Jab's Rifts Builds (Rifts- A Final Summation!)

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Death Weaver! Nodosaurs! Sun Dog!)

Post by Jabroniville »

catsi563 wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 7:12 pm See that class is part of the bloat you talk about in rifts it IS an occupation hence OCC but it isn't a character. its a job

you can legit see some armed schlob with a gang o hangers on riding into a frontier town finding it infested by vampires and in a bit of luck or fluke of skill killing the master eliminating the threat to the town who slavishly reward him and his gang with loot

the guy then says wow what a racket and refines the idea and concept into the scam of wandering vampire hunters
Yeah, it seems like you can just build a Vampire Hunter and give him some criminal skills and get the same class- it's needless bloating. The others are just "take this Template and add to the standard thing", too, repeating the same text over and over.
Curbludgeon
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Death Weaver! Nodosaurs! Sun Dog!)

Post by Curbludgeon »

Yeah, that book is really bad about filler. I wonder if the reason they switched from full OCC writeups to blurbs about vampire specific changes for the "Traditionalist Native American" classes is due to feeling the tinest bit bad about all the stereotypes. You can tell in some of the sections written by people other than KS how they want to get to the point but are constrained with the annoying formatting for items and perceived need to shovel fiction. As a whole the book has a few pages of equipment which is useful but isn't fun to stat up, a description of the Yucatan, which being arguably the most magic-laden place on the planet needed at least something said about it, and a couple of things for which I'm really looking forward to seeing Jab's interpretation.
Jabroniville
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D-Bee Vampire Hunter

Post by Jabroniville »

D-BEE VAMPIRE HUNTER O.C.C.
Role:
Vampire Hunters For A Reason

-D-Bee Vampire Hunters are explained by Erin Tarn and the book as a kind of attempt at a "Model Minority"- they hunt the most hated of creatures in part because NOBODY around Mexico would refuse Vampire Hunters, even alien ones. Thus, many D-Bees deliberately visit the area, hoping for the acceptance they'll never find elsewhere. This is literally just a statblock that says "Like a regular O.C.C." but notes that their race affects the stats. Yet they detail every possibly category of an O.C.C. (Skills, Abilities, Psionics, Magic, etc.).
Jabroniville
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Native American Vampire Hunter

Post by Jabroniville »

NATIVE AMERICAN VAMPIRE HUNTER O.C.C.
Role:
Race-Themed Vampire Hunters

Template:
"Vampire-Specific Fighting Abilities"
Enhanced Fighting 2 (Flaws: Limited to vs. Vampires) [2]
Enhanced Advantages 2: Ranged Attack 2 (Flaws: Limited to vs. Vampires) [1]
Enhanced Dodge 2 (Flaws: Limited to vs. Vampires) [1]
Skills 4: Vampire Lore 4 [2]

-Native American Vampire Hunters have been the "unsung heroes in the battle against the undead", having done so for generations. This lists a ton of stuff from Spirit West, then gives them the minor Template above, which can add to those O.C.C.s. Totem Warriors gain the ability to always recognize Werecreatures, Soulcraft weapons do double-damage to undead, a Paradox Shaman cannot be turned into a Vampire, and more.
Jabroniville
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Werecat Vampire Hunter

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

This is a different pic by the same artist- I'm saving the real pics Walton did for it for the later class descriptions.

WERECAT VAMPIRE HUNTER O.C.C.
Role:
Race-Themed Vampire Hunters

Template:
"Vampire-Specific Fighting Abilities"
Enhanced Fighting 2 (Flaws: Limited to vs. Vampires) [2]
Enhanced Advantages 2: Ranged Attack 2 (Flaws: Limited to vs. Vampires) [1]
Enhanced Dodge 2 (Flaws: Limited to vs. Vampires) [1]
Skills 4: Vampire Lore 4 [2]

-Sporting some INCREDIBLE Chuck Walton art for a bad-ass Aztec Jaguar Warrior, this is a template for Werecats that also fight Vampires. They wield silver-tipped claws against both the undead and members of their own kind who side with them. Werecats are said to be natural enemies of Vampires, as they are allied with "feline playthings" like bats, and "natural enemies of cats" like canines. Okay, then.
Jabroniville
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Heroic Necromancer

Post by Jabroniville »

HEROIC NECROMANCER O.C.C.
Role:
Noble Savage
PL 7 (109 + Magic, Summons & Limbs)
STRENGTH
2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 5 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+5)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+7)
Expertise (Magic) 6 (+8)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 6 (+8)
Perception 3 (+6)
Stealth 2 (+3)
Treatment 3 (+5)

Advantages:
Equipment 2 (Gear), Ranged Attack 3, Ritualist

Powers:
"Impervious to Vampires" Immunity 2 (Vampire Powers) [2]

"Additional Appendage Grafting"
Extra Limbs 6 (Flaws: Source- Arms & Legs, Limited Duration) [2]
Enhanced Fighting 3 (Flaws: Source- Arms & Legs, Limited Duration) [2]

"Graft Horn"
Strength-Damage +2-6 (Flaws: Source- Animal Horns of Increasingly Difficult Obtainment, Limited Duration) [2]
Protection 5 (Flaws: Source- Animal Horns of Increasingly Difficult Obtainment, Limited Duration) [2]

"Graft Wings"
Flight 4 (Flaws: Source- Wings, Limited Duration, Winged) [2]
Protection 5 (Flaws: Source- Wings of M.D.C. Creature -2, Limited Duration) [2]

"Supernatural Being's Skull"
Variable (Powers of Dead Creature) 8 (Flaws: Source- Supernatural Skull -2, Unreliable, Limited to Half-Power) (24) -- [25]
AE: "Dragon Skull" Protection 5, Comprehend (Languages) 2, Immunity 5 (Fire Damage), "Breath Weapon" Blast 10-13 (Feats: Variable Depending on Dragon Type) (Flaws: Source- Dragon's Skull -2, Unreliable) (8)

"Animate & Control the Dead" Summon 4 (4 Bodies/Level, Variable- Corpse Types, Controlled, Source- Corpses)

"Union With The Dead" Ties Limbs To Their Body & Gains Animal Limb (Tentacle: +1 to hit & Damage & +4 Climbing; Rodent: +1 Strike & Parry, Cat: +2 Strike & Parry, +2 Stealth, +6 Climbing, +2 Damage; Canine: +1 to Strike & Damage; Bear/Mustelid: +1 Strike & Parry, +2 Damage; Bird Talons: +1 Strike & Parry, +2 Damage; Dragon Claws: +1 Strike & Parry, do +11 Damage & gain Impervious to Fire & +7 Toughness overall; Non-Magical M.D.C. Creature: Do +7 Damage; Hooves: Leaping & Speed 2; Kilin: Damage 7, Leaping & Speed 3; Unicorn: like Kirin +2 Damage; Primate: Use Feet as Hands & +6 Climbing)

"Magic" (10 Necromancy Spells, 6 Common Spells related to Necromancy- more may be added at any time)

Offense:
Unarmed +5 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Extra Limbs +6-8 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +5 (DC 15), Toughness +3 (+4-9 w/ Grafted Items), Fortitude +5, Will +5

Complications:
Power Loss (Magic)- All Magic requires the expenditure of P.P.E. Greater spells require more.

Total: Abilities: 40 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 6 / Powers: 39 + Animate + Union + Magic / Defenses: 8 (109 + Magic, Summons & Grafts)

-Probably based off of the notion of Santa Muerte (Saint Death) in Mexico, the Heroic Necromancer takes the evil Spellcaster class and makes them into popular folk heroes. The idea here is that if Vampires threaten a town, the local Necromancer can insantly raise an army against them. Necromancers will thus head to Mexico to make a life for themselves- plying their trade without being hated by everyone around them. The build is more or less the exact same as the African one, but adds some stuff from Mystic Russia if they're Russian. They'll also get Vampire Hunter stuff if a member of Reid's Rangers.
Jabroniville
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Vampire Sourcebook Gear

Post by Jabroniville »

VAMPIRE SOURCEBOOK GEAR:
* A smattering of gear is present, and most of this is actually pretty clever.

Guns & Stuff: "Blood Boilers" are dart guns that fire holy water directly into the Vampire's body, inflicting terrible damage (about Blast 6- Secondary Effect Linked to Affliction 6- Impaired & Disabled Combat/Hindered & Stunned). These hypodermic needles can be attached to dart guns, rifles, and more, increasing the potential range. The notion of "Underbarrel Weapon Attachments" comes up, as standard-issue Energy Weapons will sometimes have crossbows, stake-guns, grenade launchers, water-guns, or dart-guns as an extra attachment beneath them, so that you could fire either at an enemy (a necessity when Vampires have human slaves in Mega-Damage Armor). Grenade types include wood (very little damage), silver (2D6 Hit Point damage to all Vampires within six feet; not that bad), or garlic (like tear gas to Vampires). Anti-Vampire Mini-Missiles are like the grenades, but slightly more powerful.

Techno-Wizard Gear:
-This list contains dozens of TW gear. The Vampire Detector casts a few magic spells for that purpose, and is designed to be a cross (which stuns Vampires). Night Goggles are for nightvision, and Thieves' Gloves aide stealth. Several kinds of lights are passive "Globe of Daylight" spells that will keep Vampires away. A TW-Modified Wood-Firing Rail Gun will dust most Vampires in two hits (2D6x10!). The TW Sungun is a simple, small Blaster doing pretty good damage, and can look like any other gun. There's also a Rifle version doing the same damage. TW Water Blasters are magical version of super-soakers, doing OK damage, upgrading with rifles, grenades and BAZOOKA options! The key advantage here is not needing huge tanks of water to operate them. There are Animal Repellent & Globe of Daylight flares (you WON'T BELIEVE what old Rifts art they re-use AGAIN for that!).

The TW Water Saber does minor damage but lets you attack Vampires in melee, while a "Water Field" is a hilarious thing that sprays water around you so Vampires can't get close. There's a SCUBA thing, a Water Sled (like their TW Jet Sleds but made for water), and a Hover Yacht. There's an Underwater Ley Line Flier (again, like the standard version but aquatic), and an Underwater Scooter.

Lemurian Gear:
-Cross-posted with Rifts Lemuria is some other stuff here. There's a Webnet Launcher that ensnares Vampires completely for several turns (they can fight free or turn to mist; both take time), Waterlight (can blind others), Well of Plenty (a heavy cauldron that will constantly provide water for drinking or ammunition!), and Thornvine (vines to cover building openings, allowing only allies to enter and ensaring Vampires).

Vehicles: Only one is listed. The NG-F911 "Smokeskipper" is an M.D.C. Hover Firetruck which naturally comes in useful against Vamps. It has three small hoses and a main Water Cannon, as well as a cherry-picker lift. It's only about Toughness +10, though, so I would imagine Vampires can do a lot of damage to it quickly. The main cannnon can kill most Vampires in a few shots (Blast 10 or so?)

Power Armor:
-Something glossed over in Rifts: Vampire Kingdoms is the notion of Vampire-Fighting Power Armor. Here, you're given two M.D.C. suits designed just to kill them. This invites a lot of interesting additions, mechanics, and weapons that you'll never see on Rifts gear, producing some very unique things. One even uses a past book's suit of armor! Full points for these.

"NG-XF103 Firefighter Power Armor": Toughness +11, Speed 5, Leaping 2-5 (Jet-Boosters), Water Cannon +8 (Limited to Vampires), Mini-Laser- Blast 9, ST 7 punches, Infravision, Low-Light Vision, Heat Resistant, -2 FIGHTING.
-Strong, durable armor designed for rapid movement and the use of a Water-Cannon- perfect for fighting Mega-Damage-dealing, water-vulnerable Vampires. The Water Cannon is a TERRIFYING weapon to use against Vampires, as the toughest ones will be like 180 Hit Points, and this can do 36 points on the best roll and 21 on an average one. Their unarmed damage is Mega, but since the knuckles are tipped with silver, it does equivalent damage to Vampires, too! The armor will cost you an attack, though, as it's heavy and the water tank will constantly throw off your balance.

"Titan Fireman Robot": Toughness +12, Speed 5, Leaping 1, Water Cannon +10 (Limited to Vampires, Knockback), Mini-Laser (Blast 10), Mini-Missiles, Firefighting Chemical shot, Finger Blades (Damage 8 to Vampires), Infravision, Ultravision, Radar, 16 feet tall.
-OMG, they re-used the Titan from the Main Rulebook! This is amazing! Effectively taking one of the early generic Super-Robot Armors from the first book and re-tooling it into a "Fire truck on legs", it's the creation of Archie-Three and his human buddy, who are very interested in killing Vampires near to their location. They deliberately keep the price low to spam the market with these, as they are designed to deal with potential threats like the Vamps as efficiently as possible. The Water Cannon is a HUGE weapon, doing 2D4x10 Hit Points to Vamps, which is enough to dust one in 2-3 hits, easily.
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Spam
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Re: Werecat Vampire Hunter

Post by Spam »

Jabroniville wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 10:23 pm Image
I can see what perspective the artist was going for in the upper left, but for the life of me I can't see anything but a pair of breasts with stubby legs.
Spectrum
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Death Weaver! Nodosaurs! Sun Dog!)

Post by Spectrum »

And a really tiny arm...

and woah, the jaguar is worthy of furry porn!
We rise from the ashes so that new legends can be born.
Thorpocalypse
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Death Weaver! Nodosaurs! Sun Dog!)

Post by Thorpocalypse »

Spectrum wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 4:06 pm And a really tiny arm...

and woah, the jaguar is worthy of furry porn!
Um, yeah...I never had that thought at all... :oops:

I love this stuff. It really makes me want to do my setting with EVERYTHING the 15-year-old Thorpocalypse thought was cool. I guess that's what RIFTS was, though. :)
Me fail English? That's unpossible. - Ralph Wiggum
Jabroniville
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Moonseer Hawk

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

MOONSEER HAWK
Role:
Vampire-Hunting Fish-Bird
PL 5 (36), PL 7 (36) by Night
STRENGTH
-4 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 1 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+0)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 4 (+5)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+5)
Stealth 3 (+9 Size)

Advantages:
Improved Initiative

Powers:
Senses 3 (Low-Light Vision, Extended Vision 2) [3]
"Special Sight" Senses 6 (Vampire Awareness- Ranged 2, Undead Awareness- Radius & Ranged) [6]
Immunity 1 (Drowning) [1]
"Claws & Talons" Strength-Damage +5 [5]

"Sea Creature"
Flight 4 (16 mph) (Flaws: Winged) (4) -- [5]
AE: Swimming 2 (4 mph) (2)

"Mega-Damage By Night" Protection 6 (Flaws: Limited to Night) [3]

"Small Size" Shrinking 4 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [9]
(-1 Strength, +2 Defenses, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidation)

Offense:
Unarmed +1 (-4 Damage, DC 11)
Natural Weapons +5 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Initiative +6

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +1 (+7 By Night), Fortitude +3, Will +3

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Moonseer Hawks cannot speak to humans, nor use their fins to easily manipulate objects.
Disabled- Fish require water to survive, and will die quickly if left out of it.

Total: Abilities: -12 / Skills: 16--8 / Advantages: 1 / Powers: 29 / Defenses: 10 (36)

-Moonseer Hawks look like flying manta-birds, and are actually Gene-Mage creations of the Lemurians, which means they use great Chuck Walton art. Actually flying fish, they become Mega-Damage creatures at night, but still only do S.D.C. damage. They are trained to attack Vampires when in bat-form, though likely could never kill them.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Sat May 09, 2020 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
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Moonseer Hound

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

MOONSEER HOUND
Role:
Vampire-Hunter
PL 8 (75)
STRENGTH
2 STAMINA 7 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+4)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 1 (+7)
Expertise (Hunters) 4 (+6)
Insight 2 (+4)
Intimidation 7 (+5)
Perception 6 (+8)
Stealth 1 (+5)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons), Fast Grab, Improved Trip, Set-Up, Teamwork

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 6 (Acute & Extended Scent, Low-Light Vision, Scent-Tracking, Ultra & Extended Hearing) [6]
"Animal Physiology" Speed 2 [2]
"Natural Weapons- Teeth" Strength-Damage +2 [2]
Senses 3 (Low-Light Vision, Extended Vision 2) [3]
"Special Sight" Senses 6 (Vampire Awareness- Ranged 2, Undead Awareness- Radius & Ranged) [6]
Immunity 1 (Drowning) [1]
Protection 1 (Flaws: Limited to Night) [0.5]
Regeneration 1 [1]

"Psionics" (Empathy, See Aura, See the Invisible, Sense Time)

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Natural Weapons +7 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +7 (+8 at Night), Fortitude +7, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Hounds cannot speak to humans, nor use their paws to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: 30 / Skills: 23--11.5 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 21.5 + Psionics / Defenses: 5 (75)

-A bullet-shaped, quadrupedal shark, the Moonseer Hound is another version of one of Chuck Walton's Lemurian Steeds in Rifts Lemuria. They are only about 120 lbs., and have the same Vampire Detection skills as the Moonseer Hawks. M.D.C. beings even in daylight, they are only a bit tougher at night, and are more or less like Wolves, PL 5.5 on offense.
Curbludgeon
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Vampire Sourcebook! Moonseer Hawk & Hound!)

Post by Curbludgeon »

That coloring job is far preferable to what gets done to whatever digital coloration Chuck Walton's work normally gets. I don't know if Palladium ever put out a coloring book, and several of the artists' work wouldn't be all that well suited to it, but that would make more sense than some of their merchandizing choices. I say this as someone that did strongly consider buying a Wilk's Laser Technologies t-shirt in the 90s.
neoX17
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Vampire Sourcebook! Moonseer Hawk & Hound!)

Post by neoX17 »

hello, cool monster you got there.
Jabroniville
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Death Weaver! Nodosaurs! Sun Dog!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Thorpocalypse wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 8:03 pm
Spectrum wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 4:06 pm And a really tiny arm...

and woah, the jaguar is worthy of furry porn!
Um, yeah...I never had that thought at all... :oops:

I love this stuff. It really makes me want to do my setting with EVERYTHING the 15-year-old Thorpocalypse thought was cool. I guess that's what RIFTS was, though. :)
haha, yeah, Rifts is hard to play straight, but easy to play AWESOME. Any number of Edgelord Cyberpunk Juicers would make amazing P.C.s, though Rifts Japan still earns a ton of points for being so accurate to what Teen Jab thought was rad.
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