Newbie here!

[troy812]

Newbie here!

I just went to a Con here in SW Florida and received a copy of the RIFTER and then became so inspired I bought a copy of RIFTS.

I used to own all of the Palladium Fantasy® RPG stuff when it cam out 15 or 20 years ago and even got RIFTS way back when, but time marched on and everything got lost. I still remember the basics but... Hmmm.

Now I am back in gaming and it looks like back into RIFTS but I am just starting out. I want to keep it as simple as possible right now. Later of course well... But for now, simple and straightforward is key. I don’t want a hundred new D-Bees, A thousand new weapons or a gazillion new spells. I just looking for something that will use what is in the 1st book.

My feelings right now... I live down here in Florida so I am thinking about the new Dinosaur Swamp™ book....
.... but... I would like to play, at least for a while, something a little more …Iconic. Something that is really stereotypical, basic RIFTs.

So what do you think? If you got just one or two books, what would they be?

T

[Sentinel]

I started Rifts with just the Main Book, and Sourcebook 1, and the 1st world book I got was Vampire Kingdoms. I'd say main book and sourcebook 1 are all you'd need to start and keep things simple as you said.
If you plan to use mages, I recommend the Book of Magic.
I really like the Rifts Game Master Guide (GMG), and I recommend that.
Again, the first two are probably all you really need, and anything else is extra.

[troy812]

WOW
you guys are fast!!!

Thanks

T

[troy812]

What about good web sites?

T

[Dustin Fireblade]

RIFTS main book and Sourcebook 1

I would add Dinosaur Swamp to that. From there you have a choice of books to expand as you like.
1. Vampire Kingdoms
2. Atlantis
3. Juicer Uprising
4. Coalition War Campaign
5. Psyscape
6. Lone Star
7. New West
8. Spirit West
9. Federation of Magic
10. Canada
11. Ixiticix Invasion

That's just in the order the books came out, for a North America based game. If you decide to go south then the two South American books are really all thats needed for expansion, with material from the Undersea's book thrown in for good measure.

As for good websites, well what are you looking for? For more discussion and ideas I suggest NexusNine (link in my sig).

[Vinny]

What about good web sites?

T

Working on a great website here. Look at tagline for more.

[troy812]

Wow!

You guys are great. You have to be the fastest board I have dealt with. And you even give great information.

If you don't mind I think I will hang here for a while and throw out a bunch of boring questions.

Thanks
T

[Larsen]

Go ahead, post all you want.

Also I recommend of course the already mentioned main book and the conversion book 1, but also if you like the man of arms occ rifts mercenaries has the bounty hunter professional thief forger and other similar occs. And for more headhunter occs there is rifts canada.

For more magic of course the book of magic

For more juicer occs the uprising world book 10.

But I would recommend you stay away from rifts: england unless of course you want the whole arthur story retold for rifts in your games.

Also if you want to stay more to the lower power scale (SDC instead of MDC) I've heard good things about the weapon compendium books.

[Sentinel]

Wow!

You guys are great. You have to be the fastest board I have dealt with. And you even give great information.

If you don't mind I think I will hang here for a while and throw out a bunch of boring questions.

Thanks
T

That's what we're all here for.

[Vinny]

Wow!

You guys are great. You have to be the fastest board I have dealt with. And you even give great information.

Most of us have no lives such as Doom and Zerebus.

[troy812]

For books to buy I recommend that you look over the various titles Palladium has in print and pick a location in the world or setting that you are familiar with. ...

Snip

So if I went out and got RIFTS Dinosaur Swamp (like I said I am, living in Florida now), would I need to have other books to support it?
Or is RDS fairly self contained, as long as I have the "core" book?

T

[Sentinel]

For books to buy I recommend that you look over the various titles Palladium has in print and pick a location in the world or setting that you are familiar with. ...

Snip

So if I went out and got RIFTS Dinosaur Swamp (like I said I am, living in Florida now), would I need to have other books to support it?
Or is RDS fairly self contained, as long as I have the "core" book?

T

I haven't read Dino Swamp yet, but you'd most likely be good with that one.
If you're allowing Magic characters, that Book of Magic is really a must have to keep useful info to you all in one book. My GMG and BOM both are chock full of post-it notes and stickies to mark pages fro me to reference again quickly.

[Hystrix]

You really need Book of Magic, and the Game Master Guide to go with the Main Book. You could get by w/o them, but I would pick them up eventually...

Dino Swamp could be run on its own, but there may be tid bits of info you may miss by not having books like New West (for other Dinos), and Book of Magic...

[Sentinel]

Dino Swamp could be run on its own, but there may be tid bits of info you may miss by not having books like New West (for other Dinos), and Book of Magic...


Hystrix makes a good point: I would check to see if there are any dinos in New West that aren't reprinted in Dino Swamp. If Dino Swamp gives you what you need, then I'd just go with that.
The idea of running Rifts with only 2 of the books is actually kind of thought provoking.

[Dustin Fireblade]

For books to buy I recommend that you look over the various titles Palladium has in print and pick a location in the world or setting that you are familiar with. ...

Snip

So if I went out and got RIFTS Dinosaur Swamp (like I said I am, living in Florida now), would I need to have other books to support it?
Or is RDS fairly self contained, as long as I have the "core" book?

T

The author seemed to have made it just for the OCC's of the Main Book, so getting Dino Swamp and the Main Book should do you just fine to start off with.

[GaredBattlespike]

My take? Try this combo for a Dino-Swamp Campaign:
1)Rifts Main Book- for the Essential Basics (A must-have)
2)Rifts GM's Guide- for all things like Skills,Gear and Psionics (Also a must have)
3)Book of Magic- for all things Magic (Also a must-have)
4)Bionics Sourcebook- for all thing Bionic (A must-have)
5)Rifts Canada- for the various Headhunters O.C.C.'s and other goodies from North America. (Optional)
6Psyscape- for the updated Psychic Classes (Optional)
7)Lonestar- for the updated Dog Boys & Psi-Stalkers! (Optional)
and Cyber-Knights (Only if in use by PC's, major NPC's)

[Killer Cyborg]

The Main Rule Book, Game Master Guide, Book of Magic, and in my opinion Mercenaries.

These are the 4 primary books everyone should want.

Throw in Dinosaur Swamp as your Setting, and I can see plenty of Fun Times.

Replace Mercs with Triax and NGR and you've got it right.

I don't thinks so.
I've been playing Rifts since it came out, and I have yet to actually use the NGR book.
Mercenaries takes place in North America, and is therefore much more useful.

[Dustin Fireblade]

The Main Rule Book, Game Master Guide, Book of Magic, and in my opinion Mercenaries.

These are the 4 primary books everyone should want.

Throw in Dinosaur Swamp as your Setting, and I can see plenty of Fun Times.

Replace Mercs with Triax and NGR and you've got it right.

I don't thinks so.
I've been playing Rifts since it came out, and I have yet to actually use the NGR book.
Mercenaries takes place in North America, and is therefore much more useful.

There are Gargoyles in N. America too. Killing sub-demons is a great hobby, and they arn't as anoying as Xiticx or Vamps(even though these are sometimes more fun, they are deffinatly a hassle.)

Plus, with chances of alliances, it never hurts to have some NGR people around

Lazlo (always usefull)

And the NGR's GB is so much better than the american version.

Well Triax tech is really rather rare in North America.

And really if monsters are all thats needed I'd just get Dark Conversions and be done with it.

[Dustin Fireblade]

As about Triax tech, in FQ there are a number of Triax GB's from a tricky trade deal, and if there was an alliance, there would be an explosion of triax tech in the americas.

This should really be a seperate topic, but no there won't. The CS won't allow it.

[Dustin Fireblade]

As about Triax tech, in FQ there are a number of Triax GB's from a tricky trade deal, and if there was an alliance, there would be an explosion of triax tech in the americas.

This should really be a seperate topic, but no there won't. The CS won't allow it.

Tsk Tsk Tsk... another skimmer. Read Triax and NGR please!!

It says that FQ has ALREADY(as in has, already happened) has set up trade with FQ...In exchange for the secret behind the armour, they ship out a number of Triax GB's so not to disturb the agreement between FQ and the CS.(hey, THEY didn't make them).

In Triax and NGR, it says there was a small number out currently, but in a year or two, they would have a vast shipment out to FQ. Following the timeline, they have the vast shipment.

How did you think Triax got the secret to the laser resistant aurmor???

And apparently FQ is selling those on the open market in NA? I don't think so. How does that equate to a 'explosion of triax teck?'
(Also how many items in the Triax book are marked "exclusive to the NGR"?)

[velcRomanceR]

I would say you need the RIFTS Main Book, and seeing as how you already have it...Great.
I would go onto this website or Ebay or your local book store and buy:

World Book 2: Atlantis (I am very parital to this book, it's my favorite)

World Book 16: Federation of Magic (second favorite)

&

Mercenaries.

After you get going pretty well, buy World Book 10: Coalition War Campaign then World Book 14: New West.

Those are my suggestions. They are great ones BTW. Enjoy...

[Dustin Fireblade]

you've got to be kidding me, please say this is a joke Of course not!!! They build ARMIES out of GB's, not sell them. They had a limit of GB's on FQ. FQ could not BUILD anymore. They gave the best tech society in the world the plans for the laser resistant armour so that they can build them, send [roughly] half to FQ. FQ gets thier GB's without violating the agreement, Triax now knows how to make GB's.

As for the boom in Triax tech, the trade agreement gives tech trade between the NGR and the CS. The amout goes up.

Ok, so again, where's this "triax tech explosion in america"? Let me point out it's one thing to say that the CS and FQ can benefit from a increased trade with the NGR (which the CS and FQ have already used), but to make a general statement of 'triax tech explosion in america' sounds like everyone and their brother is packing a Triax weapon, wearing Triax EBA and has a nice new Triax CRV in the garage. As of 105 PA only 12% of all arms sales in NA were Triax.

[Dustin Fireblade]

you've got to be kidding me, please say this is a joke Of course not!!! They build ARMIES out of GB's, not sell them. They had a limit of GB's on FQ. FQ could not BUILD anymore. They gave the best tech society in the world the plans for the laser resistant armour so that they can build them, send [roughly] half to FQ. FQ gets thier GB's without violating the agreement, Triax now knows how to make GB's.

As for the boom in Triax tech, the trade agreement gives tech trade between the NGR and the CS. The amout goes up.

Ok, so again, where's this "triax tech explosion in america"? Let me point out it's one thing to say that the CS and FQ can benefit from a increased trade with the NGR (which the CS and FQ have already used), but to make a general statement of 'triax tech explosion in america' sounds like everyone and their brother is packing a Triax weapon, wearing Triax EBA and has a nice new Triax CRV in the garage. As of 105 PA only 12% of all arms sales in NA were Triax.

If one were to READ the section on terms of the alliance, one would learn that there will be a vast increase of triax technology because they will then be trading frequently. Science Triax tech is viewed as superior(mostly), more will purchase the technology including the millitary.

You didn't read what I just had there did you? Anyway I'm starting a new thread on this....

[Todd Yoho]

Anyone interested in centering a campaign in Dinosaur Swamp would ideally have the Rifts Main Book, the Game Master's Guide and the Book of Magic.

From my perspective, these are the additional books that would help you get the most out of the book in the long run.

There are no reprinted dinos in DS, so at some point you'll want to pick up New West for a wider range of dinos and dino-like creatures. You'll also want to eventually pick up either Africa or the Russia books for the Necromancer class to get the most use out of the necromantic dino items. Atlantis would be next because because of the perpetual raiding by Splynncyrth's minions. Splynn Dimensional Market is recommended because it ties in directly with what's going on under the ruined streets of Atlanta.

I tried to make DS as self-contained a setting as possible, but with a setting as rich and detailed as Rifts, that wasn't very easy.

Oh, and of course you're going to want to buy Adventures in Dinosaur Swamp when it comes out later this year!