New Campaign for RIFTS- Back to basics changes thread

[Wōdwulf Seaxaning]

I'm planning to run a Back to basics RIFTS campaign using RUE, but the Setting info from the old Core Book augmented by Meta-plot elements such as Tolkeen war & the MiF story lines. I'm trying to decide what to add back in to the mix but want to keep the Old School Reavers, Mutoids, Sorcerous Cabals & D-Bee threats in the Wildlands Post Apocalyptic feel of the the old Core Book.

Below is the things I know I'm NOT including:
* The majority of the New West & Spirit West stuff, just those things I feel fit the theme. No Native tribes & magic.
* RIFTS Japan (except tech & possibly some OCCs)
* RIFTS England
* RIFTS Africa
* RIFTS Australia except tech...maybe.
* RIFTS Arno
* RIFTS Madhaven
* Phaseworld including ANY Naruni Tech.

Things I'm not sure of including: <I need to be sold on these things>
* RIFTS South America Books
* RIFTS Russia Books
* RIFTS China
* RIFTS Lemuria
* RIFTS Underwater

Things I'll likely Include:
* RIFTS Federation of Magic
* RIFTS Psyscape
* elements from both RIFTS Dinosaur Swamp books
* A good number of the RCCs from D-Bees of North America

Any advice would be appreciated.

[J_cobbers]

I would include Source Book 1 and 2 because of the great ARCHIE III material and he and Logan are important early protagonists for eastern North America. Conversion Book 1 has a lot of essential D-Bee and supernatural beings that are pretty integral to the setting.

Also Vampire Kingdoms and Atlantis because those are some of the original big bads outlined in the RMB that players are likely to meet in the wild depending where they are.

If you want them to fight Xiticix, you can use WB 23 for setting and hive info, but maybe loose the extra subsets of the bugs and extra gear and abilities to keep it simple.

If they go to Europe, Triax and the NGR is a must but probably don't need Triax 2. If staying in North America, possibly use as a source for some rare/exotic gear due to CS and NGR trading.

Coalition War Campaign, and the 2 Northern Gun books, you can take or leave. Given you want to keep it basic, I assume you'd leave it because it's so gear heavy and other books you are using will have more than enough toys and such.

If you are going up North, consider Rifts Canada, and maybe Free Quebec for setting and monster info, if not tech, gear and new classes.

There's my 2 cents.

[dragonfett]

I would keep a lot of the CS OCC's from the CWC, but ditch most of the equipment.

[Sambot]

SB-4 Coalition Navy
SB-5 Bionics
SB-6 Shemarian Nation (expands on their SB-1 entry)
WB-7 Underseas (expands upon Atlantis and Triax. Also has neutral OCCs/items/vehicles as well as opponents the coalition could face in the gulf and east coast.)
WB-10 Juicer Uprising (It happens before the Tolkien War so might be useful as it influenced things.)
The Adventure Books, Merc Books, and Siege on Tolkien Books might also be useful. Probably a few issues of the Rifter as well.

You don't have to include everything though. Just whatever will be useful for your game.

[Wōdwulf Seaxaning]

I would include Source Book 1 and 2 because of the great ARCHIE III material and he and Logan are important early protagonists for eastern North America. Conversion Book 1 has a lot of essential D-Bee and supernatural beings that are pretty integral to the setting.

Also Vampire Kingdoms and Atlantis because those are some of the original big bads outlined in the RMB that players are likely to meet in the wild depending where they are.

I'm likely using the above books to one degree or another.

If you want them to fight Xiticix, you can use WB 23 for setting and hive info, but maybe loose the extra subsets of the bugs and extra gear and abilities to keep it simple.

If it comes to dealing with the Xiticix I'll likely use WB 23.

If they go to Europe, Triax and the NGR is a must but probably don't need Triax 2. If staying in North America, possibly use as a source for some rare/exotic gear due to CS and NGR trading.

I'll use Triax & NGR books as they are the Europe based books I like.

Coalition War Campaign, and the 2 Northern Gun books, you can take or leave. Given you want to keep it basic, I assume you'd leave it because it's so gear heavy and other books you are using will have more than enough toys and such.

I'll likely use CWC & NG 1&2 because they fit existing power centers...but I may make some changes to them though.

If you are going up North, consider Rifts Canada, and maybe Free Quebec for setting and monster info, if not tech, gear and new classes.

I'll need to go through both & see what fits my concept. I know the whole FQ Glitterboy army thing will go for sure.

There's my 2 cents.

Thanks for the input.

[Wōdwulf Seaxaning]

SB-4 Coalition Navy
SB-5 Bionics
SB-6 Shemarian Nation (expands on their SB-1 entry)
WB-7 Underseas (expands upon Atlantis and Triax. Also has neutral OCCs/items/vehicles as well as opponents the coalition could face in the gulf and east coast.)
WB-10 Juicer Uprising (It happens before the Tolkien War so might be useful as it influenced things.)
The Adventure Books, Merc Books, and Siege on Tolkien Books might also be useful. Probably a few issues of the Rifter as well.

You don't have to include everything though. Just whatever will be useful for your game.

I'll look into those & see what fits. The Bionics for sure & Tolkeen books as that meta-plot is part of my version of the campaign. Thanks for the imput.

[Proseksword]

South America & South America 2 are probably the least "classic RIFTs" in feel of the older RIFTs books, particularly 2. In addition to the tech being just being plain over-powered, the ratio of advanced civilization to wilderness is highly skewed. Save the vast interior of Brazil/Lagato, there is very little of the kind of untamed, monster-filled wilderness that so characterizes the rest of RIFTs Earth.

[say652]

I say limit the books to any that apply to Rifts Earth.

In every book there's a gem, occ, weapon, skill. Why not let your players create a character they want to play and build the movie around the cast. Instead of just casting for a movie?

[Maddux]

Could always time line the game some books have times in them when they come out use the older classic books to start and keep the game to the time line when the new books kick in gives the players a chance to get some new toys as the level.

[Tiree]

When I start a campaign, I do the following:

Rifts Core Book (Excluding Dragons)
SB 1 or SB 1 Revised
Rifts WB 1 (Or Revised if you add in the VK Sourcebook)

That is the core to the game for me. Anything else is a "pick and choose, I'll see what I want to allow"

After looking at the variety of books, I'd probably add in NG 1 and NG 2 for PA's and personal equipment. I tend to run a very low powered game, so folks in Robots are extremely rare. PA's are rare, but Body Armor and Weapons are common. But MDC villages are non-existant. That would be a fortess city.

[Wōdwulf Seaxaning]

Again thank you all. For the campaign I'm going RUE core book, supplemented by SB 1 revised & possibly a small selection of D-Bees from the NA D-Bee guide; plus a few homebrew ones. I'll be using the Old Core book for the setting info but updated only using the Siege of Tolkien meta-plot (just the fall of Tolkien & those elements from the aftermath book that don't contradict how I see the world.