The following is a rough outline of how to convert your typical GURPS Supers character into a HERO System character sheet. Note that this is really a 'quick-and-dirty' guide to systems conversion, I am not all that familiar with GURPS mechanics to try anything more complex than the basics. This is also not an attempt to breakdown GURPS powers into their HERO equivalents. I highly recommend that anyone trying to convert from GURPS have (at least) GURPS Supers available.
PART I: Characteristics
When converting from GURPS to HERO use the following chart (adapted from Fantasy HERO 2nd Edition).
CHAR Conversion
STR see below
DEX (DX x 2) -10
CON (HT x 2) -10
BODY HT and see below
INT (IQ x 2) -10
EGO see below
PRE 10 + (Charisma x 2.5) and see below
COM see below
PD Figured x 2 (note: this may result in very odd numbers)
ED Figured x 2 (ditto)
SPD Figured(Round Up) and see below
REC Figured
END Figured
STUN Figured
Note: the (CHAR x 2) -10 system works well enough for most translations. When adapting low-level characters (i.e. normals) this will result in HERO Characteristics from 10 to 30. This may be a bit extreme for some GMs. It tends to work out fine for Superhero characters.
STR: this stat is a mess as far as translations go. GURPS STR is linear (20 STR is twice as strong as a 10 STR, 40 is as twice as strong as 20 etc.), while HERO is exponential (each 5 points of STR is doubles your lifting capacity). After some rough figuring based upon stated values in source material and the GURPS maximum lifting rules I offer the following system:
GURPS HERO
15 13
16 14
17 15
18 16
19 17
20 18
21 19
22 20
26 23
30 25
33 28
35 30
45 33
55 35
65 38
75 40
90 43
110 45
130 48
150 50
180 53
210 55
250 58
290 60
350 63
410 65
BODY: some characters have the power of "Extra Hit Points". Add these to the HT score to find the character's final BODY total.
EGO: There are several ways to handle this. One is to use (IQ x 2) -10, which means that any smart character is going to have a high Ego as well. Another is to use ((IQ + Strong Will) x2) -10. The third is to use IQ + (Strong Will x 2) to determine EGO. The final is to use 10 + (Strong Will x 2). The best method seems to be the third way.
PRE: Another way is to give the character +3 PRE for every level of Charisma they have.
COM: A rough correlation is as follows:
GURPS HERO
Hideous 0-2
Ugly 4-6
Unattractive 8
Attractive 12-14
Handsome/Beautiful 16-18
Very Handsome/Beautiful 20-22+
SPD: This is very tough. The move score given for characters only reflects their actual movement. The character's Speed stat helps to determine over all quickness. A very high GURPS Speed should mean a very good HERO SPD. In many cases refer to the character description.
MOVE: Use the GURPS movement score straight over as the HERO Running. Some characters may have Flight, and some will have different Flight numbers (such as a base flight and a "super" flight). In many cases the Flight listed is a top speed. Usually these numbers can help determine the characters actual SPD as well.
PART II: GURPS Advantages
A lot of this are similar to HERO Talents. Others are simulated by a characteristic boost. See the chart below. Note: any GURPS Advantage not listed is something that doesn't translate to HERO easily.
GURPS HERO Absolute Direction Bump of Direction Absolute Timing Absolute Time Sense Acute Hearing PER bonus to hearing Acute Taste and Smell PER bonus to taste/smell Acute Vision PER bonus to sight Alertness PER bonus Ambidexterity Ambidexterity Attractiveness see COM Charisma see PRE Clerical Investment Perk: Priest Combat Reflexes Increase DEX or CSL with HTH Danger Sense Danger Sense Double-Jointed Double Jointed Eidetic Memory Eidetic Memory High Pain Threshold Add to PD or ED, 1/4 Damage Resistance, Physical, Stun Only (-1/2) Immunity to Disease Life Support: Immunity to Disease Language Talent Linguist Legal Enforcement Powers Perk: Legal Enforcement Powers (var) Lightning Calculator Lightning Calculator Luck: 15 Points 1d6 Luck Luck: 30 Points 3d6 Luck Military Rank Perk: Rank (var) Night Vision UV Vision (except *total* darkness) Strong Will see EGO Toughness Add to PD or ED, Damage Resistance or Armor Wealth see below GURPS HERO Dead Broke Destitute Poor Poor Struggling Middle Class Average Middle Class Comfortable Middle Class Wealthy Well Off Very Wealthy Wealthy Filthy Rich Filthy Rich Allies Follower Patron Contact
PART III: Disadvantages
These are pretty simple. Most of them translate right over to HERO disads pretty easy. I'd recommend getting a hold of a GURPS rule book to determine exactly what some of the disads mean, but... A rough breakdown of GURPS Disadvantages would be as follows:
GURPS HERO SOCIAL see below Odious Personal Habit Usually a DF, or a Psych Lim Poverty see Wealth Primitive Phys Lim: Doesn't understand/unfamiliar with 'x' Reputation Reputation Social Stigma Usually a DF, or a Rep. PHYSICAL usually a Phys Lim. Note that some GURPS Physical Limitations may or may not be consider "valid" limitations by HERO System GMs. MENTAL usually a Psych Lim. See notes below. Addiction Possible Psych and Phys Lim Berserk Berserk/Enraged Dyslexia Phys Lim Illiterate Phys Lim Split Personality Phys Lim, as well as possible Accidental Change Unluckiness 1d6 Unluck Weak Will Lower the character's EGO DEPENDENTS DNPC DUTIES usually a Watched ENEMIES Hunted QUIRKS May be a DF or a minor Psych Lim. Some GMs allow 1 point Quirks for HERO as well
PART IV: Super Advantages, Powers and Super Skills
Get a copy of GURPS Supers and read the power description. There are far to many powers and skills to even try and define them all in HERO System terms. Such a project is feasible, but far beyond the intended scope of this posting. Needless to say, most if not all questions such as power level, damage amounts and such will often be determined by the GM's preferences as well as information gained via translation. For example, the author of this article tended to keep to a standard 60 Active Points for powers when adapting the Wild Cards characters. The numbers tended to work out alright and provide a nice consistent base for others to modify from.
PART V: Super Disadvantages
GURPS HERO
Dependency Dependence (or, possibly a Phys Lim)
Uncontrolled Change Accidental Change
Vulnerability Vulnerability
Weakness Susceptablity
PART VI: Skills
Skills tend to be pretty straight forward. Most skills have HERO counterparts. Note that GURPS skills often have numbers that far exceed the typical 3-18 range that HERO uses. A rough listing of easy to translate skills is as follows:
GURPS HERO Acrobatics Acrobatics, Breakfall Acting Acting. Mimicry Administration Bureaucratics Animal Handler Animal Handling Armory Weaponsmith Bard Oratory Climbing Climbing Criminology Deduction Demolitions Demolitions Diplomacy Conversation Disguis Disguise Escape Contortionist Fast Talk Bribery, Persuasion First Aid Paramedic Hobby Skill Knowledge Skill Hold Out Concealment Intelligence Analysis Criminology Forgery Forgery Gambling Gambling Interrogation Interrogation Lip Reading Lipreading Lockpicking Lockpicking Mechanic Mechanics Merchant Trading Navigation Navigation Pick Pockets Sleight of Hand Professional Skill Professional Skill Riding Riding Savoir-Faire High Society Science Skills Science Skills Sex Appeal Seduction Shadowing Shadowing Sleight of Hand Sleight of Hand Strategy Tactics Stealth Stealth Streetwise Streetwise Surgery Forensic Medicine Swimming Swimming Tactics Tactics Traps Security Systems Vehicle Skills Transport Familiarity Ventriloquism Ventriloquism Weapons Skills Weapon Familiarity Martial Arts: GURPS HERO Brawling Dirty Infighting, or HTH CSLs (either 3 point or 5 point levels Fencing Fencing or Kenjutsu - any martial arts that relies mainly upon use of a sword Judo Akido, Judo, Wrestling - any martial art that concentrates upon throws and holds Karate Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do - any martial arts that concentrates upon punching and kicking
Note: some characters may have more than one martial skill. Moonchild (from GURPS Wild Cards) had both Judo and Karate. The game description mentioned her using Akido, but her nationality was Korean. I remembered her using Tae Kwon Do maneuvers in one of the books and gave her those packages. Other characters should get martial arts based upon origin and character description.