Which is your favorite?

drewkitty ~..~ · Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:52 pm

The Mystic Study

It gives the best range of spells at first level.

Library Ogre · Unread post by **Library Ogre** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:40 am

In Rifts, I have a soft spot for the Shifter. I think there's a lot of possibility in the Summoner, too.

Talavar · Unread post by **Talavar** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:06 pm

If you want to blow things up, you can't beat an air/fire warlock! Go team River of Lava/Tornado!

Astral_Explorer · Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:51 pm

The Shifter Exploring new worlds.
Always new horizons.

Sustain - For when you really dont want to eat the mystery meat of the week.
Tongues - Sometimes the batteries on your language translator die.
Time Slip - Everyone likes matrix time right ?
Compulsion - Come on Balrog, you really want to do the Electric Slide dontcha ?

Minions - Sometimes it is nice to have yes men, even if they are demons/deevils, or monsterous things.

Talavar · Unread post by **Talavar** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:02 am

ManDrake13 wrote:Honestly, the Fleshsculpter is probably one of the most interesting and well developed spell casters in the Palladium books line up. Actually just about everything in Through the Glass Darkly is about 2 or 3 times better than anything put into Rifts or PFRPG. Anyone not using that book and it's superior magical format in their games, really isn't doing magic correctly. When you look at the crap that in the other games after that, it's hard to even take them seriously anymore. The difference in night and day in quality and just plain playability.

The "flavour" of the magic in that book is good, but it's also not really suitable outside BtS setting. The magic is creepy, and powerful in its way, but almost everything in that book is rituals, and generally less flamboyant than what you find in Rifts.

drewkitty ~..~ · Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:29 am

Mystic Study is a HU power category. found in the HU2 book.
I've used the type of mage in HU, PF, NB, and Rifts before with out much ado about them.
however, if the GM just wants pure rifts char... *shrugs* For me thats like saying 'choose from the two, out of your 22 rift's char, that were made strictly from the rifts books. :roll:

So I tend to ignore what setting the class came from (for the most part) when making a rifts char.

Astral_Explorer wrote:The Shifter Exploring new worlds.
Always new horizons.

Sustain - For when you really dont want to eat the mystery meat of the week.
Tongues - Sometimes the batteries on your language translator die.
Time Slip - Everyone likes matrix time right ?
Compulsion - Come on Balrog, you really want to do the Electric Slide dontcha ?

Minions - Sometimes it is nice to have yes men, even if they are demons/deevils, or monsterous things.

Don't forget 'Breath w/o Air'

Neorealist · Unread post by **Neorealist** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:02 pm

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Don't forget 'Breath w/o Air'

Also covered by Sustain, not to mention only having to sleep 2 hours a night. Best. Non-combat-oriented spell. Ever.

Nothing says 'Mage' quite like: "I have no need of your precious oxygen or food, i'm sustained by the power of raw magic! now get up, i've already let you sleep in enough as it is with that third hour..." And it lasts for days too!

Neorealist · Unread post by **Neorealist** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:11 pm

Ajax wrote:Oh, that and in all my years of role-playing I've only gotten to play an actual mage once and the rest of the part kept jacking me for sleep and spell prep time (old 2nd ed AD&D game) so I'm bitter and jaded when it comes to spell casting (not that I wouldn't mind playing an actual mage at some point).

You should try playing one in rifts! Not that they don't have their own issues (and perks), but vancian spell-casting is definately not one of them :-)

Neorealist · Unread post by **Neorealist** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:40 pm

Ajax wrote:... something about not wanting the rest of the party to pout cause I went and did the mission/adventure without thier help while they were busy bickering.

Heh. Does he limit everyone else in a similar manner? That is a pity really, because there is so much fun to be had in a party of all psionics, or mages for that matter. (or both even, there are enough flavours of mystic that everyone can have one!)

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:20 pm

Anything from Mystic China-except the Mang Wu, The Warborn/Warbaby from Rifter #8.
Especially like the Tao Shih/Immortal.

Astral_Explorer · Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:06 pm

Warborn.

Yeah good times. Good times.

drewkitty ~..~ · Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:14 am

Neorealist wrote:
drewkitty ~..~ wrote:Don't forget 'Breath w/o Air'

Also covered by Sustain, not to mention only having to sleep 2 hours a night. Best. Non-combat-oriented spell. Ever.

Nothing says 'Mage' quite like: "I have no need of your precious oxygen or food, I'm sustained by the power of raw magic! now get up, i've already let you sleep in enough as it is with that third hour..." And it lasts for days too!

But does Sustain let the mage breath in a hard vacuum? if the GM thinks 'no' the its better to have then to have not. Bw/oA also protects against non-magical air born toxins & drugs.

AlanGunhouse · Unread post by **AlanGunhouse** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:50 am

I was just pointing out to my group recently that an Ecowizard who decided to can make money fast. Kill ONE Stegasaur and you can make a million credits worth of magic items in about a month for a third level character with only spells they could easily have obtained and use. All they need is a partner in a SAMAS armed with a laser rifle rather than a rail gun to hunt the dinos and they can make a fortune, or arm an entire tribe. I do not think there is any other class that comes close.

PS: Mystic Study is from Heroes Unlimited

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:37 pm

AlanGunhouse wrote:I was just pointing out to my group recently that an Ecowizard who decided to can make money fast. Kill ONE Stegasaur and you can make a million credits worth of magic items in about a month for a third level character with only spells they could easily have obtained and use. All they need is a partner in a SAMAS armed with a laser rifle rather than a rail gun to hunt the dinos and they can make a fortune, or arm an entire tribe. I do not think there is any other class that comes close.

PS: Mystic Study is from Heroes Unlimited

Velly Intelesting-Indeed. I saw the Ecowiz-wasn't it in Dino Swamp Adventures?
What about the Conjuror-Somewhere in this Guild is a man who thot up that you can make
gems with a conjuror(sic).
Another money-maker is the Spit Dragon Pearl spell from Mystic China-the prob I found w/that
is it tends to kill the market for Pearls.

AlanGunhouse · Unread post by **AlanGunhouse** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:02 pm

Yes, Dinosaur Swamp is about the only place to find an Eco Wizard (especially in the books).

Conjurers have to spend PPE permanently to make things that last.

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:21 pm

I have yet to actually play a Diabolist, although I have played Summoners.....
G

Ice Dragon · Unread post by **Ice Dragon** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:16 am

Temporal Wizard - it is fun to play with time

.

Neorealist · Unread post by **Neorealist** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 3:18 pm

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:But does Sustain let the mage breath in a hard vacuum? if the GM thinks 'no' the its better to have then to have not. Bw/oA also protects against non-magical air born toxins & drugs.

Not being required to breathe (because sustain "...removes the need for any outside sources for these things..." (food, water. or breathable air)) means never having to find out if you can breathe space or not. Sustain doesn't allow you to breathe anything differently, it just means you don't have to. at all.

In space for example? provided you are in some sort of way to avoid explosive decompression and the biting cold of deep space you'll drift along just fine, well until/if your PPE runs out anyway.

Josh Sinsapaugh · Sat Sep 27, 2008 4:08 pm

My favorite is the Russian Spoiling Witch.

In fact, I love all the Russian Magic O.C.C.s.

~ Josh

AlanGunhouse · Unread post by **AlanGunhouse** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:05 pm

In the Russian Witches, I favor the "Gypsy Witch". The fact that the character has a inner demon who comes out in her sleep and acts for her (not always in ways her normal self would approve) is amusing.

Astral Pantheon · Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:40 am

Stone Master is a favorite of mine.

Giant2005 · Unread post by **Giant2005** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:36 am

Ajax wrote:My current rifts Gm won't let me play certain classes, Mind Melters, Head-Hunter assasins, alot of the magic classes, etc..... something about not wanting the rest of the party to pout cause I went and did the mission/adventure without thier help while they were busy bickering.

I was playing a game where a player did that to us once. We were figuring out what to do while another player decided to secretly solve the mission without us. Everyone but that one player spent two hours that amounted to nothing - it was the complete absense of fun. The fact that the player in question ignored Palladium rules to do things he wasn't actually capable of to fulfil the quest didn't help at all. So having been on the receiving end I fully support your GM's decision! Of course having stuff like that occur in the first place is usually the fault of poor GMing, so maybe limiting you instead of fixing his own problems wasn't the way to go.

Anyway, to keep on topic, I like the Lord Magus. Good PPE, probably the best starting spell list available to a magic class and a whole heap of supernatural bonuses. They pretty much have it all.

Damian Magecraft · Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:11 pm

straight Wizard from PF.
Enchanted Cauldron... nuff said; yes?

Mallak's Place · Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:21 pm

Necromancer (Prefure the Death Walker varient from Rifter #8) :ok:

Nothing better then Making Monster Zombies out of Greenwood faries with Bat Wings and Snake Tails.

Here is a Idea if you know a Diobolist who can make a permanance rune,and you know how to make a talisman, Make a Zombie, get the permanace rune, make a talisman with the Spell Consume Power and Knowlege. Now have the Zombie use the talisman, feed it some of it's own Brains and one of its Eyes, then attached the Rune.
What you end up with is a loyal Zombie that remembers all its old skills and recognize parts of its old life until it is destroyed. Works best on the skill based Characters, :twisted:

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:58 am

killgore wrote:
Grandil wrote:Another money-maker is the Spit Dragon Pearl spell from Mystic China-the prob I found w/that
is it tends to kill the market for Pearls.

If your going to use MC, go with Weep Beans of Life. You roll 500d6 (yes, 500) to determine the chi damage to every negative chi being in a 1 mile radius (2 in rifts as well as double damage). Negative chi beings are any creature that has negative chi, any supernatural evil creature, or any creature that survives off the life force/PPE of others (including Vampires, Psi-Stalkers, super beings with the Bio-Ghost power and Zombies). Once their negative chi is deducted from that amount (negative chi being equal to their P.E. normally), you roll the remaining number as d6s (potentially 3,000d6 (6,000d6 in rifts) if they've been in chi combat) and apply it directly to HPs. Capable of killing/destroying permanently anything that would normally regenerate like vamps. Plus you can use the spell to heal (even a juicer in last call), and endless amounts of food. All for just 400 PPE, and you get 2 (or more) per casting.
Why bother with pearls? One or 2 of these beans is worth several million credits.

As for my OCC of choice; Magi from a Rifter (forgot which one). They didn't get any OCC abilities except PPE and the ability to learn and cast ANY spell as if they where the normal OCC for that spell. No restrictions!

Ya got me!!!!

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 1:02 am

Astral_Explorer wrote:Warborn.

Yeah good times. Good times.

I'm not sure-Moderator, can I give Astral Traveler a non-copied-Ie Word write-up w/o getting in trouble for the warborn/warbaby?

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:21 pm

killgore wrote:
Grandil wrote:Another money-maker is the Spit Dragon Pearl spell from Mystic China-the prob I found w/that
is it tends to kill the market for Pearls.

If your going to use MC, go with Weep Beans of Life. You roll 500d6 (yes, 500) to determine the chi damage to every negative chi being in a 1 mile radius (2 in rifts as well as double damage). Negative chi beings are any creature that has negative chi, any supernatural evil creature, or any creature that survives off the life force/PPE of others (including Vampires, Psi-Stalkers, super beings with the Bio-Ghost power and Zombies). Once their negative chi is deducted from that amount (negative chi being equal to their P.E. normally), you roll the remaining number as d6s (potentially 3,000d6 (6,000d6 in rifts) if they've been in chi combat) and apply it directly to HPs. Capable of killing/destroying permanently anything that would normally regenerate like vamps. Plus you can use the spell to heal (even a juicer in last call), and endless amounts of food. All for just 400 PPE, and you get 2 (or more) per casting.
Why bother with pearls? One or 2 of these beans is worth several million credits.

As for my OCC of choice; Magi from a Rifter (forgot which one). They didn't get any OCC abilities except PPE and the ability to learn and cast ANY spell as if they where the normal OCC for that spell. No restrictions!

The only problem w/this is where Dragon pearls have NO limitation, thinking about it, there is no size limit for a Pearl, so, just
maybe I got ya beat for 125 P.P.E.?!

Khanibal · Unread post by **Khanibal** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:39 pm

Neorealist wrote:
drewkitty ~..~ wrote:But does Sustain let the mage breath in a hard vacuum? if the GM thinks 'no' the its better to have then to have not. Bw/oA also protects against non-magical air born toxins & drugs.

Not being required to breathe (because sustain "...removes the need for any outside sources for these things..." (food, water. or breathable air)) means never having to find out if you can breathe space or not. Sustain doesn't allow you to breathe anything differently, it just means you don't have to. at all.

In space for example? provided you are in some sort of way to avoid explosive decompression and the biting cold of deep space you'll drift along just fine, well until/if your PPE runs out anyway.

Uh, but don't you have to breath to speak? Speak to cast? Cast Sustain to continue to survive?

Khanibal · Unread post by **Khanibal** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:46 pm

I like the High Magus. Meditate, meditate, meditate...
"Hey we're under attack!"
Drain energy sphere, drain talismans, drain personal p.p.e., cast one spell.
Meditate, meditate, meditate...

Hilarious.

My problem is my GM won't let me learn any other 1-6 spells even if I pay for them, and there are some great utility spells I'd like to learn. Oh well. Maybe I should change over to llw for a few levels, and then top it off with some tw. Heh-heh-heh.

Khanibal · Unread post by **Khanibal** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:21 pm

Firstly) I was joking about switching classes. I chose the High Magus for this campaign for specific character/story purposes and haven't even asked how the GM feels about changing o.c.c.s.

Secondly) Why wouldn't he allow me to change classes more than once? I don't own but an out-of-date copy of the PFRPG, however I gather from some of the threads I've read in this forum, that some classes require having quite a few levels in 3 or more classes. What's the difference?

Library Ogre · Unread post by **Library Ogre** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:30 pm

One class requires three different classes. The Alchemist, from PF, requires you to be a 6th level wizard, a 6th level diabolist, and a 3rd level summoner. It's also not been detailed for PCs yet.

However, Palladium's system is very front-loaded, and, IMO, does multiple classes very poorly. It worked a bit better in 1st edition PF, where classes had fewer abilities, but it's still not done very well.

Khanibal · Unread post by **Khanibal** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:15 pm

In truth, I haven't looked at the magic system of P.B. very much or for a long time. My first and only previous experience with their magic was a L.L.W. in the first Rifts game I ever played about 17 yrs. ago. The G.M. ran it as a S.D.C. game, and I was less than impressed. In the game I'm currently in, I decided to bring in a High Magus because the group needed someone who had a lot of familiarity with ritual magic at relatively low levels.
So, lately, I've been reading up on the state of magic in Rifts. Suffice it to say, I'm a lot more impressed now. Part of that is the changes in the magic system, but most of it is the changes in me and my play style. Going through all the books I have (digging Through the Glass Darkly out of storage on friday) and really learning about the P.B. magic system is like searching the couch for change and finding a $5 bill for me.
In the words of my generation, "Cool beans".

St. Evil · Unread post by **St. Evil** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:11 am

Diabolist, just thinking about the time I covered the Mind mage in wards, because he was about to touch a cursed item, and we did not know what he would do, will always be one of my favorite memories. Plus all the gold that can be made because you are the only one, in the party, w/ lore magic.

GaredBattlespike · Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:58 pm

Greetings!

I have a Top 10 list for Magic OCC's

1) Ley Line Walker.
It is a Classic, well rounded and formidable Man of Magic.

2) PFRPG Wizard.
Same as LLW! Awesome potential!!!

3) Shifter.
Dimensional Travel AND Summoning!

4) Techno-Wizard.
Makes Awesome Items!

5) Conjurer.
I know it seems odd, but I love the "Seat-of-your-pants" style of Magic.
Need a spare suit of Armor for the Man of Arms? Got it! Need a spare ANYTHING? A skilled and smart Conjurer can MAKE it for you!

6) High Magus.
If I'm gonna be limited, then Ikm gonna get the Big-Bad Spells and leave the little ones to others!

6) Stone Master.
Another Specialization that IS worth it! I love providing shelter for the Party that is worth talking about!!

7) Elemental Fusionist.
I just always liked the Elemental/Warlock style and this is a good OCC!

Battle Magus.
If I'm going to be the second or third Man of Magic in a Party, then a Battle Magus can be a good back-up Mage.

9) Lord Magus.
Another good choice IF I am the second or third Mage in the Party.

10) Mystic.
Magic and Psionics!!!

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:32 pm

One of my personal favs is the Warborn/Warbaby from Rifter 8; Forget the Battle Magus.....See all the
Sharpshooting skills in these classes, & you'll see how underpowered the Battlemagus really is. That & you
can wear heavy armor w/o penalty.

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:45 pm

Khanibal wrote:Firstly) I was joking about switching classes. I chose the High Magus for this campaign for specific character/story purposes and haven't even asked how the GM feels about changing o.c.c.s.

Secondly) Why wouldn't he allow me to change classes more than once? I don't own but an out-of-date copy of the PFRPG, however I gather from some of the threads I've read in this forum, that some classes require having quite a few levels in 3 or more classes. What's the difference?

Find Adventure on the High Seas (PRFPG), that & if ya have it-Pantheons o' the Megaverse;
Godling. See the next one with Mark, but he's right, double classing/triple classing is hard in
this game........

GaredBattlespike · Wed Dec 15, 2010 11:12 pm

Greetings!

I have had the time to look up an OCC that I believe deserves another look: The Astral Mage OCC from NightBane's WB 2: Between the Shadows!

It's a GREAT class that has a truely UNIQUE ability: Astral Domain Creation! It also gets some Psionics as well as Spells! Nice combo that allows the Astral Mage to keep picking up new spells-unlike the Mystic. I am going to Ret-Con my # 6 Choice of High Magus and move the remaining choices down by one, thus, The Mystic gets booted to # 11 status.

That's my Final Answer, Howie!

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

Grandil · Unread post by **Grandil** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 1:15 am

GaredBattlespike wrote:Greetings!

I have had the time to look up an OCC that I believe deserves another look: The Astral Mage OCC from NightBane's WB 2: Between the Shadows!

It's a GREAT class that has a truely UNIQUE ability: Astral Domain Creation! It also gets some Psionics as well as Spells! Nice combo that allows the Astral Mage to keep picking up new spells-unlike the Mystic. I am going to Ret-Con my # 6 Choice of High Magus and move the remaining choices down by one, thus, The Mystic gets booted to # 11 status.

That's my Final Answer, Howie!

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

Gared-Check out the rifter 10 with th TNMT Cover; theres a Astral Mega-Lord, that's better than the Astral Lord or Mage. Pity the poor fool that picks this one! There's
SO many uses for a Domain :frazz: