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Does anyone know if this is possible? Or perhaps can lend a little advice? Pathfinder has a really well balanced game mechanic that I want to use for Rifts. My problem is knowing where to start; I know what I want the finished product to be, but I have no idea how to get there. I've already crushed Rifts stats to fit Pathfinder. I think my biggest challenge will be figuring a way to convert the damage system. Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.
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Finding any prewritten conversions might be difficult, from what I understand the owner of the company aggressively moves to steam out any conversions.
As far as the damage system goes don't bother converting it at all. Mdc as a system worked well for robotech where your encounters were all mdc ( giant robots vs zentradi) or sdc ( your other encounters). The let's mix the two approach didn't work.
Just treat mdc creatures as having dr magic and treat all mdc weapons as bypassing dr magic. But otherwise have mdc and sec weapons scale the same.
Having the two different damage systems just worked poorly in my view.
Sounds cool but IMO it will never, ever be balanced.
A glitter boy will always be a menace in his suit and a joke out of it or it will just not feel like rifts.
Imagine how people who get upset about the martial/caster disparity in d20 would feel about Mega Damage as a mechanic.
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Yeah Kevin is very defensive of his IP...for Pathfinder MDC conversion I would just use DR[5 per 100]/-
I have worked on conversions for RIFTS also, but not to d20, Savage Worlds is where I went. Which is a harder conversion...I know I found a d20 RIFTS at one point...can always try your google fu and see if there's anything out there.
Rifts the Role playing game by Palladium? Or Rift the fantasy computer game?
Not seen any conversions done but one thing I'd strongly consider is to keep the "alignment" system from Rifts instead of using D&D's.
It integrates *much* easier into how people actually act.
As for balance, it'll be about as balanced as it can be. I mean- Rifts itself is only balanced if you mandate the type of campaign before hand. They made virtually no attempt to balance it internally- outside of pure DM fiat just saying "we're having X type of campaign, here is what you are allowed to select from, go."
(toss a glitter boy, cosmo knight, rifts scientist, full conversion borg and sky cycle pilot into the same group and start trying to balance it. good luck!)
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Mega damane is described as supernature or super scientific toughness. This could mean Either
a) Armor class
b) Damage reduction.
I would lean towards the later Say anyone with even a point of mega damage has some sort of DR that fits a these. Suit or Megadamage armor that is scientific in nature might have Dr 10/Adamantine. While a supernatural mega damage creature likely has dr 10/magic. WHile a creature with thousands of MDC would likely have have Epic DR.
Why not just DR 99/ -
Wasn't 1 Mega Damage = 100 Standard Damage?
It's been a looong time.
Yep in rifts 1 megadamage = 100 SDC
There is already an in game equivalent to megadamage and that is DR and or AC. Megadamage is a balance breaking issue in Rifts IMO. As combat heavy as it tends to be Your pretty much have to have MDC armor to get by and with the power creep of Rifts Playing anything other than A High MDC character becomes pointless because despite the character being interesting a couple points of Splash Megadamage left the glitterboy chuckling and everyone else salsa. I feel DR is a much better Mechanic as it keeps things from becoming ridiculous and makes that scholar or Socialite a viable character.
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Most difficult thing is the robot combat.
Do you treat them as larger suits of armor?
Do you use skill rolls to hit with weapons systems?
Do you use the pilots stats with modifiers?
How do you handle their movement?
What's appropriate damage for robot sized weaponry?
etc.
I wonder who Knight_druid is, I just had a conversation with someone on this topic. I just borrowed the rift's core book and will hopefully be looking through it.
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I would dare say tha as far as the psionic stuff goes, you can use DSP for most of it. A cyber knight wold jsut be a soulknife that allows manifesting (cant remember the name), Mind melter a telepath psion, Psi-healer a vitalist, etc.
I spent years playing rifts with friends. Terrible system. The setting is fine though. I agree with the suggestions of using dr to represent mdc. Plan on making adjustments every session for a while. Look at d20 modern. That could help with feats and skills.
I'd suggest looking at d20 Modern (and Modern Path) as well--with the arcana and future supplements you've got the groundwork for most material you need.
I spent years playing rifts with friends. Terrible system. The setting is fine though. I agree with the suggestions of using dr to represent mdc. Plan on making adjustments every session for a while. Look at d20 modern. That could help with feats and skills.
seconded.
loved the fluff, hated the crunch. I still the books sometimes- just avoid playing the game. lol :)
-S
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The art was so awesome.
I like the Wormwood setting.
I played an Apoc.
The art was so awesome.
I like the Wormwood setting.
I played an Apoc.
There were really two t hings I love, love, loved about it.
1) full conversion cyborgs. Shadowrun had all that essence crap that prevented it- but I *loved* the concept of 'em in Rifts. It wasn't perfect by far- but it was still awesome.
2) the Ticonderoga. huge submersible air craft carrier that *wasn't* on the coalition's payroll?
I'll take two, please. :)
-S
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Most difficult thing is the robot combat.
Do you treat them as larger suits of armor?
Do you use skill rolls to hit with weapons systems?
Do you use the pilots stats with modifiers?
How do you handle their movement?
What's appropriate damage for robot sized weaponry?
etc.
I think what I'll do instead of trying to convert Rifts, is use the Pathfinder game and make a homebrew using a North America map. I've already started the process by taking a blank NA map and modifying it to current coastlines and volcanic activity (mainly in the north west)and I expanded the Mighty Mississippi River to several miles wide at some points. This is probably much easier and less headaches, plus I don't have to worry about getting sued my Palladium Books, lol.
Looks like it's time for a new post topic!
for rifts to have the same flavor you would have to have power tiers.
tier one Normal adventurers.
Tier two Minor megadamage beings like juicers and cyborgs.
Tier three major megadamage beings Dragons and glitterboys.
I actually converted rifts to d20 modern and it was farley well received by my grouf.
ok, for Mega Damage, I would suggest "Military Style Magic" and "Military Style Weapons" from Skorched Urf Studios. All OGL, and simulates Mega-Damage perfectly!
This is the answer I was looking for.
It looks like my players don't want to use MDC though. The idea of being vaporized at any time is not that appealing to them. lol
ok, for Mega Damage, I would suggest "Military Style Magic" and "Military Style Weapons" from Skorched Urf Studios. All OGL, and simulates Mega-Damage perfectly!This is the answer I was looking for.
It looks like my players don't want to use MDC though. The idea of being vaporized at any time is not that appealing to them. lol
If you want them to invest in their characters, your players do have a point.
Yes. I let them decide what power level at which they want to play. They were unanimously against MDC. I don't blame them. But, if someone said "it's not Rifts without Mega Damage*, then I'd say "Ok, here you go!"
I don't know that Mega-Damage is essential, but the wildly disparate power levels certainly are, and that doesn't play well in Pathfinder or any CR based encounter system.