GURPS Basketball

This is an attempt to provide a framework in GURPS that will allow players to play Basketball. Wherever possible, the base GURPS skills, advantages, etc, will be used, although they may be amended or renamed to better suit a Basketball-related environment.

While the measurements and rules are taken from the NBA's specification, the system should be easily changeable to accomodate FIBA or 3x3 rules.

Basketball Basics

Basketball is a ball sport played by two teams. Each team must have five players on the court, and may optionally have up to two extra players that can be rotated into play should an active player become hurt or is not performing as the team would like. Basketball may also be played with three players on the court from each team, though the court is usually much smaller.

Basketball is played in Quarters of ten minutes each. If there is a tie at the end of the game, additional five minute periods are played until the tie is broken.

Central to Basketball is the idea of a Shot Clock. When a team has possession of the ball, they have 24 seconds to make a basket. If they do not, they lose control of the ball and the other team has their own 24 seconds to attempt a score. Additionally, the team in possession of the ball has five seconds to move the ball into their opponent's half of the court, or they will similarly lose ball control. Once the ball has been moved into the opponent's half of the court, it may not move back into the possessing team's half.

When a player gains possession of the ball, they must either remain still with it while deciding what to do, or they may move once, either one to two steps in any direction, or a longer distance while dribbling the ball. Dribbling is bouncing the ball while walking or running. Any further attempts at movement incur a penalty. Possession of the ball should realistically be fleeting.

Players may only touch the ball with their hands, and may not touch other players except incidental hip, leg, elbow, etc, touches. The judges (or GM) decide if an interaction between players is malicious or illegal. Attempting to get away with illegal personal contact may be a facet of your roleplaying.

The ball is primarily moved toward the hoop by Passing between teammates. Players should always be moving to make themselves available to be passed to, and to make their passes more successful. Additionally, at any time, a player who has possession of the ball may attempt to throw the ball in an arc toward the hoop. If at any time the ball goes through the hoop, that is counted as a score.

Scoring is relatively simple. If a successful shot is made within the half-circle around the hoop, that shot is worth 2 points. Any shot made outside that half-circle is worth 3 points. Additionally, fouls and violations are "repayed" to the wronged team by allowing them to attempt a given number of "free throws", which are worth 1 point each from the free throw line.

All Basketball players are trained in all basic aspects of Basketball. There are positions in Basketball, but these are largely used to categorize a player's skills, and to strategically position players on the court based on those skills, rather than an expression of their responsibilities in the game. These positions are:

Point Guard (PG) - Best handling and passing skills, also generally the leader of the team.
Shooting Guard (SG) - Best shooting skills, especially at distance.
Small Forward (SF) - Versatile, aggressive, and quick.
Power Forward (PF) - Supports the team by blocking shots and being good at shooting at medium-close range.
Center (C) - Similar to the Power Forward, but generally taller, and better at scoring from close to the hoop.

Some basic assumptions and facts:

The Basketball court is 31.3 yards by 16.6 yards.
The basketball is a spherical thrown weapon that weighs 1.375 pounds, but for the sake of realism, a GURPS basketball weighs 2 pounds.
The backboard is 2 yards wide, 1.5 yards tall, and 3.3 yards off the ground.
The hoop is 18 inches in diameter.
Players are never encumbered by their equipment or the ball.
The ball is always considered ready.
Shots are always an arc, with the highest point in the center of that arc.
Passes may either be a direct throw or a bounce pass, where the bounce occurs in the center of the distance.
Players are never in a situation where they are using the ball in their off-hand, unless dictated by roleplaying. Both hands are often used anyway.

Basketball Skills

While other base skills may be applicable, the following are relevant to playing Basketball as outlined in this supplement.

Sports(Basketball) (Physical/Average) Defaults to DX-5

This skill represents training in the sport of Basketball. All professional rookie Basketball players have this skill trained to at least DX+0 through a combination of past experience and training. This skill is important when determining experience with the game and its rules, especially in contests between two players.

History(Basketball) (Mental/Hard) Defaults to Sports(Basketball)-6 or IQ-6

This skill represents the study of Basketball throughout history. A Basketball history buff might be able to recall scores from specific games, or what team a player was on for a given season, as well as player and season statistics.

Basketball (Physical/Easy) Defaults to Sports(Basketball)-3 or DX-5

This is the skill of ball handling, to include dribbling, staying in possession of the ball, and gaining possession of it through Interception or Stealing. All professional rookie Basketball players have this skill trained to at least DX+0 through a combination of past experience and training.

This skill is primarily used when your skill at manipulating the ball in close-quarters (i.e. not thrown) are in question.

Basketball Throwing (Physical/Average) Defaults to Weapon(Basketball)-4 or Sports(Basketball)-5

This is the skill of throwing the basketball, either when passing it to another player or shooting it at the hoop. All professional rookie Basketball players have this skill trained to at least DX+0 through a combination of past experience and training.

Basketball Tricks (Mental/Very Hard) Defaults to Sports(Basketball)-5

This is the skill of performing flashy and impressive tricks with the basketball. Ranks in this skill represent familiarity and practice doing tricks in general, but no focus on any specifically. This skill governs any action the GM (or player) determines to require more skill than just basic ball handling or throwing would cover. The GM may also require a Tricks roll for anything flashy, cocky, tricky, risky, or unprofessional. For example, if you attempt to rebound the ball off of your opponent's chest before shooting, that definitely qualifies as a trick.

You may specialize in specific tricks and use that skill instead.

Basketball Advantages

While other advantages may be applicable, these are relevant to real-life Basketball players. The GURPS base advantages are used whenever possible, though some may be renamed or amended specifically for Basketball. Specifically, you may want to consider these base Advantages:

Common Sense
Toughness
High Pain Threshold
Rapid Healing
Luck

You are particularly adept at maintaining possession of the ball, and have spent time training against Steal attempts. You gain a +1 bonus to defense rolls against Stealing.

You enjoy the rush of a successful steal, ripping (or gently nudging) the ball out of someone's unsuspecting hands. Gain a +1 bonus to Steal rolls.

You've always been quick on your feet, so the game's running requirements pose little challenge to you. You always win Speed, Move, and Initiative related ties while playing Basketball.

You are a paragon of the dunk, a master of airtime, and a star on the court. Treat all Shots at the basket as if they were 2 yards shorter. Gain a +1 bonus to any Basketball Tricks roll.

Whether your shot game is weak or you just value the power of teamwork, you excel at moving the ball and assisting your team. Gain a +1 bonus to any Pass roll.

Your high school team would never have gotten as far as they did without you - even the local news took note of your skill. Gain a +1 bonus to Basketball-related Reputation rolls.

No fan of college basketball can talk about your team without mentioning your name specifically, and your performance garnered attention of scouts at every game. You gain a +2 bonus to Basketball-related Reputation rolls.

You are disciplined, dedicated, and have a strict training regime to follow between games. If using Time Use Sheets, your total hours spent studying Basketball-related skills is increased by 10%. Additionally, your time spent studying Basketball skills must be over 50% of your out of game time.

You are able to quickly recover from normal Basketball injuries (pending GM intervention) and get back into the game. If you are out of the game because of an injury (See Basketball Injuries table), make a Health check during your turn to determine if you can return to play early.

Basketball Disadvantages

In addition to the new Disadvantages below, the following base Disadvantages should be considered:

Gigantism
Hard of Hearing
Bad Temper
Combat Paralysis
Gullible
Overconfidence
Unluckiness
Bad Sight/TL5+
Low Pain Threshold
Bully

You have an impulse to bend the rules, to go that little extra bit into foul territory just to see if you can. Whenever you make a Maneuver while in possession of the ball, or on any attempt to Steal, make a Will roll with -2, -3, or -4 modifier depending on ranks taken. If you fail, you cause a Personal Foul on yourself. If you critically fail, you injure the other player and potentially yourself. See Basketball Injuries table.

Exclusive with Team Player Advantage.

You're not here to pass the glory on to your teammates - you're here to get the ball, get big, and get signed. You have a -3 penalty to Passing and Assisting. In fact, you probably would never want to Pass or Assist anyway.

Basketball Maneuvers and Mechanics

These maneuvers are either new, or base maneuvers flavored for Basketball. Many base maneuvers don't necessarily apply to playing a game of basketball, but these are an attempt to stay as close to those base maneuvers as possible while staying true to how players handle and move the ball. Not mentioned are snapshots, but those could potentially be a factor in your play, especially as the shot clock ticks down.

Movement

Whenever you are in possession of the ball, you:

Must do something with the ball within 5 seconds/turns,
Can make only one movement maneuver within those 5 seconds/turns,
Must make a Basketball skill check when making a Move maneuver if your Basketball skill is DX+0 or lower to see if you successfully dribble the entire way, or if you are in a situation where the GM determines your ball handling skills are in question,
May make Step and Shoot or Step and Pass maneuvers without making a dribble check.

During a Move maneuver, any player whose hex you run through may make a Basketball-3 check to see if they steal the ball from you, or otherwise cause you to lose ball control.

Once you have moved while in possession of the ball, you cannot move again, and must stay in one spot. While planted, you can change facing.

Guarding

Whenever you are not in possession of the ball, you are eligible to Guard your opponents. You are guarding if you are:

Within 1 yard/hex (or if not using the grid, if you are within arm's reach) of an opponent, and
Facing that opponent, or facing the same direction as them, and
Not directly behind them

If the opponent you are Guarding fulfills these conditions, you are also being Guarded.

Guarding gives a -2 penalty to all Basketball, Throwing, and Trick rolls.

Passing

Passing the ball is a vital function in the game, and it is almost always necessary to move the ball forward toward and eventual score. You attempt to throw the ball directly to a teammate for them to catch. In order to make a successful Pass, your teammate must be under half of your basketball throw distance, and there must be no opponents in a straight line between you and your teammate. Make a Throwing roll to successfully pass. Your teammate must make a Basketball check to ensure they caught the ball. Any Guarding status penalties apply to both checks.

You may instead choose to make a Bounce Pass, which is the same as a normal Pass, but has a bounce in the center of the travel path. Bounce Passes may be done when opponents are in the line of the pass. Each opponent between you and your teammate that the ball would pass through may make an Intercept check to gain control of the ball.

Shooting

At any time, you may throw the ball in an arc at the hoop to attempt a score. You may attempt a shot anywhere up to your full basketball throw distance by rolling a Throwing check, but incur a -1 penalty for each yard past 1/4th of your throw distance. The first opponent in a straight line between you and the hoop may make an Intercept check to gain control of the ball.

As per the base combat rules, you may also Step and Shoot.

Feint

Feinting in Basketball is slightly different than in the base combat system, but nonetheless still very similar. When you are in possession of the ball, you may attempt a Feint maneuver on someone that is Guarding you. If you succeed, you are no longer in Guarded status (from that specific target) for the remaining time you hold the ball.

Wait for Pass Opportunity

Similar to Opportunity Fire in the base combat rules, you may choose to wait until a teammate moves into a more favorable Passing position by doing the Step and Wait maneuver, then following the Opportunity Fire rules as normal. You may wait until your last turn, which is a maximum of 5. On your last turn, you have to do something with the ball or incur a penalty. While waiting for a pass opportunity, you have a -1 penalty against Stealing.

Stealing

If you are Guarding the player who has possession of the ball, you may make a Basketball contested roll against them with a -2 penalty to attempt to gain possession of the ball.

Wait and Assist

If you are in the "key" area of the court, within one hex of the basket, you may forego your turn and wait until a teammate attempts a shot. If a teammate would make a shot while you are Assisting, that shot gains a +1 bonus to its Throwing roll. If the ball is Intercepted along the way... well, that sucks. Only one player may apply their Assisting bonus to any shot.

Intercept

If the ball passes in front of or over you, you may make a Basketball check with a -3 penalty to attempt to gain possession of the ball. Critical failures send the ball bouncing away in a random direction.

Dunking

If you have trained the Basketball Tricks or Basketball Tricks (Dunking) skills, you may attempt a Dunk maneuver. To do a dunk, you must be within a third of your Jumping skill, rounded down, in yards from the hoop. If you have ran at least half of your Move distance prior to making the Jump attempt, you may jump when you are within half of your Jumping skill in yards. Of course, you can dunk from up-close to the hoop as well, but what's the fun in that?

Roll a successful Basketball Tricks (or relevant specialization) check and roleplay your Dunk. If you fail your Dunk check, roll a Basketball check with a -3 penalty to determine if you succeed on a rebound. One teammate that is Assisting may contribute their bonus to this check. If you fail on the rebound check, the ball bounces off of the headboard in a random direction.

If the Dunk is critically successful, you may optionally apply damage to the Backboard. See Backboard Shattering.

Basketball Injuries

Unlike normal combat situations, a single injury in Basketball can be enough to remove you from the game. Game Masters should decide whether to treat injuries realistically, or as damage against Health like normal. In any case, the player may receive damage from interactions with other players or their own incompetence. There are only a handful of injuries normally sustained, which are listed below. If the situation calls for a greater injury, such as a concussion, that should be decided by the GM.

During normal play, injuries are actually pretty rare. Generally an injury will occur when attempting something risky, fast, or cocky. Making a fast break around a guard, attempting and critically failing a dunk, critically failing an attempt to steal... these kinds of actions are prime avenues for both glory and injury.

The most common injuries are to the ankles, knees, and hips. Older players who have been around a while may be more prone to injury due to wear and tear on their bodies. Players may also experience bruising and scraping from normal play. You may use the table below to roll random common injuries.

ROLL (1d)	INJURY	DAMAGE	LEAVE GAME?
1	Sprained Ankle	1d	1 Quarter
2	Dislocated Knee	1d-1	5 Rounds
3-4	Hip Strain	1d-1	No
5-6	Bruising	1	No

Basketball Violations and Fouls

As a generalization, Basketball has two categories of rulebreaking: violations and fouls. Violations are given when the player is not following the established rules of the game, while Fouls are given when a player makes illegal contact with another player.

Below are generic descriptions of Basketball violations and fouls. Having greater knowledge of the game can help to clarify or expand some of these to be more accurate. However, if all you have are these descriptions, they should suffice for your session.

Violations

Traveling: Not dribbling while moving is a Traveling violation.
Double Dribble: You can only dribble once while in possession of the ball. Stopping the dribble and starting it again for any reason is a Double Dribble violation.
Three Seconds: Staying more than 3 seconds within the key area while on offense is a Three Seconds violation.
Ten Seconds: The offense has 10 seconds to get the ball from their half of the court into the opponent's half.
Over and Back: Once the offense has taken the ball into the defender's side of the court, taking the ball back into their half is an Over and Back violation.
Palming: Placing the hand underneath the ball, or carrying it in any way is a Palming or Carrying violation.
Lane Violation: Leaving the lane lines early during a free throw shot is a Lane Violation.
Kicking: Intentionally kicking the ball or using any kind of intentional leg contact with the ball is a Kicking violation.
Goaltending: Interfering with the ball or touching the net or rim while the ball is being shot is a Goaltending violation.
Out of Bounds: Not strictly a penalty-worthy violation, an Out of Bounds violation happens when the ball touches the ground out of bounds.

Fouls

Blocking: Using your body to prevent another player from moving is a Blocking foul.
Hand Check: Using your hands to prevent another player to prevent or slow another player from moving is a Hand Check foul.
Holding: Grabbing onto another player is a Holding foul.
Illegal Use of Hands: A catch-all foul used when the referee thinks a player's use of their hands was illegal.
Charging: When a player has possession of the ball and runs into a player that has stopped moving, therefore are in their defensive position, that is a Charging foul.
Over the Back: Jumping over someone's back to reach for a ball is a Over the Back foul.
Technical Foul: Fighting, unsportsmanlike conduct, or arguing with the referree can incur a Technical Foul. Depending on the severity, or the chance of people getting hurt, the player may be ejected from the game.

Penalties Depending on the situation and type of foul in basketball, the penalty will be different. Non-shooting fouls generally cause the team to lose possession of the ball. Shooting fouls result in free throws. If the basket was made when the player was fouled, then the basket counts and one free throw is awarded. If the basket wasn't made, then either two free throws or three (if the player was attempting a three point shot when fouled) are awarded. Each time a player commits a foul, they get another personal foul added to their name. If they reach a certain total during they game they will have "fouled out" and will not be allowed to play any more. It takes five fouls to foul out in college and high school, six fouls in the NBA. The total number of team fouls add up during the game as well. After a certain number of fouls, a team is considered "over the limit" and free throws will be awarded for non-shooting fouls. Team fouls are added up per quarter. Four fouls are allowed with two free throws being awarded starting with the fifth foul. Only defensive fouls count toward team fouls.

Simplified Rules

To simplify the game and/or to make it more fast-paced, consider any of the following changes:

Easier Passing: Passing simply requires a *Basketball THrowing* check. The recieving teammate is assumed to be able to catch it.
Easier Dunks: Dunking is automatically successul if any other players are Assisting, skipping the Rebound check.
Less Injuries: Make no Personal Foul or Injury checks unless dictated by Advantages or Disadvantages, or GM discretion.

More Difficult Rules

To make play more complicated, take more time, or increase realism, consider any of the following changes:

Rookie Penalty: For any player whose skills are at DX+0/MT+0 or less, have them roll against History(Basketball) (for mental skills) or Weapon(Basketball) (for physical skills) to determine if they incur a personal foul. Critical failures on these checks may incur injuries.
Earn Your Dunk: To execute a Dunk maneuver, each of the 3 phases must succeed their rolls: the run (*Running*), the jump (*Jumping*), and the dunk (*Basketball Tricks (Dunking)*). The Run phase has a -2 penalty for each opponent passed during the run. The Jump phase has a -2 penalty if the Jump is made in a hex adjacent to an opponent. The Dunk phase has a -3 penalty if any opponents are within 1 hex of the hoop.
Injuries Are Meaningful: Being dealt one injury sends the player out of the game for at least one Quarter. At the end of that quarter, according to the Basketball Injuries table, they may need to roll a Health check to return to play. While this player is out, the team may sub someone in, otherwise they must play short-manned.
Unlimited Interceptions: Any opponent in a straight line between you and your intended Throwing target, may roll to Intercept, not just the first.