"Stress Born" PCC in CE

[Jay05]

Had me a fun "duh" moment today when I was trying to figure out how a "regular joe" or "regular jane" could survive an attack from a supernatural menace. I sort of combined the idea of an unrealized Latent Psychic and the abilites of either an Exceptional Physical Prowess Genius or an Exceptional Physical Strength Genius with some ideas from a Psi-Slinger.

The idea still needs some work but I think it works...so...I present to you:

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Stress Born

Before the coming of the Rifts there were often tabloid stories of people who, in times of stress, managed to perform seemingly impossible feats of strength or endurance.

Few realized that many of these individuals were Latent Psychics who had simply never manifested any powers and had drawn upon those reserves to perform those feats.

After the Coming of the Rifts a few of these individuals found themselves in such dire circumstances that under the stress they essentially became almost supernatural creatures themselves.

Stress Born are born from a stress event. The event that triggered them burned up most of their PPE but gave them the following:

• Low PPE. Whatever event triggered them burned up most of their PPE. Stress Born only have 1d3+1 PPE.
• Unbelieveable Toughness. Due to an almost inhuman ability to avoid the worst of any attack all SDC attacks do only half damage. Any MDC attacks do SDC damage. Players can typify it as durability, agility, superior senses or any combination of them based on the character concept.
• Hysterical Strength. In a stressful situation the Stress Born gains +10 Physical Strength and it is is treated as being Supernatural. In addition, hand to hand damage is MDC versus MDC opponents.
• Not quite right anymore. Whatever the event was it left the character scarred. All Stress Born have one Insanity. It can be either chosen by the Player (with the help of the GM) to match the trauma that triggered them or rolled randomly (which might give the Player an idea of what triggered them).

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So...what do y'all think?

WildWalker

Sounds like a cool basic concept to me. And makes a good bit of sense. And as a concept could work in any megaversal setting actually.

[Jay05]

...as a concept could work in any megaversal setting actually.

I did the first pass late last night for CE but I think you might be right!

This could be a straight trade for minor psychic powers in any Rifts game. Be a neat base to build a first edition Vagabond, Wilderness Scout or City Rat on top of. In an SDC setting ( including BTS) I could see it used by ditching the MDC damage notes in Unbelievable Toughness and Hysterical Strength. I think it might be fun to play one in Nightbane too. I have not seen the actual rules for Dead Reign but I could see this as the base for a character that could actually not be a "Victim"...would be a very different take, but since I'm not into role-playing victims that works for me!

I'm excited about the possibilities! I really want to play a game now and try it out...

Thanks for the input Jay05!

WildWalker

You're welcome. And once you get it pounded out to your satisfaction, maybe submit it for the Rifter.

[Jay05]

personally I think it sounds that good. What do you think guys should wildwalker submit this for publication?

[Jay05]

What? No one else sees potential in this player created class?

[Ziggurat the Eternal]

I like it, and think it could be used as is.

If however, you do come up with a refinement or up-grade, please do share it!

[The Oh So Amazing Nate]

I like it!! I think it would even work in a HU setting, minus the MDC damage of course, especially with the 'need for heroic adventures obsession'. The pc would be a low to mid level (at max) character who manages to reluctantly convince the Big Time Supers that they are useful by getting in the way and helping out....without being turned into a paste by the villian.

[Captain Shiva]

This could even be used as an origin for acquiring super powers.

[Noon]

I don't know about the toughness thing - in rifts it's typically a forcefield or supernatural flesh or something fairly explicit. It's not as abstract as chalking it up to durability or agility or whatever.

I think the stress manifesting as a temporary psychic body fields, that are basically the psychic energies of stress so intense and focused they actually create a psychic force field. Perhaps not over the entire body - it just manifests where the PC is concerned he'll get hit.

Indeed in terms of roleplay, the more things that upset the character, the more MDC the field has, might suit it. That's a bit like spiritual attributes from riddle of steel, for anyone who remembers.

[Ziggurat the Eternal]

Hi Ziggurat the Eternal! I was actually thinking about a "trained" version without the "Insanity". Essentially a three skill version of Martial Arts but I'm not sure how ballanced that is...I guess it being Rifts/Chaos Earth, ballance isn't THAT big a deal...

Seriously, though, from a metagame point of veiw, MDC in the 12-50 range and hand to hand damage in the 1d6-3d6 range doesn't seem like much of a deal breaker to me. The real question is how it plays. I have always hated needing armor just to survive so, I am really liking this as an almost universal adder...

Actually, that makes a TON of sense if you think about it...

How about a new Insanity:

Obsession: Heroic Adventurer. A person with this obsession has an irrational need to help people. He/she is willing to go to far away places, put themselves in immensely dangerous situations and do things that normal people would consider crazy to satisfy thier obsession.

WildWalker

This is pretty good stuff, and I have a player using it in a Nightbane campaign, it's working out pretty well. He isn't too powerful compared to Nightbane, but he puts on a good show next to regular humans. Best part is, he is a Minister.

[Ziggurat the Eternal]

This is pretty good stuff, and I have a player using it in a Nightbane campaign, it's working out pretty well. He isn't too powerful compared to Nightbane, but he puts on a good show next to regular humans. Best part is, he is a Minister.

You just made my night! What is the Minister's insanity? Would it be possible for you to post the Character sheet and background?

WildWalker

His insanity is that he believes his power comes from god, and he must continue to do gods work to keep it. This involves many things, but is beginning to lean towards killing everything remotely related to the nightlords. He always offers redemption to mortals.

[Ziggurat the Eternal]

That has just SO much "win"! It sounds like the PCC works exactly as designed...against a dedicated "bad mother" it's a bit weak but the character can now "dance the dance" if he's lucky or careful...

Awesome!

WildWalker

Yeah, he can throw down with the big boys when he has to. I'm working on nabing a copy of the character sheet, should have his vitals up by the end of the week.

[Blindscout]

Blindscout fires his TW Thread Resurrection rifle!

I was digging through older posts today and found this. I'm going to use it in the BTS 2095 game I'm running.

[Lt Gargoyle]

great concept and yes i think you should summit it. once you get it refined i think it would work in my games.