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Hello, first post. I have been playing HU since the 90’s, but have been buying and playing Rifts over the last year. Still learning about the system eccentricities.

Issue: I rolled up a Phaeton Juicer (pilot variant). Right now, I have the combat bonuses broken out in 3 categories.
1. Standard H2H (expert) with PP and specific Juicer modifiers
2. Vehicle pilot bonuses with Phaeton Juicer modifiers
3. RPA Elite bonuses: which I have as stacked to include H2H+ phaeton pilot modifiers + the RPA elite bonuses.

Should the vehicle pilot bonuses be stacked into the RPA combat calculation? Or kept as H2H+RPa elite bonus only?

The premise of the bonuses for piloting is that the extreme Resistance to G forces and reflexes of the Phaeton Juicer allow him to push the equipment harder and faster, so this seems to apply to robots or Power Armor. Obviously, with a well stat’d Juicer I was a little shocked at the RPA combat bonuses when totaled.

I have no issue as GM challenging a character with high bonuses, but wanted to hear opinions on how the more experienced see this situation. Thanks Rifters.

Everything stacks except from duplicate sources.

That's a PB general rule.

Your bonuses from augmentation will stack with vehicle training (OCC skills), of course.

Otherwise one must assume Juicers are incapable of benefitting from skills. That's silly.

Yea, Juicers really are that good.

That's why they die in 5-ish years. Flame that burns brightest burns the shortest.

Awesome, thank you both for validating that. I didn’t really have an argument against doing it thst way, but Hot Damn this guy can scrap!

Live fast, die young.

I got curious about these bonuses and reread the Phaeton entry.

OCC abilities entry #4 details juicer bonuses, including in and out of "a light land or air vehicle".

Many of these bonuses apply specifically to vehicles. This includes robot vehicles, but not power armor, as power armor is, by rule, not a vehicle.

Be aware when shopping for RPA:Elite options.

I would think it fair to allow those bonuses to apply to anything piloted by the juicer. A Flying tower armor is still flying, and those suit-jockeys pull skill maneuvers just as impressive as the robot jocks. GM's call.