review: Ultimate Rifts

[42]

I've typically thought that the OCC thing in Paladium was just kind dumb. It seems like the result of an insistance to not be like the Dungeons and Dragons ilk, though it clearly isn't all that different.

[Mister M]

Figured I might as well add my comments, since everyone else seems to be coming from the long-time Rifts-player perspective. (I'd never even cracked one of the books until I reviewed this one for Leading Edge.)

Overall, I was pretty impressed, and the setting itself sounds fascinating. So much so that I'd be interested in playing it at some point in the future. However, I do wish that they had put the rules first, or at least more forward than they did. Going through the OCC section and not knowing what a single abbreviation meant was more than a tad annoying. (Yes, I could have flipped forward, but I wanted to give it a straight read-though.)

I'm also a bit disappointed that they mention all sorts of DBs and alternate universes, and then don't describe a single one. I know there were space limitations, but I'm pretty sure something could have been trimmed in order to give even just two or three brief examples. I was still left feeling like I only had half of the rules. It's probably enough to play by, but I certainly wouldn't want to GM a game with only the Ultimate Edition.

So that's my two cents. Now to disappear for another three months.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I was still left feeling like I only had half of the rules. It's probably enough to play by, but I certainly wouldn't want to GM a game with only the Ultimate Edition.

You know, that pretty much describes every Palladium book ever printed.

[Fellfrosch]

It's to differentiate it from RCC (racial) and PCC (psychic). Even though those terms are outmoded and no one uses them anymore, because the difference was never significant anyway.

[Entsuropi]

I'd just like to say that technomancers are in no way unique anymore. Half the character options in Mage fit that category, and I played one in a cyberpunk 2020 game. Pretty much any sci fi game with magic has a technomancer class.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Deadlands hell on earth has Technomancers, they just call em Junkers to keep from being sued.

[42]

D20 Modern has Technomages.

[Spriggan]

It's to differentiate it from RCC (racial) and PCC (psychic). Even though those terms are outmoded and no one uses them anymore, because the difference was never significant anyway.[/quote

I still think there is enough of a reason to have RCCs and OCCs different, though there never seamed to be any difference between PCC and OCC besides flavor.

Just for those that don't know, RCCs are Racial classes that basically used for leveling monsters/non-humans, it's their own class and they usually can't take normal classes and have to stick with their own progression.  These were always a strong selling point for Palladium games since they were one of the first, if not the first, to do it.

[Fellfrosch]

Well sure, everyone has technomancers now. Rifts is 15 years old, after all--that's an awfully long time in the RPG world.

[The Jade Knight]

I'd also note that the concept of needing to barter with summoned things, and the danger inherent in summoning, is something that existed in WFRP 1st edition 20+ years ago (though it may be new to RIFTS).

[42]

I'd also note that the concept of needing to barter with summoned things, and the danger inherent in summoning, is something that existed in WFRP 1st edition 20+ years ago (though it may be new to RIFTS).

The actual concept has been around longer than that. Rifts borrows a lot from fantasy and science fiction literature as does WFRP.

And for the record WFRP came out in 1986, Rifts in 1990. However, the creators of Rifts created Palladium Fantasy in 1983 where they first incorporated bartering with summoned things. And the idea of bartering with summoned entities was in Orginal D&D (in a minor capacity) back when it came out in 1974.

And as always, all of these RPG systems steal their ideas from the same collection of fantasy novels.

[The Jade Knight]

And as always, all of these RPG systems steal their ideas from the same collection of fantasy novels.

And alack, but isn't it the truth.

[Spriggan]

I'd just like to point out I don't like this whole "x did it sooner" talk with anything, games, software, ect.  Frankly it's more important that it's done well and works with the setting rather then trying to be first.

[Fellfrosch]

I'm with Spriggan, at least on this issue. My point in the review was that Rifts had a very cool summoning system, that mingled mechanics with flavor.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

part 3: http://www.timewastersguide.com/view.php?id=1170

Ok, so, new rules, but has Palladium actually released a book that contains ALL the rules to play in one volume? ANd not left a ton out because of their horrible, horrible, horrible editing and layout practices? Can you understand the rules without having to consult one or more long-time players of the system?