Palladium Books® – Weekly Update – March 4, 2021

One game system – every genre – countless worlds – endless adventure

By Kevin Siembieda

We have all been working hard juggling all kinds of projects. For me that includes writing, as well as supervising and assigning writing and artwork for titles like Rifts® Bestiary Volume 2, CS Manhunters, Rifts® Titan Robotics (check out the new cover for it below), Rifts® Antarctica, Chaos Earth® Psychic Scream and First Responders, Land of the Damned 3, the new hardcover editions, and a whole lot of other stuff.

A few folks have asked about Rifts® Bestiary Volume 2. Fear not, it will see release in 2021, probably this summer. I have not talked about it because I am focused on the titles coming out before it (Rifts® CS Manhunters, BTS Creature Feature, Rifts® Titan Robotics, and maybe Rifts® Antarctica), AND because compared to the other titles, Rifts® Bestiary Volume 2 is fun and easy for me. Thank God, lol. Whereas the other titles are more challenging. I can say all of these new books – not to mention the Rifts® 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover and miniatures – are ALL going to be great. That’s not spoken out of arrogance, but excitement and the knowledge of how everyone involved has been knocking it out of the park.

I am even excited about something as simple as the hardcover editions. That may sound silly because they are the same books with a different type of cover, but somehow it is exhilarating to see these old friends with such a nice facelift. It is just cool. Similarly, we received a sample of Rifts® Ultimate Edition as a softcover book and everyone who saw it got very excited over it. We have no plans to offer RUE as a softcover; we just had it made as a sample of the printer’s color capabilities for the Rifts® 30th Commemorative. We had them print RUE only because it has the most color pages of any book we have made. And it looks gorgeous. By the way, there appears to be enough interest in a limited, signed and numbered, gold foil Rifts® 30th Commemorative Hardcover for us to consider making it available. The verdict is still out, but we are leaning in that direction.

The first 3 hardcovers ship next week. I spoke with the printer and we are on track to ship the first three hardcovers – Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited, and Beyond the Supernatural RPG – around March 15, give or take a couple of days. Actually, we should have Palladium Fantasy in our hands by next Wednesday, but we are waiting until we have all three titles before shipping. The new Rifts® miniatures should be ready to ship a few days after that.

One-of-a-kind Rifts® negatives from Rifts® Japan and Lone Star were recently added to my Ebay store, with more to be added soon. Enjoy these fun and attractive collectibles. In addition, most of the toys, some of the negatives, and other items are on sale.

The Bouncing Writer: I like to strike when the iron is hot, so I have been bouncing around on several products as inspiration strikes. Creativity does not have an on and off switch. Sometimes I wish it did. Thus, there are times when inspiration and creativity is hard to contain and direct. When I am super-hot on a particular topic or book, I like to run with it. So the good news is I was hot as hell writing this weekend. The bad news, it was for Rifts® Antarctica. Holy moley this book is truly epic now. I sent my co-author, Matthew Clements, my unfinished rewrite of the Ice Witches and Dark Bergs and his response was, “This is great!” My editor, Alex, said the exact same thing after he read it. I am glad to tell you that I have been hearing the same high praise for my work on Rifts® CS Manhunters as well, which is inching ever closer to being completed. For you non-writers who are dying for CS Manhunters and BTS Creature Feature (another great one), please understand I did not want to risk putting aside my ideas and excitement for Rifts® Antarctica for fear I would lose them. Losing your ideas or inspiration happens all the time so I went where the mojo was taking me. It all started because I had to assign material to artists to illustrate. The next thing I knew, ideas for Antarctica were getting beamed into my head faster than I could write them down. It was one of those fun, transcendent moments most writers experience from time to time. I am back on Rifts® CS Manhunters now.

Send us your Retailers

If your store is having trouble ordering Palladium titles from their distributors, please tell them they can buy direct from Palladium Books. We try to keep 99% of all our titles in stock at all times. They can get our Retailer Terms by contacting Palladium via the Help Desk on our website or by telephone (734-721-2903). We just got an inquiry from a new store over the weekend and one the other day thanks to one of you! Please keep spreading the word. Thank you.

US Mail is still has its problems

US Mail may not be back to normal after all. Thankfully, we have had no complaints from customers concerning the USPS or Media Mail. However, we know it can still take longer to receive mail than it used to take. Some people are getting packages on time, but others are seeing it take 2-5 days longer. That includes Priority Mail, which surprises and disappoints me. I was recently very worried about a Priority Mail Express Package (with “guaranteed next day” delivery) that took two and a half days to arrive. On top of that, we received conflicting and erroneous messages when trying to track the package. That made me a nervous wreck for two days, but it did arrive safely.

The bottom line is, and it makes me very sad to say this, the US Postal Service is not what it was just a year ago. It seems that the US Postmaster General appointed last summer is just awful. I know USPS personnel are frustrated and overwhelmed and I fear it will only get worse later this year. That said, Media Mail and other USPS shipping methods “seem” a bit slow, but so far, eventually get to where the package is supposed to be delivered, and nobody comes close to the low cost of Media Mail. FYI: UPS remains the fastest, most reliable and trackable service, but you do pay for it.

NEW! Hardcover Editions of most Palladium Core Rule Books

Many of you have been asking for hardcover editions of our core rule books. Well, I have finally found what appears to be the right printing partner to make your requests a reality. Each hardcover RPG book is exactly the same as the softcover edition you may already own and use. Even the color covers are basically the same art with changes to the logos to differentiate them from the softcovers. The main difference is the rule book is now available as a sturdy hardcover for longer durability. The softcover editions will also remain in print. We hope you are pleased to see these titles being made available in hardcover. Enjoy.

2021 Hardcover Release Schedule:

March 2021 – 3 Hardcover Releases:

The first three are at the printer and available for pre-order. They should ship around March 15, 2021.

• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition Hardcover – 336 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 450HC – at the printer.
• Heroes Unlimited RPG Hardcover – 352 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 500HC – at the printer.
• Beyond the Supernatural RPG, 2nd Edition Hardcover – 256 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 700HC – at the printer. Note: We may also release a first edition BTS hardcover later this year, again, due to popular request.
• Also see March Miniature Releases.

April 2021 – 4 Hardcover Releases:

• SPECIAL! Rifts® RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover Edition – The original Rifts® RPG rule book with the beloved Keith Parkinson cover and additional pages, many in full color in the back of the book featuring a color image of EVERY Rifts cover, plus concept art, photographs, and more! 288 pages – 30+ pages of color – $49.99 retail – Cat. No. 800HC30. Note: Available for pre-order. Ships in April. See complete details below.
• Rifts® Game Master Guide Hardcover – 352 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 845HC.
• Rifts® Book of Magic Hardcover – 352 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 848HC.
• Rifts® Adventure Guide Hardcover – 192 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 849HC.

May 2021 – 3 Hardcover Releases:

• Dead Reign® RPG Hardcover – 224 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 230HC.
• After the Bomb® RPG Hardcover – 224 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 503HC.
• Ninjas & Superspies Hardcover – 176 pages – $34.99 retail – Cat. No. 525HC.

June 2021 – 3 Hardcover Releases:

• Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG Hardcover – 160 pages – $34.99 retail – Cat. No. 660HC.
• Nightbane® RPG Hardcover – 240 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 730HC.
• Beyond the Supernatural RPG, 1st Edition Rules Hardcover (tentative) – 256 pages – $36.99 – Cat. No. 699HC1ST (tentative). Note: If the demand is there, a few other titles may be added such as Splicers.

NEW! Original Rifts^® RPG – 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover – 1st Edition Rules

This is the original first edition Rifts® rule book with the famous Keith Parkinson cover of the Splugorth Slave Barge plus extras and color pages featuring fun stuff in the back of the book like concept drawings, color roughs, photographs, and every Rifts® cover. All intended to bring back fond memories.

This book is the result of requests from fans. It was supposed to be one of our 2020 surprises. Then the Covid pandemic struck, our world went sideways, and for a while we shelved it. But the more I talked about it with people behind the scenes, the more I realized people wanted to have a Rifts® 30th Anniversary Hardcover. Especially a commemorative edition with extra material and remembrances in it. So that is what we are doing! With the pandemic still going on, this feels like the perfect time to offer a fun, nostalgic product to stir up fond memories of grand adventures and good times.

With this in mind, I have worked hard to keep the retail price as low as we can, especially with so many color pages. It has been suggested we could easily charge $75-$100 for this hardcover edition, but I want everyone who wants one to be able to afford one, so $49.99 is the retail price. Note #1: This is NOT a signed or numbered limited edition, but we are happy to sign copies at conventions and the Palladium Open House. Note #2: Your pre-orders and feedback will help inform how many copies we should print, so please spread the word far and wide and place your orders at your earliest convenience.

Original Rifts® RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover:

• Color cover of the famous Splugorth Slave Barge by Keith Parkinson.
• A color gallery of every Rifts cover ever published.
• Color photographs of the staff, including those from the first Rifter® Swimsuit issue (scary, I know!) and other photos.
• Concept art and pencil illustrations often with notes by the artist.
• Personal notes, commentary, and nostalgic material.
• 30+ pages of color. Countless memories.
• 288 pages – $49.99 retail – Cat. No. 800HC30 – April release.

Note #3: If Palladium Collectors would also like a deluxe, leatherette, gold foil, limited, signed and numbered, 30th Anniversary Gold Edition for $75 – probably limited to 150-300 copies – we will make it happen, but you need to let us know. It would be the same book, just with a different cover and maybe a little something extra in it or perhaps a color slip cover. Please let us know. Thank you. – Kevin Siembieda

New! HARDCOVER Palladium Fantasy RPG^®, 2nd Edition

A fantasy setting like no other, rich in history and inviting adventure. Not only are you able to play iconic fantasy heroes like the Wizard, Knight, Paladin, Ranger, Thief, Assassin, and others, but also characters such as the Mind Mage, Druid, Diabolist, Summoner and many others. Moreover, play an array of nonhuman characters from Elves and Dwarves to Wolfen, Changelings, Kobolds, Orcs, Ogres, and many others.

• The hardcover is exactly the same as the softcover edition.
• Color cover, same art, variant logo, hardcover.
• 25+ Occupational Character Classes (O.C.C.s).
• 14+ inhuman player races (more in sourcebooks).
• 300+ magic spells.
• 60 magical Wards. 50 magic circles.
• Dozens of magic items potions and more.
• 70+ psychic powers, the Mind Mage, and more.
• Weapons, gear, demons and adventure ideas.
• New sourcebooks like Land of the Damned 3, Lopan, and others are coming.
• 336 pages – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 450HC – available for pre-order. Ships around March 15.

New! HARDCOVER Beyond the Supernatural^™ RPG, 2nd Edition

Supernatural horror in the modern world that feels plausible and real. Your characters are the few who know the supernatural is real because they have experienced it face to face. Some are psychics, some are experts in the paranormal or the arcane, and others are ordinary people like you and me. Ordinary people who are never the same after their own close encounter. All of these unlikely heroes stand against supernatural evil in a world of disbelievers who brand them as practitioners of fringe science or lunatics. Only they know the truth: supernatural evil is real and dangerous. And someone has to take a stand to protect the innocent from supernatural evil in whatever hidden form it may take. Are you ready to join the battle?

• The hardcover is exactly the same as the softcover edition.
• Color cover, same art, variant logo, hardcover.
• A plausible modern horror setting that makes sense and will challenge your role-playing skills.
• 14 Psychic Character Classes.
• 42 occupations for “ordinary” people.
• 100+ psychic abilities, including Fire Walker abilities.
• Creatures of darkness, the Lazlo Agency, and more.
• New sourcebooks are coming soon.
• 256 pages – $36.99 retail – Cat. No. 700HC – available for pre-order. Ships around March 15.

New! HARDCOVER Heroes Unlimited^™ RPG, 2nd Edition

The Heroes Unlimited™ RPG has been a hit RPG for 30+ years because it enables you to create any type of comic book hero you can imagine. Make characters pulled right from any comic book you grew up with and love, or design your own league of extraordinary heroes.

If you seek comic book heroic adventure, Heroes Unlimited™ does the job on an epic scale. Plus a dozen sourcebooks provide you with more super abilities, hero categories, bad guys and adventures.

• The hardcover is exactly the same as the softcover edition.
• Color cover, same art, variant logo on the hardcover.
• Create any type of hero you can imagine.
• 101 super abilities plus a multitude of sub-powers within them, bonuses and special combat capabilities.
• 100+ magic spells plus enchanted weapons and objects.
• 72 psychic powers.
• Enchanted weapons that instill super abilities.
• Mega-Heroes and immortals.
• Alien super beings.
• Bionics and cyborgs.
• Psionics and Psychics.
• Robots and power armor.
• Masters of magic, wizards and spell casters.
• Mutants and Super Soldiers possessing super abilities.
• Inventors, super-geniuses and super-vehicles.
• Special Training: Martial arts, Sleuths, weapons, more.
• Cover by comic book legend Jim Steranko.
• Art by Ramon K. Perez, Paulo Parente, Mike Gustovich, and others.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda.
• 352 pages for a complete RPG – $39.99 retail – Cat. No. 500HC – available for pre-order. Ships around March 15.

New March Miniature Releases

You have been asking, so we are providing. All miniatures come in a plastic bag and will ship sometime in March.

- Back in Stock: Rifts® Glitter Boy & Pilot (original) Miniature Pack – 28 mm resin – $19.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8001.

- NEW! Rifts® CS Firebreather Dead Boy Miniature – true scale 32 mm resin – $9.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8047.

- NEW! Rifts® Juicer Miniature – true scale 32 mm resin – $9.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8048.

- And don’t forget about the Deluxe Rifts® Glitter Boy Resin Miniature – released in fall 2020 – 32 mm resin – $34.99 retail – Cat. No. MI8046.

BACK IN STOCK: Villains Unlimited^™ for the Heroes Unlimited^™ RPG

It is the reference book that never gets old – scores of superhuman villains, a secret organization that supplies villains and criminals, another that hunts superhumans, plus rules and tables for creating your own super-organizations, Game Master playing tips, and more. All of it provides Game Masters with bad guys and ideas for adventure, because each description presents the villain’s origin, motivation and goals. Just drop ‘em into your campaign and watch the super abilities fly. That’s why Villains Unlimited™ has been a fan favorite for years.

• 80+ villains completely statted out.
• A few villain teams and organizations and their evil agendas.
• S.C.R.E.T. stands for Superbeing Control Retrieval and Elimination Teams. Are they hunting your heroes?
• Fabricators Inc. is an international arms dealer.
• Magic Tattoos, weapons, cyborgs, madmen and more.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda and Kevin Long. Art by Kevin Long.
• 224 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No. 501 – available now.

BACK IN STOCK: Rifts^® Black Market^™

This is one of my favorite Rifts® titles, so I am delighted to see droves of Rifts® fans discovering it. Talk about a toy box and resource for adventurers, mercenaries, criminals and most any character.

• Black Market structure and operations.
• The most powerful Black Market factions.
• 10 Black Market O.C.C.s and their special abilities.
• Black Market Techno-Wizard devices and magic.
• 29 weapons, plus vehicles, power armor, and robots, including the TW Ironmage Glitter Boy! Traveling Show creation tables, and more.
• An awesome resource for players and G.M.s alike.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda, Matthew Clements, and Carmen Bellaire.
• 192 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No. 886 – available now.

BACK IN STOCK: Rifts^® Secrets of the Atlanteans^™

Masters of dimensional travel and the fabled Tattoo Magic, True Atlanteans have become renowned as vampire slayers and heroic Champions of Light. But there is also a festering darkness from within the Atlantean Clans. A darkness that could destroy them all. Learn about Atlantean civilization, the many clans, where they are found across the Megaverse, why they hide, and the secrets of the Stone Pyramids. Also discover the power of Shadow Magic, the treachery of the Sunaj Illuminati, and much more.

• 60+ Magic Tattoos.
• 60+ Shadow Magic spells.
• 50+ new Crystal Magic spells and the Crystal Mage O.C.C.
• Secrets of the Stone Pyramids, described and mapped.
• Stone Master and Undead Slayer, revisited.
• Sunaj Shadow Mage and Shadow Assassin O.C.C.s.
• The dark history, shame, and secrets of True Atlanteans.
• Learn more about the famous Atlantean Tattooed Warriors, Undead Slayers, Stone Masters and other Atlantean heroes.
• Tremble at the terrible secrets of the Aerihman and their plans for inter-dimensional domination.
• Who are the Sunaj and why do they hunt True Atlanteans?
• Valuable source material and adventure ideas galore.
• Written by Carl Gleba.
• 192 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No 890 – available now.

BACK IN STOCK: Rifts^® Xiticix Invasion^™

Xiticix Hive society is more varied, organized and deadly than you might imagine. Like a beehive, there are all types of Xiticix, each with a special job from caring for eggs and larvae to various hunters and warriors to the queen herself. Find out about these dangerous insectoids and their most hated enemy, Wild Psi-Stalkers, and more.

• 9 types of Xiticix.
• The Hivelands and Hive structure, mapped.
• Xiticix Weapons and abilities.
• Wild Psi-Stalkers and their tribes.
• 15+ Non-Player Characters.
• Lazlo’s Xiticix War, CS operations in the Hivelands, Fort Barron, Fort Perrion, adventures, maps, and more.
• Written by Breaux and Siembieda.
• 160 pages – $22.99 retail – Cat. No. 838 – available now.

NEW! Duty’s Edge – Rifts^® Novel – available now

There has been a lot of excitement and pre-orders for Rifts® Duty’s Edge. Please keep the orders coming. All the Rifts® novels are selling well. In fact, I had to send Hammer of the Forge Volume One: The Cosmo-Knight in for a short printing before existing inventory runs out (still available now).

Rifts® Duty’s Edge is the story of a lone survivor of a New German Republic Special Forces operation who struggles to complete the mission on his own. A mission to destroy wicked monsters and cut off a vital line of support to the Gargoyle Empire. A mission that could save many lives. Of course, it is a journey that takes many twists and turns as one determined individual hopes to beat impossible odds. Set in the Middle East.

• A stand-alone Rifts® novel complete in itself.
• 5 x 8 inch paperback, same size as the Hammer of the Forge novels.
• Written by Will Erwin.
• 236 pages, $12.99 retail for the physical book. Cat. No. 308 – available now as a PDF on DriveThruRPG.com – the physical novel is available now.

Other Rifts^® Novels available on DriveThruRPG

• Rifts® Sonic Boom™. Follow the exploits of a CS platoon sworn to protect humankind from all threats, be they aliens, dragons, masters of magic or fellow humans out for themselves.
• Rifts® Deception’s Web™, the second novel in this trilogy, reveals a conspiracy within the Coalition military that could spell disaster for our protagonists.
• Rifts® Treacherous Awakenings™ is the pulse-pounding conclusion of the third novel in this epic trilogy by Adam Chilson.
• Rifts Anthology: Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs™. Rifts® short stories by 11 authors including Kevin Siembieda, Carl Gleba, Mark Oberle, Braden Campbell, Taylor White, Jason Richards, and others.
• Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ Graphic Novel & Sourcebook. The comic is by acclaimed Eisner Award winning artist Ramon K. Perez, source material by Siembieda and Perez.
• Rifts® Path of the Storm was a Rifts® movie script written on spec.
• Rifts® Hammer of the Forge™, Volume One: The Cosmo-Knight. The adventures of Caleb Vulcan, newly minted Knight of the Cosmic Forge.
• Rifts® Hammer of the Forge™, Volume Two: The Reckoning. The epic conclusion of the Hammer of the Forge story.

UPDATE: Shipping & Deliveries

We believe it is safe to use Media Mail, once again. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is getting caught up with its backlog of packages and beginning to resume a more normal schedule of delivery. However, that may vary depending upon where you live and it may still take twice as long for your Media Mail and other USPS mail to reach you. Still, this is a vast improvement from the 4-8 weeks it has been taking. Likewise, those of you who ordered via Media Mail in December and January should be getting your packages any day now. If you do not receive it in another week, please reach out to Palladium so we can do a trace on your package. Note: When you want fast, easy to track, packages automatically insured for $100.00 we recommend UPS Ground. It is more expensive but arrives to most places in the contiguous United States within 2-5 days. Use US mail to ship outside the country, Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico.

I spoke with a very nice customer recently. He had placed an order around December 26th. It shipped a day or two later and he had not gotten it yet. His status was ORDER PENDING, so he called to inquire. We traced it and found USPS had tried to deliver it the day before. Yes, 4 weeks after the order left Palladium’s warehouse, but it had finally arrived. Ironically, he had not checked his mail that day and later happily reported that he was able to retrieve his package from the local post office. Another one of many happy stories about orders and Surprise Packages arriving weeks late but arriving safe and sound.

Note: Please do NOT wait more than six weeks to reach out to Palladium. After a certain point in time the shipping service cannot trace a delivery. When that happens they can do nothing about packages in question and you may out of luck.

UPDATE: Rifts^® CS Manhunters

I remain hot as hell as I work to retool and finish this fun book. I think it is pretty darn great, with 50 useful new psionic abilities and CS Manhunter O.C.C.s that are truly superspies and assassins. Each one makes unique and intriguing player characters or dangerous NPC villains. Rifts® CS Manhunters also reveals secrets about Dog Boys and Kill Hounds, other CS psychics, Psi-Ops, and the role many play in the Minion War™, as well as revisiting the Seven Dangers Prophecy (first introduced in Rifts® Sourcebook 2: The Mechanoids®), some fun gadgets and implants, and more. As good as CS Manhunters was, I had been struggling with aspects of it. When I finally made a breakthrough on that front everything fell into place and it is all coming together beautifully. Source material that should give both players and Game Masters plenty to work with. All of it building toward something epic.

As for the question of who watches the watchmen? Meaning the Coalition military and its elite. The answer is, the CS Manhunters. A secret division under the auspices of Psi-Battalion. Super-patriots, spies and assassins all rolled into one. Men and women who not only hunt the most dangerous spies, fugitives, and enemies of the Coalition States, but also protect the Emperor and hunt down traitors within the Coalition States. An elite force of expert manhunters and cold-blooded killing machines who use psionic abilities as part of their arsenal, follow orders without question, and kill without hesitation.

• New Coalition Psychic O.C.C.s.
• 50+ new psionic abilities and revisits of some favorites.
• CS Manhunter Divner and Precog.
• CS Manhunter Psi-Interrogator and Psi-Enforcer.
• CS Manhunter Bursters and Zappers.
• CS Manhunter Psi-Healers and CS Slayers.
• CS Manhunter Killhound and Dog Boy O.C.C.s.
• CS Manhunter Mind Melters, the deadliest of them all.
• CS Manhunter squads and special operations.
• Insight about Coalition psychics and secretive Psi-Ops.
• The impact of the demon plagues unleashed by the Minion War.
• Player Characters, NPCS, background info, adventure ideas, and more.
• 96-128 pages – $17.99 retail – Cat. No. 894 – In production and nearing completion.

UPDATE: Creature Feature^™, a Beyond the Supernatural^™ sourcebook

This is going to be another fun adventure sourcebook. The manuscript will go into editing and rewrites as soon as I finish CS Manhunters and most of the artwork is done. Though I may add a few illustrations and already have artists lined up. Creature Feature™ builds on material that has appeared in various issues of The Rifter® but there is a ton of new material and information useful to both Game Masters and players.

• A gallery of supernatural creatures. Some new. Some familiar, updated and expanded. All terrifying.
• Rules clarifications and errata.
• Game Master source material and advice on rules, psychic abilities, proximity and threat levels, I.S.P. multipliers, and more.
• Advice about running modern horror RPGs and using supernatural creatures in your games.
• Lots of adventure ideas, including an updated and expanded full adventure, “The Squatter.”
• New background and setting information for the BTS setting and a few surprises.
• Written by Steven Dawes, Kevin Siembieda, and others.
• Art by Steven Cummings, Nick Bradshaw and others.
• 160-192 pages – $22.99 or $26.99 depending on final size – Cat. No. 704.

UPDATE: Rifts^® Titan Robotics^™

Here it is, the reveal of the new cover. I hope you like it. I love that it presents the iconic Titan Robotics Combat Robot with a new big gun that hints at what else awaits you inside the book. I also enjoy the combat scene, smoke, and haze of war. Like Northern Gun and the Manistique Imperium, Titan Robotics sells freely to adventurers, mercenaries, and anyone who has the cash. Hence, the owners of these big ‘bots clashing with Coalition Forces.

This is why I call Rifts® Titan Robotics™ a high-tech toy box filled with many new types of Titan Robotics power armors, giant robots, vehicles, weapons, and gear. Some are big bruisers while others are small and sleek. As fun as these new tech toys are, Rifts® Titan Robotics™ delves into the company’s many secrets, including ARCHIE-3’s plans and program to monitor and manipulate the outside world. Learn about Archie’s androids that run Titan Robotics and his current schemes and plans for the future. All of which provides fodder for adventure.

• New Giant Robots.
• New Power Armor, equipment and accessories.
• 30+ power armors and robots, plus other equipment.
• New weapons, gear and vehicles.
• Titan Robotics Corporation and structure.
• Archie’s secret kingdom and plans for the future.
• New O.C.C.s and key Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
• Android executives, security and much more.
• Wellington Industries, campaign prompts and more.
• Art by Walton, Cummings, Atkins, and others. Cover by Mike Majestic.
• Written by Matthew Clements and Kevin Siembieda.
• 160-192 pages (tentative) – $22.99 retail (or $26.99) – Cat. No. 899.

UPDATE: Rifts^® Bestiary^™ Volume Two

The second big, “monster book” reference for Rifts® of what we anticipate to be three volumes in the series, more if we decide to make ghosts, spirits and Entities and/or Creatures of Magic part of the Bestiary series. Much like Volume One, Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume Two collects 70-100 monsters and animals plus 12-24 new beasts found across Rifts North America. The anticipated page count is 224-256 pages.

All volumes of the Rifts® Bestiary™ series are a great resource for players and Game Masters alike. Each description is updated, expanded, and highly detailed to present players with exotic and alien creatures as pets, guardians and riding animals, as well as slobbering monsters to battle and fierce beasts for Game Masters to throw at their players. Designed to offer adventure ideas, offers notes on young, adult, male and female creatures, and all provide plenty of ways to enhance your characters and spice up adventures. Each is accompanied by a map that shows at a glance where the beast can be encountered. Ah, but in the presence of Rifts and magic means any of the creatures may appear anywhere in the world, so be on your toes.

• Monsters and animals of Rifts North America organized into big, easy to use sourcebooks.
• Updated and expanded descriptions and information for each existing monster.
• Updated and uniform stat blocks.
• New exotic creatures – predators, exotic riding animals, beasts of burden, alien horrors, giant insects, and more.
• A map for every creature showing where it is found.
• Easily adapted to any Palladium setting – Palladium Fantasy®, Chaos Earth®, Splicers®, Phase World®, the Three Galaxies™, The Mechanoids®, Heroes Unlimited™/Aliens Unlimited™, and others.
• Basic S.D.C. stats included with each creature description.
• Fully illustrated, with art by Charles Walton II, Ramon Perez, Robert Atkins, and many others. Written by Kevin Siembieda.
• 256 pages each volume – $26.99 – Cat. No. 897 (Volume Two).

NEW! Gamer 16 Ounce Mug – available now

Whether you drink coffee, hot cocoa, soda-pop, or whatever your beverage of choice may be, this fun mug reminds you of your favorite pastime and that new possibilities exist with every roll of the dice.

The new, large, 16 ounce Gamer mug presents the word “Gamer” in a box with dice cascading down from above. The design appears on both sides of the mug. Created by Wayne Smith and Freddie Williams II (art directed by Kevin Siembieda). The mug has an orange interior to add a nice splash of color.

• A must for every proud gamer!
• Dice and the word “Gamer” highlighted in a box.
• Glossy black exterior with an orange interior.
• Art and words are located on both sides of the mug.
• 16 ounce ceramic mug.
• Dishwasher and microwave safe.
• $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2596 – available now.

BACK IN STOCK! Property of the Coalition States 16 Ounce Mug – available now

Back due to popular demand! The iconic Property of the Coalition States and notorious CS Death’s Head insignia printed white on a glossy black, 16 ounce coffee mug, with a blood red interior for a splash of color. The design appears on both sides of the mug. Created by Wayne Smith and Kevin Long (art directed by Kevin Siembieda).

• The infamous words “Property of the Coalition States” and the notorious Death’s Head logo and lightning bolts (indicating CS special forces) in white.
• Glossy black exterior with a blood red interior color.
• Art and words are located on both sides of the mug.
• 16 ounce ceramic mug.
• Dishwasher and microwave safe.
• $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2588 – available now.

Other Mugs Available Now

Everyone loves these mugs. Isn’t it time you started your collection? I like to use them to as a secret code to reflect my mood to those around me. To my thinking the Gamer mug means I’m feeling playful. Rifts® Property of the Coalition States: I’m a soldier in the trenches and working hard. Dead Reign®: Back off or I will eat you alive. Fantasy Dragon: My imagination is on fire. Rifts Logo: Feeling the infinite possibilities. Rifts® Titan Robotics: I’m feeling mighty. Of course, they represent something else to each of you or just represent one of your favorite games, like a normal person.

• Rifts® Titan Robotics™ Mug – A dynamic Titan robot and the Rifts® logo. Art by Steven Cummings. White on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blue interior. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2595 – available now.
• Rifts® Logo Coffee Mug – The famous Rifts® logo in white on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blue interior. Logo by Kevin Long. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2587 – available now.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG® Dragon Mug – The famous red on black 3-headed hydra battling a knight from the iconic original Palladium Fantasy RPG cover. Art by Kevin Siembieda. Red on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with an attractive orange interior. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2589 – available now.
• Dead Reign® (Zombie Attack) Mug – A trio of hungry zombies and the Dead Reign® logo in white on a glossy black, 16 ounce ceramic mug with a blood red interior for a splash of color. Art by Steven Cummings. Dishwasher and microwave safe. $10.99 retail – Cat. No. 2594 – available now.

Rifts^® Ultimate Edition – Cat. No. 800HC – Available now

This big, 376 page role-playing game is everything you need to start playing Rifts®. Just add some dice, some players, and a heaping helping of imagination and you are ready to go.

If you have never played the rich, unpredictable, genre-melding Rifts® setting, you are missing epic adventure that never grows old, because anything is possible. No other RPG blends science fiction, fantasy, horror, and post-apocalyptic adventure with demons and aliens, robots and cyborgs, magic and the supernatural in such a plausible and dynamic way. A setting that lets you play any type and style of game you can imagine. With characters like Dragon Hatchlings, Cyber-Knights, Glitter Boys, Ley Line Walkers, Techno-Wizards, and Juicers that challenge the imagination. And those are just a tiny handful of the O.C.C.s you can play in Rifts®. Not to mention hundreds of different alien, supernatural, magical, and other beings available as player characters. All of it set on an Earth that is both familiar and as alien as a thousand different planets. So check it out, build your character, start a campaign, and watch your characters become legends.

• 30+ player characters to choose from; tech, magic, or psychic.
• Cyborgs, robot and power armor pilots, Scout, Assassin, and more.
• 140+ magic spells, plus Techno-Wizards, Shifters, and more.
• 90 psionic powers and psychic characters.
• Sourcebooks offer hundreds of different alien, supernatural beings, creatures of magic, and other beings, many available as player characters.
• There has never been another RPG quite like Rifts®.
• 376 page hardcover, some color – $41.99 retail – Cat. No. 800HC – available now.

NEW on DriveThruRPG.com – Garden of the Gods (Fantasy RPG) and Rifts^® Duty’s Edge novel

The Garden of the Gods™ sourcebook is a toy box of gods, magical blessings, ancient artifacts, and hundreds of opportunities and adventure ideas for players and Game Masters alike.

The Garden of the Gods is said to be a place of miracles and wisdom. A place where people of all occupations and races, nobility and the poor, come to find inspiration, blessings and adventure. Many insist the gods themselves are present and may visit heroes and followers in dreams, visions, or in person as an avatar. The gods also look for champions and assign heroic quests and gifts of knowledge and magic. Here, all gods are equal and many a forgotten god seeks to be rediscovered and worshiped by offering blessings, vision quests, and magical artifacts to potential heroes to champion their name. There is also an evil on the island of Lopan. An open wound in the earth known as the Black Pit.

• 212 Blessings
• 101 magic artifacts.
• 45 forgotten gods.
• 50+ Curses and dark magic.
• 100+ random quests and encounters, and each god offers adventure hooks.
• Restore forgotten gods to power. Become a Champion of the Gods.
• 5 weapons of destruction created by the Old Ones.
• Godly insight, visitations, knowledge and purpose.
• The Garden of the Gods and its protectors.
• Ghosts, Faeries, mysteries, and ancient secrets.
• Rumors of a secret way to the Land of the Damned.
• The Black Pit, a place of legend and dark secrets. Is it a counterbalance to the good of the Garden or something more sinister?
• Easily adapted to Rifts®, Phase World® and any game system.
• 224 pages of wonder and adventure by Kevin Siembieda and Matthew Clements – Cat. No. 475.
• PDF now available on DriveThruRPG.com – the physical book is available from PalladiumBooks.com.

NEW! Duty’s Edge – A Rifts® Novel by Will Erwin. The lone surviving soldier from a New German Republic Special Forces operation struggles to complete the mission on his own. A mission to destroy wicked monsters and cut off a vital line of support to the Gargoyle Empire. It is a journey that takes many twists and turns as one determined individual hopes to beat impossible odds. A stand-alone Rifts® novel complete in itself. 236 pages, Cat. No. 308 – PDF now available on DriveThruRPG.com – the physical book is available from PalladiumBooks.com whenever you want it.

In the meanwhile, please enjoy recent releases such as the two Hammer of the Forge novels: The Cosmo-Knight and The Reckoning (Phase World®, the Three Galaxies, and Cosmo-Knights), the Rifts® trilogy of novels: Sonic Boom, Deception’s Web, and Treacherous Awakenings, as well as the Rifts® Anthology: Tales of the Chi-Town ‘Burbs (11 authors), Machinations of Doom (graphic novel by Ramon K. Perez), and Path of the Storm (a proposed Rifts® movie script) and 300+ other Palladium Books RPG Titles.

Also available: Free Garden of the Gods™ (Fantasy) and Rifts® Bestiary™ Volume One Sneak Previews, and the Palladium Fantasy RPG® Interactive Character Sheet: A Microsoft Excel-based character management system. Packed with features and data collected from every official Palladium Fantasy sourcebook to enable you to create Fantasy characters quickly (25 minutes!) and help you to update and manage them for years to come.

Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume Three: Zombies, Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume Two: Civilians and Dead Reign® Paper Miniatures Volume One: Survivors. There are also paper miniatures for Heroes Unlimited™, Palladium Fantasy® and Rifts®. A new, up-to-date, PDF Palladium Books Catalog. Nightbane® Dark Designs™ sourcebook with 60 new Common Talents, 38 new Elite Talents, 18 new Morphus Tables, all other Morphus Tables collected and more. Systems Failure™ RPG, a 160 page RPG that deals with alien invasion and a post-apocalypse setting that is fun and dynamic. Civilization is on the verge of collapse when the so-called "bugs" invade and turn humans into zombie-like slaves. Monsters, heroes and fun. A complete RPG and setting. Rifts® World Book 34: Northern Gun™ Two: 256 pages of technology and fun. 30+ power armors, 30+ body armors, 15 combat vehicles, 45 vehicles (hovercycles, etc.), 10 robot haulers, the Robodome and more. Bizantium and the Northern Islands™: the northernmost part of the Known World, the Cold Born, Necromancy ships made from dead sea serpents, 15 creatures, Random Sea Monster Generator, and more. Rifts® Northern Gun™ One. This fan favorite might be thought of as the big book of giant robots – an in-depth look at Northern Gun, 70+ weapons, 27 robots, NG O.C.C.s, key people and places, and much more. Mysteries of Magic™ Book One: The Heart of Magic™ with Wizards, their Apprentices, nearly 60 new magic spells and remember, magic and monsters in the Fantasy RPG are easily adapted to Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, HU2 and other settings. Wolfen Empire™ Fantasy sourcebook, the Great Northern Wilderness and Killer Winters, 12 Wolfen Tribes, Wolfen military and society, 15+ creatures, 5 full adventures, 101 adventure ideas, random encounter tables, notable people, places, plus FREE Sneak Previews of The Rifter® #80, The Rifter® #81, The Rifter® #82, and more on DriveThruRPG.com.

• Rifts® is a genre-bending setting that combines science fiction, fantasy, horror, post-apocalypse survival, magic, and endless possibilities for adventure. Imagine a near perfect world of advanced technology 100 years in the future. Then imagine that world crashing down overnight in an apocalyptic upheaval not seen since the formation of the planet. A Great Cataclysm caused by the explosive return of magic. Now fast forward 300 years into the future where magic, dragons, and mythic gods coexist with cyborgs, giant robots and super-science rediscovered from humanity's Golden Age as humans rise from a lengthy Dark Age. But they must contend with countless alien life forms, monsters, and supernatural horrors from beyond the Rifts.
• Rifts® core titles we would suggest: Rifts® Ultimate Edition, Rifts® Game Master Guide, Rifts® Book of Magic, Rifts® Adventure Guide, D-Bees of North America™, Rifts® World Book 11: Coalition War Campaign and Rifts® Sourcebook One. Note: The Rifts® RPG, 1st Edition and Rifts® Ultimate, 2nd Edition are both available.
• 80+ Rifts® supplements, most of them available as PDFs with more coming. Where to start? Wherever sounds fun.
• Rifts® Dimension Books™: Travel to alien worlds and dimensions via the Rifts for off-world adventure and intrigue.
• Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG and sourcebook series (all). Live through the Great Cataclysm and the Coming of the Rifts. Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG, Creatures of Chaos™, Rise of Magic™, and Chaos Earth® Resurrection™ are all available.
• FREE Sneak Previews for Nightbane® Dark Designs™, Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans™, Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity, and many other previews as well as free and low cost items that we make available. All of it adds to the growing list of Rifts and other Palladium RPG game titles available as PDF books, cards and support. A new title should be added every week or two, so keep watching for them.
• The Rifter® #1-84, ALL issues of The Rifter®. Each issue is a wealth of source material and ideas for 3-6 different Palladium game lines. Most are easily adapted to ANY Palladium game setting. Each issue a gem. 8,500 pages of source material and ideas for heroes, villains, monsters, magic, gear, and adventure.
• Splicers® RPG is like Iron Man meets Game of Thrones with elements of Terminator – except this army of Iron Men are clad in living body armor and wield living, organic weapons and devices. Created in 2004 by writer and game designer Carmen Bellaire, Splicers® was nominated for an Inquest Gamer Magazine Fan Awards Game of the Year, and has since developed a rabid fan base. Science fiction and horror where humans are forced to use genetically engineered, living weapons and organic war machines to battle an insane Artificial Intelligence and her robot legions. Unlike anything you have ever played before!
• Splicers®: I Am Legion™ Adventure Sourcebook: 6 new Great Houses, 4 new Host Armors, 6 new War Mounts, 19 new Bio-Weapons, 15 new killer machines, new Bio-Enhancements, Amalgam creation tables, Legion and a series of adventures that build into a small campaign, and more.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 1st Edition Rules and sourcebooks. A unique world of magic, monsters and heroes. Dozens of nonhuman player characters including Wolfen, Bearmen, Ogres, Orcs and more. 100,000 years of history.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition Rules and many sourcebooks. The expanded world of high fantasy, magic, mystery and heroes of every variety. Includes the Mind Mage and psychic abilities, mages and spells, magic circles and symbols, men-at-arms, scoundrels and a wide range of inhuman player characters including Wolfen, Bearmen, Ogres, Orcs and many more. 100,000 years of history.
• Heroes Unlimited™ RPG first edition rule book and sourcebooks.
• Heroes Unlimited™ RPG Second Edition rule book and sourcebooks. Create any type of superhuman you can desire and bring comic book adventures to life.
• Dead Reign® RPG (Zombie Apocalypse). The dead have risen. It is the battle for survival in the zombie apocalypse, but this setting is much more than your typical zombie game. Play ordinary people or special characters better equipped to survive and hunt zombies. Many unusual types of zombies.
• Dead Reign® Sourcebooks: 6 sourcebooks from Civilization Gone™ to Hell Followed™ (the latter features stats for 23 disasters, masked lunatics, 11 new zombies, 7 apocalyptic character classes, and more) are available.
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 1st Edition Rules. Supernatural horror in the modern world. Play ordinary people, psychics, paranormal investigators or for something different: Victim Characters!
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 2nd Edition: The complete, revised core game, 14 character classes and 42 occupations for "ordinary people," 100+ psychic abilities, 16 monsters, the Lazlo Agency, world setting and rules.
• Nightbane® RPG and sourcebooks. An RPG setting we call superhero horror. Dark conspiracy, a secret, demon invasion starting with world leaders and law enforcement, and it is spreading. The player characters are the Nightbane®, reluctant superhumans who must turn into monsters themselves to unleash their powers and battle the evil that is clear only to them. A dark, sinister and challenging world of horror.
• After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks. Planet of the Apes meets the X-Men! Animal creations, powers and more. Create any type of intelligent mutant animal you can imagine as friend or foe.
• Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG and the Mystic China™ sourcebook. James Bond meets Enter the Dragon. 41 types of martial arts, ninjas, and super-spies with gadgets, gizmos and advanced weapons.
• The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy RPG is a long time, cult favorite with a fatalistic world-view of humans vs aliens with superior technology.
• The Palladium Weapon Series of real world weapons, armor and castles throughout history. Designed for use with ANY game system.
• 200+ Palladium titles in all, plus G.M. kits, paper miniatures and more.
• Heroes Unlimited™ Paper Miniatures – Two sets are now available!
• Palladium Fantasy RPG® Paper Miniatures – Volumes #1-6 are available now. More are coming in the weeks ahead.
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Men at Arms – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Coalition Dead Boys – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Adventurers – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Practitioners of Magic (new) – $2.99
• Rifts® Paper Miniatures: Extras (new) – $2.99
• And more to come in the weeks ahead.

Palladium Collectibles, Negatives, Artwork, other Collectibles and Toys are always available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles eBay Store along with other good things

My eBay store is one of the few places where you can find original artwork by Charles "Chuck" Walton, Kevin Long, and others, as well as one-of-a-kind negatives from classic Rifts® and other Palladium RPG books (they look awesome framed!), rare Palladium collector hardcovers, signed books, other Palladium memorabilia, toys from my personal collection and other collectibles. Check every couple of weeks because we often post new stuff or offer a new sale. There is a sale on negatives starting today, in fact.

Other one-of-a-kind original artwork available by me (Kevin Siembieda), Kevin Long, Charles Walton II (money goes to the artist), other artists, as well as collectible negatives, prints, limited edition hardcovers, proofreader copies, out of print items, Star Wars toys, Marvel toys and many other toys and collectibles from my personal collection. Alex and I will keep adding items as our busy schedules allow, but we have a lot of fun collectibles available now and coming soon. Hundreds of items. Take a look every weekend for new additions.

Available now: One-of-a-kind book negatives. Negatives were very popular items at the Palladium Open House and people went crazy over them at Gen Con – including actor Joe Manganiello who scooped up a pile of TMNT negatives, while Palladium's own Mark Oberle, Carmen Bellaire, Brandon Aten and a whole lot of Palladium gamers went for negatives from Rifts® New West, Lone Star and Free Quebec. Fun.

Negatives are unique and attractive, one-of-a-kind (on rare occasions two-of-a-kind if a page was replaced or a second edition was made) works of art that resemble woodcut art and are very dynamic conversation pieces. Before digital printing, pages of a book were laid out by hand on a board, and each page was photographed. The plastic film negatives were then "ganged" on a massive sheet of Mylar 16 pages per big sheet, and the printing plates were made from the negatives – everything white, printing black.

When our printer, McNaughton and Gunn, went completely digital, they asked if Palladium Books wanted the negs, otherwise they would be destroyed. Regrettably, I let a few dozen be destroyed, but the negatives of many books were sent to Palladium. They have sat in our warehouse for years until I started to offer them for sale. I have also started signing the negatives in silver and each comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. Each negative comes on a white board inside a plastic magazine bag and looks fabulous framed! Fits in an 8x10 inch matt opening in a frame (each neg is roughly 8½ x 11 inches).

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

Closing Thoughts

In last week’s Closing Thoughts I talked about pushing out the world to focus on my work at Palladium Books, and that’s what I continue to do with wonderful results. I may be bouncing from one book another, but all of my focus is on new product releases with Wow Factor. That applies whether it is miniatures, hardcover editions, or completely new titles. I have been like a man possessed. New products, new formats, new ideas, and new advancements at Palladium are all I have been thinking about and working on. Everything is giving me ideas and I am exploring all possibilities. I am on fire and will be diving right back into the fray as soon as I finish writing this Update.

I hope you are doing likewise and staying healthy and positive. Focus on the things that matter to you and your loved ones. Things that make a difference to you and them. It doesn’t matter if it makes a small difference to even just a few people. It makes a difference. Besides, that’s where positivity and progress start, with the small things. Be positive. Be creative. Make some fun and help others to smile or forget their troubles through gaming or other simple gestures of fun and love. Sometimes it is the little things that matter most. The letter or card in the mail, the text or email saying hello, the game you run at home or via Zoom or Discord or whatever platform you choose. Make a difference. Be the difference. Trust me, it all adds up. Game on!

- Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer, Friend

© 2021 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Powers Unlimited®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc.; Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Garden of the Gods, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, Psychic Scream, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.