Farming is the IQ/A TL skill of growing plant crops on a large scale, and the associated practical knowledge. It defaults to IQ-5, Biology-3 or Gardening-3. There would seem to be scope for optional specialisations, such as (Rice) or (Oranges). There are no listed modifiers in Basic, but some of the Gardening modifiers below would make sense, as would generic equipment modifiers. These could sensibly include the quality of your seeds or other starting stock, fertilisers, and measures against weeds and pests. Doing irrigation is also Farming, or Expert Skill (Hydrology). Farming animals is herding, which is done using the appropriate Animal Handling specialisation, with Farming and Veterinary as likely supporting skills.
Gardening is the IQ/E non-TL skill of growing plants on a small scale, and associated practical knowledge. It defaults to IQ-4, or Farming-3, and has lots of modifiers: -2 to -4 for each of an unfamiliar method, such as hydroponics when you're used to soil; a different class of plant, such as herbs, vegetables or trees; or a different geographic region, which presumably means a different climate. Equipment modifiers would also make sense.
Farming appears on a reasonable number of character templates, given that GURPS doesn't try to provide templates for populations. Gardening is rarer, usually appearing as a hobby. Bio-Tech has some material on high-tech farming. DF7: Clerics requires Farming for clerics and holy warriors of agricultural deities, and DF9: Summoners gives spirits of place Farming. Fantasy has agricultural disasters, and Fantasy-Tech has floral clocks, via Gardening. High-Tech has Farming as a skill for getting chemicals to make explosives. Low-Tech and LTC3 have more detail about low-tech Farming and some on Gardening. As usual, PU3 and PU7 have examples including these skills. Chinese Elemental Powers has abilities that can boost them, and Ultra-Tech supplies weather control satellites and harvester swarms. Zombies reminds us that after an apocalypse, you still have to grow food.
Although Farming has been the most common job skill in human history, it isn't all that exciting, or important in most adventures. I have played in a (OD&D) fantasy campaign where there was an important school of "Land Magic" which raised crop yields impressively, producing a major disaster when the land mages were conscripted for a war and lots of them got killed, but that was definitely an exception.
I don't think I've ever had a character with either of these skills. They're worth having in GURPS for simulative purposes, and I'm keen to be surprised by stories of their use in adventures.
[Basic] Skill of the week: Farming and Gardening
Gardening is the IQ/E non-TL skill of growing plants on a small scale, and associated practical knowledge. It defaults to IQ-4, or Farming-3, and has lots of modifiers: -2 to -4 for each of an unfamiliar method, such as hydroponics when you're used to soil; a different class of plant, such as herbs, vegetables or trees; or a different geographic region, which presumably means a different climate. Equipment modifiers would also make sense.
Farming appears on a reasonable number of character templates, given that GURPS doesn't try to provide templates for populations. Gardening is rarer, usually appearing as a hobby. Bio-Tech has some material on high-tech farming. DF7: Clerics requires Farming for clerics and holy warriors of agricultural deities, and DF9: Summoners gives spirits of place Farming. Fantasy has agricultural disasters, and Fantasy-Tech has floral clocks, via Gardening. High-Tech has Farming as a skill for getting chemicals to make explosives. Low-Tech and LTC3 have more detail about low-tech Farming and some on Gardening. As usual, PU3 and PU7 have examples including these skills. Chinese Elemental Powers has abilities that can boost them, and Ultra-Tech supplies weather control satellites and harvester swarms. Zombies reminds us that after an apocalypse, you still have to grow food.
Although Farming has been the most common job skill in human history, it isn't all that exciting, or important in most adventures. I have played in a (OD&D) fantasy campaign where there was an important school of "Land Magic" which raised crop yields impressively, producing a major disaster when the land mages were conscripted for a war and lots of them got killed, but that was definitely an exception.
I don't think I've ever had a character with either of these skills. They're worth having in GURPS for simulative purposes, and I'm keen to be surprised by stories of their use in adventures.
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