TEXT: Written by SEAN PUNCH
  Illustrated by ALEX FERNANDEZ, RICK HERSHEY,  
  DENIS LOUBET, and DAN SMITH
  Reviewer: Steven Marsh
  Special Thanks: Martin Heidemann, for sponsoring the art on p. 12 and p. 21
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   GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 20: Slayers is copyright © 2019 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved.
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  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  Stock #37-0350 
  Version 1.0 – April 2019
  ®
  TM
  GURPS System Design z STEVE JACKSON
  GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH
  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 Creative Officer z SAM MITSCHKE
  Chief Operating Officer z SUSAN BUENO
  Director of Sales z ROSS JEPSON
  Page Design z PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT
   Art Direction and Prepress Checker z NIKOLA VRTIS
  
  IntroductIon  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 3
  Publication History . . . . . . . . . . . .3
  About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
  1 . demon-SlayerS  .  .  .  .  .  . 4
  Demon-Slayer Advantages. . . . . . .4
  Banishing Blade . . . . . . . . . . . .4
  Close to Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
  Demon Sniffer. . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
  Gizmos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
  Hell Vision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
  Heroic Reserves. . . . . . . . . . . . .5
  Higher Purpose  
  (Slay Demons) . . . . . . . . . . .5
  Iron Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
  Resistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
  Slayer Training . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
  Demon-Slayer Perks . . . . . . . . . . . .6
  Demon-Slayer Skills. . . . . . . . . . . .6
  Banish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
  Pentagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
  Demon-Slayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
  Demon-Slayer Power-Ups . . . . . . .8
  Plane Shift. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
  Why Are Slayers So Different? . . . .8
  Why No Cross-Profession  
  Lenses?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
  Why So Few Power-Ups? . . . . . . . .8
  2 . mage-SlayerS  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 9
  Mage-Slayer Advantages . . . . . . . .9
  Caster Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
  Gizmos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
  Heroic Reserves. . . . . . . . . . . . .9
  Higher Purpose  
  (Mage-Hunting) . . . . . . . . . .9
  Magical Toughening . . . . . . . .10
  Nondetection. . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
  Selective Magic Resistance. . .10
  Spellpiercer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
  Mage-Slayer Perks . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
  Mage-Slayer Skills . . . . . . . . . . . .11
  Dispel Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
  Remove Curse . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
  Mage-Slayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
  Mage-Slayer Power-Ups. . . . . . . .13
  Drain Magery . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
  Drain Mana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
  Suspend Magery . . . . . . . . . . .13
   
  Making Slayers Useful . . . . . . .13
  Suspend Mana. . . . . . . . . . . . .13
  3 . undead-SlayerS .  .  .  .  . 14
  Undead-Slayer Advantages . . . . .14
  Abomination Sense. . . . . . . . .14
  Ghost Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
  Ghost Weapon. . . . . . . . . . . . .14
  Gizmos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Heroic Reserves. . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Higher Purpose  
  (Slay Undead). . . . . . . . . . .15
  Resistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Slayer Training . . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Specter Sight. . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Turning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
  Undead-Slayer Skills . . . . . . . . . .16
   
  Undead-Slayer Perks . . . . . . . .16
  Final Rest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Materialize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Undead-Slayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
  Undead-Slayer Power-Ups. . . . . .18
  Solidify. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
  Even More Slayers! . . . . . . . . . . . .18
  4 . Slayer gear  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 19
  Demon-Slayer’s  
  Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
  Mage-Slayer’s  
  Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
  Undead-Slayer’s  
  Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
  Fun With Flaws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
  Heroic Power Items . . . . . . . . . . .21
  New Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
  Holy Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
  (Holy) Hand Grenades . . . . . .21
  Secret Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
  Demonic Talismans . . . . . . . . . . .22
  Index .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 23
   
  Contents 
  2
  Contents
  About GURPS
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  errata/gurps.
  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.
  
  You’re exceptionally effective at fighting a particular class of 
  beings.
  – GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups
  Killing monsters is a fact of life (well, death) for delv-
  ers. Although motivations vary, “. . . and take their stuff” is 
  nearly always on the list, if not at the top. It isn’t impossible 
  to be a pacifist treasure-hunter, but in a world with demons, 
  dragons, orcs, trolls, undead, and endless other creatures 
  that are as attached to valuables as the heroes are, that 
  would be tricky – very tricky.
  And because delvers work in teams, specialization often 
  pays off; in particular, some adventurers have it in for spe-
  cific classes of monsters. Holy warriors leap immediately 
  to mind, as every one of these crusaders is bent on destroy-
  ing either demons or the undead (and their unholy coun-
  terparts, with murdering servants of Good). But anyone 
  with high combat skills can buy the Mortal Foe power-up  
  (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups, p. 12) and 
  become a construct-slayer, demon-slayer, dire animal- 
  slayer, or the like. Even without that, nothing prevents a 
  hero from focusing on abilities and gear effective against  
  a specific enemy type.
  Yet for holy warriors, the first priority is serving their god 
  by fighting Evil in all its guises, and by defending and leading 
  the faithful. For magic-users, rogues, or (non-holy) warriors, 
  it’s casting spells, sneaking, or fighting – even if they have a 
  special knack for defeating a particular class of opponents. 
  These heroes are good at many things and just a bit better at 
  slaying their mortal foes.
  There are adventurers who make destroying specific kinds 
  of enemies their purpose in life, however. They aren’t incom-
  petent at general delving tasks, but they’re willing to be less 
  good at such things in order to be downright deadly against 
  a particular category of opponents. Such heroes are known 
  as slayers.
  Slayers punch far above their weight against their sworn 
  rivals, giving a group that’s just starting out a fighting 
  chance against even the most powerful supernatural ene-
  mies. As they earn character points, they can backfill gaps 
  in their competence if they feel the need. Their career arc is 
  almost the opposite of that of a generalist delver who tacks 
  on Mortal Foe.
  “Almost,” because there’s one important difference: 
  Slayers’ abilities flow from force of will. They’re neither chi-
  based like those of the martial artist nor psionic like those 
  of the mentalist (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 14: Psi), but like 
  both, they’re entirely internal in origin. They don’t require 
  sanctity, mana, or nature’s strength, and they don’t rely on 
  gods or spirits lending a hand. Slayers can do their thing no 
  matter what.
  Now that’s dedication!
  PubliCAtion History
  The mage-slayer and undead-slayer were inspired 
  by – but not taken verbatim from – “The Mage-Hunter” in 
  Pyramid #3/109: Thaumatology V and “The Undead-Hunter” 
  in Pyramid #3/122: All Good Things, respectively. Those tem-
  plates were for the Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, 
  so there have been significant changes, particularly to the 
  undead-slayer. As well, several traits were adapted from 
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups and Pyramid 
  #3/61: Way of the Warrior. The entire demon-slayer template 
  and the majority of special abilities and notes for all three 
  professions are entirely new.
  About tHe AutHor
  Sean Punch set out to become a particle physicist in 1985 
  and ended up as GURPS Line Editor in 1995. In that capacity, 
  he has written, edited, or contributed to some 150 GURPS 
  releases, revised the game into its fourth edition (2004), and 
  been a regular contributor to Pyramid magazine. From 2008, 
  he has served as the lead creator of the GURPS Dungeon 
  Fantasy series, which led to his design of the Dungeon 
  Fantasy Roleplaying Game, released in 2017. Sean has been 
  a gamer since 1979, but devotes most of his spare time to 
  Argentine tango (and occasionally tending bar). He lives in 
  Montréal, Québec.
   
  introduCtion 
  3
  introduCtion
  Holy symbols like crosses and blessed water 
  occasionally have an effect, but are dependent upon  
  the personal faith of the user. Most Hunters opt for 
  violence over faith.
  – Larry Correia, Monster Hunter International
  
   
  demon-slAyers 
  4
  Demons . . .
  Nobody but naive cultists likes them – and no wonder! At 
  best, they’ll kill you. Many will torture you first. The worst are 
  duplicitous shapeshifters out to steal your soul. That “merely” 
  bloodthirsty demons are (relatively) virtuous says everything 
  most people need to know.
  For scholars of cosmology, eschatology, and the -olo-
  gies in between, there’s also the reality that whatever gods 
  you worship – and however you believe they’ve divvied up 
  Creation – some 
  are 
  inimical 
  to mortals. “The Devil” may be 
  one such being or shorthand 
  for the lot. Whatever the truth,  
  capital-E Evil exists, deities who 
  personify it rule realms that 
  meet the traditional criteria for 
  “Hell,” and demons serve them.
  Thus, 
  demons 
  aren’t 
  just 
  uncouth (like orcs) or voracious 
  (like dragons). Their cosmic role is 
  promoting Evil – thwarting Good. 
  To achieve this, their masters 
  send them to help wicked sum-
  moners and boss monsters engi-
  neer depraved schemes, unholy 
  artifacts, and terrible curses . . . 
  all common in dungeons.
  Before turning to the cleric or holy warrior, remember: 
  They serve deities, too. They have agendas, and they judge. 
  Their gifts require sanctity, a force inconveniently absent 
  where demons thrive.
  Demon-slayers don’t judge – they aren’t all good, much less 
  Good. They take the side of mortals vs. demons. And as their 
  gifts emanate from their souls, not from some distant god-
  head, they can fight their battles anywhere.
  demon-slAyer AdvAntAges
  Demon-slayers are masters of self-defense against demons. 
  Some elements of this are mundane: Train hard and keep the 
  right gear on hand. Others involve taking conscious control 
  of their soul, leading to supernatural gifts that don’t rely on 
  external forces. In a sense, demon-slayers are shamans of their 
  own spirits – or perhaps clerics of their inner gods.
  Banishing Blade
  15 points
  Any weapon you wield can harm intangible spirits (and 
  semi-tangible ones, such as toxifiers) – all of them, not just 
  demons. It effectively has Affects Insubstantial (p. B102) 
  against them. If you wound such a being to -HP or worse, it 
  must make Will rolls when mortals would make HT rolls; at 
  -5¥HP, it fails automatically. If a demon fails, it suffers the 
  equivalent of a successful Banish spell.
  Advantages: Blessed (Ghost Weapon)* [15].
  * Optionally, the GM can make this new form of Blessed 
  available as a Holy ability. When limited with the Holy power 
  modifier, it affects only evil spirits.
  Close to Hell
  see GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11:  
  Power-Ups, p. 24
  This Talent gives +1 per level to Exor-
  cism, Hidden Lore (Demons), Occultism, 
  Psychology (Demons), Religious Ritual, 
  and Theology.
  Demonologists, evil clerics, necroman-
  cers, and unholy warriors enjoy +1 per 
  level on reaction rolls from demons – but 
  you use this Talent to “know thy enemy,” 
  and demons know you and react at -1 per 
  level! To compensate for the lost bonus 
  and extra downside, you get two alterna-
  tive benefits: You may add your Close to 
  Hell level to all rolls to use Demon Sniffer (below) and to rolls 
  for Praying (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 2: Dungeons, p. 15) 
  specifically for help against demons.
  Demon Sniffer
  10 points
  Many demons are masters of shapeshifting or illusion; oth-
  ers possess victims to do their dirty work. You can detect them 
  regardless! This requires a Concentrate maneuver, after which 
  the GM makes a secret Perception roll for you, applying range 
  modifiers from the Size and Speed/Range Table (p. B550). 
  Success means the GM tells you the direction to the nearest 
  demon – or, if you’re concentrating on a specific person, place, 
  or thing, whether it’s actually a demon, or possessed or cursed 
  by one. You’ll also get a vague sense of strength, ranging from 
  “imp” to “The Devil.”
  You may follow up success with an IQ roll to discern what 
  specific type of demon you’re dealing with. This is a free 
  action. Critical success on this roll provides details useful for 
  defeating the demon – anything that Hidden Lore, Physiology, 
  or Psychology would reveal! In the case of a unique demon of 
  great power, this might include its name.
  Advantages: Detect (Demons) [10].
  CHAPter one
  demon-slAyers
  The only good 
  demon is a dead 
  one, I say.
  – Gheed,  
  in Diablo II
  
   
  demon-slAyers 
  5
  Gizmos
  see p. B57
  Demons often have bizarre flaws. You can produce exactly 
  what you need to exploit these, as long as each item meets all 
  the conditions laid out on p. 4 of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 
  4: Sages. To summarize: Gizmos can’t be heavier than Basic 
  Lift/10 lbs., longer than Reach 1, or have a Bulk worse than 
  -4. Moreover, they must be something you own but didn’t 
  specify you were carrying, which remains present after being 
  revealed; or a consumable nonmagical item that suits the 
  demon-slaying profession (maximum value $50), which lasts 
  for one use; or a minor, common gadget anybody might have 
  (worth at most $10), which is also expended after a use.
  Hell Vision
  15 points
  Some demons are adept at illusion or changing form; oth-
  ers are incorporeal, invisible presences. If such a demon is 
  situated where you could see a mundane person or object with 
  nothing more elaborate than a Vision roll (e.g., not lurking 
  inside a stone altar, in total darkness, or in Hell), this ability 
  lets you see it clearly and perceive it for what it really is. It 
  doesn’t allow you to spot invisible beings other than demons, 
  nor to ignore non-demonic deceptions – but it does empower 
  you to see through a demon’s mundane disguises and shape-
  shifting, as well as spells of the Illusion and Creation or Light 
  and Darkness colleges (and innate abilities that emulate them) 
  that conceal a demon’s true form or presence.
  Advantages: See Invisible (Spirits; Specialized, Demons, -50%;  
  True Sight, +50%) [15].
  Heroic Reserves
  3 points/level
  Your zeal to slay gives you hidden reserves of vigor. You 
  may spend Heroic Reserves (HR) as FP to fuel athletics, mar-
  tial feats, and physical extra effort – most often meaning 
  Extra Effort in Combat (p. B357), which can help you match 
  the feats of less-specialized warriors, if only for a short time. 
  You can’t burn HR on magic (spells or abilities), nor on extra 
  effort the GM deems mental. However, the demon-slayer’s 
  Banish, Pentagram, and Plane Shift skills are considered 
  “martial,” not “magical” or “mental,” and can draw on HR, 
  despite resembling spells.
  Effects that sap FP – like starvation, and some spells, poi-
  sons, and monster abilities – never deplete HR. As well, you 
  can tap HR even at fully negative FP. Perhaps best of all, 
  HR recharges separately from FP regardless of your level of 
  activity: 1 point/10 minutes normally, or 1 point/5 minutes 
  with Fit or Very Fit, even if you’re running around slaying 
  the whole time!
  Advantages: Energy Reserve (Heroic) [3/level].
  Higher Purpose (Slay Demons)
  see p. B59
  You get +1 per level of this trait (maximum three) on all 
  attack and damage rolls you make in combat with demon-
  class monsters and opponents possessed by demons, and on 
  all defense and resistance rolls whenever such rivals act against 
  you. Attempts to banish or exorcise demons are considered 
  “combat,” and also enjoy this bonus.
  The catch? You cannot stand idly by while demons work 
  their corruption. If you ever avoid or flee a confrontation 
  with a demon – or worse, cut a deal with one! – your Higher 
  Purpose bonus turns into a penalty against any enemies it 
  would normally help you with until you go back and slay, ban-
  ish, or exorcise the demon.
  Iron Soul
  4 points/level
  Your soul buffers direct damage from demons and those 
  they possess. Each level of this trait (maximum five) gives DR 
  1 vs. their melee attacks, and abilities and spells that have 
  you as their subject. This applies before armor DR, protects 
  your eyes and gear, and helps you even against creepy attacks 
  that bypass armor. It doesn’t do anything against indirect 
  dangers like traps, ranged weapons, and being burned by a 
  fire set by a demon – the demon must personally hit you or 
  use powers on you.
  Advantages: Damage Resistance 1-5 (Force Field, +20%; Lim-
  ited, Direct attacks by demons, -40%) [4/level].
  Resistant
  see p. B80
  Demon-slayers have access to varieties of Resistant that 
  most adventurers do not:
  • Resistant to Demonic Powers (+3) or (+8) [3 or 5] adds 
  to all resistance rolls against the supernatural capabilities of 
  demon-class monsters and those they possess, including pos-
  session attempts, spells, and things like the HT rolls against 
  toxifiers and the breath weapons of as-Sharak. Rolls to resist 
  the harmful effects of places and objects cursed by demons 
  also count, even if the demon isn’t present – as do all Fright 
  Checks caused by demons. Rolls to avoid blows, traps, and 
  similar essentially physical dangers don’t count.
  • Resistant to Evil Supernatural Powers (+3) or (+8) [5 
  or 7] works like the previous advantage but extends to any 
  effect the GM rules is clearly supernatural and caused by a 
  monster labeled “truly evil.” Thus, it gives a bonus to resist 
  the supernatural abilities of all demons, nearly all Elder 
  Things, and most undead. It still has no effect on physical 
  dangers, however.
  If both would apply, they “stack.” A demon-slayer 
  with Resistant to Demonic Powers (+8) and Resistant to 
  Evil Supernatural Powers (+8) would get +16 against most 
  demonic powers. The GM who feels this is too potent should 
  make these traits mutually exclusive, not allow someone to 
  buy both but then count only the highest.
  They saw in me the strength to 
  resist the demons.
  – A Demon Hunter, in Diablo III
  
   
  demon-slAyers 
  6
  Slayer Training
  see GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11:  
  Power-Ups, p. 13
  Two versions of this general combat power-up – one old, 
  one new – are immediately available to demon-slayers. They 
  require specialization by combat skill.
  • Amulet Grab [6/skill] halves the penalty (round up) to 
  grab an accessible piece of jewelry, removing at most -5; e.g., 
  grabbing jewelry that’s usually at -5 is done at -2, and -10 
  becomes -5, but a tiny jewel that gives -12 is grabbed at -7 
  (not -6). Used to snatch the talismans carried by some demons 
  (p. 22). Available only for unarmed grappling skills.
  • Slayer Thrust to Vitals [3/skill] makes the penalty to 
  thrust for the vitals -1, not -3. Essential against Demons of 
  Old, but many demons have similar flaws.
  demon-slAyer skills
  Your strong soul permits you to learn and use Exorcism 
  (p. B193) despite lacking the Holy Might power. Your tem-
  plate’s mandatory advantages negate the -4 for lack of 
  holy support when dealing with demonic possession and 
  curses. You can try Exorcism against non-demonic forces,  
  but at -4.
  You can also torment free-roaming demons with exotic 
  skills that work like spells by the same name for the purposes 
  of energy cost, time required, and effects. Unlike spells, how-
  ever, these are Will-based, unaffected by supernatural energies 
  (mana, sanctity, the weird extradimensional forces tapped by 
  demonologists, etc.), require neither gestures nor speech, and 
  don’t take twice as long at skill 9 or less. On the downside, 
  high skill doesn’t reduce energy cost or time required.
  Banish
  Will/Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Banishing Blade and Go To Hell!
  See GURPS Magic, pp. 156-157. Always costs 1 
  FP per 10 character points (or other cost assessed 
  by the GM) – minimum 10 – and requires five 
  Concentrate maneuvers.
  Pentagram
  Will/Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Banishing Blade and Close to 
  Hell 2+.
  See GURPS Magic, pp. 124-125. Always 
  costs 1 FP per square foot – minimum 10 – and 
  requires one Concentrate maneuver per square 
  foot. You must walk around the entire perimeter 
  during this time and use a weapon to trace the 
  boundary.
  demon-slAyer
  250 points
  You entered this world remarkably strong of 
  soul. Fortune-tellers have foretold that battling 
  demons is your destiny. You may not agree with 
  that, but you cannot deny that you can sense 
  demons and battle them with unusual proficiency, 
  while they have trouble harming you! And you’re 
  well aware that there’s renown – not to mention 
  wealth – to be had from demon-slaying. That is 
  now your vocation, whether you pursue it out of 
  greed, dreams of glory, religious zeal, or the good-
  ness of your heart.
  Attributes: ST 13 [30]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 
  12 [20].
  Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d/2d-1; 
  BL 34 lbs.; HP 13 [0]; Will 14 [10]; Per 12 [0]; 
  FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [-5]; Basic Move 
  6 [0].
  demon-slAyer Perks
  Demon-slayers may buy these perks at will – the number allowed 
  isn’t tied to points in other abilities, and they don’t count against 
  other perk limits.
  Baneful Sacrifice: Demons thrive on mortal life force – that’s 
  why evil cultists sacrifice people – but your vital essence harms 
  them! You can spend 1 HP per melee attack for +2 to basic damage. 
  Although you can’t spend more HP for a greater bonus, you can 
  combine this with spending FP or HR on Mighty Blows (p. B357).
  Brave: Demon-slayers may buy several levels of this perk 
  (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups, p. 11). Brave 1 means 
  Fright Checks fail automatically only on 15+; Brave 2, on 16+; Brave 
  3, on 17+; and Brave 4 (the maximum) only on an 18. To be use-
  ful, Will – adjusted for Fearlessness and/or Combat Reflexes (gives 
  +2) – must be at least 14, 15, 16, or 17. With Unfazeable, you don’t 
  need this.
  Go To Hell! Normally, banished demons cannot return for a 
  month (GURPS Magic, p. 156); this goes for those expelled by exor-
  cism or slain in the material world, too. When you banish, exorcise, 
  or slay a demon, it can’t return on its own or be summoned during 
  your lifetime! Of course, evil people may try to shorten your lifetime 
  if you damn their “god” – and The Devil can send back any demon 
  (though He keeps and punishes most who fail).
  Heaven Awaits: When you die, your soul will go to its reward. No 
  demon (not even The Devil) can claim it unless you willingly made 
  a pact – which no demon-slayer would! – and no artifact, curse, or 
  dimensional chicanery can divert it. You can be resurrected even if 
  killed in Hell or by a soul-eating monster, and the GM may assess 
  further game effects.
  Holy Touch: Your punches, kicks, and other unarmed strikes (not 
  grapples) count as holy weapons where advantageous.
  Magic Touch: Your punches, kicks, and other unarmed strikes 
  (not grapples) count as magic weapons where advantageous.
  Tough Love: When you slay a possession victim, they might be 
  only mostly dead – enough to end possession. You can’t save some-
  one at -5¥HP or below, but if they fail a HT roll to survive by 1 or 2 
  (that is, they suffer a mortal wound at your hands; see p. B423), they 
  live but the demon is returned to Hell. If you have Luck, you can roll 
  three times for them. To rescue them from the brink of death, they’ll 
  still need an extra-strength Stop Bleeding spell (or Great Healing).
  
   
  demon-slAyers 
  7
  Advantages: Banishing Blade [15]; 
  Close to Hell 2 [10]; Demon 
  Sniffer [10]; Go To Hell! [1]; and 
  Higher Purpose 1 (Slay Demons) 
  [5]. • A further 40 points cho-
  sen from among ST +1 to +4  
  [10/level], DX +1 or +2 [20/level], 
  HT +1 to +4 [10/level], FP +1 to +4 
  [3/level], Will +1 to +6 [5/level], 
  Close to Hell 3-4 [5/level], Com-
  bat Reflexes [15], Empathy [15], 
  Extra Attack 1 [25], Fearlessness 
  [2/level] or Unfazeable [15], Fit 
  [5] or Very Fit [15], Gizmos 1-3  
  [5/level], Hard to Kill [2/level], 
  Hell Vision [15], Heroic Reserves 
  1-13 [3/level], High Pain Thresh-
  old [10], Higher Purpose 2-3 (Slay 
  Demons) [5/level], Iron Soul 1-5 
  [4/level], Luck [15] or Extraordi-
  nary Luck [30], Rapid Healing 
  [5], Resistant to Demonic Pow-
  ers (+3) or (+8) [3 or 5], Resistant 
  to Disease (+3) or (+8) [3 or 5], 
  Resistant to Evil Supernatural 
  Powers (+3) or (+8) [5 or 7], Resis-
  tant to Poison (+3) [5], Signature 
  Gear [Varies], Slayer Training 
  [3 or 6/skill], Spirit Empathy 
  [10], Weapon Bond [1], or more 
  demon-slayer perks (p. 6).
  Disadvantages: Obsession (Demon- 
  Hunting)† (12) [-10]. • Another 
  -15 points chosen from more 
  severe Obsession, or Bloodlust 
  [-10*], Disciplines of Faith (Rit-
  ualism or Mysticism) [-5 or -10], 
  Greed [-15*], Intolerance (Cults) 
  [-5], Obsession (Slay some spe-
  cific type of powerful demon) [-5*],  
  Unnatural Features 1-5 [-1/level], Vow (Chastity or Veg-
  etarianism) [-5] or (Own no more than horse can carry) 
  [-10], or Weirdness Magnet [-15]. • A further -20 points 
  chosen from the previous list or Callous [-5], Honesty 
  [-10*], Loner [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10], Overcon-
  fidence [-5*], Selfless [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adventuring 
  Companions) [-5], Stubbornness [-5], Truthfulness [-5*], 
  or Wounded [-5].
  Primary Skills: Hidden Lore (Demons) (A) IQ+1 [1]-13‡; Psy-
  chology (Demons) (H) IQ+1 [2]-13‡; Physiology (Demons) 
  (H) IQ+1 [8]-13; Exorcism (H) Will [1]-14‡; and Banish 
  and Pentagram, both (H) Will [4]-14. • One of Crossbow 
  or Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace or Spear), both (E) DX+3 
  [8]-16; or Bow or Throwing, both (A) DX+2 [8]-15. • One 
  of these two melee skills packages:
  1. One of Polearm, Spear, Staff, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, or 
  Two-Handed Sword, all (A) DX+4 [16]-17; or Two-Handed 
  Flail (H) DX+3 [16]-16.
  2. One of Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Shortsword, or Spear, all 
  (A) DX+3 [12]-16; or Flail (H) DX+2 [12]-15 – and Shield 
  (E) DX+2 [4]-15.
  Secondary Skills: Wrestling 
  (A) DX [2]-13; Occultism 
  (A) IQ+1 [1]-13‡; Religious 
  Ritual and Theology, both 
  (H) IQ [1]-12‡; Tactics (H) 
  IQ-2 [1]-10; and Thauma-
  tology (VH) IQ-2 [2]-10.
  Background Skills: Seven 
  of Brawling, Fast-Draw 
  (any), or Forced Entry, all 
  (E) DX [1]-13; Climbing 
  or Stealth, both (A) DX-1 
  [1]-12; First Aid or Ges-
  ture, both (E) IQ [1]-12; 
  Armoury (any), Connois-
  seur (Weapons), Hazard-
  ous Materials (Magical), 
  Interrogation, 
  Research, 
  or Streetwise, all (A) IQ-1 
  [1]-11; Hiking (A) HT-1 
  [1]-11; 
  Intimidation 
  (A) 
  Will-1 [1]-13; Meditation 
  (H) Will-2 [1]-12; Search 
  (A) Per-1 [1]-11; or 1 point 
  to raise any 1-point skill by  
  one level.
  * Multiplied for self-con-
  trol number; see p. B120.
  † Make a self-control roll  
  any 
  time 
  you 
  encounter 
  demons or the hint of an occa-
  sion to thwart them – through 
  banishment, combat, exor-
  cism, or just vandalizing an 
  evil altar. Failure means you 
  must immediately try to rid 
  the world of the demons or 
  their artifacts (if they’re pres-
  ent) or accept the quest (if not). 
  Also roll whenever demons proffer information or a deal. Fail-
  ure means you assume their every word is a terrible lie – and 
  if nobody else is present, you’ll silence the demon and never 
  speak of the incident!
  ‡ Includes +2 for Close to Hell.
  Customization Notes
  Demon-slayers fall into a few loose categories. A given 
  slayer might have aspects of two or all three – an unregulated 
  profession like this has its oddballs.
  Pure slayers are fighters. They use advantage points to raise 
  ST, DX, and HT, and for such traits as Combat Reflexes, Extra 
  Attack, High Pain Threshold, and Weapon Bond; if they have 
  slayer-specific abilities, they’re ones directly useful in com-
  bat, like Baneful Sacrifice, Heroic Reserves, and Iron Soul. 
  These heroes tend to have severe Obsessions (often balanced 
  by elevated Higher Purpose), alongside Bloodlust, Callous, 
  Loner, and Overconfidence – and too often, Wounded. Most 
  emphasize damage, making Crossbow and swung two-handed 
  weapon skills favorites. Background skills are typical of men-
  at-arms: Armoury, Brawling, Connoisseur (Weapons), Fast-
  Draw, Intimidation, etc.
  
   
  demon-slAyers 
  8
  Mystics aren’t quite clerics, but they’re definitely religious, 
  and emphasize exorcism and banishment. They improve Will 
  and Close to Hell, and then add advantages like Empathy (to 
  sense who’s possessed), Gizmos (to pull out anti-demon tricks), 
  and Spirit Empathy (to divine demons’ intentions); they’re 
  more likely than most to have Heaven Awaits, too. They use 
  Banish and Pentagram a lot, and so require Heroic Reserves, 
  but if combat is inevitable, they find Holy Touch and Tough 
  Love useful. These worthies lean toward faith-linked disad-
  vantages – Disciplines of Faith, Vows, and nice-guy problems 
  like Honesty, Selfless, Sense of Duty, and Truthfulness – and 
  often acquire Unnatural Features or Weirdness Magnet. Com-
  bat skills could be anything, though Throwing for holy water 
  is customary, while background skill points buy Meditation 
  and Research, and improve Exorcism, Hidden Lore, Occult-
  ism, Religious Ritual, and Theology.
  Cult-breakers go after Hell’s mortal power base – demon 
  worshipers – as zealously as they hunt demons. They put 
  advantage points toward Empathy (for finding out who’s in 
  league with The Devil), Hell Vision (for seeing Evil hiding in 
  plain sight), Resistant to Evil Supernatural Powers (for pro-
  tection against black magic), and Tough Love (mostly because 
  they slay mortals anyway). Disadvantages include Intolerance 
  (Cults) and one or more of Bloodlust, Callous, No Sense of 
  Humor, and Stubbornness. Combat skills are those use-
  ful against mortal guards, often Bow, Brawling, Shield, and 
  either Broadsword or Shortsword. Background skills are used 
  to investigate dodgy parts of town: Forced Entry, Interroga-
  tion, Search, Stealth, and Streetwise.
  Given the nature of demons, every demon-slayer should 
  at least consider Hard to Kill, Resistant to Demonic Powers, 
  and either Brave and Fearlessness or Unfazeable. More Higher 
  Purpose never hurts, either.
  As for anyone who fights a lot, trading the 5 points from 
  quirks for cash for combat gear is valuable (see Chapter 4). 
  Still, those points could buy a level of Close to Hell, Gizmos, 
  or Higher Purpose, all of which are versatile. They could 
  also buy almost all the remaining perks, adding five cheap, 
  cool abilities.
  demon-slAyer Power-uPs
  Demon-slayers can, of course, spend earned character 
  points on anything on their template. Because they get so 
  much up front, this list is short; see Why So Few Power-Ups? 
  (below). Nevertheless, they have a few ways to get better at 
  what they do.
  • Close to Hell up to 6 [5/level].
  • Demon-slayer perks (p. 6).
  • Dismissive Wave [10], equivalent to the cleric power-up 
  of the same name (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups, 
  p. 22), but with no need for Power Investiture.
  • Heroic Reserves up to 20 [3/level].
  • Ridiculous Luck [60].
  • Will [5/level] up to 25 before racial modifiers.
  Experienced slayers can also learn another spell trans-
  formed into a skill like Banish and Pentagram (p. 6), allowing 
  them to take the fight to the enemy.
  Plane Shift
  Will/Very Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Close to Hell 4+ and Banish skill (p. 6).
  See GURPS Magic, p. 83. Always costs 20 FP and 
  requires five Concentrate maneuvers. There are two sep-
  arate versions: Plane Shift (Hell) and Plane Shift (Home). 
  Wise slayers learn both!
  wHy Are slAyers so different?
  Slayers are missing a couple of features common to 
  other professions. This is no accident, nor is it simple lazi-
  ness. To understand what’s what, read on!
  Why No Cross-Profession Lenses?
  There are no lenses for transitioning into slayer pro-
  fessions. That’s because to develop supernatural gifts that 
  function without any need for mana, sanctity, or special 
  exercises, you must be born with unusual traits, possibly 
  only revealed when some supernatural horror slaughters 
  a loved one as you helplessly look on. Thus, you can’t up 
  and decide to become a slayer after a few adventures – you 
  need just the right origin. Slayers have traded off a lot 
  to be specialists, so the GM is strongly advised not to let 
  non-slayers eventually acquire slayer abilities.
  You could decide to stop being a slayer and take 
  another path. If you do, the GM can adapt the nearest 
  lens for another warrior type (e.g., holy warrior, knight, 
  scout, or swashbuckler) as needed to account for the 
  slayer’s existing abilities. But this is rare . . . slayers are 
  driven by their single, burning mission, and if they feel 
  the need to improve at other adventuring tasks, they 
  typically beef up a few skills rather than change jobs. 
  The GM might even rule that slayer abilities are lost if 
  the slayer strays from the mission – though that would  
  be extreme!
  Why So Few Power-Ups?
  Slayers are designed to start play as heavy hitters 
  against their mortal foes – the whole point is that they’re 
  less good at general adventuring tasks in return for being 
  equivalent to experienced delvers when battling a spe-
  cific enemy type. It’s a trade-off. Thus, slayers are “front 
  loaded,” and start their careers with access to powerful 
  special abilities that would be power-ups for other adven-
  turers. Like members of all professions, however, they can 
  also exceed certain limits as they advance, which is what 
  makes up the bulk of their power-ups.
  
   
  mAge-slAyers 
  9
  Hostile magic is everywhere: In the hands – and claws – of 
  such powerful monsters as demons, dragons, and liches. 
  Wielded by the shamans of barbaric humanoid races, whose 
  numbers make up for lack of aptitude. Even practiced by 
  “civilized” folk who differ little from delvers, including evil 
  clerics, demonologists, and necromancers; mad wizards; and 
  extremist druids who believe that Arboreal Immurement and 
  Entombment are reasonable punishments for littering.
  Such casters needn’t appear in person to cause trouble! 
  Many leave behind persistent spells and curses, magical traps 
  and noxious potions. These perils can claim victims long after 
  their creators have turned to dust and the countermeasures 
  and antidotes have been lost to mortal memory.
  One way to deal with this stuff is to bring along spell-
  casters. The trouble is that spells such as Counterspell and 
  Dispel Magic can be too time- and energy-intensive to use in 
  a pinch. Magic Resistance is effective, but it works only for 
  the person who has it; it’s also bad for life expectancy, as it 
  makes healing and buffing difficult.
  The mage-slayer offers an alternative: This hero specializes 
  in defeating magic-using foes and their abilities, yet is able to 
  work alongside magic-wielding friends and benefit from their 
  aid. Though no faster than casters at dispelling hostile spells, 
  they can strike through potent magical defenses to eliminate 
  the magic at the source!
  mAge-slAyer AdvAntAges
  The mage-slayer trains their will – some say their soul – to 
  influence the supernatural world around them. This manifests 
  most prominently in a number of remarkable abilities, none 
  of which rely on mana, sanctity, or any other external force to 
  work . . . but many of which can influence spells and powers 
  that do draw on such energies.
  Caster Sense
  10 points
  You can detect beings capable of spellcasting, even if 
  they’ve concealed their magical auras. This requires a Con-
  centrate maneuver, after which the GM rolls in secret against 
  your Perception, with range modifiers from the Size and 
  Speed/Range Table (p. B550). Success means the GM tells you 
  the direction to the nearest caster – or, if concentrating on an 
  individual, whether that person is a spellcaster. You’ll also get 
  a vague sense of power level: “dabbler” (e.g., apprentice or dis-
  pensable cultist), “typical adventurer,” or “boss” (high priest, 
  archmage, lich, etc.).
  You may follow up success with an IQ roll to discern 
  what kind of magic the person you’ve sensed wields: clerical, 
  druidic, wizardly, etc. This is a free action. If the magic is 
  associated with an unfamiliar power source, the GM will say 
  as much; e.g., “You sense a cultist channeling a strange force 
  you’ve never encountered.” Critical success on the IQ roll pro-
  vides details, like “a necromancer with Deathliness 6” or “the 
  cultist is a conduit for an Elder Thing.”
  Advantages: Detect (Spellcasters) [10].
  Gizmos
  see p. B57
  This works as noted for demon-slayers (p. 5) – except now, 
  consumable nonmagical items must suit the mage-slaying 
  profession. This means they’re useful for defeating magic 
  (any spell, curse, or potion) or a spellcaster. Subject to cost 
  and weight restrictions ($50 and Basic Lift/10 lbs. for a single 
  item), you can whip out the precise article needed to resist or 
  break a curse; e.g., “three black chicken heads tied together at 
  the neck with grapevine.”
  Heroic Reserves
  see p. 5
  This works exactly as described for demon-slayers. Mage-
  slayers can spend Heroic Reserves as FP to power their spe-
  cial skills (Dispel Magic, Drain Magery, Drain Mana, Remove 
  Curse, Suspend Magery, and Suspend Mana) – despite these 
  being similar to spells – as well as for athletics, martial feats, 
  and physical extra effort.
  Advantages: Energy Reserve (Heroic) [3/level].
  Higher Purpose (Mage-Hunting)
  see p. B59
  You’re not just a mage-slayer – you’re a zealot! Once you’ve 
  identified an opponent as a malicious spellcaster by witness-
  ing black magic firsthand or by using Caster Sense (above), 
  you get +1 per level (maximum three) of this advantage on 
  all attack and damage rolls you make in combat with that foe, 
  and on all defense and resistance rolls when they go after you.
  The catch is that once you witness your prey using magic 
  to selfish, destructive, or evil ends or you’re attacked by the 
  caster (any attempt to use magic on you against your will 
  counts), you must defeat that opponent or go down trying! If 
  you knowingly back down, make a deal, flee, etc., when facing 
  a magic-wielding wrongdoer, your advantage bonus becomes 
  a penalty against all magic-users you face for the next 1d days.
  This ability involves a binding supernatural pact that 
  some mage-slayers believe is as worrisome as the magic 
  they’ve sworn to fight. Thus, this trait is optional (though 
  very common).
  CHAPter two
  mAge-slAyers
  
   
  mAge-slAyers 
  10
  Magical Toughening
  5 points/level
  Your personal aura provides DR against damage caused 
  directly by magical spells, curses, items, traps, etc. This ability 
  protects if the damaging effect is a spell or a non-spell that 
  Magic Resistance affects, or is described as “magical” or chan-
  neling mana, sanctity, nature’s strength, or another magical 
  force. It has no effect on the claws, teeth, fire breath, etc. of 
  magical creatures.
  Each level of this trait grants DR 1 vs. magic. This protects 
  your entire body – eyes included – plus all gear you wear or 
  carry. It applies before armor DR, and helps even against spells 
  that say “Armor doesn’t protect.”
  Advantages: Damage Resistance (Force Field, +20%; Limited, 
  Magic, -20%) [5/level].
  Nondetection
  see GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11:  
  Power-Ups, p. 35
  Prerequisite: Selective Magic Resistance.
  Other than the change in prerequisites, this works like 
  the thief power-up of the same name, giving -1 per level to 
  attempts to discern you, your actions, or your motives using 
  Information-class or Knowledge-college spells, or simi-
  lar innate superhuman senses, and -1 per level to hit you 
  when your opponent is relying on any supernatural form 
  of Detect, Scanning Sense, etc. to target the attack. This 
  ability doesn’t interfere with your senses or items, and can-
  not itself be detected or sensed by any means (e.g., Detect  
  Magic spell).
   
  Your level of Nondetection cannot exceed 
  your level of Selective Magic Resistance.
  Selective Magic Resistance
  5 points/level
  Works as Magic Resistance (p. B67) 
  except that it “knows” whether a use of 
  magic on you is beneficial or hostile (when 
  in doubt, you decide!), and interferes only 
  with the latter. Thus, you can be buffed and 
  healed – and use helpful potions – without 
  difficulty.
  Selective Magic Resistance is still 
  incompatible with Magery, Power Investi-
  ture, and similar spellcasting talents.
  Advantages: Magic Resistance (Discrimina-
  tory, +150%) [5/level].
  Spellpiercer
  15 points
  All your weapons completely bypass 
  ongoing magical defenses (though not 
  Blocking spells). Against your armed 
  attacks, opponents receive neither DB from 
  Shield spells nor DR from Armor spells. As 
  well, cutting weapons are unimpeded by 
  Bladeturning, metal ones by Steelwraith, 
  ranged ones by Missile Shield and Reverse 
  Missiles, and so on. You can even strike 
  past Force Dome and Force Wall – although 
  reach limits melee weapons, as you can’t 
  pass through. In effect, all your armaments 
  behave as if meteoric (GURPS Dungeon 
  Fantasy 1: Adventurers, p. 27) for offen-
  sive but not defensive purposes; they aren’t 
  immune to magic cast on them unless 
  they’re actually meteoric.
  Advantages: Blessed (Anti-Magic Weapon)* 
  [15].
  * Despite being a new form of Blessed, 
  this isn’t normally available as a Holy 
  ability.
  mAge-slAyer Perks
  Mage-slayers may buy as many of these perks as their total level of 
  Magical Toughening and Selective Magic Resistance. They start with one 
  level of each, allowing two perks – but also with Dead Stop, which uses up 
  one. Each level or specialty of a perk counts as one perk.
  Blinding Strike: You act faster than most casters can speak magic 
  words! For the unique purpose of determining when you act in a situ-
  ation decided by Basic Speed – usually but not limited to the combat 
  sequence – add your level of this perk (which cannot exceed Basic Speed) 
  to Basic Speed. For example, Basic Speed 7.00 would allow up to Blinding 
  Strike 7, and buying that would let you act when someone with Basic 
  Speed 14.00 would. Move and Dodge are unaffected.
  Dead Stop: When you, personally, slay a spellcaster (or destroy a caster 
  who isn’t truly alive, like a demon or lich), you may pay FP or HR to end 
  your victim’s spells. This costs 1 FP per spell for a maintainable spell (in 
  effect, you are using Canceling Spells, GURPS Magic, p. 10) – or 20 FP per 
  spell that endures indefinitely, like Flesh to Stone or something that calls 
  for Remove Curse. You can only end spells you know about because you 
  witnessed the casting, they’re obvious, or someone who’s aware of it told 
  you. You must invoke this perk the instant you make the kill.
  Mage-Slayer Gear: Not all mage-slayers belong to the Order of Mage-
  Slayers. You do! Your connections give you 10% off the final price of spe-
  cialized gear for defeating spellcasters. This includes meteoric equipment; 
  Moly amulets (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers, p. 30); alchem-
  ical anti-magic (alchemical antidote, magebane, magic resistance potion, 
  and things like the black dust on p. 36 of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 8: 
  Treasure Tables); and anything else the GM rules fits the mission.
  Magic Touch: Your punches, kicks, and other unarmed strikes (not 
  grapples) count as magic weapons where advantageous. Although this 
  lets Spellpiercer (see text) work against foes protected by Force Dome or 
  Force Wall even if you’re not armed, you still can’t move bodily through 
  such defenses.
  Spell Hardiness: You must specialize in one particular damaging spell 
  (e.g., Deathtouch or Fireball). Against that spell, you have DR 1 per level 
  of this perk, cumulative with Magical Toughening.
  Spell Resistance: You must specialize in a particular Resisted spell. 
  Against that one spell, you get +3 to resist, cumulative with Selective 
  Magic Resistance. It’s unimportant who cast the spell (cleric, necroman-
  cer, wizard, etc.), but the bonus doesn’t extend to similar spells, natural 
  abilities, or potions.
  
   
  mAge-slAyers 
  11
  mAge-slAyer skills
  Your extreme focus grants the ability to strengthen your 
  mind against supernatural attacks, giving access to Mental 
  Strength (p. B209) and Mind Block (p. B210) without need for 
  the Chi Mastery power. These skills work normally.
  You can also learn Body Control (p. B181) without any 
  of its standard prerequisites. Learned this way, though, it 
  can only replace HT when you resist spells or supernatu-
  ral abilities. It cannot affect involuntary bodily functions or  
  flush poison.
  Lastly, you can counter magic by actively projecting your 
  anti-magic advantages into the world! This gives you access 
  to exotic skills that work like spells by the same name for the 
  purposes of energy cost, time required, and effects. Unlike 
  spells, however, these are Will-based, unaffected by supernat-
  ural energy (like mana or sanctity), require neither gestures 
  nor speech, and don’t take twice as long at skill 9 or less – but 
  high skill doesn’t reduce energy cost or time required, either.
  Dispel Magic
  Will/Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Dead Stop, Magical Toughening, Selective 
  Magic Resistance, and Spellpiercer.
  See GURPS Magic, p. 126. Always costs 3 FP times radius 
  in yards and requires one Concentrate maneuver per FP.
  Remove Curse
  Will/Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisite: Dispel Magic skill (above).
  See GURPS Magic, p. 126. Always costs 20 FP and requires 
  one hour.
  mAge-slAyer
  250 points
  You’re devoted to hunting troublesome magic-users. Born 
  magic-resistant, your gifts began to evolve after someone dear 
  to you was taken by magic – or after the enigmatic Order 
  of Mage-Slayers selected you for training. Now you hunt 
  evil high priests, liches, megalomaniac archmages, blood-
  thirsty cultists, and other wrongdoers who use the black arts. 
  Although your mind and spirit are the origin of your most 
  potent abilities, you have respectable strength and skill, and 
  you’re fast – a crucial asset against foes whose merest words 
  and gestures conjure harm.
  Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 15 [100]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 12 [20].
  Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs.; 
  HP 12 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 
  7.00 [5]; Basic Move 7 [0].
  Advantages: Dead Stop [1]; Magical Toughening 1 [5]; Selec-
  tive Magic Resistance 1 [5]; and Spellpiercer [15]. • A fur-
  ther 40 points chosen from among ST +1 to +4 [10/level], 
  DX +1 or +2 [20/level], HT +1 to +4 [10/level], Will +1 to +8 
  [5/level], FP +1 to +4 [3/level], Basic Speed +1.00 or +2.00 
  [20/level], Acute Caster Sense [2/level], Caster Sense [10], 
  Combat Reflexes [15], Extra Attack 1 [25], Fearlessness  
  [2/level] or Unfazeable [15], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], Gizmos 
  1-3 [5/level], Hard to Subdue [2/level], Heroic Reserves 
  1-13 [3/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Higher Purpose 
  1-3 (Mage-Hunting) [5/level], Languages (anything sin-
  ister and obscure) [2-6/language], Luck [15] or Extraor-
  dinary Luck [30], Magical Toughening 2+ [5/level], Mind 
  Shield [4/level], Night Vision 1-9 [1/level], Nondetection 
  [5/level], Rapid Healing [5], Resistant to Disease (+3) or 
  (+8) [3 or 5], Resistant to Poison (+3) [5], Selective Magic 
  Resistance 2+ [5/level], Signature Gear [Varies], Weapon 
  Bond [1], or more mage-slayer perks (p. 10).
  Disadvantages: -15 points chosen from among Bloodlust 
  [-10*], Code of Honor (Soldier’s) [-10], Greed [-15*], Intol-
  erance (Spellcasters) [-5], Obsession (Slay some specific 
  type of powerful magic-using foe) [-5*], or Vow (Never 
  use magic items) [-10]. • Another -15 points chosen from 
  among those traits or Frightens Animals [-10], Paranoia 
  [-10], Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5] or (Excommu-
  nicated) [-10], Unnatural Features 1-5 [-1/level], Weirdness 
  Magnet [-15], or Wounded [-5]. • A further -20 points 
  chosen from either of the two previous lists or Callous 
  [-5], Honesty [-10*], Loner [-5*], No Sense of Humor [-10], 
  Overconfidence [-5*], Selfless [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adven-
  turing Companions) [-5], or Stubbornness [-5].
  Primary Skills: Mental Strength (E) Will+1 [2]-13; Mind 
  Block (A) Will [2]-12; and Dispel Magic (H) Will [4]-12. 
  • One of Crossbow or Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace or 
  Spear), both (E) DX+3 [8]-18; or Bow or Throwing, both 
  (A) DX+2 [8]-17. • One of these two melee skills packages:
  1. One of Polearm, Spear, Staff, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, or 
  Two-Handed Sword, all (A) DX+3 [12]-18.
  2. One of Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Shortsword, or Spear, all (A) 
  DX+1 [4]-16 – and Shield (E) DX+3 [8]-18.
  Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are 
  subtle and quick to anger.
  – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
  
   
  mAge-slAyers 
  12
  Secondary Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1]-15; Stealth and Wres-
  tling, both (A) DX [2]-15; Hazardous Materials (Magi-
  cal), Hidden Lore (Magic Items or Magical Writings), and 
  Occultism, all (A) IQ [2]-12; Tactics (H) IQ-2 [1]-10; and 
  Thaumatology (VH) IQ-1 [4]-11.
  Background Skills: Five of Fast-Draw (any) or Knot-Tying, 
  both (E) DX [1]-15; Climbing (A) DX-1 [1]-14; Body Sense 
  (H) DX-2 [1]-13; First Aid or Gesture, both (E) IQ [1]-12; 
  Armoury (any) or Streetwise, both (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; Alchemy 
  (VH) IQ-3 [1]-9; Carousing (E) HT [1]-12; Hiking (A) HT-1 
  [1]-11; Body Control (VH) HT-3 [1]-9; Intimidation (A) 
  Will-1 [1]-11; Remove Curse (H) Will-2 [1]-10; Scrounging 
  (E) Per [1]-12; Observation (A) Per-1 [1]-11; or 1 point to 
  raise any of those skills or Tactics by one level.
  * Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
  Customization Notes
  Mage-slayers can choose from among several combat styles: 
  Some focus on blocking Missile spells and jets with a shield 
  while hurling weapons (select Shield, Axe/Mace or Spear, and 
  the matching Thrown Weapon specialty). Others prefer to 
  work from afar (a two-handed melee skill for a weapon with 
  reach, plus Bow or Crossbow with Fast-Draw (Arrow)). Those 
  who chuck grenades – especially magebane – take Throwing 
  for ranged work, possibly with Fast-Draw (Potion). Idealistic 
  swordsmen might pick a one- or two-handed sword skill and 
  the relevant Fast-Draw specialty.
  When it comes to advantages, purists favor mage-hunt-
  ing tricks: Caster Sense (often Acute), Gizmos, Higher Pur-
  pose, Nondetection, and more mage-slayer perks; additional 
  Magical Toughening or Selective Magic Resistance; Heroic 
  Reserves to power special skills; and sometimes Fearless-
  ness, Hard to Subdue, and/or Mind Shield to foil magical 
  fear, sleep, and mental control. Others focus on the kill: 
  higher Basic Speed, along with the Blinding Strike perk, to 
  get in a spellcaster’s face before casting can happen; Extra 
  Attack for a second shot after a Blocking spell spoils the 
  first; and Mage-Slayer Gear, Signature Gear, and Weapon 
  Bond for hardware. Either might want more HT and Will, 
  useful against adventuring dangers and magic; the ene-
  my’s arcane Languages; Luck for a second chance at 
  resisting spells; or Night Vision, Resistant to Dis-
  ease, or Unfazeable for battling plague-infested 
  undead horrors in the dark. All of ST, DX, Com-
  bat Reflexes, Fit, High Pain Threshold, and Rapid 
  Healing let the slayer perform better in fights with 
  non-magic-users.
  Disadvantage and background skill choices 
  add color. Are you a Loner who collects boun-
  ties, motivated by Greed and an Obsession with 
  a big score, putting a cash value on life (Blood-
  lust and Callous) – and possibly facing a Social 
  Stigma after murdering the wrong spellcaster? 
  Then you might live life on the wild side, which 
  suggests Carousing, Intimidation, and Streetwise. 
  Or maybe you were horribly wronged by a caster, 
  and have Intolerance of such people, a Vow not 
  to use magic items, and a horrible experience 
  that scarred you with No Sense of Humor, Para-
  noia, and Wounded. In that case you might learn 
  Alchemy, Body Control, Body Sense, and Remove 
  Curse to handle future magical badness. You could 
  even be a paladin of sorts, with honorable traits like 
  Code of Honor, Honesty, Selfless, and Sense of Duty, and the 
  gods bringing magical trouble to you via Weirdness Magnet. 
  That suggests soldiering skills such as Armoury, First Aid, 
  Hiking, Scrounging, and higher Tactics.
  The specialized gear of mage-slayers isn’t cheap (see Chap-
  ter 4), so it’s tempting to trade the 5 points from quirks for 
  cash. But don’t overlook improving Dispel Magic or Remove 
  Curse – or Will, if you have both – right out of the gate!
  No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between  
  the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.
  – Steven Brust, The Book of Jhereg
  
   
  mAge-slAyers 
  13
  mAge-slAyer  
  Power-uPs
  Like all professions, mage-slayers can use 
  earned character points to add or improve every-
  thing on their template. Although they get much 
  of their power up front – see Why So Few Power-
  Ups? (p. 8) – some traits are open-ended, while a 
  few options show up later in their career (because 
  that’s when they have the points for them!):
  • Either HT [10/level] or Will [5/level] up to 
  25 before racial modifiers. This is mostly to resist 
  magic.
  • Acute Caster Sense [2/level], with no upper 
  limit.
  • Heroic Reserves up to 20 [3/level].
  • Mage-slayer perks (p. 10), to a maximum 
  number equal to Magical Toughening + Selective 
  Magic Resistance.
  • Magical Toughening [5/level], with no upper 
  limit.
  • Nondetection [5/level], with no upper limit.
  • Ridiculous Luck [60].
  • Selective Magic Resistance [5/level], with no 
  upper limit.
  Experienced slayers also gain access to 
  advanced skills that work similarly to Dispel 
  Magic and Remove Curse (p. 11). Critical failures 
  with these have no lasting bad effects (like loss of 
  advantages or IQ) for mage-slayers!
  Drain Magery
  Will/Very Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Magical Toughening 3+, Selec-
  tive Magic Resistance 3+, and Suspend Magery 
  skill (below).
  See GURPS Magic, p. 130. Always costs 30 FP 
  and requires 10 minutes.
  Drain Mana
  Will/Very Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Magical Toughening 3+, Selec-
  tive Magic Resistance 3+, and Suspend Mana skill 
  (below).
  See GURPS Magic, p. 127. Always costs 10 FP 
  times radius in yards and requires one hour.
  Suspend Magery
  Will/Very Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Magical Toughening 2+, Selective Magic 
  Resistance 2+, and Dispel Magic skill (p. 11).
  See GURPS Magic, p. 130. Always costs 12 FP and requires 
  10 seconds.
  Suspend Mana
  Will/Very Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Magical Toughening 2+, Selective Magic 
  Resistance 2+, and Dispel Magic skill (p. 11).
  See GURPS Magic, p. 125. Always costs 5 FP times radius 
  in yards and requires 10 minutes.
  mAking slAyers useful
  The obvious way to enable any slayer to contribute is to include 
  suitable foes to defeat! The GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 
  volumes are indispensable here – especially Monsters 1, which 
  indexes the monsters in earlier Dungeon Fantasy volumes and 
  offers monster lenses.
  Demon-slayers want to take on as-Sharak, demonic clouds, 
  Demons of Old, devilkin, doomchildren, hellhounds, imps, pesh-
  kali, toxifiers, “generic” petty and standard demons, and divine 
  servitors of The Devil. Modifying other monsters with Possessed 
  (Monsters 1, p. 38) greatly expands the options. Possessed peo-
  ple are also an interesting challenge – especially if they can’t just  
  be killed.
  Mage-slayers are easy to please: Any magic-using oppo-
  nent – from a horde pygmy shaman with one spell to the most 
  powerful lich or spellcasting dragon – lets them shine. Don’t 
  overlook “civilized” casters; dwarves, elves, humans, and other 
  humanoids aren’t always the good guys. In high-powered cam-
  paigns that spend significant time in town, battling the Wizards’ 
  Guild or an influential temple could be the ultimate challenge.
  Undead-slayers seek to return ash spirits, draugr, flaming 
  skulls, horrid skulls, liches, shadow warriors, skeletons, undead 
  slimes, and zombies of all varieties to the grave – permanently. 
  Ghosts offer different, equally interesting challenges. A monster 
  modified with Undead (Monsters 1, p. 38) or Ghostly (Monsters 1, 
  pp. 37-38) counts for these purposes.
  Out of combat, slayers crave opportunities to show off spe-
  cialized knowledge (like Hidden Lore, Occultism, Physiology, 
  Psychology, and Thaumatology skills). Include environmental and 
  supernatural hazards these heroes are especially fit to resist; for 
  instance, a plague-ridden area into which an undead-slayer with 
  Immunity to Disease must venture alone, or effects that ensure the 
  mage-slayer gets value from those points in Magical Toughening 
  and Selective Magic Resistance. Give demon- and undead-slay-
  ers chances to try Exorcism – and mage-slayers, Dispel Magic 
  and Remove Curse – to triumph over curses (GURPS Dungeon 
  Fantasy 2: Dungeons, p. 9), hauntings, and supernatural tricks 
  and traps.
  To reward such heroes after these travails, have tools of the 
  trade turn up in treasure – whether that means holy hardware 
  for a demon- or undead-slayer, or meteoric arms and armor for 
  a mage-slayer. Overconfident beings of the types discussed above 
  may keep such things as trophies after defeating less-capable 
  hunters. Enemies who engage in infighting and factionalism 
  might hoard them for later use: No love is lost between demons, 
  spellcasters are cliquish (hostility between good and evil clerics is 
  especially strong), vampires are clannish, and so on.
  
   
  undeAd-slAyers 
  14
  With so many cultures burying their dead in crypts 
  alongside valuable goods for use in the afterlife – often with 
  tricks and traps to foil grave-robbers – one could argue that 
  tombs are the archetypal dungeons, making the undead the 
  archetypal dungeon monsters. Certainly, skeletons and zom-
  bies are ubiquitous fodder, while the “boss” often turns out 
  to be a lich or a floating, spellcasting horrid skull. In between 
  are all manner of specters and walking corpses, as well as 
  ghostly (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 1, pp. 37-38) 
  and undead (Monsters 1, p. 38) variants of just about every-
  thing once alive.
  Many adventurers believe that clerics, holy warriors, and 
  (whisper it) necromancers suffice against undead opponents. 
  Yet those professions devote a lot of their resources to tasks 
  that have nothing to do with such horrors. When the undead 
  are powerful and/or numerous – and especially in unholy 
  places where sanctity has run out and clerics and holy war-
  riors are nigh unto powerless – it’s useful to have a specialist 
  on the team: the undead-slayer.
  Undead-slaying isn’t as narrow a profession as the job title 
  makes it sound. “Baleful, supernaturally powerful entities who 
  lurk in dark, dangerous places” accurately describes not just 
  the undead but a good percentage of all monsters. Thus, many 
  capabilities useful for defeating ghosts and walking corpses 
  are generally valuable in the dungeon.
  undeAd-slAyer AdvAntAges
  Some undead-slayers are on a mission of faith; others are 
  secular pragmatists who (not unreasonably) have difficulty 
  worshiping gods who suffer undead horrors to exist. Either 
  way, their abilities flow from within, and are functions of wits 
  and will. Many are supernatural but none are magical, and all 
  work regardless of sanctity or for that matter mana.
  Abomination Sense
  10 points
  You can sense the undead – including those buried in 
  tombs deep beneath your feet, vampires who’ve mastered the 
  semblance of life, liches hidden by illusions, and invisible or 
  intangible specters. This requires a Concentrate maneuver, 
  after which the GM makes a secret Perception roll for you, 
  applying range modifiers from the Size and Speed/Range Table 
  (p. B550). Success means the GM tells you the direction to the 
  nearest undead – or, if you’re concentrating on a suspicious 
  individual, whether they’re what they seem to be or in fact 
  undead. You’ll also get a broad idea of power level, ranging 
  from “zombie” to “arch-lich.”
  You may follow up success with an IQ roll to recognize 
  what specific type of undead you’re facing. This is a free action. 
  Critical success on this roll provides details useful for defeat-
  ing the monster – anything that Hidden Lore, Physiology, or 
  Psychology would reveal!
  Advantages: Detect (Undead) [10].
  Ghost Armor
  4 points/level
  Your life force protects you against direct damage from the 
  undead. Each level of this trait (maximum five) gives DR 1 
  vs. their melee attacks, and abilities and spells with you as 
  their subject. This applies before armor DR, encompasses 
  your eyes and gear, and aids even against ghosts, life-draining 
  touches, and other effects that ignore armor. No effect on indi-
  rect attacks like traps, ranged weapons, and falls after being 
  shoved – the undead must person-
  ally hit you or use powers on you.
  Advantages: Damage Resistance 
  1-5 (Force Field, +20%; Limited, 
  Direct attacks by undead, -40%) 
  [4/level].
  Ghost Weapon
  15 points
  Any weapon you wield has the ability to harm spir-
  its – ghosts above all, but not just ghosts. Treat it as having 
  Affects Insubstantial (p. B102) against intangible supernatu-
  ral beings. At -HP or worse, such a foe must make Will rolls 
  when mortals would make HT rolls; at -5¥HP, it fails auto-
  matically. The GM decides the entity’s fate on a failure; while 
  a summoned being might merely experience the equivalent 
  of a successful Banish spell, the ghost of a mortal could be 
  unmade, putting that soul out of reach of Summon Spirit, 
  reincarnation, or anything less than divine will!
  Advantages: Blessed (Ghost Weapon)* [15].
  * Optionally, the GM can make this new form of Blessed 
  available as a Holy ability. When limited with the Holy power 
  modifier, it affects only evil spirits.
  CHAPter tHree
  undeAd-slAyers
  I’m the thing that monsters have nightmares 
  about.
  – Buffy,  
  in Buffy the Vampire Slayer #7.11
  
   
  undeAd-slAyers 
  15
  Gizmos
  see p. B57
  This works as noted for demon-slayers (p. 5) – but consum-
  able nonmagical items (which must still cost no more than 
  $50 and weigh at most Basic Lift/10 lbs.) have to suit the task 
  of undead-slaying. Normally, this means they’re useful for 
  defeating an undead opponent.
  Heroic Reserves
  see p. 5
  This works exactly as described for demon-slayers. In addi-
  tion to using these reserves for athletics, martial feats, and 
  physical extra effort, undead-slayers may spend HR as FP to 
  energize the Final Rest, Materialize, and Solidify skills, despite 
  their resemblance to spells.
  Advantages: Energy Reserve (Heroic) [3/level].
  Higher Purpose (Slay Undead)
  see p. B59
  You get +1 per level of this trait on all attack and damage 
  rolls you make in combat with undead-class monsters and 
  ghosts (generally classed as spirits), and also on all defense 
  and resistance rolls whenever they attempt to harm you. If the 
  being in question isn’t malevolent, you needn’t battle it – you 
  can peacefully lay it to rest and even claim your bonus on any 
  rolls this requires.
  But you cannot suffer the undead to continue! If you ever 
  avoid or flee a showdown with hostile entity, or cut a deal 
  with a neutral or peaceful one that won’t lead to it becoming 
  just plain dead, your Higher Purpose bonus becomes a penalty 
  against all undead until you rectify the situation.
  Resistant
  see p. B80
  Undead-slayers have access to several forms of this advan-
  tage that aren’t commonly available to other delvers:
  • Resistant to Supernatural Abilities of the Undead (+3) or 
  (+8) [3 or 5] adds to rolls to resist the supernatural capabil-
  ities of any undead-class monster or spirit-class ghost; e.g., 
  a lich’s spells, or a major ghost’s finger of doom and posses-
  sion attacks. Curse-like infections such as vampirism, zombie 
  plague, and the notorious mummy’s curse count, even if the 
  origin is a cursed object or tomb rather than a monster; so 
  do Fright Checks caused by undead. Physical attacks (bony 
  claws, swords, etc.), and mundane aftereffects like ordinary 
  disease from filthy zombie bites, don’t count.
  • Resistant to Evil Supernatural Powers (+3) or (+8) [5 or 
  7] works like the previous advantage but extends to any effect 
  the GM rules is clearly supernatural and caused by a monster 
  labeled “truly evil.” It therefore gives a bonus on rolls to resist 
  the supernatural abilities of most undead, but not those that 
  aren’t truly evil (like horde zombies), and also those of just 
  about all demons and Elder Things. It still has no effect on 
  physical attacks.
  • Immunity to Disease [10] offers flawless invulnerability 
  all disease, be it mundane (like those filthy zombie bites) or 
  supernatural (like vampirism and Pestilence spells).
  If two or more of these would apply, they’re cumulative. A 
  slayer with Resistant to Supernatural Abilities of the Undead 
  (+3) and Resistant to Evil Supernatural Powers (+8) would get 
  +11 against lich magic! Immunity makes Resistant irrelevant, 
  in the rare cases where both would apply; there’s no discount 
  for this.
  Slayer Training
  see GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11:  
  Power-Ups, p. 13
  Undead-slayers have access to three specialties of this gen-
  eral combat power-up from the start of their career. Each 
  requires specialization by combat skill.
  • Slayer Swing at Neck [4/skill] makes the penalty to 
  swing for the neck -2, not -5. Used to decapitate living bad 
  guys, preventing return as corporeal undead (though not as 
  headless ghosts!).
  • Slayer Swing at Skull [5/skill] makes the penalty to swing 
  for the skull -3, not -7. Used to head-shot stubborn zombies. 
  Also allows swings at flaming or horrid skulls at the same -3 
  instead of the monster’s SM -5.
  • Slayer Thrust to Vitals [3/skill] makes the penalty to 
  thrust for the vitals -1, not -3. Used to stake vampires.
  Specter Sight
  8 points
  Most incorporeal undead (such as ghosts) are invisible 
  unless they choose to or are forced to become visible. If such 
  an entity is where you could see a mundane, material person 
  or object with no requirement more severe than a Vision 
  roll (that is, not inside solid matter, in total darkness, 10 
  miles away, or whatever), this gift lets you see it. It doesn’t 
  grant the capacity to see spirits other than undead ones, nor 
  corporeal undead that happen to be 
  using Invisibility spells or items.
  Advantages: See Invisible (Spirits; 
  Specialized, Ghosts, -50%) [8].
  Turning
  25 points
  You can repel undead through 
  sheer force of will. Take a Concen-
  trate maneuver and roll a Quick 
  Contest of Will with each potential 
  target who can see you. Powerful undead may have bonuses 
  (Resistant to Good Supernatural Powers always counts; see 
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level, p. 41) – and 
  The Rule of 16 (p. B349) applies against undead with IQ 6+.
  If you win or tie, that being can’t come any closer to you 
  than yards equal to margin of victory (minimum one yard). If 
  it’s closer already, it must select Move maneuvers to get away 
  until it’s outside that distance – though it can carefully avoid 
  you rather than turn its back. If it can’t get that far away, it will 
  do nothing but avoid you each turn.
  Effects endure for as long as you concentrate and for 1d 
  seconds afterward.
  Advantages: True Faith (Turning, +65%) [25].
  
   
  undeAd-slAyers 
  16
  undeAd-slAyer skills
  Your zeal allows you to use Exorcism (p. B193) without 
  the need for the Holy Might power. Your template’s manda-
  tory advantages eliminate the -4 for lack of holy support when 
  dealing with ghosts, hauntings, and similar death-related 
  beings and curses. You can exorcise other spirits and curses, 
  but at -4.
  Your sensitivity also lets you use Blind Fighting (p. B180) 
  without the Chi Mastery power. Learned this way, it works 
  strictly on the living, the undead, and spirits – never on 
  constructs or inanimate objects. It’s useful even if you have 
  Specter Sight (p. 15), as many undead aren’t invisible, but 
  simply hidden in the darkness.
  Finally, you can influence spirits by sheer will. This gives 
  you exotic skills that work as the spells of the same name for 
  the purposes of energy cost, time required, and effects. Unlike 
  spells, though, these are Will-based, unaffected by mana or 
  sanctity, require no words or gestures, and don’t take twice 
  as long at skill 9 or less – but also get no energy cost or time 
  reduction for high skill.
  Final Rest
  Will/Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Rest in Pieces and Turning.
  See GURPS Magic, p. 89. Always costs 20 FP and requires 
  10 minutes.
  Materialize
  Will/Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisites: Abomination Sense and Ghost Weapon.
  See GURPS Magic, pp. 150-151. Always costs 5 FP and 
  requires a Concentrate maneuver.
  undeAd-slAyer
  250 points
  Like many, you were born sensitive to ghosts . . . but 
  your gift continued to develop, both in breadth (you can 
  sense all undead) and depth (you can repel and harm what 
  you sense). You decided to train it, and today you’re a 
  devoted destroyer of the undead. For people who’ve become 
  undead against their wishes, you bring peace – though that 
  may still mean severing the head and staking the heart. 
  Those who choose undeath, you fight, neither offering nor 
  asking for quarter!
  Attributes: ST 13 [30]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 12 [20].
  Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d/2d-1; BL 34 lbs.; 
  HP 13 [0]; Will 15 [10]; Per 13 [0]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 
  6.00 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0].
  Advantages: Abomination Sense [10]; Ghost Weapon [15]; 
  Higher Purpose 1 (Slay Undead) [5]; Rest in Pieces 
  [1]; and Turning [25]. • Another 40 points distributed 
  among ST +1 to +4 [10/level], DX +1 or +2 [20/level], 
  IQ +1 or +2 [20/level], HT +1 to +4 [10/level], HP +1 
  to +4 [2/level], Will +1 to +5 [5/level], FP +1 to +4 [3/
  level], Acute Abomination Sense [2/level], Fearlessness  
  [2/level] or Unfazeable [15], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], 
  Ghost Armor 1-5 [4/level], Gizmos 1-3 [5/level], Hard to 
  Kill [2/level], Hard to Subdue [2/level], Heroic Reserves 
  1-13 [3/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Higher Pur-
  pose 2-3 (Slay Undead) [5/level], Luck [15] or Extraordi-
  nary Luck [30], Night Vision 1-9 [1/level], Rapid Healing 
  [5], Recovery [10], Resistant to Disease (+3) or (+8) [3 
  or 5] or Immunity to Disease [10], Resistant to Evil 
  Supernatural Powers (+3) or (+8) [5 or 7], Resistant to 
  Supernatural Abilities of the Undead (+3) or (+8) [3 or 
  5], Signature Gear [Varies], Slayer Training [3-5/skill], 
  Specter Sight [8], Spirit Empathy [10], Weapon Bond 
  [1], or more undead-slayer perks (above).
  undeAd-slAyer Perks
  Undead-slayers may buy as many of these perks as they 
  can afford; there’s no prerequisite number of advantage 
  levels, skill points, or whatever.
  Brave: As described under Demon-Slayer Perks (p. 6).
  Corpse Smart: You never confuse the corporeal undead 
  with the living, the just-plain-dead, or constructs stitched 
  together from dead bodies. For instance, you won’t mis-
  take approaching zombies for live people, or zombies 
  lying on the floor for corpses – and you’d never think a 
  corpse golem was undead. This grants no ability to pene-
  trate supernatural deceptions: ghosts possessing the living, 
  liches hiding behind illusions, vampires shapeshifted into 
  bats, etc.
  Covenant of Rest: You cannot be summoned, reani-
  mated, or resurrected if you die – not in body, not in spirit. 
  Attempts to raise you as undead or possess your corpse fail 
  automatically. If you’re lucky enough to have Extra Life, 
  this perk kicks in once you’re out of lives.
  Gift of the Dead: When you destroy an undead creature 
  that didn’t want to be undead (GM’s decision, but skeleton 
  and zombie slaves, lesser undead in thrall to greater ones, 
  and ghosts prevented from reaching the afterlife usually 
  count), the soul you’ve laid to rest gives thanks by healing 
  you 1 HP, 1 FP, or 1 HR, as you wish.
  Holy Touch: Your punches, kicks, and other unarmed 
  strikes (not grapples) count as holy weapons where 
  advantageous.
  Purifying Touch: Your punches, kicks, and other 
  unarmed strikes (not grapples) count as fire where advan-
  tageous, though damage type doesn’t become burning.
  Rest in Pieces: The holy warrior’s Shtick, renamed as 
  an excuse to offer more details (all of which apply to holy 
  warriors, too!): Living foes that you, personally, slay can-
  not return as undead – they stay dead, even if infected with 
  contagious vampirism, zombie-ism, or a similar curse, 
  or subjected to the Zombie or Mass Zombie spell. This 
  doesn’t bypass powerful traits like Extra Life, Supernatu-
  ral Durability, or Unkillable; prevent spirit summoning; or 
  stop Necromantic spells that cost more than 20 energy to 
  cast (including Resurrection, Lich, and Wraith). To cover 
  all that, use Final Rest (below).
  
   
  undeAd-slAyers 
  17
  Disadvantages: Obsession (Undead-Hunting)† (12) [-10]. 
  • Another -20 points chosen from more severe Obsession, 
  or Bloodlust [-10*], Disciplines of Faith (Ritualism or Mys-
  ticism) [-5 or -10], Greed [-15*], Obsession (Slay some 
  specific type of powerful undead foe) [-5*], Sense of Duty 
  (Good Entities) [-10], Vow (Chastity or Vegetarianism) [-5] 
  or (Own no more than horse can carry) [-10], or Weird-
  ness Magnet [-15]. • A further -20 points chosen from the 
  previous list or Honesty [-10*], Loner [-5*], No Sense of 
  Humor [-10], Overconfidence [-5*], Selfless [-5*], Sense of 
  Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5], Stubbornness [-5], or 
  Truthfulness [-5*].
  Primary Skills: Hidden Lore (Undead) (A) IQ [2]-13; Phys-
  iology (Undead) and Psychology (Undead), both (H) IQ 
  [4]-13; and Exorcism and Final Rest, both (H) Will-1 [2]-14. 
  • One of Crossbow or Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace), both 
  (E) DX+2 [4]-14; Throwing (A) DX+1 [4]-13; or Sling (H) DX 
  [4]-12. • One of these two melee skills packages:
  1. One of Polearm, Staff, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, or Two-
  Handed Sword, all (A) DX+4 [16]-16; or Two-Handed Flail 
  (H) DX+3 [16]-15.
  2. One of Axe/Mace or Broadsword, both (A) DX+3 [12]-15; or 
  Flail (H) DX+2 [12]-14 – and Shield (E) DX+2 [4]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Hidden Lore (Lost Civilizations), Occult-
  ism, and Traps, all (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; and Tactics (H) IQ-1 
  [2]-12.
  Background Skills: Five of Brawling, Fast-Draw (any), or 
  Knife, all (E) DX [1]-12; Boxing, Climbing, Stealth, or Wres-
  tling, all (A) DX-1 [1]-11; First Aid or Gesture, both (E) IQ 
  [1]-13; Armoury (any), Connoisseur (Weapons), Hazardous 
  Materials (Magical), or Research, all (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Diag-
  nosis, Religious Ritual, or Theology, all (H) IQ-2 [1]-11; 
  Thaumatology (VH) IQ-3 [1]-10; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1]-11; 
  Materialize or Meditation, both (H) Will-2 [1]-13; Observa-
  tion (A) Per-1 [1]-12; Blind Fighting (VH) Per-3 [1]-10; or 1 
  point to raise any 1-point skill by one level.
  * Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
  † On encountering the undead, rumors of them, or a quest 
  that hints at an opportunity to destroy them, make a self-con-
  trol roll. Failure compels you to attack, investigate the rumors, 
  or accept the quest. If you manage to spare intelligent undead 
  (briefly!), make a second self-control roll to trust any informa-
  tion or deal the monster offers.
  Customization Notes
  The undead-slayer’s biggest choice is whether to emphasize 
  the physical battle or the mystical one. It’s possible to balance 
  these – all slayers do, to some extent – but it’s most efficient to 
  pick one path at first.
  Undead-slayers who prefer to hack up enemies and burn 
  the remains afterward invest advantage points in ST, DX, 
  HT, Fit, Hard to Kill, Hard to Subdue, High Pain Thresh-
  old, Recovery, and Weapon Bond. If adding special abili-
  ties, they prioritize Ghost Armor and Slayer Training – and 
  Heroic Reserves, to use Mighty Blows (p. B357) with every 
  strike, along with the Gift of the Dead perk for stamina when 
  chopping through zombie hordes. Skill choices include most 
  of Armoury, Brawling, Connoisseur (Weapons), Fast-Draw, 
  Knife (to use wooden stakes!), and Wrestling, plus Crossbow, 
  Sling, or Thrown Weapon for dealing damage from a distance. 
  Disadvantages tend toward the uncompromising: Bloodlust, 
  Loner, No Sense of Humor, Stubbornness, and severe Obses-
  sion . . . and Greed for the consummate mercenary.
  Those who rely more on knowledge to win the battle sink 
  advantage points into IQ, Will, Acute Abomination Sense, 
  Gizmos, Specter Sight, Spirit Empathy, and perks like 
  Corpse Smart, Holy Touch, and Purifying Touch – though 
  Heroic Reserves is still likely, now for exotic skills. Import-
  ant skills are Diagnosis and Hazardous Materials (Magical) 
  for curse-like plagues and plague-like curses; Materialize 
  for revealing ghosts to allies; and Research, Thaumatology, 
  and Theology to know more about the supernatural. The 
  preferred ranged skill is Throwing, for alchemist’s fire and 
  holy water. Such slayers tend to be religious, with faith-based 
  disadvantages like Disciplines of Faith, Sense of Duty (Good 
  Entities), and religious Vows, and incidental Honesty, Self-
  less, and Truthfulness.
  Any slayer benefits from additional Higher Purpose for 
  its far-reaching bonuses, and from being less vulnerable to 
  common threats posed by the undead: Will, Fearlessness, and 
  the Brave perk, or straight-up Unfazeable, for shrugging off 
  Fright Checks; Resistant to Supernatural Abilities of the Dead 
  or to Evil Supernatural Powers for weathering other evil influ-
  ences; and Resistant or Immunity to Disease for safety around 
  infected corpses (walking or otherwise). Those who’ve been 
  in the game for a while tend to have twisted destinies, bene-
  fiting from Luck and Covenant of Rest – but also cursed with 
  Weirdness Magnet.
  
   
  undeAd-slAyers 
  18
  As for the 5 points from quirks, trading those for cash is 
  an option. Slayers who prefer to hack up enemies want the 
  best combat gear they can afford, while more cerebral ones 
  may need the money for alchemist’s fire, holy symbols, and 
  other ways to exploit undead weaknesses; see Chapter 4. Still, 
  Night Vision and the Blind Fighting skill are excellent invest-
  ments for anyone who frequents dark 
  tombs, while using the points for yet more 
  Will – or a level of Heroic Reserves and a 
  couple of perks – is never a waste.
  undeAd-slAyer 
  Power-uPs
  Undead-slayers can spend earned 
  character points on everything on their 
  template. Why So Few Power-Ups? (p. 8) 
  applies, but Dismissive Wave becomes 
  available only to advanced undead- 
  slayers to keep them from too readily 
  “poaching” the cleric’s role – and Extra 
  Life comes later because it’s something 
  that ought to be earned!
  • Acute Abomination Sense [2/level], 
  with no upper limit.
  • Dismissive Wave [10], equivalent to the cleric power-up 
  of the same name (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups, 
  p. 22), but with no need for Power Investiture.
  • Extra Life 1 [25]. Should it matter, this kicks in before 
  you’d become undead by any means.
  • Heroic Reserves up to 20 [3/level].
  • Higher Purpose (Slay Undead) up to Will/5 [5/
  level]. Round up – so the limit is four levels at Will 
  16-20, five at Will 21-25.
  • Ridiculous Luck [60].
  • Undead-slayer perks (p. 16).
  • Will up to 25 before racial modifiers [5/level].
  Experienced slayers also gain access to another 
  skill in the vein of Final Rest and Materialize (p. 16).
  Solidify
  Will/Hard
  Defaults: None.
  Prerequisite: Materialize skill (p. 16).
  See GURPS Magic, p. 151. Always requires a 
  Concentrate maneuver. Energy cost is 25 FP instead 
  of 50 FP to move use within reach of slayers with 
  attainable FP and Heroic Reserves. The trade-off is 
  that this skill affects only ghosts of the dead, never 
  other kinds of spirits.
  even more slAyers!
  Slayers of other supernatural menaces – defined by 
  abilities (e.g., psionics) or monster class (constructs, ele-
  mentals, faerie, perhaps even Elder Things) – may exist, 
  possibly at the players’ request. Here’s advice for the GM 
  who chooses to create templates for these. Throughout, 
  “The Foe” means whatever this kind of slayer hunts.
  Attributes and Secondary Characteristics: As warriors, 
  slayers require decent ST, DX, and HT; they also need 
  good IQ for lore skills. A 12+ in all four attributes is rec-
  ommended, with commensurate secondary characteris-
  tics. Add emphasis as needed: Slayers with tough targets 
  (constructs, demons, undead, etc.) want more ST; even 
  a 13 boosts swing into the sweet 2d range. Slayers who 
  depend on the first strike (as against casters or psis), or 
  whose rivals are fast or skilled, benefit from higher DX 
  and Basic Speed. Improved Will is worthwhile when The 
  Foe boasts sinister powers, though less important if spe-
  cial defenses like Magic Resistance are mandatory.
  Advantages and Perks: Include Higher Purpose tied to 
  slaying The Foe, plus special tricks for sensing The Foe, 
  resisting their abilities, and overcoming their defenses. 
  Gizmos give slayers minor-but-essential gear (e.g., 
  wooden stakes for an undead-slayer) without burdening 
  them. Heroic Reserves power special skills and provide 
  limited compensation for being specialized. All this stuff 
  needn’t be mandatory, merely present; lay a solid foun-
  dation, but leave the player choices. Round out the list 
  with warrior advantages – several of Combat Reflexes, 
  Extra Attack, Fit, Hard to Subdue, Hard to Kill, High 
  Pain Threshold, Rapid Healing, and Recovery. And don’t 
  forget Luck!
  Disadvantages: Anything goes, but an Obsession with 
  taking down The Foe is almost mandatory. Beyond that, 
  Bloodlust fits anyone called “slayer,” Greed suits all delv-
  ers, and Weirdness Magnet can justify the GM throwing 
  The Foe into the mix unusually often.
  Skills: Essential are any of Hidden Lore, Occultism, 
  Physiology, Psychology, Thaumatology, or Theology that 
  apply to The Foe. Combat skills are vital, too – though 
  high levels are necessary only if The Foe is skilled at or 
  can “buff up” for combat. Being canny fighters, slayers 
  need a little Tactics, too. Then add a few exotic skills like 
  the ones under Bardic Skills, Chi Skills, Druidic Skills, 
  and Holy Skills on pp. 21-22 of Adventurers – or con-
  vert spells useful for defeating The Foe into such skills. 
  Replace the standard prerequisites of special skills with 
  the template’s mandatory traits, and change the con-
  trolling attribute to HT or Will if the slayer’s life force or 
  spirit explains the ability.
  Power-Ups: These needn’t be numerous if there’s 
  already lots of cool stuff on the template – an improved 
  attribute cap (typically HT or Will for resisting sinister 
  powers) plus open-ended advantages should do. If borrow-
  ing other professions’ power-ups from GURPS Dungeon 
  Fantasy 11: Power-Ups, though, put them here – not on 
  the template – so the slayer doesn’t invade someone else’s 
  niche from the outset!
  
   
  slAyer geAr 
  19
  Gear designed exclusively for slayers is rare, but several 
  easily overlooked, costly, or rare items are especially useful for 
  defeating demons, spellcasters, or undead – and a few “obvi-
  ous” choices actually aren’t that great (but see Fun With Flaws, 
  p. 20). Below is an annotated index of equipment to seek out 
  across the GURPS Dungeon Fantasy series. It omits articles 
  any delver might prioritize; e.g., undead-slayers doubtless 
  carry torches to burn mummies and annoy vampires, but only 
  a foolish adventuring party would explore dark tombs without 
  light sources!
  Demon-Slayer’s Shopping List
  Be aware that despite what Silver Weapons (p. B275) 
  implies, silver weapons aren’t extra-effective against demons 
  unless the GM decides otherwise – see Fun with Flaws (p. 20).
  • Clarity (Psi, p. 25). Increased Will boosts Banish, Exor-
  cism, and Pentagram.
  • Demon rum (Taverns, p. 30). Inexpensively improves 
  resistance to unholy curses.
  • Holy symbols (Adventurers, p. 26) and holy symbol 
  weapons (Clerics, p. 33). Some demons (e.g., Demons of Old, 
  toxifiers, and anything possessed) have a Dread of blessed 
  objects. High-quality versions of these items give an Exorcism 
  bonus; this also applies to the demon-slayer’s Banish skill (but 
  not the spell).
  • Holy water (Adventurers, p. 26). Damages some – but 
  not all – demons.
  • Jungle juice (Denizens: Barbarians, p. 25). Cheap route 
  to Fearlessness for facing the worst demons. Also grants 
  Brave; treat this as +1 level if you already have the perk.
  • Manuals (Sages, p. 13). Fine or very fine textbooks giving 
  +1 or +2 to Hidden Lore (Demons) are valuable – especially 
  when researching talismans (p. 22).
  • Scrolls (Sages, pp. 14-16). Universal scrolls of Dispel Pos-
  session or Remove Curse are more effective than Exorcism in 
  some circumstances.
  Wish List: Aspergillum of High Power (Clerics, p. 36), 
  Demonhunter’s Helm (40 Artifacts, p. 6), Demonhunter’s 
  Tassels (40 Artifacts, pp. 12-13), Flashing Sunblade (40 
  Artifacts, p. 13), Stone of Knowledge of Demons (Treasure 
  Tables, p. 39).
  Mage-Slayer’s Shopping List
  • Alchemical antidote (Adventurers, p. 29). Undoes the 
  magic of potions.
  • Alchemist’s garb (Sages, p. 12). Prevents contact with 
  dangerous magical potions.
  • Black dust (Treasure Tables, p. 36). Reveals those using 
  the Invisibility spell.
  • Blinding gas (Ninja, p. 16). Regular spells cast at 
  range have -5 if the caster can’t see!
  • Clarity (Psi, p. 25). Will bonus is great for both resist-
  ing and dispelling magic.
  • Magebane (Adventurers, p. 29). Can cripple wizards 
  in one shot!
  • Magic resistance potion (Adventurers, p. 29).
  • Meteoric weapons, shields, and armor (Adventurers, 
  p. 27). Combat gear that can’t be cursed, disintegrated, 
  teleported away, etc. – but note that Spellpiercer (p. 10) 
  makes shields and armor a higher priority than weapons.
  • Mind fog (Ninja, p. 16). Nonmagical IQ penalty is evilly 
  effective against casters.
  • Moly amulet (Adventurers, p. 30). You can never have 
  too much Magic Resistance.
  • Nageteppo (Adventurers, p. 25). Again, a caster who 
  can’t see you casts at -5.
  • Potion belt (Adventurers, p. 25). Keeps the many potions 
  on this list handy.
  • Scrolls (Sages, pp. 14-16). Seek universal scrolls that 
  offer ways to cancel specific spells (Awaken ends Mass Sleep, 
  Stone to Flesh reverses Flesh to Stone, etc.), resist or block 
  magic (both broad, like Magic Resistance and Spell Shield, 
  and narrow, like Hide Thoughts and Resist Fire), and weaken 
  casters (Foolishness and Mindlessness lower IQ; Garble, 
  Silence, and Strike Dumb prevent spoken magic; Strike Blind 
  penalizes Regular spells; and so on).
  Wish List: Arrow of Negation (40 Artifacts, p. 18), Scroll of 
  Arcane Defense (40 Artifacts, p. 20).
  Undead-Slayer’s Shopping List
  As noted for demon-slayers, despite popular belief, sil-
  ver weapons aren’t especially useful unless the GM changes 
  things up.
  • Alchemist’s fire (Adventurers, p. 28). Draugr, combus-
  tible mummies, and so on are weak to fire. Burning any 
  corpse (including those you didn’t create) ensures it won’t 
  get up again.
  CHAPter four
  slAyer geAr
  Defeat is certain for him who has 
  neglected to take the necessary precautions.
  – Roald Amundsen,  
  The South Pole
  
   
  slAyer geAr 
  20
  • Clarity (Psi, p. 25). Extra Will is especially nice when 
  using Turning.
  • Flamethrower (Clerics, p. 34). If the GM permits this as 
  starting gear, add Liquid Projector (Flamethrower) (E) DX+2 
  [4]-14 to the ranged combat options on the undead-slayer 
  template.
  • Garlic (Adventurers, p. 28). Reputedly repels vampires; 
  see Fun with Flaws (below).
  • Holy symbols (Adventurers, p. 26) and holy symbol 
  weapons (Clerics, p. 33). High-quality ones give bonuses to 
  Exorcism and Turning.
  • Holy water (Adventurers, p. 26). Damages some undead.
  • Jungle juice (Denizens: Barbarians, p. 25). Augments 
  Brave and Fearlessness for cheap (if you already have Brave, 
  this grants an additional level).
  • Mallet (Adventurers, p. 24). Changes damage from 
  thr(0.5) imp to sw+2(0.5) imp when driving a wooden stake 
  into an unresisting vampire.
  • Salt (Treasure Tables, p. 11). Gives a bonus to turn 
  zombies.
  • Scrolls (Sages, pp. 14-16). Look for universal scrolls 
  of spells that negate common tomb dangers (Cure Disease, 
  Remove Contagion, Remove Curse, etc.) or 
  damage undead (like Sunbolt, Sunlight, and 
  Turn Zombie). Friends will appreciate Affect 
  Spirits on their weapons and Repel Spirits 
  on the campsite if the cleric didn’t bother to 
  learn those.
  • Sexton’s Special Shovel (Clerics, p. 34). 
  Tool and weapon in one affordable item.
  • Spiked armor (Adventurers, p. 27). 
  Wade into a zombie horde and shred them.
  • Wooden stakes (p. B272). For staking 
  vampires.
  Wish List: Aspergillum of High Power 
  (Clerics, p. 36), Flaming Blade (40 Artifacts, 
  p. 13), Flashing Sunblade (40 Artifacts, 
  p. 13), Sacred Shovel of Zombie Beheading 
  (Clerics, p. 36), Shadow Daggers (Treasures 
  2, p. 5), Spirit Knife (40 Artifacts, p. 15), 
  Stone of Knowledge of Undead (Treasure 
  Tables, p. 39), Sun Armor (40 Artifacts, 
  pp. 9-10).
  Business Ends for  
  the Business of Ending
  Undead-slayers avoid weapons limited to 
  impaling damage only, as these are lousy 
  against Unliving foes – like most undead. 
  They often use crushing weapons to smash 
  up skeletons and liches. To do so with bows 
  and crossbows, they resort to arrows and 
  bolts with this modifier:
  Blunt: Changes damage type to crushing. 
  Projectile cannot also be fine for bonus dam-
  age. Weight is unchanged. Wooden blunts 
  can’t have modifiers restricted to metal weap-
  ons, either; -0.5 CF. Metal-tipped blunts can 
  have such modifiers but get no cost cut; 0 CF.
  Undead-slayers also like to stake foes 
  through the heart, but often prefer a little 
  reach. Any arrow, bolt, javelin, pike, spear 
  (regular, short, long, or heavy), or similar 
  impaling-only weapon made mostly of wood 
  can be made entirely of wood:
  Stake: Damage type remains impaling, but 
  damage is at -1 and acquires armor divisor 
  (0.5). Cannot be fine or have modifiers lim-
  ited to metal weapons. Weight is unchanged. 
  -0.8 CF.
  fun witH flAws
  Traditional and fictional demons and undead have flaws that GURPS 
  would label Divine Curse (like “Treat holy water as acid”), Dread (of gar-
  lic, holy items, etc.), Fragile (e.g., dried-out corpses are Combustible), 
  Revulsion, Susceptible, Vulnerability (to fire, holy weapons, or what-
  ever), or Weakness – or would treat as the “death trigger” of Supernatu-
  ral Durability or an Achilles Heel for Unkillable. As written, though, few 
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy monsters exhibit such faults. That’s because 
  they were designed for hack ‘n’ slash fantasy, not occult horror.
  Yet for many gamers – especially those drawn to playing slay-
  ers – fantasy is more fun if supernatural beings sometimes have 
  such problems. Adding these to monsters also rewards players who 
  buy Research and Hidden Lore (customarily used before and during 
  adventures, respectively). Finally, flaws let the GM use a broader range 
  of enemies, because with preparation, even low-powered heroes can 
  defeat higher-powered foes.
  Which isn’t to say that all supernatural beings of a given type should 
  have the same flaws! Such monsters vary by religion and culture; for 
  the undead, cause of death and how the corpse was prepared matter, 
  too. And the most powerful specimens might have no failings – not 
  even the ones in monster write-ups.
  Sample flaws include fire (for undead, never demons), holy items 
  (especially against demons), magic, mirrors (mainly vs. undead), 
  musical instruments (bells, chimes, rattles, etc.), salt (particularly 
  against zombies), silver, sunlight (usually against undead), wooden 
  stakes (not just for vampires!), and many plants (garlic, hawthorn, 
  hemlock, peach, rose, rowan, wolfsbane, wormwood, . . .). Only those 
  useful as or on weapons make much sense as a Vulnerability, trigger 
  for Fragile, or counter to Supernatural Durability or Unkillable. But 
  anything could justify Dread, Revulsion, or Weakness, or be impli-
  cated in a Divine Curse.
  Slayers can access many of these things via Gizmos (pp. 5, 9, 15), 
  but must buy the costliest goods – or those needed in quantity – as 
  equipment. Costs and weights for fire sources, religious parapher-
  nalia, special weapons (magical, silver, etc.), and miscellaneous gear 
  (like mirrors and musical instruments) appear on pp. 23-30 of GURPS 
  Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers. Each “use” of any plant is a bundle: 
  $5, 0.25 lb.
  Sometimes, it’s the target that matters, not the attack. Blows to 
  the head, neck, and vitals are common flaws – although there are 
  weirder examples, like crippling a peshkali’s arms! These either do 
  bonus injury (Vulnerability) or negate Supernatural Durability or 
  Unkillable. Weapons useful against key hit locations are attractive 
  slayer gear, too; e.g., it takes an impaling or piercing weapon to hit the 
  vitals, and neck blows must usually be with cutting weapons to count.
  
   
  slAyer geAr 
  21
  HeroiC Power items
  Thanks to their special advantages, slayers – not war-
  riors in general – can designate a single “heroic power item.” 
  This must be a weapon, shield, or piece of armor. It con-
  tains energy calculated from its mundane value, just like 
  a spellcaster’s power item (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1: 
  Adventurers, p. 28).
  The energy in a heroic power item can be spent exactly like 
  Heroic Reserves (p. 5). There’s no difference at all!
  This energy recharges at a rate of 1 FP per day the slayer 
  spends equipped with the item. A weapon or shield must 
  be wielded, sheathed, or slung – and armor, worn – for 
  at least 16 hours for that day to count. There’s no way to 
  accelerate this; notably, you can’t pay someone in town for  
  a recharge.
  new mAgiC items
  A few magic items exist for the (almost) exclusive purpose 
  of defeating supernatural foes. Any delver can buy and use 
  these things, but slayers are the most loyal customers.
  Holy Weapons
  Any weapon other than an utterly unholy one can be 
  “enchanted” by clerics in town to inflict +2 injury (after DR, 
  just like Flaming, Icy, and Lightning Weapon) of holy origin 
  and no specific damage type. Bonus injury increases to +3 
  vs. demons and undead. In addition, the weapon is consid-
  ered “blessed” or “holy,” and also “supernatural” – but not 
  “magical” – for the purpose of monster flaws like Achilles 
  Heel and Vulnerability.
  Holy weapons are obviously useful to demon- and 
  undead-slayers, but mage-slayers should note that meteoric 
  weapons can be holy. The gods themselves allow it! While 
  the effect counts as an enchantment, and therefore doesn’t 
  increase power-item value, it’s a blessing – not a spell.
  Costs $15,000 on a melee or thrown weapon, $20,000 on 
  a missile weapon, or $75 on a projectile.
  (Holy) Hand Grenades
  Over the years, slayers have commissioned a few new 
  potions. All use the Grenade rules (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 
  1: Adventurers, p. 28).
  Anti-Magic Potion (Grenade). Fumes casts Dispel Magic 
  at skill 15 over a two-yard-radius. $720, 1 lb.
  Bottled Sunlight (Grenade). Fills a two-yard radius with 
  sunlight, exactly as the Sunlight spell, for one minute. $400, 
  1 lb.
  Demon-Bane (Grenade). Fumes do 2d injury (DR doesn’t 
  protect!) against all demons and anyone possessed by a 
  demon in a two-yard radius. No affect on others. $1,000,  
  1 lb.
  Undead-Bane (Grenade). Fumes do 2d injury (DR doesn’t 
  protect!) against all undead – including ghosts – in a two-
  yard radius. No affect on others. $1,000, 1 lb.
  seCret weAPons
  Before a horror protagonist stalks a “big bad” 
  like a werewolf or vampire, they make elaborate 
  preparations while spouting exposition on how 
  only these specific means can defeat this particular 
  foe. This suits a genre where a featured creature 
  (or interchangeable horde) rampages through vic-
  tims who offer no resistance meaningful enough 
  to call “combat.” In the climactic standoff, the 
  hero’s secret weapon explains why they don’t 
  become another victim – the story’s only real bat-
  tle has to be gripping, after all!
  This doesn’t fit dungeon fantasy particularly 
  well. For one thing, there’s an endless supply of 
  monsters, mostly inconsequential fodder. No 
  person or even group could cart around spe-
  cific countermeasures against them all, nor do 
  they need to – it’s a cornerstone of the genre that 
  decent weapons and armor are nigh-universally 
  effective, and that heroes constantly amass gear with  
  bigger pluses.
  There’s an endless supply of battles, too. Some are mem-
  orable, but they can’t all be. Heroes who fight nonstop rather 
  than once per story usually win – dungeon delvers are by con-
  vention lions, not lambs.
  In those rare cases where the adventurers’ gear isn’t 
  enough or a battle is a nail-biter, how the heroes react is part 
  of the fun. Another genre trope is that delvers are clever and 
  resourceful. Every gaming group has “war stories” of the PCs 
  beating long odds!
  Yet as Fun With Flaws (p. 20) suggests, there are 
  gamers – especially those drawn to playing slayers – who 
  enjoy their monster-slaying with a dash of problem-solving. 
  While the GM can assign baddies flaws to discover, sometimes 
  it’s fun to let the players take the initiative.
  Optionally, the GM may allow a special Research roll 
  (separate from Tavern Tales and Moldy Books; see GURPS 
  Dungeon Fantasy 2: Dungeons, p. 17) to learn about a spe-
  cific, named, supernatural boss (construct, demon, elemen-
  tal, faerie, spirit, undead, etc.) – or powerful worthy – on the 
  upcoming adventure. This should be at -5 or worse, perhaps 
  much worse. The group gets one roll.
  
   
  slAyer geAr 
  22
  Success lets the heroes prepare for that particular foe. 
  This isn’t “It’s a vampire: bring stakes.” It’s things like carv-
  ing the enemy’s secret name into arrows using ancient runes, 
  collecting holy water from reclusive monks who vowed to 
  slay that fiend, or stealing a sword from a vampire’s last liv-
  ing descendant.
  The delvers must roll against an appropriate skill (usu-
  ally Hidden Lore, Occultism, Physiology, Psychology, Thau-
  matology, or Theology) to cook up the theory. Then they 
  can roll for the preparations: against Armoury to modify 
  a weapon, Diplomacy to induce the monks to provide holy 
  water, thieving skills to purloin the sword, etc. Failures have 
  suitable consequences; e.g., broken weapons, angry monks, 
  or arrest.
  Success pays off: Using the secret weapon against the 
  intended target gives a bonus – at least +1 to hit and +1 dam-
  age for the entire battle, doubled if any skill roll critically suc-
  ceeded and knowledge or preparation would logically improve 
  potency. The heroes can use the thing earlier, but consumables 
  (e.g., holy water) are expended while durables (like swords) 
  “lose their charge” if polluted in combat with other enemies.
  Details of skills, failures, and bonuses are up to the GM, 
  who’s advised not to permit Gizmos to short-circuit the 
  process!
  demoniC tAlismAns
  Some occultists claim The Devil binds each demon to 
  a mystic artifact – its talisman – which gives HIM addi-
  tional power over them. Whenever a demon is “sent up” to 
  do The Devil’s work, this object remains in Hell to ensure 
  the fiend’s return. This holds for summoned demons, too; 
  summoning succeeds only if The Devil sees the opportu-
  nity to wreak chaos and decides to loan out the demon.
  When a demon enters the mortal sphere of its own 
  free will, though, it might arrive with its talisman. This 
  occurs most often when a magical disaster tears a fissure 
  between planes of existence, and tortured souls – very 
  minor demons – escape Hell bearing the easiest means 
  of recalling them. More rarely, powerful demons whose 
  gifts include interdimensional travel bring along their tal-
  ismans on missions for The Devil.
  Demons carrying their own talismans have a few spe-
  cial powers:
  1. They cannot be banished or summoned.
  2. They can will themselves back to Hell with a simple 
  Concentrate maneuver. Powerful demons who face defeat 
  routinely do this. Weak escapees, fearing the punishment 
  they’ll suffer, prefer to flee on foot or go down fighting.
  3. The greatest demons can use their talismans as 
  power items holding hundreds to thousands of energy 
  points (GM’s decision) for such feats as opening gates to 
  Hell, conjuring demonic armies, and granting wishes to 
  corrupt people.
  Moreover, what happens when a demon “dies” depends 
  on the location of the demon and its talisman:
  • If the demon is in another dimension while its talis-
  man is in Hell, the demon reappears in Hell and cannot 
  leave for one month unless The Devil intervenes.
  • If the demon is in another dimension and carrying 
  its talisman, it can choose to return to Hell for a month 
  (again, The Devil can interfere) – its death triggering the 
  second power above – or to be annihilated forever. An 
  escapee may choose the latter!
  • If the demon is in another dimension and its talis-
  man is neither in Hell nor in its possession, the demon is 
  destroyed forever.
  • If the demon is in Hell, it’s destroyed forever no mat-
  ter where its talisman is!
  Many demon-slayers make a point of snatching any 
  visible object that could be a talisman before trying 
  to kill a demon. That way, the demon can be killed for 
  good – or at least banished (which is easier with the tal-
  isman), if too tough to kill – and can’t flee to Hell or draw 
  on vast power.
  If a demon loses its talisman in the mortal world 
  and is banished – or escapes through a handy portal to 
  Hell – before it’s killed, the demon can end up in Hell 
  minus its talisman. Rarely, adventurers visit Hell, steal 
  talismans, and come back without killing their owners 
  . . . or demons who lack the power to slay their rivals in 
  Hell get hold of their enemies’ talismans and give them 
  to dangerous mortals. Although every demonologist 
  since the dawn of magic has taken a crack at the puz-
  zle of conjuring a talisman, with or without the demon, 
  none have solved it.
  Contrary to common belief, someone who has a demon’s 
  talisman cannot kill or banish the demon by destroying 
  the artifact – smashing the talisman merely returns it to 
  Hell (specifically, to The Devil) without the demon. But 
  a talisman in hand does give considerable power: The 
  holder has +1 on all rolls made against the demon, as 
  though they had Higher Purpose, while the demon has 
  -1 on all rolls made against the wielder. This can provide 
  the edge needed to slay the demon, which is a permanent 
  death. People interested in manipulating demons get +4 
  (not +1) on rolls to banish or control the demon, while all 
  rolls to summon it succeed automatically.
  Talismans have no fair market value. Shady clerics, 
  demonologists, shamans, and wizards are willing to 
  pay a lot, for obvious reasons. Demon-slayers are also 
  interested – but with the aim of permanently destroying 
  demons! Thus, though talismans aren’t “gear” to be bought 
  and sold at the players’ whim, the GM might include them 
  as treasure and make disposing of them its own adven-
  ture, or have creepy NPCs offer them at high prices.
  Recognizing a talisman for what it is, whether carried 
  by a demon or sitting on a shelf, takes a Hidden Lore 
  (Demons) roll. Deducing which demon a found or bought 
  talisman is linked to requires another roll at -5 or worse 
  (GM’s decision), though occult libraries can offer offset-
  ting bonuses.
  
   
  index 
  23
  index
  Abomination Sense ability, 14, 18.
  Advantages, 4-6, 9-10, 14-15.
  Amulet Grab ability, 6.
  Anti-magic potion, 21.
  Attacks, monster flaws, 20; Slayer Training, 
  6, 15; see also Weapons.
  Baneful Sacrifice perk, 6.
  Banish skill, 6.
  Banishing Blade ability, 4.
  Blinding Strike perk, 10.
  Blunt weapon modifier, 21.
  Body Control skill, 11.
  Bottled sunlight potion, 21.
  Brave perk, 6, 16.
  Caster Sense ability, 9, 13.
  Close to Hell Talent, 4, 8.
  Combat, see Attacks, Weapons.
  Corpse Smart perk, 16.
  Covenant of Rest perk, 16.
  Cult-breaker variation, 8.
  Dead Stop perk, 10.
  Demon-bane potion, 21.
  Demon-slayers, 4-8; advantages, 4-6; making 
  useful, 13; overview, 4; perks, 6, 8; 
  power-ups, 8; shopping list, 19; skills, 6; 
  template, 6-8.
  Demon Sniffer ability, 4.
  Demons, overview, 4; talismans, 22.
  Dispel Magic skill, 11.
  Drain Magery skill, 13.
  Drain Mana skill, 13.
  Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, 3.
  Energy Reserves, see Heroic Reserves Ability.
  Equipment, see Gear, Weapons.
  Exorcism skill, 6.
  Final Rest skill, 16.
  Gear, lists, 19-21; magic, 21; monster flaws 
  and, 20; see also Gizmos Advantage, 
  Weapons.
  Ghost Armor ability, 14.
  Ghost Weapon ability, 14.
  Gift of the Dead perk, 16.
  Gizmos advantage, 5, 9, 15; monster flaws 
  and, 20; secret weapons and, 22.
  Go To Hell! perk, 6.
  Grenades, 21.
  GURPS, Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers, 
  10, 18-20, 21; Dungeon Fantasy 2: 
  Dungeons, 4, 13, 21; Dungeon Fantasy 
  3: The Next Level, 15; Dungeon 
  Fantasy 4: Sages, 5, 19, 20; Dungeon 
  Fantasy 6: 40 Artifacts, 19; Dungeon 
  Fantasy 7: Clerics, 19, 20; Dungeon 
  Fantasy 8: Treasure Tables, 10, 19, 
  20; Dungeon Fantasy 10: Taverns, 19; 
  Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups, 3, 4, 
  6, 8, 10, 15, 18; Dungeon Fantasy 12: 
  Ninja, 19; Dungeon Fantasy 14: Psi, 
  3, 19, 20; Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: 
  Barbarians, 19, 20; GURPS Dungeon 
  Fantasy Treasures 2: Epic Treasures, 
  20; Dungeon Fantasy Monsters, 13; 
  Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 1, 13, 14; 
  Dungeon Fantasy series, 19, 20; Magic, 
  6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18.
  Heaven Awaits perk, 6.
  Hell Vision ability, 5.
  Heroic power items, 21.
  Heroic Reserves ability, 5, 8, 9, 13, 15, 18.
  Hidden Lore skill, uses, 20, 22.
  Higher Purpose advantage, 5, 9, 15, 18.
  Hit locations, monster flaws, 20.
  Holy Touch perk, 6, 16.
  Holy weapons, 21.
  Immunity advantage, 15.
  Iron Soul ability, 5.
  Lenses, lack of cross-profession, 8.
  Mage-Slayer Gear perk, 10.
  Mage-slayers, 9-13; advantages, 9-10; 
  making useful, 13; overview, 9; perks, 
  10, 13; power-ups, 13; shopping list, 19; 
  skills, 11; template, 11-12.
  Magic items, 21.
  Magic Resistance advantage, 10, 13.
  Magic Touch perk, 6, 10.
  Magical Toughening ability, 10, 13.
  Materialize skill, 16.
  Mental Strength skill, 11.
  Mind Block skill, 11.
  Monster flaws, 20; demonic talismans, 22; 
  designing weapons, 21-22.
  Mystic template variation, 8.
  Nondetection ability, 10, 13.
  Pentagram skill, 6.
  Perks, new, 10, 16.
  Plane Shift skill, 8.
  Potions, 21.
  Power items, heroic, 21.
  Power-ups, new, 8, 13, 18; limited number 
  of, 8.
  Purifying Touch perk, 16.
  Pyramid #3/61: Way of the Warrior, 3; #3/109: 
  Thaumatology V, 3; #3/122: All Good 
  Things, 3.
  Remove Curse skill, 11.
  Research skill, 20-22.
  Resistant advantage, 5, 15.
  Rest in Pieces perk, 16.
  Secret weapons, designing, 21-22.
  Selective Magic Resistance ability, 10.
  Skills, new, 6, 8, 11, 13, 16.
  Slayer Swing at Neck ability, 15.
  Slayer Swing at Skull ability, 15.
  Slayer Thrust to Vitals ability, 6, 15.
  Slayer Training ability, 6, 15.
  Slayers, making useful, 13; other kinds, 18; 
  overview, 3; see also Demon-Slayers, 
  Mage-Slayers, Undead-Slayers.
  Solidify skill, 18.
  Specter Sight ability, 15.
  Spell Hardiness perk, 10.
  Spell Resistance perk, 10.
  Spellpiercer ability, 10.
  Stake weapon modifier, 21.
  Suspend Magery skill, 13.
  Suspend Mana skill, 13.
  Templates, creating new, 18; differences  
  with other, 8; lack of cross-profession 
  lenses, 8; new, 6-8, 11-12, 16-18; see also  
  Demon-Slayers, Mage-Slayers, Slayers, 
  Undead-Slayers.
  Tough Love perk, 6.
  Turning ability, 15.
  Undead-bane potion, 21.
  Undead-slayers, 14-18; advantages, 14-15; 
  making useful, 13; overview, 14; perks, 
  16, 18; power-ups, 18; shopping list,  
  19-20; skills, 16; template, 16-18; 
  weapons, 20.
  Weapons, holy, 21; modifiers, 20; 
  recommended, 19-20; secret, 21-22; 
  undead-slayer, 20.
  Ben: All right, uh, okay, uh, how do you best 
  kill a witch?
  Hansel: Uh, cutting off their heads tends  
  to work . . . and ripping out their hearts . . .  
  and skinning them is also nice.
  Gretel: Yeah, but burning them is the best 
  way.
  – Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
  
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/SETTING/Dungeon Fantasy (GURPS)/GURPS 4e - Dungeon Fantasy 20 - Slayers.pdf