Tips for running a single player Rifts game

[dragonfett]

Hey everyone, I was wondering what tips everyone can provide me with running a Rifts game for a single player. The player is a newbie not to just Rifts, but to gaming in general (I had helped him make his first D&D character a couple of days prior). The character he made was a Full Combat 'Borg.

[Bill]

I wouldn't have recommended a combat centric game for a single-player story. It makes your job a lot harder because you have to be much more careful about the destructive potential of the opposition. Even a full-conversion cyborg can quickly get blown to smithereens if you're not careful. Since the guy has already built the character and is expecting to get to flex his character's proverbial muscles it would be disappointing to not do one though.

I strongly recommend that you run several NPCs to support the player character's actions; essentially simulating the rest of a conventional group. You could even put the player in charge, which would go a long way towards making the overall job less challenging for you. In my experience, the real key to running a game like that is to not stat out the supporting NPCs. They are as effective as necessary to keep the PC alive, and they die when it would be most dramatic for them to do so. Basically, you run a one on one, or maybe a two on one fight with the PC while you describe a much larger fight.

Even if you choose to do a lone-cyborg-gunman story, perhaps with the player character taking on a Clint Eastwood style role, I strongly recommend that you provide the player with relatively clear-cut objectives that he must achieve; at least at first. You can then focus on making the description of combat as lively and interesting as possible. Drop lots of hints about unexpected and interesting details that he can choose to investigate, and if the game shifts more in that direction you can be more vague about what his objectives really should be.

[Severus Snape]

A ful conversion borg single person game? Easy: He's a bounty hunter and gets jobs to go find and bring people to justice - alive. Solves the following issues:

1. He gets to use the skills he selected;
2. He gets to flex his combat muscles at times;
3. The final encounters won't overpower him;
4. No need for NPCs to accompany him, although he will need to seek out contacts.

[The Dark Elf]

I would definitely say some sort of new west small town trouble. Maybe he's here to find and outlaw (someone mention being a bounty hunter). Keep the location not too overwhelming, minimise options but make it seem like there are many (so your not railroading him).

He will need an NPC sidekick so you can give advice (in game so you're not just reminding him "thats not how you play") but the sidekick should be just that and not the main focus. (I'd use a local orphan kid or someone who is hanging around - could also be kidnapped later but the outlaw).

Develop four or five scenario's which you can throw in at any time, night or day, depending on if the pace is slowing.
e.g.
#1 enter town, visit places, research (no story plots just npc characters development - bar tender hooker, cyber-doc?, sheriff etc.)
#2 stop attack on town by some random MDC monster.
#3 encounter outlaw (& gang) in town. Have firefight. Injure but not kill one of gang (outlaw brother) and put him in jail. Outlaw escapes.
#4 letter from outlaw with ransom. He's kidnapped your sidekick during the firefight and wants to trade tomorrow at high noon.
#5 "we dont trade.." Go rescue your partner from outlaw and remaining gang (held up anywhere - mine, pre rifts building, tomb, mountains, grand canyon. your sidekick dropped hints at the trail so you can follow but there's MDC monster encounters on the way there etc....

Or something easy.

[Cinos]

While hardly the answer you're looking for; for a new to the RPG thing, stick to one system and don't muddie their learning by trying to teach two different systems back to back.

[Carl Gleba]

If he wasn't a newbie player I'd say have him run two characters.

I like Severus Snape suggestions except for number four. It never hurts to make friends, especially with an Operator. Borg really can't do repairs to himself. Bounty Hunting is a good way to go as it gives the player different options to pursue. Who says the Borg can't become the leader of a small merc group that specializes in Bounty hunting.

Great story suggestions from the Dark Elf.

[dragonfett]

While hardly the answer you're looking for; for a new to the RPG thing, stick to one system and don't muddie their learning by trying to teach two different systems back to back.

Well, the 3.5 D&D game isn't likely to be getting played anytime soon for various reasons I won't name here, I figured by doing this, it sates my need for table top gaming, and it also introduces someone new to Palladium's games.

[Noon]

Just always have an escape route available, that you tell him about.

He wont use it, of course, and get gunned down. But if you can't handle a PC dying by their own hands, perhaps take his character sheet and play his character for him - not.