Flashback Friday: Invid Scout for Savage Rifts

INVID SCOUT  
Wild Card

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12+1

Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d4, Shooting d6

Pace: 18 (d10 run/fly); Parry: 10; Toughness: 16 (+7) M.D.C.

Special Abilities 

• Melee Str + 2d6 Mega Damage
• Hardy
• Infravision
• M.D.C. Armor (1)
• Size 6

Flashback Friday: Splugorith Blind Warrior Woman for Savage Rifts

SPLUGORITH BLIND WARRIOR WOMAN

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10

Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d4, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Weird Science d6

Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 10 (3) M.D.C

Equipment
• Mental Disruptor  Confusion Power with 10 Power Points

• Wrist Laser  Range 15/30/60 / Damage 1-3d6* / RoF 1 / 
                        Shots 24 / Min Str - / Notes Semi-Auto, M.D.C

Special Abilities  

• Fist Str+1d4
• Armor 3 M.D.C.
• Alertness
• First Strike
• Killer Instinct
• Quick
• Very Attractive

Flashback Friday: Huginn for Savage Worlds and Weird Wars

Antwerp 1946
After allied forces were recently expelled from the port by Nazi reinforcements, remote viewers of Project: Crystal Ball have confirmed reports from survivors of the attack that the enemy wielded mind over matter...and worse.

HUGINN

"They were in our heads!  Their mouth's weren't moving, but we could hear them...in our minds.  They showed us terrible things.  Awful things.  And then Jimmy...uh...Private Scott got tossed up in the air, at least fifty feet and he landed next to me with a sick thump.  Like a bag of concrete hitting the pavement.  Y-yes sir, I ran.  I didn't know what else to do...I didn't know what else to do..."

-Testimony of Sergeant Timothy "Skip" Perkins on what happened at Antwerp.

HUGINN 

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d12, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8

Skills: Notice d10, Taunt d8

Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 10

Special Abilities 

• Psychic Armor (+4)
• Fear (-2)
• Powers Points (30)
• Barrier
• Blast

• Bolt
• Deflection
• Mind Reading
•Quickness

Flashback Saturday: Sargasso X for Savage Worlds, the Wasted West, and Rifts

"I have decided to remain in Earlsburg (Cincinnati) to research the nearby Frog-Man legend, I've become familiar with a highwayman, known as Sargasso X.  According to several reports, it is believed that Sargasso is suspected of absconding with some ancient military tech from the fearsome Area 18 that is north of the Frog-Man.

Sargasso seems to be a one man operation and the suit he wears has protected him during several daring daylight heists on the roads leading to and from the city."

--Sargoo the Sapient

SARGASSO X 
Wild Card

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d4, Strength d12+2, Vigor d12

Skills: Climbing d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Shooting d12, Fighting d8, Survival d8

Pace: 10; Parry: 10; Toughness: 8 (2)

Equipment:

Pulse Cannon 3d6+1

Special Abilities:

• Unarmed: 2d12+2 damage
• Armor (2)
• Infravision
• Improved First Strike
• Level Headed
• Two-Fisted

GameStorming: Rifts

I started playing Champions 4E and quickly found out I had gaming ADD. But I had help. I came across one of Palladium's old Magic of Palladium Books and their in-house hype machine made me want to buy EVERYTHING they had published sight unseen.

Of course, I bought Heroes Unlimited first, but no one wanted to go from Champions point buy character creation to HU's class-driven, DM-driven, sort of rules.

Then I bought Rifts and I fell hard. But once again, I wasn't experienced enough to understand that many early games left certain rules up to the DM, maybe they were incomplete or maybe they just empowered the DM. But, overall, the rules are...rough.

Savage Rifts is a great game, but sometimes you just can't shake your first big crush, y'know?

Obviously, I've been thinking about Rifts. I've been thinking about using it's system with a couple of house rules (only use Skill categories and the base percentage chance to succeed is set by the DM and your bonus in a skill modifies it, e.g. If I have Communication at +15% and the difficulty is 40%, then I have a 55% chance to succeed).

But I've also been looking at Genesys to run it. It could work.

But I've also though about using the Shadow of the Demon Lord rules to power it. It seems pretty sexy.

But I've also just thought about running any game system I like in the Rifts setting.  Yeah, for some reason that seemed to blow my mind. Like somehow I never really thought about that. Maybe take a DnD 5E game and Glitter Boy armor is a magic item or you gain some spell-like abilities to become a Burster or leylines affect spells.

Nothing concrete will happen soon. We have a boss fight with Vecna in the game I'm running this week and I'm purely playing in the friday game right now. But the ideas sit there, like an obsessed spider using my brain as it's web.

Creature Crucible: Rahu-Men for Labyrinth Lord

"Rahu-men are gigantic, four-armed warriors from another plane. They are merciless marauders who wander the country-side."

Rahu-Men for Labyrinth Lord
AL C, MV 40', AC 4, HD 8, #AT 2 [weapon], THAC0 14, 
DG 3d6, SV 8 fighter, ML 10, there is a 1 in 6 chance that a rah-man in a group casts spells as a 3rd level magic-user, XP 560

Rahu-men are unpredictable and love to fight and plunder.

(If you like this post and others like it and have an extra $1 a month, please consider becoming a Patron of Cross Planes on Patreon.)

Savage Rifts: Blastoise

Blastoise has water spouts that protrude from its shell. The water spouts are very accurate. They can shoot bullets of water with great accuracy from a distance of over 160 feet.

BLASTOISE
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d10,   Vigor d12+3

Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d4, Shooting d8
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 11 (15) M.D.C.


Special Abilities:
• Water Spouts Range 12/24/48; Damage 3d6; RoF 2; 

   Notes Mega Damage• Armor 15 M.D.C.
• Size +1
• Weakness Double damage from Electricity

Savage Rifts: Necroborg for Splicers

Necroborgs are captives killed via lobotomy and used by N.E.X.U.S. to create zombie shock troops. A control and receiver chip is placed in the brain to turn the corpse into an automated drone, under the absolute control of the chip's programing. Nanites are also infused with the dead body to keep the corpse a functioning drone. The body itself is left more or less intact, but Mega-Damage plating is bolted directly onto the corpse and it may be given a weapon. Otherwise, the Necroborg is programmed to find and take weapons from the enemy.

NECROBORG
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d12+1,
Vigor d12+1

Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Throwing d8

Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 16 (7) M.D.C.

Equipment (1 of the following):

• NG-E4 Plasma Ejector: Range 24/48/96; Damage 3d10; 
   RoF 1; Shots 120; Notes Miniums Strength d10, Mega Damage 
• NG-57 Heavy Ion Blaster: Range 12/24/48; Damage 1–3d6+1; 
   RoF 1; Shots 10 
• Vibro-Sword: Damage Str+1d10; Notes AP 4, Mega Damage
• Wilk's 227 Pulse: Range 18/36/72; Damage 2d6+1; RoF 2; 
   Ap 2; Shots 24; Notes Semi-Auto, 3RB

Special Abilities:
• Armor 7 M.D.C.
• Fear -1
• Fleet Footed
• Quick
• Regeneration Slow
• Size -1
• Undead Drone +2 to recover from Shaken 

Savage Rifts: Fire Flower

“Screaming pulsars! What in the universe is that thing?! It looks like a flower with a face! Wow... It's a Fire Flower? Hrm... Well, I gotta say there, you collect some of the most interesting stuff I've ever seen!”

Fire Flower
When you touch a Fire Flower, your outfits changes to a red and white color scheme and for 1d6+2 rounds you can throw fireballs. Once a Fire Flower has been used in this way, it may never do so again.

Fireball   Range 30/60/120    Damage 3d6 M.D.C.    RoF 2

Savage Rifts: Atropal

Atropals are stillborn immortals modeled after the gods, who have since become undead abominations. Existing solely to spread death and destruction, atropals roam across the megaverse, hunting down any prey that comes their way. Others are sealed away in forgotten holds. They resemble ghouls to some extent, with pale red skin, long tongues, and razor-sharp teeth. Most of the flesh of an atropal is rotted, with swollen joints and exposed bones. Unlike ghouls, however, atropals lack eyes, having instead empty, skin-covered sockets.

ATROPAL
Wild Card
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d12, Spirit d8, Strength d4,
Vigor d12+2

Skills: Fighting d4, Knowledge (Arcana) d10, Notice d10, 
           Spellcasting d10 

Pace: 2; Parry: 4; Toughness: 19 (10) M.D.C.

Special Abilities:
• Armor 10 M.D.C.
• Fear -1
• Flight Flying Pace of 6" and Climb of 0
• Improved Arcane Resistance
• Regeneration Fast
• Size -1
• Undead
• Arcane Background (Magic) 40 I.S.P.
• Master of Magic
• Powers (Trappings are necrotic energy) Blast/Greater Blast, 
  Bolt/Onslaught, Boost/Lower Attribute/Greater Boost/Lower 
  Attribute (Undead only), Damage Field/Exalted Damage Field, 
  Drain Power Points/PPE Thief, Succor/Mass Succor (Undead 
  Only), Summon Ally/Force Multiplication, Zombie
• Sixth Sense

Savage Rifts: Cid

Cid (pronounced Sid) is a demigod, the son of Herne and a mortal with minor psionic gifts, named Gia. She raised Cid in a pocket dimension Herne created that provided both with everything thing they could imagine. 

However, when Cid was an adolescent, Loki an longtime enemy of Herne, discovered their oasis and managed to invade it. He murdered Gia in front of Cid and banished the young demigod to Rifts Earth.

Frightened and alone, Cid was not prepared for Loki to befriend him in the guise of Lorence of Throng. Not being content with merely shattering the boy's life, the God of Lies became his mentor twisting the impressionable youth. He even manage to turn the demigod against his father, reminding him that Herne was never there for his son, especially when he and his mother needed him most. Soon Cid began to focus all of his hate toward Herne, instead of Loki.

As Cid grew to adulthood, malice and anger took hold in his heart. Loki grew impressed with his cruelty and viciousness, using his magic to make the demigod believe that Herne had murdered Lorence of Throng.

Now Cid roams the land, leaving nothing but chaos in his wake.

CID
Wild Card
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d12, Strength d6,
Vigor d10

Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d8, Psionics d10  Energy Control (Electricity) Major Psionic, Master Psionic, Mentalist. 

Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness:  11 (3) M.D.C.

Special Abilities:
• Horns Str+1d8 M.D.C.
• Armor 3 M.D.C.
• Combat Hardened Living Holocaust's gain +2 to recover from
   being shaken
• Fear -1
• Fleet of Foot
• Arcane Resistance
• Regeneration Slow
• Size +1
• Demigod Arcane Background (Psionics) 30 I.S.P.
• Powers Armor, detect/conceal arcana, mind reading, puppet, speak languages, telekinesis, telepathy (Trappings are psychic abilities)
• Energy Control (Electricity)
• Major Psionic
• Master Psionic
• Mentalist

Savage Rifts: The Living Holocaust

Kali is always plotting, always searching for new ways to bring death to the Megaverse. The Living Holocaust is the result of seducing a hero from another world, Johnny "Human Torch" Storm. All she needed was a pretty shape and to laugh at his words. It was that easy.

Yes, labor with her new monster was difficulty, but what does not kill you, only makes you stronger. When it was born, she unleashed the Living Holocaust upon world after world.

A cult has even formed around it's fiery existence and foolish Shifters call it to their world. A wildfire of immolation and glorious, painful death.

No mother could be more proud...

LIVING HOLOCAUST
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d12+6,
Vigor d12+4

Skills: Fighting d12, Notice d10, Shooting d12+2, Throwing d10

Pace: 12; Parry: 7; Toughness: 30 (10) M.D.C.

Special Abilities:
• Claw Str+1d10; Reach 2
• Bite Str+1d6
• Horns Str+2d10
• Breath Inferno Cone Template; Damage 3d10 M.D.C.
• Conflagration Shroud 2d8 M.D.C. to each creature adjacent to 
   the Living Holocaust
• Armor 10 M.D.C.
• Combat Hardened Living Holocaust's gain +2 to recover from
   being shaken
• Fear -2
• Fearless
• Fleet of Foot
• Improved Arcane Resistance
• Infravision
• Large Attackers gain a +2 to hit the Living Holocaust
• Quick
• Regeneration Slow
• Size +8
• Weakness (Obsidian): Such attacks inflict +10 damage and 
   wounds caused by such attacks cannot be regenerated.

Savage Worlds: Sharkhawk [UPDATED]

Silent predators of the open plains, sharkhawks are deadly and efficient in their pursuit of prey.

SHARKHAWK
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d8,
Vigor d8

Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d12

Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)

Special Abilities:
• Armor 1
• Bite Str+1d6
• Flight: Sharkhawk's have a Flying Pace of 16” and Climb 0. 
• Talons Str+1d4
• Blood Frenzy: When a Sharkhawk gets a raise on their Fighting roll they take a chunk of flesh exposing blood to the air. In 1d4 rounds, 1d6 Sharkhawks join the feast.

Savage Rifts: Devil Unicorn

The Devil Unicorn is a hideous and terrifying, its body hick with muscles with thick ridges of bone covering the head, spine, and tail. The monster has a nearly human intelligence and can speak in a broken, guttural voice with a demoniac laugh. As a predator, it is cunning and tricky, killing as much for pleasure as for food. Devil Unicorn's like to maim and hold their prey captive in its
lair where it engages in mental and physical torture.
DEVIL UNICORN
Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d12+3,
Vigor d12

Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d8, Stealth d10, Tracking d8

Pace: 15; Parry: 7; Toughness: 20 (6) M.D.C.

Equipment
• Bite/Claw/Horn Str+1d6+3 Mega Damage
• Tail Str+2d6+3 Mega Damage

Special Abilities:
• Armor 6 M.D.C.
• Fearless
• Fleet of Foot
• Infravision
• Quick
• Regeneration Slow
• Size +6

Savage Rifts: Xiticix Killer

Lone Star, the Coalation State, developed the Xiticix Killer on orders from their Emperor. This monstrosity is ONLY supposed to exist on Xiticix and should die out when the D-Bees are finally extinct...

Xiticix Killer
Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d12+1,
Vigor d12

Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d10, Notice d8, Stealth d10

Pace: 12; Parry: 9; Toughness: 20 (6) M.D.C.

Equipment
• Claw Str+2d6+1
• Blaster Harness Range 15/30/60; Damage 2d6; RoF 2

Special Abilities:
• Bite/Horns Str+1d6+1
• Tentacle Str+1d8+1; Reach 2
• Quill Range 3/6/12; Damage 2d4; RoF 1
• Armor 6 M.D.C.
• Ambidextrous
• Combat Reflexes
• Dodge
• Fearless
• Fleet of Foot
• Improved Block
• Quick
• Regeneration Slow
• Size +6

Super-Science & Sorcery: F@ne for Savage Rifts and Savage Worlds

The RPG Blog Carnival Presents: Super-Science and Sorcery for August at the Daemons and Deathrays blog.

I'm a huge fan of science-fantasy, I cut my teeth on Thundarr the Barbarian, Herculoids, Masters of the Universe, Marshal Bravestarr, and Battle Beasts. The name of my blog is a play on the name of Robert E. Howard's home town in Texas and my thought was that it (hopefully) suggested a place where the mundane, magical, and macabre could mix and grow.

Lorca Newbain, was a summoner of some repute who was contracted by the notorious outlaw, El Espada, to summon a diabolic protector in his escapades. El Espada provided an old 'bot he said he had found in a junkyard and Lorca was supposed to summon and bind a demon to the robot. What El Espada neglected to tell Lorca was that that 'bot was a remnant of small raiding party of D-Bees from a Rift and it's otherwordly properties created some form of feedback which knocked Lorca out and allowed the demon, known as F@ne to gain full control of the 'bot and kill El Espada.
   F@ne waited for Newbain to regain conscious and proceeded to torture her until she revealed how he could return to his Hell Dimension. Lorca finally perished seven weeks after F@ne's "questioning" and still had no idea of how to get home. So he began to wander. Eventually he became a bounty hunter and has spent the last thirty years earning a reputation as THE best. He always gets his target, though rarely in one piece. While Rifts Earth isn't his hellish home, it's close enough.

F@NE
Wild Card

Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength d12, 
Vigor d10

Skills: Fighting d12, Notice d10, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Tracking d8

Pace: 10; Parry: 8; Toughness: 17 (6) M.D.C.

Equipment:
Hellforged Axe Str+2d6, AP 4, Parry -1, 2 hands, Mega Damage

Special Abilities:
• Unarmed Str+1d4
• Armor 8 M.D.C.
• Construct
• Fearless
• Infravision
• Size +3

Savage Rifts: Critters

IT CAME FROM A RIFT...

"I've had to battle demons, vampires, cyborgs, even dragons. But these things tore through us. Through. Us. Half a dozen of them had eaten Gibson before I could open fire. I'm just glad the Rift closed so quickly. Yeah Doc, I know it's been two years, but I still hear them in my nightmares...I wet my bed at night. I don't think anything can protects us from those...things.

-- Arak Ironhorse of the Tomorrow Legion

CRITTERS (Horde)
Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d6
Vigor d8

Skills: Fighting d12, Notice d6, Shooting d12

Pace: 12; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9 (4) M.D.C.

Special Abilities:
• Bite Str+2
• Spit Range 20/40/80, Damage 3d8, RoF 1, AP 2, Mega Damage
• Armor 4 Mega Damage
• Burrowing 12
• Fearless• Frenzy
• Low Light Vision
• Size -1 
• Sweep

• Wall Walker

Savage Rifts: The Proctors of the Rhinelands

Gemini Point

Gemini Point is the central hub of the Proctor presence in the region known as Taurus on the northern shore of the Rhine. 
The Proctors have maintained Gemini Point, according to their archives since before the Cataclysm. They were able to maintain a limited society with plenty of food stores and useful goods for potential trade for over a decade after the Cataclysm due to the security of it's sub-basements. With the magical power of the ley lines, the Proctors perfect a strange form of magic, known as Astromancy, to protect themselves.

While the Proctor's flourished in their bunkers, the area around Gemini Point was settled and became known as Taurus. 
Taurus and its citizens were grateful when the Proctor's emerged and gladly excepted their magic, food, and technology in exchange for letting the newcomers lead them. 

While there is a tentative peace between the Proctors and Covingtown, the town's leader, Hunter Rose has known for several months that the group is spying on him on behalf of Uk and the Stable of Lexington, farther south.

However, what no one  is aware of, is that the Proctors have been infiltrated by the True Federation of Magic and one of the order's two leaders, Belinda Iando, was an apprentice to Alistair Dunscon.

Over a decade ago, Belinda and nearly two dozen of her most loyal followers sought to learn Astromancy from the Proctors of Gemini Point. Belinda, a master manipulator, easily moved through the groups ranks and now sits as one of the group's two leaders. Belinda is the Castor of the Proctors and shares power with Marlboro McMahon, the group's Pollux. McMahon, a savant at  astromancy, has a weakness for booze and women and Belinda keeps him deep in exotic flavors of both to keep him loyal to her. While McMahon is weary of Belinda's relationship with Uk and the Stable, his addictions make him a malleable ally.

Belinda's reign as Castor has been good for the economic prospects of the citizens of Taurus and she is generally popular amongst it's citizens. While some were dubious of her desire to form an alliance with Lexingtown, the influx of exotic goods and horses has proven very popular.

While Belinda is loyal to the True Federation, she is keenly aware that she'd rather lead a Federation outpost, than be forced to return to the lethal machinations of the City of Brass. This has led Belinda to master Astromancy. If such a time comes, she wants her newfound knowledge to be a surprise to any potential rivals.

Savage Rifts: Necrotitti

First I'd just like to give a big round of applause to Pinnacle Entertainment Group and Evil Beagle Games for completing the Savage Rifts core books, all three of them, before the end of July. They came in early on this one even after expanding the Tomorrow Legion's Player's Guide.

Thank you to everyone involved, you've not only completed the main part of the project but you've brought me a new level of enjoyment to Rifts!

To celebrate the release of Savage Rifts: Savage Foes of North America, I'm going to use the awesome Creatures from the Rifts random tables to make a new antagonist:

IT CAME FROM A RIFT...

Necrotitti is an ancient titan from the planet Geb, whose thirst for destruction and conquest has drenched the multiverse in blood. Necrotitti managed to destroy all her fellow titans on Geb, eons ago and the "lesser" subjects she had subjugated for millennia to use super-science and techno-wizardry to transform into a Lich. She used the death of Geb to open a Rift and begin invading world after world.

NECROTITTI
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d12+9,
Vigor d12+7

Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Healing d6, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8, Tracking d8, Throwing d6, Woodsman. 


Pace: 12; Parry: 6; Toughness: 24 M.D.C.; Charisma: +2

Equipment:
• Nebula Staff Damage Str+2d8; Notes AP 4; Mega Damage


Special Abilities:
• Alluring 
• Etheral At Will
• Fearless
• Frenzy
• Invulnerability (Weakness is Silver)
• Marksman
• Paralysis
• Undead
• Size +9 (Gargantuan)

Savage Rifts: Mystic Knights

By Lyconeus

Mystic Knights are among the most hated and feared warriors in North America. They are like the ronin of old, masterless murders who rape and pillage through the Magic Zone for the highest bidder.

MYSTIC KNIGHTS
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d10,
Vigor d12

Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d10, Gambling d8, Knowledge: Magic d8, Notice d8, Psionics d8, Riding d10, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Tracking d8

Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 16 (8) M.D.C.

Equipment:
• Battle Fury Blade Damage Str+2d8; Notes AP 4, Enchanted Silver, 4 P.P.E. to activate +2 Fighting, Gain Improved Frenzy and Berserk Edges, and +4 Armor for 3 Rounds
• Fireburst Rifle Range 25/40/100; Damage 3d6; RoF 3; Shots 20; Notes Small Blast Template, Targets may catch fire
• Shard Pistol Range 15/30/60; Damage 2d8+1; RoF 3; AP 1; Shots 36; Notes 3 Round Burst, Lower Trait (Vigor) activated by Shooting (ice Trappings), requires 3 P.P.E. to load

Special Abilities:
• Armor 8 M.D.C.
• Danger Sense
• Fear -1
• Fearless
• Leyline Magic Mastery
• Leyline Phasing
• Leyline Rejuvenation
• Leyline Sense
• Arcane Background Miracles
• P.P.E. 25
• Miracle Powers: Armor (Greater Armor), Barrier (Stalwart Walls), Bolt (Onslaught), Damage Field (Exalted Damage Field) Drain Power Points (P.P.E. Thief) Pummel (Greater Pummel), Warriors Gift (Greater Warrior's Gift)
• Arcane Background Psionics
• I.S.P. 15
• Psionic Powers: Deflection  (Deflection), Detect Arcana (Exalted Detect Arcana), Healing (Mass Healing), Telekinesis (Greater Telekinesis)