My attempt at an O.C.C./Class specific staff

[wyrmraker]

I like it, personally. It makes sense for a high-powered Shifter. But a couple of questions:
What's the damage?
What's the downside of all that power?

The reason I ask that second question is because of how rune items used to be in Palladium Fantasy. In Rifts the rune weapons do all these whiz-bang nifty things, but there is no payment for the power, merely a price tag.
The original rune weapons were devastatingly powerful, but also have potentially ruinous side-effects. I strongly recommend reading the Palladium Fantasy material for ideas on that, should you decide to go that route. Plus the Palladium Fantasy books are excellent reads for rune weapons regardless. Dragons and Gods is a good one, as are Lands of the Damned and Library of Bletherad.

[flatline]

I'm all for adding flavor to the game, but not everything has to have a downside, especially things that are intended to be rewards.

--flatline

[say652]

sounds like a great npc weapon for a shifter the party uses to walk dimensions. i think it might be a little over powered for a pc though. mainly the double summoning.........14 elementals???? really??????

[drewkitty ~..~]

Sounds like a unique rune item to me.

Way overpowered to be common enough to be a part of the equipment for a Class.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Sorry read the OP incorrectly. Thought it was to be the starting equipment of a class you were to be writing.

[Goliath Strongarm]

I would say that the staff would probably be more appropriate for a player whose Shifter has a link to a God of Magic and completing an incredibly challenging quest.

That's about the ONLY way I'd let this see the light of day in a game I was running... and if the PCs managed to defeat said Shifter, the God would show up, demanding his staff back (it was LOANED to the shifter, not given).

As a concept, it's pretty good. However, IMO, it's gone way past "high power" and into "high overpowered".

Let's look at this a bit at a time-

1) PPE: Well, RIFTs still lists spellcasting rune items as "times per day", but if we look over into PF, we see that a spellcasting rune item generally has 1d6*10+30 (wizard) or +40 (elemental). This means that your "200 PPE" is MASSIVE. Then add in that it's not just for use by the staff, but by the character. That's HUGE! And the recovery rate is the same as a shifter using meditation! If you look that a lot of the spells on their list aren't that expensive, they can just keep on going and going!

2) Increase the # of SN controlled by 50%: *blink* *blink blink blink* WOW... OK, take for granted that you mean this for a "high level".. say 12+. At level 11, he can normally control 6 lessers. This makes it 9 lessers. May not SEEM like much, but, let's take this a few levels higher (since you mean it for pretty much the ultimate Shifter, right?). 8 lessers normally now becomes 12. Which means instead of 4 greaters, he can now control 6. Doesn't seem like much? Throw two greater demons/deevils against your PCs (and use them to the BEST of their abilities), and see how "not much" it is.

3) Once per week, D-Portal at no cost, or two-way 1/4 cost: My gods man, have you realized the power you just put into someone's hands? Seriously, you're taking something that normally costs 1000PPE, (500 with time for ritual), and tossing it out there. These things are normally done at ley lines or nexus points for a reason. OK, for a round number, we'll give the shifter a PE of 20, and the supernatural pact/link with a God of Magic.. He'd have to be level 63, and have gotten max PPE every single bit of the way, to have the 1000 PPE. At that point, he has 1006 PPE. In order to have the 500 he would normally need for a ritual, he'd have to be level 21. And you just handed him this ability, once a week, without any caveats. Even if he's level 15, that's INSANE. What would normally require him to have access to outside PPE (either minions or sacrifices), or be done at a ley line or nexus, he can do where ever the heck he wants!

4) D-travel, Commo Rift, D-TP Home at 1/2 PPE cost: D-TP Home isn't a huge deal. Commo Rifts are a bit more shocking, because that is a good chunk of PPE you're saving them. For the D-Travel... that's just ripe for abuse. Seriously. Especially coupled with the increase in minions. Or with an adventuring party. Say he has 3 companions. That 200 PPE cost just became 100. How many Shifters who would hesitate at 200 would NOT hesitate at 100? Seriously, that's a LOT.

5) All spells dealing with Rifts, Summoning and Dimensions are cast at 1/2 PPE: This ability is just WOW... I mean, seriously, since this is the bread and butter of the shifter, this isn't just golden, it's freakin' platinum! Coupled with the PPE from the staff, you just broke the scenario.

**EDIT: This is something that would be valued at the BILLIONS of credits. Seriously, if the "standard" rune weapons are the tens of millions that they are, this would be, at the bare minimum, a billion

[say652]

in the H.U. magic item "class" or magic weapon "class" both grant additional abilities or spell casting abilities or super powers.
a spell ring would grant spells at a set level and ppe to use them.
a magic weapon grants a lot of different abilities and spells or super powers
mystical bestowed abilities can grant spell casting abilities or super powers also.
i am not sure if the "magic" power set can be combined with a character class in rifts but it is most definately allowable for an alien race. lets see a Promethean(phaseworld alien) that can mystically transform to cast spells is quite plausible. or a silhouette that has a magic weapon also plausible. a quikflex alien with spell abilities would also be cool.

[say652]

i like having things "within" existing rules to avoid rudeness when i post them. also gives everyone the formula to join in on the carnage.

[Goliath Strongarm]

i like having things "within" existing rules to avoid rudeness when i post them. also gives everyone the formula to join in on the carnage.

I wouldn't say trying to get opinions from folks on something that's non-standard is rude. It's meant as a creative challenge that allows folks to offer advice and/or recommendations to see how we can reach equilibrium.

The core of what makes RPG's enjoyable is that creative aspect that people bring to the table and it's something I hope this concept promotes

I think 652 meant that *I* came across as rude. Which is a fairly common response to my critiques. Ask around, I'm not known for sugar-coating. I'm known as.. well, words that I can't use around these boards, lol. And that's because I'm blunt. I don't mean to come across as rude, but, there are people that have said (in other threads, not this one) things like-

"Wow, great job!" and "I like it!"... and then sent me a message, or talked to me on chat, and were talking trash about it. I'm not one of those people.

I give my full opinion, straightforward, and without trying to tiptoe around. You'll know my stance on the overall concept, and on individual aspects. Why? Because I believe that it's the best way to help people improve their game!