This will kick off the official BackerKit campaign! Project Lead Sean Roberson will be taking questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/tfV2dB95www?si=bt6X0NqfFx1Qnqi9

I'm working on a project delving deep into Rifts(everything in it, games, maps, books, etc.) and I'd love to connect with someone who is knowledgeable about all things within it, read everything, knows the lore, informed about news, etc. Basically I'm looking for someone to bounce ideas off of, answer some questions, and fact check some sections of the project I'm working on.

*Posting my 20+ questions and fact checking paragraphs of info would get bulky in things like discord groups or reddit so highly prefer just talking to one person, happy to credit you, your website, or your socials in the final project as well as pay a bit depending on the help.

Thank you Reddit!

I've tried a lot of things in the past but most are generic tools that have varying degrees of success on capturing what happens in a game session. I've even had a couple that mostly figured out we were playing D&D but still got very confused.

I found this (probably because Cyberworks Google has eyes and ears everywhere) after searching for some campaign helps and wondered if anyone has had any luck with in, specifically with Rifts: https://gmassistant.app/

I'll try it out since it requires a separate recording anyway and parses it after the fact, but I'm just wondering if anyone out there has already found it to be useful or if there's another tool out there that works better with Rifts.

Can stack cybernetic eye benefits? If you get a pair of mechanical eyes can you purchase multiple benefits like nightvsion, crosshairs, and telescopic vision or do you have to swap eye implants for each?

Full disclosure up front: I'm the author of Glitter Boy Codex. As its BackerKit launch on the 20th of October approaches, I've been getting some questions about Glitter Boy Codex over Discord, email, and a few other media. A friend suggested I share my most frequent questions and answers in a single online place.

If you have other questions about it, feel free to ask, and I'll answer as best I can; just keep in mind that I only wrote the manuscript; I can't speak to other parts of the design, production, or marketing campaign. There are also some aspects of the manuscript that aren't for me to reveal or discuss unless/until Palladium releases them.

Q: How many new Glitter Boy models will the book include?

A: None! The only suit given complete stats in the book is the original USA-G10 with minor edits for clarity and consistency. Instead of offering lots of new Glitter Boy models, we opted to provide options and rules for customizing the original suit with equipment, add-on kits, and modifications. The manuscript includes a short segment in the manuscript discussing other Glitter Boy variants and where to find them (both in-game and in other Rifts books).

Q: Will the new equipment and modification kits and rules apply to other power armors, or just the original USA-G10?

A: In terms of equipment, some could work fine for other suits of similar size/construction, some only work for Glitter Boys, and some only work for the USA-G10. Modification rules are specific to the original Glitter Boy, though a GM could adapt some of them to other suits.

Q: What about modifications for stealth?

A: There are a wide variety of customization options that can improve a suit's performance in certain roles; pilots and mechanics have to balance the need for those roles with the inherent armor and firepower expected of the Glitter Boy.

Q: How many rounds of ammunition does the USA-G10 hold in its standard magazine?

A: 100. I know some printings have indicated 1,000, but it's 100. We crunched the numbers, drew up the size required for both ammunition loads, and put them side-by-side with the original Kevin Long drawings. It's 100, which was the original number. Historically, 100 rounds is also a typical basic load of ammunition for troops firing single-shot weapons. In my opinion, 100 makes ammunition management more meaningful and interesting in games.

Q: What about the Glitter Boy Pilot O.C.C.? Are you making any changes?

A: The basic skills and equipment of the O.C.C. aren't changing much: a few new non-combat O.C.C.-specific abilities and skill clarifications. However, this book will have many more options to add unique flavor and capability to pilot characters. Take character creation, for example: before, a Glitter Boy pilot could either be a basic pilot or a descended pilot and get some bonuses. With Glitter Boy Codex, players will have a wide range of origin path options, each with advantages and disadvantages.

Q: How does the book play with the Rifts theme of transhumanism and power at a price?

The manuscript explores several aspects of strapping into a faceless war machine to gain temporary strength and power, balanced with the need to dismount and accept more vulnerability. It also addresses how the suit itself has a greater reputation than its individual pilot, and how every pilot faces the dilemma of choosing fame vs anonymity, and the subsequent social consequences.

Q: How will the book bridge with other active Palladium product lines?

While focused on the classic Rifts North America setting, the manuscript's lore overlaps with Chaos Earth and the upcoming First Responder books in ways that fans of both settings should find useful and enjoyable.

Q: How did Glitter Boys survive the 200-year dark age?

A: Much of the book addresses this question. It's important for understanding the setting and how Glitter Boys and their pilots continue to operate to this day. Short answer: a combination of the suit's design and the groups that kept them going.

Q: Will the book include adventures or a campaign?

A: Yes! We're calling them "adventure episodes" and an "adventure season." There's a whole chapter of standalone episodes and another chapter of episodes built in a running, overall story arc set during the Minion War. All are fully-developed, much like the adventure content in the recent TMNT books, and all are scalable to suit the size/experience of the player characters. A GM familiar with the Rifts setting and rules should be able to run these with no preparation.

Q: Does my character have to be a Glitter Boy Pilot to play them?

A: Not at all! While these episodes include Glitter Boys in one way or another, player characters don't need to be or become Glitter Boy Pilots to play through and enjoy them.

Q: Why name the book "Glitter Boy Codex?"

A: A few reasons. First, Palladium is considering doing a "codex" series of books, with each one focused on a single classic Rifts character type. Glitter Boy Codex is their first such effort. Second, there is an in-game concept of a Glitter Boy Codex referring to the collective lore and knowledge shared between the quantum computers built into every original Glitter Boy. There's also some poetry in fact that "codex" often refers to an early type of book that's still considered quite valuable, similar to how the original Glitter Boy was the first power armor of Rifts, and it's still a coveted and valuable war machine.

Q: How much of this book has new vs reprinted material?

A: About 98% of the book's content has never been printed in a Rifts book before. About 20% of the content began as a few Rifter #85 articles, and I revised and built on that content.

Q: How long did it take you to write this manuscript?

A: About a year and a half, plus a few months dedicated to revisions and editing for content, quality, and length.

Q: Are you doing any artwork for this like the maps you drew for Duty's Edge (TM)?

A: [edit: I got this question yesterday. Unofficially, yes, I'm drawing a map up, but it's not part of my contracted work for Glitter Boy Codex, and I have no idea if or how Kevin/Sean intend to use it. They're probably gonna hold off on deciding whether to use it until they see the final product.]

Q: Will there be a Savage Rifts conversion for this book?

A: Yes!

If you're interested in supporting this project, getting the book, and picking some fun extras with it, the BackerKit campaign starts on October 20th. Palladium is throwing in some extra goodies for people who follow and reserve this campaign now, before it formally kicks off on the 20th. Link is below:

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/palladium-books-inc/rifts-glitter-boy-codex/pre-launch

Do most people use skills as RAW?

Some PalB characters have very few skills.

I have always viewed skills as a vital aspect of Rifts Games. It's a major source of EXP Points and takes the most time in character generation.

I see many instances of skill overlap in Rifts. And I like to see characters engage & experiment with skills creatively. So I let them propose all sorts of uses for skills that are not written, I just keep the penalty for success secret.

Domestic Skills are one area that I have seen the most experiments.

Cooking & Brewing used to make food that gives stat bonuses, powers, PPE & ISP, negate toxins (IE. Fallout 4). The PC became a vagabond Battle Chef.

Sewing: Patch rips in environmental suits/shelters, stitch sails, create concealed pockets, Create fabric camo. Reversible outfits or tear away cloths for quick changes (disguise)

Fishing: Catch/lure sea monster tactics, Harvest sea monsters (venom, ivory, teeth, organs, pearls), Recognize quality fish

Gardening: Botanical barriers, Grow magic herbs (Rifts England), Spot hazardous flora

Grooming: Remove radioactive dust, mimic local fashion trends (impersonate boost), make up & war paint (+1 PB/MA), barbering

Music & Dance: Good music might aid a magic ritual, psionic meditation, vision quest. Perform for food & board or coins. Keep people distracted.

Housekeeping: Know likely hidey-holes in house, Sanitize to remove forensic evidence, Notice disturbed dust & finger and foot prints in a building, Notice a missing item in the house, Keep gear clean and organized to reduce spreading disease, mold, and spoilage.

Got some questions regarding this skill (also, many characters get it at some level, usually 7th, through HtH skills).

1. Strike and parry simultaneously. In other words, those skilled in WP Paired Weapons can often perform two actions for every one melee action/attack.

What does this mean? In the Palladium combat system, opponents take turns after each other, so there is no such thing as doing things simultaneously. Or is this related to the Simultaneous Attack option (RUE page 347), when the defender chooses not not to parry/dodge but attacks instead? In this case, it means he loses his next attack/action, or is it an extra action (also see below)? Also, does it mean he can "cheat" in the initiative order, that is, attack sooner than his initiative value?

1. Strike two different targets (or strike one and parry another incoming attack), simultaneously; both must be within reach.

Again, this only makes sense if we use the Simultaneous Attack option, am I right? As it is mentioned in the description for that combat move.

1. Parry two different attackers, one with each hand.

Once again, makes no sense in a "take your turn" system. According to RUE (page 342 and other places) you can parry against three opponents. No other rules for fighting multiple enemies. So, is this only usable with the Simultaneous Attack option, or am I missing something?

Characters with WP Paired Weapons can EITHER parry multiple attackers or parry an incoming attack and then get a counter-attack, but cannot do both.

Parry then counter-attack is using Simultaneous Attack AND WP Paired Weapons together, right?

Of course, a character with WP Paired Weapons can parry an attack and strike simultaneously only if he still has attacks left. A character who has already used up his attacks can NOT counterstrike (hit back) until the next melee round begins, but he can parry until then.

Now, this means you use up your next action with your counter-attack, right? (And this answers my question above about using up an action.)

A character with WP Paired Weapons using both of his attacks simultaneously on someone is vulnerable to attack from a second opponent. When fighting three (or more) attackers, the character would be able to try to parry two of the attackers, but any other attacks would be unopposed.

This can be a very important limitation in certain situations, and I think this paragraph should be edited together with the "2. Twin, simultaneous strikes against the same target." section.

By the way, what do you think? Is this skill too strong? If the character faces a single opponent, he can basically double his attacks, with no penalties whatsoever. And some OCCs get this skill at level one...

Hi all

I run Savage RIFTS, but have been acquiring the older books since they have a lot of great detailed source info. One subject I'm struggling on is the use of psychics in the Coalition. According to Sourcebook One, psychics are forced to register themselves and basically excluded from most occupations. But down the line it appears that psychics follow the path of juicers and full-conversion borgs and are integrated into the Coalition military.

My question then, is what kind of role would a Burster play in the Coalition military, if anything? Would they be outright excluded around 104 P.A. or are they allowed to serve like Psi-Stalkers do?

Several years ago, I created a Rifts Character Sheet for my waning campaign that died shortly after I got it working well. A couple of years later, I became part of a huge player group (across 3 cities) and my little character sheet couldn't keep up with the god-tier characters (as does happen) so it went from a 2-pager to a 4-pager. I won't bore you all with the details -- since most of them are available elsewhere -- but life happened and now my kids are having kids and we're playing Rifts again...

So... while I *can* do this by myself, but I've been given great feedback by other players in the past and would even love to make this a team effort if anyone is interested in joining me on it. I'm playing around with the layout and these pictures represent the layout I've landed on after one "whole day" of playing around with it for the first time in many years. Needless to say, I would welcome a fresh pair of eyes. I plan to start play-testing this in a few weeks with a decently large group playing both Beyond the Supernatural Second Edition and Rifts Ultimate Edition rules. I even included a Chi pool complete with Yin and Yang breakdowns, for those who love that sort of thing.

The old version can be found here (the 4-pager): https://github.com/megaversetools/charactersheet/releases/latest

I'm working on the new version and have some notes on the process here: https://megaverseonline.com

I'm mostly looking for willing play-testers for the new one before I go to the extremely labor-intensive trouble of making it a PDF form, who don't mind scribbling away on paper with -- gasp -- pencil. But of course for those creatively-inclined, I'd love to get some design and/or calculation help with the JavaScript that runs the attribute bonus calculations. Either way, I don't want to rush this like I did with pages 3 and 4 on version 1.1 of my original sheet.

Anyway, is anyone interested? Please ask me any questions like: "why are you such a nerd?" or "are you happy now?", etc.

Can it make a non-human look human and visa versa?

Will it work on artificial skin?

Can it be linked with other cosmetic cybernetics (Bionic Sourcebook) for extra Diguise skill bonus?

GM Notes turned into a PC handout

In this campaign, the terms Alien, Mutant, and D-Bee describe creature types populating Rifts Earth. Each can look identical to humans but there is always a way to tell them apart. While the human-supremacist Coalition States (CS) often treats all three with hostility, each represents a distinct category in game mechanics and lore-wise.

1. D-BEE (Dimensional Being)

D Bee is a common slang that includes any creature from astral plane, parallel universe, and alternate timeline. They arrive by Rift or sommoned by magic. D-Bees are a distinct SPECIES that can reproduce and can naturally thrive in Rifts Earth. They have their own history, culture, politics, and may exist in the millions on Rifts Earth (not likely).

ASTRAL PLANE: The astral plane is a layer of concious that interweaves with the prime physical world. It can only be accessed through psionics and spells that mimic psionics such as ASTRAL PROJECTION. Usually you must leave your physical body behind to travel the astral plane as a spirit. Natives of Psyscape are this type of D-Bee.

ALTERNATE HISTORY: This type of DBEE is nearly identical to Rifts humans but in their particular variation of Earth events proceded in a different way or a different rate. This can mimic the effect of time travel or access different player characters across the MEGAVERSE (HU, ROBOTECH, N&S, BTS). It may require extreme analysis to identify a human as a D-Bee outside of behavior.

ATLANTIS: This continent is the main hub for dimensional travel on Rifts Earth but smaller ones exist such as Lazlo and the World Tree. The CS considers children born of D-Bees on Rifts Earth to remain D-Bees as well as humans born in Atlantis slave pens.

1. ALIEN (E-T)

Aliens (for this category) are creatures that come from a different planet still part of the same universe. This planet is radically different habitat from Rifts Earth. Aliens have different habitat requirements than humans and likely only survive in extreme terrestrial environments (ie Hot or Cold Worlders). Rifts Earth can be a deathworld to aliens and they can only survive with atmospheric suits or environmental magic. IMO, the best way to recreate aliens in Rifts RPG is by the Aliens Unlimited book or it is just a fluff backstory like Micronian, Superman, Starman, or Mork from Ork. Spaceships or teleportation is how they arrive at Rifts Earth (classic sci-fi). In the broader Palladium Megaverse (Phase World and Three Galaxy), aliens can simultaneously be d-bees. On Earth, the CS makes little distinction between an Alien and a D-Bee.

1. MUTANT (Genie)

A mutant is a being whose genetic structure was altered, whether through exposure to PPE,, radiation, toxins, bio-wizardry, or genetic engineering (Gene-Splicers or CS Labs). Mutants come from Rifts Earth creatures, making them indigenous rather than D-Bee or Alien. They can be one of a kind and often are sterile. There are several Mutants of note. IMO, I only use vagabonds as Super-Powered Mutants (HU conversion).

CS MUTANTS: The Coalition mass produces animal based Mutants such as Dog Boys. CS views them as property and sterile. Other Mutants are usually killed on sight.

PSI-STALKERS: These aren't really considered Mutants anymore, but a race of humans that have recently evolved. CS still views them as Mutants.

PSYCHICS: 35% humans have always had the potential to be psychics, so not a mutation. Crazies and Juicers aren't Mutants, but M&M. CS views them as Mutants.

BIO BORGS: Creatures mutated through extensive Bio Wizardry. Their abilities can NOT be passed on to children.

There was a real Blood Countess who was imprisoned and died in 1614 trapped in her castle.

Before she died she transferred her soul to a pendant that's now super cursed. Went missing for centuries until it was found in the ruins of her castle. Throughout time the person who found it died tragically.

Until a young woman finally puts on the pendant and the soul of Elizabeth takes over and the legacy of her evil begins anew.

Any thoughts bringing the legend of Elizabeth Bathory works into Rifts Europe?

Sourcebook 1 describes them as a lighter version of the Coalition that wants to take control of A.R.C.H.I.E.'s factories (which they have, though intermittently) and his "Sleeping Army", but they are still human supremacists.
Then, I read (pretty sure it was in Heroes of Humanity) that they actually took control of the "Sleeping Army".
Now, going through the Rifters, I read that they are no longer human supremacists but, in fact, welcome cohabitation with D-Bees.
So, what gives? I clearly missed several things about them, or are people just making stuff up and not caring about continuity after Sourcebook 1?

So the Conversion book 1 says that Dragon Chi (Ninjas and Superspies pg 119) and Dark Chi (same book pg 121) can be selected as psionic powers both costing 20 I.S.P. But I'm wondering how it would look in use for both. As Chi mastery skills both take a melee round action to activate but both remain continuously active until you focus the Chi to some other skill. Does that mean that a psychic that selects it has it continuously active when they pay the I.S.P. cost to activate it? Would it's use even give you ISP instead of Chi?

I'm looking for playtesters.

I want to run a Rifts one-shot in the near future with people who have never used my tool before. If you're interested, DM me and we'll coordinate.

https://rifts-app.vercel.app/

This started as a little project to generate characters faster for the players at my table.

Then it became:

"Wouldn't it be cool if ammo tracked itself and was consumed directly from the character sheet?"

Well, if I'm doing that, I might as well track PPE and ISP too.

And skills should probably be clickable so you can roll them directly from the sheet.

Then I started thinking about ley lines. I didn't want every player manually toggling whether their character was near or on one, so I organized characters into campaigns and gave the campaign a world state.

Which meant the world state could also track things like moon phases, equinoxes, solstices, and eclipses.

At that point I had campaigns, character sheets, and most of the game math already encoded, so...

"I guess I could simulate an encounter."

Encounters worked surprisingly well.

So I added a battlemap.

Then I discovered there was a universal import/export standard for VTT maps, so naturally I integrated that too.

And somewhere along the way my little character generator turned into a fairly robust Rifts VTT.

It's been working extremely well for my own table, but that's also the problem: my players and I already know how it's supposed to work.

So now I want to put it in front of people coming into it completely blind.

If you'd like to be part of the playtest, send me a DM.

assistance requested in finding some information. I need the stats for the LEWS-9 Environmental Wet Suit from Worldbook 7 Underseas. specifically, i need the version from a more recent printing, to see if there was any shadow updates after RUE that included full MDC by location info.

my copy of the book is from a very early printing (2nd printing, 1996), back when body armor was still being listed with just a single MDC value. my GMG copy (1st printing, 2001) gives it a helmet value but like all the entries in that, doesn't include the limb MDC.

i tried asking on the palladium discord (where the game i'm using it will be) but the only response i got was someone who posts lots of AI generated stuff and the stats he posted were full of stuff that didn't match the book i have (weight, radio range, endurance, etc) and formatted in a way that seemed likely to be chatGPT output.. so i don't trust it.

normally i'd ask on the forums.. but they're still unavailable.

So the main Book has the Operator, and the Triax book has the Field Mechanic.

Are there any other classes like these two out there, I can't think of any, but I was pretty sure there were some Engineering types in some of the books.

ETA: When I say like these, I mean the types that will fix things, or work on things. I don't mean Non Combat OCC's, I know most of those already, I am after the Hammer and Wrench types.

I have an idea for a Sea Bee type character I wanted to work up

So this is a bit of a weird one. But I as of recent started work on building a solo mode for Rifts and shockingly enough it's actually working. I've mostly been focusing it on combat and stealing things from dungeons and dragons to make the solo mode work but it's been letting me test out monsters for better combat encounters for the games I've been running. I've had a few developments so I figured I would share them. So I could get feedback before I share the full document. If it ever get's that far.

Let's be clear here. I'm not using AI for this project. If you wanted to solo mode Rifts you can use AI. I've found that GROK has better understanding of how the palladium systems work and that isn't an issue. I'm creating a bespoke experience you can use to journal and adventure for your own game.

So let's start with my first Issue. Most games have a power level rating for the monsters because they think the game has some balance built in. An easy example would be challenge rating in DND.

Rifts not only does almost nothing to provide you with a built monster stat block as it is trying to encourage the GM to be creative it also throws out any semblance of balance between party members in favor of that creative flare.

So I did some reverse engineering of CR systems and created one for Rifts.

You calculate two separate numbers and add them together and the result is a power level number that is somewhat workable. I don't have a rating table yet as that takes having lots of monsters and I only have about 50 in my own homebrew monster book and I just came up with the idea.

The first number is Defensive power level the equation is
((MDC total + (AR Bonus x10)+(highest reaction bonus x10)) = MDC Defensive Power Level) 

The second number is Offensive Power
((Melee or ranged MDC Max)+(Spell MDC max)+(strike bonus total x 10))x(APM max)= Offensive power level))) 

You add these numbers together and the closer the number is in theory the more even the fight between them should be.

I've had a chance to experiment a bit with this equation and it seems to be working Ok.

Other then that I've been working on tables that seem to work and custom dungeons and location generators for the Rifts setting. Nothing has been well edited or customized but I'm having fun.

I've made more then 50 NPC to try it out on which has taken sometime and it seems to be OK.

I'm at the point though where I need feedback and ideas so feel free to contribute if you think you can help.

I need monsters and I need some other GM's to test out and critique my ideas so we can help more people have a good time in Rifts.

Although Rifts England is a pretty weak entry in the published books I was always intrigued by the idea of London on Splynn (Thames has been renamed to Splynn). A colonial city away from Atlantis. These are postcards from the city giftshop.

Drawings are from Arthur Skizhali-Weiss book The Magic City. Plenty of other Riftsian drawings in that book.