Rifts Revised

These house rules are meant to streamline and make the Rifts gaming system playable without changing every facet of the rules. It's not meant to balance OCCs or anything of that nature — such a thing simply isn't possible with the basic assumptions of the gaming system.

Character Generation

  • Attributes: Every character starts with 120 points to split between the eight attributes (IQ, ME, MA, PS, PP, PE, PB, Spd) on a 1:1 basis.
  • HP: HP are equal to PE + 5.
  • SDC: The base SDC for a character (unless an OCC or RCC determines otherwise) is equal to the character's PE+10. OCC and RCC bonuses that replace this value are averaged, round up; bonuses that add to this are maximized (see below).
  • MDC: In much the same manner as SDC, average the MDC an RCC gains and round up. Thus, a Cat's Eye Dragon Hatchling normally gains 1d4x100+50 MDC. This would become 350 MDC.
  • Psionics: You can choose to be a Minor or Major Psionic if you wish.
  • OCC: OCCs are chosen as normal. However, some exceptions are listed below.
    • Bonuses: Any bonuses should have the maximum value added to the attribute without rolling. This plus the high attribute pool is meant to make up for the lack of physical skills (see below). Thus, a Cyber-Knight adds +4 to MA, ME, PS, PP, PE, and Spd and +40 to his SDC.
    • Combat Bonuses: TBD
    • Languages and Literacy: There are no percentages for these skills.
    • Physical Skills: The physical skills that give bonuses to attributes, SDC, and so forth do not exist. This includes Aerobic Athletics, Athletics, Body Building and Weight Lifting, Boxing, Gymnastics, Wrestling, and so forth.
    • Magic and Psionics: Give the character the average (round up) rather than forcing the character to roll. A Cyber-Knight normally has 6d6 PPE and 6d6+10+ME ISP. Under this system, he would have 24PPE and 34+ME ISP.
    • Skills: Simply list each skill you choose. Do not worry about percentages. Each skill has a bonus of 1/2 Level + 5 + Attribute. Every 5% bonus to a skill is a +1 bonus. Thus, if a skill lists Physics (+10%), that skill has a +2 bonus if you choose to purchase that skill.

Combat

  • Damage: Damage 'blows through' armor. If a character is hit with 8 MDC and only has 3 MDC left in his armor, 5 MDC blows through. In the event the character is an SDC creature, this becomes 50 SDC damage.
  • MDC and SDC: The MDC:SDC ratio is 10:1, not 100:1.