character ideas?

[Wōdwulf Seaxaning]

We are looking to restart our BtS game & I'm creating a new character. Our group uses N&SS/MC & Nightbane as supplements to our BtS 1sted game. I don't have access to the books our GM has but he has most of them plus rifters.

What I want to know is what kinds of Psychic OCCs there are ? I'm especially interested in OCCs that are in the vein of RIFTS burster (if there is such a OCC) & what ever variants there are for it ? For non-Psychic OCCS I heard that Nightbane had some good magic OCCs that'd fit BtS such as the sorcerer OCC . Can anyone tell me about the Sorcerer & basically what it does?

[Sir Neil]

There are several psychic character classes. One of them is a pyrokineticist like Bursters. Don't have the book with me, or I'd give you more info.

[Hibik]

You'd be describing the Firewalker PCC. You also have Psychic Sensitives, Latent Psychics, Physical Psychics, Psychic Healers, and if you really want a challenge, the Autistic Savant.

The Sorcerer of Through the Glass Darkly is similar to the BtS1 Arcanist. TtGD just presents a more... unsettling and less formulaic version of magic. If you wanted something with less breadth of spells but the option of psychic powers, go with the Mystic. The specialist spellcasters such as the Channeller, the Cybermage, and the Flesh sculptor could all fit.

[Hibik]

Sorcerer is also found in the Nightbane main book. TtGD Sorcerer seems to be a bit of retcon, but there isn't that much of a difference between the two if you only take into account the OCC descriptions themselves. The real difference comes with the tons of additional rules for magic and making spells and stuff also in TtGD.

The mystic is also a reprint. I just figured it was easier to mention one book rather than two. Of course, you also have Arcane Detective in Between the Shadows. Most of the spellcasting OCCs from NB/Between the Shadows are a little 'over the top' for BtS except as NPCs, granted. It really depends on what sort of tone you want to set.

[Wōdwulf Seaxaning]

Thanks for the input. Been busy & got one heck of a stomache bug recently so I hadn't been able to get online to check for replies. I'll look into those options especially if we can get Adam able to get together with Greg & I to create new characters.

[Lord Z]

Firewalkers can be a lot more diverse than Bursters. Yes, Firewalkers do have flame attacks that can burn monsters, but they also have fire-based powers to help them track monsters and even divine the future. A lot depends on which pyrokentetic powers are chosen.

As you guys may have noticed from the Court of Tarot materials, I think Mediums are underused. The rules don't specify who controls a Medium's spirit guide (it's been a while, so I might be misremembering). If the GM let's you roleplay both roles, it's effectively like have one and a half PCs under your control in the game. If the GM wants to control the spirit guide, it's more like sharing one PC among the player and the GM. Either way, it's an interesting dynamic not often seen in RPGs. Check out the Court of Tarot errata for a pre-gen Medium named Jack.

In the Glory adventure from Rifter, a character appeared who was a neophyte necromancer. He worked as a palentologist who was unconsciously using necromancy spells like Find Bones. I think the Curse Psychic PCC (or the Haunted Psychic from Rifter #1) would have been a better fit for the concept than a mage, but it is a character concept which works very well in BtS. A psychic or mage who works subconsciously might even be a skeptic and be working within a team of skeptics -- that would be fun to roleplay.

Or for a character with very subtle paranormal powers, look at Mr Lucifer's Lucky Psychic from a recent Rifter.

[Wōdwulf Seaxaning]

What book or RIFTER is the Firewalker PCC in ?

[Sir Neil]

Beyond the Supernatural, second edition.

[mrloucifer]

As you guys may have noticed from the Court of Tarot materials, I think Mediums are underused. The rules don't specify who controls a Medium's spirit guide (it's been a while, so I might be misremembering). If the GM let's you roleplay both roles, it's effectively like have one and a half PCs under your control in the game. If the GM wants to control the spirit guide, it's more like sharing one PC among the player and the GM. Either way, it's an interesting dynamic not often seen in RPGs. Check out the Court of Tarot errata for a pre-gen Medium named Jack.

Mediums are indeed underused, but I thinks that's currently a lack of entity related material to work with and the lack of GM help in how to get mediums more involved in a non-entity related game. I hope to cover both of these points in the ghost themed book that's slowly coming along.

While it doesn't officially state it, the spirit guide is GM controlled( or at least is it should be in my humble opinion). Spirit guides provide a lot of indirect GM advice and help to the players and can help establish a particular mood or theme your trying to set up in a given game scenario. Ive had 3 different mediums in my BTS game (all different players) and ALL of them were happy with my playing the spirit guide when needed.

Keep in mind that a spirit guide doesn't talk or react constantly like a PC and its only present about 80% of the time. In fact, when its angry or disappointed in the medium, they can (and do) refuse to help or even speak to the PC. This would be hard to pull off if the player was doing both roles.

As the spirit guide is a friend, mentor and spirit guardian to the medium, I feel that they should be played by the GM as they offer speculation, philosophical discussion, advice, warnings, poses questions and offers alternative points of view, and this is an angle that's best served by someone of different and/or opposing views. The spirit guide is must more than a being who gives a medium their gifts.