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EliBenedict

doesn't Dark Conversions suggest there could be Nightbane on Rifts Earth though? A magical guild in Juicer Uprisings mentions a 15th level Nightbane sorcerer (Yolanda) as part of the leadership of The Kingsdale Magickal Guild. Page 108, lower right side and about half way down on page 109. Rifts Wo...

EliBenedict

doesn't Dark Conversions suggest there could be Nightbane on Rifts Earth though? >Rifts World Book 2 specifically mentions a secondary vampire who maintains her independence through use of magic ring I don't remember that from Atlantis Mistyped. I meant World Book 1: Vampire Kingdoms. I remembered ...

EliBenedict

[quote="ShadowLogan"]There might be a tiny bit of how I coded the initial 3d6 roll (python allows you to set min/max values so I set 3 and 18 instead of rolling 3 die at 1 and 6), but I do think the bulk of it is the nature of which is more truly more random a computerized random number ge...

EliBenedict

. With the approach I took, I could easily be off on any of those groupings by as much as 10. To do this properly, I'd have to characterize each attribute penalty tier for each attribute in terms of its effects on a character, tie that into the difficulty associated with raising that attribute (ver...

EliBenedict

Exact distributions aren't too hard to work out. Turns out, approximately 41.94% of rolled characters have multiple penalties. Dark Fortress has 3d6 probabilty distributions already worked out to four digits. (m) The chance of rolling an 8 or higher is .8379, and the chance of rolling a 9 or higher ...

EliBenedict

I'm curious if anyone has used the Wampyrs from Nightbane Rifts. They aren't mentioned anywhere in riff's books, and didn't seem to get included in the Rifts conversion book 3. Seems like one could be an interesting NPC hook for Adventures through vampire kingdoms. Maybe there is an underground rail...

EliBenedict

Seconding Taalsimn's suggestion, Russia's mechanized calvary is probably your best bet. Of note, the character starts skilled with motorcycles, hovercycles and snowmobiles, takes only half penalties for attempting difficult manuevers and can fire aimed shots from a moving vehicle (they can also fire...

EliBenedict

Curious about folks' game play experience with this. In my experience, this usually gets fudged to: "I start the day/adventure with full ISP/PPE," rather than calculating out ISP/PPE recovery per hour of rest/meditation. I'm asking, in part, because, if applied literally, the ISP/PPE recov...

EliBenedict

Aermas wrote:It's book-legal IF there's a rule somewhere allowing Zentraedi to have super-powers.
I'm not sure if that's a rule.

Per RAW, the Book of Heroes (Heroes of the Megaverse) can grant super-powers to any race, Zentraedi (presumably) included.

EliBenedict

But, hey! I'm always up for ideas on making this ridiculousness more overpowered that won't interfere with the base of the character (basically, a Zentraedi Mega-Hero with Shrink). One way to keep the basic concept, but give it a significantly boost: Instead of a megahero zentraidi (which is debate...

EliBenedict

Wouldn't it just be easier to only allow the MDC shield to protect against SN/Magical attacks and be useless against tech/normal attacks? That seems to retain the intent of the ability. There is precedent for all 3 approaches: 1. you have various races (and/or classes) that can generate a protectiv...

EliBenedict

I've always liked the Sea Inquisitor class, especially, the non-psionic version. I like the idea of an otherwise normal dude who can face off against supernatural forces on an even playing field based solely on a past traumatic experience and sheer force of will. That said, the one piece that doesn'...

EliBenedict

What HU2 super power would benefit you most in your life right now? I'm aching for Multiple Selves.

EliBenedict

I dont like the idea of it being a "used" world because it's not. Things didn't go to rust, they got destroyed. Its comparable to the "dark ages". Infrastructures failed not tech. Tech continued to advance, we see NG & CS make new stuff all the time, it just can't always com...

EliBenedict

If you were to recreate the Rifts core setting from the ground up, how would you change it? There are five big changes I would like to see: 1-Resourcr wars. It's a post apocalyptic setting. The fact that nearly every single vehicle/robot has a multi-year nuclear power supply seems off. Having the va...

EliBenedict

Maybe it is just me, but I'd be curious if anyone else found these kind of stat comparisons meaningful because I find them distracting from the main point - that there are very few buffs to mental stats in Rifts. Yeah I got kind of lost in the sauce there. KS mentions somewhere that "smart&quo...

EliBenedict

And what you're apparently intentionally missing is this: The higher % increases per level (3-5 so 45-75 over 15 levels) versus the infrequent combat bonuses at every 3 levels typically (+1 per 3 levels equivalent of about 1.65% per level or 25% over 15 levels) balances out the difference in the bo...

EliBenedict

Except your NOT getting combats bonis every other level with skills. More like every 3 or 4 levels. This is the third bloody time ivebpinted this out. Sure. Fine. But the point, which you still seem to be missing is that the less frequently yoiu get combat bonuses from skills, the more significant ...

EliBenedict

Using skills to justify pp bonuses as being significantly superior while ignoring % skills steady increases every single level and how the skill types compare in that regard seems a bit of a cherry pick to justify trying to boost it for increased levels. -shrug I think you've got that backwards. Th...

EliBenedict

If you could just boost IQ the way you can PS, a person going from 10 IQ to 20 IQ wouldn't be recognizeable as the same person, even to his own parents. I mean, I guess I get what you're saying, but wouldn't the same logic apply to crazies (who aquire ever increasing mental illnesses as they increa...

EliBenedict

As for a 1 point increase for something like PP or ME increasing your chances by 5% on a die roll etc... maybe? Bonuses actually increase at half the rate IQ bonuses do, needing a 2 point increases to get that +1 bonus Thanks for the catch on PP bonuses accruing only at every other level of attribu...

EliBenedict

Keep in mind that IQx10 is the "exact" IQ score (RUE pg 279) and, as there have been several types of IQ tests published before and since RUE, we don't know what scale this refers to. That said, using the current deviation IQ scoring method, only 5% of people should have > IQ 12. So if yo...

EliBenedict

Another metagame question: Why are IQ bonuses so fleeting in Palladium games? You can boost all your physical attributes except PB by taking physical skills. There are martial arts forms in Ninjas and Superspies, and Rifts Japan, that give bonuses to MA and ME along with physical attributes. But non...

EliBenedict

The whole business of the physics of a boom gun are all kind of hand-wavey to begin with, and tend to fall apart if you look at them too closely (and especially if you start doing actual calculations).

EliBenedict

However, just because a creature has PPE doesn't mean they have the potential to have psionics. It could simply mean there is potential energy there that perhaps another being could potentially siphon off. ... So, replace "any" with "most" and your statement would be a lot more ...

EliBenedict

Thanks everyone for weighing in. Reading through everyone's responses, synthesizing and incorporating some elements from a recent re-reading of Beyond the Supernatural, here's my take: Any creature with PPE has the potential to develop at least some psychic powers (that's why they call in Potential ...

EliBenedict

EltonRobb wrote:Are you talking reality or within the context of the game?

In the context of the game. I'll edit to clarify, thanks.

If I'd wanted to ask the question with regard to reality, I probably would have posted to The "History" Channel's message boards.

EliBenedict

I'm curious what people think. Can psychic abilities be taught and learned in Rifts? In the context of the game, it seems clear, in general, the answer is "no." You're either born with psychic abilities, or they're somehow induced (via crazy modification, genetic manipulation, exposure to ...

EliBenedict

Rifts uses futuristic science that is so far beyond what we know today, that it seems impossible, even stupid at times. Roll with it. Plasma is heat and energy. Lasers are energy, but not heat. Hardwood is good for home construction, and softwood is good for campfires. It has been written. Very tru...

EliBenedict

actually real plasma doesn't have any stray electrons floating around, instead its atoms that are missing electrons and so is agressively trying to take electrons from everything around it which CAN cause other materials to break down or otherwise disrupt molecular bonds. Friend, per Britttanica: &...

EliBenedict

From (psuedo?) Science perspectivr, fire is composed of the super-heated gaseous products of combustion. The damage it causes is basically the result of heat. Whereas plasma is any material that has been heated to the point that the electrons of its atoms become dissociated from their nucleia. Which...

EliBenedict

A kind of wierd, niche option, but if you had a greater rune weapon and a magic cauldron of destruction (Rifts England), and didn't mind waiting a couple hours, you could effectively smuggle in, and suddenly release a grumpy alien intelligence into the middle of an unsuspecting city (but they'd have...

EliBenedict

As some previous folks have already responded, you can develop many of the OCCs in the RUE core book into Ninja-type characters. Just take Japanese as one of your languages, pick up Hand to Hand Assassin, plus an ancient weapon WP, then load up as many Physical, Espionage and Rogue skills as the OCC...

EliBenedict

Suppose some Enlightened Immortal (Mystic China) of the Secind Refinent learns the Doppleganger (Superior) spell of legend, and casts it. Per the spell description, their doppleganger has half of their abilities in every respect. Even assuming the original immortal is quite exceptional (character l...

EliBenedict

I think this works well. But I'd note you can achieve something almost identical with the RUE Techno-Wizard OCC, as written: you'd use your two OCC pilot akills for Robot Combat Basic, and Robot Combat Elite (Glitter Boy), then take WP Heavy Energy Weapon as an OCC related skill. Under equipment, yo...

EliBenedict

I know "balance" isn't really a Palladium concept, but I'm still curious. What do folks think are the most over/under-powered super abilities in HU2? I'll go first: Under-Powered: Animal Abilities -The bonuses you get seem right in the tier of minor super-powers. I figure it's only a major...

EliBenedict

Given the prevalence of ultra-tech, Mechano-Link and Machine Merge are probably more useful on Rifts Earth than HU Earth.

EliBenedict

Given the number of places where being visibly human makes you a target (Atlantis, Gargoyle Kingdoms, China, ect) Shapechange has additional utility on Rifts Earth. Mimic lets you copy a target's super powers, racial abilities, psionics, or inherent magical abilities (including physical attribute sc...

EliBenedict

Palladium likes to use psuedo-science fortean explanations for the supernatural (ghosts are actually inter-dimensional entities that imprint on the brain patterns of the dying, rather than spirits of the dead. Sunlight and running water damage vampires because of something about their physical prope...

EliBenedict

This is fun to read. Keep it coming.

It sounds like you've got a good GM . Smal note, in Palladium games we call them GM's (for Game Master) rather than DMs.

EliBenedict

Not quite sure what you're referring to. I've read and re-read the gunslinger OCC description. Looks like they don't get any special damage bonus, just the paired guns attack, which they can use for any attack (after they draw or later in the round.) Can you clarify whar ability you're referring to...

EliBenedict

Not quite sure what you're referring to. I've read and re-read the gunslinger OCC description. Looks like they don't get any special damage bonus, just the paired guns attack, which they can use for any attack (after they draw or later in the round.) Can you clarify whar ability you're referring to?

EliBenedict

Huh. Just noticed this text under the "Mullitiple Limbs" minor power: "Note: This is the only super ability that can be taken twice" So I guess the above suggestion isn't RUE compliant. In which case the maximum PS with core book is 174 or 350 when giant-sized. Regarding Supernat...

EliBenedict

The short answer is, they fudged the math (or just messed it up.) That said, using just the core HU2 book, it is possible to have a 1st level character with a Supernatural PS of 216: A Mega Alien Mutant with a base PS of 30, with a Humanoid Mineral form (+26), from a High Gravity World (+8). It's go...

EliBenedict

Frankly, if a 1st level character can somehow get 6 successful Withering Flesh strikes on the Lord of the Deep without getting killed, I can see an argument that they deserve the win. On the other hand, assuming Killer Cyborg’s initial conversion suggestion (and to be clear, I'm not picking on Kill...

EliBenedict

Frankly, if a 1st level character can somehow get 6 successful Withering Flesh strikes on the Lord of the Deep without getting killed, I can see an argument that they deserve the win. Bet. In this corner we have The Lord of the Deep (Rifts Underseas): Alien Intelligence, Father of Monsters and perh...

EliBenedict

How do folks handle MDC conversions for Withering Flesh? Base power says, if succesful, the first touch knocks out 1/2 the target's SDC, second touch knocks out all but one. Conversion book says the skill does work against MDC opponents, but at 1/2 efficacy. I'm thinking this means your first touch ...

EliBenedict

I'm not sure the fact that the "Dual OCCs" cutting room floor content appears under the heading "Palladium Fantasy" means those rules are intended to be limited to PF games. "The Credit Question" cutting room floor content deals with CS monetary policy in North America,...

EliBenedict

I was able to find it here: m It auto-redirects to a phishing site, but I was able to do a quick "select all" and "copy" before the redirect. If anyone's interested, here it is: List of Differences between the Original and Revised editions of Ninjas & Superspies The word &quo...

EliBenedict

Aggregating various comments from above: -The are basically two ways changing OCCs are handled in Palladium: 1st-The Generic Rule (described in Palladium Fantasy High Seas and "Cutting Room Floor" webpage): Pick a new class, after achieving a set ammount of experience, you continue in your...

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