Dice Rifts Adventure OOC

[Psychie]

Personally, I am not sure what else we might need to get. Terra is quite a badass in any sense of the word, be it with her Automations or without. I am thinking that I don't need a rune weapon, because the Battle Fury blade is nasty enough for me to use when on foot. Perhaps some more spells? Some of them, especially the higher level ones, can be very effective when used at the right time.

 

[Purr]

Sherwood

So are you guys going to go ahead and try to get Moloch to buy the mecha and battlesuits like Psy suggested?

Sure! And the wheeled vehicles too? There have got to be people out there in Moloch's network who can use those more than we can.

The MECT will obviously cost more than the Basic level, but its not like you can't afford it.

How does this work precisely, please? One pays credits for education? Do our O.C.C. Related (if any) add bonuses to these gained Skills? What other Skills might we be able to pay for (sounds like I'm back in college...)?

 

[Purr]

Personally, I am not sure what else we might need to get.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm seeing this run into Lone Star with new eyes if we have access to things like Cyberpunk, Exalted, D&D, and the like. Everything Snowfall is pretty much works against him when Psi-Division is on the ball. Unable to wisely use magic, his tattoos, even transform into his Positive Chi form (which, yes, Psi-Hounds can pick up if they're on their "A-game," which I expect them to be in Lone Star). I see Snowfall relying more and more on what we can buy (like the Techno-camo cloak) and become. Because the moment we set off an alarm, get spotted or sniffed out - bang. We are Luke, Han, Chewie, and the Droids on the Death Star going after Leia - we are incredibly outnumbered and outgunned and might not make it out.

Sure, we're decent in combat with magic swords and all, but the more I look at this, the more I see it like a Cyberpunk run on a corporation - the first priority is don't get spotted and gather the intel with no combat whatsoever. Gather intel (from computers as opposed to people, if possible). In fact, this really is the perfect gig for a Netrunner. That's one element the Coalition States really don't have much on the side of technology going for them - their computers and databases. If we go the psychic route and somehow use Telemechanics, well, we're sending up a flare as Sherwood put it, as certainly as if we use any kind of magic.

So... for the first time since I made him, I think I'm open to taking Snowfall into this on a purely technological level. Using his Skills, his tremendous experience as a Megaverse messenger, and maybe his shapeshifting abilities (into fox and human), I think I can turn him from a liability into a real asset depending on how far Sherwood wants to take this. I'm looking through my Rifts books now for tech we might be able to get our hands on.

So that begs questions. But first... Sherwood? What are your thoughts?

EDIT: Please don't get the impression I'm trying to change the whole team; just my Snowfall. Take him to a new "dimension" if you will. That's Tattooed Voyager humor there. =)

 

[Sherwood]

How does this work precisely, please? One pays credits for education? Do our O.C.C. Related (if any) add bonuses to these gained Skills? What other Skills might we be able to pay for (sounds like I'm back in college...)?

I will limit the number of skills you can purchase per level to just two, and no, you would only get your Iq Bonus (if any) to these. Also, I will charge you a flat 20,000 credits per skill, and all the prerequisite skills will have to be there before you buy a new skill. The skill training will also require someone to educate you, most likely at Dweomer, since that is your current base of operations.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm seeing this run into Lone Star with new eyes if we have access to things like Cyberpunk, Exalted, D&D, and the like. Everything Snowfall is pretty much works against him when Psi-Division is on the ball. Unable to wisely use magic, his tattoos, even transform into his Positive Chi form (which, yes, Psi-Hounds can pick up if they're on their "A-game," I see Snowfall relying more and more on what we can buy (like the Techno-camo cloak). Because the moment we set off an alarm, get spotted or sniffed out - bang. We are Luke, Han, Chewie, and the Droids on the Death Star going after Leia - we are incredibly outnumbered and outgunned and might not make it out.

Sure, we're decent in combat with magic swords and all, but the more I look at this, the more I see it like a Cyberpunk run on a corporation - the first priority is don't get spotted and gather the intel with no combat whatsoever. Gather intel (from computers as opposed to people, if possible). In fact, this really is the perfect gig for a Netrunner. That's one element the Coalition States really don't have much on the side of technology going for them - their computers and databases. If we go the psychic route and somehow use Telemechanics, well, we're sending up a flare as Sherwood put it, as certainly as if we use any kind of magic.

So... for the first time since I made him, I think I'm open to taking Snowfall into this on a purely technological level. Using his Skills, his tremendous experience as a Megaverse messenger, and maybe his shapeshifting abilities (into fox and human), I think I can turn him from a liability into a real asset depending on how far Sherwood wants to take this. I'm looking through my Rifts books now for tech we might be able to get our hands on.

So that begs questions. But first... Sherwood? What are your thoughts?

With characters as powerful and skilled as you are, I am having to be a bit creative on finding challenges to your team that won't be a case of dropping an angry Zeus on you and expecting you to take him on. The Lone Star run fits right into that, making you think on the balls of your feet and not just be able to hurl bolts of magical power at your foes without alerting the whole place and having an entire avalanche come down on your heads.

I mentioned the Cyberpunk and Shadowrun games as an idea builder. There is a lot of gear out there that can come in really handy, and it will take me far too long to try and search through (literally) dozens of books for me to find the one thing you are talking about. But, with the Megaverse being wide open for you, if you can come up with a idea for an item, it has probably been conceived of by someone out there and invented. I would just need to determine how prevalent the item in question is, what it can do Palladium system-wise, and determine a cost. If you have some ideas, toss them out there! The worst thing that will happen is that I say 'no' or it might be so expensive you don't want to buy it. But the idea might inspire someone else to have a concept and pitch that one to me.

 

[Psychie]

Wow. Being able to buy skills like that will certainly open up a lot of options. Maybe a computer codebreaker, able to slip past firewalls and unlock files or electronic locks? I can add to that training up the Computer Operation and Computer Programming skills, and hopefully the codebreaker will add to my skill rolls.

 

[Silanon]

Is it possible to overload all these psi-seeking creatures' senses? You know - the same way how one uses a flashbang to overload a person's eyes, so to speak? Just a big psychic bang that leaves us unharmed because we don't notice it? Just wondering because Eron can toss grenades quite well, but explosives are a bad fit for what we're trying to do.

 

[Purr]

I mentioned the Cyberpunk and Shadowrun games as an idea builder. There is a lot of gear out there that can come in really handy, and it will take me far too long to try and search through (literally) dozens of books for me to find the one thing you are talking about.

Or you could ask me and I could just point it out to you. (You're including ShadowRun tech too? Whoa!)

See.... I think I need to point something out. I've already done a lot of this. Years and years ago while our tabletop game was still going, I merged Palladium and D&D into one game. Took what I wanted from each and put it out there. It was very complex, but it worked well while it lasted. If I were to run a 3rd game, that game would definitely be it. But getting back on point here.

Wow. Being able to buy skills like that will certainly open up a lot of options. Maybe a computer codebreaker, able to slip past firewalls and unlock files or electronic locks? I can add to that training up the Computer Operation and Computer Programming skills, and hopefully the codebreaker will add to my skill rolls.

Psychie Bingo. That's what I was thinking except about a generation further ahead (thinking Cyberpunk). Auto-lockpicks for mechanical doors, but a datajack and quality cyberdeck for infiltration. Put basically, a ShadowRun or Cyberpunk Netrunner minus the cyberware.

Is it possible to overload all these psi-seeking creatures' senses? You know - the same way how one uses a flashbang to overload a person's eyes, so to speak? Just a big psychic bang that leaves us unharmed because we don't notice it? Just wondering because Eron can toss grenades quite well, but explosives are a bad fit for what we're trying to do.

If we go that route, we've already been seen. That's a cool idea if we're trying to lose them though. As far as I know, there are no such devices but if there were, they might affect our team too so I would also recommend a countermeasure.

 

[Sherwood]

Wow. Being able to buy skills like that will certainly open up a lot of options. Maybe a computer codebreaker, able to slip past firewalls and unlock files or electronic locks? I can add to that training up the Computer Operation and Computer Programming skills, and hopefully the codebreaker will add to my skill rolls.

Training up those skills certainly wouldn't hurt, and a code breaker computer would add to a Computer Op skill. I will give you a +20% to your skill rolls when using the code breaker, and it will cost you 800,000 and is considered to be highly illegal by the Coalition if you are ever discovered to have it.

Is it possible to overload all these psi-seeking creatures' senses? You know - the same way how one uses a flashbang to overload a person's eyes, so to speak? Just a big psychic bang that leaves us unharmed because we don't notice it? Just wondering because Eron can toss grenades quite well, but explosives are a bad fit for what we're trying to do.

That is a good idea! I don't think that has ever been introduced into the system before. So, let me clarify what you are asking for, and make sure I am on the same page. A psychic flashbang, to temporarily overload the senses of a Dog Boy. This is not supposed to be a long term beacon, but a single use grenade that would pulse and 'blind' the sniffers of the hunters? Is that the kind of thing you are thinking of? If so, that is very doable as a TW weapon. I will just have to work out the exact blast radius, duration and cost.

Or you could ask me and I could just point it out to you. (You're including ShadowRun tech too? Whoa!)

See.... I think I need to point something out. I've already done a lot of this. Years and years ago while our tabletop game was still going, I merged Palladium and D&D into one game. Took what I wanted from each and put it out there. It was very complex, but it worked well while it lasted. If I were to run a 3rd game, that game would definitely be it. But getting back on point here.


Psychie Bingo. That's what I was thinking except about a generation further ahead (thinking Cyberpunk). Auto-lockpicks for mechanical doors, but a datajack and quality cyberdeck for infiltration. Put basically, a ShadowRun or Cyberpunk Netrunner minus the cyberware.


If we go that route, we've already been seen. That's a cool idea if we're trying to lose them though. As far as I know, there are no such devices but if there were, they might affect our team too so I would also recommend a countermeasure.

Yes, if you are tossing those grenades about, stealth is no longer an option, and you are on the run through the complex, trying to escape pursuit.

Dann, I would love to see some of what you've already come up with. Might prove to be of interest!

 

[Psychie]

Training up those skills certainly wouldn't hurt, and a code breaker computer would add to a Computer Op skill. I will give you a +20% to your skill rolls when using the code breaker, and it will cost you 800,000 and is considered to be highly illegal by the Coalition if you are ever discovered to have it.

Well, if it's illegal, never mind then. I am not a criminal!

Just kidding! I'll take those skills and two of those codebreakers, please.

 

[Sherwood]

Not a problem.

 

[Silanon]

How long does it take to learn the skills? We're on a timer, more or less.

Would it be possible to purchase an AI and let it learn skills instead of Eron himself? Because I can't see him sit still for however-long-it-takes, but might want to make use of the option regardless.

If we go that route, we've already been seen. That's a cool idea if we're trying to lose them though. As far as I know, there are no such devices but if there were, they might affect our team too so I would also recommend a countermeasure.

I don't think we'll make it through without any contact with the enemy. And unless there's a safe way to be brought back to life Commander-Shepard-style, I'd like to be able to have the best thing available to get out of there. So, gimme all the countermeasures! What else do we expect, folks? We know there's an unknown superweapon, but apart from that? All these hunting creatures, regular coalition soldiers, cyborgs, robots... do we have EMP-grenades? Dog biscuits?

Are there grenades that open a pocket-dimension? We'd only need a way to indoctrinate people there, then we could call it Pokéballs and catch 'em all!

 

[Sherwood]

Are there grenades that open a pocket-dimension? We'd only need a way to indoctrinate people there, then we could call it Pokéballs and catch 'em all!

Ouch! The pain! lol

 

[Sherwood]

I don't think we'll make it through without any contact with the enemy. And unless there's a safe way to be brought back to life Commander-Shepard-style, I'd like to be able to have the best thing available to get out of there. So, gimme all the countermeasures! What else do we expect, folks? We know there's an unknown superweapon, but apart from that? All these hunting creatures, regular coalition soldiers, cyborgs, robots... do we have EMP-grenades? Dog biscuits?

EMP grenades would wreck havoc with the computers and such of the complex, but it would also affect your gear, too. So unless you are willing to have all your camo cloaks and lasers get fried, that is not a good idea.

 

[Sherwood]

Would it be possible to purchase an AI and let it learn skills instead of Eron himself? Because I can't see him sit still for however-long-it-takes, but might want to make use of the option regardless.

I'll have to ponder the possibility of an AI computer for Eron.

 

[Silanon]

That is a good idea! I don't think that has ever been introduced into the system before. So, let me clarify what you are asking for, and make sure I am on the same page. A psychic flashbang, to temporarily overload the senses of a Dog Boy. This is not supposed to be a long term beacon, but a single use grenade that would pulse and 'blind' the sniffers of the hunters? Is that the kind of thing you are thinking of? If so, that is very doable as a TW weapon. I will just have to work out the exact blast radius, duration and cost.

Pretty much this - just a temporary blast that overloads their senses, but leaves us unaffected. Single-use is fine - unless there's a way to install a reusable system on the glitter boy armor.

EMP grenades would wreck havoc with the computers and such of the complex, but it would also affect your gear, too. So unless you are willing to have all your camo cloaks and lasers get fried, that is not a good idea.

Good point - especially since we're planning to go for more tech right now, not less.

I'll have to ponder the possibility of an AI computer for Eron.

Thanks! It totally wouldn't take over the world, I promise. Not like he'd have the funds to let it improve itself and nothing else to do with the cash.

 

[Psychie]

Thanks! It totally wouldn't take over the world, I promise.

Don't give him any ideas!

 

[Purr]

Dann, I would love to see some of what you've already come up with. Might prove to be of interest!

Ahh... I fear we would alter this game even moreso if we did that. I don't want turn your game into mine. I'll just touch on what we're going after here - that way we remain focused on your game and system.

Psychie, I think that Skillset and codebreaker would make Terra a good doorbuster. =)

SIl, psionic grenades. If they were TW items, wouldn't their explosion send a flare to all creatures outside of their immediate effect? Dog Boys and Psi-Stalkers can sense for quite some distance (well out of, say, a fragmentation grenades' range). So... by using one against a nearby group, aren't we alerting others? Or perhaps, is the effect cloaked as to only provide the "flashbang" effect?

Either way, the more we prep, the better our chances.

Sherwood. Is Netrunning a thing in your game, either with Cyberpunk 2020 (which I'm pretty familiar with) or with ShadowRun (which I'm not)? Even a novice Netrunner can make Rifts best codebreaker look like an overblown toaster. Also, I think Computer Hacking is the required skill to use when trying to hack into any kind of database. Unless Sherwood is running things differently, codebreakers are best used for popping doors, safes, etc.. But Netrunning? If Sherwood allows what I've got in my head, we can get this mission done a lot more smoothly and with less danger to us.

Here's what's in my noggin at the moment.
1. Item requirements: Datajack (non-cyberware), Cyberdeck, Netrunning programs (if you want to go that far - I don't know how familiar you are with Netrunning and if/how far you want to go with that). Any items that would boost percentage Skills by any amount (for example, a quality Cyberdeck or even a superior or better Cyberdeck; those damned things almost run themselves).

2. Skillset. Computer Operation, Computer Programming, Computer Hacking. If I were to do this for Snowfall, I would have to ask to replace his most-recent Skill (which is fine if you ask me because I ran out of ideas for his Skills about a year ago).

3. What I'm really going after (and not expecting to get; this would be the ultimate goal): To hell with codebreakers. I'm after data. Superweapon data. I want Lone Star's schematics from top to bottom, left to right. I want guard rotation schedules, maintenance logs, intranet information, anything that gives us an edge. I want to know the best routes in and multiple ways out. I want data we can find and sell (perhaps that leads to other gigs). I want data that Lord Brazamal can use. I want the ability to get it all without the Coalition even knowing it's gone.

 

[Purr]

Pretty much this - just a temporary blast that overloads their senses, but leaves us unaffected. Single-use is fine - unless there's a way to install a reusable system on the glitter boy armor.

If we're doing this stealthily, then a Glitter Boy suit screws us. Last I heard, they can't Prowl and they'd give us away. Not to mention if you fired the gun... =)

Good point - especially since we're planning to go for more tech right now, not less.

Well, even today's technology, there is EMP shielding. I imagine we could get the same done for our gear.

Thanks! It totally wouldn't take over the world, I promise. Not like he'd have the funds to let it improve itself and nothing else to do with the cash.

I mean this only for humor's sake - let the AI give him a new mental problem. Sure, the AI aids him in a number of ways, but now Eron can't tell which thoughts are his and which are the AIs! He's... schizophrenic! Am I Eron or am I Star Trek's Data? Ha ha ha!

 

[Purr]

Oh, Sherwood and my usual disclaimer applies - if none of my ideas work for your campaign, let's toss them and move on with what does! This here is your game. My games are mine to tweak; this is not one of them so let me know what you feel most comfortable with! =)

EDIT: Um... I'm high on caffeine with my ADHD today and listening to super-cool music. Bring on the fun, I say!

"Mirror's Edge Soundtrack (Full)"

 

[Silanon]

SIl, psionic grenades. If they were TW items, wouldn't their explosion send a flare to all creatures outside of their immediate effect? Dog Boys and Psi-Stalkers can sense for quite some distance (well out of, say, a fragmentation grenades' range). So... by using one against a nearby group, aren't we alerting others? Or perhaps, is the effect cloaked as to only provide the "flashbang" effect?

That might cause trouble - but if we're already in trouble, I'd expect the coalition to be professional enough to spread the news in some other way already. It could make for a good distraction that way, though - throw the thing somewhere where we don't intend to be anytime soon...

If we're doing this stealthily, then a Glitter Boy suit screws us. Last I heard, they can't Prowl and they'd give us away. Not to mention if you fired the gun... =)

The plan was to go with a gunless version - doesn't solve the running sounds, though. Something I missed thus far, and quite bothering because it's not like we can just slam a magical silence field over it... whoops. Well, there's still two swords, and Eron can take a shot or two and regenerate, so it's not too much of a bother.

Well, even today's technology, there is EMP shielding. I imagine we could get the same done for our gear.

Not sure if it's worth having the effect if we want to hack stuff anyways.

 

[Purr]

Not sure if it's worth having the effect if we want to hack stuff anyways.

I don't know of any instances where hacking and EMP shielding interfered with one another. As far as I know, they're mutually exclusive and don't interact (at least in gaming environments).

The plan was to go with a gunless version - doesn't solve the running sounds, though. Something I missed thus far, and quite bothering because it's not like we can just slam a magical silence field over it... whoops. Well, there's still two swords, and Eron can take a shot or two and regenerate, so it's not too much of a bother.

Oh, man! Good idea again, Sil! If there were such a thing as a silenced Glitter Boy? , Well then, hell! Why not take the Boom Gun (or whatever armaments one's power armor is armed with)? If the baddies can't heard it but only feel it, that's a serious game-changer, I think. The sonic boom from the Glitter Boy has long been its Achilles' Heel. =)

 

[Silanon]

I don't know of any instances where hacking and EMP shielding interfered with one another. As far as I know, they're mutually exclusive (at least in gaming environments.

That's not what I meant - sorry for the confusion. It's too late here. My idea was: If we use EMP's, they'll eventually shut off the computers we were going to hack as well. And if that happens: Why are we bringing the hacking gear, exactly?

As a side note: Imagine they're bringing EMP protection and EMP's as well - what kind of pointless water balloon fight would that be?

Oh, man! Good idea again, Sil! If there were such a thing as a silenced Glitter Boy? , Well then, hell! Why not take the Boom Gun (or whatever armaments one's power armor is armed with)? If the baddies can't heard it but only feel it, that's a serious game-changer, I think. The sonic boom from the Glitter Boy has long been its Achilles' Heel. =)

The original idea was that Daisy takes the gun, and we modify the remains of the Glitter Boy to be speedier, I believe. Now I'm not sure how far we can go with that - but that was the plan, since I always wanted Eron to be in melee range.

 

[Purr]

That's not what I meant - sorry for the confusion. It's too late here. My idea was: If we use EMP's, they'll eventually shut off the computers we were going to hack as well. And if that happens: Why are we bringing the hacking gear, exactly?

Oh! No worries. I would think that would depend if the computers were in range of whatever was causing the EMP (grenades, etc.). It would not surprise me to learn that a long-standing fortified place like Lone Star had shielded computers (if only to keep their data safe from such pulses).

As a side note: Imagine they're bringing EMP protection and EMP's as well - what kind of pointless water balloon fight would that be?

That sets an image, doesn't it? Ha ha!

The original idea was that Daisy takes the gun, and we modify the remains of the Glitter Boy to be speedier, I believe. Now I'm not sure how far we can go with that - but that was the plan, since I always wanted Eron to be in melee range.

Ah! And with no Daisy, no Glitter Boy, etc. Yah.

 

[Sherwood]

It has already been stated that the camo cloaks do not blank out sound, so the heavy footsteps of a powered suit will be easily heard, even if it is nearly invisible. For this infiltration, you'd be better off without the GB powered armor and trust to your own defenses to keep you alive.

 

[Purr]

Oh, Sherwood Sherwood and my usual disclaimer applies - if none of my ideas work for your campaign, let's toss them and move on with what does! This here is your game. My games are mine to tweak; this is not one of them so let me know what you feel most comfortable with! =)

Sherwood Where do you stand on the other thoughts provided above?