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Hey everyone and thank you for any help you can provide. I am trying to find an OCC or RCC that I KNOW I read about called a Warbaby (or Warchild?). I believe it was in a Rifter but not sure which issue. The idea behind the character is they are followers of the Four Horseman, specifically WAR. Keep in mind I survived three separate explosions while deployed. Some of my memory is fragmented hence my shout out for help. Is this something my brain made up or is this a real thing?

BruTahl wrote:Hey everyone and thank you for any help you can provide. I am trying to find an OCC or RCC that I KNOW I read about called a Warbaby (or Warchild?). I believe it was in a Rifter but not sure which issue. The idea behind the character is they are followers of the Four Horseman, specifically WAR. Keep in mind I survived three separate explosions while deployed. Some of my memory is fragmented hence my shout out for help. Is this something my brain made up or is this a real thing?

It is a real thing appeared in a rifter sadly i can not recall which one i will check when i get a chance . Unless some else knows .

Welcome to the forum, BruTahl!

You're thinking of the article Bring Out Your Dead!, found in Rifter 8, pages 76-95. Warbabies are found starting on page 92. They're a solid class with sharpshooting, mechanically-oriented psionics, limited magic, and a surprising amount of engineering skills. They are sometimes confused with the Warborn O.C.C. from the same article, found a few pages earlier. Compared to the Warbaby, the Warborn loses the psionics and some of the skills, and has a higher likelihood of mental illness, but can physically merge with technology useful in warfare. If that notion floats your boat you might also check out the Malvoren species who does a less magically-themed version of the same idea, depicted in World Book 30:D-Bees of North America, page 138.

Curbludgeon wrote:Welcome to the forum, BruTahl!

You're thinking of the article Bring Out Your Dead!, found in Rifter 8, pages 76-95. Warbabies are found starting on page 92. They're a solid class with sharpshooting, mechanically-oriented psionics, limited magic, and a surprising amount of engineering skills. They are sometimes confused with the Warborn O.C.C. from the same article, found a few pages earlier. Compared to the Warbaby, the Warborn loses the psionics and some of the skills, and has a higher likelihood of mental illness, but can physically merge with technology useful in warfare. If that notion floats your boat you might also check out the Malvoren species who does a less magically-themed version of the same idea, depicted in World Book 30:D-Bees of North America, page 138.

Nice lol you beat me to it just found it myself .

Curbludgeon wrote:Welcome to the forum, BruTahl!

You're thinking of the article Bring Out Your Dead!, found in Rifter 8, pages 76-95. Warbabies are found starting on page 92. They're a solid class with sharpshooting, mechanically-oriented psionics, limited magic, and a surprising amount of engineering skills. They are sometimes confused with the Warborn O.C.C. from the same article, found a few pages earlier. Compared to the Warbaby, the Warborn loses the psionics and some of the skills, and has a higher likelihood of mental illness, but can physically merge with technology useful in warfare. If that notion floats your boat you might also check out the Malvoren species who does a less magically-themed version of the same idea, depicted in World Book 30:D-Bees of North America, page 138.

Currently playing a Gathering of Heroes-inspired game, so both OCCs should be of considerable utility for our table. Thanks a lot for the reference.

Warbabies are nice, but have you met the monk of murder a few pages before? That necromancer supplement changed my games.

ITWastrel wrote:Warbabies are nice, but have you met the monk of murder a few pages before? That necromancer supplement changed my games.

I suspected already War wouldn't be the only one getting benefits from that particular edition of the Rifter, but thanks for calling it out.

As an aside, of how much interest or acessible might that particular material be for necromancers into the ANTI-horsemen camp? Relevant to our game since we managed to get a necromancer kingdom in Ethiopia among the members of our alliance on the fight against the Phoenix Empire - and Wormwood, but that's another story.

SolCannibal wrote:

ITWastrel wrote:Warbabies are nice, but have you met the monk of murder a few pages before? That necromancer supplement changed my games.

I suspected already War wouldn't be the only one getting benefits from that particular edition of the Rifter, but thanks for calling it out.

As an aside, of how much interest or acessible might that particular material be for necromancers into the ANTI-horsemen camp? Relevant to our game since we managed to get a necromancer kingdom in Ethiopia among the members of our alliance on the fight against the Phoenix Empire - and Wormwood, but that's another story.

War/anti-war, it's all politics.

You expect ALL the cultists of War to get along? Factions splinter, allegiances change, and entire sects of absolutely devoted warmongers might get ticked off enough to switch sides. They seem the temperamental types, don't they? Aside from that, you get the solo offshoots who do it for reasons*.

reasons goes a long way in a gathering of heroes campaign.





*Spike - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S2E22: We like to talk big, vampires do. "I'm going to destroy the world." It's just tough-guy talk. Struttin' around with your friends over a pint of blood. The truth is, I *like* this world. You've got... dog racing, Manchester United... and you've got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It's all right here... But then, someone comes along with a vision. With a real... passion for destruction... Angel could pull it off. Goodbye Piccadilly, farewell Leicester bloody Square. You know what I'm saying?

ITWastrel wrote:

SolCannibal wrote:

ITWastrel wrote:Warbabies are nice, but have you met the monk of murder a few pages before? That necromancer supplement changed my games.

I suspected already War wouldn't be the only one getting benefits from that particular edition of the Rifter, but thanks for calling it out.

As an aside, of how much interest or acessible might that particular material be for necromancers into the ANTI-horsemen camp? Relevant to our game since we managed to get a necromancer kingdom in Ethiopia among the members of our alliance on the fight against the Phoenix Empire - and Wormwood, but that's another story.

War/anti-war, it's all politics.

You expect ALL the cultists of War to get along? Factions splinter, allegiances change, and entire sects of absolutely devoted warmongers might get ticked off enough to switch sides. They seem the temperamental types, don't they? Aside from that, you get the solo offshoots who do it for reasons*.

reasons goes a long way in a gathering of heroes campaign.

True, true, no denying indeed. Reasons goes in 90% of the trouble (and fun) we get in the way of actually shaping up anything like an opposition to the cosmic crapstorm, not to mention major colateral headaches like the Lalibella front in Ethiopia AND Wormwood, or the ever-escalating mess of the group's incidental capture of Amon the Hidden and her personal dimension realm that, much like Wormwood situation goes into the "If we even dare to pull back now the wave of retaliation forces will curbstomp over us and into Rifts Earth big time" folder and peculiar deals and games of transdimensional intrigue to patch up defenses and make the most out of the situation.


Anyway, i guess my doubt was more "how much of what those OCCs have to offer are thing learned and that may be passed along to others, of the same OCC or not, and how much is weird powers dependent on a sort of witch-like pact with the Horsemen, individually or in group, that might be suspended or revoked by the entity in the blink of an eye if it notices a traitor among its followers (or not, because sometimes demonic entities even relish the backstabbing as challenge-entertainment)"?

SolCannibal wrote:

ITWastrel wrote:

SolCannibal wrote:

ITWastrel wrote:Warbabies are nice, but have you met the monk of murder a few pages before? That necromancer supplement changed my games.

I suspected already War wouldn't be the only one getting benefits from that particular edition of the Rifter, but thanks for calling it out.

As an aside, of how much interest or acessible might that particular material be for necromancers into the ANTI-horsemen camp? Relevant to our game since we managed to get a necromancer kingdom in Ethiopia among the members of our alliance on the fight against the Phoenix Empire - and Wormwood, but that's another story.

War/anti-war, it's all politics.

You expect ALL the cultists of War to get along? Factions splinter, allegiances change, and entire sects of absolutely devoted warmongers might get ticked off enough to switch sides. They seem the temperamental types, don't they? Aside from that, you get the solo offshoots who do it for reasons*.

reasons goes a long way in a gathering of heroes campaign.

True, true, no denying indeed. Reasons goes in 90% of the trouble (and fun) we get in the way of actually shaping up anything like an opposition to the cosmic crapstorm, not to mention major colateral headaches like the Lalibella front in Ethiopia AND Wormwood, or the ever-escalating mess of the group's incidental capture of Amon the Hidden and her personal dimension realm that, much like Wormwood situation goes into the "If we even dare to pull back now the wave of retaliation forces will curbstomp over us and into Rifts Earth big time" folder and peculiar deals and games of transdimensional intrigue to patch up defenses and make the most out of the situation.


Anyway, i guess my doubt was more "how much of what those OCCs have to offer are thing learned and that may be passed along to others, of the same OCC or not, and how much is weird powers dependent on a sort of witch-like pact with the Horsemen, individually or in group, that might be suspended or revoked by the entity in the blink of an eye if it notices a traitor among its followers (or not, because sometimes demonic entities even relish the backstabbing as challenge-entertainment)"?

As far as I recall, these are necromancer specialist OCCs, not witches. They're sculpted in the likenesses of, if not specifically devoted to, their patrons, but aren't explicitly tied to them.

The murder mage description describes the harsh, horrible training they undergo, but never mentions pacts of dark empowerments. Just good old fashioned murder, monk-like discipline and training, and a healthy dose of mystic study.

ITWastrel wrote:As far as I recall, these are necromancer specialist OCCs, not witches. They're sculpted in the likenesses of, if not specifically devoted to, their patrons, but aren't explicitly tied to them.

The murder mage description describes the harsh, horrible training they undergo, but never mentions pacts of dark empowerments. Just good old fashioned murder, monk-like discipline and training, and a healthy dose of mystic study.

That's pretty good to know and might indeed be of most use for our group or at least our allies of occasion, even outside the antagonist level.