Palladium Books® Weekly Update – Dec. 11, 2014

By Kevin Siembieda

It is Grab Bag/Surprise Package frenzy time! As Christmas gets closer and closer with every passing day, orders for Christmas Surprise Packages are being placed in an increasing number at a steady pace. Awesome. Keep ‘em coming! Reminder, please only put product that is currently in stock (not things like Shadows of Light or the upcoming BTS sourcebooks), don’t ask only for gold editions as the available number is very limited, make sure your address is correct, and give us 10-14 choices whenever possible for EACH Surprise Package. Thanks!

Spent much of Monday picking and signing books for Surprise Packages. I read every one and make the selections. How busy are we? At 4:30 PM on Monday I realized I had yet to take my coat off! Yikes. Jeff had a good laugh about that. We all spent a lot of time in the warehouse. :)

I hope all of you are getting in the holiday spirit. I think that stores and TV promotions advertising Christmas starting in freakin’ September and really kicking in hard by mid-October creates a bit of “Christmas fatigue.” I’ve noticed a lot people, myself included, are waiting till the last couple weeks before the holiday to make purchases and are suddenly surprised to realize Christmas is only 13 days away! Good luck with your shopping and thank you for making Palladium Books a shopping destination. I wish we had more new product available, but we just couldn’t swing it. The Rifter® #68 is finally available (should arrive Friday or Monday), Robotech® RPG Tactics™ (to customers in the USA and Canada) is also available, and of course, the super-deal that is the Christmas Surprise Package. The latter being especially ideal for newcomers, gamers looking to try a new game setting and those of you looking to fill in holes in your collection. Stay frosty when doing your shopping and game on!

UPDATE: Christmas Surprise Packages – 13 days till Christmas Eve – place your orders this weekend – Offer ends December 24, 2014

In Canada and Overseas, you need to place your orders NOW to have a good shot at getting your Surprise Package in time for Christmas! But at this point, we can not guarantee delivery before Christmas.

In the USA, those of you west of the Mississippi River need to order by December 16th! Those of you east of the Mississippi can probably wait till December 18th without taking a big risk or needing to consider an expedited service, but SOONER is safer. The Postal Service and UPS are both delivering on Christmas Eve, but all bets are off and obviously snowstorms can delay deliveries by a few to several days. We recommend you ORDER THIS WEEKEND to play it safe. Below are the guideline dates we suggest you use to place your orders – sooner is better. Some of you, especially those close to Michigan, may be able to place orders much later and still get it in time for Christmas, but Palladium will not guarantee timely delivery after the dates listed. Good luck.

For those of you who don’t know what a Palladium Christmas Surprise Package is, it’s usually $88 or more worth of Palladium RPG books for only $42 plus shipping and handling. And because you guys and gals mean so much to us, I often pack in more than $90 worth of product. Oh, and each book will be signed by me (Kevin Siembieda) and available Palladium staff and freelancers if you request it. It is our way of saying thanks to all of you for your support and kindness.

Surprise Packages are the perfect holiday gift for gamers as well as for upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, or filling in holes in your collection or trying new game settings (Rifts®, Robotech®, Nightbane®, Dead Reign®, Beyond the Supernatural™, Heroes Unlimited™, Ninjas & Superspies™, After the Bomb®, Splicers® and all the rest). We’re happy to put a smile on your face with these items.

Only 13 days till Christmas Eve! Don’t delay, get your holiday orders in to Palladium. Surprise Package offer ends December 24, 2014.

Note: Orders do not ship on the Weekend. Place an order Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and it will not ship till Monday or Tuesday. We’re expecting 100+ Surprise Package orders this weekend, that’s 450+ books to sign, pack and ship! Please factor in time for Palladium to process your orders (usually 24 hours) and the actual transit time of shipping itself (generally 3-5 business days in the USA depending on where you live). Do NOT include Saturday or Sunday as shipping days. Get those orders in NOW to get your order or Surprise Packages in time for Christmas without having to pay an arm and a leg for expedited shipping!

Shipping guidelines for Christmas delivery:

Note: Remember, this is a Grab Bag. If you don’t give us a suitable selection of products to pick from (we recommend 10-14 item), you may get duplicates and things you may not desire. The availability of Gold Hardcover editions is limited and typically go to those who make an impressive pitch on why they should get one. PLEASE make sure your address is complete (include Apt. Number) and your order is clear.

• Media Mail – USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. At this point we do not recommend Media Mail. Many still use it and get their order in time, but it is a crap shoot. It has been Palladium’s experience that during the holiday season, Media Mail takes anywhere from 7-21 days (sometimes longer!) to arrive. Ship via Media Mail at your own risk.
• UPS Ground in the USA – Place your order by December 16 to guarantee Christmas delivery. Those of you who live east of the Mississippi River may have till December 18.
• Priority Mail in USA – Place your order by December 18 (should be a bit cheaper than UPS 3-Day Select).
• UPS 3-Day Select in USA – Place your order by December 18 for guaranteed Christmas delivery.
• UPS 2nd Day Air in USA – Place your order by December 19.
• UPS Next Day Air in USA – Place your order by December 22.
• Express Mail in USA – Place your order by December 21.
• Parcel Post in USA – NOT ADVISED. Placing an order by December 15 means you MAY get your order in time for Christmas, but probably not. There is only a 33% chance. We can NOT guarantee a Christmas delivery using Parcel Post at this time.
• To our friends in Canada and overseas – Sorry, but at this point in time we cannot guarantee delivery in time for Christmas. Good luck. Happy Holidays to all of our supporters and fans.

Click here to see the entire Surprise Package description.

UPDATE: The Rifter^® #68 – Available now!

The Rifter® #68 arrives tomorrow or Monday (December 15), and all subscribers and pre-orders (and Surprises Packages requesting it) will ship out as soon as Palladium gets it. This issue contains 15 pages of “official” Minion War™/Megaverse® in Flames™ material that you are going to love, as well as Rifts® material about True Atlanteans, dimensional hideaways and Magic Tattoos, a Heroes Unlimited™ adventure and a Dead Reign®/Beyond the Supernatural™ crossover adventure, news and coming attractions. And a dynamic John Zeleznik super-hero cover. Remember, you can tweak source material from The Rifter® for use in almost any setting. It is an excellent player and G.M. resource.

UPDATE: Robotech^® RPG Tactics^™ – Available in USA & Canada

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is available in stores and from Palladium Books in the United States and Canada. Available elsewhere in the world in early 2015. Kickstarter rewards are already in the hands of 4,000+ US and Canadian backers. Rewards to European backers have left our warehouse. They should be placed on a ship heading to our UK fulfillment center this weekend. Australia and the rest of our backers are being packaged and prepared even as you read this. The remaining overseas Robotech® RPG Tactics™ rewards need to be gathered, packaged, made sure to satisfy each country’s shipping requirements (the maximum size varies), and then for Australia they’ll be palletized and put on a ship to be sent overseas to a central location for mailing to the actual backers. It is our understanding that this method of shipping should reduce the end cost to the recipient. That said, the recipient will, of course, be responsible for any and all fees, taxes and duties their government MAY charge. What taxes, duty and fees MAY be applied is completely out of Palladium’s hands. Again, it is our understanding that this method of shipping will mitigate the cost to the recipient. In other countries, we have no option but to ship directly to the backer, and the backer is likewise responsible for all taxes, duty and customs fees.

NEED Correct Addresses for EU and all Overseas Backers!

Please notify us of any change of address IMMEDIATELY! This applies to ALL overseas backers. PLEASE get us your change of address immediately!! Please check BackerKit ( http://robotech-rpg-tacticstm.backerkit.com ) and make sure your address is correct. If anything doesn’t look right, please send us your address in a Kickstarter message or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the Palladium office at 734-721-2903 with your new information. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!!! Note: Even though European rewards have left the Palladium warehouse we still have a couple of weeks in which we can make address changes. Do not risk your reward going to the wrong address because YOU failed to update your address. NOTE: Palladium Books will NOT be liable for lost goods if you have moved and did not tell us in time. Please contact us now! MOREOVER, you will be required to pay the additional shipping to redirect the package to the correct address. That’s assuming it is even returned to our fulfillment center. Please save yourself time and money and make sure your address is correct right NOW. Thank you.

FYI: We still have a few US packages that have been returned to Palladium Books due to an incorrect address. Please call the Palladium office at 734-721-2903 with your new information.

UPDATE: Palladium Fantasy RPG^®: Bizantium and the Northern Islands^™ – in production – January release

I have finally been able to get back to the reviewing and editing of Bizantium and the Northern Islands™. It is a good book that will please a lot of Fantasy fans, and is just the first of a few in the works. A January release.

90+ Palladium PDF titles available on DriveThruRPG.com

A sneak preview of the Rifter® #68 should be appearing soon, and we’ll be adding more issues to those available on DriveThruRPG.com. Meanwhile, spread the word that there are 90+ Palladium Books titles available as PDFs on DriveThruRPG.com with more to be made available in the coming weeks. They currently include the Coalition Wars®/Siege on Tolkeen™ series, Splicers® RPG, The Rifter® issues #1-56 (with more being added soon), and first edition rules of the Rifts® RPG, Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, and related 1st edition sourcebooks for each. And more! Like what? Like Fantasy Paper Miniatures and Game Master Kits for digital download. They are available only as PDF files and were designed special to help you run your games and build campaigns. There are also sneak previews of books and other good stuff. Check it out! And let other gamers know they are available too. We’ll be making more available on DriveThru in the weeks and months to come. So take a look on a regular basis.

Palladium Collectibles available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles Store

Limited editions, rare book titles and limited edition hardcovers are all being added to my online store over the weekend. Alex and I will keep adding items as supplies allow and as I scrounge items up. They include out of print titles, redlined proofreader photocopies signed by me and the staff, signed manuscripts with editors’ corrections, some original art, hardcover books (including Rifts® Northern Gun™ One and Two, Megaverse® in Flames™ and Rifts® Ultimate Gold) and other items available just in time for Christmas. There are also hundreds of toys and action figures, all from my personal collection. Alex will keep adding Palladium items over the next few weeks. All items in the store are from my own personal archives and collection. Take a look every few days as new items are added. There may be some items that are perfect as holiday gifts or upcoming birthdays and anniversaries.

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

Parting thoughts

The memorial service for James Boone Clements, the father of Palladium writer Matthew Clements, was an uplifting affair with so many people the funeral home was practically bursting. I wrote about it in one of my more recent Murmurs from the Megaverse®. I will try to post many more Murmurs than I have been in recent months, even if brief. It has been such a busy and demanding year I have not been posting much at all. I feel bad about that, and I’m working on changing that starting this week. Even worse, I have not had a chance to read or respond to most of the Private Messages that have been sent to me over the past year. At this stage, I think all I can do is delete them and start fresh. Sorry folks, it has been truly crazy here at Palladium. If it’s any consolation, I have not been in communication with most friends and Palladium freelancers either. That sucks and I’m going to try to make some serious changes on that level as well. Likewise, there will be changes coming to the Palladium website and I hope to get an ever increasing number of Palladium creators posting on our forums along with some other cool things.

Happy holidays and keep those imaginations burning bright.

– Kevin Siembieda, With Love and Appreciation

Surprise Package comments from fans like you

Every year there is a section where the customer can offer comments and suggestions with his or her Surprise Package order. Every year, in acknowledgment of our fans, and because they are fun to read, we offer a sampling in the Weekly Updates. Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have stuck with Palladium through thick and thin. Keep those imaginations burning bright, have a joyous holiday season and game on.

You have no idea how much your comments and support mean to all of us. Everyone at Palladium enjoys reading your brief comments. They always brighten our day. Thank you. Since I haven’t been posting as much as I’d like, I have tried to write a short response [in brackets] when applicable.

C.H.K. in Casselberry, Florida, writes (in part): Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Palladium! A few years ago, I ordered a X-Mas Surprise Package from you and I was blown away! Talk about delighted ... Happy gaming, Santa Kev and all the gang! Thanks for continuing to do what you do to keep the kid inside us happy and playing. Real life may have its ups and downs, but ANY day you can game is a GREAT day!

[I love that closing sentiment about life’s ups and downs. Great words to live by. Thanks for sharing them C.H.K. Game on! – KS]

A.H. in Wahiawa, Hawaii, writes: Kevin, My brother has been GMing Rifts® for me since I was 12, I’m now 35! His absolute favorite game is Rifts® and he loves bringing the game to new people everywhere we move to; which is a lot of places as I am in the Army! Thanks for all the wonderful years of gaming.

[Thanks for the high praise A.H., we are glad that Rifts® and all our games bring so much joy to people around the globe. Game on and tell your brother thanks. He must be a darn good G.M. Happy Holidays. – KS]

T.C. in Marietta, Georgia, writes: Just want to thank the team for keeping the engine going all of these great years!

[You are very welcome, T.C. And boy, do I ever have a great team of people to work with. I’m proud of each and every one of them. They are the best. And we have many more great ideas coming your way. – KS]

A.B. in West Orange, New Jersey, writes: I love the Grab Bag! Especially the signed items. Thank you for years of gaming.

[Happy to sign books A.B. Though when I’m old and my hands are arthritic, I may have a different view of things. We sign 8,000-10,000 books every Grab Bag season. Enjoy. – KS]

D.C. in Temple Terrace, Florida, writes: Thank you for everything you do! Your sourcebooks are the best on the market and provide the best RPG experience anywhere. Keep up all the great work.

[You’ve got it, D.C. We have all kinds of books planned that will blow people away. Keep that imagination burning bright. – KS]

J.H. in Springfield, Missouri, writes (in part): Okay, we have Robotech® RPG Tactics™, can we now get a version for Rifts®, please? So many storylines, so many models possible. So much that could be done from Coalition squads, robots and vehicles to spell caster squad, D-Bee packs, etc., etc. that Games Workshop could be buried. The storyline content and background alone . . .

[If Robotech® RPG Tactics™ does as well as we hope it will, you can count on it J.H. HOWEVER, we want to do the Robotech® game line justice first, so a Rifts® war game is probably a few years away. Besides, we are still learning the ins and outs of the tabletop business. But yes, we agree, a Rifts® miniatures game would be amazing. – KS]

T.F. in Huntington, West Virginia, writes: Have gotten a Grab Bag each year since the beginning. Love them.

[Be careful, T.F., you are dating yourself. :) Hope you enjoy this year’s Surprise Package just as much as always. – KS]

M.B. in Farmers Branch, Texas, writes: Santa Kev, I have been a really good gamer this year and hope that I get some of what I have on the list. :)

[M.B. you also gave us a very good list with lots of choices so I think you will be delighted with your Surprise Package. Thanks for making us laugh. – KS]

J.F. in Feura Bush, New York, writes (in part): I have been a customer since the mid-1980s. Palladium has never let me down with any product. Keep up the great work. I wish all of you good health and great times!

[We greatly appreciate your kind words and warm wishes. Right back at you, stay healthy and happy. – KS]

I.B. in Hamden, Connecticut, writes: I have been playing a D-Shifter from Chaos Earth® in a Megaverse® in Flames campaign for the past two years and having a blast!

[Awesome. Game on, I.B., game on! – KS]

J.F. in Los Angeles, California, writes: Just a heartfelt thank you once again for all the years (decades, actually) of fun.

[Thank you, J.F., glad to have the privilege of doing what I love all these years for so many people. Keep that imagination burning bright. – KS]

NEW! The Rifter^® #68 – Available now

This is traditionally the horror themed issue, but every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready to go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least 2-3 other Palladium game lines. And don’t forget, most of the material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

The Rifter® Number 68 includes:

• Heroes Unlimited™ – Band of Bothers, a light-hearted adventure by Branden Loizides.
• Rifts® – Megaverse® in Flames/Minion War™ “official” source material by Carl Gleba and Kevin Siembieda.
• Rifts® – The Crusaders and the Black Crusade, Part 4: Arcadia, by Andrew Landers. More about Rifts® Atlantis and new magic tattoos.
• “Brulyx?” – An Adventure for Beyond the Supernatural™ (not Dead Reign™) by Steven Dawes.
• News, coming attractions, product descriptions and more.
• Heroes Unlimited™ cover by John Zeleznik.
• 96 pages – $13.95 retail – Cat. No. 168. Available now. Ships Monday.

Robotech^® RPG Tactics^™ – Available in USA and Canada stores

This game makes an awesome gift or a great addition to your own collection. Fun. Fast. Captures Robotech. Assembly and painting REQUIRED. Note: Those of you outside North America can place pre-orders, but your order will not ship until after items have shipped to our Kickstarter backers overseas first.

● Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Boxed Set (Main Box Game) – Cat. No. 55100 – $99.95 retail price. This is the game Robotech® fans have wanted for decades. Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces.

The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Expansion Packs will be available to retail at the same time as the main box game. All are available now in the USA and Canada. Here are the SKUs and retail prices.

• UEDF Valkyrie Wing – Cat. No. 55201 – $36.95 retail.
• UEDF Tomahawk/Defender Destroids – Cat. No. 55202 – $32.95 retail.
• UEDF Spartan/Phalanx Destroids – Cat. No. 55203 – $32.95 retail.
• Zentraedi Regult Battlepods – Cat. No. 55401 – $36.95 retail.
• Zentraedi Artillery Battlepods – Cat. No. 55402 – $36.95 retail.
• Zentraedi Glaug Command – Cat. No. 55403 – $36.95 retail.

● Battle Foam Robotech bag/carrying case – Cat. No. 55107 – $120 retail (limited supply). Note: We only have about 50 Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Battle Foam bags available. Once they are sold out it will be months before we manufacture more, if ever.

NEW! Coalition States Embroidered Polo Shirt – Available now

This is a shirt we could imagine being worn by CS officers and even Joseph Prosek II when working in his office or relaxing. Available in sizes Medium to 5XL. With the Rifts® 25th Anniversary just around the corner and the Coalition’s big role in defending Rifts® Earth in the Minion War, the CS embroidered polo shirt just feels right.

Coalition States “Polo” Shirt:

• Quality 50/50 cotton and polyester blend.
• Hemmed sleeves for a loose, comfortable fit.
• Black polo shirt with an embroidered Coalition symbol of the Death’s Head with red lightning bolts and the words “Coalition States” underneath it in white. Very striking, yet subdued. Screams Coalition elite.
• This is a classy holiday gift that should make any Rifts® fan smile.
• Price varies with size (see below). Each size has its own Catalog Number. We tried to keep prices reasonable.
  - Medium CS Polo – $22.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563M
  - Large CS Polo – $22.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563L
  - XL CS Polo – $22.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XL
  - 2XL CS Polo – $25.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXL
  - 3XL CS Polo – $26.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXXL
  - 4XL CS Polo – $28.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXXXL
  - 5XL CS Polo – $29.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXXXXL
• Available now.

BACK IN PRINT: Villains Unlimited^™ – Available now

The dark side of Heroes Unlimited™, Villains contains page after page of unique and interesting villains, anti-heroes and secret organizations. 16 pages of new material and new cover art.

• The Jury – self-appointed policemen of superheroes.
• 80+ villains and a dozen heroes/anti-heroes statted out and ready to drop into your game.
• Secret villainous organizations like Fabricators Inc.; eight in all. Plus rules to design your own organizations.
• S.C.R.E.T. and other government agencies to counter the threat of “super humans.”
• New weapons, gadgets, equipment and adventures.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda and Kevin Long.
• $24.95 – 224 pages – Cat. No. 501.

BACK IN PRINT: Rifts^® Sourcebook Two: The Mechanoids^® – Available now

A.R.C.H.I.E. Three and Hagan have inadvertently unleashed The Mechanoids® into the world. The Mechanoids® are creatures with one driving goal: To destroy all humanoid life! This book has it all. Source material, the Mechanoids®, new equipment, monsters and adventures. Written by Kevin Siembieda.

• 40 Mechanoids and their robots with complete M.D.C. stats.
• A.R.C.H.I.E. Three and his new creations.
• ARCHIE weapons and equipment.
• Five adventures, random encounter tables and adventure ideas.
• Optional Character sheets.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda. Art by Long and Ewell.
• $16.95 – 112 pages – Cat. No. 805.

NEW! Dead Reign^® Sourcebook 5: Graveyard Earth^™ – Available now

If you love zombies and haven’t tried this game, it is time to do so, along with this compelling new sourcebook. The Dead Reign™ core rule book and sourcebooks capture the Zombie Apocalypse in a fast-playing, action-packed RPG of survival and terror.

The Graveyard Earth™ sourcebook expands the Zombie Apocalypse around the world, providing a wide range of ideas and settings for adventure. Every continent is given an overview with key locations noted across the globe. This includes likely and rumored Safe Haven communities, military outposts and data about what happened during the zombie outbreak and what’s going on NOW. Has any government survived? Is anyplace safe?

• The state of the world. Adventure ideas galore.
• Survival tips and many random generation tables for travel, survival, and Safe Havens around the world.
• The Zombie World Tour presents how the Wave and the Zombie Apocalypse have played out across the globe. Every country in the world has been touched and changed by the rise of the dead.
• Random Safe Havens by region.
• Many Random Tables for Settings, Safe Havens and more.
• Random Survivor Leaders, Zombie Threat Level Table and more.
• Trapped abroad? How do you get home in a zombie-filled world? Data and tables for aircraft landing conditions and travel by road and by sea.
• A must-have book for players and Game Masters alike.
• Adventure ideas for every corner of the world.
• Written by Matthew Clements. Additional text by Kevin Siembieda
• 64 pages – $12.95 retail – Cat. No. 235. Available now!

NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG^® Sourcebook: Bizantium and the Northern Islands^™ – Ships January

Journey to the Island Kingdom of Bizantium, situated at the far northern peak of the Palladium World. Its vast fleets of merchant vessels and warships travel the high seas and bring untold wealth back to the kingdom, as well as exotic goods, people, customs, weapons and foreign magic. As foreign powers exert their influence on the throne, treachery and potential power grabs lurk in the shadows.

• New Waterchanter O.C.C. and 20+ magic spell new to the Fantasy setting.
• New Sea Serpents and the warrior sailors who hunt them.
• Sea Serpent generation table to create your own sea monsters.
• New animals of the North Sea and Sea of Despair.
• Sea serpent ships! Dead serpents turned into deadly, massive attack ships (as depicted on the cover). And the forgotten race who creates these ships and threatens sailors in the Northern seas.
• New O.C.C.s including the Serpent Chaser and Bizantium Marine.
• New weapons and equipment for sailors, mariners, soldiers and adventurers at large.
• New Bizantium ships including the Bireme, Ice Breaker and Battleship.
• Full time-line of the history of Bizantium.
• Bizantian society, culture, religion and magic.
• The Eoten of the Northern Islands, their mythology and influence.
• The Northern Islands described in full, cities and geography, as well as threats to sailors in the North Sea and Sea of Despair.
• Bizantium’s many shipyards, possibly the kingdom’s greatest asset.
• Key figures of Bizantium and political intrigue.
• The Noble Houses, Warlocks and foreign powers all trying to capture the throne of Bizantium for themselves!
• Written by Glen Evans. Additional text Matthew Clements and Kevin Siembieda.
• Cover by Chuck Walton and Eduardo Dominguez S.
• Interior art by Chuck Walton, Kevin Siembieda, Tanya Ramsey, Jeff Burke and others.
• 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 474 – January release.

NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG^® “Paper Miniatures” – available now on DriveThruRPG.com

Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Paper Miniatures” is a new digital product line created by artist and writer “Madman” Mike Leonard. They are designed as full color paper game pieces that you print on a card stock, cut out and slide into a paper stand (all part of the package you purchase). A FREE Sample and the first two sets of Palladium Fantasy RPG® Paper Miniatures are available NOW on DriveThruRPG.

A Great Horned Dragon will be added, and two more Volumes are coming in the next month or two. And don’t forget, first edition rules of the Palladium Fantasy RPG® and several sourcebooks (and 90+ other titles including the Rifts® and Splicers® RPGs) are also available as PDFs. Have fun.

● Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Paper Miniatures” FREE Sample

● Volume One: O.C.C.s – 24 O.C.C.s representing each of the primary character classes – Men-at-Arms, Men of Magic, Clergy and Psychics.

• 28mm figures with a one inch base.
• All figures are designed in full color and look great.
• $5.99 for the PDF download.

● Volume Two: Monster Races – 28 R.C.C.s representing 4 Trolls, 4 Ogres, 8 Orcs, 8 Goblins and 4 Hob-Goblins. More nonhuman races to come.

• 28mm scale figures.
• All figures are designed in full color and look great.
• $5.99 for the PDF download.

● Coming Soon – Great Horned Dragon

• 28mm scale figure with a 10 inch wingspan.
• Designed in full color and looks great.
• $3.99 for the PDF download.

● Coming – Volume Three: Additional O.C.C.s

● Coming – Volume Four: Skeletons and Undead

What is a Palladium Christmas Surprise Package? Available now

Christmas Surprise Packages, or “Grab Bags,” are a long-running holiday tradition in which you can get several RPG titles at a substantial discount. It is our way to say thank you to our many fans for being so kind and patient, and for your years of support. You are appreciated more than you may realize. That’s why Santa Kevin personally handpicks each and every item for every Grab Bag, and reads every comment (returning a short comment whenever he can). No other company does anything quite like it.

Christmas Surprise Packages are not just for Christmas. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the Winter Solstice, or you’re looking for a gift for a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion that falls between now and February, a Surprise Package may be the ideal way to go. You get a ton of stuff on the cheap, you can get a bunch of autographs, and you look like you spent a fortune.

This is also a great way to try that game setting you’ve wondered about (Splicers®, Dead Reign™, Chaos Earth®, Palladium Fantasy®, Nightbane®, etc.), or to get something for your favorite Game Master, or perhaps to get your player group to consider a new game or setting.

Autographed books. For those of you who want them (which are most people), the available members of the Palladium staff and any freelancers we can lasso at the time are happy to autograph each and every book in your Surprise Package. This is the only way many fans, especially those in other countries, can EVER get signed books.

Send us your brief comments. There is a special form and format to fill out for Christmas Surprise Packages, including a place where you can offer your brief comments, suggestions, greetings and salutations.

• Request autographs and Kevin Siembieda and all available Palladium staff members and freelancers will sign each of your books.
• Get rare collectibles, art prints, select gold editions and special items.
• Try that game setting you’ve wondered about – Splicers®, Dead Reign™, Nightbane®, Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, Palladium Fantasy®, Robotech® RPG titles, etc.
• Fill holes in your collection.
• Get gifts for your G.M. and gaming pals.
• Treat yourself.
• Be surprised.

Only $42 plus shipping & handling to get $84-$90+ worth of Palladium products! First-timers are always nervous until they see the great value in their first Surprise Package. A typical Grab Bag has $85-$90 worth of product, sometimes more! Yes, sometimes more. Many people order 2-3. Some order 4-6, and some maniacs order even more! It makes sense, because it is a great way to fill holes in your own collection, treat yourself, get autographs, try new games and settings, and get your gaming pals gifts.

IMPORTANT! The Palladium Surprise Packages are designed to simulate the fun, joy and surprise of the Christmas Season of Giving. In this case, Santa Kevin needs you to submit a list of 10-12 Palladium products (or more) for EACH Surprise Package you request. That way you don’t know what you’re getting, just like when you receive a Christmas present. It is a surprise! Plus, Santa Kevin, who personally handpicks every item for every Grab Bag, may toss in something extra like a limited edition print, comic book, T-shirt, an issue of The Rifter®, or something else he thinks you’ll enjoy.

Click here to see the entire Surprise Package description.

Happy Holidays from the Palladium crew. May they be filled with laughter, joy and gaming.

NEW! Robotech^®: Expeditionary Force Marines Sourcebook One

– Formerly titled ‘UEEF Marines’

Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines sourcebook is set in space with the UEEF (United Earth Expeditionary Force) led by Admiral Rick Hunter. This valiant force of mecha-clad heroes travel across the galaxy liberating planets from the bondage of the Invid Regent, the Robotech Masters and other tyrants and monsters.

• New mecha and weapons of the UEEF Marines.
• New UEEF Marine character classes and background.
• Alien species and allies.
• Planet hopping, adventure and much more.
• Epic battles and adventure ideas galore.
• Written by Irvin Jackson. Additional text by Kevin Siembieda.
• 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 553 – January/February, 2015, release.

Coming BACK IN PRINT – Rise of Magic^™

A Rifts^® Chaos Earth^® Sourcebook – Winter

The return of magic has empowered humans with strange and wondrous powers, unlike anything quite yet seen (and different from most conventional types of magic). This only complicates things for Earth’s defenders as the line of distinction between “good guys” and “bad guys” begins to blur.

• Chaos Magic, new magic specific to the Chaos Earth® setting.
• More than 100 unique Chaos Magic spells.
• New magic O.C.C.s like the Blue Zone Wizard and Chaos Wizard.
• New evil magic users like the Chaos Witch and Demon Caller.
• More on NEMA and the Demon Plagues.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda.
• 64 pages – $14.95 – Cat. No. 662. Probably a January, 2015, release.

Megaverse^® in Flames^™ “Gold Edition” – Available now

It is a beauty. Signed and numbered. Limited to only 300 copies. Printed gold foil on black leatherette, signed by the Palladium staff, Matthew Clements and Chuck Walton. (You can get Carl Gleba’s signature at the Palladium Open House next May.) Makes a great gift for birthdays and holidays. All the Gold Editions do.

• 300 signed and numbered copies.
• Signed and numbered on the credits page by Kevin Siembieda and the Palladium staff and some contributors, including Matthew Clements, Chuck Walton and Ben Rodriguez.
• Black Leatherette cover with gold foil imprinting.
• Interior pages are exactly the same as the softcover edition.
• Written by Carl Gleba. Additional text by Kevin Siembieda.
• Hardcover art by Nick Bradshaw.
• 192 pages – $50 while supplies last – Cat. No. 876HC. Available now, only from Palladium Books.

NEW! Rifts^® World Book 35: Megaverse^® in Flames^™ – Available now

The Minion War is here and the demons seek to conquer Rifts Earth. They are bringing demonic armies by the tens of thousands across the dimensional divide, unleashing plagues, seeking out magic artifacts, recruiting monsters and mortal allies, and testing their strength against Earth’s military powers. Worse, they are building Hell Pits so that they can unleash Hell on Earth! Not to be outdone, the Minions of Dyval are doing all the same things. Clashes between demons and Deevils are increasing every day and turn into titanic free-for-alls when Earth forces join the battle. As demonic supernatural forces ramp up, enslave people and wreak havoc across the globe, the question becomes: Is this the beginning of a new Dark Age?

• Seven Hell Plagues.
• Soulmancer and Blood Warrior O.C.C.s as NPC villains.
• 50+ Soulmancy spells.
• Lord Kreelo and Megaverse Armaments.
• 40+ new weapons, armor and vehicles including the Walking Death, Meat Grinder, Carnage Tank, Flesh Armor, Bone Armor, Chaos Warrior Armor, charms, talismans, guns and more.
• Demonic armies, strongholds and places of evil.
• Calgary, the Kingdom of Monsters.
• Rifts® Cuba/Ciudad de Diablo, Harpies’ Island and other notable Hell holes on Earth.
• Seven Demon Lords, their Hell Pits and armies.
• Seven Deevil Lords, their Hell Pits and plans.
• Lord Doom, Pain and other forces in the Minion War.
• It is battleground Earth! Ideas for adventures galore.
• Written by Carl Gleba. A part of the Minion War™ “Crossover” series.
• 192 pages – $24.95 retail – Cat. No. 876. Available now.

NEW! Rifts^® Northern Gun^™ Two – signed & numbered print

The first batch of prints went to a select number of the Megaverse Insiders, but starting with Number 102, you too can get a signed and numbered Northern Gun™ Two Print. It is the striking John Zeleznik wrap-around cover without any text or logo to obscure the artwork. Limited to a total of 290 copies. Suitable for framing.

• Limited to 290 signed and numbered prints; 101 of which have already gone to Megaverse Insider crowdfunders. The remaining 189 prints are available while supplies last.
• The artwork is by the dynamic John Zeleznik.
• Each is signed by Charles Walton (artist), Matthew Clements (author) and Kevin Siembieda (author and publisher) in silver.
• Size: Printed on 17.5 x 11.5 inch glossy paper. 16x10 image area. Suitable for framing.
• Mailed rolled in a sturdy tube.
• $10.00 – Cat. No. PR811 – Available now.
• NG-1 Print by Chuck Walton – Cat. No. PR810 – is also still available – $10.00

NEW! Future Visions^™

– The Artistry of Charles Walton II – Available now

We call it Future Visions because it very much gives you a glimpse into the future of what is coming from Palladium Books. It is jam-packed with black and white artwork and concept art for several of the upcoming Splicers® sourcebooks and a couple other Palladium projects. Things we are excited about and want you to be, too. People can’t seem to get enough of Chuck Walton artwork, so here is an entire 96 page book filled with it. Some of the art is finished pieces, many others are concept art that may be tweaked and altered, or not used at all. Much of it is material you would never ordinarily see. If you like this book and it sells well, it can be the first of several Charles Walton II art books (and other artists?). We hope you enjoy it. It was a fun, quick and easy project to throw together. It didn't impact our schedule more than a few days.

• A 96 page trip into the future.
• All artwork is by Charles Walton II.
• All interior art is black and white.
• Splicers® art galore.
• Color cover by Charles Walton.
• Introduction by Kevin Siembieda.
• Behind the scenes insight by Siembieda and Walton.
• 96 pages – $13.95 retail – Cat. No. 2562 – Available now.

PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

• The Rifter® #53-54 recently added – available now.
• Splicers® RPG.
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, First Edition Rules.
• Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS, First Edition Rules.
• Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™.
• The Mechanoids® RPG and The Mechanoid Invasion® RPG Trilogy.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, First Edition Rules and select 1st Edition sourcebooks.
• After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks.
• The Rifter® issues 1-54.
• The Best of The Rifter®.
• Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG and Advanced RECON® Sourcebook.
• And more – go to DriveThruRPG.com and check ‘em out.

2015 Palladium Open House (POH) – May 15-17, 2015

The 2015 Open House is going to be awesome. Take a look at the growing list of Palladium Creators who have already confirmed they will be attending.

• Ramon Perez – artist – Ramon has been working in the comic book industry at Marvel Comics, DC, Boom and other publishers. He is currently illustrating Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man: Learning to Crawl. Ramon remains “tentative,” but he hopes to clear his schedule to join the fun and hopes to be able to make it in 2015. I will update you when he confirms. Note: Everyone else in this list has confirmed.
• Amy L. Ashbaugh – artist
• Mark Dudley – artist and Game Master
• “Madman” Michael Leonard – artist, writer & Game Master
• Apollo Okamura – artist
• Benjamin Rodriguez – artist
• Charles Walton – artist
• Brandon Aten – writer & Game Master
• Matthew Clements – Palladium Staff – Head writer
• Greg Diaczyk – writer & Game Master
• Glen Evans – writer & Game Master
• Taylor White – writer, musician & Game Master
• Matthew Balent – writer (the Weapons & Armor series, Monsters & Animals, etc.)
• Thomas Bartold – writer and one of the original Defilers
• James Brown – Megaversal Ambassador & Game Master
• Jeffery Burke – Palladium Staff – Robotech® coordinator & artist
• Steven Dawes – freelance writer & Game Masters
• Alex Marciniszyn – Palladium Staff – editor, research, more
• Victor Peterson – Megaversal Ambassador Coordinator & Game Master
• Julius Rosenstein – Palladium Staff – proofreader, writer, Game Master
• Jeff Ruiz – Megaversal Ambassador Coordinator & Game Master
• Kevin Siembieda – Palladium Staff – writer, artist, game designer
• Kathy Simmons – Palladium Staff – Customer Service & POH Coordinator
• Wayne Smith – Palladium Staff – Editor, The Rifter®, Projects Manager & more.
• MANY more writers, artists and creators are expected to join this list.
• And we may have a surprise guest or two.

I think we may max out our attendance numbers for 2015, so make sure you order your tickets sooner than later to make sure you are not turned away. Palladium can only accommodate around 300 gamers total (plus staff and Palladium creators). Once we reach that number, the POH will be sold out. Order in the coming months or risk not being able to attend. If you wait till March or April, 2015 it may be too late!

A more complete description of the 2015 POH is in the online store and you can start purchasing your admission for the weekend or individual days as well as VIP Thursday (May 14, 2015). This write-up is just the highlights, please read the full description in the store. Remember, Price of admission covers ALL EVENTS, except VIP Thursday. There are no extra fees for gaming events, panel talks or autographs.

$45 per person for the Three Day Weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday; May 15, 16 & 17) when ordered in advance per each individual. ($60 at the door and after April 12, 2015, if space is available.)

$87 additional for VIP Night – Thursday – May 14, 2014. The VIP Night always sells out within weeks, so make your reservation as soon as possible. First-come, first-served. VIP Night is a special, one-evening event limited to around 120 gamers – 70 are available right now. VIP Thursday, May 14, 2014: 3:00 P.M. till 12:00 P.M. NOTE: As has become tradition, we hold a number of VIP slots to be offered at a later date – typically February – so that gamers who decide to attend at a later date have a chance at getting into the coveted VIP Night too. You get the delicious meal catered by Palladium’s very own Kathy Simmons (people rave about her meals), plus you get an extra afternoon and evening of gaming (opens late afternoon), a more intimate chance to talk with Palladium staff, artists and writers, and first crack at rare collectibles, prints and original art.

Other POH Highlights:

• 40+ Palladium creators. See the store description for details. In the past, the POH usually has 35-50 creators (writers, artists, editors, staff, Rifter contributors, etc.) attending. More than at any other convention or gathering anywhere, ever! And most are available to you almost the ENTIRE event to chat with you and sign autographs. Some will even run gaming events!
• 3 days of Palladium gaming.
• 100+ gaming events. Game Masters/Megaversal Ambassadors NEEDED!
• Many games run by the people who make them, including Kevin Siembieda, Julius Rosenstein, Carmen Bellaire, Brandon Aten, Greg Diaczyk, Taylor White and many others!
• 8-10 panel talks each day, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Subjects run from player and G.M. tips, to writing and game design, to meeting various artists and more.
• Auction of art and collectibles.
• A family reunion atmosphere. Meet gamers from around the world
• And it all happens at the Palladium warehouse and offices, where the magic happens! Okay, not quite “all.” When the gaming stops around 1:00 AM every night, the hotel has a large conference room where you maniacs can continue to game till you drop. There is room for at least 8 games in the room.

2015 Open House Hotel – reserve your room now

You should reserve your hotel room today. Your card will not be charged until next May. Other hotels are booked due to a sporting event the same weekend, so other area hotels will be filled. RESERVE YOUR ROOM TODAY or the next available hotel may be 20+ miles away.

Comfort Inn

40455 Ann Arbor Road
Plymouth, MI 48170
Phone: 734-455-8100

Group Code: Palladium Books – you MUST request the Group Code “Palladium Books” at the time of booking to ensure the correct rate will be quoted and billed to you.

Dates of the 2015 Palladium Open House (POH): May 15-17 (May 14 is VIP Thursday), 2015.

$109.00 (plus tax) per night at the Comfort Inn, a.k.a. “Plymouth Clock Tower Hotel.” That’s $109 (plus tax) for a room with two queen beds or one king with a sofa that has a pull-out sleeper. ALL rooms have a micro-fridge and FREE high-speed wired/wireless Internet. The hotel also offers a FREE hot breakfast from 6 A.M. to 10 A.M. near the lobby, heated indoor swimming pool, a fitness center (24 hours), and a coin operated laundry. The large conference room is ours to use for around the clock open gaming. Reserve using Group Code: Palladium Books. And do it as soon as possible. The hotel has been remodeled, resulting in a smaller number of rooms. If you know you are coming to the 2015 Palladium Open House, we recommend you reserve your room today. Important Note: You MUST give them the Group Code: Palladium Books to get this rate. Call 734-455-8100 to make your reservation. The hotel does NOT charge your credit card until a few days before the event and you can cancel up to May 10, 2015. So there is no reason to wait.

2015 POH Game Masters needed

Palladium Megaversal Ambassadors, Palladium creators, and any experienced Game Master planning to come to the 2015 Palladium Open House – please let us know if you are planning to run one or more gaming events. Those who run three or more get special discounts, free T-shirt and more. We need plenty of games to satisfy 300 gamers. Your help is appreciated. Contact us by telephone (734-721-2903) or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

© Copyright 2014 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Powers Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Dead Reign®, Chaos Earth®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, 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.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

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