RIFTS: Playing a Vagabond

[NurseVincent]

I love the setting of rifts, and so does everyone else in my group. We've recently convinced another player to take a turn GMing and he wants to run RIFTS, but he's concerned about the insane power escalation that takes place in most of our previous games. (The words "South-America" still make him break into a cold sweat).

Honoring the spirit of his stance against powergaming, we've decided to mostly play the "weak" classes of the game, with a Rogue Scholar, Rogue Scientist, Wilderness Scout, and myself - The Vagabond. We are starting with base equipment from the Ultimate Edition. Everyone is human, and only two of us rolled psionics.

My character, as it stands right now, is a human male vagabond major psychic who hates the coalition, and dislikes most D-Bees, adventuring primarily for revenge against his wife's unknown murderers. I'm hoping that the forum can provide me with some ideas on a unique way to run him, without making him a super-powered-robot-demigod-wizard or some such. Nothing game breaking, but still fun, unique, and possibly able to hold his own in MDC combat without being gimmicky. :smallsmile:

[Hida Reju]

Spend money on E-Clips and an Energy weapon capable of full round bursts.

Nothing finishes a fight like 4D6x10 to the face.

As for the Psi if you take anything other than Lesser Telekinesis you are insane. It basically has no limits to low power madness except range.

See a Coalition squad coming up. Get within range and start pulling pins on any visible grenades, ejecting their clips in mid battle, triggering holstered weapons, used defensively to move aim to make them hit their buddies, Catch grenades and throw them back, air lift in Fusion blocks on a timer to needed kill spot, trigger remote traps.

The uses are nearly endless to an open mind. And none of it is game breaking just smart playing using a minor power.

[LibraryOgre]

Spend money on E-Clips and an Energy weapon capable of full round bursts.

Nothing finishes a fight like 4D6x10 to the face.

As for the Psi if you take anything other than Lesser Telekinesis you are insane. It basically has no limits to low power madness except range.

See a Coalition squad coming up. Get within range and start pulling pins on any visible grenades, ejecting their clips in mid battle, triggering holstered weapons, used defensively to move aim to make them hit their buddies, Catch grenades and throw them back, air lift in Fusion blocks on a timer to needed kill spot, trigger remote traps.

The uses are nearly endless to an open mind. And none of it is game breaking just smart playing using a minor power.

It was for that very reason that I mentioned in a Rifter article (#44) that most grenades have a two-step arming process that prevents easy TK manipulation.

The CS lives in a world with psychics and monsters, after all... while there's a lot of stupid there, I have trouble believing that the stupid extends that far.

[TheDarkSaint]

You've got a super skill monkey group in Rifts. I have to say, I'm envious.

What was your job before your wife was murdered?

I think it would be totally fun to set up a black market operation. You've got the scholars and the scientists to determine the worth of certain tech, the wilderness scout on how to get it there and you could be the Face. I'd focus much less on combat and more about stealth, evasion and misdirection of Coalition forces.

You could smuggle drugs, guns, MOM and Jucier converstions (hey, you could even start one of those outfits) and even books. Are you guys good guys? If you are, you might be able to start a sort of Underground Railroad for people looking to get out of the Coalition and on to Lazlo or beyond.

If you decide on being a Face, which I think is perfect for a Vagabond, I'd look at mental powers to make you more persuasive in tight situations.

Have fun!