Forums of the Megaverse®

KillWatch wrote:Cyborg: So if everyone who wants to play vampires is a geek who has been pushed around and want's to beat on people, then lets apply other stereotypes like you must be a virgin

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Johnathan wrote:That's the stereotype for playing vampires...? o.O

It's not about bonuses. Or Stereotypes. It's about how you play your character. Who gives a flying rats behind if your character has obscenely high bonuses? If the character is flat and two-dimensional (seen my fair share, as I'm sure everyone else has), then they and your group miss out on what it is really entailed in Role-Playing.

It's not about you/your group vs. the bad guys. It's about building something...

Or something like that...

dragonfett wrote:What I am trying to say that the infantryman will be kept in training until he is shooting at a certain proficiency level before he is allowed to leave training or he will be put in another MOS. Once the supply geek and the infantryman leave training and go out in to the real world, their ability to shoot will progress at a somewhat linear rate, with the infantryman hitting a plateau well before the supply geek. If I had a program that allowed me to make a graph in a picture format, I feel I would be able to better show you what I am trying to say. It is that initial training (and/or talent) that sets the infantryman apart from the supply geek. Have I made myself more clear as to what I am trying to say? Is there any confusion as to what I am trying to convey?

For example (just so I'm understanding)

So on the initial day after training, the infantryman is at roughly 90% of the maximum marksmanship ability, and the supply person is at 75% of the maximium ability?

After a year, the infantryman at at 100% (the plateau), while the supply person is only up to 80%.

But after ten years, both would at 100% (the plateau)?

Am I understanding you here?

Severus Snape wrote: Just because someone has really high bonuses in one area doesn't mean they have high bonuses in all areas. So you have a party of unstoppable combat machines. Make them role-play instead of putting them in combat. A group of super-geniuses? Put them in combat. Super-Heroes with great powers? Attack them with psionics or magic (and let's face it - Carpet of Adhesion is everyone's fallback combat ender).

You just have to get creative about how to deal with your players. The best players will enjoy the challenge. "Ok, so I've got +19 to damage when I punch or kick, but I have to get out of the Magic Net the wizard just cast first. Oh, and he's flying around above me and I can't fly or reach him, so I have to figure out how to get him down to my level first." See? Creativity by the GM should bring out creativity by the players. Which will bring out creativity by the GM, and so on and so forth.

Another thought came to mind while watching TV. Why not send the PCs into an area that gives them global penalties to all their actions?

Examples:

-high altitude (less air to breath)

-heavy gravity (harder to lift your own body)

-An area that requires wearing a suit that limits your movements (like extreme heat or outer space)

-An area subject to constant physic defying changes (dream world, magic heavy area, astral plane, etc)

-An area or substance that negates super abilities, magic and psionics....

Thoughts?
-Pax

First question:

This is actually really common on TV (sci fi or fantasy). Forum rules prevent me from explaining which shows specifically, but the basic rundown is that a very powerful creature encounters the main characters and just alter the world at their whim. It's also common in other RPGs, to encounter this sort of thing from time to time. Also, a world/dimension/area that constantly changes for no seeming reason is also pretty common in both RPGs and TV (science fiction or fantasy ones only).

Second question/statement:

Environmental armor is good enough in some areas.

For extreme heat, it can start to melt things, or get so hot that the PCs are uncomfortable in their suits. Falling ash, jams up air filters pretty quick.

For extreme cold, it can freeze any electronics in the suit (radios, special vision options, sometimes even the environmental options may require electronics). It may even freeze the suit shut, which could present it's own issues.

Remember that most environmental armor isn't designed to be worn constantly, they might need to buy "special" armor that is.

For high altitude, the mountains are not your only option. An airship, a floating city, or just a plateau area that is raised much higher than normal. You could also go into the silly realm and allow the PCs to walk on the clouds...

As for heavy gravity, please remember that this is the GM's forum, not the rifts one. I was suggesting things for Palladium RPGs in general.

In rifts earth, you'd just find a "magical anomaly" that induced higher gravity over a specific area, or perhaps it's a technologically induced feature that this prison had installed.

It's pretty easy to add something like this to Rifts, the creativity of the setting isn't exactly limited in any way.

Anyway, with all of these features, they are not meant to be the a threat for the PCs. They are only a threat, when combined with other typical RPG issues.

For example, engaging in combat while maintaining a fully functioning environmental suit can be quite interesting.

Don't forget that, in a setting with extremes (like high heat), even if the PCs are completely protected, it doesn't mean the rest of their gear is. Melting credits/money can be some of the most annoying and reasonable complications that extreme heat can offer for the party.

As a GM, limiting the gear of the party is one of your issues. If they are too prepared for anything, perhaps they should encounter a situation where some of their gear is damaged or destroyed. This isn't being mean, it's keeping the game enjoyable. Players will lose interest if the game doesn't challenge them.
-Pax