Cyber-Knight's Psi-Sword

[Hotrod]

Except it is clearly stated that Cyber-Armor is not their primary means of protection, regular MD body armor IS.
RUE pg65 (or SOT#4 pg26) when discussing Cyber Armor's AR rating:
"This is why all Cyber-Knights wear exterior suits of M.D. armor.
Cyber-Armor is intended only to provide additional protection and give the Knight an extra edge in combat."

Yes the INTENT is that Cyber-Knights are WEALTHY individuals who own expensive MDC armor, but that doesn't mean they'll necessarily enjoy that benefit in certain campaigns.

Exterior suits can get destroyed, stolen, sold to purchase food for orphans, etc.

I don't recall anything in the text indicating that Cyber-Knights tend to come from wealthy backgrounds, but that makes a lot of sense to me.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Not trying to put words into anyone's mouth, but any of the OCC's start with tens of thousands if not millions of credits worth of gear. MD armor, in and of itself is very expensive. MD Weapons as well.
Now that assumes you use the absurdity that is the Rifts Credit's/costs for things.

But that might be what he's aiming at.

[Pepsi Jedi]

I always got a "modernized paladin" feel from them.

You mean... like the Jedi Order?

You guys can make fun and grin and wink if you like, but I was 13 when Rifts landed and it was 100% clear what the CK were back then, and it hasn't changed in the 30 years following. Could they have other influences -as well-? Most certainly. Many many of Rifts things are highly influenced by other things, out side Palladium (That's not a cut or a smear. Stuff in genre and out influence things all the time) But some are a bit closer and more distinct than others.

But that only pertains to the OP, in so much as I've covered above. One of my first two Rifts chars ever was a CK. The other was a Wilderness Scout. Can't remember -exactly- which was first as they were played at the same time. One just predated the other by a day or two, but yeah. From Day 1 that the RMB hit the shelves I've been on board with the CK.

[Axelmania]

I was 13 when Rifts landed and it was 100% clear what the CK were back then

Jedi were probably more well known than the X-Force ninja known as Psylocke so our instincts as to what they resemble might not necessarily be the best facsimile, just the closest among the cultural things we're familiar with.

I never knew about Thundarr the Barbarian and his Sun Sword as a kid, this is something I'm only learning of recently, but that shouldn't mean he's less of a candidate just because he was less popular: Kevin Siembieda knew about relatively obscure stuff like Bubblegum Crisis (probably due to the anime dabbling which happens when you adapt Robotech) so Thundarr/Psylocke could've been equally viable candidates for inspiration as Jedi.

Or VOLTRON as mentioned previously since it "forms blazing sword" out of nothingness and actually is mechanical, like the Cyber-Knights wearing cyber-armor.

Cyber-Knights don't even have TK as standard, their psi is pathetic compared to what you'd expect of Jedi, Jedi always get overemphasized when thinking of cultural inspirations for Cyber-Knights.

If Star Wars lightsabres had any influence on something there's a strong argument for the wilks laser sword introduced in new west, or the equivalent new melee weapons for Alien category in HU2 (HU1 it was all ranged)

or maybe even those techno-wizard flaming swords? Those at least had handles a blade extended from like a lightsabre and a wider variety of people can use: cyber-knights form the entire thing out of thing air and only they can use them.

[Mack]

I always got a "modernized paladin" feel from them.

You mean... like the Jedi Order?

No, I mean like a PF Paladin, modernized.

[Shamrock 'Slinger]

I always got a "modernized paladin" feel from them.

You mean... like the Jedi Order?

No, I mean like a PF Paladin, modernized.

Or really any kind of Paladin.

Even the 'Have Gun Will Travel' Paladin.