STRENGTH (ST)
FASA's STR score indicates a character's ability to deal physical damage, as well as wield physical force to affect objects with actions such as lifting, carrying, dragging and so forth. This attribute is the equivalents of GURPS ST score.
The way FASA and GURPS track strength, though expressed differently, are surprisingly similar. In FASA, characters can carry (without exerting themselves) approximately their STRENGTH, in pounds, for extended periods. In GURPS, a character has a Basic Lift of (STR * STR)/5. That is, he or she can lift that mount, in pounds, in one second. To convert most characters' strength from FASA to GURPS, simply divide their raw FASA score by 2 and determine what GURPS strength score would be closest to that Basic Lift score.
For characters that have been genetically augmented, or have some other good reason to have Strength well above average, simply divide their Strength score by 5 and record the result. Such characters should probably also gain Unusual Background to explain this.
DEXTERITY (DX)
Dexterity maps directly from the FASA attribute of the same name. For an individual whom one might consider average for such abilities, use a DX of 10. Consider the character's nature; if he's an above average good marksman, fast pilot, or otherwise light on his feet, increase his Dexterity perhaps to 12. If he's truly exceptional at things that require speed, agility, or grace, increase this score to perhaps 15 or 16. As always, use common sense as a guide.
INTELLIGENCE (IQ)
Intelligence is a measure of a character's ability to accept and process information, as well as to learn and adapt. IQ maps directly from FASA's Intellect attribute. If your character is conceptualized as a cerebral Vulcan, or in the sciences or engineering divisions, it would be good to take higher than the default, using common sense as a guide.
HEALTH (HT)
GURPS 4e Health has no direct equivalent in FASA, as it is no longer the determining factor in a character's Hit Points. The issue of HP aside, Endurance is still the best candidate, though the final determination of hit-points might require some finesse later. In general, if your character worked in security, or the Marine division, gravitate to a higher Health score. This will ensure your character can still hold his own in an extended fight without becoming fatigued. Otherwise lower scores might be appropriate.
Hit Points (HP)
In FASA, Endurance, which otherwise most closely matches Health in GURPS, serves the same function as HP. However, in GURPS 4th edition, unlike previous editions, Strength is the determining factor. There are a few ways to determine a FASA character's hit points, use whichever makes the most sense:
This is probably the most conservative approach to calculating a character's hit points. It may cost a few points, or it may give a few points back, but it does not produce unacceptably large or small hit point values. Also this helps convert characters that have significant differences in their Strength and Endurance scores, without producing questionable results.
Though this could be seen as the most direct conversion possible, it tends to yield extreme values in one direction or the other. Also, it fails to consider the differences between the way damage is tracked in FASA and the way it is tracked in GURPS.
Will
If your character works for an intelligence agency, or has resisted interrogation in the past, a few extra points of Will might be in order. Psionic characters will also enjoy a nice boost with a few extra Will points; most others should take the default.
Perception (Per)
Characters with a background in Investigation should take a few extra points of Perception, along with those for whom missing something may mean death. Everybody else should take the defaults.
Fatigue Points (FP)
Characters that see regular combat should take a few extra points. NP Cs such as "Red Shirts" should probably take less. Everybody else should have no problem taking the defaults.
Basic Speed
Take the defaults, or adjust this to taste.
Basic Move
Take the defaults, or adjust this to taste.
Though GURPS lacks attributes that match the following FASA attributes, they are covered by GURPS Advantages and Disadvantages really well.
CHARISMA (CHA)
You may wish to buy more or fewer levels of Charisma than the math might suggest. A good starting point is to follow these steps:
LUCK (LUC)
In FASA Luck is a "catch all" attribute for handling situations of pure chance. In GURPS 4e, it's an advantage. Admittedly this is another one of those times where arithmetic must take a back-seat to character background and in-game history. Generally, if a Lucky break had some bearing on the character's backstory, give him at least one level of Luck. If the character had a Luck attribute above 50 percent or so it might be worthwhile to give him this advantage as well. If the character's luck was in the 90+ percentile range, extraordinary luck is probably called for. It is probably not wise to give a character more luck than this, as it may unbalance the game. Conversely, characters with less than 20 points of Luck, or who have some dramatic incidents of "bad luck" in their backstory, should probably take the disadvantage. Everybody else should probably not bother with these advantages and disadvantages.
PSIONIC POTENTIAL (PSI)
If a character has no history of Psionic ability its probably best to forget this attribute ever existed. However, if a character is Vulcan, or some other race that has learned to harness its own Psionic potential, rebuild that character's abilities using the Psionics rules (B Ch6).
FASA Skills
| 20 points or less | accept the GURPS 4e default for your skill, given your character's attributes, (but remember that no GURPS skill is based on ST) |
| 30 points | dump a moderate number of skill points into the skill, enough to make the character reasonably competent |
| 50+ points | dump quite a few points into the skill; the character is an expert with this skill |
| 75+ points | give the character a Talent in the area this skill represents |
| FASA Skill | GURPS 4e Skill |
| Administration | Administration |
| Artistic Expression | Singing, Musical Instrument, Writing, Poetry, Performance |
| Carousing | Carousing |
| Communication Systems Operations | Electronics Operation (Communications)/TL12 |
| Communications Systems Technology | Electronics Operation (Communications)/TL12 |
| Computer Operation | Computer Operation/TL12, Computer Programming/TL12, or Computer Hacking/TL12 |
| Damage Control Procedures | Professional Skill (Damage Control)/TL12 |
| Deflector Shield Operation | Electronics Operation (Shields)/TL 12 |
| Deflector Shield Technology | Electronics Operation (Shields)/TL 12 |
| Electronics Technology | Electronics/TL 12 |
| Environmental Suit Operations | Vacc Suit/TL 12 |
| Gaming | Gambling or Hobby, i.e. Hobby (3D Chess) |
| Instruction | Teaching |
| Language | Add Languages as appropriate |
| Leadership | Leadership |
| Life Sciences | Any Biological skill at TL/12 such as Exobotany/TL 12 |
| Life Support Systems Technology | Electronics Operation (Medical)/TL 12 |
| Marksmanship, Archaic | Any non-beam ranged weapon skill |
| Marksmanship, Modern | Beam weapons/TL 12 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Engineer (Mechanical)/TL12 |
| Medical Sciences | Genetics, Pharmacy, Surgery etc. at TL 12 |
| Negotiation/Diplomacy | Diplomacy, Fast Talk |
| Personal Combat, Armed | Any primitive weapons skill TL/4 and below |
| Personal Combat, Unarmed | Judo, Karate, or Brawling; Also see GURPS Martial Arts |
| Personal Weapons Technology | Armoury (beam weapon)/TL 12 |
| Physical Sciences | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, etc. at /TL 12 |
| Planetary Sciences | Planetology or a specific skill: Geology, Meteorology, Hydrology, Ecology etc at TL/12 |
| Planetary Survival | Survival, (specify) |
| Security Procedures | Electronics Operation (Security)/TL12 |
| Shuttlecraft Pilot | Pilot (Shuttlecraft)/TL12 |
| Shuttlecraft Systems Technology | Mechanic (Shuttlecraft)/TL 12 |
| Small Equip Syst. Operation | n/a* |
| Small Equip Syst. Technology | n/a* |
| Small Unit Tactics | Tactics (Ground) |
| Social Sciences | Any social science |
| Federation Culture/Hist | History (UFP) |
| Federation Law | Law (UFP) |
| Space Sciences | Astronomy or Astrophysics/TL12 |
| Astronautics | Mechanic (Starship) or Engineer (Starship)/TL 12 |
| Astrogation | Astrogation, Warp/TL 12 |
| Sports | Sports (specify) |
| Starship Combat/Stratagy Tactics | Strategy or Tactics (Space) |
| Starship Helm Operation | Pilot (Starship)/TL 12 |
| Starship Sensors | Electronics Operation (Sensors)/TL 12 |
| Starship Weaponry Operation | Gunnery (Phaser, Disruptor)/TL 12 Artillery (Some Torpedos, Missles)** |
| Starship Weaponry Technology | Armoury, (Photon, for example)/TL 12 |
| Streetwise | Streetwise |
| Transporter Operation | Electronics Operation (Matter Transmitter)/TL 12 |
| Trivia | Hobby, (specify) |
| Vehicle Operation | Pilot (Anti-Grav Car)/TL 12 |
| Warp Drive Technology | Engineer (Warp)/TL 12 |
| Zero-G Operations | Free Fall |
| Bribery | Merchant |
| Cryptology | Intelligence Analysis |
| Clandestine Operation | Stealth, Shadowing or Holdout |
| Demolitions | Demolitions/TL 12 |
| Intelligence Procedure | Professional skill or Intelligence Analysis |
| Small Vessel Pilot | Pilot (specify)/TL 12 |
| Surveillance | Shadowing, Sensors, or Photography TL/12 |
| Stealth | Shadowing, Stealth, Tracking, Holdout |
| Trade & Commerce | Merchant |
| Value Estimation | Merchant |
* Small Equipment Systems Operations and Technology are too generalized to convert to GURPS well. Ignore these skills, simply use whatever Electronics Operation skill required to fill any obvious void.
** For direct fire weapons, such as beam weapons, Gunnery is the correct skill to take. But indirect fire weapons, such as some torpedoes, need the Artillery skill instead. Players should talk with their GM before making assumptions on what skill to take.
Nothing is an island unto itself, these conversion rules included. The conversion rules presented where strongly influenced by the following sources. In fact the rules here are largely an update, and a fleshing-out of conversion rules presented by others who came before:
A Common Sense Conversion from FASA ST:RPG to GURPS http://www.weirdrealm.com/gurps/FasaGURPS.html
Adventures in the Star Trek Universe http://www.coldnorth.com/owen/game/startrek/universe/convert.htm
GURPS 4th Edition Update http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/resources/4eupdate.pdf