Post originally by Digital Apex at 2005-04-20 08:28:12
Converted from Phorums BB System

To compare the two systems I need to state the obvious before starting...

IMO no publisher to date has the consistent detail, background material, and historical research of the GURPS supplements. I think they are the best genre supplements for any RPG that you can buy. If you have read GURPS Dragons then you have a leg up on anyone else who runs Fireborn. I believe it helps educate people that much on the subject of dragons. I also think it will help people understand where the designers were going when creating the dragons for Fireborn.

That being said, and after having played both numerous times, it depends on what you want. GURPS can do anything and if you prefer the GURPS system over any other then there is no more to be said. GURPS is your bag and there is no reason to pick up the PH. The setting of Fireborn is in the GMs book and you would be much better served picking it up. But to me its not worth buying for the setting alone. So there is nothing that GURPS Dragons will do for you if your looking for a new setting IMO.

That is not to say Fireborn is not a good RPG, far from it. I love Fireborn and think that compared to GURPS Dragons, Fireborn is a better SYSTEM for Dragons. But if your not looking for a new system to try, then Fireborn will do nothing for you. I say this
because Fireborn is IMO all about the system. So if your looking for the differences (objectively) in the two systems there is only one main point to go over.

Not to repeat what has already been said, but the Fireborn system plays faster for combat than GURPS. It is because there is so much you can do in a single round of combat in FB compared to GURPS. When talking about dragons in this system they are truly a sight to behold. They... for lack of a better term, "feel" more like dragons than what GURPS gives you. When I can swoop down, grab someone, fly him high into the sky while tearing at him with my claws, then drop him from 500 feet; all in one action. You start to see, if you are familiar with GURPS, how different it is. To be able to do all of that AND resolve it in one minute is something I can't do with GURPS without HEAVY system modifications.

That's the main difference that I will point out. Combat situations whether in dragon or human form, is a TOTALLY different experience from what you get from a GURPS game.

I hope this helps