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

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kenmadragon
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:37 pm

Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Yama! Ravana! Kumbakarna! Nagas!)

Post by kenmadragon »

Ares wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:24 pm I'm wondering how much of this was "got it wrong because, at the time especially, Hindu mythology was less well known" and how much of it was "got it wrong because we changed it to make it clearly different from the actual religion and to fit the Rifts setting". Sort of like how when Stan and Jack adapted the Norse mythos to the Marvel Universe, it was less them "getting stuff wrong" and more "we're changing the mythology to fit the Marvel Universe".
You're probably right about that on both accounts. It came out in, what, the mid-90s? It's certainly possible that a bunch could be "ignorance of details", and the other part creative license.

I mean, it's Rifts. Of course they changed stuff to fit or to create more plot-hooks for conflicts that players can engage in (not that I expect most Rifts players would ever get to the level of power where they'd need to be dealing with deities like these unless they started the game as deities themselves, based on what I understand of the game). It's also a splat-book, so that's a whole 'nother factor to consider - they're trying to add in pantheons and make them Rifts-themed... and took creative liberties which covered the broad strokes.

Like, they also did Tescatlipoca dirty, didn't they? The Rifts book paints him as an evil, corruptive deity and a sadist... but neglect the fact that he's also one of the Aztec creator-gods and capable of immense good - his purpose in the Aztec mythos is to bring change through conflict, regardless of whether that change is good or bad.
Ares wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:24 pm I find Hindu religion/philosophy/theology/mythology fascinating, largely because I know so little about it, but what I do know is pretty cool. Things like astras, basically these magical weapons that are summoned via spells/chants/gestures, the whole avatar concept, etc. From my limited understanding, it could be considered that everyone is basically an avatar of some greater force and everything is connected to each other.

Are there any good books that can serve as a "Hindu Religion/Mythology/Stories for Dummies"? I grew up reading D'Aulaires' Books of Greek Myths and Norse Myths, which helped cement my love of old school mythology early on. I've since gotten familiar with Egyptian, Aztec, Chinese and Japanese mythology, but there's still several mythologies like Celtic, greater Africa, Native American stories, etc. Hindu religion/mythology is right up there, though I want to be clear I mean no disrespect calling it "mythology", given it's actively practiced today. Regardless, any good reading suggestions would be welcome.
I honestly don't have a solid answer for that. Since I grew up in a Hindu household, all the reading material about the mythos, the legends and stories of gods and demons and mortals and everything was taught to me as I grew up. I learned from oral stories and explanations given by relatives and other Hindu adults my folks were friends with, as well as from the occasional books (or even TV shows) that my parents bought on our occasional trips to India, which were mostly aimed towards those who were already familiar with the broad strokes of the entire mythology and much of the mythologies. As I grew older, the kinds of media about Hinduism developed accordingly, a bit more sophisticated as I could take advantage of the internet to get access to materials that further expanded upon what a lifetime of cultural osmosis had already granted as a foundation.

I mean, there's a ton of Hindu texts out there from way back when, but they're not exactly "for dummies", and even I barely read them unless I'm feeling like I need to get some kinda exact quote or whataever.

I do remember reading Amar Chitra Katha comics as a kid, which were a whole series of comics about religious legends, folklore and mythology and various other kinds of stories, all designed to teach Indian kids about their cultural heritage and stuff. But like I mentioned previously, when I look back at those comics, a lot of them take a bunch of background knowledge for granted about who certain folks are, what the relationships between different beings and factions are like, and certain other "facts" of the mythos in the background that are usually learned through cultural osmosis by growing up in a Hindu family. The series has also had its critics for wide variety of reasons, largely stemming from the fact that its creators started the series in the 60s and its creators had some internalized biases that are only now being addressed given the changing world-culture regarding societal issues the books never really addressed or portrayals that are now seen as a bit problematic in the modern context. It's also been criticised for failing to show the richness of Indian culture by portraying stories in only one way, whereas the truth of Hindu culture is that there are multiple takes on the same stories with variations and side-stories and the like which all exist and retain truthful-ness simultaneously.

In similar vein, there were a bunch of TV Shows and Movies from Indian throughout its broadcasting and filmography history that depict the stories and ideas of Hinduism. I remember watching a bunch of those as a child with my parents as a means of helping me learn my cultural heritage - I have found memories of watching this massive box-set of VHS cassette tapes on the Mahabharata with my father and little brother on our couch, that went from (sorta) start to the end of it all, going through it about an hour a day or something. Took us a month to finish? But it gave us time to absorb the story, ask questions of our dad about why stuff was happening the way it did, and get clarification on matters, on top of being a way for my dad to spend time with us without the two of us bouncing around like hyper-active hooligans.

But as to an actual "for Dummies" guide to all of it... I have absolutely no clue. I've never needed to look for such a book myself as I grew up surrounded by the cultture, so I don't really know what I could recommend. I can always ask my folks - my uncle is the family religious scholar, so he might have an idea on what would be good to read. I'll get back to you once I hear back from him!
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Ares
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Yama! Ravana! Kumbakarna! Nagas!)

Post by Ares »

kenmadragon wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:22 pm But as to an actual "for Dummies" guide to all of it... I have absolutely no clue. I've never needed to look for such a book myself as I grew up surrounded by the cultture, so I don't really know what I could recommend. I can always ask my folks - my uncle is the family religious scholar, so he might have an idea on what would be good to read. I'll get back to you once I hear back from him!
Thanks! I appreciate the input. I've got several more general dictionaries on mythology, angels/demons and the like, but I do appreciate more specialized text to really get the details right. Though it sounds like Hindu mythology has the same issues of multiple versions of the same stories that every other mythology has. Jab likes to joke that old school mythology is the only thing with worse continuity than modern comics.
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catsi563
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Yama! Ravana! Kumbakarna! Nagas!)

Post by catsi563 »

kenmadragon wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 7:54 am
catsi563 wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:41 am
kenmadragon wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:57 pm

Hey catsi! Been a while!

I'm afraid I got lost on the road of life... but now I'm trying to get back into M&M and PbP gaming, so yeah! I'm back! :D

Hopefully things don't happen that make me lost again! :mrgreen:
Sweet
and while we have you back I was curious Jab brought up a discussion that was had when he was statting the hindu gods a while back, I asked a question but you didnt get the chance to answer and was still curious
L-Also Ken I was curious about something I read that Hinduism has an interesting contradiction, In that technically there is no Heaven or Hell in Hindu mythos while simultaneously the myths reference people and gods going to both.

Ive come to somewhat understand that heaven and hell are not in Hinduism the same as other myths (ie places of punishment or reward) but more like celestial waiting rooms for lack of better description while the soul cycles back into what ever form its supposed to or moves on into final nirvana. thoughts?
Ah. Good question. The short answer is that "it depends". The really old manuscripts sometimes contradict each other on the exact details, so the exact number of "worlds" differs based on the text you're referring to. Buddhism and Jainism, as offshoots of Hinduism, can sometimes confuse this matter further as they have different takes on the same concepts and ideas.

In general, it's easy to visualize it as Three Worlds - the Heavenly Realm, the Mortal Realm and the Nether Realm. Note that these are not places that correspond to similar realms as understood by Abrahamic religions. The Heavenly Realm is not the realm where souls are rewarded, but simply the realm of Devas, gods and their attendants, and other heavenly-beings. Similarly, the Nether Realms is not (necessarily) the realm where souls are punished but the realm where demons and devils and various other forces of similar natures dwell. Sure, souls will pass through these realms and be rewarded/punished based on various circumstances and interactions, but that's because the areas where such rewards/punishments take place are found within these Realms. But otherwise, it's fairly straightfoward - the Heavenly Realm is where those of benevolent nature make their residence, the Nether Realm is where those of malevolent nature make their residence, and the Mortal Realm is, well, the world in which we humans live in (and all parallel realities and stuff).

Even more complicated is the fact that these Three Worlds are further sub-divided into "Lokas" (or "planes" in the D&D-sense), where the Heavenly Realm is divided into 7 lokas (the Vyahrtis) and the Nether Realm is divided into another 7 lokas (the Patalas). Each Loka is essentially an "infinite" plane, but also bounded in that they're layered - the patalas are "below" the mortal world, while the vyahrtis are "above", resulting in a multi-layered planar topology of infinite planes stacked and bound by the cosmic sphere... though there are realms/planetary-bodies beyond the planar-sphere, but really, that's a whole 'nother matter entirely. Also, be aware that as each loka is essentially another infinite plane, it may have sub-layers of its own that form entire worlds and the like which constitute different kinds of heavens and hells and other realms of demons and gods and all manner of beings in between and beyond, as suit the needs and wishes of the rulers of such realms.

Another thing to remember is that souls in HInduism don't really have a final destination... not ultimately, anyways. They're bound in the cycle of reincarnation - Samsara - as determined by their Karma and all that. But there are various states in which the soul must exist as part of the cycle, some of which would resemble the "heavens" and 'hells" as recognizable by Abrahamic religions. Souls that are being rewarded along their journey through samsara might spend time being lavished in splendor and bliss of the upper realms and heavens (Svarga), whereas a wicked soul of bad karma might find themselves spending time in a particularly miserable area of the lower realms and hells (Naraka/Yamalok) where they are tormented. This lasts for a certain quantum of time based on karma and other factors before the soul is eventually prepared for the next stage of Samsara.

"Celestial Waiting Rooms" isn't a terrible analogy... but it's incomplete. It forgets that they are indeed places of reward and punishment and everything in between - souls dwell there in states of bliss and agony throughout their journey along the cycle of Samsara. Also, the quantum of time they spend there is considerable, as such periods are measured by the cosmic scale of time, not a human one. It also forgets that they're multi-layered, multi-world realms of existence which serve as the home for demons and gods (and all in between and beyond either) alike who have their own domains within the Three Worlds to rule over. In general, most of Hindu mythology, when referring to Heaven and Hell as part of the Three Worlds, tend to be referring to their nature as the dwellings of gods and demons and their vast empires across the cosmic realms, divided only by lineage, disposition and various other divine politics of supernatural beings. When a character is journeying through "Heaven", they're quite literally journeying through the heavenly realms of celestial bliss and domains of various gods and god-beings, while those that venture through "Hell" walk through the punishment realms and vicious empires of devils and demon-gods and what-not.

Probably a lot more information than was necessary to answer the question, but I hope it clarified things. I'm not the most astute religious scholar, but the benefits of growing up with fairly religious parents, aunts/uncles and very religious grand-parents means that I remember the answers that I got to questions just like this when I asked them as a kid.
Nah thats awesome, the analogy was based on my at least limited understanding of the nature of the karmic journey. which as i understood it was the reincarnation cycle which was meant to be continuous till one hit a certain level of enlightenment where by they ascended beyond the cycle to wherevver those souls go.

as i said it was an interesting contradiction the notion of both having and not having a heaven and hell. and perhaps celestial lobby might be more apt as a lobby can have various shops and places where one can be rewarded so to speak as they pass through on their journey

so glad youre back :D
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Thor Odinson

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

This is cool, but you couldn't use the guy on the cover for ANYTHING?

THOR ODINSON
Role:
God of Thunder, The Strongest of the Gods
PL 16 (244)
(PL 19 Defensively, PL 22 in Asgard)
STRENGTH
14 STAMINA 15 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 16 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 8 PRESENCE 4

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 4 (God), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 12, Startle

Powers:
"Godly Longevity" Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support) [11]
"Mega-Damage Being" Protection 3 [3]
"Norse Durability" Protection 6 (Flaws: Limited to Asgard) [3]
Speed 4 (30 mph) [4]

"Godly Abilities"
Regeneration 12 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [13]
Senses 2 (Low-Light Vision, Extended Vision) [2]
"See the Invisible" Senses 4 (Vision Counters Concealment) [4]
Comprehend 3 (Languages) [6]

"Mjolnir" (Feats: Indestructible) (Flaws: Easily Removable) [21]
"Call Lightning" Blast 14 (Feats: Extended Range) (29) -- (31)
  • AE: Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Extended Range 2) (Extras: Ranged 16) (Quirks: Does Damage 9 when returning unless magical gloves are worn) (18)
  • AE: Strength-Damage +1 (1)
Double-Damage to Giants, Supernatural Beings, Dragons, Alien Intelligences) (1)
-- (32 points)

"Megingord- Belt of Might" (Flaws: Removable) [4]
Enhanced Strength 1 (2 points)
Power-Lifting 3 (3)
-- (5 points)

"Iarn Greipner- Iron Gloves" (Flaws: Removable) [4]
Immunity 5 (Rune Weapons of Opposing Alignments, Burning Weapons) (5 points)

"Free Spells" (Circle of Rain, Rain Dance, Summon Storm, Energy Disruption)
"Psionics" (All Physical Powers)

Offense:
Unarmed +16 (+14 Damage, DC 29)
Belt of Might +16 (+15 Damage, DC 30)
Mjolnir +16 (+15 Damage, DC 30)
Mjolnir/Belt of Might +16 (+16 Damage, DC 31)
Thrown Mjolnir +16 (+15-16 Ranged Damage, DC 30-31)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +20 (DC 30), Parry +20 (DC 30), Toughness +18 (+24 in Asgard), Fortitude +15, Will +12

Complications:
Enemy (The Splugorth)
Weakness (Whetstone in Skull)- Thor had a whetstone imbedded in his skull during a fight with giants- a shot to the right location will leave him with negatives to attack and defenses for 3D4 rounds. It's -4 to hit and will result in a wasted turn as the damage is neglible.

Total: Abilities: 126 / Skills: 00--0 / Advantages: 19 / Powers: 75 / Defenses: 24 (244)

-The famous Thor, sporting the most famous mythological weapon in history, was the most admired of the Gods- a brutal, strong, hard-drinking Norse ideal. He's a magic-hater who thinks they don't fight like men, and won't support his priests unless they're against impossible odds (he likes them to be self-reliant), but is loyal and friendly to those he admires and respects. Because of the way Rifts shakes out, he is superior in PL to his father both offensively and defensively- his defenses are top-notch (7 attacks, but +10 to defense). His Belt of Might enhances his already great Strength and pushes him to PL 16. He also has Iron Gloves that save him from the burning of Mjolnir when it returns to his hands, and allows him to use Rune Weapons of opposite alignments without injury.
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Magni

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

Yes, in a book designed for the mightiest of beings in the universe, this artist settled for "Guy with gym membership and a tank top".

MAGNI
Role:
Thor's Son, God of Strength
PL 14 (182)
(PL 18 Defensively, PL 19 in Asgard)
STRENGTH
15 STAMINA 15 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 13 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 5 PRESENCE 4

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 4 (God), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 9, Startle

Powers:
"Godly Longevity" Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support) [11]
"Mega-Damage Being" Protection 4 [4]
"Norse Durability" Protection 3 (Flaws: Limited to Asgard) [2]
Speed 4 (30 mph) [4]

"Godly Abilities"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [9]
"See the Invisible" Senses 4 (Vision Counters Concealment) [4]

"Psionics" (All Physical Powers)

Offense:
Unarmed +13 (+15 Damage, DC 30)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +16 (DC 26), Parry +16 (DC 26), Toughness +19 (+22 in Asgard), Fortitude +15, Will +12

Complications:
Motivation (Testing His Strength)- Magni is constantly striving to find something his strength can't accomplish.

Total: Abilities: 116 / Skills: 00--0 / Advantages: 16 / Powers: 34 / Defenses: 16 (182)

-Magni is the son of Thor, and is professed to be the strongest of the Gods. He's allied with Krishna and the Celtic Gods in the past, and seeks to find something that his strength can't do. And his strength is no joke- 3D4x10 is around the power of a BOOM GUN, and he has decent accuracy, too. He has half the Toughness of his father, but still good defenses. His big flaw is very "normal" mental ability scores for a God. He's said to be generous and gentle but not that wise.
Jabroniville
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Heimdall the Guardian

Post by Jabroniville »

HEIMDALL THE GUARDIAN
Role:
Guardian of the Bifrost
PL 14 (271)
(PL 19 Defensively, PL 20 in Asgard)
STRENGTH
11 STAMINA 15 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 14 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 7 PRESENCE 3

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 4 (God), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 10, Startle

Powers:
"Godly Longevity" Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support) [11]
"Mega-Damage Being" Protection 4 [4]
"Norse Durability" Protection 3 (Flaws: Limited to Asgard) [2]
Speed 4 (30 mph) [4]

"Godly Abilities"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [9]
"See the Invisible" Senses 4 (Vision Counters Concealment) [4]
Senses 16 (Extended Vision 4, Extended & Acute Scent, Extended Hearing, Tracking, Magical & Supernatural Awareness- Radius & Ranged 2) [16]

Teleport 15 (Extras: Extended, Accurate) (60) -- [62]
  • AE: Movement 3 (Dimensional Travel 3) (6)
  • AE: "Turn Dead" Mind Control 13 (Extras: 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Ranged, Limited to Animated Undead) (26)
"Heimdall's Sword" (Feats: Indestructible, Sentient) (Flaws: Easily Removable) [5]
Strength-Damage +3 (+1 to Supernatural Monsters, Giants & Dragons) (4)
Spells: Impervious to Energy, Invulnerability, Constrain Being, Dispel Magical Barriers, Negate Magic, Call Lightning, Fireball (3/day)
-- (5 points)

"Psionics" (Empathy, Presence Sense, Telepathy, Sixth Sense, Total Recall, Mind Block Auto-Defense, Mind Bolt, Psi-Shield, Psi-Sword, Telekinesis- Super, TK Force Field)

Offense:
Unarmed +14 (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Sword +14 (+14 Damage, DC 29)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +18 (DC 28), Parry +18 (DC 28), Toughness +19 (+22 in Asgard), Fortitude +15, Will +12

Complications:
Enemy (Loki)- Heimdall & Loki are fated to kill each other at Ragnarok, and have hated each other for centuries.

Total: Abilities: 114 / Skills: 00--0 / Advantages: 17 / Powers: 117 / Defenses: 23 (271)

-Heimdall is the guardian of the Bifrost (apparently all interdimensional travel to Asgard ends up there, no matter what- it's a security feature of the realm). He is a dour, humorless man, always taunted by his enemy Loki- the two are naturally fated to kill each other at Ragnarok. He's a pretty typical Norse God physically, but like most has IMMENSE defenses (6 attacks, but +12 to parry & dodge!), making him much more dangerous.
Jabroniville
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Loki

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

LOKI
Role:
God of Deceit
PL 15 (337)
(PL 18 Defensively, PL 20 in Asgard)
STRENGTH
11 STAMINA 15 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 15 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 9 AWARENESS 7 PRESENCE 6

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 4 (God), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 11, Startle

Powers:
"Godly Longevity" Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support) [11]
"Mega-Damage Being" Protection 6 [6]
"Norse Durability" Protection 3 (Flaws: Limited to Asgard) [2]
Speed 4 (30 mph) [4]

"Godly Abilities"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [9]
"See the Invisible" Senses 4 (Vision Counters Concealment) [4]
"Turn Invisible" Concealment 2 (Vision) [4]
Comprehend 3 (Languages) [6]
Morph 3 (Animals) [15]
Shapeshift (Animal Powers) 3 [18]

Teleport 15 (Extras: Extended, Accurate) (60) -- [61]
AE: Movement 3 (Dimensional Travel 3) (6)

"Heimdall's Sword" (Feats: Sentient) (Flaws: Easily Removable) [22]
"Double Dragon Heads" Blast 14 (Feats: Extended Range 3) (31) -- (32)
  • AE: Strength-Damage +3 (+1 to Supernatural Monsters & Vampires) (4)
Does Damage 13 to All Good Beings Who Touch It
Spells: Teleport- Lesser & Greater, Mystic Portal, Time Hole, Sanctum (3/day)
-- (35 points)

"Magic" (All Spells Level 1-12, All Summoning/Circles, Sanctum, Talisman, Restoration, Close Rift, Dimensional Portal)
"Psionics" (All Sensitive, Physical & Healing Powers)

Offense:
Unarmed +15 (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Sword +15 (+14 Damage, DC 29)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +15 (DC 25), Parry +15 (DC 25), Toughness +21 (+24 in Asgard), Fortitude +15, Will +12

Complications:
Enemy (Heimdall)- Heimdall & Loki are fated to kill each other at Ragnarok, and have hated each other for centuries.
Motivation (Power)

Total: Abilities: 134 / Skills: 00--0 / Advantages: 18 / Powers: 162 / Defenses: 23 (337)

-If you're gonna use the Norse Gods, you HAVE to use Loki- he's probably the most interesting character of all the myths, being an ally to the gods in half the stories and a duplicitous enemy in the others. He & Thor acted as battle brothers, but Loki's insults and tricks eventually led to him being hated. It's up to the GM if it's true that Loki was chained beneath a serpent's dripping fangs or not, and it's said that Loki's so good he can convince you he's innocent of stabbing you, even as he pulls the bloody knife from your back. The Norse Gods are at odds with him- they hate him, but often come to him for help, which he then provides. He is smug and aloof, and gives subtle insults to others, but if truly angry, his rage is childish and potent.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Balder the Noble

Post by Jabroniville »

BALDER THE NOBLE
Role:
Noblest of the Gods
PL 14 (280)
(PL 16 to Evil Beings, PL 18 Defensively, PL 21 in Asgard)
STRENGTH
12 STAMINA 15 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 16 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 7 AWARENESS 7 PRESENCE 7

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 4 (God), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 12, Startle

Powers:
"Godly Longevity" Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support) [11]
"Mega-Damage Being" Protection 2 [2]
"Norse Durability" Protection 8 (Flaws: Limited to Asgard) [4]
Speed 4 (30 mph) [4]

"Godly Abilities"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [9]
"See the Invisible" Senses 4 (Vision Counters Concealment) [4]

Teleport 15 (Extras: Extended, Accurate) (60) -- [61]
  • AE: Movement 3 (Dimensional Travel 3) (6)
"Balder's Earth Blade" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [9]
"Expels Demons" Dimensional Travel 1 (Own Dimension) (Extras: Attack Only +0 for 12 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to Demons) (13) -- (15 points)
  • AE: "Remove Curse" Nullify Curses 12 (12)
  • AE: Strength-Damage +0 (+2 Damage To Evil Beings) (1)
"Magic" (All Spells Level 1-15)
"Psionics" (All Physical & Healing Powers, plus Psi-Shield, Psi-Sword, PPE Shield, Empathic Transmission, Group Mind Block)

Offense:
Unarmed +16 (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Sword to Evil Beings +16 (+16 Damage, DC 31)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +18 (DC 28), Parry +18 (DC 28), Toughness +17 (+24 in Asgard), Fortitude +15, Will +12

Complications:
Resonsibility (Goodness)- Balder is the most moral of all the Aesir, to the point that it shames the others.

Total: Abilities: 136 / Skills: 00--0 / Advantages: 19 / Powers: 104 / Defenses: 21 (280)

-Balder keeps his heroic nature in this book, but looks horribly plain- the artist draws him like some commoner with a sword, not a mighty god. His status as "the one who died" is kept intact, with the same results- Loki conspired to have him killed by the one thing he was vulnerable to (after Frigga- Balder's mother- beseeched all other things to swear not to harm him), and Hel refused to give him up. But Odin, "sensing a dangerous time ahead for Asgard", demanded Hel release him, and so she had to, which is why he's around now.

-Balder is oddly vulnerable on Earth but massively durable on Asgard for some reason. Like it's a +7 difference in Toughness- weird because he's supposed to be invincible to EVERYTHING but that's unremarked upon on his statline- even his vulnerability to mistletoe! Bizarrely, the God of Light lacks a "Turn Dead" power, but has an Evil-Afflicting blade.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
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Hel

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

HEL
Role:
Goddess of Death
PL 15 (282)
(PL 19 Defensively, PL 21 in Asgard)
STRENGTH
10 STAMINA 15 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 16 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 9 AWARENESS 10 PRESENCE 4

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Close Attack 2, Benefit 4 (God), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 14, Startle

Powers:
"Godly Longevity" Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support) [11]
"Mega-Damage Being" Protection 6 [6]
"Norse Durability" Protection 4 (Flaws: Limited to Asgard) [2]
Speed 4 (30 mph) [4]

"Godly Abilities"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [9]
"See the Invisible" Senses 4 (Vision Counters Concealment) [4]

Teleport 15 (Extras: Extended, Accurate) (60) -- [62]
  • AE: Movement 3 (Dimensional Travel 3) (6)
  • AE: "Death Touch" Strength-Damage +0 Linked to Affliction 12 (Fort; Impaired/Disabled) (Flaws: Limited Degree) (6)
"Balder's Earth Blade" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [9]
"Expels Demons" Dimensional Travel 1 (Own Dimension) (Extras: Attack Only +0 for 12 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to Demons) (13) -- (15 points)
  • AE: "Remove Curse" Nullify Curses 12 (12)
  • AE: Strength-Damage +0 (+2 Damage To Evil Beings) (1)
"Magic" (All Spells Level 1-15, All Necromantic Spells)
"Psionics" (All Physical & Sensitive Powers)

Offense:
Unarmed +18 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Death Touch +18 (+12 Affliction, DC 22)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +16 (DC 26), Parry +16 (DC 26), Toughness +21 (+25 in Asgard), Fortitude +15, Will +12

Complications:
Hatred (Life)- Hel hates all life, and plans on unleashing the Mechanoids everywhere she can.
Enemy (Odin, Thor, Balder)- Hel hates that she had to give up Balder, and wants him back in her realm.

Total: Abilities: 136 / Skills: 00--0 / Advantages: 25 / Powers: 107 / Defenses: 14 (282)

-Hel, a force for evil as always, is a bit similar to Kali of the Hindu Gods, as she is an evil manipulator conspiring with several enemies of the Gods- in this case, Hel is allying with Splugorth Lords AND plans on allying with the Mechanoids! A large plot is developing where she needs a host of superlative ingredients for a massive spell (five ancient dragon hearts and the life essence of a Millennium Tree among them) that will transfer her into a super-powerful Metzla-like body, but it's only a bit more durable (seems like a lot of effort for 9,000 M.D.C.). However, she plans on using this body to ally with the Mechanoids- their hatred of all organic life is delightful to her, and she plans on helping them invade the greater Megaverse. Unlike the other Norse Gods, she has tremendous accuracy but worse defenses.
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The Vanir

Post by Jabroniville »

THE VANIR:
-Little-mentioned in other stuff I've read, the Vanir were another race of Gods usurped by the Aesir. Odin's own wife was one.
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Njord

Post by Jabroniville »

NJORD
Role:
God of the Seas
PL 13 (272)
(PL 16 Defensively, PL 18 in Asgard)
STRENGTH
12 STAMINA 15 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 11 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 6 AWARENESS 6 PRESENCE 6

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 4 (God), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 7, Startle

Powers:
"Godly Longevity" Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support) [11]
"Mega-Damage Being" Protection 4 [4]
"Norse Durability" Protection 3 (Flaws: Limited to Asgard) [2]
Speed 4 (30 mph) [4]

"Godly Abilities"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [9]
"See the Invisible" Senses 4 (Vision Counters Concealment) [4]
Senses 2 (Extended Vision 2) [2]

Teleport 15 (Extras: Extended, Accurate) (60) -- [63]
  • AE: Movement 3 (Dimensional Travel 3) (6)
  • AE: "Summon Storms" Environment 8 (Impede Movement 2, Cold 2, Visibility 2) (Flaws: Unreliable- 3/day) (40)
  • AE: "Summon Iceberg" Create 14 (Feats: Innate) (Flaws: Unreliable- 1/day -2) (8)
"Sea Spear" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [9]
"Thrown Spear" Blast 14 (Feats: Extended Range 3) (31) -- (32 points)
  • AE: Strength-Damage +2 (2)
"Magic" (All Air & Water Spells)
"Psionics" (All Sensitive Powers + Hydrokinesis)

Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Sea Spear +11 (+14 Damage, DC 29)
Thrown Sea Spear +11 (+14 Ranged Damage, DC 29)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +13 (DC 23), Parry +13 (DC 23), Toughness +19 (+22 in Asgard), Fortitude +15, Will +11

Complications:
Responsibility (Capricious)- Njord is more calm and laid back than most Norse Gods, but can still create horrible calamities if offended.

Total: Abilities: 120 / Skills: 00--0 / Advantages: 14 / Powers: 108 / Defenses: 16 (272)

-Njord is a master sailor and weather controller who still harbors some resentment towards Odin for taking over both pantheons. It's said he remained on Earth after magic ebbed and forged a mighty business empire based around shipping- when a rival company boasted that their "Titanic" was unsinkable, the annoyed Njord "marshalled his remaining powers" and destroyed it to teach mortals a lesson about boasting. Oh that's cute. He loves sailors and explorers, and funded many expeditions back in the day.

-Oddly, despite all that Njord's one of the worst fighters in this book by far, lacking anything but raw power (his Sea Spear puts him into "Rail Gun Tier" easily enough). And also he can summon an iceberg once per day- is there not any spell that can do something like that? He needs a whole extra power?
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Davies
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Thor! Magni! Heimdall! Loki! Balder! Hel!)

Post by Davies »

Does it mention that he has really good-looking feet?
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Thor! Magni! Heimdall! Loki! Balder! Hel!)

Post by catsi563 »

both Njord and Poseiden came into play when I was playing my pneuma bioform. they were drinking buddies of my Mentor. and also active in the fight against the lord of the deep which became part of the overplot of the campaign
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Thor! Magni! Heimdall! Loki! Balder! Hel!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Davies wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 6:22 am Does it mention that he has really good-looking feet?
... I don't get it.
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Re: Jab's Rifts Builds (Thor! Magni! Heimdall! Loki! Balder! Hel!)

Post by Davies »

Jabroniville wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:32 am
Davies wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 6:22 am Does it mention that he has really good-looking feet?
... I don't get it.
The story of Skadi, where she's offered her choice of husband but only allowed to see their feet, so she chooses the most attractive set of feet, thinking they're Balder's; but surprise, it's Njord, since they've been washed clean by the ocean so many times.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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