Palladium Books® Weekly Update – Feb. 4, 2016

By Kevin Siembieda

This has been a very creative week. We are hitting on all cylinders and having a blast while pounding out text, art and plans for several product lines.

UPDATE: The Rifter® Super-Subscription Drive

Great price and FREE gift worth up to $35.85 – a limited time offer

This offer only comes once a year, and is so worth it. Time is starting to tick down, so keep those subscriptions and renewals coming in at a steady pace. Please, keep ‘em coming. The annual Super-Subscription Drive happens only once a year and ends in a few weeks. The FREE gifts that come with this annual subscription drive are special and fun to entice people into trying The Rifter®, because we want everyone to realize the tremendous value of The Rifter®. It is a resource for new ideas, for building adventures, and a source for supplemental material that is suitable for most Palladium RPG world settings, not just the specific game line the articles may have been written for. See for yourself.

The Rifter® Super-Subscription Drive is your chance to try The Rifter® at a discounted price, get a FREE gift, save $16.00 off the retail price, and have it delivered right to your doorstep. A limited time offer. Do not miss out!

Click here to see the full description for your subscription options and choice of free gift in the Palladium Online Store.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #73 – ALL “official” source material – Ships in 2-3 weeks

The Rifter® #73 is in the final typesetting and layout stage. It should go to the printer on Friday. It is pretty awesome and full of useful, “official” adventure source material for Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Splicers® and Dead Reign®. There are Hidden Nexus Points, Nexus Born, the Triumvirate Dragon, the Risinor Dragon Stallion (as seen on the cover), Faeries, Wolfen, the Great Northern Wilderness, a madman, a villain, five new Rune Weapons, Splicers®: I am Legion Part Two (adventure and source material), walking dead in the city of Detroit, and more! And it is all official.

Honestly, I went a little crazy on my contributions to The Rifter® #73. So did Julius Rosenstein. What were supposed to be a couple of small contributions doubled and tripled in size. Like I said, ideas are pouring out of all of us and we were on fire. In the case of the Palladium Fantasy® material (also suitable for Rifts® and other settings), I think we’ve been wanting to do more for this game line for so long, that once we turned on the tap, the ideas came gushing out.

The monsters, weapons, magic, villains and settings, with a few tweaks and easy modifications, can be dropped into any game setting. The Risinor is a great example of this. It is a creature that can be easily transplanted to Rifts® or Phase World® and the Three Galaxies™. I can see it as a war steed for a hero or villain or alien in the Heroes Unlimited™ setting, or as a ravaging flock of mutants or monsters unleashed by a villain or invading aliens. The same is true of the Nexus Born, Hidden Nexus, and the Rune Weapons. Even the Splicers® genetic enhancements, animals and tech can be cannibalized and transplanted into Heroes Unlimited™ and Rifts®; you just need to use your imagination. And The Rifter® is a resource that helps you to unleash your imagination and explore new ideas and possibilities. Think outside the box and have a blast!

UPDATE: The Rifter® #74 – More “official” material in the Spring issue

There is already material written and lining up for The Rifter® #74 that will also include “official” source material by Julius Rosenstein and me (Kevin Siembieda) for Rifts®, as well as official material for Splicers® and maybe Heroes Unlimited™, among others. We are on a roll. Have you ordered your subscription yet?

UPDATE: Heroes of Humanity Sourcebook

I have spent all of my time this week on The Rifter® #73 and a number of other things I mention at the end of this update section. But guess what I’m working on now? Yep, Heroes of Humanity™. Next, The Disavowed™. And the ideas are still flowing like water.

UPDATE: Hell Followed – a sourcebook for Dead Reign®

A large, Dead Reign® sourcebook is the next product you’ll be seeing from the multi-talented Taylor White (author of Chaos Earth® Resurrection). The manuscript is already in our hands and I assigned the cover to artist E.M. Gist earlier this week. A spring or summer release. Meanwhile, Taylor is already working on one of our behind the scenes projects. Go Taylor.

UPDATE: Robotech® RPG Tactics

This week there has been a lot of discussions and planning about new Robotech® product releases and the ideas, products and people to help us facilitate our plans as we put them in place. Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is our top priority for 2016 and 2017, but there are a lot of moving pieces and we want our next push to really deliver. We’ll be keeping you posted as details are nailed down.

Rifts® World Book PDFs on DriveThruRPG.com

Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star (one of my personal favorite titles) and Chaos Earth®: Rise of Magic are available as PDFs this week, more next week and in the weeks to follow!

We are putting things in place to have 2-3 new PDFs of Rifts® World Books and other titles every week. Yes, you read that correctly, 2-3 new PDF titles EVERY WEEK. You wanted PDFs, you’ve got ‘em.

In addition to the titles listed above, The Minion War™ series of books, the Rifts® Coalition Wars®/Tolkeen series, Chaos Earth® Resurrection, all of the Dead Reign® (Zombie Apocalypse) titles, Splicers® RPG and most issues of The Rifter® are available NOW! So are first edition rules of the Heroes Unlimited™ RPG and sourcebooks, Palladium Fantasy RPG® and sourcebooks, The Mechanoids®, and much more, available on DriveThruRPG.com.

Available right now:

Palladium Collectibles Available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles Store

Palladium collectibles, hardcovers, out of print titles, original artwork and toys and items from my personal collection are all available on my ebay store. We add items on a regular basis and offer sales, so check it out from time to time. Includes one-of-a-kind original artwork, prints, Rifts® and Robotech® artwork by Kevin Long, me and others. There is also a range of limited editions, rare book titles and limited edition hardcovers, toys and more available with frequent new items added. Items include original art, out of print titles, redlined proofreader photocopies signed by me and the staff, signed manuscripts with editors’ corrections, some original art, hardcover books (including Rifts® Lemuria, Northern Gun™ One, Northern Gun™ Two, Megaverse® in Flames™, Beyond the Supernatural™ Gold, Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ Gold and Rifts® Ultimate Gold), hundreds of toys and action figures, all from my personal archives and collection. Take a look every weekend or two for new items added.

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

Upcoming Palladium Books® Convention Events

Palladium Books does not have to be an exhibitor at a convention or be counted among the guests to support that convention. We are happy to support events running Palladium games with prizes for best players, other swag, and donations to charity auctions. If you are a Game Master running Palladium gaming events, or a convention hosting them, PLEASE contact Palladium Books via the Help Desk or the Megaversal Ambassadors, or call the Palladium offices get our support. Just give us plenty of advance notice so we can confirm the conventions and the Palladium gaming events, determine the swag and ship it out. Plus we are glad to promote conventions and gaming events right here in the Weekly Updates. Below are just some of the conventions hosting Palladium game events this year.

Kevin Siembieda and Charles Walton II are guests at the 2016 Anime North. A few other Canadian Palladium creators may also be in attendance at the Palladium booth in the gaming hall. Anime North is one of the largest and longest running anime conventions in North America, with 26,000+ in attendance in 2016. The range of special guests, voice talent and cosplay is amazing. If you are attending Anime North, please drop by the booth to say hello or sit in on any of Kevin’s panel talks about game design, licensing and Hollywood, writing, world building and others. We love this event and highly recommend it. Tickets sell out fast, so order yours and book a hotel room immediately.

2016 Gen Con Indy – August 4-7 – Indianapolis, Indiana

Gen Con is the biggest gaming convention in the country. Palladium Books will be there as usual with products to sell and a gaggle of creators to sign books and chat. And thanks to volunteer Game Masters working through the Palladium Megaversal Ambassador program there should be 40+ Palladium gaming events.

Convention Name: Gen Con Indy.
Dates: August 4-7, 2016.
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.
Website: http://www.gencon.com/
Supporting: ALL types of gaming; role-playing games, board games, miniature games/wargames, card games, videogames and more, plus cosplay and guests by the dozens. We love this event and highly recommend it. Tickets sell out fast, so order yours and book a hotel room immediately.

Palladium Books will be in attendance in the Exhibit Hall, and there are dozens of Palladium gaming events. Guests at the booth daily include Kevin Siembieda (game designer, author, founder), Wayne Smith (editor), Charles Walton II (artist), Brandon Aten (author) and others.

Game Masters needed for Gen Con Indy – We want your game event submissions by this weekend, but keep them coming

This is the last weekend to turn in Gen Con game event descriptions for optimum impact and exposure. Help us celebrate Palladium’s 35th Anniversary with even MORE Palladium gaming events at the 2016 Gen Con Indy than ever before.

Game Masters wanted. We are looking for Game Masters to showcase all of Palladium’s RPGs: Rifts®, Robotech®, Heroes Unlimited™, Palladium Fantasy®, Nightbane®, Dead Reign®, Beyond the Supernatural™, Splicers®, After the Bomb®, Ninjas & Superspies™ and all the rest. Also looking for people to demo Robotech® RPG Tactics™ and we would love to see a Robotech® RPG Tactics™ tournament if any of you are willing to organize and run one.

Rewards for Game Masters (and players)! And just like the last two years, Palladium offers the Best Players, Game Masters and all gamers in each event rewards for their participation. Plus G.M.s who run several games in the Palladium block get a free Gen Con G.M. badge and we get to have all events in the same area, making it convenient for players and Game Masters. Palladium is always looking for NEW G.M.s to run events and join the Megaversal Ambassadors, so please consider helping out and having some fun at the same time by running Palladium events at Gen Con and other conventions around the world.

Game Masters, please contact Palladium Books and/or Gen Con Game events coordinators Jeff Ruiz (NMI) and Patrick “Jake” Jakubowski now through February 14, 2016. In order to get into the Gen Con Games Pre-Registration and the onsite program book, Gen Con needs ALL game information by Mid-February. That means it is ideal for Palladium’s event coordinators to have them in already, but you can still get events added till February 14, 2016, and still get maximum exposure and benefit from them. Note: Game events submitted AFTER FEBRUARY 14, 2016 are not likely to get listed in the Gen Con Pre-Registration and onsite program book. If you want your games filled with people and to have one central location for all Palladium related events, you need to get them to the Palladium coordinators this weekend! And certainly no later than next weekend. Jeff and Jake are waiting for your game descriptions right now!

Send in your Gen Con game descriptions to the Palladium Megaversal Ambassadors at ambassadors{at}palladiumbooks.com — or by telephone (734-721-2903).

Pumping out the ideas

I had vowed to myself to slow down a bit and not work crazy long hours seven days a week (like 10-12 days aren’t crazy enough, already), but I have been so hot writing that I couldn’t help myself. I even worked through the weekend for the umpteenth time. I was not happy when we lost power for awhile on Sunday, but it popped back on just as Alex and I were getting ready to leave and I got in another five hours of excellent writing time. I like working on the weekends because there are fewer distractions, I don’t answer the phone and I can usually get a lot done. On the other hand, working seven days a week indefinitely wears you down. I think I’m going to try to take both Saturday and Sunday off this weekend.

In between the creative, we have been getting a lot of other things accomplished as everyone seems to be in high energy mode. We have been reviewing and addressing Help Desk items, sending out convention support, taking care of business matters and correspondences, finally sending out PR copies of books and contracts, putting more PDF titles into DriveThruRPG, and orchestrating art and covers, as well as working on books and the day-to-day aspects of the business. We are pumped. The energy is electric.

Don’t forget to place your order for a subscription to The Rifter® during the Super-Subscription Drive to get free gifts worth up to $35.85 in addition to the subscription savings! Smile, good things are happening.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer, Game Designer

The Rifter Super-Subscription

The Rifter® Super-Subscription Drive – Low Price – Free Gift

It only happens once a year – for a limited time – The Rifter® Super-Subscription Drive. We want people to discover The Rifter® as a valuable resource, so during the Super-Subscription Drive we offer a selection of FREE gifts as an additional enticement to subscribe. Gamers already familiar with The Rifter® always jump at this offer. That’s because even when late, The Rifter® has been so consistently good, it is hard to say no to the Super-Subscription Drive.

The free gift is always a nice incentive, unique and fun. I have dug through the Palladium archives to make a number of out of print titles and “special” items available. For us, gaming is all about friends and fun, so enjoy and have fun. Note: The early issues of The Rifter® are limited and available only while supplies last. Please keep the orders coming and enjoy.

Here are four reasons (and 7 gift choices) why this is the perfect time to try The Rifter® or renew your subscription:

  1. Save $16 off retail and each issue is delivered right to your door.
  2. FREE gift worth $17.90 to $35.85 when you order now! 7 gift choices.
  3. Order during the Super-Subscription Drive to lock in your low, low subscription price for the next year.
  4. The Rifter® has been outstanding and is the place to find regular source material for Beyond the Supernatural, Palladium Fantasy®, Splicers®, Dead Reign®, Heroes Unlimited™ and other settings. And future issues will have more player and G.M. tips, and more “official” source material.

If you haven’t taken a look at The Rifter® lately (if ever), I suggest you try an issue.

The Rifter® is an excellent gaming resource. A place to find ideas as well as characters, monsters, villains, powers, magic and adventures for your own game. Characters, powers and equipment you can drop into most game settings with little or no modification. Even articles designed for settings you don’t play are likely to offer ideas and material you can easily modify and incorporate into your campaign. In fact, drawing on concepts from outside the usual setting can spice up your game and keep players guessing. The Rifter® is a great tool for that. The beauty of Palladium’s Megaversal Game System is you can often take characters, gear and ideas from one world setting and drop them into ANY of the other settings with no or little work. Other times, the amount of modification is minimal to make it work in a different setting. That means a monster from Palladium Fantasy® can be a creature, mutant or alien in Heroes Unlimited™, After the Bomb®, Robotech®, Rifts®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, Chaos Earth® or Splicers®, and vice versa. What needs to be adjusted? Perhaps just changing Hit Points/S.D.C. and damage to Mega-Damage, or M.D.C. and M.D. to Hit Points/S.D.C., or some other minor tweaks.

Characters from Heroes Unlimited™ and After the Bomb® can be from the future, or the past (depending on the setting), or they can be mutants, or aliens, or beings from another or parallel world. As I am so wont to say, you are limited only by your imagination. The same holds true for towns, cities and adventures – use that place and the adventure ideas tailored to a different setting. Sure you may have to swap out monsters and treasure, or adjust motives, but you might be surprised how easy, fun and different that adventure plays out in a different world environment.

The Rifter® is the ultimate source for alternative, new and different ideas, rules, adventures, characters, and story ideas. All of which can be tweaked to fit most settings, as can optional rules. The Rifter® is a factory for alternative ideas.

The Rifter® Super-Subscription Offer is your chance to try The Rifter® at a discount price and get a FREE gift. A limited time offer. Do not miss out!

Click here to see the full description for your subscription options and choice of free gift in the Palladium Online Store.

The Rifter #73

NEW! The Rifter® #73 – Ships February

For the first time ever, the entire issue of The Rifter® #73 is “official” source material for Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Splicers® and Dead Reign®, plus news, coming attractions and more. It is a great way to kickoff Palladium’s 35 Year Anniversary.

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready-to-go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least 2-3 other Palladium game lines. And don’t forget, most of the material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

Rifter® #73 Highlights:

Coalition States Heroes of Humanity

NEW! Rifts® The Coalition States: Heroes of Humanity – February

In final production. The events unfolding in World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames threaten to change the entire landscape of Rifts® Earth, as the demonic minions of Hades and Dyval seek to bring Hell on Earth and turn the planet into a dimensional gateway to Armageddon!

The Coalition States, along with Northern Gun and Lazlo, take the lead in the defense of North America. Heroes of Humanity explores the good and bad in the Coalition’s efforts to save humanity and send this new threat back to the pits of Hell.

Rifts The Disavowed

Rifts® Secrets of the Coalition States: The Disavowed™ – March

“Desperate times require desperate measures. War has nothing to do with morality or justice. It’s all about winning or dying. We cannot bind our hands with high ideals, even our own, or worry about the laws of renegade nations or the rights of alien people. We must fight fire with fire. And you are the match.” – Colonel Lyboc addressing a Disavowed team

The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mission is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever be the Disavowed.

NEW! Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans – Spring

True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.

For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.

Rifts® Haunted Tech – Spring or Summer

Faced with the imminent threat of the Minion War and ensuing demon plagues across Rifts® North America, heroes and nations rise! Archie Three is taking none of it lying down. The insane machine-god is obsessed with sending the demons back to hell and saving “his” world.

Garden of the Gods – a Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook – Spring

This has been a secret project of Kevin Siembieda’s that he has been plotting and writing in what little spare time he has. The Garden of the Gods is said to be a holy place watched over and even frequented by the avatars of the gods. According to legend, the god may visit heroes and followers in dreams or in person by an avatar of the god, to be given guidance, inspiration, heroic quests, and gifts of knowledge and magic. More details about this title will follow.

Hell Followed – A Dead Reign® Zombie Apocalypse Sourcebook

At 160 pages, Hell Followed™ is the largest Dead Reign® sourcebook yet. Spring or Summer release. Can you survive the Zombie Apocalypse? Find out by playing Dead Reign®. The results may surprise you.

Rifts® Chaos Earth® Sourcebook: First Responders – Summer

The Great Cataclysm has devastated civilization, but humanity fights for survival. The struggles of civilian law enforcement, fire and rescue, and everyday men and women are some of the most epic tales to be told in a world gone to hell. They fight monsters, aliens, the paranormal, the elements, and each other, all with the hope of reclaiming their lives from the Chaos.

Robotech RPG Tactics

Robotech® RPG Tactics Wave Two is coming ...

– but you can get started with the core box set and Wave One expansions right now

If you love Robotech®, you want to take a look at this game. Beautifully detailed game pieces of your favorite Robotech® mecha, and fast playing rules that capture the Robotech® experience in a new, exciting way. And this is just the beginning. We have so much more planned for the years ahead.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ "Starter Box" (Main Box Game) – Cat. No. 55100 – $99.95 retail price. This is the game Robotech® fans have wanted for decades. Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces. Get yours now, so you can build your armies and have them ready when Wave Two is released.

The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Expansion Packs are available to retail along with the main box game. Here are the SKUs and retail prices:

The Rifter #73

BACK IN PRINT: Island at the Edge of the World

A Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook – available now

Island at the Edge of the World™ is back in print as a short run, special printing. This is the original Palladium RPG® sourcebook VI that utilizes First Edition rules. That said, it is very easy to adapt for use with Second Edition rules.

Island at the Edge of the World™ reveals some of the little known history of the Palladium World, the Time of a Thousand Magicks, the Changeling Inquisition, and dark secrets that could threaten the world. Learn about forgotten Crystal Magic (as powerful as Rune Weapons), the Church of Scar, the legendary Circle of Absolute Elemental Power and frightening prophecies about the end of the world.

DriveThruRPG

Palladium PDF Books – download from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made more than 100 PDF products available for digital download from DriveThruRPG.com, as well as Fantasy Paper Miniatures, Game Master resources and other good things with more to come. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

Schedule of 2016 Releases for the First 6 months

Also coming:

© Copyright 2016 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.