Magic and Psionics in the mutant world.

[VR Dragon]

Hi all,

I have been putting some thought into running an ATB game for my friends and I wanted to throw just a small bit of spice into the works. So I was thinking about putting some type or types of magical classes into the mix. Nothing as vast as the number of magical O.C.Cs as rifts has mind you. I thought of running through the Rifts big book of magic and choosing some spells that would be available to a North America Native Shaman.

Keeping in mind that the magic level is the same as the HU Setting. Some questions.

1) I was thinking of using a mystic as a template. Do you think it would work with a mutant animal?
2) If I use a mystic would it need to be modified somehow?
3) If I needed modified, what things would I need to tweak and any pointers?
4) I read (in a rifter) about using some ability called PPE Channeling instead of the old system, do you think something like this would work okay in the ATB setting?
5) Also if magic is added, how would I go about calculating PPE for mutant animals? I was wondering if their PPE would have been burned up when they mutated? Or how would you advise handling this?
6) Given that mystics and some other classes get psionics, how might you hand this using the current ATB psionic system? or do you feel it might need a tweak to handle this type of magic class?
7) While rummaging through the big book-o-magic. What kinds of spells should/would a shaman and such nature focus classes have available?


While I am looking to add some magic to the mix I was wanting to limit the supernatural critters and such to a small drizzle. I don't want the pesky things running wild and rampant as they are doing on Rifts earth. This is a game setting focusing on Mutant animals after all, I'll leave all the other weird and crazy stuff in the rifts realm. No gods, godlings and such. Instead I thought about looking into a spirit guide / totem animal/ nature spirits possibility. How does that sound? Any pointers or advice on handling this as well?

Anther thing I felt I would like to change was how animal psionics worked. Instead of having it set so only 1 psi power active at a time. I though of using a variation which used the Mental Endurance stat as a key determiner. Since most psionic powers have a M.E. Minimum requirement I thought that a character with a high M.E. might be able to use more then 1 power at a time. Say a ME of 15 could use 2 psionic powers ( this would be the set minimum) at a time then 1 extra actice power at a time for every 5 points over 15 of ME? so someone with a high ME of 30 would be able to use a total of 5 animal psionic powers at once or the same power on up to 5 people? Do you feel that such a change would balance well or to over powered?

Finally, when possibly expanding the available mutant psionic powers list with modified powers selected from the human scope of Psi-Powers from HU. What things should I look out for or keep in mind as far as game balance? Also possible tweaks to them?

If all else fails with a modified animal psionics system, do you real using the human ISP system in a mutant animal world would be to out of place, or un balancing to the game?

I would like to thank you for any help and advise you can provide me.

Thanks.

[Ted Smythe]

Erick, can you give a hint of what you are currently working on?

[Tinker Dragoon]

...I was thinking about putting some type or types of magical classes into the mix. Nothing as vast as the number of magical O.C.Cs as rifts has mind you...

If I were you, I'd pick up a copy of "Mutants Down Under" and check out how the mystic/magic works in that book.

It's a good model... and it's also how I plan on introducing magic in the upcoming books.

It's just my opinion, but I'd only use the Rifts-style magic for the (very rare) human NPC.

Is that system similar to the one in Transdimensional TMNT? (I have several TMNT books but none of the first edition AtB books)

[Shaved Monkey]

Actually Transdimensional Turtles has under one of the character backgrounds, the option for a mutant to be raised by a mage. The interesting part is that there was a BIO-E cost to become a mage himself. You might want to consider that when integrating magic into AtB.

[Ronin Shinobi]

I would combine systems from Rifts or BtS with what is offered from Transdimentoinal. Create the character based off of the Transdimentional boot, including the cost of Bio-E. However use the PPE system form Rifts or BTS for the Leyline Walker/Wizard. The cost of Bio-E would reflect the training the mutant had to prepare it's body to focus and channel the PPE properly.

[Tinker Dragoon]

Actually Transdimensional Turtles has under one of the character backgrounds, the option for a mutant to be raised by a mage. The interesting part is that there was a BIO-E cost to become a mage himself. You might want to consider that when integrating magic into AtB.

Yeah that's basically what I was asking. In Trans-D TMNT you can have a mutant raised as a familiar become a wizard by spending BIO-E, or a mutant raised as a Time Lord's apprentice become a Time Lord at a slightly lower BIO-E cost. Does Mutants of Yucatan follow the same pattern? Or should I go out and buy it because it has an entirely different magic setup?

[gordyzx9r]

If I had a player want magic in ATB I'd probably use the Transdimensional model, and for psionics I use the original TMNT rules. I've only used magic once in ATB, I think I had used the HU model, the players didn't seem to care for it too much though. Mind you that was years and years ago...

[Mike Taylor]

I have to say that I agree with Therumancer on this, which doesn't happen very often. The easiest way to go about creating a magic-using mutant animal would be to just give them an O.C.C. from another game. I also agree that you'll need to make the character fit into the context of the game setting.

[Ronin Shinobi]

I have to say that I agree with Therumancer on this, which doesn't happen very often. The easiest way to go about creating a magic-using mutant animal would be to just give them an O.C.C. from another game. I also agree that you'll need to make the character fit into the context of the game setting.

Definatly a good ideal but I still think the spending of BIO-E should not be left out, from transdimentional. As I stated it'll reflex the coditioning the body is going through for to obtain the ability and PPE for spells.