Palladium Books® – Weekly Update – July 15, 2021

One game system – every genre – countless worlds – endless adventure

By Kevin Siembieda

I hope everyone is surviving this wild summer. Parts of the country are sizzling with heat, others are on fire, others are underwater, drenched by storms or being bowled over by powerful winds. All of it has been wild. Michigan is has experienced a smorgasbord of it all scattered across the state. Where Palladium is located we are having one of the hottest summers on record with the warmest overnight lows ever for the month of July. Which means little relief from the heat and a mild drought broken up by torrential downpours that cause some flooding. Overall, we are doing well and we hope you can say the same. You are important and valued by us so please hang tough and find relief and enjoyment wherever you can.

I find I am experiencing a love-hate relationship with the printing industry. Every time there is an “unexpected” delay or our print schedule gets screwed up, I want to scream at somebody. Then I remember they are overwhelmed and struggling with their own challenges, so I need to keep my cool and be grateful for the printing partners we have. Still it makes me angry when we hit our deadline, I get assurances the books will ship on time, I add a week or two to the time line as a safety net, I check in twice a week to make sure they are on track, and we still experience additional delays or problems. Just last week we were assured our latest hardcover books were on the way to us. Sure enough, the delivery truck arrives and joy fills our hearts. Then disbelief and disappointment. There are only two of the four hardcover books we ordered. No prior notice of this. No explanation about why or when the missing titles might arrive. It is maddening.

Apparently the whole schedule of releases we submitted has become a jumbled mess at the printer. Their solution, to send us everything over the next week. While that plays havoc with our cash flow, I would rather have the books now than to continue playing this crazy guessing game. Of course, not all printers are like that, but these guys, sheesh. If their print quality wasn’t so nice and their prices so good I would be hunting for someone else. But ALL the printers are experiencing problems. One notified us there are delays because they cannot get the paper they need. Another can’t find enough people to man a night shift. No wonder my hair turned white. Hah. I cannot actually blame them for that seeing how my hair had gone silver then white years ago. That’s okay, us platinum blondes have more fun. It’s true.

UPDATE! Rifts® CS Manhunters. I hope I am not jinxing myself, but I have actually managed to enjoy two solid, 8 hour days of writing in a row on Rifts® Manhunters. Good stuff, too. I expect to peel off 50 manuscript pages for editing later this afternoon, and another 30-40 in a day or two. The flippin’ book is finally coming together very nicely.

I am working hard to get Rifts® CS Manhunters and BTS Creature Feature into your hands over the next 6-8 weeks. Then dive into Rifts® Bestiary Volume 2 while bouncing back and forth from it and Titan Robotics. I also want to get a couple of Palladium Fantasy RPG sourcebooks and Rifts® Antarctica in your hands by Christmas. We are rockin’ n’ rolling on all fronts. In the meantime, see what else is new.

NEW! Rifts® 5x7 inch Notepad – one of the fun, little products I hinted at as coming in previous Updates. See all the details below and in the online store.

NEW! 4 Rifts® Pencils AND one Fantasy Pencil – more of the silly, little fun products I have hinted at as coming. They are different than the fan fave, Chi-Town ‘Burbs pencil of the past. Each with much larger, bolder type and a dynamic insignia image. See all the details below and in the online store.

NEW! Rifts® Excel-Based Automated Character Sheet – You requested it and now you have one. Palladium freelance writer Greg Diaczyk had been working on this Automated Rifts® character sheet in his spare time for a number of years. He used his extra time at home during the pandemic to finish it up, play-test it, and make an instructional video. It looks pretty cool and is fairly comprehensive and fast, so check it out. Currently available on DriveThruRPG.com – see the full description elsewhere in this Update. Btw, we have someone developing a “web-based” Rifts® character generator as well. It is many months from completion, but it is looking great. More about that project in the weeks and months ahead.

After the Bomb® RPG Adventure Podcast: We are enjoying it and you may too. Moreover, these fun-loving maniacs are talking about possibly doing podcasts for 2-3 other Palladium game settings.

AtB Schedule: Biweekly (episodes released every other Friday).

Website: http://www.realplaygamespod.com

Twitter: @realplaypod

Two interviews you might enjoy, listed below, in order of most recent:

Kevin and Sean talk Rifts for Savage Worlds — https://youtu.be/j-uRfk_sGLI

Siembieda and Yancik — https://youtu.be/OKP-Lz33ljk

Coming! Virtual Gen Con live chat. I will be doing a 2 or 3 hour “live” online chat for Gen Con with Matthew Yancik coordinating the event. I know that’s two months away, but I wanted to mention it while it was on my mind. It should be fun. Splitting it between three different subjects: Rifts, Game Master Tips, and Game Design Tips. There will be a short 5-10 minute break between them and I am happy to answer your questions. I think the chat will take place sometime on Saturday, September 18. More details as we get closer.

The first Rifter® Annual (2021) is real and on the 2021 schedule, but only if we get enough submissions by September 1. Scheduled to be a Christmas 2021 release. Time for you to be bold and contribute. We want to see your ideas. Besides, it is fun to see your name in print. More details elsewhere in this Weekly Update.

A Kickstarter you might enjoy. Our friend Sarah Orr Aten has a Kickstarter: The Chaos Within, going for her latest fantasy novel. It is the continuing saga of the key character introduced in her first novel, The World Between, so if you enjoyed it, you will enjoy this one. Check it out at:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1825805433/the-chaos-within

Available Now! After the Bomb® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover, Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover, and Dead Reign® RPG Hardcover – The Zombie Apocalypse unleashed! Folks are eating these up and love the “Bonus” material. See the complete description of each below and in the Palladium online store.

BACK IN STOCK! Rifts® 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover (color cover). This exquisite reprint of the original 1990 RPG as a bonus hardcover with 32 extra pages of color, the history of Rifts, a color gallery of all Rifts® covers to date, unpublished art and color end sheets (288 pages, $49.99 retail, Cat. No. 800HC30), has been selling like crazy and sold out before our delayed, second shipment arrived. We said it would be available the week of July 19, and it looks like it will be. We have been told by the printer the Rifts® 30th Anniversary Hardcover shipped out to Palladium yesterday so we should get it on Friday. See the complete description below and in the Palladium online store.

Rifts Notepad

NEW! Rifts® Notepad

A 5x7 inch notepad featuring the Rifts® logo and color art of the “Coalition Strike Force” print by Kevin Long across the top. It looks great on your desk or gaming table. Perfect for taking notes and feeling that Rifts vibe. Practical and fun.

  • 50 sheets per pad – $5.00 each – Cat. No. 2597 – available now.

NEW! 5 Gaming Pencils, 4 Rifts® Pencils and one Fantasy Pencil

Practical and fun conversation pieces that will make you the envy of your gaming group (at least until they buy their own). These pencils are different from the fan fave, Chi-Town ‘Burbs pencil of the past. Each new pencil is imprinted with much larger, bolder type, and a dynamic insignia image, and two change color! All are No. 2 pencils. These pencils and the notepad are some of the silly, little, fun things I hinted at as coming in past Updates.

Why do them? Because we all need fun things that make us smile and just feel good. And these pencils and the notepad do exactly that. Everyone here went crazy over them. I probably should not admit this, but I love glancing over and seeing them on my desk. They make me smile and feel like souvenirs I acquired on my dimensional travels. What a fan boy geek, right? But true all the same. I hope you enjoy them just as much. Note: In my opinion, the photos do not do them justice; not the same as holding one in your hand.

Rifts Coalition States Office of the Emperor Pencil

- Rifts® Pencil: Coalition States – Office of the Emperor – $1.60 each – Cat. No. 2598 – available now. Black colored pencil, white printing, CS skull and lightning bolt insignia, pink eraser at the end. No. 2 pencil lead.

Rifts Lone Star Engineering the Future Pencil

- Rifts® Pencil: Lone Star Complex – Engineering the Future – $1.60 each – Cat. No. 2599 – available now. Dark blue colored pencil, white printing, CS Lone Star skull in a star insignia, pink eraser at the end. No. 2 pencil lead.

Rifts Chi-Town Library Knowledge is Power Pencil

- Rifts® Pencil: Chi-Town Library – Knowledge is Power – $1.60 each – Cat. No. 2600 – available now. Yellow colored pencil, black printing, image of an open book/rising sun, pink eraser at the end. No. 2 pencil lead.

Rifts Lazlo Council of Learning Pencil

- Rifts® Pencil: City of Lazlo – Council of Learning – $1.80 each – Cat. No. 2601 – available now. A “magic” pencil that changes color from powder blue to white. (The heat of your fingers and hand causes the color to change.) Black printing, roaring dragonhead insignia, black eraser at the end.

Palladium Fantasy Library of Bletherad Pencil

- Palladium Fantasy Pencil: Library of Bletherad – Your Source of Knowledge – $1.80 each – Cat. No. 2602 – available now. A “magic” pencil that changes color from green to yellow. (The heat of your fingers and hand causes the color to change.) Black printing with the Ward image for “Knowledge,” black eraser at the end.

Rifts Notepad and Five Pencil Set

- Rifts® Notepad & 5 Pencil SET – $11.00 retail for the set – save $2.40 – Cat. No. 2603 – available now.

Rifts Soft Touch Pen with Stylus

- Rifts® Pen & Stylus – And don’t forget about the Rifts® Pen with Stylus for use with a smartphone – Rifts Logo and the words “Unleash your imagination” printed white on a navy blue ballpoint pen. Black ink. $5.00 each – Cat. No. 2586.

Rifts Poker Cards Deck One Full Color Rifts Poker Cards Deck Two Line Art

- Rifts® Card Decks – it might be time to snag one or both of our Rifts® poker decks while you are at it. $11.99 each – Full Color Deck Cat. No. 2575; Black and White Art (color card backing, classic black and white art) Cat. No. 2576. See the complete description of each in the Palladium online store.

Rifts Automated Character Sheet on DriveThruRPG

NEW! Rifts® Automated Character Sheet for EXCEL

The next step in character data collection! This EXCEL template provides automation to your Rifts® character creation process. Done in Microsoft Excel, this character template will allow you to build your character with substantial ease and speed. Ideal for the new gamer who doesn’t know all of the Palladium Books® rules just yet, it’s also a highly effective tool for Game Masters and advanced players alike who make multiple characters, NPCs or just like to min/max or theory craft characters between games.

  • Dice Roller: A simple dice roller is on the main page of the character sheet to help with character creation or in-game dice rolling needs.
  • Automated Attributes and Stat Block: All the bonuses and features from attributes are presented in a large stat block allowing you to easily see your bonus to save vs Psionics, Mind Control, etc. You can pick your strength type (Normal, Augmented, Robotic or Supernatural) to determine your carrying and lifting capacity and even your M.D. punch damage if your strength is high enough and of the right type.
  • Automated Combat Stats: The main page holds a section where you can pull up data for your various combat stats, from hand to hand abilities such as Strike, Parry, Dodge and Disarm, to W.P. bonuses including those of the W.P. Sharpshooting variety. This section draws upon all of your character’s selection of skills and abilities and even offers customization from odd O.C.C. or racial abilities.
  • Automated Psionics: All psionics from Rifts® Ultimate Edition, Rifts® World Book 12: Psyscape™ and Rifts® World Book 32: Lemuria can be selected from a dropdown menu that then populates tables with the information on psionics for your character. Each psionic ability’s data including damage, M.D.C. and range also automatically increases based on the character’s level of experience.
  • Automated Spells: All Common Invocations, Necromancy, Ocean Magic and Biomancy spells (yes, all the Lemurian Biomancer spells too!) can be selected from a dropdown menu that then populates tables with the information on spells for your character. Each spell’s data including damage, M.D.C. and range also automatically increases based on the character’s level of experience.
  • Automated Skills: All skills from the Rifts® Ultimate Edition, Rifts® World Book 25: China 2 – Heroes of the Celestial Court™ and Rifts® World Book 32: Lemuria can be selected and then automatically add bonuses from prerequisites and related skills. Physical skills that provide bonuses also add those bonuses directly to attributes and combat stats. Bonuses that require dice rolls are denoted and can then be manually rolled and added to the character sheet. Custom percent bonuses such as O.C.C. bonuses can also be added to individual skills.
  • Automated Cybernetics & Bionics: All cybernetics and bionics from Rifts® Ultimate Edition along with some favorites from other books can be selected from dropdown menus which then tabulate bonuses and add them to your combat stats. Prices also sum up so an enterprising Headhunter can keep track of his hardware and upgrades. Simple cybernetic body part diagrams even allow players to allocate the locations of their various cybernetic and bionic components.
  • Freeform O.C.C. and Racial Power Section: A section for non-standard powers, special O.C.C. or racial abilities allows the player to add custom skills and powers that can be linked to those features to draw upon the character’s level of experience, I.Q. bonus or other stats so powers grow as the character advances.
  • Character Building Section: On the main page of the document is a section to help you build your character, from customizing attributes, to adding non-standard bonuses from O.C.C. or racial abilities, to an optional point buy system for attributes.
  • Helpful Hints and Suggestions: Red triangular tabs appear throughout the document. Hovering over the red tab with the mouse cursor will reveal useful data from sourcebooks, hints, suggestions and other information, such as what a particular stat means, how it’s used in the game and what things can add bonuses or affect it. There is also a page with overview instructions on how to use the sheet, and a number of instructional videos will be posted via Palladium TV on the ins and outs of the character sheet. The first can be found here: http://youtu.be/a89XzAV37sE
  • Portrait: A special sheet is set up so you can add an image to the document for a custom portrait for your character. That image is then displayed on the main page and is protected from accidental movement or deletion from the main page.
  • Password Protected: Several pages of the document are password protected so players won’t accidently delete formulas and ruin the character sheet’s automated features. The password is provided so players can customize the sheet to their liking then protect the sheet again so they don’t undo all their hard work.
  • Note: The file is best used in Microsoft EXCEL 2016 or above. Some data may be lost if not using Microsoft EXCEL, such as when using similar products like Open Office.
  • Currently available on DriveThruRPG.com for $6.00 – game on!

Rifts Automated Character Sheet on DriveThruRPG

Now Shipping

After the Bomb RPG Hardcover

NEW! After the Bomb® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – Available now

Create any type of intelligent, humanoid, mutant animal from a turtle or raccoon to an elephant or lion. The RPG presents stats for 100+ mutant animals, plus rules for creating any mutant animal you can imagine, and each sourcebook offers dozens more.

Play your mutant animals as super-heroes, vigilantes, or mutants on the run in the Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas & Superspies™, Heroes of the Megaverse® or Skraypers™ settings. Or as mutants or monsters in Nightbane®. (You could make a mutant animal the Nightbane’s Morphus!) In Palladium Fantasy® your mutant animal could be one of the forgotten archaic races, a visitor from another world, a creation of magic, or a monster. In Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, Phase World® and the Three Galaxies, The Mechanoids®, Aliens Unlimited™, Splicers® and similar RPGs, use the creation rules to make new D-Bees, aliens, mutants, or monsters. Or play in the AtB post-apocalyptic Earth setting that makes Planet of the Apes seem tame. Whatever the setting, playing anthropomorphic animal characters is a blast.

  • 100+ mutant animal stats included.
  • Mutant animal creation rules to mutate ANY animal.
  • 52 Mutant Animal Powers.
  • 33 Mutant Animal Psionic Powers.
  • New Animal Chimeras and their abilities.
  • New back story to the After the Bomb® world of mutants.
  • The post-apocalyptic Earth setting of “After the Bomb” is just one use for your mutant animal heroes.
  • A complete RPG written by Erick Wujcik. His last great work and a sometimes overlooked RPG masterpiece. These are the Mutant Animal Creation Rules you know and love taken to new heights.
  • Compatible with Heroes Unlimited™, Aliens Unlimited™, Nightbane®, N&S, Rifts® and any game setting where mutants or aliens are appropriate.
  • 72 pages of “bonus” material includes the original After the Bomb® sourcebook and Yucatan Adventures from the old Game Shield.
  • 296 pages (72 bonus pages) – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 503HC – now shipping. Also available as a 224 page softcover book ($26.99 retail – Cat. No. 503).

After the Bomb RPG Hardcover

Ninjas & Superspies RPG Hardcover

NEW! Ninjas & Superspies RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – Available now

The Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG is the ultimate guide to martial arts with 40 different martial art forms and 48 mystic martial arts powers alone, but there is so much more. Asian combat skills accurately portrayed, each with its own unique fighting style, methods of attack and defense presented on an epic scale, complete with legendary mystic powers. Spies, Cyber Agents, Gadgeteers, secret organizations creation rules, secret identities, gimmick weapons and clothing, cyber-disguises, implants, and more. Compatible with Heroes Unlimited™ RPG and even Nightbane®, Rifts®, and other settings. A complete game PLUS 44 pages of bonus material gathered from The Rifter®.

  • 40+ types of hand to hand combat — effectively offering 40 types of martial arts character classes!
  • 17 Occupational Character Classes for spies, mercenaries, martial artists and special operatives.
  • 48 mystic martial art powers.
  • Dim Mak, Chi Mastery, the Arts of Invisibility and more.
  • Bionic implants, disguises, weapons, & equipment.
  • Secret identities, spy agencies, and creation rules for secret organizations.
  • Complete stand-alone RPG with skills, weapons, rules and guidelines for using other Palladium settings.
  • Compatible with Heroes Unlimited™, Rifts®, Rifts® China, and the entire Palladium Megaverse®!
  • 44 pages of “bonus” material gathered from The Rifter®.
  • 224 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 525HC – RPG by Erick Wujcik – now shipping. Also available as a 176 page softcover book ($22.99 retail – Cat. No. 525). And see Mystic China for an astonishing and fun sourcebook with more mystical martial arts abilities, magic, demons, immortals and more.

Ninjas and Superspies RPG Hardcover

Dead Reign RPG Hardcover

NEW! Dead Reign® RPG Hardcover – The Zombie Apocalypse – available now

The dead have risen and it would seem to be the end of the world.

Civilization crumbles in a matter of days as hundreds of millions of people die and rise as the walking dead. The hundreds of millions of people who fall to the zombies also rise to join the growing legions of undead. Then the world goes silent.

You are on your own. The army is MIA. There is no government. No law. No television, radio or Internet. No media, cell phones or communications of any kind. Cities and towns have gone dark, and zombies fill the streets.

Death Cults have risen, promising protection from the walking dead.

Retro-Savages have forsaken technology and sacrifice the living to the zombies in hopes of bringing an end to the nightmare.

Brave human survivors refuse to lie down and die! They come from all walks of life. Their common goal: survival as they struggle to forge safe havens away from the cities, rescue other survivors and battle the walking dead without respite. For now at least, the planet belongs to the dead.

Dead Reign® is an excellent introductory game that is easy to learn, fast to play, and fun to read. If you are looking for a zombie game that truly captures the feel of survival after the apocalypse and the nightmare of being stalked by zombies, Dead Reign® is it. Game mechanics are designed to create a real sense of escalating terror and dread when the zombies swarm. Sourcebooks expand the world, player options, and adventure ideas as well as new zombies and dangers.

  • Six Apocalyptic Character Classes (O.C.C.) including the Reaper, Shepherd of the Damned, Hound Master, Apocalyptic Soldier, Scrounger and Ordinary People.
  • Seven types of zombies plus the Half-Living. (Sourcebooks offer many more.)
  • Secrets of the Dead: Everything you need to know about zombies and need to ask.
  • Death Cults, their Priests, power over zombies and goals.
  • Random tables galore and the fundamentals of survival.
  • Strong setting, world overview and many adventure ideas.
  • A complete role-playing game. 224 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 230HC – now shipping. Also available as a 224 page softcover RPG ($26.99 retail – Cat. No. 230).

Dead Reign RPG Hardcover

Original Rifts RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover

NEW! Rifts® RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover

Rifts® merges science fiction with fantasy, horror, heroic adventure, and other genres in a thrilling and plausible setting that will set your imagination on fire. Travel the Rifts to any location on Earth, or leap across the dimensional divide to visit alien worlds and dimensions in a matter of seconds. And just as you can travel to other worlds, aliens and the monstrous travel to Earth and stalk the innocent.

Rifts® is a fusion of ideas, settings, genres, and characters unlike any game on the market. An endless Megaverse® of adventure™ in which if you can imagine it, you can play it. Are you up to the challenge?

The Rifts® Commemorative 30th Anniversary Hardcover is the original first edition Rifts® rule book (1990) that started a phenomenon. It is a complete RPG suitable for use with ALL existing Rifts® World Books, Sourcebooks, and Dimension Books. It is an earlier and somewhat simpler edition given the deluxe treatment. Expanded with bonus art, an additional 32 color pages, color end sheets, history about the making of Rifts®, notes, concept drawings, color concepts, photographs, and a gallery of every Rifts® cover published between 1990 and the end of 2021. The cover features the famous Keith Parkinson painting of the Splugorth Slave Barge. Provided to you due to popular demand.

  • Back in print for the first time in 16 years.
  • Color cover of the famous Splugorth Slave Barge by Keith Parkinson.
  • A color gallery of 160+ Rifts® covers.
  • An extra 32 pages of color.
  • More comprehensive contents pages.
  • Concept art and pencil illustrations often with notes by the artist.
  • History of Rifts®, personal notes, commentary, and nostalgic material.
  • Color end sheets.
  • Countless memories, and loads of fun.
  • A simpler, earlier version of the core rules.
  • A complete role-playing game suitable for use with ALL existing Rifts® World Books, Sourcebooks, and Dimension Books.
  • Available in stores and from Palladium Books.
  • This is NOT the signed or numbered limited edition, but we are happy to sign copies at conventions and the Palladium Open House. The print run is likely to be limited to a few thousand copies.
  • 288 pages – $49.99 retail – Cat. No. 800HC30 – Available now. Also see Rifts® Ultimate Edition RPG.

Original Rifts RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover

Rifts® 30th Anniversary “Gold” Hardcover SOLD OUT, but ...

I have made a half-dozen “Printer Proofs” available in my Ebay store – Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles – ALL are signed by me and available staff, and have a dragonhead drawing just like the “numbered” Gold Editions. Identical to the signed and numbered editions except it says “Printer Proof” instead of having a number. Printer Proofs are for Palladium staff, charity auctions, the 2022 POH, and gifts for select Palladium support personnel. With the 200 Signed and Numbered copies sold out in three weeks from the date of its arrival, this Gold Edition is an instant collectible. Get the Printer Proofs while you still can. Sold on a first come, first served basis.

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

Rifts Game Master Guide Hardcover

NEW! Rifts® Game Master Guide Hardcover – Available now

The Rifts® Game Master Guide™ hardcover is a massive, 352 page reference book with short stats and descriptions for every Rifts® robot, power armor, body armor, vehicle, weapon, gadget, skill, experience table, and map that appears in Rifts® World Books 1-23 and Sourcebooks 1-4, plus a bionics index, an O.C.C.s and R.C.C.s index, rules clarifications, combat examples, advice on how to run a game and more.

  • 500+ weapons.
  • 290 pieces of equipment.
  • 180+ vehicles.
  • 100+ suits of body armor.
  • 80+ suits of power armor.
  • 300+ skills, character and D-Bee index, dozens of maps, and more.
  • 352 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 845HC – available now. Also available in softcover.

Rifts Game Master Guide Hardcover

Rifts Book of Magic Hardcover

NEW! Rifts® Book of Magic Hardcover – Available now

Nearly 1,000 magic spells and 400 magic weapons and devices from across Rifts Earth, plus magic tattoos, herbs, stones, and more. 352 pages of pure magic.

  • 900+ magic spells, Elemental Magic, Ley Line Magic, Temporal Magic, Necromancy, Nature Magic, Cloud Magic, Ocean Magic, Biomancy and more.
  • Plus Tattoo Magic, Stone Magic, Whalesongs, Conjuring, Nazca Lines.
  • 290+ Techno-Wizard weapons and items, including TW Bionics, Automatons, and Iron Juggernauts.
  • 80+ other magic items, Rune Weapons, Holy Weapons, Fetishes.
  • Bio-Wizard Weapons, the Bio-Borg, Symbiotes, and herbs.
  • Magic stones, talismans, magic items of Japan, and more.
  • Millennium Tree wands, staves and armor.
  • 352 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 848HC – available now. Also available in softcover.

Rifts Book of Magic Hardcover

Rifts Adventure Guide Hardcover

NEW! Rifts® Adventure Guide Hardcover – Available now

Inside information to create and run RPG adventures: How to get started, building on ideas, character archetypes, tables for creating Rifts towns and cities, mercenary companies, traveling shows, and player created organizations, plus random Rift tables, information about the Chi-Town ‘Burbs, 32 ‘Burb adventure ideas, another 101 adventure hooks, and still more adventure ideas, and additional player and Game Master tips by Kevin Siembieda, Erick Wujcik, and Bill Coffin.

  • 150+ adventure ideas.
  • Game Master and player tips from Kevin Siembieda.
  • Adventure creation tips from Kevin Siembieda.
  • Why and how to use alignments by Kevin Siembieda.
  • Tricks of running a large group, G.M. tools, and more.
  • Additional Player and G.M. tips from Wujcik and Coffin.
  • Overview and info about the CS Chi-Town ‘Burbs.
  • 32 adventure ideas in the ‘Burbs.
  • Random Dimensional Rifts & other tables.
  • Tables for creating towns, merc companies, and traveling shows.
  • 192 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 849HC – available now. Also available in softcover.

Rifts Adventure Guide Hardcover

Palladium Fantasy RPG Hardcover

HARDCOVER Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition – available now

A fantasy setting like no other, rich in history and inviting adventure. Not only are you able to play iconic fantasy heroes like the Wizard, Knight, Paladin, Ranger, Thief, Assassin, and others, but also characters such as the Mind Mage, Druid, Diabolist, Summoner and many others. Moreover, play an array of nonhuman characters from Elves and Dwarves to Wolfen, Changelings, Kobolds, Orcs, Ogres, and many others.

  • The hardcover is exactly the same as the softcover edition.
  • Color cover, same art, variant logo, hardcover.
  • 25+ Occupational Character Classes (O.C.C.s).
  • 14+ inhuman player races (more in sourcebooks).
  • 300+ magic spells.
  • 60 magical Wards. 50 magic circles.
  • Dozens of magic items potions and more.
  • 70+ psychic powers, the Mind Mage, and more.
  • Weapons, gear, demons and adventure ideas.
  • New sourcebooks like Land of the Damned 3, Lopan, and others are coming.
  • 336 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 450HC – available now.

Palladium Fantasy RPG Hardcover

Heroes Unlimited RPG 2nd Edition Hardcover

HARDCOVER Heroes Unlimited RPG, 2nd Edition – available now

The Heroes Unlimited™ RPG has been a hit RPG for 30+ years because it enables you to create any type of comic book hero you can imagine. Make characters pulled right from any comic book you grew up with and love, or design your own league of extraordinary heroes.

If you seek comic book heroic adventure, Heroes Unlimited™ does the job on an epic scale. Plus a dozen sourcebooks provide you with more super abilities, hero categories, bad guys and adventures.

  • The hardcover is exactly the same as the softcover edition.
  • Color cover, same art, variant logo on the hardcover.
  • Create any type of hero you can imagine.
  • 101 super abilities plus a multitude of sub-powers within them, bonuses and special combat capabilities.
  • 100+ magic spells plus enchanted weapons and objects.
  • 72 psychic powers.
  • Enchanted weapons that instill super abilities.
  • Mega-Heroes and immortals.
  • Alien super beings.
  • Bionics and cyborgs.
  • Psionics and Psychics.
  • Robots and power armor.
  • Masters of magic, wizards and spell casters.
  • Mutants and Super Soldiers possessing super abilities.
  • Inventors, super-geniuses and super-vehicles.
  • Special Training: Martial arts, Sleuths, weapons, more.
  • Cover by comic book legend Jim Steranko.
  • Art by Ramon K. Perez, Paulo Parente, Mike Gustovich, and others.
  • Written by Kevin Siembieda.
  • 352 pages for a complete RPG – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 500HC – available now.

Heroes Unlimited RPG 2nd Edition Hardcover

Beyond the Supernatural RPG 2nd Edition Hardcover

HARDCOVER Beyond the Supernatural RPG, 2nd Edition – Available now

Supernatural horror in the modern world that feels plausible and real. Your characters are the few who know the supernatural is real because they have experienced it face to face. Some are psychics, some are experts in the paranormal or the arcane, and others are ordinary people like you and me. Ordinary people who are never the same after their own close encounter. All of these unlikely heroes stand against supernatural evil in a world of disbelievers who brand them as practitioners of fringe science or lunatics. Only they know the truth: supernatural evil is real and dangerous. And someone has to take a stand to protect the innocent from supernatural evil in whatever hidden form it may take. Are you ready to join the battle?

  • The hardcover is exactly the same as the softcover edition.
  • Color cover, same art, variant logo, hardcover.
  • A plausible modern horror setting that makes sense and will challenge your role-playing skills.
  • 14 Psychic Character Classes.
  • 42 occupations for “ordinary” people.
  • 100+ psychic abilities, including Fire Walker abilities.
  • Creatures of darkness, the Lazlo Agency, and more.
  • New sourcebooks are coming soon.
  • 256 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 700HC – available now.

Beyond the Supernatural RPG 2nd Edition Hardcover

2021 Rifter® Annual – Submissions Wanted

Are you a Palladium gamer who has cool ideas and think you are a decent writer? If so, consider writing an article, adventure, monsters, etc., for The Rifter® Annual. It is part sourcebook, part fanzine, part talent show, and a lot of fun written by fans like yourself. The pay is terrible but you get published, receive a couple copies of the book, a few bucks, and your name up in lights ... um, in a printed book. Plus Kevin and Wayne see your work, which sometimes leads to you being invited to write “official” sourcebooks and material.

Artists, this goes for you too. We are always looking for new artists to consider, so do not hesitate to submit some samples or send us a link to your online art page. The Rifter is a good place to try out, especially if you are just getting started doing art on a professional or semi-professional level.

Please send us your submissions by August 15, 2021. (Sooner is better!) We plan for it to be all new and a Christmas time release. With 8-12 week turnaround times from printers, we will need to submit the finished files to a printer by September in order to have it in time for Thanksgiving! So finish up your submissions and send them in for our consideration at your earliest convenience. Plus, whatever we like but cannot squeeze in this 192 page Annual, we will safe for the next Annual.

What we are looking for in written submissions: Adventures, monsters, villains, NPCS, new settings/locations, magic spells, magic items, super abilities, tech weapons, vehicles, gear, and all sorts of source material for ALL of our current settings. That includes settings such as Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited, After the Bomb®, Ninjas & Superspies, Beyond the Supernatural, Nightbane®, Splicers®, Rifts® Chaos Earth®, and, well any of them.

Material can be 2-5 pages, 6-12 pages, 15-30 pages, but please, not more than 30 pages for any one article. Please include the “Unsolicited Manuscript Form” with your submission. You can find it on the Palladium website under Questions & Resources – the Unsolicited Works Form. Send electronic submissions to rifter{at}palladiumbooks.com and if you have questions, call Palladium at 734-721-2903.

In the alternative, you can mail us physical Rifter® submissions and the Unsolicited Manuscript Form (as well as letters and unsolicited sourcebook manuscripts, created entirely on speculation) to:

Palladium Books – The Rifter
39074 Webb Court
Westland, MI 48185

We can only publish a Rifter® Annual if we get enough new material. We would like to start editing and tweaking some of them by the beginning of August, so do not hesitate to send them in as soon as you are ready. AND it is a great way to get on our radar as writers (and artists).

Rifts Coalition Manhunters

UPDATE: Rifts® CS Manhunters

I have been working on this fun sourcebook whenever I can and it is looking great. With several hardcovers and reprints at the printer, and the Rifts® 30th Anniversary Hardcovers shipping, my plate is now cleared up for writing.

Rifts® CS Manhunters presents dark secrets of the Coalition States involving CS psychics, the super secret Psi-Ops Division (the thought police of Emperor Prosek), and the deadly super-patriots that are the enigmatic CS Manhunters. Includes 50+ NEW psionic abilities with real punch, insight into the Dog Boys and Kill Hounds, meanings revealed about the Seven Dangers Prophecy (first introduced in Rifts® Sourcebook 2: The Mechanoids®), and gadgets and implants, and surprises. All of it building toward something epic.

  • New Coalition Psychic O.C.C.s.
  • 50+ new psionic abilities and revisits of some favorites.
  • CS Manhunter Divner and Precog.
  • CS Manhunter Psi-Interrogator and Psi-Enforcer.
  • CS Manhunter Bursters and Zappers.
  • CS Manhunter Psi-Healers and CS Slayers.
  • CS Manhunter Killhound and Dog Boy O.C.C.s.
  • CS Manhunter Mind Melters, the deadliest of them all.
  • CS Manhunter squads and special operations.
  • Secrets of Psi-Ops Division and insight about Coalition psychics.
  • Deciphering the Seven Dangers Prophecy.
  • The impact of the demon plagues unleashed by the Minion War.
  • Player Characters, NPCS, background info, adventure ideas, and more.
  • 96-128 pages – $18.99 retail – Cat. No. 894 – In production and nearing completion.

Pre-Order Rifts CS Manhunters

Creature Feature

UPDATE: Creature Feature, a Beyond the Supernatural sourcebook

This is going to be another fun adventure sourcebook. The manuscript will go into editing and rewrites as soon as I finish CS Manhunters and most of the artwork is done. Though I may add a few illustrations and already have artists lined up. Creature Feature™ builds on material that has appeared in various issues of The Rifter® but there is a ton of new material and information useful to both Game Masters and players.

  • A gallery of supernatural creatures. Some new. Some familiar, updated and expanded. All terrifying.
  • Rules clarifications and errata.
  • Game Master source material and advice on rules, psychic abilities, proximity and threat levels, I.S.P. multipliers, and more.
  • Advice about running modern horror RPGs and using supernatural creatures in your games.
  • Lots of adventure ideas, including an updated and expanded full adventure, “The Squatter.”
  • New background and setting information for the BTS setting and a few surprises.
  • Written by Steven Dawes, Kevin Siembieda, and others.
  • Art by Steven Cummings, Nick Bradshaw and others.
  • 160-192 pages – $22.99 or $26.99 depending on final size – Cat. No. 704.

Pre-Order Creature Feature

Rifts Titan Robotics

UPDATE: Rifts® Titan Robotics

Here it is, the reveal of the new cover. I hope you like it. I love that it presents the iconic Titan Robotics Combat Robot with a new big gun that hints at what else awaits you inside the book. I also enjoy the combat scene, smoke, and haze of war. Like Northern Gun and the Manistique Imperium, Titan Robotics sells freely to adventurers, mercenaries, and anyone who has the cash. Hence, the owners of these big ‘bots clashing with Coalition Forces.

This is why I call Rifts® Titan Robotics™ a high-tech toy box filled with many new types of Titan Robotics power armors, giant robots, vehicles, weapons, and gear. Some are big bruisers while others are small and sleek. As fun as these new tech toys are, Rifts® Titan Robotics™ delves into the company’s many secrets, including ARCHIE-3’s plans and program to monitor and manipulate the outside world. Learn about Archie’s androids that run Titan Robotics and his current schemes and plans for the future. All of which provides fodder for adventure.

  • New Giant Robots.
  • New Power Armor, equipment and accessories.
  • 30+ power armors and robots, plus other equipment.
  • New weapons, gear and vehicles.
  • Titan Robotics Corporation and structure.
  • Archie’s secret kingdom and plans for the future.
  • New O.C.C.s and key Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
  • Android executives, security and much more.
  • Wellington Industries, campaign prompts and more.
  • Art by Walton, Cummings, Atkins, and others. Cover by Mike Majestic.
  • Written by Matthew Clements and Kevin Siembieda.
  • 160-192 pages (tentative) – $22.99 retail (or $26.99) – Cat. No. 899.

Pre-Order Rifts Titan Robotics

Rifts Bestiary Volume Two

UPDATE: Rifts® Bestiary Volume Two

The second big, “monster book” reference for Rifts® of what we anticipate to be three volumes in the series, more if we decide to make ghosts, spirits and Entities and/or Creatures of Magic part of the Bestiary series. Much like Volume One, Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume Two collects 70-100 monsters and animals plus 12-24 new beasts found across Rifts North America. The anticipated page count is 224-256 pages.

All volumes of the Rifts® Bestiary™ series are a great resource for players and Game Masters alike. Each description is updated, expanded, and highly detailed to present players with exotic and alien creatures as pets, guardians and riding animals, as well as slobbering monsters to battle and fierce beasts for Game Masters to throw at their players. Designed to offer adventure ideas, offers notes on young, adult, male and female creatures, and all provide plenty of ways to enhance your characters and spice up adventures. Each is accompanied by a map that shows at a glance where the beast can be encountered. Ah, but in the presence of Rifts and magic means any of the creatures may appear anywhere in the world, so be on your toes.

  • Monsters and animals of Rifts North America organized into big, easy to use sourcebooks.
  • Updated and expanded descriptions and information for each existing monster.
  • Updated and uniform stat blocks.
  • New exotic creatures – predators, exotic riding animals, beasts of burden, alien horrors, giant insects, and more.
  • A map for every creature showing where it is found.
  • Easily adapted to any Palladium setting – Palladium Fantasy®, Chaos Earth®, Splicers®, Phase World®, the Three Galaxies™, The Mechanoids®, Heroes Unlimited™/Aliens Unlimited™, and others.
  • Basic S.D.C. stats included with each creature description.
  • Fully illustrated, with art by Charles Walton II, Ramon Perez, Robert Atkins, and many others. Written by Kevin Siembieda.
  • 256 pages each volume – $26.99 – Cat. No. 897 (Volume Two).

Pre-Order Rifts Bestiary Two

DriveThruRPG.com – Your RPG resource for 300+ PDF products – all using the same basic game system – learn one game and you can play them all

And we have settings for every genre: Fantasy RPG, science fiction (Rifts®, Splicers®, and The Mechanoids®), super-heroes (Heroes Unlimited and After the Bomb), superhero horror (Nightbane®), modern horror (Dead Reign® and Beyond the Supernatural), plus The Rifter® sourcebook series (by fans like you), novels, paper minis, and more.

Rifts® Novels: Duty’s Edge – The lone surviving soldier from a New German Republic Special Forces operation struggles to complete the mission on his own. A stand-alone Rifts® novel complete in itself. 236 pages, Cat. No. 308. The Cosmo-Knight and The Reckoning (Phase World®, the Three Galaxies, and Cosmo-Knights), the Rifts® trilogy of novels: Sonic Boom, Deception’s Web, and Treacherous Awakenings, as well as the Rifts® Anthology: Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs (11 authors), Machinations of Doom (graphic novel by Ramon K. Perez), and Path of the Storm (a proposed Rifts® movie script) and 300+ other Palladium Books RPG titles.

Also available: Free Garden of the Gods™ (Fantasy) and Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One Sneak Previews, and the Palladium Fantasy RPG® Interactive Character Sheet: A Microsoft Excel-based character management system. Packed with features and data collected from every official Palladium Fantasy sourcebook to enable you to create Fantasy characters quickly (25 minutes!) and help you to update and manage them for years to come.

Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume Three: Zombies, Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume Two: Civilians and Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume One: Survivors. There are also paper miniatures for Heroes Unlimited™, Palladium Fantasy® and Rifts®. A new, up-to-date, PDF Palladium Books Catalog. Nightbane® Dark Designs™ sourcebook with 60 new Common Talents, 38 new Elite Talents, 18 new Morphus Tables, all other Morphus Tables collected and more. Systems Failure™ RPG, a 160 page RPG that deals with alien invasion and a post-apocalypse setting that is fun and dynamic. Civilization is on the verge of collapse when the so-called "bugs" invade and turn humans into zombie-like slaves. Monsters, heroes and fun. A complete RPG and setting. Rifts® World Book 34: Northern Gun™ Two: 256 pages of technology and fun. 30+ power armors, 30+ body armors, 15 combat vehicles, 45 vehicles (hovercycles, etc.), 10 robot haulers, the Robodome and more. Bizantium and the Northern Islands™: the northernmost part of the Known World, the Cold Born, Necromancy ships made from dead sea serpents, 15 creatures, Random Sea Monster Generator, and more. Rifts® Northern Gun™ One. This fan favorite might be thought of as the big book of giant robots – an in-depth look at Northern Gun, 70+ weapons, 27 robots, NG O.C.C.s, key people and places, and much more. Mysteries of Magic™ Book One: The Heart of Magic™ with Wizards, their Apprentices, nearly 60 new magic spells and remember, magic and monsters in the Fantasy RPG are easily adapted to Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, HU2 and other settings. Wolfen Empire™ Fantasy sourcebook, the Great Northern Wilderness and Killer Winters, 12 Wolfen Tribes, Wolfen military and society, 15+ creatures, 5 full adventures, 101 adventure ideas, random encounter tables, notable people, places, plus FREE Sneak Previews of The Rifter® #80, The Rifter® #81, The Rifter® #82, and more on DriveThruRPG.com.

  • Rifts® is a genre-bending setting that combines science fiction, fantasy, horror, post-apocalypse survival, magic, and endless possibilities for adventure. Imagine a near perfect world of advanced technology 100 years in the future. Then imagine that world crashing down overnight in an apocalyptic upheaval not seen since the formation of the planet. A Great Cataclysm caused by the explosive return of magic. Now fast forward 300 years into the future where magic, dragons, and mythic gods coexist with cyborgs, giant robots and super-science rediscovered from humanity's Golden Age as humans rise from a lengthy Dark Age. But they must contend with countless alien life forms, monsters, and supernatural horrors from beyond the Rifts.
  • Rifts® core titles we would suggest: Rifts® Ultimate Edition, Rifts® Game Master Guide, Rifts® Book of Magic, Rifts® Adventure Guide, D-Bees of North America™, Rifts® World Book 11: Coalition War Campaign and Rifts® Sourcebook One. Note: The Rifts® RPG, 1st Edition and Rifts® Ultimate, 2nd Edition are both available.
  • 80+ Rifts® supplements, most of them available as PDFs with more coming. Where to start? Wherever sounds fun.
  • Rifts® Dimension Books™: Travel to alien worlds and dimensions via the Rifts for off-world adventure and intrigue.
  • Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG and sourcebook series (all). Live through the Great Cataclysm and the Coming of the Rifts. Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG, Creatures of Chaos™, Rise of Magic™, and Chaos Earth® Resurrection™ are all available.
  • FREE Sneak Previews for Nightbane® Dark Designs™, Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans™, Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity, and many other previews as well as free and low cost items that we make available. All of it adds to the growing list of Rifts and other Palladium RPG game titles available as PDF books, cards and support. A new title should be added every week or two, so keep watching for them.
  • The Rifter® #1-84, ALL issues of The Rifter®. Each issue is a wealth of source material and ideas for 3-6 different Palladium game lines. Most are easily adapted to ANY Palladium game setting. Each issue a gem. 8,500 pages of source material and ideas for heroes, villains, monsters, magic, gear, and adventure.
  • Splicers® RPG is like Iron Man meets Game of Thrones with elements of Terminator – except this army of Iron Men are clad in living body armor and wield living, organic weapons and devices. Created in 2004 by writer and game designer Carmen Bellaire, Splicers® was nominated for an Inquest Gamer Magazine Fan Awards Game of the Year, and has since developed a rabid fan base. Science fiction and horror where humans are forced to use genetically engineered, living weapons and organic war machines to battle an insane Artificial Intelligence and her robot legions. Unlike anything you have ever played before!
  • Splicers®: I Am Legion™ Adventure Sourcebook: 6 new Great Houses, 4 new Host Armors, 6 new War Mounts, 19 new Bio-Weapons, 15 new killer machines, new Bio-Enhancements, Amalgam creation tables, Legion and a series of adventures that build into a small campaign, and more.
  • Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 1st Edition Rules and sourcebooks. A unique world of magic, monsters and heroes. Dozens of nonhuman player characters including Wolfen, Bearmen, Ogres, Orcs and more. 100,000 years of history.
  • Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition Rules and many sourcebooks. The expanded world of high fantasy, magic, mystery and heroes of every variety. Includes the Mind Mage and psychic abilities, mages and spells, magic circles and symbols, men-at-arms, scoundrels and a wide range of inhuman player characters including Wolfen, Bearmen, Ogres, Orcs and many more. 100,000 years of history.
  • Heroes Unlimited™ RPG first edition rule book and sourcebooks.
  • Heroes Unlimited™ RPG Second Edition rule book and sourcebooks. Create any type of superhuman you can desire and bring comic book adventures to life.
  • Dead Reign® RPG (Zombie Apocalypse). The dead have risen. It is the battle for survival in the zombie apocalypse, but this setting is much more than your typical zombie game. Play ordinary people or special characters better equipped to survive and hunt zombies. Many unusual types of zombies.
  • Dead Reign® Sourcebooks: 6 sourcebooks from Civilization Gone™ to Hell Followed™ (the latter features stats for 23 disasters, masked lunatics, 11 new zombies, 7 apocalyptic character classes, and more) are available.
  • Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 1st Edition Rules. Supernatural horror in the modern world. Play ordinary people, psychics, paranormal investigators or for something different: Victim Characters!
  • Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 2nd Edition: The complete, revised core game, 14 character classes and 42 occupations for "ordinary people," 100+ psychic abilities, 16 monsters, the Lazlo Agency, world setting and rules.
  • Nightbane® RPG and sourcebooks. An RPG setting we call superhero horror. Dark conspiracy, a secret, demon invasion starting with world leaders and law enforcement, and it is spreading. The player characters are the Nightbane®, reluctant superhumans who must turn into monsters themselves to unleash their powers and battle the evil that is clear only to them. A dark, sinister and challenging world of horror.
  • After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks. Planet of the Apes meets the X-Men! Animal creations, powers and more. Create any type of intelligent mutant animal you can imagine as friend or foe.
  • Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG and the Mystic China™ sourcebook. James Bond meets Enter the Dragon. 41 types of martial arts, ninjas, and super-spies with gadgets, gizmos and advanced weapons.
  • The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy RPG is a long time, cult favorite with a fatalistic world-view of humans vs aliens with superior technology.
  • The Palladium Weapon Series of real world weapons, armor and castles throughout history. Designed for use with ANY game system.
  • 200+ Palladium titles in all, plus G.M. kits, paper miniatures and more.
  • Heroes Unlimited™ Paper Miniatures – Two sets are now available!
  • Palladium Fantasy RPG® Paper Miniatures – Volumes #1-6 are available now. More are coming in the weeks ahead.
  • Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Men at Arms – $2.99
  • Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Coalition Dead Boys – $2.99
  • Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Adventurers – $2.99
  • Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Practitioners of Magic (new) – $2.99
  • Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Extras (new) – $2.99
  • And more to come in the weeks ahead.

Palladium Collectibles, Negatives, Artwork, other Collectibles and Toys are always available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles eBay Store along with other good things

My eBay store is one of the few places where you can find original artwork by Charles "Chuck" Walton, Kevin Long, and others, as well as one-of-a-kind negatives from classic Rifts® and other Palladium RPG books (they look awesome framed!), rare Palladium collector hardcovers, signed books, other Palladium memorabilia, toys from my personal collection and other collectibles. Check every couple of weeks because we often post new stuff or offer a new sale. There is a sale on negatives starting today, in fact.

Other one-of-a-kind original artwork available by me (Kevin Siembieda), Kevin Long, Charles Walton II (money goes to the artist), other artists, as well as collectible negatives, prints, limited edition hardcovers, proofreader copies, out of print items, Star Wars toys, Marvel toys and many other toys and collectibles from my personal collection. Alex and I will keep adding items as our busy schedules allow, but we have a lot of fun collectibles available now and coming soon. Hundreds of items. Take a look every weekend for new additions.

Available now: One-of-a-kind book negatives. Negatives were very popular items at the Palladium Open House and people went crazy over them at Gen Con – including actor Joe Manganiello who scooped up a pile of TMNT negatives, while Palladium's own Mark Oberle, Carmen Bellaire, Brandon Aten and a whole lot of Palladium gamers went for negatives from Rifts® New West, Lone Star and Free Quebec. Fun.

Negatives are unique and attractive, one-of-a-kind (on rare occasions two-of-a-kind if a page was replaced or a second edition was made) works of art that resemble woodcut art and are very dynamic conversation pieces. Before digital printing, pages of a book were laid out by hand on a board, and each page was photographed. The plastic film negatives were then "ganged" on a massive sheet of Mylar 16 pages per big sheet, and the printing plates were made from the negatives – everything white, printing black.

When our printer, McNaughton and Gunn, went completely digital, they asked if Palladium Books wanted the negs, otherwise they would be destroyed. Regrettably, I let a few dozen be destroyed, but the negatives of many books were sent to Palladium. They have sat in our warehouse for years until I started to offer them for sale. I have also started signing the negatives in silver and each comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. Each negative comes on a white board inside a plastic magazine bag and looks fabulous framed! Fits in an 8x10 inch matt opening in a frame (each neg is roughly 8½ x 11 inches).

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

Closing Thoughts – The power of positive thinking

Alex was teasing me recently and reminded me about a post in which the person wrote, “Does anyone else find Siembieda’s sense of optimism a little scary?”

Trust me, I’m not always happiness and light. Far from it. I can be an intense guy, but even when I’m grumpy, tired, or angry, I remain an optimist. I have learned that nothing of value comes from wallowing in despair and feeling sorry for yourself. I find it better to examine the situation, keep moving, think outside the box and develop solutions and workarounds for the challenges you are facing. When things were bad some years ago, a dear friend told me he had every confidence in me to turn things around because I was too stubborn to fail. I took that as a compliment. Don’t get me wrong, I make mistakes and have my failures, but I try to learn from them to avoid ever making that mistake again.

When the challenges of the pandemic loomed large they didn’t paralyze me or plunge me into depression, they energized me. Kicked me into overdrive. Made me reexamine our situation, reorganize, and try new things. Recruit new freelancers and make new dreams.

As I have said before, I also derive energy, positivity and creativity from YOU: our friends, fans, and customers. You are important to us and what you have to say matters. You have been there throughout the pandemic helping us with positive words of encouragement, constructive comments and helpful suggestions. Not to mention vital purchases of products. I try to respond in kind with Closing Thoughts and suggestions on how to stay sane and survive this stinking pandemic and all the baggage that comes with it. To escape by playing games and reaching out to friends and fellow gamers. You responded with more kind words and encouragement which makes me feel more positive and motivated.

Thanks to each other, you and I knew we were not alone. That like-minded people had our backs. People – friends – who genuinely cared. That realization feels good and is comforting. It makes us stronger and more confident. It is a beautiful example of a positive symbiotic relationship and synchronicity of action. I love it. I feed on it. I let it wash over me and nurture me. And I sure hope my words do the same for you and our games give you an avenue of escape and respite even if it is just for a few hours.

Never forget that no matter how bad things get, you are not alone. You have friends and family that care about you. Not just your own friends and family, but you are also a part of the big, beautiful, Palladium family. No matter how bad things get, do not lose sight of the beauty and goodness in the world, because it is still there when you stop and look for it. The friends, the love, and little pleasures that bring us joy (like games) are our salvation. Call it the face of God, natural wonder, good karma, the power of love, or whatever makes sense to you, but it is there. It connects all of us to the human experience. It is real. It matters. And it makes a difference. You make a difference.

We human beings are resourceful as hell. We survive and adapt. Learn and change. We find joy and happiness even during the dark times because to give in to the darkness only leads to sorrow and doom. Please continue to hang tough, be smart, take care of yourselves, and find the things that bring you joy, and hold on to them and to the people who matter to you. And if you can spare it, maybe extend a little of that good will and kindness to a stranger.

It is why I have continued to randomly sign books and send out my dragonhead sketch with a few words throughout the course of the last year and a half. It’s why I write these Closing Thoughts, because if they make you smile or help at all, even in the smallest of ways, that’s awesome. During these trying times I try not to lash out. I try to be patient and considerate and kind. Because a little kindness, a few positive words, can change a person’s entire day. Each little, seemingly minuscule kindness, adds up. Every smile generated is a small triumph. A moment of light and joy amidst the gathering darkness.

I learned optimism from my valiant, beautiful mother as she waged a war against one cancer or another for 20 odd years. Somehow she always found time for other people. She always had a kind word for them, embraced their company and made them feel good about themselves. I think it helped her forget her own fear and painful struggles – at least for a little while. She taught me through her words and actions that what matters most in life are the people you love and the things that bring you joy. Erick Wujcik and my Dad, Hank, confirmed those two simple truths before they passed, as have others in my life. Thank you for bring me joy and for letting me share my imagination and worlds with you.

So yeah, we all face our personal challenges and struggles, but if we let people in, we do so with an army of friends and supporters at our side. I welcome all of you as my army of friends and supporters. I want you by my side. I embrace you and thank you for the love you send and the strength you lend me. It gives me wings and fuels my creativity. You will see the power of that friendship, kindness, and global family unity over the next few years as Palladium rises to new heights. Thanks, in part, to you.

So stay frosty, enjoy the hardcover books, the back stock titles, the Rifts® character generator, the new product, upcoming new book releases, upcoming sales, and surprises. Find release and friendship and joy in gaming and with your families and friends. Unleash your imaginations and be grateful to be alive. I am every day. But then I’m blessed with astonishing friends and acquaintances and marvelous fans like you. Live long and prosper.

- Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer, Gamer, Friend

NEW! Miniature Releases – Available now

You have been asking about new miniatures and we are providing. All miniatures come in a plastic bag. The newest three are:

Classic Glitter Boy and Pilot Miniature Pack

Rifts® Glitter Boy™ & Pilot (original) Miniature Pack – 1st time available in resin – 28 mm resin – $19.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8001. Five Pieces: 1. Complete G.B. body and a small base, 2. right arm and Boom Gun, 3. backpack/thrusters, 4. ammo drum and belt, and 5. pilot. The ever-popular, classic Glitter Boy and Pilot (1993 RAFM) – now in resin for the first time (prior releases were pewter figures). Available now.

Rifts CS Firebreather Dead Boy 32mm Resin Miniature

NEW! Rifts® CS Firebreather Dead Boy™ Miniature – true scale 32 mm resin – $9.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8047. Five pieces: 1. the body, 2. right arm and gun, 3. left arm, 4. antenna, 5. custom base. Detailed and dynamic figure. Available now.

Rifts Juicer 32mm Resin Miniature

NEW! Rifts® Juicer™ Miniature – true scale 32 mm resin – $9.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8048. Three pieces: 1. the complete body, 2. crossed swords on the back that fit so snugly that you may not even need to glue it, 3. custom base. Detailed and dynamic figure. Available now.

Rifts Glitter Boy 32mm Resin Miniature

And don’t forget about the Deluxe Rifts® Glitter Boy Resin Miniature – released in fall 2020 – 32 mm resin – $34.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8046 – a gorgeous, detailed and dynamic figure. Available now.

Rifts Duty's Edge Novel

Rifts® Novels – Available now

All Rifts® novels are available from the Palladium Books online store as physical books as well as PDFs from DriveThruRPG.com. All are a fun read and highly recommended. Enjoy.

  • All novels are 5 x 8 inches in size unless otherwise indicated.
  • Page count and price varies.
  • Available as physical books from palladiumbooks.com and as PDFs on DriveThruRPG.com
  • Rifts® Duty’s Edge is the story of a lone survivor of a New German Republic Special Forces operation who struggles to complete the mission on his own. A mission to destroy wicked monsters and cut off a vital line of support to the Gargoyle Empire. A mission that could save many lives. Of course, it is a journey that takes many twists and turns as one determined individual hopes to beat impossible odds. Set in the Middle East. 236 pages – $12.99 retail – Cat. No. 308 – the newest, stand alone novel.
  • Rifts® Sonic Boom™. Follow the exploits of a CS platoon sworn to protect humankind from all threats, be they aliens, dragons, masters of magic or fellow humans out for themselves.
  • Rifts® Deception’s Web™, the second novel in this trilogy, reveals a conspiracy within the Coalition military that could spell disaster for our protagonists. Note: Smaller size, 4 x 6 inches.
  • Rifts® Treacherous Awakenings™ is the pulse-pounding conclusion of the third novel in this epic trilogy by Adam Chilson.
  • Rifts Anthology: Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs™. Rifts® short stories by 11 authors including Kevin Siembieda, Carl Gleba, Mark Oberle, Braden Campbell, Taylor White, Jason Richards, and others. Note: Slightly larger size, 6 x 9 inches.
  • Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ Graphic Novel & Sourcebook. The comic is by acclaimed Eisner Award winning artist Ramon K. Perez, source material by Siembieda and Perez. Note: 8½ x 11 inches.
  • Rifts® Path of the Storm was a Rifts® movie script written on spec. Note: 8½ x 11 inches.
  • Rifts® Hammer of the Forge™, Volume One: The Cosmo-Knight. The adventures of Caleb Vulcan, newly minted Knight of the Cosmic Forge.
  • Rifts® Hammer of the Forge™, Volume Two: The Reckoning. The epic conclusion of the Hammer of the Forge story.

Rifts Novels on palladium-store.com

Gamer 16 Ounce Mug

Gamer 16 Ounce Mug – available now

Whether you drink coffee, hot cocoa, soda-pop, or whatever your beverage of choice may be, this fun mug reminds you of your favorite pastime and that new possibilities exist with every roll of the dice.

The large, 16 ounce Gamer mug presents the word “Gamer” in a box with dice cascading down from above. The design appears on both sides of the mug. Created by Wayne Smith and Freddie Williams II (art directed by Kevin Siembieda). The mug has an orange interior to add a nice splash of color.

  • A must for every proud gamer!
  • Dice and the word “Gamer” highlighted in a box.
  • Glossy black exterior with an orange interior.
  • Art and words are located on both sides of the mug.
  • 16 ounce ceramic mug.
  • Dishwasher and microwave safe.
  • $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2596 – available now.

Gamer 16 Ounce Mug at palladium-store.com

Property of the Coalition States Mug

BACK IN STOCK! Property of the Coalition States 16 Ounce Mug – available now

Back due to popular demand! The iconic Property of the Coalition States and notorious CS Death’s Head insignia printed white on a glossy black, 16 ounce coffee mug, with a blood red interior for a splash of color. The design appears on both sides of the mug. Created by Wayne Smith and Kevin Long (art directed by Kevin Siembieda).

  • The infamous words “Property of the Coalition States” and the notorious Death’s Head logo and lightning bolts (indicating CS special forces) in white.
  • Glossy black exterior with a blood red interior color.
  • Art and words are located on both sides of the mug.
  • 16 ounce ceramic mug.
  • Dishwasher and microwave safe.
  • $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2588 – available now.

Property of the Coalition States Mug at palladium-store.com

Other Mugs Available Now

Everyone loves these mugs. Isn’t it time you started your collection? I like to use them to as a secret code to reflect my mood to those around me. To my thinking the Gamer mug means I’m feeling playful. Rifts® Property of the Coalition States: I’m a soldier in the trenches and working hard. Dead Reign®: Back off or I will eat you alive. Fantasy Dragon: My imagination is on fire. Rifts Logo: Feeling the infinite possibilities. Rifts® Titan Robotics: I’m feeling mighty. Of course, they represent something else to each of you or just represent one of your favorite games, like a normal person.

  • Rifts® Titan Robotics™ Mug A dynamic Titan robot and the Rifts® logo. Art by Steven Cummings. White on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blue interior. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2595 – available now.
  • Rifts® Logo Coffee Mug The famous Rifts® logo in white on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blue interior. Logo by Kevin Long. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2587 – available now.
  • Palladium Fantasy RPG® Dragon Mug The famous red on black 3-headed hydra battling a knight from the iconic original Palladium Fantasy RPG cover. Art by Kevin Siembieda. Red on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with an attractive orange interior. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2589 – available now.
  • Dead Reign® (Zombie Attack) Mug A trio of hungry zombies and the Dead Reign® logo in white on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blood red interior for a splash of color. Art by Steven Cummings. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2594 – available now.

© 2021 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Powers Unlimited®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc.; Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Garden of the Gods, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, Psychic Scream, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

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© Copyright 2023 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.| Site -Developed by Rex Barkdoll

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Powers Unlimited®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

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