Which Classes Would You Hunt?

[Bill]

Specifically to sacrifice in the creation of a rune weapon? WB2 specifically mentions a living supernatural being such as a dragon, or a powerful spell caster (10th level or greater), greater supernatural beings, including gods, godlings, ancient dragons, spirits of light, greater elementals, greater demons, and demon lords. What playable races would be low-hanging fruit?

Additionally, how could you use this information to build a scenario?

[Brayon]

Shifter bound to a god, would be my target of choice.

[Bill]

Shifter bound to a god, would be my target of choice.

Are you sure about that? Skimming over the class, the link doesn't cause them to become a supernatural critter; though a link with a god of darkness can grant them supernatural strength. Which means you'd have to hunt 10th level or better characters.

[Prysus]

Specifically to sacrifice in the creation of a rune weapon? WB2 specifically mentions a living supernatural being such as a dragon, or a powerful spell caster (10th level or greater), greater supernatural beings, including gods, godlings, ancient dragons, spirits of light, greater elementals, greater demons, and demon lords. What playable races would be low-hanging fruit?

Keep in mind the "low-hanging fruit" such as Dragons and 10th level magic users only make lesser rune weapons. That means 4D6 damage, and no special abilities. Since (I'm fairly sure) having knowledge on how to make rune weapons makes you an enemy of the Splugorth to be hunted down (if they discover it), not sure a bunch of lesser targets would be my personal choice. I'd more likely play big or go home.

This becomes more complicated when we look at RUE and Dragons are no longer classified as Supernatural Beings. So the question then becomes does this extend to Creatures of Magic as well, Dragons are no longer a viable candidate, or Dragons are the exception and NOT the rule.

Also, why only "playable races"?

With that stated, I'll try to answer your question the best I can ...

Vampires still technically fall into Supernatural Beings (I believe, at least I think they're counted as such even though the requirements might be out of their reach), and also playable (Secondary Vampires at least). If you go in prepared (preferrably with back-up), you should be good. Mexico* has a large quantity of potential rune weapons in the making!

If we include non-playable races, I'd think of Gargoyles (and kin). Gargoylites being the easiest, most likely. They might be strong and durable, but unless you run into the rare Gargoyle Mage, they don't have much magic making them one of the easier options. Head over to the NGR* and you have an army to pick from.

IF we're including Creatures of Magic, Faeries are a decent pick, and they're optional playable characters (I think). They're pests, so eliminating them (converting them into rune weapons) would be a public service to many. Also, while annoyances, they generally don't mean real harm (except for some of the more evil ones), which means your life isn't in as much danger during your hunt. England* would be excellent hunting grounds.

*Note: While areas with a large concentration of targets makes finding one easier, it also increases the chances of a plan going awry (suddenly swarmed and overwhelmed by the enemy).

Additionally, how could you use this information to build a scenario?

Not sure what you're looking for. You mention "playable races" as a restriction, which lends itself to a more PvP style of game (as if you already have something in mind). So you'll have to be more specific (for me at least) to answer this part of the question better. Farewell and safe journeys for now.

[Bill]

Just curious what people would come up with. Restricting it to playable races does make PvP an option. It also allows for the party to be the targets of a Splugorth allied hunting party. Or perhaps they're involved in something stranger.

[SolCannibal]

If a high-level (10th+) mortal spellcaster can be used in the making of a rune weapon, i see no particular reason why other creatures of magic beside dragons could not be used. I always felt the list was meant to serve as example, not to be all-inclusive.

Also, the text in Rifts Atlantis says "Greater supernatural beings, including gods, godlings, ancient dragons, spirits of light, greater elementals, greater demons and demon lords are needed to create the most powerful rune weapons." an interesting separation that seems to imply dragon hatchlings are the ones used along with powerful spellcasters in the making of lesser rune weapons, with adult dragons (and possibly creatures of magic in the same tier of power, like greater sphynxes like Horus) counting as viable power sources for the making of greater, if not greatest rune weapons.

At least it's what we are given in Atlantis - if things were changed in Book of Magic, RUE or some other source material, i have no idea whatsoever.

Shifters and witches (or Splugorth High Lord, that seem to have similar link with their masters) are interesting choices as "components" for the making of lesser rune weapons due to their mastery of magic and frequent connection to the essence of gods, demon lords or a variety of supernatural intelligences. Who knows, maybe a witch with a Gift of Union might have so much of its master essence to lower the minimum mastery level requirement, or to count as greater quality component instead of lesser as usual.

[Prysus]

Also, the text in Rifts Atlantis says "Greater supernatural beings, including gods, godlings, ancient dragons, spirits of light, greater elementals, greater demons and demon lords are needed to create the most powerful rune weapons." an interesting separation that seems to imply dragon hatchlings are the ones used along with powerful spellcasters in the making of lesser rune weapons, with adult dragons (and possibly creatures of magic in the same tier of power, like greater sphynxes like Horus) counting as viable power sources for the making of greater, if not greatest rune weapons.

Greetings and Salutations. Just for the record, in RWB2: Atlantis (page 34), Ancient is a different category/tier from Adult. The steps go Baby/Hatchling, then Adult, then Elder (no real change), and "Truly ancient dragons" (with an "ancient dragon" receiving a HF and M.D.C. boost, so with stat mods I'd definitely not the same as Adult). Just thought to add that for clarity. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys to all.

[SolCannibal]

Also, the text in Rifts Atlantis says "Greater supernatural beings, including gods, godlings, ancient dragons, spirits of light, greater elementals, greater demons and demon lords are needed to create the most powerful rune weapons." an interesting separation that seems to imply dragon hatchlings are the ones used along with powerful spellcasters in the making of lesser rune weapons, with adult dragons (and possibly creatures of magic in the same tier of power, like greater sphynxes like Horus) counting as viable power sources for the making of greater, if not greatest rune weapons.

Greetings and Salutations. Just for the record, in RWB2: Atlantis (page 34), Ancient is a different category/tier from Adult. The steps go Baby/Hatchling, then Adult, then Elder (no real change), and "Truly ancient dragons" (with an "ancient dragon" receiving a HF and M.D.C. boost, so with stat mods I'd definitely not the same as Adult). Just thought to add that for clarity. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys to all.

Those are the ones i meant by "adult dragons" - the ones old enough to enter a different tier of power MDC & PPE-wise (among a bunch other things) in relation to hatchlings. The ones in the Conversion Book. Anyway, you say poTato, i say potaTO, really....

[Prysus]

Those are the ones i meant by "adult dragons" - the ones old enough to enter a different tier of power MDC & PPE-wise (among a bunch other things) in relation to hatchlings. The ones in the Conversion Book. Anyway, you say poTato, i say potaTO, really....

Greetings and Salutations. So stats different than a Hatchling AND an Adult are what you meant by adult? Oooooo-kay. I'd prefer to say Hatchling, Adult, Ancient (as all three have different stats), but you can say Hatchling, Adult, Adult if you think that's clearer ... for some reason. Also, Ancient don't get a P.P.E. change. Though I'm suspecting you just didn't bother to check the page reference I provided. This isn't poTato, potaTO. It's you saying potato, and me saying I don't care how you pronounce it but a tomato still isn't the same. Farewell and safe journeys again.


P.S. As this is sidetracking from the original topic, I don't think I'll be posting on this particular subject (Hatchling/Adult/Ancient) again. Anyone who'd like to continue it can start a new thread, or just read page 34 of Atlantis (as previously mentioned) to see what's written by Palladium (who are also the ones who used the term "ancient" both times, in the same book).

[SolCannibal]

Those are the ones i meant by "adult dragons" - the ones old enough to enter a different tier of power MDC & PPE-wise (among a bunch other things) in relation to hatchlings. The ones in the Conversion Book. Anyway, you say poTato, i say potaTO, really....

Greetings and Salutations. So stats different than a Hatchling AND an Adult are what you meant by adult? Oooooo-kay. I'd prefer to say Hatchling, Adult, Ancient (as all three have different stats), but you can say Hatchling, Adult, Adult if you think that's clearer ... for some reason. Also, Ancient don't get a P.P.E. change. Though I'm suspecting you just didn't bother to check the page reference I provided.

I checked and simply didn't care at all, because bluntly put, adult, elder or ancient are mechanically the same overall, the differences that they do suggest are minimal (+1HR & +1000 MDC for something with already 1-2D6 x1000 MDC, some arbitrary psychologic penalty on splygorth minions) could be waived away for a number of reasons (like different races among others) on individual cases and, honestly, not really worth of being a hallmark as the Hatching vs Adult/Mature/Fully developed/Whatever dragons in what relates to rune weapon quality, the actual subject of the topic.

[Tor]

If you can make a rune weapon out of a mere Greater Demon then I think the cheapest way would simply be to produce your own Death Demons and immediately convert them.

All you would need is a single Death Demon working with you. Buy a sickly slave (cheaper by the dozen from Splynn), have your allied Death Demon infect them, chain them up so that when they finally succumb and turn into a Greater Demon, they are immobile and unable to hurt you, and ready to be ritually murdered.

If you find something immoral with using random sickly slaves, replace them with captured murderers, or whatever other kind of person seems deserving, so long as they can be turned into a Death Demon.

[SolCannibal]

If you can make a rune weapon out of a mere Greater Demon then I think the cheapest way would simply be to produce your own Death Demons and immediately convert them.

All you would need is a single Death Demon working with you. Buy a sickly slave (cheaper by the dozen from Splynn), have your allied Death Demon infect them, chain them up so that when they finally succumb and turn into a Greater Demon, they are immobile and unable to hurt you, and ready to be ritually murdered.

If you find something immoral with using random sickly slaves, replace them with captured murderers, or whatever other kind of person seems deserving, so long as they can be turned into a Death Demon.

That's actually a pretty feasible way one could work with it - damn, i can even imagine a bio-wizard turned Death Demon establishing such a business on its own, supposing he doesn't get some lesser demons in Hades to regularly provide him with slaves instead of going to the effort of buying them in Atlantis...

[Richardson]

So is the quality of a Rune Weapon based more off Supernaturaity of just a huge PPE base? If PPE then technically Psi Stalkers might be a viable sacrifice since they can absorb the double ppe released on death by whatever giant scary whatsit you were going to kill anyway and proximity to said whatsit or a ley line turns the stalker into a minor supernatural mdc beastie, right?

[SpiritInterface]

A level 15 Bar Girl...

Gods only know how much power she accumulated to get to 15th level.

[SolCannibal]

A level 15 Bar Girl...

Gods only know how much power she accumulated to get to 15th level.

Depends - is she a spellcasting level 15 Bar Girl? No magic, no power.
Might be doable if she is a mystic Bar Girl, as they can "just be" their O.C.C., sort of like Psychic R.C.C.s and evolve self-taught...