Which version is better?

[Killer Cyborg]

I play Rifts and I Want to play Palladium Fantasy since the new D&D cost to much. So which is better to buy 1st or 2nd edition?

Tough call.
They're each good in their own ways.
If you're looking for easier compatibility, go for 2nd Edition.
If you're looking for deadliness, go for 1st Edition.

[pblackcrow]

2nd Ed. has my vote.

[J. Lionheart]

Second edition is what everything is now, with the exception of Yin-Sloth Jungles and Island... World. There is no first edition version of anything past the Northern Wilderness book. That being said, first edition has its charms. It is a different style of play than RIFTS or 2e, without P.P.E., S.D.C. for people, physical skills, or some other touches. I loved it and played it for years, and we only converted to 2e because that's what the new content was coming out in.

Like K.C. said above, if you're looking for compatibility with RIFTS and other palladium stuff, use 2e. If you're looking for a tough and deadly fantasy game, 1e.

[Colonel Wolfe]

I play Rifts and I Want to play Palladium Fantasy since the new D&D cost to much. So which is better to buy 1st or 2nd edition?

Stop being Cheap and buy D&D.... its actully Cheaper in the long run comparable to buying antything printed by all other companies... (as an RPG Analyast I knwo this to be true.... the 3 70-90lb Boxes of Palladium books hurt my back way more then my one box of D20 stuff)

but Truthfully...

All I've played form PFRPG is 2nd Ed. since you already play Rifts its a simmiler system and wnot be hard to learn.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Stop being Cheap and buy D&D.....

Ahhh! What are you doing?

No! Buy D&D if you want, but stay with PF...nice, seductive, alluring PF....

I see you took the RPG analyst job, Col...how's the basement?

lol, please note the "but Truthfully... " line between my statements.

If you like Palladium system, Buy Fantasy, in Truth, its Kevin's best Work, and tons better compared to Rifts (thou i only own 2 PFRPG books, I can find about 100 diuffrent ways).

on the basement note, my mom dosent have one, but i'm single again and until the Police job comes through I'm an Offical RPG-Analyst.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Yeah, PF is more...polished? You can just see a lot of TLC went into the system.

Well, good luck with both gigs, Col. I'm sure you'll be awesome at both.

PF is more Self contained, and has less CJ Carella in it... None!
Thou inherent Balance is not its key strong point, its OCC's are diverse and well adjusted to the setting. (compared to the 13 Ninja-Variants in Rifts and the Steady Power-Creep with the OCC's)

The Police job is nice, Desk jockey at the County Jail, and my Sister is freinds with the guys in the Sherifs office.... and it will pay.
but the RPG anaylast dosent pay....

[Colonel Wolfe]

No, but the prestige should make up for the lack of $. That, and having a rockin' couch to sleep on.

hmmm.... maybe i can be both.... lead a Double Life... by Day... Mild manered force of Law & Justice... by night RPG Analyst....

[Rpgpunk]

I don't like the way spells are used in 1st ed, stick to 2nd ed and PPE.

[Entiago]

For about 5 years I used the 2nd edition rule book with some 1st edition sourcebooks, not that hard. But if you want Fantasy it makes more cents ($$) to just get the 2nd edition. Easily convert RIFTS (and other Palladium games) down to PF.

[Killer Cyborg]

If you like Palladium system, Buy Fantasy, in Truth, its Kevin's best Work, and tons better compared to Rifts (thou i only own 2 PFRPG books, I can find about 100 diuffrent ways)

I have to disagree with that, as far as the original game of Rifts.
Rifts and Sourcebook 1, along with Vampire Kingdoms, are pretty darn solid and well thought out (VK less so, but still decent).
It's only CB1 and after that things go to down the toilet.

[Colonel Wolfe]

If you like Palladium system, Buy Fantasy, in Truth, its Kevin's best Work, and tons better compared to Rifts (thou i only own 2 PFRPG books, I can find about 100 diuffrent ways)

I have to disagree with that, as far as the original game of Rifts.
Rifts and Sourcebook 1, along with Vampire Kingdoms, are pretty darn solid and well thought out (VK less so, but still decent).
It's only CB1 and after that things go to down the toilet.

Thats basicalyl my opion as well, rifts was Origonal before the MD-Cliches started to surface... you know Captina Nemo need to be the MD pilot of a MD Sub....

[Sentinel]

I think 2nd edition is the way to go. It'll allow you to use the current sourcebooks, it's more compatible to the other games if you use them, it's definitely got some improvements over the 1st ed.

[lather]

No question in my mind.. first edition.

[Sentinel]

I felt the magic system was improved somewhat, I liked going to the SDC system, and overall, any changes that were made to bring PFRPG in line with the rest of the Megaversal games was good for me. I didn't necessarily like the logistical changes of putting Dragons into a separate book (now I have to buy two, where one was sufficient before), but in general the updated info, and expanded info has sat well with me.
Is Recon the only Palladium game not part of the Megaverse Now?

[lather]

Yea, you really need to consider how interested in the rest of the megaverse you are.

Although speaking from experience and from that of others on this topic, it is not difficult to retrofit/retool things.

[Killer Cyborg]

When our Rifts party found a Rift to Palladium, we ended up in 1st Edition (so our GM could run all the premade adventures).
2nd Edition wouldn't have provided nearly as much of a challange.
The only conversion we did was to drop the 2 attacks for living, change Megadamage gear into SDC, and to drop our character's SDC.
A LOT of fights were pretty easy, as they should have been considering our power level and tech, but we got our butts handed to us quite a few times too.
Some of the 1st edition psi powers and the combat bonusts for first edition HTH Assassin are extremely powerful.

[Killer Cyborg]

Spells per day! please tell me its not the D&D nightmare that goes like this: 1st level Mage: I cast magic missle, DM: ha! now your out of spells have no armor, a dagger and 4 hit points. Just go roll up your next character now.

A lot like that, yes.
But at least you get to pick your spell as you cast it...
(And I think you start off with 2 spells per day)

Edit:
Oh, and it can be spells of any level!
Which makes this more powerful than the PPE rules in some ways.

[Colonel Wolfe]

Spells per day! please tell me its not the D&D nightmare that goes like this: 1st level Mage: I cast magic missle, DM: ha! now your out of spells have no armor, a dagger and 4 hit points. Just go roll up your next character now.

For the D&D system it makes Sense... as Wizards have worked that way for 25 years... (thou in 3rd ed. they are a bit more powerful... can wear armor, and carry a x-bow.. and a Decent Con is a muct for a Wizard... Feats make the diffrence for Wizards)

The PPE system form BTS/Rifts was a good change for PFRPG...

[Rimmer]

Have always had a soft spot for 1e, so my vote is for 1e, that being said though, i do use 2e PPE rules.

Bad cornholio Bad.

Not sure why he is being bad, just playing the odds

[Colonel Wolfe]

rpg analyst? is that like...being unemployed?
guess you dont need spelling for that job either...but i'm wondering if the wotc books are teaching bad english?

Bad Speller? me? I've been so for close to 20 years... way longer then my experinces with RPG's. I'm a typical male, only good at one area of Academics, Math. (Thou history,poly-sci and Chem were easy for me as well.) Grammer and wording has always been my weakest area. Thou all my English teachers loved my work. even thou i only go d's
The RPG Analyst is basically being unemployed... Much like the RPg Designer/Writer/Freelancer Jobs... The Basement "penthouse" is with out a doubt the best place to live... except if you live in California... Mudslides & Flooding make it real hard to stay in the basement...
I moved because of Family issues.. and have had it tough finding a Real job... guess i can drop 30 pounds and join my buddies in Iraq...

[Janus]

Bad Speller? me? I've been so for close to 20 years... way longer then my experinces with RPG's. ...

You know I work with and in law enforcement. Your spelling and command of grammar will not be an issue. That said on to the good stuff.



I prefer 1st edition to 2nd edition in that it is a separate game (and it has the Tombs of Gersidi in it). I think it did a wonderful job of fixing everything I hated about D&D 1st through 2nd editions (not that I enjoy 3rd, but it was not around then). 2nd edition, while it has its faults I think people have told you about, SDC, etc, I believe it to be an excellent game with a lot of history (Bill Coffin rocks!). I enjoy the PPE for magic users (I really hate the spells per day crap 1st and D&D had/use). While first was easy to create a character (it had to be come on there was like only 13 skills to choose from and you did not have to scratch your head basic or expert HtH) 2nd has tons of new OCCs with a crap ton of skills which I truly love.

But as there will be no more new books for 1st, I would get 2nd just for the history. If you just want a basic game, i will create my own world, go with 1st.

[Borast]

Well...since the only version available is 2nd edition...

Personally...I like both, but I play 2nd. (I was adding SDC in the 80's before RIFTS really hit it big.)

[Sentinel]

I didn't like 1E, but I know it was because the GM. He had a tendency to railroad PC's and then monty haul it at times. I hardly remember the mechanics of playing, but I decided to pick up 2E when it came out and then started collecting all the books, first or second edition. I can't say if the first was superior since I never played it much. Had plenty of great games with the second edition of PF though.

Even if a game is absolutely perfect, a bad GM can totally ruin the entire experience.
Out of curiousity, who has ever actually seen Monty Haul from wence comes the reference? Ever seen the show? Live?
Besides me...

[Omote]

2nd edition is the way to go. Overall a better game system (although the systems are close) IMO. PPE for the spells is such a good way to do magic... plus, I just like SDC. Go 2nd ed.

...............................Omote
FPQ

[Colonel Wolfe]

Heh, don't date yourself too much, Sentinel.

yes, becomming and asexual creature is in opposition of over 100 million years of evoultion...

[maasenstodt]

No question in my mind.. first edition.

I concur. 1st Ed. is a tighter, more dangerous game that shows off the better qualities of the Palladium ruleset. I've played both, and given the chance to play either, I'd go with 1st Ed. every time.