Burster Tactics and Strategies

[Killer Cyborg]

I am thinking about making my next character a Burster. I wanted to think outside the box on things and come up with some cool and unique strategies on how to use him. Does anyone have anything they have done or thought of?

1. Make good use of Super-Fuel Flame.
For example, get a TW Flaming Knife (2d6 MD), then Super-Fuel the flame for 5x the normal size and damage.
Then you have a flaming sword that does 10d6 MD.

Basically, you can use it on any fire that isn't too large for your level, that has a duration (no using it on stuff that's only around for one attack, unless perhaps the GM let's you hold action and boost an ally's fire attack. No, it doesn't work on plasma).

Use it in combo with your other powers, where applicable.
The obvious is to combine it with Fire Eruption.
Less obvious (and less useful) is to use it with your Flame Burst (Self) power.
It will affect a larger radius, and can dish out 1d4x10 MD if you're near a ley line, 1d6x10 MD if you're paying the extra cost for mega-damage anyway.
Just the basic aura can be boosted up to 6d6x10 SDC, which is actually enough that if you roll well you could do a point of mega-damage with it, though this would usually not be too useful.

It's an extremely handy power.

2. You're impervious to heat/fire/plasma.
Let me say this one again, because people don't always get the implications: You are Impervious to Plasma.
Not just you, your armor as well (at least in RUE).
So get a belt of plasma grenades, with all the pins on a single cord.
Get close to the targets, then pull that cord and fry them all, leaving yourself unharmed.

And you're impervious to your own Fire Eruptions, whether or not they're Super-Fueled.
So as long as your allies aren't around, feel free to drop that pillar of fire or area affect right where you're standing.

Furthermore, smoke barely affects you. Get some smoke grenades and use them freely (again, though, you have to take allies into account).

3. Sense Fire
In limited situations, your allies can use this to signal you if you're within range and checking for it.
It probably won't come up often, but you sometimes the "Okay, you bust into the room and start kicking but when I give the signal by lighting my cigarette" trick can come in pretty handy.
Also, if you're being chased by people with torches or lanterns, you can evade them more easily by sensing them around corners or through walls, without exposing yourself by poking your head out of your hiding place.

[Talavar]

The blow-self-up-with-plasma technique is a great one - but forget grenades: strap mini- or short-range plasma missiles to yourself rigged to a detonator.

Invest in a weapon that does kinetic damage as back-up. Bursters can get in trouble otherwise when going up against demons & mages.

Killer Cyborg, are you sure super-fuel flame won't work on plasma with a duration? For instance, there's a plasma napalm flame thrower in Juicer Uprising that does 2d6 MD/round for several minutes - that's not a valid target for super fuel flame?

[Killer Cyborg]

The blow-self-up-with-plasma technique is a great one - but forget grenades: strap mini- or short-range plasma missiles to yourself rigged to a detonator.

Invest in a weapon that does kinetic damage as back-up. Bursters can get in trouble otherwise when going up against demons & mages.

Killer Cyborg, are you sure super-fuel flame won't work on plasma with a duration? For instance, there's a plasma napalm flame thrower in Juicer Uprising that does 2d6 MD/round for several minutes - that's not a valid target for super fuel flame?

The rules never specifically endorse or forbid treating plasma as fire, so it's ultimately the GM's call.

I wouldn't allow it, because plasma simply is not fire.

[The Galactus Kid]

The blow-self-up-with-plasma technique is a great one - but forget grenades: strap mini- or short-range plasma missiles to yourself rigged to a detonator.

Invest in a weapon that does kinetic damage as back-up. Bursters can get in trouble otherwise when going up against demons & mages.

Killer Cyborg, are you sure super-fuel flame won't work on plasma with a duration? For instance, there's a plasma napalm flame thrower in Juicer Uprising that does 2d6 MD/round for several minutes - that's not a valid target for super fuel flame?

The rules never specifically endorse or forbid treating plasma as fire, so it's ultimately the GM's call.

I wouldn't allow it, because plasma simply is not fire.

We recently had a player in our group that was a burster (the character died a couple of months ago...sad) and he was one of the best played characters I've seen. Kudos to the player, but he used flame eruption (the forcefield power) and stood in a doorway taking enemy fire while allowing the party to escape. The GM allowed him to parry fire by reactivatiting his forcefield when it got low similar to TK forcefield. During this time he set an area on fire, super fueled the flame, and then extinguished the fire once all the thugs were ash.

[The Baron of chaos]

Also I want to add in consideration the fire bolt that can be increased in size using fueld flame, but kepe in mind that each fueling cost an action and ISP. so if not wise us all your ISP in the mother of all fire blast, as it will make you an easy target, plus if you miss, then you're screwed.

Take in consideration all other psionic powers too and how they work together. Albeit I know that compared to Zappers, seem Bursters got the short stick in selection(albeit i tend to rule that Zapper TK powers work only himself and electroconductive materials. and I think most will agree with me in this).

Levitation: Is ideal to geat great view of battlefield, hide and if you have telekinesis or Telekinetic Leap(if one is generous enough to allow a burster to get this one), you can actually make some air movement, instead of simply staying there. Think something like Levitation, Telekinesis push oneself sideway, levitation again to prevent falling. Best use for bursters is to levitate flammable heavy object and drop them onto enemies

Telekinesis: Latest rifter suggest tha tcould be used for flying, provided you can lift your own weight. And as above is great throwing flaming objects toward enemies. Also good for giving your fire some funky shapes but this is more for show off, a cosmetic thing

Empathy: well sincerely i dont get why is amongst bursters psionic powers of choice. aww forget it even i don't know how would be good fro a burster.
Mind Block: hide your own intetion from enemy psionics
Radiate HF: Sometimes making an impression will help you avoid unnecessary battle.
Telepathy: While far from good scanning device it can pinpoint sentient thoughts in an area

[Killer Cyborg]

I would be under the impression that an exploding missile or grenades would still damage the player (the explosion dealing some damage, while the plasma deals none). Could be wrong, though.

Originally, plasma weapons inflicted 1/10th damage against bursters because the impact of the blast caused damage, but this was simplified later and now they take no damage at all from plasma weapons. Period.

Also, the idea would be to set the grenades off outside your body armor; the armor itself should protect you from the explosive force.

[Killer Cyborg]

Also I want to add in consideration the fire bolt that can be increased in size using fueld flame, but kepe in mind that each fueling cost an action and ISP. so if not wise us all your ISP in the mother of all fire blast, as it will make you an easy target, plus if you miss, then you're screwed.

The thing is, it takes an attack to Super Fuel Flame.
And it takes an attack to launch a fire bolt.
But the time you're done launching the fire bolt and your next action comes up, the fire bolt is long over; it's already hit the target.

Telekinesis: Latest rifter suggest tha tcould be used for flying, provided you can lift your own weight. And as above is great throwing flaming objects toward enemies. Also good for giving your fire some funky shapes but this is more for show off, a cosmetic thing

The Collected MOPs explain that TK isn't meant for flying; even if you can lift yourself, you can only move at speed of 7.

[The Baron of chaos]

So you're saying that a burster is weaker, waaaay much weaker than zapper as it got electrokinesis too in addition to so many kickass power that make earth tremble, while burster got levitation...yeah levitation I did a massive effort to say something positive about levitation. A floating man shooting weak fire bolts soudn lot like big floating target (by the way weak blast compared to an average plasma blaster or pyrokinesis, as i heard it does megadamage now, or warlock, or spellcaster, 2d6 megadmage is ridiculous, at least from someone is supposed to be psionic fire specialist I mean come on, the russian fire mage can kick a burster ass whenever they wish, is kinda sad)
As for telekinesis...good , ok, let's exclude the optional rules of rifter...then why there is not telekinesis flight physical power, is something to think for a future book of psionic(psyscape is so outdated right now). Anyway ever thought if its possible to combine telekinetic leap with levitation, Sort of levitation then telekinetic leap and land on another levitation...hmm seem kinda complicated.
Damn the burster is not that bad...too bad it does not fly , it firebolts are quite low powered, and its other psionic powers are wimpy compared to other kineticist PCC.

[The Galactus Kid]

So you're saying that a burster is weaker, waaaay much weaker than zapper as it got electrokinesis too in addition to so many kickass power that make earth tremble, while burster got levitation...yeah levitation I did a massive effort to say something positive about levitation. A floating man shooting weak fire bolts soudn lot like big floating target (by the way weak blast compared to an average plasma blaster or pyrokinesis, as i heard it does megadamage now, or warlock, or spellcaster, 2d6 megadmage is ridiculous, at least from someone is supposed to be psionic fire specialist I mean come on, the russian fire mage can kick a burster ass whenever they wish, is kinda sad)
As for telekinesis...good , ok, let's exclude the optional rules of rifter...then why there is not telekinesis flight physical power, is something to think for a future book of psionic(psyscape is so outdated right now). Anyway ever thought if its possible to combine telekinetic leap with levitation, Sort of levitation then telekinetic leap and land on another levitation...hmm seem kinda complicated.
Damn the burster is not that bad...too bad it does not fly , it firebolts are quite low powered, and its other psionic powers are wimpy compared to other kineticist PCC.

The Bursters fiery aura gets stronger per level. The zappers does not.
The Fire Blast is not weak considering it can be summoned out of nowhere.
Create fire and super fuel flame are Damage over Time. Even a glitterboy would fall in this situation. A carpet of adhesion grenade and a 6D6 per melee fire will eat him up.

[The Baron of chaos]

The Bursters fiery aura gets stronger per level. The zappers does not.
The Fire Blast is not weak considering it can be summoned out of nowhere.
Create fire and super fuel flame are Damage over Time. Even a glitterboy would fall in this situation. A carpet of adhesion grenade and a 6D6 per melee fire will eat him up.

Hmm don't know, I still think the zapper had the edge, because well, Telekinesis super and TK acceleration attack. and some mind bleeders powers too!!. Burster got levitation(has its use, but is not good for flight, but excluding Rifters, there is no psionic power that allow flight at any decent speed....seriously what will took to make psionic fly on their own power in a palladium game?) Radiate Horror Factor(why a person engulfed o flame is not firghtening enough?..BTW HF work only on first meeting, and most hardcore soldiers and SN creatures have very high bonus to save vs. HF, so if you aren't an evil burster is not that useful) Sense Time(now you've to explaine this to me, why in name of prometheo's fire a burster need this power).
And The fire bolt. Ok can't be charged, can't be shot as burst, and the 8 ISP is per shot, doesn't work like nightbane shadowblast of damage per psichic point spent. So you can't shot 6d6 Megadamage blast for 24 ISP, it isn't x level, so the fire bolt of 7th level burster and one of a 1st level are identical at a range of 100 ft. Fire Warlock by comparison are much better fitting the title of masters of fire, having wider variety of fire related attacks(albeit they too don't fly...but only aire warlock fly, all toher are stuck on earth) and can summon their "bigger brothers" (A fire elemental, most frightening thing in existance IMHO). But one coudl argue tha tis worng compare a psychic and magic class, as they are too different(and this is true).
Wha ti'm saying is that bursters were cool and frightening in original Rifts main book, but over time, well they got less and less intimidating. is not that they are not powerful, as you pointed out dislike plasma weapons they have much more shots(too bad they are limited by APM and ISP is not endless, in heated battles run out pretty fast dislike what fiction could led you think)
Is that they are no more the top dogs, as zappper are definitely muhc more deadly.
One question why do Zappers get Electrokinesis automatically and bursters don't get pyrokinesis? And instead they got....radiate HF(waste of ISP. Get Telepathy instead, had nothing to do with fire, but is muhc more useful).

[The Baron of chaos]

I'm gonna put my two cents, as a burster I'd avoid Mind block or anyone who uses group mind block like the plauge unless you absolutely to.

People are very quick to toot thier horns about the benefits of these powers or that people should take it. I don't know if when they do this they have forgotten or never read the power closely, but with mind block up you can not use psychic abilities.

Yeah mind blokc is an odd choice as it block all psionci powers, included bursters one...as i start thinking they just choose the list of psionic powers for bursters at last minute, right before pubblishing

[dark brandon]

Hmm don't know, I still think the zapper had the edge, because well, Telekinesis super and TK acceleration attack. and some mind bleeders powers too!!. Burster got levitation(has its use, but is not good for flight, but excluding Rifters, there is no psionic power that allow flight at any decent speed....seriously what will took to make psionic fly on their own power in a palladium game?) Radiate Horror Factor(why a person engulfed o flame is not firghtening enough?..BTW HF work only on first meeting, and most hardcore soldiers and SN creatures have very high bonus to save vs. HF, so if you aren't an evil burster is not that useful) Sense Time(now you've to explaine this to me, why in name of prometheo's fire a burster need this power).
And The fire bolt. Ok can't be charged, can't be shot as burst, and the 8 ISP is per shot, doesn't work like nightbane shadowblast of damage per psichic point spent. So you can't shot 6d6 Megadamage blast for 24 ISP, it isn't x level, so the fire bolt of 7th level burster and one of a 1st level are identical at a range of 100 ft. Fire Warlock by comparison are much better fitting the title of masters of fire, having wider variety of fire related attacks(albeit they too don't fly...but only aire warlock fly, all toher are stuck on earth) and can summon their "bigger brothers" (A fire elemental, most frightening thing in existance IMHO). But one coudl argue tha tis worng compare a psychic and magic class, as they are too different(and this is true).
Wha ti'm saying is that bursters were cool and frightening in original Rifts main book, but over time, well they got less and less intimidating. is not that they are not powerful, as you pointed out dislike plasma weapons they have much more shots(too bad they are limited by APM and ISP is not endless, in heated battles run out pretty fast dislike what fiction could led you think)
Is that they are no more the top dogs, as zappper are definitely muhc more deadly.
One question why do Zappers get Electrokinesis automatically and bursters don't get pyrokinesis? And instead they got....radiate HF(waste of ISP. Get Telepathy instead, had nothing to do with fire, but is muhc more useful).

A burster by himself may not seem impressive, but he makes an excellent addition to any group, and there are some really great suggestions here on how to use them. In the campaign GK mentioned, I had CoA the ground while the burster laid out a carpet of flame. Pretty much, it was "Set it and forget it".

I'm a little bit more lenient when it comes to certain things. I'd allow Super fuel flame + fire bolt, fire eruption, or the fire aura to increase the damage or defense. I run it as the first time you use it, it doubles, the second time...triples...ect...So, if a burster wants to drop 80 ISP into a single fire bolt, he'll end up doing 2D6x10 MD, corse, he's only doing this maybe 2 times. Fire eruption caps out at a maximum of 6D6x10, and the armor is increased to a maximum of x10 it's original MDC. Either way, this isn't something he's going to do forever. The way I see it, they're just burning (pun!) through ISP that much faster.

Of course, I read Super-fuel flame in a different way than my gaming group. I think they read it as the burster can chose to raise it 2-10 x with 8 ISP. I read it, he can effectively raise it 1x per 8 ISP. So if you wanted a flame that's 5x's bigger than the original, it'd take 40 ISP.

[The Baron of chaos]

that's pretty much as i play it, think about it like a burster power punch.

[The Galactus Kid]

Hmm don't know, I still think the zapper had the edge, because well, Telekinesis super and TK acceleration attack. and some mind bleeders powers too!!. Burster got levitation(has its use, but is not good for flight, but excluding Rifters, there is no psionic power that allow flight at any decent speed....seriously what will took to make psionic fly on their own power in a palladium game?) Radiate Horror Factor(why a person engulfed o flame is not firghtening enough?..BTW HF work only on first meeting, and most hardcore soldiers and SN creatures have very high bonus to save vs. HF, so if you aren't an evil burster is not that useful) Sense Time(now you've to explaine this to me, why in name of prometheo's fire a burster need this power).
And The fire bolt. Ok can't be charged, can't be shot as burst, and the 8 ISP is per shot, doesn't work like nightbane shadowblast of damage per psichic point spent. So you can't shot 6d6 Megadamage blast for 24 ISP, it isn't x level, so the fire bolt of 7th level burster and one of a 1st level are identical at a range of 100 ft. Fire Warlock by comparison are much better fitting the title of masters of fire, having wider variety of fire related attacks(albeit they too don't fly...but only aire warlock fly, all toher are stuck on earth) and can summon their "bigger brothers" (A fire elemental, most frightening thing in existance IMHO). But one coudl argue tha tis worng compare a psychic and magic class, as they are too different(and this is true).
Wha ti'm saying is that bursters were cool and frightening in original Rifts main book, but over time, well they got less and less intimidating. is not that they are not powerful, as you pointed out dislike plasma weapons they have much more shots(too bad they are limited by APM and ISP is not endless, in heated battles run out pretty fast dislike what fiction could led you think)
Is that they are no more the top dogs, as zappper are definitely muhc more deadly.
One question why do Zappers get Electrokinesis automatically and bursters don't get pyrokinesis? And instead they got....radiate HF(waste of ISP. Get Telepathy instead, had nothing to do with fire, but is muhc more useful).

A burster by himself may not seem impressive, but he makes an excellent addition to any group, and there are some really great suggestions here on how to use them. In the campaign GK mentioned, I had CoA the ground while the burster laid out a carpet of flame. Pretty much, it was "Set it and forget it".

I'm a little bit more lenient when it comes to certain things. I'd allow Super fuel flame + fire bolt, fire eruption, or the fire aura to increase the damage or defense. I run it as the first time you use it, it doubles, the second time...triples...ect...So, if a burster wants to drop 80 ISP into a single fire bolt, he'll end up doing 2D6x10 MD, corse, he's only doing this maybe 2 times. Fire eruption caps out at a maximum of 6D6x10, and the armor is increased to a maximum of x10 it's original MDC. Either way, this isn't something he's going to do forever. The way I see it, they're just burning (pun!) through ISP that much faster.

Of course, I read Super-fuel flame in a different way than my gaming group. I think they read it as the burster can chose to raise it 2-10 x with 8 ISP. I read it, he can effectively raise it 1x per 8 ISP. So if you wanted a flame that's 5x's bigger than the original, it'd take 40 ISP.

We'd have to clarify that, but I've not read that section in a few months. I forgot about the set it and forget it. hahaha. it was awesome.

[ApocalypseZero]

Burster with a TW Flamethrower.

Funny thing is, every female I get in my Demo games goes for my Female Elven Burster with a TW Flamethrower. Elf, Chick, Fire..........gotta wonder.

[The Galactus Kid]

I'm a little bit more lenient when it comes to certain things. I'd allow Super fuel flame + fire bolt, fire eruption, or the fire aura to increase the damage or defense. I run it as the first time you use it, it doubles, the second time...triples...ect...So, if a burster wants to drop 80 ISP into a single fire bolt, he'll end up doing 2D6x10 MD, corse, he's only doing this maybe 2 times.

To do so in the relative low -powered campaign that *I* am playing would be... nuts.

Fire eruption caps out at a maximum of 6D6x10, and the armor is increased to a maximum of x10 it's original MDC. Either way, this isn't something he's going to do forever. The way I see it, they're just burning (pun!) through ISP that much faster.

Of course, I read Super-fuel flame in a different way than my gaming group. I think they read it as the burster can chose to raise it 2-10 x with 8 ISP. I read it, he can effectively raise it 1x per 8 ISP. So if you wanted a flame that's 5x's bigger than the original, it'd take 40 ISP.

Not according to RMB. 8 ISP - up 10x size.

The significance of that is that a high level burster in my world is that they can eradicate everything (okay mostly everything) in sight within two actions:
a) create an MD fire
b) expand the fire. Anything in that fire that doesn't get evaporated immediately will probably be compelled to try to escape the fire ASAP and/or try to locate the Burster amid the flaming hell. Anything that fails to leave the kill zone quickly enough will be exposed to another round of damage.

Btw, the Super Fuel Flame's damage is only limited by the size of the fire, which in turn is limited by the Burster's Level.

Moral of story: when you meet a burster of unknown power level and you are in doubt, make him your first target. (Of course the same could be said about Mind Melters or Shifters, etc.)

If I was a high-level Burster in real life, I could evaporate the entire university I am sitting in with pure thought on short notice. You bet Bursters are feared and hated.

Alex

One of the things that inevitably comes up in the burster threads is the maximum damage of super fuel flame. Some say there is no limit, others (me included, and I even believe kevin mentioned this when asked at the open house) is that it is Max 6D6 per melee.

[The Galactus Kid]

I'm a little bit more lenient when it comes to certain things. I'd allow Super fuel flame + fire bolt, fire eruption, or the fire aura to increase the damage or defense. I run it as the first time you use it, it doubles, the second time...triples...ect...So, if a burster wants to drop 80 ISP into a single fire bolt, he'll end up doing 2D6x10 MD, corse, he's only doing this maybe 2 times.

To do so in the relative low -powered campaign that *I* am playing would be... nuts.

Fire eruption caps out at a maximum of 6D6x10, and the armor is increased to a maximum of x10 it's original MDC. Either way, this isn't something he's going to do forever. The way I see it, they're just burning (pun!) through ISP that much faster.

Of course, I read Super-fuel flame in a different way than my gaming group. I think they read it as the burster can chose to raise it 2-10 x with 8 ISP. I read it, he can effectively raise it 1x per 8 ISP. So if you wanted a flame that's 5x's bigger than the original, it'd take 40 ISP.

Not according to RMB. 8 ISP - up 10x size.

The significance of that is that a high level burster in my world is that they can eradicate everything (okay mostly everything) in sight within two actions:
a) create an MD fire
b) expand the fire. Anything in that fire that doesn't get evaporated immediately will probably be compelled to try to escape the fire ASAP and/or try to locate the Burster amid the flaming hell. Anything that fails to leave the kill zone quickly enough will be exposed to another round of damage.

Btw, the Super Fuel Flame's damage is only limited by the size of the fire, which in turn is limited by the Burster's Level.

Moral of story: when you meet a burster of unknown power level and you are in doubt, make him your first target. (Of course the same could be said about Mind Melters or Shifters, etc.)

If I was a high-level Burster in real life, I could evaporate the entire university I am sitting in with pure thought on short notice. You bet Bursters are feared and hated.

Alex

One of the things that inevitably comes up in the burster threads is the maximum damage of super fuel flame. Some say there is no limit, others (me included, and I even believe kevin mentioned this when asked at the open house) is that it is Max 6D6 per melee.

According to RMB, it is as I have said. Damage scales according to size and size is limited by level.

Example: Fire Eruption with 20 ft - 4D6.

4th level burster - can fuel it to 80 ft, therefore to 4x4D6. To me it makes sense to do so, especially since that area can be escaped before the SFF.

Alex

Yes, but the damage by size is listed elsewhere in the Bursters description with 6D6 being the highest.

[Killer Cyborg]

the damage by size is listed elsewhere in the Bursters description with 6D6 being the highest.

The damage by size for a completely different power, IIRC.

[The Baron of chaos]

The problem of burster is that they are good for area damage rather than direct damage. In short they destory everything around them. But can do very little direct damage(why the megadamage fire bolt is stuck at 2d6 regardless of level is beyond my understanding, consdiering they can turn a room into a hellish inferno..won't have been fun is the damage of the fire bolt increased if the burster is surrounded by fire? ). Also the Burster is at same time the most destructive force but also the weakest. The fire eruption can be used only as area, never directly on people(perhaps the article on rifter 42 about how psionic affect the aura of people is not too wrong). And worst , as an area attack destroy everything, friend or foe, innocent bystanders and buildings. But keep in mind that the average full enviromental armor offer total protection agaisnt normal fire and has enough MDc to sustain MDc fire enough to get their hand on burster, who, by the way, has only his aura as defensive power. Good Alignemtn bursters find themselves probably facing moral and ethical problems, as they do not want to use their power at full, for fear to kill or horribly hurt peoples, while evil ones will delight in arson and setting people ablaze. The can't even move fire(odd for pyrokinetic specialist).
Also the other psionic powers available for burster are almost comical. Albeit i understand that dislike electricty, fire has very few options, I mean once you took away flight there are not many thing he can do, apart burn stuff. I think is this i don't particulary liek about burster. Compared to zappers they lack an aimed force and are much less adaptable and elastic. The only thing they can truly do is burn stuff. Slightly better than a psionic wiht pyrokinesis, by the way.

[The Galactus Kid]

the damage by size is listed elsewhere in the Bursters description with 6D6 being the highest.

The damage by size for a completely different power, IIRC.

It is listed in a different power, but that is the reference that we use in my group. This was just me playing devils advocate since this question will never be answered until we get a clarified update officially.

[dark brandon]

To do so in the relative low -powered campaign that *I* am playing would be... nuts.

Not really. A quick glance would show that it is more cost effective for a burster to use each power individually, rather than bump it up with Superfuel flame. A burster, with 4 ISP can do 2D6 damage. Lets say he has 100 ISP. That means he can do a total of 2D6x25 damage within (assuming 5 apm) 5 melee rounds (total/or in just 2 min and 15 seconds). Or, if he needs to, 2D6x10 (for 80 ISP) one time in one action. Simply put, it's not cost effective for him to do this...but the option is avalible to him.

Not according to RMB. 8 ISP - up 10x size.

I've read the RUE...I just disagree on the interpretation. Since it doesn't say 8 ISP for x10...I read it as 8 ISP for every level you raise it up, up to a maximum of x10 (costing 80 ISP)

[The Baron of chaos]

Personally I'm not over fond of Burster, and my main problem is with their lis tof additional psionic powers and lack of flight(but again no psionic fly in Megaverse, for some reason, except mutant animals and Achilles Neo Humans), but i think that Dark Brandon said some truth.
Still 2d6 megadamage firebolt is not exceeptional compared to energy weapons, expecially if they can shot burst.
But that made me think, apart fueling flame, can a burster shot a duh burst of fire bolts, in your opinions?

[The Baron of chaos]

You should see the face on someone using a naruni plasma weapon when they realize they're facing a burster. It's priceless, almost as good as the look on thier face when thier plasma cartridges all cook off at the same time.

Hmm not sure a burster can ignite plasma cartridges on weapons. Would be cool if they can. But I think, is not possible, as weapon wuodl fall into Starting fire on a person.

[Killer Cyborg]

To do so in the relative low -powered campaign that *I* am playing would be... nuts.

Not really. A quick glance would show that it is more cost effective for a burster to use each power individually, rather than bump it up with Superfuel flame. A burster, with 4 ISP can do 2D6 damage. Lets say he has 100 ISP. That means he can do a total of 2D6x25 damage within (assuming 5 apm) 5 melee rounds (total/or in just 2 min and 15 seconds). Or, if he needs to, 2D6x10 (for 80 ISP) one time in one action. Simply put, it's not cost effective for him to do this...but the option is avalible to him.

I've read the RUE...I just disagree on the interpretation. Since it doesn't say 8 ISP for x10...I read it as 8 ISP for every level you raise it up, up to a maximum of x10 (costing 80 ISP)

That's a weird interpretation.
The books are filled with powers that have varying effects in range, damage, and general effect, and any time the cost is affected by what you do with the power, it states it in the power description somewhere.

It does not state or imply that the increase in size/damage increases the cost of the power in the case of Super Fuel Flame.
The power is: "The character can feed a fire with psychic energy, increasing its size by as little as twofold or as much as 10 times."
That doesn't even indicate that 2x is the default for the power, just the minimum, and it certainly doesn't indicate that any of these options would require an increase in ISP cost.
The cost itself is simply listed as "I.S.P. Cost: 8."
Period.
Not just in Rifts, and Psi-Scape, but in RUE.

Furthermore, under "Damage," it says "increased proportional to the size of the fire," then it says "GM Discretion."
This indicates to me that this is a powerful ability, one that GMs may want to consider changing from the official stats because it might be overpowered for their campaign.

That's not a note that would fit your interpretation of the power, nor the interpretation that it can do 6d6 MD max, or that it doesn't work on MD fires, or that it doesn't work in conjunction with the other powers a burster has.
You don't add a caution label on a nerf product.

[Killer Cyborg]

can a burster shot a duh burst of fire bolts, in your opinions?

No.
But I don't see that it would be overpowering to allow it as a house rule, not with an increased cost (3 shots, 3x cost, x2 or x3 damage).
Not in many campaigns, anyway.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Are fusion blocks considered plasma or heat-based weapons? *innocent look*

Fusion blocks are fusion. AKA, they are littearlly mini NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

They do damage in a varaity of ways except they have no radiation problems.

[dark brandon]

That's a weird interpretation.
The books are filled with powers that have varying effects in range, damage, and general effect, and any time the cost is affected by what you do with the power, it states it in the power description somewhere.

It does not state or imply that the increase in size/damage increases the cost of the power in the case of Super Fuel Flame.
The power is: "The character can feed a fire with psychic energy, increasing its size by as little as twofold or as much as 10 times."
That doesn't even indicate that 2x is the default for the power, just the minimum, and it certainly doesn't indicate that any of these options would require an increase in ISP cost.
The cost itself is simply listed as "I.S.P. Cost: 8."

It's the "GMs discression" that I get the person can affect it at 2-10x's in relation to the Fire eruption ability (which has damage dependant on size).

Just before this gets too far with nerd argument, let me say that I played it like this up until I met my current group. I see why many people read it that way. I just read it and played it so long the other way that I play it this way. I never claimed it was RAW, and specifically mentioned on how I INTERPRETED/READ it.

[Killer Cyborg]

That's a weird interpretation.
The books are filled with powers that have varying effects in range, damage, and general effect, and any time the cost is affected by what you do with the power, it states it in the power description somewhere.

It does not state or imply that the increase in size/damage increases the cost of the power in the case of Super Fuel Flame.
The power is: "The character can feed a fire with psychic energy, increasing its size by as little as twofold or as much as 10 times."
That doesn't even indicate that 2x is the default for the power, just the minimum, and it certainly doesn't indicate that any of these options would require an increase in ISP cost.
The cost itself is simply listed as "I.S.P. Cost: 8."

It's the "GMs discression" that I get the person can affect it at 2-10x's in relation to the Fire eruption ability (which has damage dependant on size).

Just before this gets too far with nerd argument, let me say that I played it like this up until I met my current group. I see why many people read it that way. I just read it and played it so long the other way that I play it this way. I never claimed it was RAW, and specifically mentioned on how I INTERPRETED/READ it.

You said how you read it.
I said how it's written.

Nothing really more to say here.

[runebeo]

I would like to see Rifts include some new Burster psionic powers only available to them like the ones in BTS. Something like create flame beast or bird for a few melee rounds, something to add more versatility them and maybe a few powers that only work while on a ley line. A few in my group don't like how one dimensional their abilities are compared to other classes. In our game the one Buster likes to us a T.W. cowboy hat that has Blinding flash (-10 on combat bonuses) & Cloud of Smoke spells when thrown on the ground and he has a retractable 50 foot nylon cord from his armor to his hat.

[Killer Cyborg]

I would like to see Rifts include some new Burster psionic powers only available to them like the ones in BTS. Something like create flame beast or bird for a few melee rounds, something to add more versatility them and maybe a few powers that only work while on a ley line.

SKILLs, man.
For the love of God.

If a Burst has the power of TK, then he can learn to combine it with his normal power in certain ways if he learns the SKILL of "create flame beast/bird."
For example.

Psychics don't need more powers; they just need more applications of their existing powers.

[The Baron of chaos]

I would like to see Rifts include some new Burster psionic powers only available to them like the ones in BTS. Something like create flame beast or bird for a few melee rounds, something to add more versatility them and maybe a few powers that only work while on a ley line.

SKILLs, man.
For the love of God.

If a Burst has the power of TK, then he can learn to combine it with his normal power in certain ways if he learns the SKILL of "create flame beast/bird."
For example.

Psychics don't need more powers; they just need more applications of their existing powers.

Hm yeah yuo're right here, but again TK flgiht won't hurt as physical psionic.

[Killer Cyborg]

I would like to see Rifts include some new Burster psionic powers only available to them like the ones in BTS. Something like create flame beast or bird for a few melee rounds, something to add more versatility them and maybe a few powers that only work while on a ley line.

SKILLs, man.
For the love of God.

If a Burst has the power of TK, then he can learn to combine it with his normal power in certain ways if he learns the SKILL of "create flame beast/bird."
For example.

Psychics don't need more powers; they just need more applications of their existing powers.

Hm yeah yuo're right here, but again TK flgiht won't hurt as physical psionic.

It would be overpowered for just a physical power; it would have to be a Super psionic power if it was going to be worthwhile.
Or, IMO, simply a skill that can be applied with variable effect to either TK power.

[The Baron of chaos]

It would be overpowered for just a physical power; it would have to be a Super psionic power if it was going to be worthwhile.
Or, IMO, simply a skill that can be applied with variable effect to either TK power.

Yeah, In rifter 44 there is an aritcle about this very argument. At leas tis proof we are not alone thinking about new way to look at psionic powers.(Could telekinesis act as air platform to perform TK leap, or to stick at a surface or to swing around??)

[The Baron of chaos]

One thing you can do right off the bat is to make the Psi-Slayer's TK Air Walk power available as a Physical selection to other Master level psychics. This is basically the first power that many people are conceptualizing without realizing that it's already written down in the books. If there are Psi-Slayers in your player group crying foul over their power becoming nonexclusive, you can either ignore them, increase the ISP cost for the power for non-Psi-Slayers, or lower the ISP cost for the Psi-Slayer.

Well thats how i do it, albeit i was talking about full fledged flight. On side note I always puzzled if is possible to use TK leap in fast series, sort of air leaping