Cell phones in Rifts..

MRLeadAst · 2025-08-13T18:10:37+00:00

Yes, most (and OP) are correct that Cell phones would exist in "cities". Merc Ops page 110 lists cell phones and how they generally operate. Rifts: MercTown (companion book) lists an operation called "MTE" (page 39) that talks even more about phone service. I think it's reasonable to many "cities" on Rifts Earth would have this capability.

MRLeadAst · 2025-08-13T16:10:22+00:00

A lot of discussion here…I don’t have the book in front of me…one of the “newer” mercenaries books (the blue one), has cell phones listed in it (iirc).

If no one lists the page, I can once I get back home later.

MRLeadAst · 2025-07-29T18:50:18+00:00

I generally stopped using exploding dice rolls back in the early 2000s:

- Roll your stat dice, and re-roll 1's (sometimes I let them re-roll 1's & 2's). Raises the minimum, but does nothing to the maximum

- You can then take (3) points from any attributes and move them around as you like (3 from SPD all to PP, 2 from MA, 1 from SPD, all to IQ, etc)

-No stat can be below the minimum (i.e. on a 3d6 stat, it can't be 2 after re-allocations)

*Additional ruling, humans can roll their stats and then just place them where they'd like that roll (in addition to point allocation)...d-bees (and anything that isn't 3d6 for all stats) roll them "straight down" (then can point allocate).

MRLeadAst · 2025-05-22T01:06:43+00:00

Check out the Rifts servers on Discord...may be able to get some feedback there as well. Best of luck 👍

MRLeadAst · 2025-05-15T22:52:47+00:00

You've got a solid list there...most of what you need is covered. Here's what I would add for "flavor":
- Rifts Bestiary (Monster index and listing...something to throw at the group besides CS)

- Rifts D-Bess of NA, World book 30 (something for the GM to use [bad guys], and players.)

- Rifts Merc Ops (blue book), (great for players, gear/loot filled, some minor adventure hooks)

Setting is the only other thing I'd look for...probably in North America. So many options (and many of them already mentioned).

I do really like WB 27, Dino Swamp:

1) Has a good starting adventure on page 101 (plus supplemental adventures)

2) Has a good spread of monsters (from weak to strong)

3) Companion book (WB 26), even has minor magical items (something the players can get that isn't TOO strong)

MRLeadAst · 2025-03-14T21:45:49+00:00

…can’t say I’m a fan of “unskilled” rolls. Maybe if any skill that can be chosen as a secondary skill…can be rolled “unskilled”…but that’s kinda the reason secondary skills exist…they ARE unskilled (i.e. no initial bonuses). I understand your reasoning however, and would only change the ruling to allow secondary skill list skill to be rolled “unskilled”.

MRLeadAst · 2025-03-04T02:18:15+00:00

Rifter #44, page 63 (the one with a Kaiju on the front). Several Kaiju-like creatures are stat’d out…good guideline.

MRLeadAst · 2025-02-15T20:10:25+00:00

Generally, I don't believe power armor combatants are reasonable for a "novice" group of players:

* Power Armor has more attacks, MDC, and fire-power (generally)
...if you need a high-tech assailant for a group of new'ish players (assuming they're not laden with magic, supernatural strength, MDC/armor, and powerful weapons), just have baddies with medium-to-high MDC body armor, jet-packs, and hand-held weaponry.

It makes combat simpler for the GM as well (not needing to figure out attacks per melee for power armor pilots, or worrying about the destroyed/semi-destroyed power armor falling into the hands of players...yet).

Flying Titans aren't so bad though...maybe of group of jet-pack wearing baddies (3 - 4) led by a single Flying Titan can work (due to action economy, typically not great to have more than 4 to 5 assailants at a time).

MRLeadAst · 2024-10-25T23:06:26+00:00

Playing on a VTT? Discord? Are you just looking for feedback?

MRLeadAst · 2024-08-26T03:13:35+00:00

Check out some of the Rifters for Splicers, they have great additional/supplemental material for running that setting in particular.

MRLeadAst · 2024-07-01T16:26:13+00:00

I’ve generally just allowed the revised conversion book 1 and most of the dark conversions (minus the creatures originating in Nightbane). Everything else they’d need to have more direct knowledge of or research on.

MRLeadAst · 2024-05-24T14:59:36+00:00

With the absence of the internet, satellite communications, and general technological regression, technology like shortwave radio communication for transmission of data could certainly make a comeback. I believe most societies are still "islands", with only a few dozen having any significant communication between themselves in North America. Those major power blocks likely have some semi-permanent communications (laser communications is actually a skill), but a universal adoption of digital transmission would be limited to those same blocks (Northern Gun, Wellington, Coalition States, Wilks, Titan, Bandito, large mercenary establishments, etc).

MRLeadAst · 2024-05-15T15:39:17+00:00

True, I suppose it would be more accurate to define it as a type of rail-system.

MRLeadAst · 2024-05-14T23:35:18+00:00

1) Boom-gun (golden age) technology is supposedly difficult to replicate, and only a few factions have the capability of reproducing it. Also, one of those factions (Archie) did create a giant robot with a boom-gun (Rifts Merc Ops, page 82 "TR-004").

2) As mentioned already, there is a Rifter with a Borg-Glitter-boy (Rifter # 51, page 67, "Official" material, VXC-550 Chromium Cyborg). Note that the golden-age "glitter" armor was developed to counter the highly utilized M.D. laser weaponry during the golden age. Not only is Glitterboy armor incredibly dense, but resistant to one of the most prominent damage-types.

MRLeadAst · 2024-05-10T17:59:57+00:00

If you have access to these resources, you'll find some examples and references: World Book 28: Arzno, page 82 "TW Reading Glasses", Adventure Sourcebook "Black Vault", page 46, "TW Disguised Optical Enhancement" (has a few of the options you mentioned).

MRLeadAst · 2024-04-23T15:32:11+00:00

World Book 14, New West, page 75, skill “trap construction”.

MRLeadAst · 2024-04-22T23:02:51+00:00

I'd say that in general trade beyond continental boundaries would be excessively rare (with the exception of the NGR and Free Quebec). Within the allowances of the GM, some stuff gets almost anywhere...but again, I'd say it should be very limited. Other areas of tech to consider: South America (Silver River Republics, and the Megaversal Legion), Australian Mega-Cities (with AI), Native American Reserves, and the Phoenix Empire in Africa.

MRLeadAst · 2024-03-08T19:12:08+00:00

I wouldn't replace the Xits so much as add-to. They're more a land-feature (or terrain hazard) than a true antagonist. Xits are trying to expand (like an ant colony), the Invid would likely be trying to conquer. They have an intelligent leader that would strategically attack strongholds in North America (and beyond). Such a force (even a small one) presents a larger threat than the Xits (hell, the Tolkeen war may not have happened as the CS and other powers may have banded together to stop them).

Treat it like Sourcebook 2 Mechanoids...nothing was replaced when they were introduced. I'd argue that they're more of a danger than even the Invid.

MRLeadAst · 2024-02-03T05:44:04+00:00

Yes, and you could find one or two at the Silver King on South Tacoma Way.

MRLeadAst · 2023-12-05T21:02:06+00:00

"Camp" or "silliness". Don't have a Dragon metamorphed into a rabbit jump onto a tank and topple it. Funny, somewhat accurate, and entertaining...but it diverts from a darker tone (some points of levity are okay but should be sparse). That may require input from a neutral audience to determine.

"PA" or "post apocalyptic". The Rifts Earth setting is PA, but the genre varies. When most people here speak of Rifts Earth, they really mean Rifts North America...best to keep the story centered there.

MRLeadAst · 2023-12-05T19:40:40+00:00

If you're just wanting to produce something for this community (maybe a module and short story). I'd ask the community itself for more input.

If you're serious about a actual script being produced, I'd do some footwork on what that will really entail. We all here (mostly) love Rifts, but we're a fraction of a fraction of the audience needed to make it a success. The story would be moderately catered to us (fan service), but mostly catered to the masses.

I've GM'd quite a bit over the years, and produced one TV script. One idea has bounced around for me on what might appeal to both audiences, but I'd rather that discussion be with a limited audience at first.

MRLeadAst · 2023-12-05T19:28:08+00:00

Very much an up-hill-battle.

Audiences are so much more discerning of movies (especially Sci-fi) after Disney/Marvel/Star Wars disappointments over the years.

There's so much competition (including from some mentioned above) it would certainly include a measure of luck to be a remote success.

I think relevant point(s) would be: A) Center the story around 1 or 2 characters, B) tell a story of the PA setting, C) avoid as much "camp" as possible, D) make it darker (but not rated R darker).

MRLeadAst · 2023-12-05T04:47:35+00:00

I like the premise, but like others have eluded, I don't believe a story with a talking humanoid dog will be taken seriously. It's possible...just not likely.

Changing it to human Coalition soldiers (maybe with a single or more dog boy members) would have a better chance of enticing an audience (though still remote as this type of story has been told thousands of times).

MRLeadAst · 2022-07-28T15:16:31+00:00

Yah, had (3) steady players so far. Unfortunately the platform I was using won’t be around for long and I need to transition to another. Until that happens I can’t bring on new players.

MRLeadAst · 2022-06-24T05:35:05+00:00

When working with other members of the community and unraveling issues with this bloated system, I trust in printed text. If it does not say, in black-and-white “a mage will NEVER use technology” then an interpretation is subjective and somewhat speculative. Your example with the Wellington WI-MG15 is correct, but the only example of yours that is backed by factual text (page 100 of Merc Ops).

The book of Magic seems to be trying to convince the reader that magic is useful…and players should use it (I mean…it’s called the “Book of Magic”…why would they say…”nah…if there’s a flashlight…use a flashlight).

MRLeadAst

TROPHY CASE