TEXT: Talent 2
  Variable
  You have a natural aptitude for a
  set of closely related skills. “Talents”
  come in levels, and give the following
  benefits:
  • A bonus of +1 per level with all
  affected skills, even for default use.
  This effectively raises your attribute
  scores for the purpose of those skills
  only; thus, this is an inexpensive way
  to be adept at small class of skills.
  (Generalists will find it more cost-
  effective to raise attributes.)
  • A bonus of +1 per level on all
  reaction rolls made by anyone in a
  position to notice your Talent, if he
  would be impressed by your aptitude
  (GM’s judgment). To receive this
  bonus, you must demonstrate your
  Talent – most often by using the affect-
  ed skills.
  • A reduction in the time required
  to learn the affected skills in play,
  regardless of how you learn them.
  Reduce the time required by 10% per
  level of Talent; e.g., Animal Friend 2
  would let you learn animal-related
  skills in 80% the usual time. This has
  no effect on the point cost of your
  skills.
  You may never have more than
  four levels of a particular Talent.
  However, overlapping Talents can give
  skill bonuses (only) in excess of +4.
  Cost of Talents
  The cost of a Talent depends on the
  size of the group of skills affected:
  Small (6 or fewer related skills): 5
  points/level.
  Medium (7 to 12 related skills): 10
  points/level.
  Large (13 or more related skills): 15
  points/level.
  Skills with multiple specialties are
  considered to be one skill for this pur-
  pose. Once you buy a Talent, the list of
  affected skills is fixed. (Exception: The
  GM may rule that a Talent affects new
  skills appearing in later GURPS sup-
  plements, or skills he invents in the
  course of the campaign, if the Talent
  would logically be of value to those
  skills.)
  Examples of Talents
  The following Talents are consid-
  ered standard, and exist in most cam-
  paigns:
  Animal Friend: Animal Handling,
  Falconry, Packing, Riding, Teamster,
  and Veterinary. Reaction bonus: all
  animals. 5 points/level.
  Artificer: 
  Armoury, 
  Carpentry,
  Electrician, 
  Electronics 
  Repair,
  Engineer, 
  Machinist, 
  Masonry,
  Mechanic, and Smith. Reaction bonus:
  anyone 
  you 
  do 
  work 
  for. 
  10
  points/level.
  Business Acumen: Accounting,
  Administration, 
  Economics,
  Finance, 
  Gambling, 
  Market
  Analysis, 
  Merchant, 
  and
  Propaganda. Reaction bonus:
  anyone you do business with. 10
  points/level.
  Gifted Artist: Artist, Jeweler,
  Leatherworking,
  Photography, 
  and
  Sewing. Reaction bonus: any-
  one buying or critiquing your
  work. 5 points/level.
  Green Thumb: Biology, Farming,
  Gardening, Herb Lore, and
  Naturalist. Reaction bonus:
  gardeners and sentient plants.
  5 points/level.
  Healer: Diagnosis, Esoteric
  Medicine, First Aid, Pharmacy,
  Physician, Physiology, Psychology,
  Surgery, and Veterinary. Reaction
  bonus: patients, both past and pres-
  ent. 10 points/level.
  Mathematical Ability: Accounting,
  Astronomy, Cryptography, Engineer,
  Finance, 
  Market 
  Analysis,
  Mathematics, and Physics.
  Reaction bonus: engineers and
  scientists. 10 points/level.
  Musical 
  Ability:
  Group
  Performance (Conducting), Musical
  Composition, 
  Musical 
  Influence,
  Musical Instrument, and Singing.
  Reaction bonus: anyone listening to or
  critiquing your work. 5 points/level.
  Outdoorsman: 
  Camouflage,
  Fishing, 
  Mimicry, 
  Naturalist,
  Navigation, Survival, and Tracking.
  Reaction bonus: explorers, nature
  lovers, and the like. 10 points/level.
  Smooth 
  Operator: 
  Acting,
  Carousing, Detect Lies, Diplomacy,
  Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Leadership,
  Panhandling, 
  Politics, 
  Public
  Speaking, Savoir-Faire, Sex Appeal,
  and Streetwise. Reaction bonus: con
  artists, politicians, salesmen, etc. – but
  only if you are not trying to manipu-
  late them. 15 points/level.
  Custom Talents
  At the GM’s option, you may create
  your own Talent with a custom skill
  list. However, the GM’s word is law
  when determining which skills are
  “related” and how may points the
  Talent is worth. Talents should always
  be believable inborn aptitudes. For
  instance, Sports Talent might make
  sense – some athletes really do seem to
  have a gift – but the GM ought to for-
  bid Ninja Talent or Weapon Talent
  (except, perhaps, in a silly campaign).
  ADVANTAGES
  87
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/4th edition/GURPS 4e - Core - Talents Errata 4e.pdf