Questions about RPA, Aircraft, Wilderness Scouts and OCC quirks

[MolanLabeMO]

So... as a GM myself, the things that irk me in Rifts, I've corrected in MY world of Rifts. That being said, where are the aircraft stats? I'd love to see info on the NG Broadwing, Skyshadow and Kingfisher aircraft (and more) for a start. Prop planes, Jets, VTOL, VSTOL, Aerodyne, Helicopters etc. We need more modern aircraft statted out. Northern Gun 1 & 2, and Titan Robotics are phenomenal sourcebooks full of amazing gear and regional Lore. Some of the gear is in need of a good home though. For example, Forester PA is great (and even suggested) for a Wilderness Scout. Per that OCC and the varients in WB26, they are prohibited from using RPA. Enforcer Gaurdsman, Firefighter & Med-Rec PA are awesome- btw, anyone else run a "Police or fire drama campaign (ala Chicago series) out of a precinct or fire station? I digress, firefighter / Paramedic OCCs are missing too. There are also several OCCs that also have some high end skills with pre-requisites of others skills that are omitted from their OCC skills (CS Tech Officer medical MOS as an example).
/rant off

[ShadowLogan]

I don't see any questions per say in your rant.

As far as a lack of (military) aircraft, I put it down to a lack of need for the "traditional" platforms. Attack Helicopters appear to have been replaced by flying Power Armor in terms of role. Fixed Wing combat platforms do exist, but I disagree about need "modern" aircraft brought into the setting given they would be antiques by 2098 (probably be on 8th Generation of Fighter aircraft by then, currently on the 5th though 4th are far more common with research into the 6th). Transports seem to be covered to. There are likely a few reasons they don't get much attention: game focus (squad level), actual need (long distance travel seems to be by land/sea or magic, not air), etc.

Firefighter/Paramedic OCCs might be found in Chaos Earth (not a book/series I own), I know one can find them in the discontinued 2E Robotech Licence books as part of MOS packages (2E RT uses a OCC w/MOS package combination) in the first 3 books (main eras, not sure off hand about the NG supplementals). There is also the Medic MOS for the Merc Solider OCC (in RUE), or CS Technical Officer. I'm sure there are other ways to get a medic (and firefighter).

Generally if a skill package (like OCC starting skills or an MOS package) include skills that come with pre-requisites but omit them, it is generally taken to be that those skills are included for free (Robot Combat might be an exception given it can be used for a "gunner" skill IINM which means no Pilot skill).

[MyDumpStatIsMA]

I don't see the need for a dedicated firefighter/paramedic OCC. There are skills for both. To utilize the associated power armors, I would just make a Robot Pilot OCC and ignore the medical skill limitation of First Aid only. I'd allow it to take Paramedic skill for the cost of two OCC-related skills. Firefighter skill could be taken from the Technical category by the same character.

Now you have a very capable power armor character who can fight fires and be a paramedic when necessary.

Alternatively you could be a Body Fixer or a Rogue Scientist and also take power armor piloting, along with Paramedic/Firefighting, and not have to tweak the OCC skills at all.

As for Wilderness Scouts and power armor, I guess it does make sense that there should be an 'armored scout' possibility. In which case I'd do the same as above: make a Wilderness Scout, disregard the rule limit, and allow them to take PA skills for the cost of two OCC-related, each. The penalty is to signify the difficulty of learning skills not usually associated with the OCC. The end result will be a Wilderness Scout that is less well-rounded in general skills, but can use power armor. I consider it a fair trade.

[Grazzik]

As for Wilderness Scouts and power armor, I guess it does make sense that there should be an 'armored scout' possibility. In which case I'd do the same as above: make a Wilderness Scout, disregard the rule limit, and allow them to take PA skills for the cost of two OCC-related, each. The penalty is to signify the difficulty of learning skills not usually associated with the OCC. The end result will be a Wilderness Scout that is less well-rounded in general skills, but can use power armor. I consider it a fair trade.

... or build out a CS Ranger, the "Coalition military version of the wilderness scout" (WB11 pg 80). It lists as an OCC skill a pilot of choice with no restriction indicated. Pilot skills for OCC Related skills are restricted from being RPA or combat aircraft (but a tank is ok... sheesh!), but the OCC skill is a rules lawyer's dream.

Re backstory for a Ranger PC, if they aren't intended to be a CS military, then just have them trained by an equivalent power block - NG, Tolkeen, Lazlo, FQ, etc - or by an independent state such as MercTown or Los Alamo or some tiny wilderness kingdom that got crushed to dust by some warmachine as soon as the PC graduated from the academy...

[ShadowLogan]

I don't see the need for a dedicated firefighter/paramedic OCC. There are skills for both. To utilize the associated power armors, I would just make a Robot Pilot OCC and ignore the medical skill limitation of First Aid only. I'd allow it to take Paramedic skill for the cost of two OCC-related skills. Firefighter skill could be taken from the Technical category by the same character.

I would disagree about the need for an OCC(s) for them. While it might be easy to just go, you have the Paramedic Skill and/or Firefighter Skill and that's all you need to do the job(s), one might argue there would be a variety of "support" skills that would make doing those jobs easier/accurate that a class substitution might require the player to "pay out" skill slots to achieve.

For example the 2E RT Macross SB has Firefighter OCCs with Pilot Truck (which the firetrucks qualify as IINM), Rope Works (rescue situations), Radio Basic (communication), Excavation (doing rescue you have to free people who are trapped), WP Axe, Climbing (rescue situations) skills in addition to Firefighting and Paramedic Skills. So to achieve the full package that 7 or 8 skill slots you might have to spend to achieve what you are looking for in terms of skills to do the job fully, and I left some skills out from the OCC list to boot. Now you might argue some of those skills could be covered by the existing OCC and I agree, but not all of them will be.

[Dustin Fireblade]

Chaos Earth has a option called 'Roscoes' or something like that. Been a minute since I looked it over.

Merc Adventures has the "Tin-Soldier" OCC, a Hazardous Materials OCC that can fill in for the firefighter/paramedic role.

The Heroes of Humanity book also has the "Rescue" Advanced Training option. Most of the advanced training is available to non-CS classes too (equivalant level training). The Rescue AT even mentions its available to the Vagabond OCC.

EDIT - Merc Ops has aircraft, and it's noted that Northern Gun build their own versions of the CS helo's from World Book 11.

[MyDumpStatIsMA]

So to achieve the full package that 7 or 8 skill slots you might have to spend to achieve what you are looking for in terms of skills to do the job fully, and I left some skills out from the OCC list to boot. Now you might argue some of those skills could be covered by the existing OCC and I agree, but not all of them will be.

Agreed about the extra support skills, but that's why I also suggested Rogue Scientist. Without looking at the book, from memory I assume that OCC has enough skill selections and secondaries to allow everything to be picked. Beyond that, you could even use the Rogue Scientist's class abilities to help figure out better rescue methods on the spot. Full-on MacGyver.

Also, I think the Robot Pilot OCC could still get away with being a competent rescuer/medic, if it used the associated specialist power armor the OP mentioned. The special features of those armors would cover most of the skills you mentioned. For example, a power-armor clad rescuer doesn't need to have the excavation skill if it can just tunnel through debris. It doesn't need the rope skill if it has a built-in rescue line and winch system.

... or build out a CS Ranger, the "Coalition military version of the wilderness scout" (WB11 pg 80). It lists as an OCC skill a pilot of choice with no restriction indicated. Pilot skills for OCC Related skills are restricted from being RPA or combat aircraft (but a tank is ok... sheesh!), but the OCC skill is a rules lawyer's dream.

Re backstory for a Ranger PC, if they aren't intended to be a CS military, then just have them trained by an equivalent power block - NG, Tolkeen, Lazlo, FQ, etc - or by an independent state such as MercTown or Los Alamo or some tiny wilderness kingdom that got crushed to dust by some warmachine as soon as the PC graduated from the academy...

The problem with the CS Ranger is twofold: one, it lacks the class skills (cartography, etc) of the true Wilderness Scout. Two, it can only pick one PA piloting skill, which precludes any combat training.

As much as I'm inclined to be a rules lawyer in general, I really only think it's necessary when somebody's trying to manipulate the system to make an overpowered character. In this case, a Wilderness Scout who can also use power armor is not imbalanced in the slightest. Especially if you penalize it with having each PA skill selection cost 2 OCC-related slots.

[Grazzik]

The problem with the CS Ranger is twofold: one, it lacks the class skills (cartography, etc) of the true Wilderness Scout. Two, it can only pick one PA piloting skill, which precludes any combat training.

As per WB26 pg 54, you can get Cartography as a Technical skill in exchange for two OCC Related, so works out either way. The cross-country pacing doesn't matter if you are in your PA. And if in a Forrester PA, I'm sure marking trails with the forearm chainsaw isn't exactly a skill roll... but, hey, everyone has their own style.

[MyDumpStatIsMA]

As per WB26 pg 54, you can get Cartography as a Technical skill in exchange for two OCC Related, so works out either way. The cross-country pacing doesn't matter if you are in your PA. And if in a Forrester PA, I'm sure marking trails with the forearm chainsaw isn't exactly a skill roll... but, hey, everyone has their own style.

In that case I'd use the Special Forces OCC from the Mercenaries book.

Special Forces comes with PA piloting and PA elite combat training. Can easily absorb the loss of 2 OCC-related skills to pick up cartography and still have 8 choices remaining (+2 espionage). And has 6 secondaries beyond that. While it lacks the CS Ranger's +15% to wilderness skills, it's a much more capable combatant in power armor.

So it depends on what you'd be prioritizing, combat ability or simple exploration (and pray you don't run into anything faster than you).

[Curbludgeon]

The Chaos Earth class is a good way to model a firefighter/paramedic from an advanced society. I could see swapping some skills out for a Rifts character. An interesting alternative is taking a Vagabond and applying the two available Advanced Training modules from Heroes of Humanity: Salvage Expert and Rescue.

[Grazzik]

The Chaos Earth class is a good way to model a firefighter/paramedic from an advanced society. I could see swapping some skills out for a Rifts character. An interesting alternative is taking a Vagabond and applying the two available Advanced Training modules from Heroes of Humanity: Salvage Expert and Rescue.

Interesting! I hadn't thought about it before, but Eyeball a Fella might be a handy talent in the hands of a fire chief looking for a fire bug, or a paramedic trying to determine if a wound might be self-inflicted for one reason or another.