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Thinking about getting back into RIFTS after a long hiatus. I want to keep my campaign very simple. No robots, power armors, super RCCs, overpowered OCCs, etc. What books for the game keep the vibe of a post apocalyptic setting without all the over the top gonzo stuff? Going to probably be North America.

What will the Coalition be like? The same? Modified to...?
G

start off in a some wilderness town

ExoKnight wrote:Thinking about getting back into RIFTS after a long hiatus. I want to keep my campaign very simple. No robots, power armors, super RCCs, overpowered OCCs, etc. What books for the game keep the vibe of a post apocalyptic setting without all the over the top gonzo stuff? Going to probably be North America.

depends on what you want in it

the Rifts main book
GM guide
adventure guide
world book 30

Kovoston wrote:What will the Coalition be like? The same? Modified to...?
G

CS will be in the background. If I"m running a game it will probably be in area like West Virginia and simply be a wilderness type campaign. Where the PCs are exploring and trying survive the dangers of the new earth. Maybe at a trading outpost they here of the mysterious CS but no direct impact.

I was wondering how the Adventure Guide is? Reading the description it seems interesting.

I'm looking to use the RIFTS Core(Ultimate Version) and conversion guide revised. I would allow basic classes like ley-line walkers, juicers, psychics, etc. I still want sci-fantasy but more a mad max type PA.

Since the game will probably be OpenRPG/Skype. Does anyone have a home made point buy system for attributes rather rolling?

I'd recommend:

Rifts Core (NON Ultimate if you have it)
Sourcebook 1 (considering the area)
GM Guide
WB 30 (D-Bees of NA is good for fleshing areas out)

If you wanted your folks to go south maybe add in WB 26 Dino Swamp however you might need to cut out some O.C.C.s but this was one of the more recent WBs that didn't go too crazy IMO.

ExoKnight wrote:

Kovoston wrote:What will the Coalition be like? The same? Modified to...?
G

CS will be in the background. If I"m running a game it will probably be in area like West Virginia and simply be a wilderness type campaign. Where the PCs are exploring and trying survive the dangers of the new earth. Maybe at a trading outpost they here of the mysterious CS but no direct impact.

I was wondering how the Adventure Guide is? Reading the description it seems interesting.

Rifts® Sourcebook One™ - Revised and Expanded
Rifts® Shemarrian Nation™
Rifts® D-Bees of North America™

Rifts Main Book
*Body Fixer
*Cyber-Doc
*Rogue Scientist
*Rogue Scholar
*Vagabond
*Wilderness Scout

Rifts New West
*Cowboy
*Saloon Bumm
*Shieriff
*Deptuty
*Bar Wench / Saloon Girl
*Preacher

Rifts Dino Swamp
*Various Wilderness Scout varients
*Barbarians

Rifts Warlords of Russia
*Villager/Farmer/Hunter/Peasent

--------

No robots, power armors, super RCCs, overpowered OCCs, etc.

This eliminates Almost everything in Rifts.
No Technology, No Magics, No Psychics, No RCCs in general.
So i suggest grabing your PALLADIUM FANTASY RPG for basic OCCs and RCCs.
*Merc Warrior = Normal weapons, etc...Fantasy styled
*Knight = Normal weapons, etc...Fantasy styled
*Merchant
*Villager
*Farmer
*Elf RCC
*Dwarf RCC
*Gnome RCC
*Orc RCC

----------

I'm not sure were your coming from or have been, but when you eliminate High Technology OCCs, Magic OCCs, Psychic RCCs, and Powerful RCCs in general, your basicly just playing FANTASY setting. So you might as well play Palladium Fantasy and throw in Technogy from Heroes Unlimited from time to time...

ExoKnight wrote:Thinking about getting back into RIFTS after a long hiatus. I want to keep my campaign very simple. No robots, power armors, super RCCs, overpowered OCCs, etc. What books for the game keep the vibe of a post apocalyptic setting without all the over the top gonzo stuff? Going to probably be North America.

I would pick up Rifts Ultimate and Aftermath books, just to get up to date with all the current world events (and latest rules found in Ultimate)

For World Books try -

Dinosaur Swamp & Adventures in Dinosaur Swamp.

Arzno.


The Adventure Guide is great tool as well. You can design your own town and drop it just about anywhere.

Original main book
Sourcebook 1 (Primarily for repair costs, they keep things gritty. Archie can make a dark enemy)
Dinosaur Swamp does a great job of keeping that post-apocalyptic feel

TechnoGothic wrote:I'm not sure were your coming from or have been, but when you eliminate High Technology OCCs, Magic OCCs, Psychic RCCs, and Powerful RCCs in general, your basicly just playing FANTASY setting. So you might as well play Palladium Fantasy and throw in Technogy from Heroes Unlimited from time to time...

I don't want to eliminate high tech from my game. I want to limit the amount. I don't plan on running a fantasy game, I'm already running pathfinder. There will still be energy weapons, body armors, etc. It's just the PC won't be running around as MDC creatures or flying in their power armors. Still RIFTS, just with less player options to keep it low on the power scale.

Thanks all for the advice. I'm going to grab a copy of the Adventure Guide and Sourcebook One Revised. Actually I remember Vampire Kingdoms being low tech but seeing as theres a new revised edition coming out soon I'll wait on that.

I'm a big fan of main book, sb1, and Vampire Kingdoms. As for keeping it low powered, that requires active participation on your part. You will need to limit money and equipment. Upsell the SDC environment. Let MD rule the setting but only 20% have it and the players are part of that group. Then of course everyone is after the players because of that gear

New West, Spirit West, and Federation of Magic are also good books with nothing crazy overpowered in them. All in North America too so I'd definitely recommend getting those in addition to the other books mentioned here.

Grinning Demon wrote:New West, Spirit West, and Federation of Magic are also good books with nothing crazy overpowered in them. All in North America too so I'd definitely recommend getting those in addition to the other books mentioned here.

I disagree. Spirit West and Federation of Magic are, in fact, crazy overpowered. i would like to offer up the following for consideration: the American Indian Gods, the Paradox Shaman, the Totem Warrior, the indians in power armor, the Mystic Warrior, the Mystic Knight, Alistair Dunscon, the Colossus Automaton, the Deathbringer, the Battle Fury Blade, the Lord Magus and High Magus.

Personally i would combine Beyond the Supernatural and After the Bomb and run with that. slap on some S.D.C. Rifts window dressing and you're done.

ExoKnight wrote:Thinking about getting back into RIFTS after a long hiatus. I want to keep my campaign very simple. No robots, power armors, super RCCs, overpowered OCCs, etc. What books for the game keep the vibe of a post apocalyptic setting without all the over the top gonzo stuff? Going to probably be North America.

Hmmm

Have you ever tried backgammon or maybe checkers? It isn't very exciting, but there is no over the top stuff...

Why play Rifts if you are going to remove 3/4 of the game, kind of silly to me. Stick with something simpler, you will enjoy it more. Maybe Palladium Fantasy, or Mechanoids, both are good games and you can terrorize your poor little players all you want and feel big and powerful.

Exoknight...

I still stand by the OCCs i listed for a simple game. One addition to them. CYBER-KNIGHTs.

If you have SoT4 Cyber-Knights use that version. Heck a game with just Cyber-Knights as the PCs always rock. They are not too powerful, have modest armor and back-up armor, and always have at least the unique psi-sword available when they need it.

You get the best of both worlds (RIFTS and FANTASY) with Cyber-Knights.

RoadWarriorFWaNK wrote:

Grinning Demon wrote:New West, Spirit West, and Federation of Magic are also good books with nothing crazy overpowered in them. All in North America too so I'd definitely recommend getting those in addition to the other books mentioned here.

I disagree. Spirit West and Federation of Magic are, in fact, crazy overpowered. i would like to offer up the following for consideration: the American Indian Gods, the Paradox Shaman, the Totem Warrior, the indians in power armor, the Mystic Warrior, the Mystic Knight, Alistair Dunscon, the Colossus Automaton, the Deathbringer, the Battle Fury Blade, the Lord Magus and High Magus.

Personally i would combine Beyond the Supernatural and After the Bomb and run with that. slap on some S.D.C. Rifts window dressing and you're done.

I don't think those are crazy overpowered. We'll have to agree to disagree I also don't think he'll be playing any Indian Gods or Alistair Dunscon, so that's really a non issue. That being said I think the cool/simple classes in those books far outnumber the powerful ones. All three are great to have as just a history on the most of midwest North America if nothing else.

ExoKnight wrote:Thinking about getting back into RIFTS after a long hiatus. I want to keep my campaign very simple. No robots, power armors, super RCCs, overpowered OCCs, etc. What books for the game keep the vibe of a post apocalyptic setting without all the over the top gonzo stuff? Going to probably be North America.

Why would you play Rifts then?

You're saying that you want to play a game without using any of the actual setting.

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These statements aren't here to mock; they are to high-light that you want to play a game without using anything that the game is about, and it sounds absurd.

I totally get it. I run a very dark low powered gritty game. Survival is key, money is nonexistent, literacy is king (along with math). What you guys are doing is mocking a fan who wants to play and pushing them away.

I have a whole list of stuff that is not allowed in my games because they either unbalance the group dynamics, too silly, or too powerful. Dragons are banned because of this. Floopers are likewise. The other game books are cherry picked for ideas, equipment, and classes.

Dinosaur swamp and Adventures in Dino Swamp w/o doubt.

Also check out Patchwork Armor @ WB14 New West pg. 178-179. It could interest you for a survival setting.

Hope this helps.

Tiree wrote:I totally get it. I run a very dark low powered gritty game. Survival is key, money is nonexistent, literacy is king (along with math). What you guys are doing is mocking a fan who wants to play and pushing them away.

I have a whole list of stuff that is not allowed in my games because they either unbalance the group dynamics, too silly, or too powerful. Dragons are banned because of this. Floopers are likewise. The other game books are cherry picked for ideas, equipment, and classes.

Agreed.

ExoKnight - Nothing wrong with running a low powered game. That can be fun, and is every bit a part of the Rifts world as all the High Tech/High Power stuff.

As some have already said WB 14: New West, and WB 26: Dinosaur Swamp are good resources on playing lower powered games. Most OCCs in Rifts Ultimate Edition are good for that too. Heck, in Rifts Mercenaries, and Merc Ops there are lower powered PA, that maybe a good thing to use if you did wanna include that element later on.

I ran a game one where the players played a bunch of human barbarians in a very low powered game. It was cool.

You go, man. Have fun. Wish I could be a part of it.

Tiree wrote:I totally get it. I run a very dark low powered gritty game. Survival is key, money is nonexistent, literacy is king (along with math). What you guys are doing is mocking a fan who wants to play and pushing them away.

I have a whole list of stuff that is not allowed in my games because they either unbalance the group dynamics, too silly, or too powerful. Dragons are banned because of this. Floopers are likewise. The other game books are cherry picked for ideas, equipment, and classes.

DRock wrote:Go with Rifts Australia. That has a less emphasis on MDC.

True.

The Chipwell stuff in Rifts Mercenaries is pretty good.

I'd say just roll up some random critters from the back of the main book, make up your own wilderness town, and have them go from there.

A few threads that might interest you:
SDC Town, MDC Threat
Non-Adventuring OCCs

Killer Cyborg wrote:The Chipwell stuff in Rifts Mercenaries is pretty good.

I'd say just roll up some random critters from the back of the main book, make up your own wilderness town, and have them go from there.

A few threads that might interest you:
SDC Town, MDC Threat
Non-Adventuring OCCs

Cool thread, KC. I don't remember it, but very relivant. I hope ExoKnight can use it...

ExoKnight wrote:I don't want to eliminate high tech from my game. I want to limit the amount. I don't plan on running a fantasy game, I'm already running pathfinder. There will still be energy weapons, body armors, etc. It's just the PC won't be running around as MDC creatures or flying in their power armors. Still RIFTS, just with less player options to keep it low on the power scale.

This sounds like my ideal take on Rifts. I'd love to hear what you come up with for the game, and what you decide to do with it.

And by "love to hear" I of course mean "steal shamelessly for my own game and when my players say 'wow, what a great idea' take full credit for it."