Grinning Bob
Ghost
Attributes [15]: ST 10, DX 10, IQ 10, HT 10, HP 10, Will 13 [15], Per 10, FP 10
Advantages [191]: Charisma (1) [5], Doesn’t Breathe [20], Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10], Doesn’t Sleep [20], Immunity (Metabolic Hazards) (Very Common) [30], Insubstantiality (Always On) [40], Invisibility (Electromagnetic) (Substantial Only) [36], Smooth Operator (1) [15], Unaging [15]
Disadvantages [-74]: Bad Temper (12 or less) [-10], Callous [-5], Compulsive Behavior (Murderer) (12 or less; 15 or less) [-7], Loner (12 or less) [-5], Mute (Substantial Only) [-22], Obsession (Living) (Long-Term Goal) (12 or less) [-10], Sadism (12 or less) [-15]
Quirks [-1]: Trademark (Pumpkins) [-1]
Skills [19]: Acting IQ/A – IQ+0 10 [1]*, Enthrallment (Persuade) Will/H – Will+2 15 [12], Enthrallment (Suggest) Will/H – Will-1 12 [2], Public Speaking IQ/A – IQ+3 13 [4]*/**
*Includes: +1 from ‘Smooth Operator’
**Includes: +1 from ‘Charisma’
Stats [15] Ads [191] Disads [-74] Quirks [-1] Skills [19] = Total [150]
200 point version: Add +1 to IQ [20], +1 to Will [5], Voice [+2], increase Acting to 2 pts, add Diplomacy at 4 pts, and add Fast-Talk, Intimidation, and Streetwise at 2 points each (all mentioned skills at 12).
250 point version: As above, and add an additional +1 to IQ [20], +1 to Charisma [5], an additional +1 to Smooth Operator [15], and add Hidden Lore (Murder) IQ/A at IQ +2 [8] and Teaching IQ/A at IQ [2].
Image: a man with a pumpkin for a head. The ‘eyes’ are bloody bullet holes; the mouth is a bloody gash that looks like a ragged grin.
Bad people can be cut down before they reach their potential, too.
Bob Mears was exactly the sort of person who you’d expect to be a serial killer; he had all the right hang-ups, all the wrong motivations, and precisely the set of circumstances that would take his inherent evil nature and turn it into multiple murders. Only, he never got that far. On his first-ever attack, Bob got as far as knocking out the woman and getting the back of the van open before he was surprised in the act by an armed passerby. Bob was told to freeze: her instead went for his gun, and promptly got shot three times in the face for his trouble. The would-be serial killer died before the paramedics even got called.
This would be a happy ending all around, except that Bob’s now a ghost. He’s got a large enough area to haunt, but Grinning Bob’s very much an intangible, invisible sort of ghost with absolutely no inherent ability to affect the material world in any way. Which is pure torture for the Grinning Bob, because he absolutely wants to still kill people. He more or less hungers for it at this point.
What makes this relevant is that while Grinning Bob cannot be perceived by regular people, and cannot attack anything material at all, he can in fact communicate with mediums and psychics. Most experienced spiritualists understand perfectly well not to listen to the bleeding pumpkin-faced ghost when it starts trying to make friends; but someone with raw talent and no training would be more vulnerable. And a psychic who has an existing inclination to ritually murder people would be… perhaps ‘vulnerable’ is not the right word. Someone like that would find Bob highly useful, and vice versa. After all, the ghost can go through walls, which is always useful when looking for a running victim.
Weaknesses: Grinning Bob, as written, has no particular Vulnerabilities or Dreads. If an attacker can somehow perceive him, and has something that can damage insubstantial entities, then Grinning Bob will go down remarkably easily. In fact, Bob can’t even really fight effectively against other insubstantial foes. The difficulty should be in finding something that can hurt him in the first place.
The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.
GURPS is a registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games, and the art here is copyrighted by Steve Jackson Games. All rights are reserved by SJ Games. This material is used here in accordance with the SJ Games online policy.