North Prairie Adventures - Rifts OOC

[Narf the Mouse]

No worries?! Do you not see the lion?!?!

(The Lion King movie makes me think of cannibalism)

[Grtdrgn]

*considers trying to find a North Prairie Adventures book to get a better idea of what to expect from this campaign*

Anyone have a better suggestion so I don't spend $20+ on something I shouldn't buy right now?

[Tom the Fanboy]

There isn't really book specifically for the region I'm running the game in. You'd do well with Rifts Canada and the New West/Spirit West books are the main rulebooks I'll be using. Some of the people in the game are playing characters from the New West book, but most of you guys are basebook characters.

Since you've already got the Rifts Book of Magic your ley line walker shouldn't need anything else.

Though it should be noted that I'll be using the Rifts Ultimate Edition when needed.

[Grtdrgn]

Glad I have the Canada book. Don't have New West/Spirit West, but I guess I'll just ask for clarification whenever wanted. Thanks Tom.

[Xaq]

So, what's left? Are we ready to start now? I know Alina is champing at the bit to get going.

[Punstarr]

I'm ready to roll as well.

[Tom the Fanboy]

If that is the case then I might as well get on with it! I'll start the IC thread tomorrow and we'll get you guys introduced in game.

Let's see where the characters are...

Karth and Rex were in the same merc company and have been hanging out in town for awhile. They're at a lounge off the airstrip's Technowizard hangar. Fae'lin is in the same bar, discouraging the advances of one of the other rare elves in the city. Morgan is sitting nearby enjoying a drink and listening in on Rex and Karth's colorful conversation.

Dark Energy and Pedro (the NPC) are walking down the street getting to know each other after helping a family with bandits earlier in the day.

Daniel has just finished his noonday meal at one of the hotel/restaurants and is strolling down the same street in the opposite direction.

Jane has just finished chatting with some of the Technowizards in the hangar, disguising her curiosity of their powers with questions about hovercycle styles (asked in fluent Technocan), and she is headed for the lounge to sort out her notes.

The lounge is named The Red Barn and sports a refurbished Pre-Rifts sign on the front. The building is painted red but actually doesn't look like a barn. Roll Pre-Rifts History to know more about the name if you'd like.


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Before I make the IC thread I need to look through everyone's OCCs in the books to try and figure out your vehicle compliment. I don't want to be walking out of town for three days and realize "Hey wait, you're supposed to get a horse!"

[Grtdrgn]

I chose my "vehicle" to be a portable TK wing board, but I chose the Pilot: Motorcycle skill for times when I am not near a ley line (which is more frequent than I would like.)

Due to the less expensive cost (18k for gas engine), my character would probably have something similar to the Wastelander Motorcycle (pg.227 of the Rifts Collector's Edition) since he would have to leave such a vehicle behind when phasing.

Also, my boss just informed me that I am taking an unexpected trip to Tejas (Texas) for the week starting on Monday to help move one of our offices. I will make sure to check the IC thread at least twice a day (once in the morning and once at night) to make moves and decisions for my character.

[Tom the Fanboy]

Gas motorcycle is good. Is that what you spent all your starting cash/black Market swag on?

Don't worry about checking in that often, I'm a believer in giving people at least a week to post. It will keep me on a regular schedule and allow us all time to think about our next choices/look stuff up in the books.

Speaking of looking stuff up....

Dogboys get no vehicles to start.
Full conversion combat cyborgs get no vehicle to start.
Superpowered D-Bees get no vehicle to start.
Mind Melters get a wide variety of non-military grade vehicles to start with (choose something reasonable from the listed books Alina).
Bursters start with a commercial hover vehicle, "souped-up" car, or "souped-up" motorcycle.
Cowboys start with a horse of course, but 5% have hovercycles and 7% have robotic horses. If you'd like you can roll 1d100 over at Invisible Castle; 01-05 gives you the option for a hovercycle, 01-07 gives you the option of a robotic horse, and 00 gives you a more exotic option if you'd like (I'm fond of the cybernetic horse you've ridden since you were a kid and had converted after a bandit attack.)

[Thunderhowl]

Dogboys get no vehicles to start.

What? Yes they do! Unless it's been changed in Ultimate Edition, Dog Boys who aren't members of the Dog Pack anymore get:
"Vehicle may be military or non-military, and may include hover vehicles, jet pack, or souped-up motorcycle or car. Not power armor or robot."

It's up to you though Tom.

[Grtdrgn]

Tom,

Not really sure how to figure my starting vehicle. All my starting money and black market swag totals out to 8k, which is 10k short of the cheapest motorcycle. I defer to GM judgment for my starting vehicle. (Odd, I could have sworn judgment had an "e" in there, but spell check keeps flagging judgement.)

[Tom the Fanboy]

hrmmm.... well since I KNOW the cyborgs don't get a vehicle I'll take it back. I don't have time to find the rogue dogboy listing right now (work awaits).

I suggest picking something that can carry your buddy Karth.

[Punstarr]

It's all good, Dark Energy can fly so I figured he'd not need a vehicle anyway... though that means he'll make a juicy target in the air.

One question though. Super Energy Expulsion isn't in the old conversion book. Do you happen to have the new conversion book and if so, is it listed in there, or are we just going to straight convert SDC damage for it to MDC?

Also, the power makes me immune to my chosen energy type, which is a generic energy blast. All other energy does 1/2 damage. To get it out of the way now, what would particle beams, plasma and anti-matter count as? Am I a fool to choose generic energy as my attack? Are there many things in RIFTS that have attacks quantified as just "energy"?

[Tom the Fanboy]

Oh gosh, Now we've got hard questions!
I'll research this stuff after we start the IC thread and get back to you, my Friday game was cancelled so I should have time after work tonight.

I KNOW that energy question was covered in an FAQ somewhere! Hmmmmm.....

[Thunderhowl]

hrmmm.... well since I KNOW the cyborgs don't get a vehicle I'll take it back. I don't have time to find the rogue dogboy listing right now (work awaits).
I suggest picking something that can carry your buddy Karth.

Dang...you have more books, so I was hoping you'd pick the vehicle. Er.
Um. How about a Coalition Hovercycle? I was thinking that Karth (as a full conversion borg who can run at 90mph) can just run along the ground while I provide air support.
Would that work?

[Xaq]

Yeah, I don't really need a vehicle to get around. Take something small and simple, like a jetpack maybe. Unless you need something with better armor.

[Punstarr]

hrmmm.... well since I KNOW the cyborgs don't get a vehicle I'll take it back. I don't have time to find the rogue dogboy listing right now (work awaits).
I suggest picking something that can carry your buddy Karth.

Dang...you have more books, so I was hoping you'd pick the vehicle. Er.
Um. How about a Coalition Hovercycle? I was thinking that Karth (as a full conversion borg who can run at 90mph) can just run along the ground while I provide air support.
Would that work?

Those things cost like 1.5 million credits though, don't they?

[Tom the Fanboy]

OK, Rex has a generic hover truck, I'm using the stats in the back of Aliens Unlimited because rifts lacks a great deal when it comes to everyday gear.

MDC- 500
Speed- 120 mph (192 km)
Hover- 3 to 20 feet up
Range- 850 miles
Power- Gas
The vehicle has an evironmentally sealed cabin that can seat 3 human sized passengers comfortably. It has cargo bed that is 6x8x4 feet.

I'm going to rule that the hovertruck has a mount for a weapon on top (so a person could stand in the truck bed and fire from there) but you have no weapon in there currently. You can fit and carry Karth in the bed of the truck but it drops your max speed and altitude by 1/2.

your vehicle is currently fueled up.

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grtdrgn, you only have the one pilot skill. If you get a wing board you're going to be very bad at flying it unless you turn Pilot: Morotcycle into Pilot: Wingboard. I know that it's not listed in the main book and the main book doesn't have many wingboard vehicles but trust me they're out there. So it's up to you whether you want your starting vehicle to be a sweet wingboard glider or a motorcycle.

If it makes you feel better wing board proficiency will let you use windsurfing boards, motor scooters, segways and any other one man vehicle you drive standing up.

....no not power armor...

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OK, as for Punstarr's energy issue...
The power lists Light, Fire, Electricity, and Energy.
Light is lasers.
Fire is fire, magic fire, burster fire AND Plasma weapons.
Electricity include natural lightning, magical lightning, and taser-like devices.

I am going to rule the Energy will apply to particle beams and ion blasts for the purposes of your power. Anything that is listed as an energy beam and nothing more will also count Ion blasts can be argued to be electricity and particle beams can be argued to be kinetic. However I'm the friggin GM so I can decide stuff like this.
you're immune to my favorite pistol though, so don't worry!

Antimatter is right out!

OK so that's enough of that, lets get that IC thread started!

[Alina P]

Woo! IC thread!

Tom - I got my equipment all sorted out. It's posted along with my character sheet. I didn't keep especially careful track of what I spent on gear, so take a look over it and if it's a tad much, feel free to shave a little off my starting cash/black market items, since presumably that's how she bought it.

[Grtdrgn]

Tom,

I know it is not listed in the Ley Line Walker OCC, but in the section under the TW OCC, when it talks about the TW "Magic Ley Line Mechanisms" (pg. 94 of my Rifts core book) it states that Ley Line Walkers have a base piloting skill of 60% (+2% per level) to pilot all ley line vehicles. That is why I chose the wing board as my vehicle for when I am near a ley line.

Unfortunately, that doesn't help me when I am away from ley lines, therefore my choice of the Motorcycle pilot skill. Ultimately, I will go with whatever you decide.