New Rifts Group

[sasha]

That all sounds good to me. The core OCCs are great, especially since no group should be without an Operator and Wilderness Scout (unless it's urban campaign).

But let them browse their choices; they might find something they really dig.

[Killer Cyborg]

Ok I was planning on running a new Rifts game centered in N.A. only because everyone is more familar with the geography then anywhere else.

The players consist of Me as (GM/NPC), One veteran player, and 5 Rifts/Palladium newbies.

Do you think its a good idea to stick with the core classes in Rifts Main Book and allow the one Veteran Player to choose what ever he wants (within reason of course).

That would depend on what the Veteran wants to pick.
Personally, I'd encourage him to pick a core class and show the newbies how it's done.

what do you guys think. Oh i was even thinking allowing OCCs from PF fantasy since these guys mostly have experience playing D&D 3.5.

Could be decent.

[bigbobsr6000]

I ask newbies what kind of character they want to play and then go from there. Then I show them the OCC and/or RCCs they can choose from. If they want something elaborate, I will work with them and let them play what they want. I will get the newbies together and help roll up their characters. Explain the basic rules and do some mock encounters like combat training for Palladium games. This takes about a day maybe two. Then it's off to the game seesion. New meat for the grinder.

[Jerell]

You sir, are ruthless, and that is why I like you.


Will they be running in CS Territory or somewhere around there. I kind of like Lone Star and the new West sometimes... Canada or Arzno could be kewl as well. But i think limiting OCC to the main book works really well. What more do you need than some dead boys and a SAMAS or 2, and a psi-stalker anyway? Then they can hunt down those insidious, evil Xenos D-bees all day.

I like merc. campaigns too. Have fun mate, that's all that really matters in the end.

[bigbobsr6000]

You sir, are ruthless, and that is why I like you.

I try. It's a curse having to come up with somenthing ruthless and diabolic every single minunte of every single day of my life!

[bigbobsr6000]

I make them watch "The Brady Bunch" on an eternal loop. With the movie "Ishtar" on split screen on same loop.

[Warwolf]

Ok I was planning on running a new Rifts game centered in N.A. only because everyone is more familar with the geography then anywhere else.

The players consist of Me as (GM/NPC), One veteran player, and 5 Rifts/Palladium newbies.

Solid plan. The New West is where I tend to start new groups.

Do you think its a good idea to stick with the core classes in Rifts Main Book and allow the one Veteran Player to choose what ever he wants (within reason of course).

I wouldn't play it like that. If you're going to let the veteran pick a class from something other than the main book (especially something as potentially powerful as a True Atlantean Temporal Wizard!) then you need to make the same choices available to the newbies to be fair. I personally ask each person what they are looking for in a character and offer suggestions from there.

It's as simple as starting with the three general categories (man-at-arms, magic/psychic, and scholar/adventurer) and working down from there. I've also found having them think in terms of popular established characters they would like to play and why reveals good classes to go with. Just make sure that they don't end up playing a carbon copy of the afore-mentioned character/characters.

what do you guys think. Oh i was even thinking allowing OCCs from PF fantasy since these guys mostly have experience playing D&D 3.5.

It's more than possible, especially if you use the adaptation rules from the Revised Conversion Book. However, I am reminded of my friend's first foray into Rifts where his GM had him warp in from Palladium and come across a dragon. Not knowing the altered physics of Rifts, he shot at it with his S.D.C. bow... his elf was not long for that session.

Whatever you decide to do, discuss your decisions with your group and just have fun with it. Good luck.

[Dog_O_War]

Boo. This will be really disappointing for one or more of your players. They will be coming from a game where system balance was the primary concern, to a game where story and setting are.

Keep this in mind; the vet. wanting to play a temporal wizard - he will seem like he's leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the group in terms of power - this is a cause for resentment because the newbs won't know what Rifts is like until they play a game. If possible, have the vet. player make something relatively "low-power" to play for the first couple of sessions until a convenient time (like death) occurs for him to bring in the new character.

As for the rest of the group - If you're going to allow PA pilots AND glitterboy pilots, make sure you offer situations where the GB pilot doesn't dominate the field of combat - this is the measuring stick for D&D, the system they are used to.

As for races - I'd stick to low MD/human characters. The first game I ever played I was a Dogboy - in a group with a shifter, borg, dragon hatchling, and T-man (I think). I felt "weak" because I was conned into taking riot armour, a vibro-knife, and a wilk's pistol (the basic 1d6 type). Everyone was vastly superior than me in terms of combat. If you get something like this, be sure to play up the "weak" guys' powers - sencing the supernatural, etc... That and situations where the "enhanced" characters might be at a disadvantage.

[LostOne]

I ask newbies what kind of character they want to play and then go from there. Then I show them the OCC and/or RCCs they can choose from. If they want something elaborate, I will work with them and let them play what they want. I will get the newbies together and help roll up their characters. Explain the basic rules and do some mock encounters like combat training for Palladium games. This takes about a day maybe two. Then it's off to the game seesion. New meat for the grinder.

I do it much the same, except I skip the mock battles, they can learn on the fly. But I definitely try to keep them to the main book classes for the first game, and try to keep them from selecting "incompatible" OCCs, like a CS Special Forces and a Ley-Line Walker in the same group.

And I also make sure they realize that if their character dies, I get the player's soul.

[bigbobsr6000]

You should see the look on some of the noob's faces when I tell them they have to bring the (insert animal) to next session.