I am new. I could use some advice.

[Akashic Soldier]

Hi everyone!

This afternoon I was at the book store and I found a used copy of RIFTS ULTIMATE EDITION. I am a big fan of fantasy and science fiction and RIFTS looks like a mix of both genres. The color artwork inside captured my imagination.

My friends have played DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS, but have never GAME MASTERED.

For the last four hours I have been reading and taking notes trying to make heads or tails out of it, but so far I am having only frustrations. Texting my friend is not helping much either.

Are there HOW TO videos online?

Any advice would be wonderful!

Cheers!

I am more than happy to help, but I am taxed for time (for today and the first half of tomorrow).

Any time after that I can help via skype or I could work on throwing a tutorial video on my youtube chancel (but don't expect it to have any special effects. ).

I assume you are trying to figure out character gen but the book is so massive that you're not sure where to start, right?

Rifts really is an amazing game and it promises hours upon hours of fun limited only by your imagination, but it is a system that must be learned. Diving right in with no clear idea of where to start means you have to do a lot of reading. Don't worry, I will help. Just having someone point you to things when you are starting out significantly cuts your time getting started down (more than reduces it by half).

[Prysus]

Hi everyone!

This afternoon I was at the book store and I found a used copy of RIFTS ULTIMATE EDITION. I am a big fan of fantasy and science fiction and RIFTS looks like a mix of both genres. The color artwork inside captured my imagination.

My friends have played DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS, but have never GAME MASTERED.

For the last four hours I have been reading and taking notes trying to make heads or tails out of it, but so far I am having only frustrations. Texting my friend is not helping much either.

Are there HOW TO videos online?

Any advice would be wonderful!

Cheers!

Greetings and Salutations. First, let me say: "Welcome to the boards!" Glad to have you here. Always glad to have someone new picking up a Palladium book and giving it a try.

As for help, that'll depend a lot on what's confusing you the most. I'm guessing you understand the setting well enough (since that's basically just flavor without rules). Is it character creation? The rules? Other?

If it's Character Creation, I'll let one of the others handle it (if Akashic is willing to make a YouTube video for it, that'll probably be more useful than anything I can do). If it's the rules, this is the advice I tend to give people to make them as simple as possible.

Greetings and Salutations. To explain the Palladium rules quickly, this is how I'd do ...

1: Your character has 8 attributes. These attributes determine your characters strengths and weaknesses. Your character also has Hit Points and S.D.C. which determine how much damage you can take, but we'll discuss that more during character creation.

2: In combat you roll a D20, to attack and defend (you have to select your defense, usually a parry or dodge). You add in any bonuses listed on your character sheet. High roll (with bonuses) wins.

3: If you want to use a skill, check if your character has it. If so, roll 2D10, also called percentile. Declare which is high (the one that'll represent that tens column). If you roll under your skill or tie it, you succeed. Roll over it, you fail.

That's the rules in a nutshell. There's more to it, but you can learn as we go. If anything else comes up, I'll tell you what to roll, but those are a lot of little rules that don't come up as often. Also, playing a Psychic or a Mage will add more rules, but I don't recommend those for beginner players. If you're really interested in one, we can discuss it more. Everything else is just role-playing.

For time, I just copied and pasted my own words to someone else in a different thread (who was an experienced Palladium GM, but running for new players). I still think that's the simplest way to sum up the rules though.

Hope that helps. If not, I hope others provide the help you need. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys to all.

[jaymz]

Welcome to the boards. First and foremost, read the book....cover to cover....at least twice. THEN take notes. Rifts is not a simple game and takes time to absorb. Trying to take notes while still reading through for the first time and not sure of the material is a good way to get confused.

Once you get to that point then you are more than welcome to contact me by any of the ways listed in my sig. Until then good luck

[drewkitty ~..~]

Welcome Welcome. (practicing for my ignoble awards "welcome welcome" speech.)

Advice
1) Read the text.
2) If the text seams stupid don't use it.
3) If you have Questions ask them here. Let the people here argue over it and then use the opinion you like in your game.

There is not all that much difference between D&D and the PB system so you should get things with out too much trouble.

[Mech-Viper Prime]

Welcome Welcome. (practicing for my ignoble awards "welcome welcome" speech.)

Advice
1) Read the text.
2) If the text seams stupid don't use it.
3) If you have Questions ask them here. Let the people here argue over it and them use the opinion you like in your game.

There is not all that much difference between D&D and the PB system so you should get things with out too much trouble.

Yup going to have to agree with this one.

[flatline]

Welcome Welcome. (practicing for my ignoble awards "welcome welcome" speech.)

Advice
1) Read the text.
2) If the text seams stupid don't use it.
3) If you have Questions ask them here. Let the people here argue over it and them use the opinion you like in your game.

There is not all that much difference between D&D and the PB system so you should get things with out too much trouble.

That is excellent advice.

It's your world, so don't feel like you need to use the rules as written or the canon setting elements if you don't like them.

--flatline

[Icefalcon]

Welcome to the boards. I am also willing to offer whatever assistance I can. My longest running Rifts game was for 3 1/2 years (usually 10-12 hour sessions 2 or 3 times a week). If I cannot not help you, then maybe one of these other gentlemen might.

[Glistam]

For the last four hours I have been reading and taking notes trying to make heads or tails out of it, but so far I am having only frustrations. Texting my friend is not helping much either.

Are there HOW TO videos online?

Any advice would be wonderful!

Cheers!

Trying to make heads or tails out of what, exactly? And "how to" videos to do what?

[MurderCityDisciple]

Don't let the rules trip you up. Palladium's rules are kinda wonky...aka..a mess. Just remember it's only a game and storytelling is the most important factor.

If it doesn't make sense, then change thing to your liking.

Best advice...have fun. As much as humanly possible and then some.

[drewkitty ~..~]

That is excellent advice.

It's your world, so don't feel like you need to use the rules as written or the canon setting elements if you don't like them.

--flatline

Even when you hear us arguing at leangth over what is and what isn't canon.*smirks*

[Eclipse]

Hmm, start off simple. Like only give a handful of occ choices - e.g. a psychic, a mage, a man at arms, the latter possibly with external or internal equipment like a power armor pilot or cyborg respectively. Only use a handful of the rules - strike, parry, dodge, roll with the d20. Don't worry about penalties to strike when dodging bullets/energy weapons and annoying stuff like that.

Assume that a character from a particular niche has thematically appropriate skills that might pop up in the game - e.g. a man at arms would have a streetwise skill when looking for weapons on the black market and you can assume he has WP: energy weapons etc, without having to write down every single skill and relevant %. E.g. you could assume a man at arms would have 50% on streetwise vs 75% for a city rat. Just wing it I reckon.

Attributes - the basic 8, plus hp, sdc, mdc, isp, ppe.

Just assume +4 to combat rolls and +2 to saving throws for man at arms, with the reverse for mages and psionics, plus attribute bonuses.

Have a default flat % roll for anything that you're unaware of the rules for within that game session - you can always reserve the right to look up the rules between games and introduce the previously missing rule in the next game session if you like - as GM, you should have the ability to modify the game in this way between sessions, so long as you update the players.

A player says 'I want to do X', you say either 'yes, I agree you should have a chance to do that' or 'no, I don't agree, it doesn't really fit' or 'okay, you can try, but it won't be easy - and so the player can roll under 75% to succeed, can't roll at all or can roll under 25% to succeed respectively. Or perhaps roll under a relative attribute with a d20 + a d10, so someone with a 24 intelligence rolling to decipher a document has a better chance than someone with a 6 intelligence.

Just decide on the type of default roll you want, then that can be used to cover any unexpected eventuality, or to keep a game running smoothly instead of getting bogged by searching through the rulebook.

K.I.S.S I reckon. Otherwise you'll be seriously bogged down with poor return on your time investment.

[Grand Paladin]

Hi and Welcome!

Everyone so far has given some really good advice already. To answer your question about how-to videos, you might want to review the videos below:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Maloquinn/videos

[Grand Paladin]

Psychics only use ISP to fuel psionic powers. PPE is used for magic spells and certain supernatural abilities as defined by race or class (if any).

Mega Damage is equal to 100 SDC or Hit points and can (generally) only be damaged/affected by MD attacks. However, SDC or Hit Point items or creatures can be instantly killed by MD level attacks, so watch out!

D-Bee stands for "Dimensional Being", which are other life forms that have come to Rifts Earth through Dimensional Rifts in space and time. D-Bee's for the most part are mortal and are not supernatural in nature (demon, monster, etc.), or are a creature of magic (dragon, faerie, sphinx, etc).

Hope this is helpful.

[flatline]

That is excellent advice.

It's your world, so don't feel like you need to use the rules as written or the canon setting elements if you don't like them.

--flatline

Even when you hear us arguing at length over what is and what isn't canon.*smirks*

Hence my sig .

I got sick and tired of people telling me what was and wasn't canon when my interest was in judging the merit of the ideas, not whether or not they were officially sanctioned.

--flatline

[Akashic Soldier]

I made THIS for you. Hopefully it will help. Simply save the file twice. Once to keep, and once again to use as your character. Then simply read the red text, delete it, and fill it in. If you are still a little confused let me know and I will throw together a video for you.

Peace!

[Eclipse]

1. Should PSYCHICS use POTENTIAL PSYCHIC ENERGY instead of INNER STRENGTH POINTS?

Potential psychic energy - refers to the apparent fact that in palladium, ppe is generated by the body and can be converted by the mind into isp, by the gifted. Mages can increase their pool of ppe through training, while psychics do the same, but automatically convert it into isp, so they have almost no ppe left. You could think of it like tantric meditation, where you can theoretically channel 'energy' up your spine, lighting up chakras until you achieve enlightenment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:7-mai ... -Dekel.jpg

Nothing to it irl, but a nice bit of fantasy.

ISP -> psionic powers (mind, based on mental endurance)
PPE -> magic spells (body, based on physical endurance)
CHI -> chi abilities, like becoming so light that you can jump on a leaf and have it support your weight, like in those chinese sword and sorcery flicks. - basically ninja stuff like the Dim Mak death touch, or the sorts of things they do in the movie 'Big trouble in little China' (sort of a fusion of isp/ppe)
Eclips & batteries/nuke piles -> tech and energy weapons

2. MEGA DAMAGE CAPACITY and STRUCTURAL DAMAGE CAPACITY and HIT POINTS are confusing.

hp = baseline health - start losing this and you're really hurting and will soon die
sdc = a combination of innate toughness and training to avoid getting badly hurt, kinda like callouses on your feet.
mdc = a superior form of sdc, unable to be harmed by sd (structural damage), unless it's explosive in nature.

You can attack with SD or MD attacks, depending on your weapon/capabilities, MD will seriously damage an unprotected normal hp+sdc human almost immediately, probably blowing a smoking hole through their body if a laser beam, and will wear away MDC armor or MDC beings (like supernatural creatures or some really tough 'normal' creatures.)

3. What does D-BEE stand for?

A dimensional being, which could include a bog-standard human from a parallel dimension. Basically, a creature not originally from Rifts Earth.

[The Oh So Amazing Nate]

Welcome to the Megaverse!
I'll admit openly that I am nowhere near as learned or talented as the fine folks who answered before me, but I'd like to try and chime in. I'll be repeating a lot of what has already been said, but that's one way people learn, through repetition.

The 8 attributes (as was explained to me when I was 12)

IQ - Intelligence Quotient: This is reflective of how smart your character is. Characters with a high IQ (16+) get bonuses to their skills.

ME - Mental Endurance: This is how much mental and emotional stress/pressure/harassment/teasing your character can take before breaking down (in either tears or rage). I've come to learn since then that ME gives bonuses to save vs Insanity, vs Psionics, is used to determine your base ISP, and other such things. (I was late to the game on this one because until a few weeks ago I NEVER used or encountered psionics in a game)

MA - Mental Affinity: This is how well your character interacts with others. Consider it a personality measurement (charm/charisma). Characters with a high MA are well liked and (should) get along well with others. A high MA gives a bonus to invoke trust or to intimidate.

PS - Physical Strength: This one is pretty simple. The stronger you are, the harder you can hit and the more you can lift and carry.

PP - Physical Prowess: This is how agile/graceful your character is. It reflects hand eye coordination and the like. A high PP gives bonuses to Strike, Parry, and Dodge.

PE - Physical Endurance: This is used to determine stamina and durability. The number is used for determining the characters base hit points (we'll get to these in a minute) how long they can carry a weight, run, or swim. A high PE will give bonuses to save vs toxins, coma's and even death.

PB - Physical Beauty: This is used to measure how physically attractive your character is. A high PB will receive bonuses to charm and impress.

Spd - Speed: This is used to determine how fast your character can run. A high spd attribute just means you can run faster than the other guy.

Hp - Hit Points: These are your life points. When you start taking HP damage they are mortal wounds.

SDC - Structural Damage Capacity: This is how much beating, bruising, nicks, cuts, scrapes and other superficial wounds you can take before you start seriously becoming injured. Most mortal and non-magical/supernatural beings use HP and SDC. (My understanding of the rules is that you have to whittle away the sdc before you can do HP damage. There are some weapons [explosives] and attacks [crush/squeeze eg bear hugs] that bypass this rule). Most common structures/objects also use SDC. Deplete the sdc of an item and you have destroyed it.

MDC - Mega Damage Capacity: 1 MDC = 100 SDC. This reflects things that are extremely difficult to damage or are magical in nature (and therefore hard to damage).

[sup]1[/sup]According to the rules as they are written (and I can give you page references on request) an SDC item/being cannot damage an MDC item/being, unless the following condition is met. 100 points of damage must be delivered in a single attack for sdc to damage mdc. Remember 100 SDC = 1 MDC. This will also most likely break the sdc weapon/body part used to deliver the blow (there may be exceptions).
[sup]2[/sup]When using a mega damage item/being to attack an sdc item/being structure the amount of damage delivered will be in the catastrophic range. We're talking insta-death, blew a hole through it, reduced it to a smoking crater/rubble levels of damage. in very few if not a single hit.

[calto40k]

Hi I'm Chris Altobelli one of the Megaversal Ambassadors. Feel free to message me anytime. I'm also on Facebook if you have any questions about the system, or if you would be interested in joining any games through Google Hangout.

[Glistam]

1. Should PSYCHICS use POTENTIAL PSYCHIC ENERGY instead of INNER STRENGTH POINTS?

A way to look at this: Psychic classes turn their natural psychic potential into actual psychic capability during the development of their powers, and that capability relies on inner strength to manifest.

2. MEGA DAMAGE CAPACITY and STRUCTURAL DAMAGE CAPACITY and HIT POINTS are confusing.

Without actually knowing the specific question, see page 286, "Step 2: Understanding Damage Ratings."

3. What does D-BEE stand for?

Slang for Dimensional Being. Page 277.

[drewkitty ~..~]

That is excellent advice.

It's your world, so don't feel like you need to use the rules as written or the canon setting elements if you don't like them.

--flatline

Even when you hear us arguing at length over what is and what isn't canon.*smirks*

Hence my sig .

I got sick and tired of people telling me what was and wasn't canon when my interest was in judging the merit of the ideas, not whether or not they were officially sanctioned.

--flatline

However, without defining what canon says, it might mislead newbs to thing said house rule 'is canon'.
Thus the line in my signature.

[eoptap]

HI My advice remember to have fun. You as the game master should not think of yourself as god. Treat your players with respect, and remember they are as important to the story as you are. The rules are confusing at first, and you have allot to go through. Make it simple you do not need to have them try every class. I would start them with the adventurer classes. Then you learn how the skills work. If a player sees a class he likes. that is okay if it is not a starter you can change him out once you other sure the two of you understand the class. Rule 0 is still your friend, but try not to bash the players in the head every time a disagreement happens without at least making sure it is because they do not understand the rule, or changes you may have made to those rules, or whether they are just trying to lawyer to get something. Before people start complaining I only say these things to remind the new person that hey the rules are different than what you are use to but the gameplay and interaction will be the same. Others may have said it differently, but multiple perspectives on one topic always helps. The game is fun after learn the rules, and it is a new experience in its own way. Do not get too discouraged if you still do not have it locked down, you will get it, and have fun. As for Pre Generating characters if you are the only one with the book it will make it easier, but some people do not get as strongly involved if they are not part of the generation process. First few games sure Pre-gens are fine, but as the players start getting comfortable help them to make a character or two, and change it out to the ones they helped make. Eventually a player will take enough interest and bring you a fairly good character that they made themselves.

[Akashic Soldier]

HI My advice remember to have fun. You as the game master should not think of yourself as god. Treat your players with respect, and remember they are as important to the story as you are.

*APPLAUDS!*

[Witchcraft]

It's funny but one of your first questions was one of MY first questions about 20 years ago:

Shouldn't Psychics use Potential Psychic Energy?

Shouldn't Mages use Potential Magic Energy?

Why the F*CK don't you just call them MAGIC POINTS?!?!

[drewkitty ~..~]

It's funny but one of your first questions was one of MY first questions about 20 years ago:

Shouldn't Psychics use Potential Psychic Energy?

Shouldn't Mages use Potential Magic Energy?

Why the F*CK don't you just call them MAGIC POINTS?!?!

Because that is what Victor Lazlo called ISP as psychic power points and PPE as magic power points.

[Alrik Vas]

2. MEGA DAMAGE CAPACITY and STRUCTURAL DAMAGE CAPACITY and HIT POINTS are confusing.

HP is the line, basically. As a general rule, only living, mortal creatures have Hit Points (there are exceptions, such as Vampires, but we'll not get into that can of undead worms). If something has HP, it will be a character that has SDC.

Now, structures and objects have SDC as well. Most normal cars, buildings, roads, trees...more or less everything has normal SDC. It's just another term for HP, but it's special because damage to your SDC is like a fleshwound. Most attacks aren't serious until it's depleted.

Most attacks do SDC as well. A human fist does 1d4 SDC, for example. Even a .45 pistol is SDC, 4d6 in fact.

MDC is quite different. As stated in the book 1 MDC is worth 100 SDC. Because of this, a mild amount of MDC damage (1d6) can completely obliterate you, your clothes and possibly the car you are riding in. However, if you are wearing armor, you are quite safe until it's MDC is depleted.

MDC represents high-grade military tech, it also is the HP/SDC of most Supernaural Creatures. MDC differes from SDC in this regard as MDC is all of their health. Mega Structures often operate at peak capacity until all of their MDC is gone as well. Thus, supernatural creatures just fight on. They take a grenade to the face and just get mad at you. A human or normal D-bee would be a messy splatter on the other hand.

[Alrik Vas]

You're fine, honestly. There are a lot of issues. I've said many times that Palladium is like that RPG that your friend designed in school. It's buggy and can only be effectively run by him...half the time he contradicts his own rules...but if you let him do his thing, it's nothing short of amazing.

[Rimmerdal]

Well no need to offer advice aside from be fearless...but that advice for any GM. So I'll just say welcome to the boards.

[drewkitty ~..~]

It's funny but one of your first questions was one of MY first questions about 20 years ago:

Shouldn't Psychics use Potential Psychic Energy?

Shouldn't Mages use Potential Magic Energy?

Why the F*CK don't you just call them MAGIC POINTS?!?!

Because that is what Victor Lazlo called ISP as psychic power points and PPE as magic power points.

Hi Drewkitty!

I have seen CASABLANCA a dozen times and I never heard Victor Lazlo say anything about PSYCHIC POWERS. Though I'm sure BOGIE'S cigarette and whiskey breath could potentially cause MEGADAMAGE.

Cheers!

Victor Lazlo is a NPC 1st mentioned in BTS1 and is a Para-psychologest. See the Astral Projection intro story in BTS1 for an example. He is mentioned through out the BTS1 book.
He is stated out as a NPC in one of the early rifts books.

[dragonfett]

It's funny but one of your first questions was one of MY first questions about 20 years ago:

Shouldn't Psychics use Potential Psychic Energy?

Shouldn't Mages use Potential Magic Energy?

Why the F*CK don't you just call them MAGIC POINTS?!?!

Hi Witchcraft!

I am thinking exactly the same thing.
How totally stupid.

All the abbreviations are lame and confusing.

POTENTIAL PSYCHIC ENERGY (P.P.E.) and INNER STRENGTH POINTS (I.S.P.) to me seem almost the same thing.
I bet if you asked 10,000 people what kind of power would a PSYCHIC use, I bet 100% of them would say POTENTIAL PSYCHIC ENERGY.

MAGIC POINTS and PSYCHIC ENERGY would be much better names for fantastical powers.

Whoever PALLADIUM BOOKS hires to come up with this stuff should be fired. They write like 14 year old idiot kids and have absolutely horrible organizational skills.

The way the books are laid out is so poorly planned and confusing. Why put the OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTER CLASSES, PSYCHIC CHARACTER CLASSES and RACIAL CHARACTER CLASSES before the rules? And why put the GLOSSARY way in the back of the book as well?

I am getting another headache.

I know I am new but I am entitled to my opinion.

Cheers!

Palladium Books (PB) didn't hire anyone to come up with this stuff as the person who came up with it is also the creator of the entire company, therefore it would be kinda hard to fire him.

And by the way, the character's name was Victor Laszlo, unlike the Victor Lazlo that was being talked about who is an NPC from one of the other games made by PB (Beyond the Supernatural if I'm not mistaken). I will forgive you on the Casablanca reference as it would be impossible to tell how the name was spelled purely by listening to how it's pronounced.

[The Beast]

I'm gonna be different and suggest you start playing Robotech first. Specifically the old version that looks like this version if you can find it (not sure how different the new version is). It'll throw less at you as a first-time Palladium player to learn. Once you get a warm & fuzzy on that, then you can jump into Rifts with less issues.

[Eclipse]

An old copy of BTS might work too in terms of lightening the rule-load, if you prefer supernatural aspects to your rpgs.

[Noon]

You're really not going to get anything from trying to learn the whole book.

You've read a bit about the setting - what do you want to do with it/what sort of game world do you want to craft?

Once we know that, we can point you to the actually relevant bits of rules.

If you don't know what to do - well, reading the rules wont help (reading about the setting might, though)

[Damian Magecraft]

It's funny but one of your first questions was one of MY first questions about 20 years ago:

Shouldn't Psychics use Potential Psychic Energy?

Shouldn't Mages use Potential Magic Energy?

Why the F*CK don't you just call them MAGIC POINTS?!?!

Hi Witchcraft!

I am thinking exactly the same thing.
How totally stupid.

All the abbreviations are lame and confusing.

POTENTIAL PSYCHIC ENERGY (P.P.E.) and INNER STRENGTH POINTS (I.S.P.) to me seem almost the same thing.
I bet if you asked 10,000 people what kind of power would a PSYCHIC use, I bet 100% of them would say POTENTIAL PSYCHIC ENERGY.

MAGIC POINTS and PSYCHIC ENERGY would be much better names for fantastical powers.

Whoever PALLADIUM BOOKS hires to come up with this stuff should be fired. They write like 14 year old idiot kids and have absolutely horrible organizational skills.

The way the books are laid out is so poorly planned and confusing. Why put the OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTER CLASSES, PSYCHIC CHARACTER CLASSES and RACIAL CHARACTER CLASSES before the rules? And why put the GLOSSARY way in the back of the book as well?

I am getting another headache.

I know I am new but I am entitled to my opinion.

Cheers!

Yes; it does seem somewhat counter intuitive when you come to the system (and hobby I assume) new and fresh faced as you have.
But there is a 30+ year history to the company and perhaps a short trip down memory lane (from one who has walking that lane from practically day one) will help you gain some insight and understanding as to reasons behind those terms and their applications.

Originally Spells did not use a spell point system but a spells per day limit (based upon character class). But psionics did use a points pool; this pool was called Inner Strength Points.
When BTS 1(Beyond The Supernatural first edition) was written, a point based character creation mechanic was introduced (and discarded in the later 2nd edition of the book) in which Psychic characters would spend Potential Psychic Energy to get Psychic powers; a Higher ISP pool; Large boosts to skills; or other powers.
In the BTS book it is stated that all living beings have PPE.
And a Magic casting class called the Arcanist was also introduced. The designer decided that having magic work on the old spells per day mechanic would not fit the feel of the setting and introduced the point based casting we now use in all Pally games (well the ones that include magic anyway). And rather than invent yet another name for points he opted to use the PPE term.

[Daniel Stoker]

Now with the history behind it explained (thank you Damian!) the 'metaphysics' behind it is that we're all born with PPE (Potential Psychic Energy) and as we grow and age we unconsciously use that to improve our skills and 'natural talents'. Now some people take this energy and focus and end up using it to develop psychic abilities as well as turn that energy into ISP (Inner Strength Points) to fuel those powers. Meanwhile others use that energy to build a large pool and learn how to channel that energy into casting spells, and others use that energy to hone their body and develop skills beyond that of normal people etc.


Daniel Stoker

[The Oh So Amazing Nate]

I think the only thing that hasn't been clarified yet is OCC PCC and RCC. To be honest I'm fuzzy on these myself. I commented on them in a different post and was told several times that the definition I had was wrong. So.. Some help? Elementary level answers won't be seen as condescending (at least not by me). Sometimes the simplest answers are the best.

[dragonfett]

I think the only thing that hasn't been clarified yet is OCC PCC and RCC. To be honest I'm fuzzy on these myself. I commented on them in a different post and was told several times that the definition I had was wrong. So.. Some help? Elementary level answers won't be seen as condescending (at least not by me). Sometimes the simplest answers are the best.

I will try my best to provide the most accurate answers that also are easy to explain and understand. Doesn't mean that I will succeed, but I will at least try.

OCC is Occupational Character Class. Basically a class you have to learn how to do and is defined by what you learned. (e.g. Ley Line Walker, CS Grunt, etc.)

RCC is Racial Character Class. Every member of your race have the same (typically) powerful abilities and is more defined by the race itself. (e.g. Dragons)

PCC is Psychic Character Class. All PCC's are, as you have probably guessed by the explanation of the abbreviation, are psychic in nature. Rifts doesn't really use the PCC class designation, but as Rifts is a melting pot of almost every other Palladium Game, some of which do use the term, it tends to pop up every once in a while. The easiest way to think of a PCC (at least in my mind) is to think of it as a hybrid of an OCC and an RCC as PCC's all have some sort of powerful ability like an RCC (Psionics in this case), but have to learn how to use them like an OCC.

The most confusing part of the whole thing is really more what separates a race from being an RCC as there are some that blurs the lines of what is what.

Anyone else care to further explain?

[Damian Magecraft]

I think the only thing that hasn't been clarified yet is OCC PCC and RCC. To be honest I'm fuzzy on these myself. I commented on them in a different post and was told several times that the definition I had was wrong. So.. Some help? Elementary level answers won't be seen as condescending (at least not by me). Sometimes the simplest answers are the best.

I will try my best to provide the most accurate answers that also are easy to explain and understand. Doesn't mean that I will succeed, but I will at least try.

OCC is Occupational Character Class. Basically a class you have to learn how to do and is defined by what you learned. (e.g. Ley Line Walker, CS Grunt, etc.)

RCC is Racial Character Class. Every member of your race have the same (typically) powerful abilities and is more defined by the race itself. (e.g. Dragons)

PCC is Psychic Character Class. All PCC's are, as you have probably guessed by the explanation of the abbreviation, are psychic in nature. Rifts doesn't really use the PCC class designation, but as Rifts is a melting pot of almost every other Palladium Game, some of which do use the term, it tends to pop up every once in a while. The easiest way to think of a PCC (at least in my mind) is to think of it as a hybrid of an OCC and an RCC as PCC's all have some sort of powerful ability like an RCC (Psionics in this case), but have to learn how to use them like an OCC.

The most confusing part of the whole thing is really more what separates a race from being an RCC as there are some that blurs the lines of what is what.

Anyone else care to further explain?

Also as of RUE: The designation PCC is no longer considered a part of the Rifts setting. (officially anyway).
It should also be noted that in some books the RCC designation is also sometimes applied to Racially Restricted OCCs.

[dragonfett]

I think the only thing that hasn't been clarified yet is OCC PCC and RCC. To be honest I'm fuzzy on these myself. I commented on them in a different post and was told several times that the definition I had was wrong. So.. Some help? Elementary level answers won't be seen as condescending (at least not by me). Sometimes the simplest answers are the best.

I will try my best to provide the most accurate answers that also are easy to explain and understand. Doesn't mean that I will succeed, but I will at least try.

OCC is Occupational Character Class. Basically a class you have to learn how to do and is defined by what you learned. (e.g. Ley Line Walker, CS Grunt, etc.)

RCC is Racial Character Class. Every member of your race have the same (typically) powerful abilities and is more defined by the race itself. (e.g. Dragons)

PCC is Psychic Character Class. All PCC's are, as you have probably guessed by the explanation of the abbreviation, are psychic in nature. Rifts doesn't really use the PCC class designation, but as Rifts is a melting pot of almost every other Palladium Game, some of which do use the term, it tends to pop up every once in a while. The easiest way to think of a PCC (at least in my mind) is to think of it as a hybrid of an OCC and an RCC as PCC's all have some sort of powerful ability like an RCC (Psionics in this case), but have to learn how to use them like an OCC.

The most confusing part of the whole thing is really more what separates a race from being an RCC as there are some that blurs the lines of what is what.

Anyone else care to further explain?

Also as of RUE: The designation PCC is no longer considered a part of the Rifts setting. (officially anyway).
It should also be noted that in some books the RCC designation is also sometimes applied to Racially Restricted OCCs.

Thank you Damian. I was trying to think of that but forgot.

[Eclipse]

OCC = what you do
RCC = what you are + usually, what you do -> sort of racial profiling
PCC = what you are + what you do -> if this is being a psychic. This is kinda vague.

Would be better if you just had OCC and RCC for every character. E.g.

RCC human
OCC mind melter or ley-line walker or cyborg etc

or

RCC Great Horned Dragon Hatchling
OCC Generic mage and major psychic.

[Damian Magecraft]

OCC = what you do
RCC = what you are + usually, what you do -> sort of racial profiling
PCC = what you are + what you do -> if this is being a psychic. This is kinda vague.

Would be better if you just had OCC and RCC for every character. E.g.

RCC human
OCC mind melter or ley-line walker or cyborg etc

or

RCC Great Horned Dragon Hatchling
OCC Generic mage and major psychic.

This why we have confusion....
Failure to read what the Acronym stands for...
RCC = Racial Character CLASS.
Note the word class?
Is a Half orc in D&D a class? Or a race?

[dragonfett]

OCC = what you do
RCC = what you are + usually, what you do -> sort of racial profiling
PCC = what you are + what you do -> if this is being a psychic. This is kinda vague.

Would be better if you just had OCC and RCC for every character. E.g.

RCC human
OCC mind melter or ley-line walker or cyborg etc

or

RCC Great Horned Dragon Hatchling
OCC Generic mage and major psychic.

This why we have confusion....
Failure to read what the Acronym stands for...
RCC = Racial Character CLASS.
Note the word class?
Is a Half orc in D&D a class? Or a race?

Let's not get into THAT mess! In D&D, a dragon is a race and takes class levels (at least 3.x - 4th ed).

[Nightmask]

OCC = what you do
RCC = what you are + usually, what you do -> sort of racial profiling
PCC = what you are + what you do -> if this is being a psychic. This is kinda vague.

Would be better if you just had OCC and RCC for every character. E.g.

RCC human
OCC mind melter or ley-line walker or cyborg etc

or

RCC Great Horned Dragon Hatchling
OCC Generic mage and major psychic.

This why we have confusion....
Failure to read what the Acronym stands for...
RCC = Racial Character CLASS.
Note the word class?
Is a Half orc in D&D a class? Or a race?

Let's not get into THAT mess! In D&D, a dragon is a race and takes class levels (at least 3.x - 4th ed).

The Half-Orc was a race of course, just like half-elves, they just didn't get treated all that well earlier on as they were lumped in on the Orc side of things, who were simply monsters in the game definitions hence lack of availability to players and having generic stats generally rather than having a standard race/class combination like humans or half-elves.

Linguistically speaking the idea of a 'racial character class' would be seen as 'a character class only available to a particular race', but bizarrely some treat it as a class that is all a particular race can have no matter obviously wrong that interpretation is. It'd be like claiming all Klingons had to be warriors because what you generally saw were warriors instead of it simply not being common to see other sorts (as a few episodes of the Star Trek franchise demonstrated, same with the scientist Ferengi having to fight racial stereotypes that they were all incapable of anything but pursuit of profit).

[The Beast]

Linguistically speaking the idea of a 'racial character class' would be seen as 'a character class only available to a particular race', but bizarrely some treat it as a class that is all a particular race can have no matter obviously wrong that interpretation is.

Yet what the RMB described it as more closely fits with the latter description there.

The R.C.C.'s are non-human beings with unique natural abilities and limited human-type skills.

AFAIK that was the only definition in the game until the GMG, when they expanded the definition to the following:

Creatures of Magic and certain aliens, D-Bees, and nonhumans often possess instinctive, innate or sociologically mandated occupations or skills. When this is the case, the character is usually limited to a particular R.C.C. with a limited range of skill and occupation options. Some nonhumans/aliens/D-Bees can select an O.C.C., but most can not.

After a quick scan of RUE, I didn't see any definition of R.C.C. in it. so I don't know if it was changed or updated in that book.

[Nightmask]

Linguistically speaking the idea of a 'racial character class' would be seen as 'a character class only available to a particular race', but bizarrely some treat it as a class that is all a particular race can have no matter obviously wrong that interpretation is.

Yet what the RMB described it as more closely fits with the latter description there.

The R.C.C.'s are non-human beings with unique natural abilities and limited human-type skills.

AFAIK that was the only definition in the game until the GMG, when they expanded the definition to the following:

Creatures of Magic and certain aliens, D-Bees, and nonhumans often possess instinctive, innate or sociologically mandated occupations or skills. When this is the case, the character is usually limited to a particular R.C.C. with a limited range of skill and occupation options. Some nonhumans/aliens/D-Bees can select an O.C.C., but most can not.

After a quick scan of RUE, I didn't see any definition of R.C.C. in it. so I don't know if it was changed or updated in that book.

That's definitely bizarre, and the vagueness there in the GMG entry just about renders the label a worthless label due to the use of wording like 'usually' and 'often'. Same goes with the 'sociologically' part, since that's really not a restriction, particularly when one looks and realizes 'hey wait you couldn't actually have a society function if all of its members were this'. At least not without something to do an extremely good job of justifying it, like the Kzinti with their slave races (but even then they had members that weren't warriors and held other occupations like scientist and esper).

However you slice it though when you see 'usually' and 'often' you don't actually have an actual restriction, particularly the 'unbreakable must-always-be-this!' declarations one sees from some who seem fanatical about keeping any race introduced and referred to as an RCC from being capable of learning anything else in spite of how they clearly shouldn't be.

[Eclipse]

OCC = what you do
RCC = what you are + usually, what you do -> sort of racial profiling
PCC = what you are + what you do -> if this is being a psychic. This is kinda vague.

Would be better if you just had OCC and RCC for every character. E.g.

RCC human
OCC mind melter or ley-line walker or cyborg etc

or

RCC Great Horned Dragon Hatchling
OCC Generic mage and major psychic.

This why we have confusion....
Failure to read what the Acronym stands for...
RCC = Racial Character CLASS.
Note the word class?
Is a Half orc in D&D a class? Or a race?

I know what it stands for. But thanks for your remedial lesson And it can be confusing - just like in the older editions of D&D where 'Elf' and 'Dwarf' were combinations of Race and Class - the former being fighter/mages and the latter being fighters with certain racial bonuses. I'd prefer a clear separation between race and race-specific class. Maybe some books do that now.

[Giant2005]

Linguistically speaking the idea of a 'racial character class' would be seen as 'a character class only available to a particular race', but bizarrely some treat it as a class that is all a particular race can have no matter obviously wrong that interpretation is.

Yet what the RMB described it as more closely fits with the latter description there.

The R.C.C.'s are non-human beings with unique natural abilities and limited human-type skills.

AFAIK that was the only definition in the game until the GMG, when they expanded the definition to the following:

Creatures of Magic and certain aliens, D-Bees, and nonhumans often possess instinctive, innate or sociologically mandated occupations or skills. When this is the case, the character is usually limited to a particular R.C.C. with a limited range of skill and occupation options. Some nonhumans/aliens/D-Bees can select an O.C.C., but most can not.

After a quick scan of RUE, I didn't see any definition of R.C.C. in it. so I don't know if it was changed or updated in that book.

That's definitely bizarre, and the vagueness there in the GMG entry just about renders the label a worthless label due to the use of wording like 'usually' and 'often'. Same goes with the 'sociologically' part, since that's really not a restriction, particularly when one looks and realizes 'hey wait you couldn't actually have a society function if all of its members were this'. At least not without something to do an extremely good job of justifying it, like the Kzinti with their slave races (but even then they had members that weren't warriors and held other occupations like scientist and esper).

However you slice it though when you see 'usually' and 'often' you don't actually have an actual restriction, particularly the 'unbreakable must-always-be-this!' declarations one sees from some who seem fanatical about keeping any race introduced and referred to as an RCC from being capable of learning anything else in spite of how they clearly shouldn't be.

They have to use the terms "usually", otherwise those RCCs that give the option of conditionally selecting from a few OCCs couldn't exist. It isn't a big deal however as the books seem fairly competent at highlighting which RCCs are the exceptions within their description.

[drewkitty ~..~]

RCC: are classes restricted to a certain Race, and sometimes they are the Manditory starting class for certain races, and sometime They are Menditory class mebers of a Race Has to have and they can't change from it.. (note: in pre-RUE books PCC's are mislabed as RCC's because of Stylistice reasons.)

OCC: These are Job Classes. (note: in RUE & post-RUE books PCC's are mislabed as OCC's because of Stylistice reasons.)

PCC's: Psychic Char Classes are classes based around a certain set of Psionic Powers that spring from the nature of the char. Because they are a part of the nature of the char PCC's can not be changed to other classes unless the psi powers are permenetly lost.

These are the Objecting Meanings of the three basic class labels.
To those of you that want to argue about "there are no PCC's in rifts" see where I noted the old & current labeling styles and that is was saying the objective meanings of the labels. Not!, the stupid stylistic ones.
So you don't need to shove your foot in your mouth to get your two cents in.

[Nightmask]

PCC's: Psychic Char Classes are classes based around a certain set of Psionic Powers that spring from the nature of the char. Because they are a part of the nature of the char PCC's can not be changed to other classes unless the psi powers are permenetly lost.

Don't be presenting your opinion as if it were a fact, there are no rules that say anything of the sort. Particularly given how completely illogical said opinion is. A Psi-Healer is no more going to lose/forget those powers in becoming a Cyber-Doc than a Ley Line Walker is going to forget how to work magic in learning how to be a Rogue Scholar or a or a Super-Spy with super-powers would lose them in becoming a Special Forces soldier.

[Damian Magecraft]

PCC's: Psychic Char Classes are classes based around a certain set of Psionic Powers that spring from the nature of the char. Because they are a part of the nature of the char PCC's can not be changed to other classes unless the psi powers are permenetly lost.

Don't be presenting your opinion as if it were a fact, there are no rules that say anything of the sort. Particularly given how completely illogical said opinion is. A Psi-Healer is no more going to lose/forget those powers in becoming a Cyber-Doc than a Ley Line Walker is going to forget how to work magic in learning how to be a Rogue Scholar or a or a Super-Spy with super-powers would lose them in becoming a Special Forces soldier.

book legality aside (there are valid arguments for both positions); One has to question the players reasoning for this class change.

[Giant2005]

PCC's: Psychic Char Classes are classes based around a certain set of Psionic Powers that spring from the nature of the char. Because they are a part of the nature of the char PCC's can not be changed to other classes unless the psi powers are permenetly lost.

Don't be presenting your opinion as if it were a fact, there are no rules that say anything of the sort. Particularly given how completely illogical said opinion is. A Psi-Healer is no more going to lose/forget those powers in becoming a Cyber-Doc than a Ley Line Walker is going to forget how to work magic in learning how to be a Rogue Scholar or a or a Super-Spy with super-powers would lose them in becoming a Special Forces soldier.

It is also factually inaccurate in Rifts at least.
A Psychic that received a partial conversion in Bionics is forced to change their OCC to that of a Partial Conversion Borg. They loe half of their ISP but their Psionic abilities are retained with full use.