Enemy Casters

[LostOne]

I'm going to be taking over GMing for the group in the near future. I haven't GMed Rifts or played a caster in more than a decade. So I'm looking for some general spell templates for various caster types to use in a fight for easy reference. Does such a thing exist? What I'm looking for is say:

Ley Line Walker uses spells __________ for combat and _________ for escape.
Witch uses spells _______ for combat and ______ for escape.

Doesn't have to be extensive lists, as most fights don't seem to last all that long, but I figured if I get some lists of iconic/signature spells that fit the flavor of the class then every fight against a caster doesn't devolve into the same 3-4 spells (carpet of adhesion or magic net, call lightning, etc).

[Nekira Sudacne]

The problem with that is All casters with Standard Invocations draw from the same spell pool more or less, or else they're a specalty mage who's toolkit is very dependant.

For example, Ley Line Walkers, Shifters, Wizards, Techno-Wizards, Preists, Witches, all more or less draw from exactly the same spell pool. This generally means that there isn't anything that makes a Witch's spell list different from a Ley Line Walker.

What you actually should do is focus on the unique OCC abilities. It's true that Palladium Spell Lists tend to be generic, but each Class has a list of unique abilities or specialty magic for a reason.

So sure, a Shifter and Ley Line Walker have the same basic spells, but a Shifter has Minions. His trademark isn't even casting himself, but in having up to half a dozen minions hanging around invisibly who typically each have their own innate magic to throw. A Shfiter can pretty easially cruise around with lesser elementals (on rotation so they don't get too angry) to provide any elemental magic, demons with nasty powers (Magots have 1d4*1000 MDC and a petrification gaze, not to mention a really nasty bite attack), Rakasha are effectively High Level Mind Melters who can also shapeshift and have magic besides.

I could go on. the Shifters trademark should be not really fighting at all. a well specced Shifter probablly won't even bother fighting unless it's more than his minions can handle. Not to mention if they have a Pact, they could have access to a variety of other magic schools.

Witches on the other hand, have all the magic of their Patron (usually). This means they can typically have access to high level spells or even Spells of Legend not normally available in the usual arsenal, or even mutiple schools of magic. There should be no standard witch template, because each Witch will in practice have a completely different spell aresenal available making each one unique, which is much of the point.

Techno Wizards should focus on Surprises. RUE rules allow for TW's to make cheep, one use Devices that amount to being scrolls you don't have to stop to read. They probablly won't be doing much off the cuff casting, their power is established in downtime, with gear that makes using the standard fair cheeper and if that's not enough they can have high level spells on standby more readily than pretty much any other class. Plus they can get kickass custom armor pretty easially too.

As for ______ for escape....uh, you know, Palladium doesn't really have any good escape options the way certain other systems do now that you mention it. the Teleport spell is 800 PPE, well beyond what any mortal mage can handle on the fly and if you need to run you don't really have time for a Ritual. This problem is exaberated because "Teleport at will" and/or Dimensional Teleport are extremely common innate powers for Supernatural beings and Demons to the point they never need to worry about it. Superhuman Speed only gets you up to 30 MPH, not going to be getting away in any high speed chase with that. Invisibility Superior and Fly as the Eagle is usually your best bet.

[LostOne]

Thank you! That was much more thorough than I expected and very helpful.