Welcome to IOU!

This is the system we'll be using for the GURPS IOU setting. Any questions, bug Socks about them.
First things first: everything runs on a 1-10 system. Standard boring human norm is 3.

~~Download the Character Template (*.txt file)~~

Stat Advantage Disadvantage
Physical/Body Strong Weak
Stamina Exhaustion
Flexible Rigid
Mental/Mind Intelligent Stupid
Well-Educated Ignorant
Logical Insane
Emotional/Soul Wise Foolish
Creative Uninspired
Empathetic Indifferent
Social/Spirit Witty Serious
Charismatic Awkward
Intimidating Gentle

When you have 3 in a stat, you MUST take one Disadvantage. For example, at 3 in Body, you have to take either Weak, Exhaustion, or Rigid.
When you have 6 in a stat, you can get one Advantage so long as it's not the opposite of your Disadvantage. So if you have 6 in Body and you chose Weak as your Disadvantage, you cannot take Strong as your Advantage, but you can take Flexible or Stamina.
At 9 in a stat, you can buy off the Disadvantage for 9 points (after you have paid to raise your character to level 9).

Advantages give you +2 to related rolls; Disadvantages give you -2 to related rolls. You want to roll AT OR UNDER your score.
So, for example, you have Body at 5, with the Exhaustion Disadvantage. When you are trying to do something strength or dexterity related, you want to roll a 5 or less on a d10. But if you want to, say, run a marathon, you are now trying to get a 3 or less, because the Exhaustion Disadvantage subtracts 2 from your score.

When you hit level 6 on your first stat, you can get an Advantage for that stat for free. All other Advantages - including first Advantages for other stats - must be bought. You can buy Advantages (other than the one that is your Disadvantage's opposite) for 9 points per Advantage. You can pick up another Disadvantage (so long as it's not the opposite of an Advantage you have) and receive back 9 points.

You start at 3 automatically, and get the default Disadvantage (you do not get points back for this during character creation). Raising a stat costs 3 points per level; lowering a stat therefore gives you 3 points/level back. You cannot raise a stat higher than 6 in character creation. No stat can be below 1.
You will have 30 Points to make a character with. This includes your stats, skills, any other Advantages, and equipment. Make your character with Socks, and we'll hash it all out together.

Pick one skill that you are Well-Trained at. You will have +2 to those rolls.
Pick one skill that you are Good at. You will have +1 to those rolls.
Pick one skill that you are Bad at. You will have -1 to those rolls.
So if you have a Body of 5, the Disadvantage Exhaustion, and you are Bad at Running, and you need to run a marathon, you would need to roll a 1 or a 2 to succeed (5 - 2 (Exhaustion) - 1 (Bad: Running) = 2).

This means that, unlike other systems, a Nat 1 is a critical success. It means you succeed effortlessly, perhaps putting to shame others who have attempted this same feat. Ten is a crit fail UNLESS you have a 10 in a certain stat, in which case, well, you succeeded. Congrats.

For the most part, you'll be rolling stats. I'll work out Skills and Advantages/Disadvantages with you during character creation. If you are new to roleplaying, you might want to ask about either Luck or Common Sense for your character though:

There are two options for both of these skills:
  1. Three Times/Adventure: You have three chances to use this during the entire story arc, so use them wisely! Cost: 3 Points
  2. Once/Session: You can do this one time EVERY. SINGLE. GAME SESSION. However, costs twice as much. Cost: 9 Points.
I recommend taking one or the other - whichever you think is more appropriate for your character. Or just say screw it and take neither; after all, Rule of Cool is in effect.

Rule of Cool: IOU lends itself well to cartoony and cinematic styles, and I want to encourage y'all to take advantage of that. So, if you're going to do something OBSCENELY AWESOME and over-the-top, my inclination is to let you. I might make you pay for it somehow, but if, for example, you want to jump out of a space station and sky-surf down to the campus in nothing but your boxer shorts and silver spray paint, I will absolutely let you get away with that nonsense for the price of a trip to the Lazarus Health Center.

This WILL be an on-campus adventure, so DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE HEALTH CENTER. You might not come out the same way you were before you decided to do whatever-it-was, but you'll be alive. Perma-death is HIGHLY UNLIKELY in this setting, and if you're about to do something that WILL permanently kill your character, I will warn you beforehand. Otherwise, assume that you'll be mostly okay-ish so long as your remnants can be brought to the Health Center.