Palladium Books® Weekly Update – January 5, 2012

By Kevin Siembieda

This year we pull out all the stops!

I mean it.

I’ve done a lot of reflection and planning these past few weeks (heck, the last several months) and I am revved up for action. So are the rest of the Palladium crew.

In a lot of this Weekly Update I’m going to talk about Palladium’s future, new books, us and you. Most of it is very exciting and good. Some of it bad unless we can get your help.

Let’s start with the good.

I know that Palladium has had many amazing creators in our long history. Super-talents like Erick Wujcik, Kevin Long, Ramon Perez, Freddie Williams, Keith Parkinson, and others. HOWEVER, I think Palladium’s current crop of creators are going mega with some of the best work of our careers and improving with every book. You will agree when you see:

  • Rifts® Lemuria
  • Dead Reign™ Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead™
  • Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook
  • Robotech® Genesis Pits™
  • Rifts® Black Market
  • Rifts® Northern Gun™
  • Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames

And those are just the notable books we have planned for the first 3-4 months of 2012. I’ll see to it that ALL our game lines are supported.

Talent explosion. As exciting as those titles are, and as much as they are going to knock your socks off, “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” I cannot even express in words the level of commitment and excitement we are seeing from all our Palladium creators. Many of the artists like Mark Dudley, Chuck Walton, Nick Bradshaw, Mike Mumah, Apollo Okamura, Mike Wislon, Noah Page and others are much more than just pencil jockeys who draw pretty pictures, they are creators with amazing ideas. They are also so committed that ALL are working at reduced pay and/or delayed payments and still banging out their best work ever! And I seem to be getting contacted by new talent EVERY MONTH who want to jump on board at Palladium Books.

The same holds true for Palladium’s writers. These guys are knocking out books filled with amazing and new ideas. Carl Gleba, Matthew Clements, Greg Diacyzk, Irvin Jackson, Brandon Aten, Braden Campbell and others are rocking like never before. Rifts® Lemuria is going knock your socks off! So will Endless Dead™, Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook and all the titles listed above. All of them. And these are only the books and projects you know about. I’m telling you, we have one truly amazing new sourcebook in development after another, and have ideas and the talent for a hundred more.

We have plans to release sourcebooks for The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Beyond the Supernatural™, Splicers®, Heroes Unlimited™, Robotech®, Nightbane®, Dead Reign™, Chaos Earth™, and Rifts®. All will be epic sourcebooks and many are titles you have been waiting for. Even the line-up of material for issues of The Rifter® is impressive.

I don’t think I have been this excited about new releases and the potential for the company since I founded it more than three decades ago. And I have never been more impressed with the battery of talent at our disposal.

Palladium’s potential has never been greater. NEVER.

Tragedy, illness and loss slowed production to a disappointing crawl the last few years, and 2011 was perhaps only marginally better. I take much of the blame.

In 2011 I found myself consumed with helping loved ones and in the short-term, the business has suffered for it. First thing, January 20ll, Alex, my best friend since 8th grade, long-time Palladium editor and key employee, endures a house fire. For a number of reasons, his family (including his 88 year old mother, sister and two young nieces) are unable to help, and there was no insurance money either. A family member other than Alex was responsible for the homeowner’s insurance and had failed to pay it. The situation was bad. Think about how devastated you would feel if you lost your home and everything inside of it. The emotional and financial toll was devastating on Alex. His family in shock and helpless. As soon as I realized the severity of the situation, I jumped in to help on all levels. It stole a lot of my time and energy, but over the months, we managed to get the house repaired. (The interiors were shot but the exterior of the brick home was salvageable.) The burden of the repairs and rebuilding fell on Alex and I, the finances all Alex.

The strain took a heavy toll on Alex, but he held it together like a true hero. However, I was worried about him. He had lost a lot of weight, looked frail and was not himself. Just as house repairs were being finished and the family was preparing to move back home, we got the news that Alex had a rare and life-threatening blood disease.

Yes, life-threatening. As in could drop dead at any moment. The doctor gave us a timetable: if they could get Alex’s condition under control over the next 3-5 months, he should be okay and his illness brought to a manageable level. HOWEVER, during that 3-5 month window there was a good chance Alex could die. Here is my layman’s description of the situation: Alex’s blood was thick as mud. That could lead to any number of sudden problems, most notably a blood clot, heart attack and death, or blood clot, stroke and death, along with several equally scary and deadly scenarios. Alex was at such a great risk that the doctor insisted we go directly from his office, down the hall so Alex could get his first treatment. The rest of the day was spent running to the pharmacy, taking pills, adjusting to the news and tackling the situation head on. Being told you are deathly ill is not an easy thing to take. It made a powerful impact on Alex and I. With Erick Wujcik’s sudden illness and death six month later in 2008, and all too many deaths in recent years – my Dad, Erick, Keith, Uncle Skip, Aunt Lottie, Kathy’s sister – it was an emotional blow that hung heavy on us both. I was determined to do everything I could to avoid losing my other oldest and dearest of best friends.

I didn’t share this with you at the time, because Palladium Books has gone through so much tragedy, trouble and loss these past several years, I didn’t want Palladium fans to despair or give up on us. Also, because Alex had a positive fighting outlook and I didn’t want to see chatter online speculating about his possible demise diminish that fighting spirit. Alex had enough on his plate and I thought it best to keep things quiet for his sake.

Though he never said as much, I believe Alex thought he was going to die, because he began to put his affairs in order. He looked terrible. Pale and gaunt like someone out of a refugee camp, and his eyes an unnatural red color. I helped Alex as much as possible on all levels, I helped take care of the final details of the house and getting the occupancy permit, his health, his emotional state, taking him to the doctors and for his treatments, and being there for him as much as possible. For a few months, Alex needed someone to look over his shoulders and help him think straight. Erick Wujcik was there for me when I was in that state of mind, now I was there for Alex. At the worst of it, Alex stayed with me at my apartment for something like 6-7 weeks. All of this continued to take its toll on poor Alex, and he teetered on the verge of a nervous breakdown on top of everything else. I was stressed to the max. Kathy and the guys were worried. As you might imagine, it was hardest for Alex, but also for the rest of us. It made focusing and getting work done difficult, to say the least.

Even though I pushed myself harder than ever, I was writing slow and it felt like it took an act of God to get Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms done in time for a Gen Con release.

As it turned out, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms was a hit, Gen Con was worthwhile and, though he was still in the danger zone, Alex was responding well to treatment. Then, a week or so after Gen Con, Alex was hospitalized for stress related problems and I was developing some health issues of my own. I felt like we were falling apart, but tried to keep rolling, keep writing, keep pressing forward.

Alex got better. Much better. By the end of September (or was it October?), we got the happy news that he was out of danger. His disease under control, his blood levels good, and he had bounced back as well as anyone could hope for. Now he has to “manage” it and keep it under control. Odds are good that it should not advance and turn into cancer. The future looks good for Alex.

At this point, my own body was telling me I had problems of my own. I wasn’t going to make a public announcement, but my relationship with you is much different than most CEOs or even creators and their fans and customers. We’re much more like friends and family. We care about each other, have gone through a lot together. Besides, it took me awhile to adjust to the news and my new lifestyle, which contributed to my inability to write these past few month.

I have Type 2 Diabetes. On one hand it is not a devastating disease and it does not have immediate, life threatening consequences. On the other hand, it is a progressive disease with some serious immediate and long-term consequences most people don’t talk about. In short, it sucks. It made me angry as hell. In between I was sad and depressed. It took time for me to adjust to the news and learn about the disease (an ongoing process). I took immediate action to get it under control and managed, but it felt like one more piece of garbage I didn’t need and had to deal with. This news bummed out the guys, and especially Alex. Depending on the day, I would be positive, angry, sad, depressed or consumed with learning about and managing the disease. It wrecked my ability to focus and write, which is why it has taken so long for me to finish my work on Rifts® Lemuria. Meanwhile, I was juggling holidays, juggling finances, shepherding along new projects and continuing to put things in place so we can release a lot of great new product every single month of the new year. That’s also why I became quieter online. I didn’t know what to say or I was feeling blue, confused, mentally exhausted or just plain untalkative.

There is good news. I feel like I have a good handle on my diabetes. I’m feeling positive and generally pretty good. I’m monitoring my blood and currently do NOT need insulin shots. I’m taking a drug called metformin twice a day. I won’t have a clear idea how well I’m managing my diabetes and related concerns for another 2-6 months, but I feel like I’m doing very well. So do the people around me who know a little about diabetes and health matters. I’ve changed my diet, I’m eating healthy, I’ve lost 35 pounds and dropped two waist sizes in three and a half months. I exercise (mostly brisk walks and cardio up and down stairs) for 30 minutes once or twice a day EVERY day, I’ve trimmed my work hours to 10-12 hours a day, and have tried to take time off over the holidays and will continue to do so on weekends. I hope to reduce work and stress more over time, but that’s the hard part. Especially the stress. Money concerns, cash flow, deadlines and the welfare of the Palladium crew weigh on me all too often.

And there’s the rub. After another rough year with too few new releases and a lot of effort to put Palladium into a position where we are finally poised to release a ton of great, new role-playing product, sales are soft and Palladium is strapped for cash. To complicate matters, the first four months of the year are historically the worst sales period for the RPG industry. So I’m worried as we start the new year.

My goal for 2012 is to make Palladium strong once and for all. That means one or two new releases every month. We are in a position to do just that. I’m feeling good and I’m highly motivated. So is Palladium’s amazing gallery of freelance writers and artists. Greatness awaits.

It is time to make that big, final push.

This brings us back to you.

We need your help and support.

Please don’t take Palladium for granted. We need you to buy the new products when they are released, and we need you to talk them and Palladium up. Spread the word about us and our products.

Be our PR force. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we need YOU to be Palladium’s evangelists and PR team. We need you to spread the word about Palladium Books, the extended Christmas Surprise Package offer, our new releases, the Palladium Open House, local gaming events, and why gamers should try our games.

Palladium will be doing its part by attending a few extra conventions this year and being much more active online. Palladium is going to start posting brief video chats and interviews with me online. The guys and I are going to be posting more in Murmurs from the Megaverse® and on Facebook. Carmen Bellaire is going to start doing video reviews of Palladium product, the first of which will appear this month. We are going to start offering more PDF products and sneak previews online, and we have a couple of top secret projects I’ll be revealing in the next month or two.

Forget about the Rifts® movie and whether it may or may not ever be made. Yes, it is exciting. Yes, we want it made, but we can’t waste our time sitting around dreaming about it. We – you, me, all of us – need to make things happen for Palladium NOW. It is time for us to make our move.

I’m ready to pull out all the stops, and we need you to do the same.

Role-playing games are on the upswing. We see it every day. This past year, we heard from more first-time players of Palladium RPGs and defectors from other popular RPGs than ever. People are finding us and loving the game system and world settings. Help us make more people find Palladium by talking us up on Facebook, Twitter, web sites, game stores and everywhere you can think of. Be part of our voice to the rest of the world. It is time to make that happen faster and in a bigger way. YOU can make it happen.

If you have been thinking about making a purchase, but haven’t gotten around to it yet, please do so. Now is a great time to do it. Purchases in the winter months help us immensely.

Get a subscription to The Rifter®. The Rifter® Subscription drive starts later this month and runs to the end of February. The subscription is inexpensive and usually includes a free gift during the drive. Take advantage of it and renew your subscription.

If you have never subscribed to The Rifter®, I suggest you do so during the subscription drive when you get the lowest price. Do it because it will provide you with plenty of new ideas and source material for your games. Do it to support Palladium. Do it because The Rifter® is fun and worthwhile. It really is.

The Rifter® is a useful resource for new ideas, alternative views, new monsters, new villains, new gear, new adventure and more. It is written by gamers just like YOU, for you. It’s a print medium in which you can share your ideas, characters and adventures with other gamers by submitting material for publication. I wish a lot more people would submit articles and source material to The Rifter® on a regular basis. Please don’t be shy. Don’t fear rejection. Take a shot and send in 10-20 pages of material for our consideration. You might just get published. We want source material and adventures for ALL Palladium game lines. Hungry to see source material or adventures for Palladium Fantasy®, Heroes Unlimited™, Splicers® or BTS™, submit them for publication in The Rifter. Share your ideas with all of us!

Get a dang Christmas Surprise Package before it is too late. I know many of you are strapped for cash, but that’s exactly why we make this offer available. Take advantage of the extended Surprise Package before it ENDS January 15, 2012.

The Christmas Surprise Package enables you to get Palladium product at what boils down to a 60% discount, plus autographs if you want them, and a chance to get original art. It really is an amazing deal. It is also a great way to get gifts for upcoming birthdays, anniversaries and graduations in the months ahead. The Grab Bag offer ends January 15, 2012 and will not be extended any longer. Of course, we make a much bigger profit from individual sales at full price, but every little bit helps, and we WANT YOU to try new games and world settings, treat yourself after the holidays, fill in holes in your collections, and have a blast. While you’re at it, spread the word about the Surprise Package, recommend it to other gamers and make sure they know that there is less than two weeks to get one!

Other sales. Get original artwork, Palladium products and collectibles “at sale prices” right now at my Ebay store. I’m also selling hundreds of toys and action figures from my private collection, all of which are posted at low prices to begin with, and are currently “on sale” at an additional 30% discount. The Ebay store sale ends January 9, 2012. This is your last weekend to get items at super-low prices. http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

New Palladium collectibles, prints, original artwork and toys and action figures will be added on a weekly basis in the weeks and months ahead. Get ‘em while you can. Many are one-of-a-kind items or the last few of existing items in my or Palladium’s archives. The money goes to make sure we have the resources to print our many new titles and get out of print titles back in print.

Hardcover gold editions of Rifts®, Heroes Unlimited™, Rifts® Ultimate Edition, Beyond the Supernatural™, and a Palladium Fantasy Crimson will all go up in auction, Saturday night of the Palladium Open House, as well as proofreader copies, original art, signed first printings and other rare stuff from my personal collection and the Palladium archives. Many are the last or one of the few left in our possession. A few such items may also be offered in my online store so keep an eye open for them.

UPDATE: Online Sales. They suck at the moment. You can help in the ways noted above. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

UPDATE: Rifts® Lemuria. I’m obsessed and consumed with getting this book finished and in your hands before the end of January. You can place your pre-orders with confidence. Oh yeah, this book will blow your mind.

UPDATE: The Rifter #57. Wayne is working on it now. It goes to the printer next week. January release. Order your stand-alone copy or newbies can start your subscription to it with this issue. You won’t be sorry. Palladium Fantasy® fans take note, this issue is filled with creatures for Palladium Fantasy®. See the description elsewhere in this Update. January release.

UPDATE: Dead Reign™ Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead™. Next. As soon as I’m done with Lemuria, this frightening addition to the Dead Reign™ RPG series is next. The 96 page sourcebook presents zombies like you have never seen them, 7 new types of them, 5 new survivor O.C.C.s including the Wheelman and Zombie Hunter, vehicle armor rules, many encounter tables, adventure tables, what the military is doing and more. A February release.

UPDATE: What’s next after that? Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook, Robotech® Genesis Pits™, Rifts® Black Market, Rifts® Northern Gun™ One and Two, Megaverse® in Flames, pretty much in that order, plus a possible surprise or two.

QUESTION: Ask yourself why you aren’t making plans to attend the 2012 Palladium Open House, especially if you live near Michigan, and doubly so if money is not a concern. Do it. Come on down. I’m telling you to do it. Get your admission ticket this weekend. Palladium Open House – May 4, 5 & 6 - VIP Night is Thursday, May 3, 2012. The last of the VIP tickets will go on sale February 1, 2012.

Whew. So that’s where we’ve been and why books were so late and MIA in 2011. This is where we want to go. Won’t you help us make this all a reality? Please do.

I figure this is plenty to chew on, so I’ll save the new book descriptions, release schedule and other news for the next Weekly Update. Keep those imaginations burning bright and game on!

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer and Game Designer

Fan Comments from Christmas Grab Bags

During the holiday season, we like to let you see some of the many comments we get with the Christmas Surprise Packages. It’s a nice way to acknowledge some of our fans and to share with you the words we hear from gamers throughout the world. We show only the person’s initials as some people would rather keep their identity private. Our thanks for your kind words of appreciation and encouragement. We’re happy to see so many satisfied customers and the rampant enthusiasm.

Extended till January 15, 2012. A I usually do, I have extended the Christmas Surprise Packages offer so that everyone who wants one has a fair chance at getting one. There will be no other extensions. You are down to less than two weeks to get your Surprise Package.

The Surprise Packages are our way of giving back to you, our wonderful fans, and saying thank you. Keep those imaginations burning bright. I’ll let fan comments from Surprise Packages take it from here. – Kevin Siembieda

M.W. at Fort Hood, Texas, writes: Dear Palladium Books, I want to thank you all for all of the good times that you brought me and my squad in Afghanistan. After living in hell for a year, it was nice to be able to escape into someplace else. You helped me and my fellow soldiers keep our sanity. Thank you so much.

D.W. in Oxford, Missouri, writes: The X-Mas Grab Bag is one of, if not the absolute best, gift deals available – and I’m not just talking about gaming either. I look forward to ordering mine every year and only wish that I had known about it much earlier! The options are fantastic, the surprise makes it fun, and it is easy to buy gifts for fellow gamers, as well as gives me an excuse to snag some stuff I want! Palladium Books rocks!!!

R.C. in Toronto, Canada, writes: Thanks to everyone at Palladium for their great work and perseverance. Just found work after being unemployed myself for 2.5 years and now I can get new stuff. :D

A.L in Kennesaw, Georgia, writes: I’ve been ordering the Surprise Package as gifts and for myself for the past three years (this will be my 4th year), and I want to thank you guys for making such an awesome deal available. It makes buying gifts for my Rifts® loving friends easier and allows me to grab the books my local gaming store doesn’t carry as a present for myself. Anywho, keep up the good work of writing an amazing world, and we’ll keep buying them! Happy Holidays to you all.

J.D. in Modesto, California, writes: I love the [game] system! The fact everything works together is amazing! I started out playing WoTC D20 Star Wars and while it is fun, your system is far better. I hope to be buying many more books from Palladium over the years!

J.J. in Rockport, Texas, writes: I love your products. Having players roll for dodge and parry makes the game more interactive and enhances the gamers’ focus. Your Armor Rating rules are also second to none. Much more realistic than other RPGs.

T.D.P. in Annadale, Virginia, writes: I love the Surprise Packages. I need a second one for this year.

M.R. in Spokane Valley, Washington, writes: The Palladium world has given me a place to relax when I play every week and a whole new group of friends.

M.B. in Appleton, Wisconsin, writes: Thank you so much for the wonders you have laid the groundwork for that I have brought into other people’s lives and into my own life. The art I have gotten in previous years has helped with both Christmas cheer and year round decoration for our gaming space. Additionally, my players joke about the signed books I have and that they don’t want to use them and should buy them again. I have rarely seen that kind of reverence from this group of people. . . In a way, you have brought back the inner child in this group of rowdy adults and I thank you.

M.L. in Delta, Ohio, writes: You guys are great. Hope your holidays are just as awesome as you make them for all of your fans. Rifts® will always be my first and favorite RPG!

R.C. in Albuquerque, New Mexico, writes: Thank you Kevin and all of the Palladium staff for decades of fond memories, and a few good sad ones with fallen heroes.

J.H. in Des Moines, Washington, writes: I love this game system. Keep up the good work!!

J.D. in Palmdale, California, writes: Going to be GMing a Palladium game for the first time starting tomorrow – Nightbane®. I’ve GMed other systems before, but not Palladium. Really enjoyed the Rifts® G.M. Kit [by Carl Gleba]. Hoping for a Nightbane® and Splicers® version soon (particularly Morphus, Host Armor, War Mount, Wing Pack and Biotic versions of the Cyborg worksheets).

C.M. in Waukesha, Wisconsin, writes: I’ve been laid off for two years. Recently recalled to my old job and ready to get back into gaming. Been a fan of Palladium for almost 30 years and even have the Robotech® fanzine with Kevin in it. Hope Santa Siembieda and his elves can help make it a great Christmas and been following your news and just want you to know you guys are in my thoughts. Best wishes and thanks for the years of fun!

J.P.W. in San Antonio, Texas, writes: I have been playing Rifts® since a friend introduced me to role-playing in 1995. Since then, I have tried many other game systems from the most popular to the extremely vague. Apart from a few tweaks inspired by these other games, Palladium has always been my favorite system. While some other people dislike the vagueness of the mechanics, particularly as compared to D&D and other D20 games, I like the fact that as a GM, I am free to make on the spot alterations and rulings without having to worry about rules that say to do this or that, or that bog me down. Hands down my favorite part of Palladium’s games is the rich and diverse mythology given to all your game worlds. To me they make it seem more alive . . . thank you for making such a wonderful setting and game system.

Only two weekends to order your Christmas Surprise Package – offer ends January 15, 2012

It’s not too late to get the best deal in gaming, but it will be soon. Don’t wait, order NOW!

$80-$90 worth of merchandise (sometimes more) for only $38 plus shipping and handling, is one of the best holiday and post-holiday deals anywhere. And you also get autographs in every book if you want them and the element of surprise with your wish list. Heck, the Palladium Christmas Surprise Package may be the “very best gift” money can buy, period! At least for gamers. Buy one or several as gifts for your friends or for yourself.

Remember, Surprise Packages make great gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, housewarmings, graduations, and other gift-giving occasions – especially if they are coming up in January, February and March, heck, even this Spring. Not to mention it is a nice opportunity to fill in your own collection or try new game settings, or get back issues of The Rifter® or original art, art prints and autographs.

The Winter is long. Fill your nights and weekends role-playing with the new books you get in a Surprise Package. For a lot of people this is the only way to get books signed by some of the creators and Palladium staff. What are you waiting for? Time is running out, so order yours today. There’s no better way to start the New Year.

Click here to order yours today.

To make sure you get your Surprise Package, PLEASE make sure your Surprise Package Wish List/Special Wants are clear and numerous, include 8-12 currently available books/items, and make certain your address is complete and correct. We MUST have a complete street address including Apartment Number to ship via UPS. UPS cannot ship to a P.O. Box (see Priority). If you give us the wrong or incomplete address and the order gets lost – the loss is yours. Palladium cannot replace the order as a result of your mistake or omission. Remember, we are packing Christmas Surprise Packages full, often with $85-$100+ worth of product, and Palladium cannot afford to send the package out twice due to your mistake. We hope you understand. Likewise, numbered, limited editions and original artwork can NOT be replaced if lost. BE CAREFUL, send your complete, current address – including your apartment number – and use a reliable, trackable and insured method of shipping like UPS.

Note to Customers Outside the U.S.A.: 1. You, the customer, are responsible for any and all duty, taxes or Customs fees. Books have the lowest fees and duty, but they can still be costly (typically around $20-$30). 2. Palladium Books is not responsible for any delays at Customs. We cannot guarantee time of arrival, so give yourself a few extra days. International Priority Mail should arrive within 5-7 business days, but give yourself a little extra time to be safe. 3. Palladium charges you ONLY for ACTUAL postage plus a small handling fee. We are a small company and can not offer the low or no shipping that big companies like Amazon are able to provide. We hope you understand.

Rifts Ultimate Edition

Rifts® Ultimate Edition – Available now

Rifts® Ultimate Edition is a beautiful, 376 page, hardcover role-playing game waiting to be your first step into the amazing Rifts® Earth setting®, for only $39.95 retail. It contains everything you need to start playing except dice, friends and imagination.

Rifts® is the ultimate, multi-genre setting that combines science fiction and fantasy with horror, adventure, and superheroes in a plausible and compelling post-apocalyptic setting unlike anything else on the market. It provides avenues of adventure you’ve never imagined, challenges the imagination and is fun, fun, fun.

Magic and super-science coexist in a wild post-apocalyptic setting where humans and alien life forms clash, and magic and technology collide. Thus, dragons, demons and monsters walk alongside giant robots, cyborgs and augmented warriors. High-tech warriors and tech-based mutants are pitted against (or working with) mages, creatures of magic, Faerie Folk, powerful psychics and alien beings from beyond the Rifts.

The Rifts are tears in the fabric of space and time that allow “things” from an infinite number of worlds to travel to Rifts Earth. This includes alien people and explorers, to mythical beings like dragons and Faeries, to dinosaurs, demons, ancient gods and unimaginable monstrosities. Those adventurers with the knowledge or the right connections can also travel through the Rifts to other places on Earth in the blink of an eye, as well as to an array of alien worlds and dimensions

Any adventure conceivable is possible in Rifts® where players are limited only by their imaginations.

  • 30+ player characters including the Mind Melter, Juicer, Glitter Boy, Cyber-Knight, Crazies, Burster, Dog Boy, Psi-Stalker, Dragon Hatchling (yes, a player can be a dragon!), and many others.
  • Magic player characters include the Techno-Wizard, Ley Line Walker, Mystic, Ley Line Rifter, and others.
  • The self-proclaimed “saviors of humanity” are the soldiers of the Coalition States, but are they heroes or an enemy as dangerous as any monster from the Rifts?
  • Equipment varies with the player character and ranges from power armor and high-tech to magic items.
  • Character creation system that builds memorable characters.
  • Expansive section on psionic abilities.
  • Expansive section on magic and skills.
  • Expansive section on the Rifts Earth setting.
  • Fun, fast combat system, adventure ideas and much more.
  • Created and written by Kevin Siembieda. Cover by Scott Johnson.
  • More than 80 supplements to expand your game and introduce new heroes.
  • 376 pages, 24 pages of color, dynamic art throughout – $39.95 retail – Cat. No. 800HC – available now.

Palladium to hold the line on price

I just want to reiterate that we have no intention of raising the cover price on most of our other books. However, we may increase the price of some core rule books, such as the Dead Reign™ RPG, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited™, and others by a couple dollars as they go into new printings. In this tough economy, we want to continue to keep our prices low and the entry level for Palladium’s games the most affordable on the market. Spread the word.

The Rifter® #57

Ships January

The Rifter® is your doorway to unlimited imagination and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new heroes, powers, weapons, magic and adventure for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider.

This issue is jam-packed with monsters, weird animals, and other wild things to make your games more fun and unpredictable.

  • Rifts® – new weapons and vehicles.
  • Beyond the Supernatural™ – monsters and supernatural threats.
  • Palladium Fantasy® – monsters and dangerous animals.
  • For all game settings – Genie bottles and dimensional pockets.
  • Rifts® – The Brodkil War Machinist and more!
  • News and coming attractions.
  • Fiction and more.
  • Cover by Charles Walton II.
  • 96 pages – still only $11.95 retail – Cat. No. 157. January release.

Robotech New Generation Sourcebook

NEW! Robotech® The New Generation Sourcebook

Available now! Have you ordered yours?

This sourcebook is epic in scope and opens up an entirely new range of game play by allowing mecha and O.C.C.s from all eras of Robotech® in one setting.

For the first time ever, Veritech Fighters, Destroids, Battloids, Hover Tanks, Cyclones, and something called “Frankenmecha” – giant mecha amalgamations that combine the limbs, weapons and body parts of two or more mecha. There are also rules for creating Frankenmecha, new weapons and vehicles, seven new resistance fighter character classes, Invid Hives, key characters from the TV show, world overview and more. 8½ x 11 book format (not manga size), 96 pages.

The battle for the liberation of Earth starts here. For the first time in its history, the Earth has been invaded and occupied by alien invaders – the Invid. The Invid think they have won, but Freedom Fighters, UEEF soldiers and other heroes continue to fight until they win.

  • 7 new O.C.C.s – including the Freedom Fighter, Patcher, Urchin, Wasteland Rider, Pathfinder, Invid Genetics Experiments, and Invid Cyborg Experiments, plus Invid Prince and Princess.
  • The resistance and how it operates in the New Generation setting.
  • New weapons, vehicles and mecha.
  • A setting where Battloids, Veritechs, power armor, technology and O.C.C.s from ALL eras of Robotech® come together.
  • “Frankenmecha” – kit-bashed mecha creations that combine the parts, weapons and limbs of two or more different mecha.
  • Rules for jury-rigging and combining parts from different generations of Robotech® mecha to create “Frankenmecha.”
  • Vehicle Combat Rules, Tactics and Maneuvers.
  • Vehicle control penalties.
  • Guidelines for survival and rules for exposure.
  • Stats for notable New Generation characters like Rand and Rook.
  • Invid Hives, world overview and adventure ideas galore.
  • Written by Irvin Jackson. Additional text by Kevin Siembieda.
  • Cover by Apollo Okamura.
  • An 8½ x 11 inch sourcebook (not manga size).
  • 96 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 554. Available now.

Rifts: Path of the Storm

NEW! Rifts® Path of the Storm

– One writer’s vision for the Rifts® movie – Available Now

Everyone wants to know what’s going on with the Rifts® movie. Well, this book presents an insight and behind the scenes info on that front by Kevin Siembieda, plus an entire screenplay written on speculation by Matthew Clements as well as game stats and artwork for major characters in the script. Kevin was so impressed with the writer’s screenplay that he had Matthew make changes and improvements and sent the second draft to Jerry Bruckheimer Films for their consideration. Meanwhile, Matthew and Kevin hit it off and the next thing he knew he became Palladium’s new staff writer.

We thought it would be fun to let Rifts® gamers and Palladium fans see the type of Rifts® movie we at Palladium Books would like to see made. So we are presenting Matthew’s screenplay as a proposed Rifts® movie script and Rifts® sourcebook. The screenplay is a fast, fun adventure story that is sure to please Rifts fans. To make it more fun, the author has statted out the key characters in the script and gamers can use the heroes, villains and story ideas in their own campaign should they choose to do so.

This is a unique product and a fun read that should appeal to all Palladium fans. After all, it lets the reader step behind the veil and see what goes on behind the scenes.

  • A complete movie screenplay, with dialog.
  • A story that captures the feel and attitude of Rifts®.
  • Character stats for inclusion in your own games.
  • Three new demons and other villains.
  • Use the story and ideas in your own Rifts® campaign.
  • Some concept art and character illustrations.
  • A fun read and insight behind the scenes at Palladium.
  • Cover and interior artwork by Charles Walton.
  • Written by Matthew Clements. Additional notes by Kevin Siembieda.
  • 96 pages – $12.95 retail – Cat. No. 305. Available now.

Rifts World Book: Lemuria

NEW! Rifts® World Book: Lemuria

Ships January

The power, secrets and magic of the underwater realm of Lemuria revealed. Player characters can use symbiotes, magic and technology to breathe underwater and spend time below the waves.

Lemuria is more than an underwater civilization of aquatic beings. They can trace their lineage as far back as the Atlanteans and can survive on dry land as well as underwater. In fact, their greatest secret is that there is no one resting place for the Lemurians, their great cities are always moving. Learn about the people of Lemuria, new Biomancy magic and weapons, Biomancy engineered riding animals, sea herbs, new powers of healing, sea monsters, and more. Epic adventure awaits.

  • The Lemurians, their race, history and society.
  • New O.C.C.s including the Serpent Hunter, Shriekers, Oceanic Guardsman, Biomancer Gene-Mage and others.
  • The Stone Guardians of Easter Island and other mysteries.
  • Biomancer Gardens and Aquatic Biomancy.
  • Living Biomancy armor, weapons and equipment.
  • Symbiotic creatures and constructs; some that enable air-breathers to survive underwater indefinitely.
  • Sea Serpents, Sea Dragons, monsters, and riding animals.
  • New dangers, new challenges, adventure ideas and more.
  • Written by Greg Diaczyk.
  • Cover by John Zeleznik.
  • 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 885. Final page count and price may be subject to expansion and increase. January release.

Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead

NEW! Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead

Ships February

As time goes on, the zombie hordes only grow in number and strangeness. This book contains horrifying new zombies to haunt your player characters along with new O.C.C.s and tons of tables for detailing Survivors’ Hideouts, Safe Haven Communities, Death Cults and more. Survival is not enough. Now is the time for the war against the Endless Dead™. This book is going to be epic. Kevin and all the Palladium creators are pushing the envelope with each and every book they work on.

  • New types of zombies like the Fused Zombie, Multi-Zombie, Parasite Juggernaut and Walking Mass Grave.
  • New O.C.C.s including the Survivalist, Watcher, Wheelman, Zombie Hunter and Zombie Researcher.
  • More information on vehicles and tables for adding custom armor, weapons and anti-zombie defenses.
  • Rules for vehicle combat and zombie-fighting in vehicles.
  • Generation tables and random encounter tables for military bases, police stations, gun stores, buildings, suburbs, industrial parks, small towns, farmland and wilderness.
  • Tables for creating Survivor caravans, hideouts, hermits, Safe Haven Communities and Death Cults.
  • Timetable for setting campaigns during the Wave, the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse or months into the reign of the dead.
  • Stats for some of North America’s dangerous wildlife, a threat to survivors and zombies alike.
  • Written by Kevin Siembieda and Matthew Clements.
  • Cover by E.M. Gist. Interior art by Mumah, Bradshaw and others.
  • 96 pages $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 233. February release.

Available Now

Dead Reign T-Shirt

Dead Reign T-Shirt

– The Zombie Apocalypse – Available now

The ultimate Zombie Apocalypse T-shirt: The front depicts a woman armed with a shovel standing on the roof of her car as a massive horde of zombies swarm around her. The front of the shirt reads: "Ever have one of those days?" Below the art is the Dead Reign™ logo and the words “The Zombie Apocalypse.” Printed white on a black T-shirt. Art by Amy Ashbaugh.

The back of the shirt is red on black and says, "Relax, it's not like it's the end of the world or anything." - but most of that statement has lines crossing it out, leaving only the words “it's the end of the world.” Under it is a Nick Bradshaw zombie silhouette and a small version of the Dead Reign™ logo. Funny, poignant, awesome!

  • Concept & Design by: Wayne Smith and Kevin Siembieda.
  • Art By: Amy Ashbaugh (front), Nick Bradshaw (back).
  • Available Sizes:
    Small, Medium, Large or XL: $18.95
    2XL: $20.95
    3XL: $22.95
    4XL: $24.95
    5XL: $26.95
  • Description: See above. Palladium's usual, quality 50/50 blend T-shirt and printing. White on black on the front, red on black on the back.
  • Catalog Number: 2531
  • Availability: Available now. All sizes available from Small to 5X Large.
  • Note: Yes, you can “ask” for this shirt in your Christmas Surprise Package, but if you get one it has the full price listed above. Inclusion in Surprise Packages will be very limited, so do not be disappointed if you do not get this shirt in a Grab Bag.

Endless Dead Zombie Print

NEW! Endless Dead Zombie Print

– Available now

A zombie horde stumbles toward you, but these aren’t ordinary zombies, they are the Palladium staff and freelancers! That’s right, this horrifying mash of zombies includes Kevin, Wayne, Alex, Kathy, Julius and Matthew, as well as Kevin Long, Ramon Perez, Freddie Williams, Mike Mumah (the artist), Mark Dudley, Chuck Walton, Nick Bradshaw, Carl Gleba, Jason Richards, Brandon Aten, Greg Diaczyk and many, many others (36 monstrous faces total). Available in two sizes, both signed by the Palladium staff.

  • Black and White Print illustration printed on a nice 80 pound paper stock. Limited print run.
  • Art by: Michael Mumah.
  • Signed by the Palladium Staff: Kevin Siembieda, Wayne Smith, Kathy Simmons, Alex Marciniszyn, Julius Rosenstein and Matthew Clements.
  • Two Sizes and Prices:
    Cat. No. PR809-11, $6.00 retail, 11x8½ inches (the size of one of our books turned on its side); signed by the Palladium staff.
    Cat. No. PR809-17, $10.00 retail, 17x11 inches (the size of one of our books opened to show both pages); signed by the Palladium staff.
  • Available now. Order yours today! A few of you have them coming in your Christmas Surprise Package. Ho, ho, ho.
  • Note: Yes, you can “ask” for the Endless Dead Zombie print in your Christmas Surprise Package, but only people who ask for one will be considered, and you are likely to get the small, 8½ x11 print, not the big, gorgeous 11x17 print. Asking for the print is NOT a guarantee you will get one, as this is a new item available in the Palladium Online Store.

DriveThruRPG

PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

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Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Chaos Earth, Coalition States, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, Warpath, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

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Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Powers Unlimited®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

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