Palladium Books® Weekly Update – Jan. 11, 2015

By Kevin Siembieda

Holy crow, there is soooo much to talk about that the big question for me while writing for this update, is exactly what to cover now and what to save for the Update on Thursday. After some discussion, we decided I should focus on books that are coming in the months ahead, and only touch upon other subjects that will be addressed in the next Weekly Update later this week. That will include the latest goings-on for the Palladium Open House, AdeptiCon and Gen Con Indy (and a lot is going on). Likewise, Wayne and I will be penning a lengthy Robotech® RPG Tactics™ (RRT) Update to post and email in a day or two. It is already partially written as it was originally intended for this Update.

UPDATE: Final hours to get your Christmas Surprise Package! Offer ENDS today! You have till midnight Pacific Time to place your order

Today, Sunday, January 11, 2015, is your last chance to purchase a 2014 Christmas Surprise Package. Get yours today or wait till next Christmas.

Surprise Packages make great gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, filling in holes in your collection or trying a new game setting. This offer will NOT be extended further. This is it. Order yours now and game all winter long.

For complete ordering information about the Surprise Package, click here.

Plans for 2015 Releases

We have hit the ground in the New Year with both feet and running. We have big plans and high expectations for ourselves. We will work hard to unleash a plethora of new books, Rifts® titles, Robotech® titles, Chaos Earth® books and long awaited titles like sourcebooks for Splicers® and Beyond the Supernatural™ like Tomes Grotesque™ and Beyond Arcanum™. I’ve even made an outline for Land of the Damned Three, but no promises for a 2015 release. Actually, I want to try to give you a little something for most of our game lines. That said, this is likely to be the year of Rifts® and Robotech®.

With 2015 being the 25th anniversary of Rifts®, you should see at least a half dozen new releases for Rifts®, maybe more. Meanwhile, we want to get the Wave Two of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ expansion sets finished and in your hands and do a number of things to promote the release of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ around the world in 2015. FAQs, new and improved building instructions, and other good stuff for RRT is coming. We want to bring you truly epic Robotech® gaming experiences for all eras (and some surprises) over the next few years.

Getting Product Released

Man oh man, Palladium has been terrible hitting its release dates the last couple of years. I hope we’ll be much better this year, but only time will tell. With that in mind, I’m going to try to avoid hard deadline dates and instead indicate what we are working on and very broad releases like by Summer, unless we know otherwise.

Right now, we have 22 books in development, and that does not include getting Robotech® RPG Tactics™ (RRT) and Wave One products released to our backers and stores around the world, nor the massive number of items that are part of the RRT Wave Two release coming later in 2015.

With hard work, your support and spreading the word about all these great new releases as they come out, 2015 could be a stellar year for you, our fans, and Palladium Books.

Here are just some of the book titles we are working on and want to see out by the end of June. Please Note: We may move around the actual order of release, but here is what we would like out by the end of June in the order we are currently considering.

• Rifter #69 – Winter/January/February – in production right now.
• Rifts® Book of Magic – Back in print end of January – at the printer.
• Rifts® Chaos Earth®: Rise of Magic™ Sourcebook – Back in print, January or February.
• Bizantium & the Northern Islands™ – February – in final production right now.
• A new style of Rifts® Dice Bag
• New! Robotech® Dice Bag (tentative)
• Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines™ Sourcebook
• Dead Reign® Sourcebook: Hell Followed™ (a large, juicy sourcebook)
• Chaos Earth® Resurrection (the dead rise, zombies attack)
• Chaos Earth® First Responders (more than you may imagine)
• The Rifter® #70 – Spring

Other Titles for 2015 and Beyond

We are not sure which of the following will see release in 2015, or in what order, but these are projects we are working on, or manuscripts already turned in that we are considering or awaiting final rewrite and editing. And there are still some secret projects and licenses yet to be revealed.

• Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Advanced Rule Book
• Splicers® Sourcebooks – several
• Beyond the Supernatural™ – Tomes Grotesque™ Volume One
• Beyond the Supernatural™ – Beyond Arcanum™
• Palladium Fantasy® Land of the Damned 3: The Citadel (probably 2016)
• Palladium Fantasy® Land of the South Winds
• Heroes Unlimited™ sourcebooks
• Dead Reign® sourcebooks
• Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans™
• Rifts® Heroes of Humanity™
• Rifts® The Disavowed™
• Rifts® Antarctica
• Rifts® Sovietski
• Rifts® New Navy™
• Rifts® Delta Blues™
• Rifts® Dark Woods™
• Rifts® Voodoo
• Plus Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave One and Wave Two releases worldwide, new T-shirts, prints and other products. Read on for more details on some products.

UPDATE: Robotech^® RPG Tactics^™

There is so much to talk about regarding Robotech® RPG Tactics™ that we are giving it its own Update. That should go out in a day or two. We are proud of this exciting new game and encourage anyone who has an interest in Robotech® to give it a hard look. If you love Robotech® — oh baby, you have to give it a look. The game really captures the look and feel of the TV show and is a blast to play.

News about Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Wave One shipping to the rest of the world, FAQ, more detailed instruction sheets for building the game pieces, RRT Wave Two, and more will be addressed in the Robotech® Update going out in a day or two.

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

The Rifter® #68 shipped terribly late, just this past December, but it is full of good stuff and available now. Order yours soon. ‘Nuff said.

A preview of The Rifter® #68 is available on DriveThruRPG.com, and we’ll be adding more issues to those available on DriveThruRPG.com in the weeks to come. 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 DriveThruRPG in the weeks and months to come. So take a look on a regular basis.

UPDATE: The Rifter^® #69 – January, 2015 release

Wayne has been working on and making his selections for The Rifter® #69 in between the many other demands on his time. Please note that while we will no longer be guaranteeing release in a specific month, we will be looking to see The Rifter® release fairly early in each seasonal quarter: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. For example, we are shooting to get this issue of The Rifter® shipped out by the end of January or early February.

The Rifter® #69 will include material for After the Bomb®, Rifts® and other settings. Don’t forget that most material can be easily adapted from one setting to another.

2015 is the 25th Anniversary of Rifts®, so we will be doing what we have done with the anniversaries of Palladium Fantasy® and Heroes Unlimited™ these past two years by making every cover of The Rifter® in 2015 dedicated to Rifts® and making sure there is a wealth of Rifts® material for each issue in 2015.

COMING: The Rifter^® Super-Subscription Offer

Many of you will see your subscription ending with The Rifter® #68 (recently shipped) or The Rifter® #69 (coming in January/February). Every year for some time now, we do a month long re-subscription sale that we call The Rifter® Super-Subscription Offer. We just wanted to let you know this offer is coming in a week or two, so watch for it.

The advantage of The Rifter® Super-Subscription Offer is you get a great price plus a FREE gift (you just pay the shipping for that gift), along with your subscription. And this year, I am working up what I think will be some fun and unexpected gifts when you subscribe to The Rifter®.

What’s that? You’re not familiar with The Rifter®? It is a sort of official “fanzine” with source material and articles for three or more settings. Some of the writing is by regular Palladium authors, many by fans like yourself, sharing their own adventures, villains, monsters, magic, house rules and ideas with you. The Rifter® is also one of the ways we find new writers and artists, by trying them out in the pages of The Rifter® for several issues to see how we and others like their work.

Remember, ALL the source material, regardless of the setting, can usually be modified and adapted from that specific setting to ANY Palladium setting. That means Rifts® source material could be modified for use in Robotech® or Heroes Unlimited or Palladium Fantasy®, and at the very least provide ideas and inspiration for adventures, new villains, new monsters and new ways to play. Monsters and magic are always easy to convert and drop into any setting. Do not overlook The Rifter® as a valuable resource for adventures, characters and ideas. Especially when you can subscribe and get a 96 page sourcebook (and we have ideas for a couple expanded special issues) for only $9.00 plus free gift during this offer. Use The Rifter® and The Rifter® Super-Subscription Offer as a resource to make your games and campaigns richer.

You will probably be able to place your Rifter® Super-Subscription Offer in a week or two. We will announce it in an upcoming Weekly Update.

COMING: A new style of Rifts^® Dice Bag

We were never completely happy with the old style dice bag. Well, Alex tracked down a better quality bag, so we’ll be making and releasing a new Rifts® dice bag. The imprint will be a silk screen printing that should last much longer than the old dice bag and looks richer and classier. It is a very different look than the bag of the past, but we love it and think you will too.

Size: About the same as the old bag, but a nicer material.

Note: We may be offering a dice bag for select other game lines as well, like Robotech®.

COMING: Price Increase for the Heroes Unlimited^™ 30th Anniversary Gold and Palladium Fantasy^® 30th Anniversary Elemental Green Hardcover – increase to $50.00 on February 1, 2015

The low, low price of $40.00 for the two 30th Anniversary editions was done as part of the anniversary celebration. With the New Year and a new anniversary, we will increase the price to $50.00 each on February 1, 2015. This puts the HU2 and Fantasy special hardcover editions in line with most of our other Gold Editions, past and present. Fair warning: you have just under three weeks to make purchases at the $40 price.

2015 Convention Schedule

● AdeptiCon – March 19-22, 2015, in the Chicago, Illinois area.

There will be at least one tournament, demos and Palladium Books present. More G.M.s and demo teams wanted. More details next Weekly Update.

● Palladium Open House – May 14-17, 2015, at the Palladium warehouse in Westland, Michigan.

That’s only FOUR months away! Can you believe it? Have you ordered your admission tickets and “reserved” your hotel room? What are you waiting for? We are so excited. Palladium gaming nonstop for three days (four for those coming to VIP Thursday). A lot of Palladium creators have confirmed they are coming. Meet dozens of Palladium creators, get autographs, have a blast. G.M.s and demo teams needed to run events. More details next Weekly Update.

For more info and to purchase tickets to the Palladium Open House, click here.

● Gen Con® Indy – July 30 to August 2, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana

It is the biggest gaming convention in North America. Palladium will be there. G.M.s and demo teams needed to run events. More details next Weekly Update.

2015: Final thoughts for big plans, changes and your support

There is no shortage of fantastic ideas for new sourcebooks and new games. It’s all a matter of time and money. Historically speaking, we let our optimism and excitement for upcoming releases and ideas for books get the better of us, compelling us to post unrealistic release dates. So I’m going to going to try something new. I’m going to talk about some upcoming projects and books without offering a target release date. That way you’ll be in the loop, but you won’t be disappointed with a missed release date.

There are a number of changes that are coming. That will include changes in the way we do things. Changes on the Palladium website, and changes to get more product released. Some changes will be small. Some larger and more noticeable. I think most of you will be excited by many of them, as our goal is to release more product and to make the Palladium community bigger and more fun.

You can help by purchasing product and spreading the positive word. We keep hearing how the books coming out are consistently mind-blowing, fun and some of our best work ever. Awesome. And we agree, because we are all pushing the envelope and on the top of our game. Yet sales in some areas are disappointing. We will be releasing a wide variety of books this year. Many titles you’ve been wanting for quite some time. If you want to see more new books for those game lines, you will want to make sure you buy them and spread the word to encourage others to try different titles and game settings. Lousy sales will mean our focusing on other areas instead. Word of mouth is a powerful tool. We need your help and support to grow the Palladium Books brand and create excitement over our many game lines. We also hope to see many of you at the Palladium Open House in May, as well as other gaming events.

– Kevin Siembieda, Game Designer, Writer and Fan Boy

Robotech^® RPG Tactics^™ – Available now in the USA and Canada – coming to other parts of the world soon

● 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 are available to retail at the same time as the main box game. 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.

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!

Rifts^® Book of Magic – Back in Print End of January

Rifts® Book of Magic has been sent to the printer for reprinting. We have not yet received a ship date, but it should be around the end of January. When we know the exact date, we’ll let you know pronto.

Rifts® Book of Magic is 352 pages of nothing but spells (850 of them), magic and magic items, including Rune Weapons, Techno-Wizard items, Bio-Wizard Splugorth creations, and Iron Juggernauts. That’s cover to cover spells and magic items and a few related odds and ends like Atlantean Tattoos and the Nazca Lines. Everything collected from the first 23 World Books, Sourcebooks 1-4, and Siege on Tolkeen 1-6 into one giant reference of magical goodness. At the printer. Taking pre-orders now. Ships end of January.

• More than 850 magic spells!
• Elemental, Necromancy, Spoiling Magic, Conjuring & others.
• Magic Tattoos, Stone Magic, Temporal Magic and Living Fire.
• Cloud Magic, Whale Songs, Ocean Magic and more.
• Biomancy, Bio-Wizardry, Necromancy and other dark forms of magic.
• Over 100 different Techno-Wizard weapons.
• Techno-Wizard vehicles and TW vehicle conversion tables.
• Techno-Wizard devices, Rune Weapons, amulets, fetishes, enchanted herbs, Millennium Tree gifts & other magic items.
• Optional rules & clarification on magic and more. Note: It is a vital reference for Rifts® Chaos Earth™, Rifts® Federation of Magic, the Rifts® China books and all Rifts® titles. Furthermore, spells and most magic items are easy to adapt to world settings like Palladium Fantasy® and Heroes Unlimited. Don’t get caught without it.
• $26.95 – 352 pages – Cat. No. 848 – ships in a few weeks, end of January.

NEW! The Rifter^® #69 – January or February

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.

With 2015 being the 25th Anniversary of Rifts®, every issue of The Rifter® will feature a Rifts® inspired cover and contain at least one Rifts® article.

The Rifter® #69 – Winter, 2015:

• Rifts® source material.
• After the Bomb® source material.
• Optional source material for other settings yet to be announced.
• News, coming attractions, product descriptions and more.
• Rifts® cover by “Madman” Mike Leonard.
• 96 pages – $13.95 retail – Cat. No. 169. Winter issue.

Rise of Magic^™ – Rifts^® Chaos Earth^® Sourcebook – January/February

The reason this book kept getting pushed back is that it is not a simple reprint. We had many corrections to make and the entire book has to be re-typeset and laid out like a new book. Art had to be found and scanned. Well, we will have it to the printer soon and in your hands by the end of January or early February.

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 – $12.95 – Cat. No. 662. Ships January or February, 2015.

NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG^® Sourcebook:

Bizantium and the Northern Islands^™ – Ships February

Realistically, Bizantium and the Northern Islands™ will not be ready to ship until February. The writing has been a little rougher than I expected, but really I have been pulled away to handle a great many other things. I continue to clear my plate and expect to give it the majority of my attention over the next two weeks. All the artwork is in, and looks fantastic.

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 spells 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 by 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 – February release.

Robotech^®: Expeditionary Force Marines Sourcebook One

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. March (tentative).

Rifts^® Sourcebook – The Coalition States: Heroes of Humanity

The events unfolding in World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames threaten to change the entire landscape of Rifts® Earth, as the demonic minions of Hades and Dyval seek to bring Hell on Earth and turn the planet into a dimensional gateway to Armageddon!

The Coalition States, along with Northern Gun and Lazlo, take the lead in the defense of North America. Heroes of Humanity explores the good and bad in the Coalition’s efforts to save humanity and send this new threat back to the pits of Hell.

• New Coalition weapons, armor and war machines.
• The Coalition States: are they heroes or villains? Or does it depend on whether you are human or not?
• Can the CS fight alongside mages and D-Bees if it means saving the world?
• How is the CS dealing with the Minion War on Earth?
• One plan to battle the Xiticix and who really pays the price.
• Adventure ideas and more.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda, Matthew Clements and contributors.
• Final page count and cost yet to be determined but probably 96 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 889.

Rifts^® Secrets of the Coalition States: The Disavowed

“Desperate times require desperate measures. War has nothing to do with morality or justice. It’s all about winning or dying. We cannot bind our hands with high ideals, even our own, or worry about the laws of renegade nations or the rights of alien people. We must fight fire with fire. And you are the match.” – Colonel Lyboc addressing a Disavowed team

The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mission is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever be the Disavowed.

• CS operatives so secret that even the top military and political leaders right up to Emperor Prosek know nothing about them. And if they did know, would they condone their activity or condemn it?
• Are the Disavowed heroes or renegades? Assassins or soldiers? Madmen or super-patriots? Or a little of them all?
• Unsung heroes who keep the CS safe, or thugs and pawns of a shadow agency within the Coalition government?
• What role does the Vanguard play in this group?
• How do they reward their D-Bee “teammates” when the mission is over?
• What happens to the Disavowed when they have seen or learned too much? Adventure ideas galore and so much more.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda and Matthew Clements.
• Final page count and cost yet to be determined, but probably 96 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 892.

Rifts^® Secrets of the Atlanteans

True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.

For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.

• True Atlanteans revisited.
• Optional Atlantean character creation tables including clan heritage and other factors.
• Secrets of the stone pyramids, different types/purposes and powers.
• Many new magic tattoos, magic spells, weapons and armor.
• Atlantean hideouts and secret communities across the Megaverse.
• The Sunaj Assassins, their secrets, history and plans for the future.
• Atlantean Monster Hunter O.C.C., Atlantean Defender O.C.C. and much more. And this is just the tip of what this book contains.
• Written by Carl Gleba. Additional text and ideas by Kevin Siembieda.
• Final page count and cost yet to be determined, but probably 160-192 pages – $20.95-$24.95 retail – Cat. No. 890.

Rifts^® Chaos Earth^® Sourcebook: First Responders

The Great Cataclysm has devastated civilization, but humanity fights for survival. The struggles of civilian law enforcement, fire and rescue, and everyday men and women are some of the most epic tales to be told in a world gone to hell. They fight monsters, aliens, the paranormal, the elements, and each other, all with the hope of reclaiming their lives from the Chaos.

• New D-Bees and monsters from the Rifts.
• First Responder O.C.C.s, skills and special equipment.
• New “average citizen” Occupational Character Classes (O.C.C.s).
• New equipment for NEMA “Roscoes” and other emergency personnel.
• Notable rescue vehicles, robot drones, and technology.
• Source information and stats for common Golden Age technology (weapons, vehicles, medical tech, etc.).
• Apocalypse Plagues brought from other worlds to Chaos Earth.
• Adventure ideas and more.
• Written by Jason Richards. Additional text by Clements & Siembieda.
• 96 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 665. Winter/Spring, 2015.

Rifts^® Chaos Earth^® Sourcebook: Resurrection

In the shattered depths of Wisconsin, survivors are besieged by the dead come back to life. Zombies. But not just any type of zombie, zombies done Rifts-style. And unless the source of the zombie plague can be found and neutralized by NEMA defenders, North America may be overrun by the dead.

This was actually something Taylor White and I have been kicking around for years, even before we released the Dead Reign® RPG line. We think you’ll love it.

• Something has animated the dead in Wisconsin. It is up to NEMA heroes to find the cause and stop it before it spreads beyond control.
• Scrap Zombies of all types.
• Snatcher Ghouls, Carrion Cleaners, Screaming Puppet Ghosts, Sour Maggot Parasites, and other monsters.
• The Zombie Pox and other dangers.
• Setting background, adventure and adventure idea table.
• Written by Taylor White.
• 128 pages – $16.95 retail – Cat. No. 666. Winter/Spring 2015 (tentative).

PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 100 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com, as well as Fantasy Paper Miniatures, Game Master resources and other good things with more to come. 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® #49-54 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. 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 in February so that gamers who decide to attend closer to the POH have a chance of getting into the coveted VIP Night too. Those 30 or 40 held-back tickets will go on sale February 1, 2015. 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 2015 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.

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