth does not take the bonus from Invisibility into 
  account.
  * In natural form only. Use the host’s value when in pos-
  session of a body; for DX- or HT-based skills, modify the skill 
  relative to the host’s DX or HT.
  We came here from a dying world.  
  We drift through the universe, from planet 
  to planet, pushed on by the solar winds.  
  We adapt and we survive.
  – Dr. Kibner, in Invasion of  
  the Body Snatchers (1978)
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  39
  reptoiDs
  A.K.A.: Alphans, Draconians, Nagas.
  The best thing that can be said about the Reptoids is that 
  they are a straightforward and relatively honest race. They 
  hate everyone who is not a Reptoid, they greatly enjoy killing 
  things, and they prefer to devour the flesh of sapient beings 
  – not because of any special nutritional needs, but simply to 
  establish dominance.
  Unfortunately for potential food (like us), the Reptoids 
  are neither simple-minded nor shortsighted, and are willing 
  to take the time to put detailed, long-term plans into motion. 
  For over a century, they have been siphoning away members 
  of the human race to act as breeding stock, without revealing 
  themselves. Considering that they have relatively few human 
  collaborators (compared to the Greys and Nordics), this is 
  impressive . . . and thus cause for grave concern.
  For the Reptoids’ relations with other races, see Alien 
  Antipathy (p. 25).
  tHe ConspirACy
  You could have aliens without dark conspiracies . . . 
  but where’s the fun in that? Our governments, military- 
  industrial complexes, corporate interlocking directorates, 
  and scientific groups have been covering up the existence 
  of aliens for decades if not centuries, often for different 
  reasons. Some want the alien tech for themselves. Some 
  just want to avoid a panic. Some want to stay under the 
  radar of the aliens to better oppose them. And some have 
  simply been microchipped into obedience and are doing it 
  because the aliens want them to.
  While aliens may have a hand in matters, these con-
  spiracies are invariably human – or at least mostly human 
  (the Nordics really love to get involved in these). They tend 
  to use a lot of code names to avoid talking about things 
  openly: “Project Aquarius,” “the MAJIC classification,” 
  “Plato Group,” and so on. They often comprise strange 
  bedfellows; a nutritional research group, an interlocking 
  directorate of chemical corporations, and a subcommittee 
  of Congress with NSA ties could all be working together 
  to introduce anti-Reptoid chemicals into our water supply 
  in return for technology promised to them by the Greys.
  Everything in Assemble the Parts (GURPS Monster 
  Hunters 2: The Mission, pp. 34-35) applies here. The GM 
  doesn’t need to figure out who all the players 
  are, but should try to introduce new ones on 
  a regular basis; after a while, he can deter-
  mine how they all lock together. Most con-
  spiracies are not friendly with each other, 
  and often disagree not only on the way to 
  handle aliens, but also on just what the aliens 
  are (and what they want) to begin with.
  When these human-led conspiracies get 
  involved, they’re as likely as the aliens to be 
  behind terrible plots (usually to cover up 
  the truth). An entire small town disappears 
  one day? Maybe it’s the Nordics selling them 
  into slavery somewhere – but it could just as 
  likely be that they learned the truth and now 
  a conspiratorial group has them prisoner as part of 
  an attempt to wipe their memories.
  Deducing the Truth
  Most of the rules in Deduction (The Mission, pp. 9-11) 
  work fine as-is for unraveling alien or conspiracy plots. 
  But some additional notes are called for:
  Who: Against conspiracies, this will reveal details about 
  the person(s) who took the specific action the PCs are fol-
  lowing up on, not necessarily anyone in charge! However, 
  success by 3+ reveals who he works for, which lets them 
  investigate that group. Whether an alien uses a human 
  role or not depends on its race and plan; if so, that cover 
  ID can be determined using the normal rules.
  What: Use Hidden Lore (Extraterrestrials) for aliens 
  and Expert Skill (Conspiracy Theory) or Intelligence 
  Analysis (at -4) to identify the work of a conspiracy. For 
  a conspiracy, success by 0-2 reveals one group involved, 
  3-4 reveals how two groups are connected, and 5+ or a 
  critical success paints a rough picture of the conspiracy 
  as a whole.
  When: Because conspiracies function via interlocking 
  organizations, Administration is always applicable.
  Where: If aliens are hiding out far from civilization, 
  Hidden Lore (Extraterrestrials) will reveal that. While 
  most parts of a conspiracy have public addresses, finding 
  their secret bases requires Area Knowledge, an appropri-
  ate Current Affairs specialty (e.g., Science & Technology 
  for a research group), or, if the team is able to first look 
  through company records, Administration.
  Why: For aliens, Hidden 
  Lore (Extraterrestrials) (at -3), 
  Intelligence Analysis, or Psy-
  chology (at -4 unless you’re one 
  of them) are valid rolls. For con-
  spiracies, Expert Skill (Con-
  spiracy Theory), Intelligence 
  Analysis, or Psychology (at -4 
  because this is actually a Sociol-
  ogy roll) all work.
  Deduction Rolls in General: 
  Regardless of what foes are 
  used in the game, all deduction 
  rolls should be made against 
  IQ-based skills; see Using Skills 
  With Other Attributes (p. B172) if the skill is normally 
  based on a different attribute or characteristic. This is 
  because Per-based rolls reflect good senses and reaction 
  time, Will-based rolls represent sheer grit and self-aware-
  ness, but IQ is the attribute of careful contemplation and 
  analysis. This only applies to deduction rolls, not to the 
  rolls to find clues, several of which are (rightly) based on 
  Per, Will, or even HT!
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  40
  Up Close and Personal
  Reptoids stand about 5’ to 7’ in height, with a lean and mus-
  cular physique. Their hands and feet end in five digits with 
  wickedly sharp claws on the end. (Contrary to some reports, 
  they do not have tails, not even vestigial ones.) Their scales 
  range from brown to dark green in color; they are small and 
  fine, allowing the Reptoid surprising flexibility.
  Their eyes are large and black, with X-shaped pupils that 
  move independently of the eye as a whole. Their heads are 
  somewhat conical, resembling that of a dragon, with two bony 
  (almost horn-like) ridges defining their brows. Their 
  teeth are as sharp as their claws, and instead of a 
  tongue, they have a set of extended throat muscles 
  which help tear food apart.
  Reptoids are fairly strong and tough, but their 
  greatest virtue is their speed. They are fast both phys-
  ically (able to rapidly close the distance to prey or slip 
  behind cover when attacked) and mentally (calmly 
  reacting to situations that would have taken anyone 
  else by surprise).
  Psychologically, the Reptoids are violent, blood-
  thirsty, and utterly convinced of the superiority of 
  their race. However, whereas the members of many 
  races with a superiority complex tend to overestimate 
  their own personal abilities, the Reptoids are surpris-
  ingly clear-sighted about this; they are more than 
  capable of recognizing when “lesser” beings have 
  turned a situation to their advantage, and they’re 
  willing to call for backup, rethink their approach, etc.
  If they have a significant “hole” in their percep-
  tion, it’s for subtext; Reptoid culture favors clear, 
  straightforward dialogue. Reptoids thus fail to 
  understand things like artistic embellishment, hyper-
  bole, metaphor, humor, sarcasm, or any other com-
  munication that conveys multiple levels of meaning. 
  They are equally confused by sex- or gender-specific 
  terms, as Reptoids are hermaphroditic; reproduction 
  is possible between any two members.
  Underground Conspiracies
  Reptoids have spaceships (p. 26), but where their 
  vehicular technology truly excels is in burrowers. 
  Treat these as grav jeeps (p. B465) with Tunneling 
  (p. B94) at Move 10. These have allowed the Reptoids 
  to dig tunnel systems that lead to vast underground 
  caverns, often naturally occurring, with water from 
  underground streams. There they set up bases, far 
  below Earth’s cities, with a few tunnels strategically 
  connected to the sewer systems or subways of each.
  After setting up lighting, the Reptoids can then 
  head up the connecting tunnels to venture above 
  ground, usually wearing morphology inducers 
  (pp. 25-26). The next move depends on what the cur-
  rent mission is. The most common plot is kidnapping 
  and breeding humans for food. The usual first step 
  there is acquiring bedding, shackles, and the minimal 
  personal supplies needed to keep a person healthy. 
  They can then begin kidnapping humans (a few 
  men and the rest women) and bringing them down 
  for forced breeding, while venturing up occasionally 
  to steal food (usually cartons of protein bars) and 
  supplies. At some point, they begin bringing down 
  medical equipment and perhaps kidnapping a med-
  ical professional; unfortunately, this generally boils 
  down to “someone at a hospital who was wearing a 
  uniform,” which may take several tries to get right. 
  inHuMAn reptoiDs
  You have overcome your racial Intolerance and learned that 
  the humans are good for more than just food. Fortunately, you 
  stole a morphology inducer so you can fit in among them . . . 
  physically, at least. Socially, you tend to miss sarcasm, interpret 
  metaphors literally, and get confused by humor. Your friends 
  say you can “work on this one day at a time,” which seems 
  redundant to you; how else would time function?
  Reptoid
  200 points
  Attribute Modifiers: ST+2 [20]; DX+1 [20]; HT+2 [20].
  Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Basic Speed+1.25 [25].
  Advantages: Basic Morphology Inducer (p. 26) [6]; Danger 
  Sense [15]; DR 4 [20]; Enhanced Time Sense [45]; Immunity 
  to Metabolic Hazards (Earth, -20%; see p. 29) [24]; Language 
  (Reptoid; Native) [6]; Night Vision 6 [6]; Peripheral Vision 
  [15]; Regeneration (Regular) [25]; Sharp Claws [5]; Sharp 
  Teeth [1].
  Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous) (Mitigator, Morphol-
  ogy Inducer, -80%) [-4]; Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Bloodlust 
  (12) [-10]; Chauvinistic [-1]; Clueless [-10]; Oblivious [-5]; No 
  Sense of Humor [-10]; Social Stigma (Monster) (Mitigator, 
  Morphology Inducer, -80%) [-3].
  Features: Taboo Trait (Voice). Can buy off all disadvantages 
  except Appearance and Social Stigma. Drugs and biotech cal-
  ibrated for humans do not work on Reptoids, and vice versa.
  Notes
  In a Monster Hunters game, assume that Enhanced Time 
  Sense allows you to effectively take the maximum extra time 
  (p. B346) on tasks that rely purely on processing and reacting 
  to perceived information in real time. In practice, this gives +5 
  to Per-based skills – including Per-based rolls against skills nor-
  mally based on another attribute – but only when the GM rules 
  that extra time would matter or haste would cause a penalty. It 
  only benefits mundane actions, never spellcasting, power use, or 
  any other supernatural effect.
  Suitable tasks include Per-based Hidden Lore to figure out 
  what kind of monster you’re currently battling, Observation 
  when analyzing a potential threat, Per-based Tactics to size up 
  foes mid-fight, and Tracking rolls to follow a trail without slow-
  ing down. Passive rolls, such as Sense rolls to notice something, 
  are never affected, only those requiring active concentration. 
  Deduction rolls also never benefit; in fact, as these have nothing 
  to do with reaction time, they should always be based on IQ, not 
  Per (for more see Deducing the Truth, p. 39).
  Enhanced Time Sense also includes Combat Reflexes. Thus, if 
  that trait is mandatory on a template (which it frequently is), drop 
  it and choose 15 points in other template (or lens) advantages.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  41
  (Nothing is lost, however, as a “wrong” victim can just become 
  more breeding stock.) Ideally, the medical professional aids 
  the births out of a desire to help fellow humans, and the Rep-
  toids let the tender, succulent babies nurse until they’re ready 
  to be eaten.
  There are countless other reasons why the Reptoids may 
  emerge from their tunnels, of course. They are always on the 
  hunt for new technology and inventions (which sometimes 
  brings them into conflict with the Nordics), they frequently 
  provoke fights with street gangs just to blow off some steam 
  (and have learned that such “lower-class humans” can be 
  killed without causing a media uproar), they research human-
  ity to learn of further weaknesses and opportunities, and so 
  on. In the sewers, runoff pipes, and subways of major cities, 
  the further down you explore, the more likely you are to end 
  up eaten.
  Into the Light
  It would be a mistake to assume that the Reptoids spent 
  all of their time underground. While they find it distaste-
  ful to use morphology inducers (pp. 25-26), they do have 
  them, and a small percentage of socially adept Reptoids 
  are hard at work in the upper echelons of human society, 
  forming their own dark conspiracies (p. 39). In particular, 
  these aliens have been responsible for most of the obesity 
  epidemic affecting many prosperous nations. By mak-
  ing deals that privilege fast-food chains, subsidize high- 
  sucrose sodas, and more, the Reptoids are lit-
  erally fattening up humanity for the slaughter!
  Close Encounters: Reptoids
  The Reptoids’ advanced technology is opti-
  mized for them, which means any plan involv-
  ing kept humans (which is most of their plans!) 
  requires that they steal things to maintain 
  their herd: human food, human medicine, etc. 
  Champions may investigate a series of break-
  ins and put two and two together, or they may 
  be there when the Reptoids kick in the ware-
  house door.
  Reptoids can also be encountered unex-
  pectedly, particularly underneath major cit-
  ies. Considering that they have to worry about 
  their access tunnels being compromised, they 
  tend to deal with “unexpected encounters” rather violently. 
  Worse, their lightning-fast reaction time makes Reptoids 
  almost impossible to surprise. Thus, any hostile situation 
  will be an open fight – or the hunters being ambushed by 
  the Reptoids!
  If the situation turns against the aliens, they will not hes-
  itate to take hostages or otherwise use human lives as a bar-
  gaining chip. They really hate to retreat from a fight, but will 
  do so (leaving as much destruction in their wake as possible) 
  if that’s the only reasonable option.
  Reptoid
  A typical Reptoid is a challenge for one champion. Rep-
  toids are effectively immune to surprise, so any ambush will 
  achieve one second of surprise at best – or not even that, if 
  their Danger Sense roll succeeds.
  ST: 15 
  HP: 18 
  Speed: 9.00
  DX: 15 
  Will: 12 
  Move: 11
  IQ: 12 
  Per: 15 
  Weight: 120-220 lbs.
  HT: 14 
  FP: 14 
  SM: 0 or +1
  Dodge: 14 
  Parry: 13 
  DR: 4+ (See Notes)
  Fright Check: -2
  Ceremonial Blade (16): 2d+4(2) cutting or 1d+1(2) impaling; 
  Reach 1.
  Claw or Bite (16): 1d+1 cutting; Reach C. Made as a Decep-
  tive Attack (-1 to defend against).
  Flame Rifle (18): 5d burning. Acc 6, Range 50/150, RoF 1, 
  Shots 28(3), Bulk -3, Rcl 1. Damaging or destroying it will 
  not make it explode.
  Traits: Appearance (Monstrous); Bad Temper (9); Bloodlust 
  (6); Clueless; Danger Sense; Disturbing Voice; Enhanced 
  Dodge 1; Enhanced Time Sense; High Pain Threshold; 
  High TL 2; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards (Earth; see 
  p. 29); Intolerance (Racial); Night Vision 6; No Sense of 
  Humor; Oblivious; Odious Racial Habit (Eats sapient 
  beings); Peripheral Vision; Regeneration (Regular); Social 
  Stigma (Monster).
  Skills: Beam Weapons (Projector)-18; Brawling-18; Short-
  sword-16.
  Notes: In addition to natural DR 4, most wear light armor (DR 
  10 vs. crushing, DR 20 vs. everything else) with or without 
  a helmet (DR 18 for skull, DR 12 for face/eyes).
  stAlkers
  A.K.A.: Manhunters, Orions, Ten-qu-Hish.
  Stalkers live for the hunt. They track down, kill, and take 
  as trophies the most dangerous game in the universe. On 
  Earth, that usually means humans – specifically, the tough-
  est, smartest, and strongest humans on the planet. If that 
  sounds like “champions” to you, then congratulations for 
  paying attention.
  The one spot of good news is that our world is full of other 
  dangerous things for Stalkers to hunt. Sometimes they’re even 
  willing to team up with human heroes, if the prey turns out to 
  be far tougher than they’d planned. However, once a Stalker 
  has declared a hunt on a human (or team), it will not call that 
  hunt off even if something “better” turns up; to do so would 
  violate the Hunter’s Code (p. 43).
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  42
  Now You See Them . . .
  Stalkers range from about 5’ to 6’ tall, with powerful, mus-
  cular bodies covered with fine dark fur that helps augment 
  their senses. Their “hair” is actually flexible spines that help 
  them maintain balance, and their faces look vaguely like 
  skulls, with deep-set, beady eyes and teeth exposed in a lipless 
  mouth. Their hands and feet resemble humans’, but with a 
  ring of spikes around the wrists and ankles; these allow the 
  Stalkers to climb incredibly well, a trait they use to their ben-
  efit when sniping.
  Stalkers are easily twice as strong as a typical man, and 
  their long, sinewy legs allow them to move incredibly fast. 
  Their organs are built redundantly, able to function at full 
  capacity even if 75% damaged; because of this, Stalkers can 
  shrug off gunfire that should have left them bleeding out on 
  the ground. Their only physical vulnerability is their prefer-
  ence for warmer climates; when the temperature drops close 
  to freezing, they stiffen up and have a hard time coping. If one 
  is pursuing you, consider hiding in a deep-freeze.
  Male and female Stalkers are equally likely to show up as 
  hunters; their personalities are not noticeably different. Most 
  Stalkers divide the world around them into predators and 
  potential prey, and enjoy lording their strength over the lat-
  ter. A particularly cruel (but common) “joke” is to pick on the 
  leader in a group of weaker people, hurting and embarrassing 
  him without causing permanent damage, just to force the oth-
  ers to face how pathetic they all are. Among their peers, on 
  the other hand, Stalkers are downright chummy! They love to 
  celebrate after completing a successful hunt – sharing stories, 
  tips, and dares while inhaling intoxicant powders together.
  . . . Now You Don’t
  All Stalkers carry morphology inducers (pp. 25-26) on 
  them, even if they don’t need a handy disguise. This is because 
  the Stalker’s unique combination of mind and metabolism 
  allows it to push the inducer to do things it shouldn’t be able 
  to. This requires a Concentrate maneuver, a Will roll, and 2 
  FP. If the Will roll is successful, the Stalker doesn’t just change 
  appearance; he disappears from sight completely! (If it fails, 
  he may try again, but now every attempt costs 3 FP until he 
  succeeds or rests and recovers completely.)
  This is stressful and difficult to maintain, however. While 
  invisible, the Stalker cannot take any action other than contin-
  ued Concentrate maneuvers. This precludes attacking, mov-
  ing at full speed, and so on. In addition, every minute that it 
  remains up, he must pay another 1 FP and succeed at another 
  Will roll.
  This ability is a knack of the Stalkers, not something special 
  about their morphology inducers. Someone stealing a Stalker’s 
  belt will be unable to use it for anything except disguise. It is 
  one of the reasons they are so feared; unless the target has spe-
  cial senses (e.g., Infravision or Vibration Sense) to overcome 
  this advantage, the Stalker can disappear completely while 
  slowly tracking him, and then drop the cloak to attack!
  inHuMAn stAlkers
  You can no longer see humans as prey. Some of them 
  deserve the title “hunter” more than most Stalkers you’ve 
  known. So you’ve thrown in with them, taking on better 
  hunting challenges than you’ve ever known before.
  Stalker
  200 points
  Attribute Modifiers: ST+4 [40]; DX+2 [40]; HT+2 [20].
  Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Per+2 [10]; Basic 
  Move+2 [10].
  Advantages: Basic Morphology Inducer (p. 26) [2*]; Bra-
  chiator [5]; Catfall [10]; Enhanced Tracking 1 (Multi-
  Shot†, +20%) [6]; Flexibility [5]; Immunity to Metabolic 
  Hazards (Earth, -20%; see p. 29) [24]; Infravision [10]; 
  Injury Tolerance (No Vitals; Unliving) [25]; Invisibility 
  (Breakable, DR 2, SM -6, Machine, -35%; Can Be Sto-
  len, Must be removed by force, Won’t work for thief 
  -5%; Can Carry Objects, Light Encumbrance, +20%; 
  Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Requires Concentrate, 
  -15%; Requires Will roll, -5%) [20]; Language (Stalker; 
  Native) [6]; Silence 2 [10].
  Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous) (Mitigator, 
  Morphology Inducer, -80%) [-4]; Bloodlust (12) [-10]; 
  Code of Honor (The Hunter’s Code; see p. 43) [-15]; 
  Cold-Blooded (50°) [-5]; Earnest Hunter‡ [-1]; Over-
  confidence (12) [-5]; Social Stigma (Monster) (Mitiga-
  tor, Morphology Inducer, -80%) [-3].
  Features: Can buy off Bloodlust, Code of Honor (though 
  that’s rare!), Earnest Hunter, and Overconfidence. 
  Drugs and biotech calibrated for humans do not work 
  on Stalkers, and vice versa.
  * Bought as an alternative ability to Invisibility, at  
  1/5 cost.
  † Allows you to aim at multiple targets with the same 
  weapon.
  ‡ Quirk-level Manic-Depressive. After a successful 
  hunt, you hit the town and party like there’s no tomor-
  row. After a failed hunt, you lock yourself in your room to 
  brood all night. If you add full Manic-Depressive (which 
  is always a valid option for a Stalker, regardless of your 
  character template), you must buy off this quirk.
  Notes
  Regardless of your template, add Climbing to your 
  list of skill choices (and note that Brachiator and Flex-
  ibility give you a net +5). Your Code of Honor requires 
  you to warn your prey at some point before you attack, 
  but once you’ve done this, you can set up ambushes, 
  traps, etc.
  Your morphology inducer is built as Alternate Form 
  + Invisibility, with slightly different gadget limitations 
  (since the Alternate Form will work for anyone, but the 
  Invisibility only works when you use it). It uses the rules 
  under Now You Don’t (above).
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  43
  The Hunter’s Code
  A Stalker on the hunt follows a very strict code of honor. 
  He must always ensure that his prey knows it’s being hunted 
  and knows who’s hunting it. The prey’s friends and associates 
  are fair game, but he must take all reasonable measures to 
  avoid killing innocent bystanders; this goes double for chil-
  dren and pregnant women (the woman may be fair game, but 
  the child inside is not). Once a hunt has begun, the Stalker 
  must either see it through to completion, putting nothing else 
  ahead of it until he gets his kill . . . or acknowledge defeat and 
  treat that target as a peer for the rest of both their lives.
  The code allows multiple Stalkers to work together if the 
  prey (generally also a group) truly justifies the effort, but no 
  Stalker can join another’s hunt without his express permission.
  Close Encounters: Stalkers
  Unless the champions frequent the kind of intergalactic 
  bars where Stalkers go to celebrate afterward, they’re going to 
  encounter Stalkers only in the middle of a hunt. This means 
  one of two possibilities.
  The Stalker(s) may be on the hunt for someone or some-
  thing else. If so, the only thing the heroes have to do is stay 
  out of the way. Of course, the GM wouldn’t be doing his job if 
  he made it that easy, right? If the champions cross paths with 
  the Stalker, they’re likely to get one warning before getting 
  added to his list for dealing with afterward. In the more likely 
  case that they’re trying to prevent his hunt, they’ll be added as 
  current targets and dealt with (possibly after the Stalker calls 
  in backup, if the PCs seem particularly dangerous).
  Or the Stalker(s) may start off hunting the PCs, skipping 
  all of that preliminary lead-in and getting straight to the 
  attempted murder. There should always be a clear reason, 
  something that led to the Stalker deciding to hunt this group; 
  the players will (rightly) complain if the GM decides that the 
  alien just pulled their names out of a hat. The one good thing is 
  that the Stalker won’t just blow up their headquarters or snipe 
  them all before they even know what’s happening. However, 
  the Stalker may show up from out of nowhere, visually con-
  firm that they have their weapons, announce who he is, and 
  then attack while he still has initiative (p. B393).
  Stalker
  The best way to build a “monster-hunter hunter” is to add 
  the Stalker racial template (Inhuman Stalkers, p. 42) to one of 
  the Champions templates, taking Bully (9) [-15], Compulsive 
  Hunting (6) [-20], and Sadism (12) [-15] instead of the tem-
  plate’s normal disadvantages, and putting points earmarked 
  for Occultism and Know Thy Enemy skills into more appro-
  priate options. This will produce a 600-point enemy: 200 
  points from the racial template + 400 points from the char-
  acter template.
  The example below was based on the commando, but with 
  TL9-10 weaponry to further upgrade his capabilities. It serves 
  well as a representative example of the species. A Stalker like 
  this is matched to about one or two champions in an open 
  fight, but remember that Stalkers are adept at ambushes! A 
  couple of Stalkers can wipe out an entire team in a manner of 
  seconds, given the opportunity. Smart heroes will go on the 
  offensive the moment the Stalker declares the hunt, making 
  sure they dictate the terms of the fight, not the alien.
  ST: 17 
  HP: 22 
  Speed: 8.00
  DX: 18 
  Will: 14 
  Move: 10
  IQ: 12 
  Per: 15 
  Weight: 175 lbs.
  HT: 15 
  FP: 15 
  SM: 0
  Dodge: 12 
  Parry: 13 
  DR: See Notes
  Fright Check: -3
  Hunting Knife (17): 3d(2) cutting or 1d+4(2) impaling; Reach 
  C, 1. Often stabbed into the vitals (-3 to hit).
  Punch or Bite (15): 1d+3 crushing; Reach C. Made as a 
  Deceptive Attack (-2 to defend against).
  Sonic Stun Rifle (20*): HT-4(5) affliction to resist falling 
  unconscious. Acc 6, Range 60/180, RoF 1, Shots 56(3), Bulk 
  -3, Rcl 1.
  Storm Rifle (20*): 9d large piercing. Acc 5, Range 1,300/5,800, 
  RoF 3, Shots 12+1(3), Bulk -4, Rcl 3. Fires 10mm caseless 
  rounds.
  Survival Laser Carbine (20*): 4d(2) burning. Acc 12, Range 
  300/900, RoF 6, Shots 56(3), Bulk -3, Rcl 1. Can be broken 
  into small parts for smuggling.
  Vibrobladed Longsword (17): 4d+2(5) cutting (Reach 1) or 
  1d+6(2) impaling (Reach 1, 2).
  Traits: Absolute Direction; Appearance (Monstrous); Blood-
  lust (12); Brachiator; Bully (9); Catfall; Code of Honor (The 
  Hunter’s Code; see above); Cold-Blooded (50°); Combat 
  Reflexes; Compulsive Hunting (6); Danger Sense; Earnest 
  Hunter†; Enhanced Tracking 1 (Multi-Shot†); Fit; Flex-
  ibility; Gunslinger; High Pain Threshold; Immunity to 
  Metabolic Hazards (Earth; see p. 29); Infravision; Injury 
  Tolerance (No Vitals; Unliving); Invisibility (see Now You 
  Don’t, p. 42); Luck; Overconfidence (15); Quick Reload 
  (Gun!); Sadism (12); Silence 2; Social Stigma (Monster).
  Skills: Blade!-17; Camouflage-12; Carousing-15; Climb-
  ing-23; First Aid-13; Gesture-12; Gun!-20; Karate-19; Knot- 
  Tying-18; Observation-16; Soldier-12; Stealth-18; Swim-
  ming-15; Tactics-15; Traps-12; Tracking-16; Wrestling-18.
  Notes: No inherent DR, but Stalkers often wear nanoweave 
  clothing (DR 18 vs. piercing and cutting, DR 6 vs. every-
  thing else), which is light enough not to interfere with their 
  invisibility. Stealth does not include Invisibility or Silence 
  bonuses. Tracking does include Infravision bonus.
  * Plus the bonus from Gunslinger (Acc/2 for these long 
  arms).
  † See Inhuman Stalkers (p. 42).
  We begin finding our men . . . 
  without their skins, and sometimes 
  much, much worse. “El caza trofeos 
  de los hombres” means “the demon 
  who makes trophies of men.”
  – Anna, in Predator
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  44
  MiCroBes AnD plAGues
  Some of the most dangerous menaces are the unseen ones 
  – the microscopic monsters that work their way into a body 
  by the billions to do . . . something. Any of these threats could 
  be an organism native to outer space, but they work just as 
  well as tailored bioweapons, the result of a massive magical 
  botch involving Path of Life, or even just something a demon 
  sneezed out one day. The GM, as always, should keep the play-
  ers guessing (and making those deduction rolls).
  Apart from the description, there is one main thing that 
  sets alien microbes apart from terrestrial ones: their unusual 
  biology. As these microorganisms are not from our world, 
  they do not respond predictably to our antibiotics, chemo-
  therapy, retroviruses, and so on. This effectively negates 
  any bonuses from high-end medical equipment or drugs, 
  unless they were tailor-made to deal with such extraterres-
  trial threats. It should also be reflected in a higher-than- 
  normal effective Will (about +2 to what’s suggested on p. 24 of  
  The Mission) for resistance purposes – at least until the 
  healer is able to truly understand how the disease works.  
  It’s worth noting that plagues from spirit realms (The Enemy, 
  pp. 15-16) may count as “coming from an alien world” at 
  the GM’s option! This is likely to twist cures in a supernatu-
  ral manner rather than a scientific one; e.g., the champions’ 
  efforts fail until they learn that Hellish Flu only responds to 
  antibiotics cultured in holy water. (Ignore all of this if any of 
  these microbes came from Earth.)
  Each threat below uses the statistics for Disease (pp. B442- 
  444), with one change: “Damage” has been replaced by the 
  more general “Effect,” as many of these do not do damage. 
  For “Contagiousness,” note that “mildly contagious” means 
  that a resistance roll is required after each day (or one cycle, 
  if shorter) of exposure, while “highly contagious” means that 
  even momentary exposure requires a roll. The GM who uses 
  these will also need to be familiar with Neutralizing Plagues 
  (The Mission, pp. 23-24).
  upGrADe viA ACquisition
  As noted in New Weapon Options (p. 35), ultra-tech 
  gear is difficult to create. For example, inventing a vibro-
  blade katana ($52,000) calls for the techie to roll at -12 
  to skill – or -17 without an example to study! Weird Sci-
  ence knocks those down a bit (to -7 or -10), but it’s still an 
  uphill battle.
  The best way to offset this is by acquiring the gear in 
  question and reverse-engineering it directly. However, the 
  aliens (and human conspirators) who possess this tech 
  will have taken safeguards against this happening. Weap-
  ons can be designed to explode once the user dies, gear 
  may slag itself upon being opened (preventable with a 
  Traps roll at a hefty penalty), and so on. The more the GM 
  is concerned about a piece of equipment unbalancing the 
  game, the harsher these measures are likely to be!
  As a compromise reward, the GM can have the team 
  uncover “miscellaneous alien tech” (MAT). Instead of 
  being the equipment that they actually want, this is gear or 
  data that seems useless on the surface but can assist them 
  in reverse-engineering new alien tech. It is rated by $ value 
  and will usually fall into one of the following categories:
  Broken Gear: A relatively intact but non-functioning 
  weapon, sensor, etc. might provide MAT equal to 1/20 to 
  1/4 its original value.
  Information: Blueprints, sketches, or the result of a 
  good interrogation session could give any amount of MAT.
  Unrelated Equipment: Stuff that works but has no 
  direct adventuring utility, such as digital writing imple-
  ments or cooking gear, usually provides its value as MAT; 
  the GM may adjust this as he sees fit.
  The players should track each source of acquired MAT, 
  separating it by alien race (unless the GM agrees that cer-
  tain races share technology). At any point, a techie may 
  use MAT from any number of sources to offset the TL 
  penalty when using Gadgeteering (The Mission, pp. 24-25) 
  for one task. Not all sources have to be used, but a source 
  cannot be “broken up”; e.g., you cannot use just $1,200 
  out of a $5,000 blueprint.
  Look up the MAT value on the Gadgeteering Table and 
  apply a bonus equal to how many lines down that is: +1 
  for MAT up to $10, +2 for MAT up to $100, +3 for MAT 
  up to $1,000, and so on. The MAT bonus can only offset 
  the -5 per +1 TL and -5 for not having studied the gear; it 
  cannot counteract other penalties or provide a net bonus. 
  If using Weird Science, apply this MAT reduction before 
  halving those penalties.
  Whether the gadgeteering roll succeeds or fails, mark 
  that MAT as used and note which project it was used for. 
  It is “spent” and cannot contribute to a different project, 
  but will continue to assist rolls for the same thing in the 
  future. The heroes may acquire further MAT and add it 
  to the spent MAT to work their way up to a larger bonus.
  Example: Over time, a team has acquired $11,500 in 
  Nordic MAT. The techie decides that this is a good time 
  to try replicating the electrolaser pistol that the aliens use; 
  per Ultra-Tech, it’s worth $7,200 (at ¥4 cost for TL9), for a 
  Complexity Modifier of -1. He’s also at -5 for the +1 TL and 
  -5 because he’s never taken one apart and studied it. His 
  base roll is thus at -11 (or -6 with Weird Science). How-
  ever, the MAT falls into the “Up to $100,000” range, giving 
  +5, so his Scrounging and Inventor! rolls are actually at 
  -6 (or -4 with Weird Science) – not just for this invention, 
  but for every time he rolls to invent an electrolaser pistol 
  from this point on! If the team wants to mitigate that pen-
  alty further, they’ll need to devote at least another $88,501 
  in Nordic MAT, to push its total bonus into the “Up to 
  $1,000,000” range.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  45
  Regardless of the specifics, Resistant or Immunity to Dis-
  ease always helps here, as do any broader versions that include 
  it (e.g., Resistant or Immunity to Sickness, and Resistant or 
  Immunity to Metabolic Hazards).
  New Infections
  Microorganisms are a perfect way for the GM to justify a 
  plot that involves a large number of people being simultane-
  ously affected by something (“Wouldn’t it be cool and scary if 
  an entire town turned into some sort of hive mind?”). Making 
  a virus, bacteria, prion, or similar microbe responsible for the 
  problem gives the heroes a fair way to stop it and won’t seem 
  unduly arbitrary.
  The GM can easily create new plagues, tailor-made to fit 
  whatever adventure he has in mind. Just follow the steps on 
  pp. B442-443, assigning statistics befitting the threat. The most 
  important decision is the resistance roll, as that will determine 
  not only how hard it is for the public at large to avoid catching 
  this, but also how likely the PCs are to become infected! As a 
  rule, champions have excellent HT, but even a HT 14 warrior 
  will be easily laid low by a resistance roll against HT-8.
  BrAin flu
  Vector: Respiratory.
  Resistance Roll: HT-5.
  Delay: 1d days.
  Effect: Gain one level of Susceptible to Telepathy.
  Cycles: 30 ¥ one day.
  Symptoms: Special.
  Contagiousness: Highly contagious.
  Brain flu is a fairly benign virus, all things consid-
  ered. All it does is open up the subject’s mind, making 
  it easier for others to commune with it. Of course, in 
  a world full of rogue psis, that’s slightly problematic 
  to say the least. Because there are no physical effects 
  (until Supersensitive kicks in), the victim must make a 
  Per-4 roll each time it gets worse even to notice that he 
  feels “a bit off.”
  The victim of brain flu gains one level of Suscepti-
  ble to Telepathy per day, making it harder and harder 
  to resist the influence of telepathic psis. Anyone with 
  a specific immunity retains protection from the listed effect, 
  but unless it’s Immunity to Telepathy as a whole, he remains 
  vulnerable to other issues. For example, someone who’s had 
  brain flu for 13 days but who has Immunity to Mind Control 
  would still be completely immune to Mind Control, but would 
  resist Mental Blow, Mind Probe, etc., at -13. Once the virus 
  has run its course, the victim “heals” one level of Susceptible 
  per week until back to normal.
  Brain flu’s symptoms are based on the victim losing a 
  certain fraction of his normal Will-based resistance roll for 
  Telepathy. For example, a subject with Will 13 and Resistant 
  to Psionics (+3) has a resistance roll of 16. So when he gains 
  Susceptible to Telepathy 8 he has lost 1/2 of his Will-based 
  resistance, while with Susceptible to Telepathy 16 he has 
  lost all of it. It is possible for brain flu to push resistance 
  into the negatives.
  Once 1/2 of Will-based resistance is lost: The subject begins 
  “broadcasting” his thoughts, making it possible for nearby 
  psis to pick up on his signal without even trying. The chance 
  (on 3d) is equal to the total levels of Susceptible, minus stan-
  dard range penalties to the psi. With one person, even a heavily 
  infected one, this is likely to matter only if psis are very near 
  . . . however, if many people within that range are infected, the 
  odds go up tremendously. Roll again, using the highest level 
  of Susceptible among everyone, at +1 if three or more people 
  are infected, +2 for 10, +3 for 30, +4 for 100, +5 for 300, and so 
  on. Success doesn’t let the telepath hear any specific thoughts; 
  instead he picks up a garbled susurrus of subconsciouses. 
  Either way, he knows where it’s coming from, and thus where 
  he can find easily dominated victims.
  Once all of Will-based resistance is lost: The victim gains 
  Supersensitive (p. B158).
  If brain flu isn’t from outer space, it’s a good candidate 
  for a manmade psychotronic bioweapon. Any large group of 
  rogue telepaths would love to infect as much of the population 
  as possible, rendering the world helpless to resist their mental 
  domination. Of course, if this is their plan, it means they have 
  an immunization for hunters to find and steal!
  CyBerCytes
  Vector: Contact (or Network, for computers).
  Resistance Roll: HT-2.
  Delay: 3d hours.
  Effect: Attempt to take control.
  Cycles: 28 ¥ six hours.
  Symptoms: None.
  Contagiousness: Mildly contagious.
  Cybercytes are microbial, cybernetic parasites. They have 
  the unusual ability to infect people or computers. In fact, they 
  blur the line between the two in more ways than one . . .
  Treat a cybercyte infestation as any normal disease, using 
  the statistics above. For computers, treat “contact” as any 
  infected person actively using the system for at least six hours, 
  while “network” means that any infected computer connected 
  to a local area network may attempt to spread this to every 
  other system on that network.
  She’ll eye me suspiciously
  Hearing the whir of the servos 
  inside
  And she’ll scream and try to run
  But there’s nowhere she can hide
  When a crazy cyborg wants to 
  make you his robot bride
  – Jonathan Coulton,  
  “The Future Soon”
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  46
  Once the cybercytes have physically infected a person 
  or computer, the subject does not take damage every cycle. 
  Instead, the victim makes the usual resistance roll every 
  cycle to throw off the infection; if it fails, the cybercytes get 
  a chance to take over. For people, roll a Quick Contest of the 
  cybercytes’ Will 14 against the subject’s Will. For computers, 
  roll the cybercytes’ Will 14 at a penalty equal to the subject’s 
  Complexity. If the cybercytes tie or lose (or fail), nothing hap-
  pens; they’ll just try again next cycle. If they win (or succeed), 
  they take control of the subject.
  The cybercytes’ control is more akin to Mind Control 
  than to Possession. The victim is completely conscious and 
  self-aware, but is unable to resist following the microbes’ 
  suggestions. Living victims feel the urge to infect the near-
  est computer; if no one is watching, they will spit into the 
  ports, rub their face on the keyboard, and so on, so that the 
  cybercytes’ infection roll is at +3 (the reverse of the usual 
  -3 from Contagion, p. B443). Computers will instead display 
  error messages and pop up helpful diagnostic windows that 
  recommend the user sniff the system exhaust (“to check for 
  smoke”), check for a food spill on the bottom of the mouse 
  (yes, many people will do this via taste), etc., for -3 to resist 
  the cybercytes’ infection.
  Once both a computer and a person are infected, the per-
  son will curl around the computer as the cybercytes transfer 
  back and forth between them, carrying microscopic particles 
  with them. Gradually, the person and the computer begin to 
  merge into one. For the first 10 hours, every 30 minutes adds 
  1 character point worth of cybernetics (see p. B46 or GURPS 
  Ultra-Tech, pp. 207-221). However, the cost of these are bal-
  anced with an equal magnitude of disadvantages – such as 
  Delusion (Humanity is destined to become cyberbeings), 
  Low Empathy, Obsession (Change others to be like me), and 
  Reprogrammable – so that the victim’s point value does not 
  change. The GM should decide what to add after seeing how 
  long until the person is discovered.
  After these changes, if the victim has still not been pulled 
  away from the computer, the next 2.5 hours are spent mak-
  ing the final changes to his brain. At the end of this time he 
  emerges as a full cyborg with Digital Mind [5] and Sense of 
  Duty (Cybercytes) [-5]. His transformation stops here, but the 
  GM may continue it as a plot device if the subject is able to 
  infect, say, a large server room.
  Note that even while this is happening, the subject still gets 
  a HT-2 roll every six hours to throw off the infection – though 
  any physical changes are permanent, barring radical surgery. 
  A basic cyborg victim is comparable in threat level to a fast 
  zombie (The Enemy, p. 14); one who’s been able to make 
  more radical changes, like built-in weaponry and armor, will 
  be scarier.
  Husk virus
  Vector: Contact.
  Resistance Roll: None (treat as HT-8 where this matters).
  Delay: 1d¥1d hours.
  Effect: Special.
  Cycles: 1 (treat as one hour where this matters).
  Symptoms: None.
  Contagiousness: Mildly contagious.
  The husk virus is a typical example of a “zombie plague” 
  (The Enemy, p. 12) that only affects dead bodies, which then 
  rise up and begin walking around and biting people. The 
  virus is most often spread when a husk zombie is killed (well, 
  re-killed) near other, uninfected bodies. If the 
  infected body is not separated from the others 
  within the hour, all of the once-normal bodies rise 
  up, starting the cycle anew! The body of anyone 
  killed by a husk zombie is automatically infected 
  with the plague as well, though attack victims 
  who survive are unaffected and uninfected.
  Treat husk zombies as slow zombies (The 
  Enemy, pp. 13-14) with one crucial exception: 
  They can be killed only by complete dismember-
  ment. If a husk zombie’s body is intact, even a 
  head shot from a sniper-rifle won’t faze it. To kill 
  it, both arms, both legs, and the head must be sev-
  ered from the body, at which point it dies. Each 
  limb requires 16 points of injury to sever. This 
  must come from a cutting, impaling, or piercing 
  attack – though the latter two are far less effective 
  due to the zombie’s Injury Tolerance (Unliving) 
  (see The Enemy, p. 25).
  Once a limb has been severed, it will continue 
  to attack! Fortunately, at this point it can be hurt 
  by any attack, even crushing, burning, etc. It’s more efficient 
  to focus on finishing the dismemberment, but champions 
  without blades or bullets can still be useful fighting off the 
  small army of limbs that a husk zombie fight produces.
  Severed limbs use the slow zombie’s statistics (ST 15, IQ 3, 
  HT 10, Will 12, Per 8, etc.), except as shown below. Note that 
  all attacks are made as All-Out Attacks; limbs do not defend 
  themselves. Dropping any limb to -8 HP or worse “cripples” it, 
  effectively taking it out of the fight.
  Arm: DX 9; HP 8; Move 3. Punches for 1d+1 crushing dam-
  age or grapples on a 13 or less. Treat every two full arms grap-
  pling you as one zombie for mob rules (The Enemy, p. 14).
  Leg: DX 7; HP 8; Move 1. Kicks on a 9 or less for 1d+2 
  crushing damage.
  Head: DX 9; HP 8; Move 0. Bites on a 13 or less for 1d+1 
  cutting damage.
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  47
  A tHin veneer of plAusiBility
  In addition to all of the new pseudoscientific threats in 
  this chapter, many of the existing monsters from The Enemy 
  and other sources can be given a more analytical “makeover.” 
  These suggestions don’t focus on statistics; they’re about 
  changing the explanation behind the monster more than 
  changing the monster itself.
  tHe unDeAD
  Even in stories that are nominally not 
  about the supernatural, life after death is a 
  surprisingly prevalent trope. Most “converted” 
  undead fall into one of two categories: man-
  made creation or disease victim.
  Ghosts
  This foe fills the role of “intangible threat,” 
  so before adapting ghosts, consider simply 
  replacing them with the Phasites (pp. 37-38). 
  There can be a specific place for ghosts in the 
  game, however, as “ghosts in the machine.” People whose 
  minds have been uploaded into a computer may continue to 
  live on even after the death of their body. This may have been 
  a voluntary process (perhaps a radical new alternative to brain 
  surgery) or an involuntary one, such as an accident or a run-in 
  with cybercytes (pp. 45-46). A ghost with the Possession abil-
  ity (The Enemy, p. 5) can take over machines rather than peo-
  ple – which has the potential to be much scarier!
  Mummies
  Of all the undead, mummies are the hardest to justify with-
  out the supernatural; no one could fault the GM for simply 
  leaving them out. However, they could represent the result of 
  a radical transformation program – something designed to 
  turn normal people into implacable guardians. In this case, 
  the weakness should be a variant on the funerary amulet, 
  such as an injection pack that keeps their altered internal 
  systems stable.
  Or perhaps they were dried-out corpses, but then aliens got 
  hold of them! By outfitting the dead with robotics, a group of 
  extraterrestrials could easily intimidate lower-tech humans 
  into avoiding burial sites-turned-secret-bases. A running bat-
  tle with the Reptoids (pp. 39-41) through the Pyramids as 
  their pharaoh-bots defend the “mummy’s curse” (actually a 
  bioweapon like the cybercytes, pp. 45-46) is sure to inject fun 
  into any campaign!
  Either way, the “spirit form” ability has to go, sadly.
  Vampires
  The view of vampirism as a disease is very common, so 
  much so that the players are unlikely even to blink if the GM 
  introduces enemies suffering from “hyper-porphyria” or “the 
  Sanguine-B strain.” The only significant change is that the 
  condition is passed on via infection, turning it into a modified 
  HT roll to see if vampirism is passed on to a victim, rather 
  than a specific blood-feeding ritual.
  Zombies
  Zombies turn up in science fiction as often as fantasy, with 
  viruses or internal parasites to blame for the restless corpses. 
  Support for this view is already built into the system; see 
  Creation (The Enemy, p. 12) for more and Husk Virus (p. 46) 
  for an example.
  spirit BeinGs
  Technically, spirit beings are extraterrestrials; their world is 
  just separated from ours by a dimensional barrier rather than 
  by the vastness of space. So if travel between other dimen-
  sions is kosher in the campaign, there are no changes needed 
  except perhaps to their names (since “angel” and “demon” are 
  fairly loaded terms).
  If other dimensions are a problem, then the most reason-
  able way to handle these foes is to add them to the roster of 
  aliens in this chapter. By changing the name, altering the 
  description slightly, and emphasizing “alien” motivations over 
  religious ones, it can be surprisingly easy to throw demons at 
  your players without them ever realizing it!
  Angels
  These become powerful winged aliens, with fewer religious 
  overtones. Either their sword becomes superfine and droppa-
  ble, or it becomes a psionic “mind sword” that they can gener-
  ate as a racial ability. They remain scary as hell.
  Demons
  Change the Weakness (and maybe the Vow) and these eas-
  ily become aliens from a planet with a wide variety of subraces 
  – or a race of “biokinetic” psis with unique abilities that often 
  involve physical upgrades to their bodies. Just be sure that 
  none of the Demonic Variety (The Enemy, p. 19) abilities give 
  things away; avoid obviously supernatural options like Chan-
  neling, Medium, Detect Magic Use, etc.
  Skin-Changers
  The skin-changer and the Devourer (pp. 26-29) are similar 
  in many ways; it may be simpler just to use the Devourer. They 
  can coexist, however, with the skin-changer representing a less 
  “blobby” alien race capable of secreting special enzymes that 
  allow them to rejuvenate the skin of others while it’s worn.
  Today they call them angels  
  and demons, tomorrow they’ll  
  call them something else.
  – Aleister Crowley
  
   
  tHe trutH is out tHere 
  48
  Fae
  While these foes do not appear in The Enemy, they are 
  covered in depth in “The Wild Hunt” (from Pyramid #3/45: 
  Monsters).
  The various fae will need a few tweaks, specifically to the 
  restrictions involving religion and their various Divine Curses. 
  However, issues with iron and loud noises make as much 
  sense for an alien as for a magical race. The changeling and 
  unseelie’s glamours are explainable as Telepathy (or can drop 
  the Glamour limitation and become “real”); the yuki onna is 
  obviously wielding Cryokinesis; and the others are perfectly 
  usable as-is.
  tHe livinG
  The nice thing about living creatures is that they require far 
  less work to justify. The cryptids in particular can be used with 
  no changes in practically any game. It’s only when shapeshift-
  ing enters the picture that creative rebranding is called for.
  Cryptids
  With so many other threats coming from mad-science 
  laboratories and outer space, the GM may just want to 
  leave cryptids (like the albino alligators and chupacabras) 
  as they are. Alternatively, they could be weird experiments 
  that escaped into the wild, which would provide an excuse 
  to have others hunting them as well – perhaps even Stalkers 
  (pp. 41-43). Nothing like preparing to dispatch a chupaca-
  bra, only to be attacked by the lab geeks who have orders to 
  bring it back alive!
  If the prevalence of either science or magic is supposed to 
  be a major theme in the game, try tying it into the appearance 
  of new cryptids. For example, in a scientific game, a group of 
  researchers working on a time machine (in a remote location) 
  may open a rift to the past, allowing dinosaurs to enter our 
  world as a new threat!
  Lycanthropes
  These are tricky. There are a 
  few possible approaches, depend-
  ing on what you’re willing to 
  change about them.
  The modern view of lycan-
  thropy is that it was a mix of cer-
  tain physical and psychological 
  illnesses that provoked animalis-
  tic behavior. Taken to an extreme, 
  this can justify the “humanoid ani-
  mal” type of lycanthropy, where 
  hormonal triggers cause hair to 
  lengthen, muscles to thicken, etc. 
  until the person becomes a “wolf-
  man.” This would require rework-
  ing the statistics of the beast 
  forms, however, making them into 
  humanoids rather than animals.
  Lycanthropes as aliens, or as 
  the result of a cutting-edge biotech 
  program, could simply shift their 
  bodies between two forms. This 
  requires maintaining the same 
  mass, however, which means that 
  were-eagles have to either disap-
  pear or become huge.
  One unexpected take would be 
  to turn lycanthropes into intelli-
  gent animals; make the beast form 
  their normal form, but with higher 
  IQ. Then give them the Telepathic 
  ability to convince those around 
  them that they’re actually interact-
  ing with a human. Or they may have 
  the Psychokinetic (Photokinetic, 
  if you’re using GURPS Psionic  
  Powers) ability to create that illusion around themselves. 
  “Shapeshifting” here just means dropping the illusion so they 
  can concentrate on threats, tracking, etc.
  roGue HuMAns
  These are covered at length in Chapter 1; for advice on 
  making rogue crusaders fit the game, see Crusader (pp. 6-7), 
  and so on. Cultists exist in every setting, regardless of whether 
  the religion they follow is real or not.
  trAits to toss
  When converting the supernatural monsters of The Enemy into a more scien-
  tific context, there are certain specific advantages and disadvantages that must be 
  erased, replaced, or at least heavily “rebranded” in pseudoscientific terms.
  • Alternate Form and Morph should usually have the Cosmetic limitation, to 
  ensure that mass is preserved.
  • Detect may be psionic (ESP) or the result of amazing senses.
  • Divine Curse can be replaced with an appropriate psychological disadvan-
  tage if it constrains behavior – such as giving vampires Vow (Never enter a home 
  without permission) – or deleted if the curse is more external.
  • Dread becomes Phobia.
  • Flight without wings can be psionic; alternatively, replace it with Super Jump 
  or Flight (Winged).
  • Glamours, like the fae have, can either remain as telepathic abilities or simply 
  drop the Glamour limitation and become “real.”
  • Mind Control becomes a psionic attack or is deleted.
  • Supernatural Features can become low Appearance or just go away.
  • Terror can be explained as a memetic or psionic attack.
  • True Faith and other “holy” abilities may or may not exist; see Mysticism 
  (pp. 6-7).
  • Vulnerability or Weakness to holy attacks should be erased. Other threats are 
  fine; even Vulnerability to Silver could believably be a chemical issue.
  In addition, magical traits like Magery and Ritual Adept may not fit, depending 
  on the choices the GM has made for magic (Decisions, Decisions, pp. 3-4). If they 
  don’t, simply erase them.
  Features
  Most 0-point features are supernatural in nature, particularly those stating 
  which magical Path and/or Mysticism abilities affect the monster. If magic or Mys-
  ticism still exists, just those relevant features can stay; otherwise, delete them all.
  
   
  inDex 
  49
  inDex
  Advantages, for technomages, 15; High TL, 
  5; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards, 29; 
  perks, 7, 8, 18, 20; Talents, 8, 11, 15.
  Adventures, Devourers, 27; Greys, 31; 
  Insectoids, 33; Nordics, 36; Phasites, 
  38; Reptoids, 41; Stalkers, 43; see also 
  Campaigns, Conspiracies.
  Alchemy kit, technomagic, 19.
  Alien Bioenhancement power modifier, 7.
  Alien Psionics, power, 9.
  Aliens, see Extraterrestrials.
  Alphans, see Reptoids.
  Anakim, see Devourers.
  Androids, 33.
  Angels, 47.
  Aryans, see Nordics.
  Azurites, see Phasites.
  Battery packs, 20.
  Bioengineering, by Greys, 30.
  Blues, see Phasites.
  Born to Be Wired Talent, 11, 15.
  Brain flu, 45.
  Brother template, 6.
  Burrowers, 40.
  Campaigns, alien decisions, 4, 24-25; general 
  decisions, 3-4; magic decisions, 3-4, 
  22-23; monster decisions, 4; plausible 
  monsters, 47-48; types, 12-13; see also 
  Adventures, Conspiracies.
  Caseless Electrothermal-Chemical (ETC) 
  weapons, 35.
  Characters, appropriate, 5-12; magical 
  specialists, 8; universal changes 
  and issues, 5; see also Advantages, 
  Extraterrestrials, Monsters, Skills, 
  Templates.
  Charms, transferring, 23.
  Chrymorphids, see Insectoids.
  Cloning, by Greys, 30.
  Code of Honor disadvantage, Hunter’s 
  Code, 43.
  Complexity, computer, 20, 21.
  Computer Operation skill, 15; Talent and, 
  11; using, 17, 18.
  Computer Programming skill, 14; Talent 
  and, 11; software hacking, 22; see also 
  Scripts.
  Computers, 20; accessories, 20; Complexity, 
  20, 21; exceeding script limits, 17; perk, 
  20; portable storage, 17, 18, 20; script 
  limits, 17; Talent, 11; tech level and, 21; 
  technomagic skills, 14-15; transferring 
  scripts, 17-18; upgrades, 22; using 
  devices, 18; see also Equipment, Scripts, 
  Technomagic.
  Conspiracies, androids, 33; campaigns, 
  13, 24, 39; deducing the truth, 6, 39; 
  Obsession, 6; information skills, 7, 39; 
  Nordic, 36; Reptoid, 41; ruling class and, 
  13.
  Contagiousness, 44; see also Plagues.
  Crusader template, 6-7.
  Cryptids, 48.
  Cybercytes, 45-46.
  Demons, 47.
  Devourers, 26-29; attacks by, 26; close 
  encounters, 27; distributed intelligence, 
  26; formerly human shell, 27; size, 26; 
  stats, 27-29.
  Diseases, see Plagues.
  Divine Curse disadvantage, changing, 6.
  Draconians, see Reptoids.
  Drugs, 9, 35.
  Dual-casting, 23.
  Easy Refill perk, 8.
  Electronics Repair (Computers) skill, 15; 
  Talent and, 11; using, 22.
  Engineer (Electronics) skill, 15; using, 22.
  Equipment, alien, 25-26, 30-31, 40; 
  androids, 33; booby-trapping alien, 44; 
  burrowing vehicles, 40; Greys, 30-31; 
  High TL and, 5; morphology inducers, 
  25-26; psychotronics, 9, 30; Reptoids, 
  40; spaceships, 26; upgrading, 22, 44; see 
  also Computers, Thaumatological Coding 
  Suite, Weapons.
  Esoteric Medicine skill, 7.
  ETC weapons, 35.
  Experiment template, 7.
  Extraterrestrials, Alien Psionics power, 
  9; alternate names, 24; antipathy, 25; 
  campaign types, 12-13; decisions, 4, 
  24-25; experiment characters and, 7; 
  homeworlds, 24-25; individuals, 24; 
  information skills, 7; power modifier, 7; 
  races, 26-44; see also Devourers, Diseases, 
  Greys, Inhuman Template, Insectoids, 
  Monsters, Nordics, Phasites, Reptoids, 
  Stalkers.
  Fae, 48.
  Fast-Draw skill, Device, 18.
  Fear extractors, 9.
  Flash cards, 20; plugging in, 18; script limit, 
  17.
  Flash drives, 20; plugging in, 18; script limit, 
  17.
  Gear, see Computers, Equipment.
  Geek template, 8.
  Gels, see Devourers.
  Ghosts, 47.
  Gifted template, 8.
  Greys, 29-32; alien antipathy, 25; close 
  encounters, 31; inhuman template, 30; 
  lenses, 31-32; stats, 31-32; technology, 
  30-31.
  Grimoires, digital, 21-22; sharing, 21-22; see 
  also Scripts, Technomagic.
  GURPS, 30; Basic Set, 4; Bio-Tech, 3, 25; 
  High-Tech, 21; Horror, 23; Monster 
  Hunters, 3, 4, 6-8, 10, 13, 15, 18, 21, 22, 
  24, 40; Monster Hunters 1: Champions, 
  3-12, 14, 16, 18-22, 30, 31, 36, 38, 43; 
  Monster Hunters 2: The Mission, 4, 7, 
  12, 13, 32, 39, 44; Monster Hunters 3: 
  The Enemy, 4, 23, 24, 36, 44,  
  46-48; Monster Hunters 4: Sidekicks, 
  4-6, 8, 9, 11; Psi-Tech, 3, 9, 25, 30; 
  Psionic Powers, 48; Thaumatology, 23; 
  Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic, 4, 
  14, 19, 22; Ultra-Tech, 3, 21, 25, 35, 44, 
  46; see also Pyramid.
  Hacking reality, see Scripts, Technomagic.
  Hand-coding, 19.
  Hardware, see Computers, Equipment.
  High TL advantage, 5.
  Human upgrades, by Greys, 30.
  Husk virus, 46.
  Immunity to Metabolic Hazards advantage, 
  Earth, 29.
  Infections, see Plagues.
  Inhuman template, 8; Greys, 30; Nordics, 37; 
  Reptoids, 40; Stalkers, 42.
  Insectoids, 32-34; baby, 34; close encounters, 
  33; reproduction, 32-33; stats, 33-34; 
  venom, 32.
  Intuitive Mathematician advantage, 15, 19.
  Jargon, 15.
  Jump beacons, 9, 31.
  Lemurians, see Nordics.
  Lenses, changes, 6; sage, 10-11; warrior,  
  11-12; see also Templates.
  Two possibilities exist: Either we 
  are alone in the universe or we are 
  not. Both are equally terrifying.
  – Arthur C. Clarke
  
   
  inDex 
  50
  Lightning Calculator advantage, 15, 19.
  Lycanthropes, 48.
  Magic, dual-casting, 23; general decisions, 
  3-4, 22-23; templates, 8-9, 11, 12; trait 
  decisions, 5; see also Ritual Path Magic, 
  Scripts, Technomagic.
  Magician template, 8-9; Path skills, 8.
  Manhunters, see Stalkers.
  Martians, see Greys.
  Mathematics (Applied) skill, 14; hand-
  coding and, 19.
  Men From Planet X, see Nordics.
  Microbes, see Plagues.
  Microchipping, by Greys, 30.
  Miscellaneous alien tech (MAT), 44.
  Monsters, decisions, 4; plausible 
  supernatural, 47-48; unrealistic traits, 
  48; see also Diseases, Extraterrestrials, 
  Inhuman Template.
  Morphology inducers, 25-26.
  Mummies, 47.
  Mysticism power, 6-7; changes to abilities, 
  6-7; decisions about, 3, 6-7, 23, 25, 48.
  Nagas, see Reptoids.
  NBC suits, 10; Insectoid venom and, 32.
  Nordics, 34-37; alien antipathy, 25; close 
  encounters, 36; conspiracies, 36; 
  Enthrallment skills, 35-36; goals and 
  plots, 35; inhuman template, 37; stats, 
  36-37.
  Null-field generators, 9.
  Obsession disadvantage, new, 6.
  Occult, science vs., 3, see also Ritual Path 
  Magic, Technomagic.
  Occultism skill, 7.
  Occultist template, 9.
  Orions, see Stalkers.
  Overclocked perk, 20.
  Path skills, Computer Programming skill 
  and, 14; perk, 8; specializing, 8; Talents, 8.
  PDA, 20; running scripts on, 17, 18; script 
  limit, 17.
  Perks, new, 7, 8, 18, 20.
  Phasites, 37-38; body snatching, 38; close 
  encounters, 38; seeing, 37; stats, 38.
  Physics skill, 15.
  Places of power, 18.
  Plagues, 44-46; creating new, 45; dealing 
  with, 44-45; decisions, 4.
  Power modifiers, new, 7, 9.
  Powers, decisions, 3, 6; new, 7, 9.
  Psi-impeder helmet, 9.
  Psi-tech, see Psychotronics.
  Psi template, 9.
  Psychoportation, 9, 30-31.
  Psychoportive beacons, 30.
  Psychotronics, 9, 30; see also Equipment.
  Pyramid, #3/45: Monsters, 48; #3/66: The 
  Laws of Magic, 8, 23.
  Quick-Sheathe perk, Device, 18.
  Reptoids, 39-41; alien antipathy, 25; 
  burrowing vehicles, 40; close encounters, 
  41; inhuman template, 41; stats, 40.
  Reticulans, see Greys.
  Ritual Path magic, charm transfer, 23; 
  different systems affecting, 22; Path skills, 
  8; places of power, 18; specialists, 8; 
  Talents, 8; technomagic vs., 3-4, 22-23; 
  see also Magic, Technomagic.
  Rituals, see Magic, Ritual Path Magic, 
  Scripts, Technomagic.
  Rogue humans, 4, 48; brain flu and, 45; 
  decisions, 4.
  Sage template, 9-11; handy, 10; holy, 10; 
  Path skills, 8; slayer, 10; techno, 11.
  Sauroids, see Greys.
  Science, occult vs., 3; see also Equipment, 
  Technomagic.
  Scripts, computer requirements, 16, 17, 
  20; conditional, 16-17, 19, 23; different 
  systems affecting, 22; hand-coding, 19; 
  interactive, 17; limits on, 17-18; non-
  adepts and, 16, 18; on-the-fly, 18; places 
  of power and, 18; programmed, 16-18; 
  programming, 16; realistic timing, 18; 
  reusing, 17; running, 16-17; software 
  requirements, 16, 21; transferring, 17-18; 
  see also Computers, Magic, Technomagic, 
  Thaumatological Coding Suite.
  Sirians, see Insectoids.
  Skills, changes to existing, 7; conspiracy-
  related, 39; for technomages, 14-15; 
  information, 7; Path, 8.
  Skin-changers, 47.
  Smartphones, 20; running scripts on, 17, 18; 
  script limit, 17; starting equipment, 20.
  Social Scripture perk, 7.
  Software, see Scripts, Thaumatological 
  Coding Suite.
  Spaceships, alien, 26, 31.
  Speed Enthrallment technique, 36.
  Spells, see Magic, Ritual Path Magic, Scripts, 
  Technomagic.
  Spirit beings, 47-49.
  Stalkers, 41-43; close encounters, 43; 
  Hunter’s Code, 43; inhuman template, 42; 
  stats, 43.
  Superfine weapons, 35.
  Supernatural, see Occult, Ritual Path Magic, 
  Technomagic.
  Tables, computer, 20; shared grimoire, 22.
  Talents, 8, 11.
  Tech levels (TL), 5, 21; places of power and, 
  18; technomagic and, 21; upgrading 
  equipment, 44.
  Techie template, 11.
  Techno-alchemy, 19.
  Technology, see Computers, Equipment.
  Technomagic, advantages, 15; elixirs, 19; 
  jargon, 15; Path skills, 8; places of power, 
  18; Ritual Path magic vs., 3-4, 22-23; 
  skills, 14-15; specialists, 8; Talents, 8, 11; 
  tech level and, 21; template variants, 8-9, 
  11, 12; using, 15-19; see also Computers, 
  Magic, Ritual Path Magic, Rituals, 
  Scripts, Thaumatological Coding Suite.
  Technomagician template, 8-9.
  Technomancer template, 12.
  Technosage lens, 11.
  Templates, changes, 6-12; lens changes, 6.
  Ten-qu-Hish, see Stalkers.
  Thaumatological coding suite (TCS), 16, 18, 
  21-22; grimoires, 21-22; modifying and 
  hacking, 22; tech level and, 21; see also 
  Scripts, Technomagic.
  Thaumatology skill, 15.
  Theology skill, 7.
  Trance drug, 9.
  Ufology skill, 7.
  Ulterrans, see Phasites.
  Undead, 47; see also Zombies.
  Unusual Background advantage, Dual-
  Caster, 23.
  Vampires, 47.
  Venom zombie, 34; creating, 32-33.
  Venusians, see Phasites.
  Vibroblade weapons, 35.
  Warrior template, 11-12; focused, 11.
  Weapons, booby-trapping alien, 44; Ghost, 9; 
  options, 35; psychotronic, 9; upgrading, 
  44; see also Equipment.
  White Noise drug, 35; adventures, 36.
  Witch, 12; Path skills, 8.
  Xists, see Nordics.
  Zombies, 47; husk, 46; venom, 32-34; White 
  Noise, 36.
  This whole thing is a farce, because in the end,  
  after you’ve killed and captured every freak out there – 
  there’s still one left: you.
  – Tom Manning, in Hellboy
  
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/4th edition/GURPS 4e - Monster Hunters 5 - Applied Xenology (v1.0).pdf