RIFTS

Basic Rules

Character Generation
- Alignments
Combat Rules
Experience Points

Character Generation

Before starting or entering a game, you have to have a character. There are many ways to create a character, including grabbing a pre-generated one out of one of the supplements, converting a character from another RPG, or randomly rolling one. The method below is the common "random roll" method, with tips for modelling and/or converting.

Step One: Initial Attributes

There are eight basic attributes: IQ (Intelligence Quotient), ME (Mental Endurance), MA (Mental Affinity/Charisma), PS (Physical Strength), PP (Physical Prowess/Agility/Dexterity), PE (Physical Endurance/Stamina), PB (Physical Beauty), and Spd (Speed). Attributes are determined by rolling 3D6 (three six-sided dice) for each. Should a roll be a 16 or higher, an additional six-sided die is rolled and added to the attribute. An attribute of 9-11 is considered "average". Attributes of 3-5 are "weak", 6-8 is "below average", 12-15 is "above average", and 16 or higher is considered "exceptional", and provides a bonus. The bonuses are listed elsewhere.

Step Two: Hit Points, SDC, and MDC

Okay, now that you have the basic attributes, you need to determine the physical resiliance of your character. This is determined through rolling for Hit Points and Structural Damage Capacity (SDC). These are related, in a way. The Hit Points are your "life-threatening" damage, while the SDC is the "flesh wound" type damage. SDC is also used to determine the amount of damage "inanimate" objects can take.

For Hit Points, take your PE attribute, and add 1D6.

For SDC, it varies according to OCC. Men of Arms roll 1D4x10; scholars, adventurers, and practitioners of magic roll 4D6; and psychic RCCs roll 3D6. Dragons and creatures of magic do not get SDC. Instead, they are Mega-Damage Capacity (MDC) critters.

The difference between MDC and SDC is minimal. Both act the same. The differences are listed below:

100 SDC points of damage equals 1 MDC point.
1 Mega-Damage point does the quivalent of 100 SDC damage points.
Most conventional (read: does SDC damage) weapons do no damage to MDC items, even if the combined total for damage is above 100.

Step Three: Selecting an OCC and/or RCC

Ah, the meat of the character. This determines the character's occupation, be it Soldier, Magician, Scholar, City Rat, or Vagabond. A listing of OCCs is available elsewhere on this site. Each OCC or RCC has different base skills and attributes, making each OCC unique.

Step Four: Generating Skills

As stated above, each OCC and RCC has their base skills. They are also allowed a number of skills outside their base OCC skills. As these skills are too numerous to mention, an entire section has been set aside for describing each skill in detail.

Step Five: Magic, Psionics, Weapons, Vehicles, and Equipment

These are generally determined by OCC and player choice. Anything "out of the ordinary" is usually subject to GM approval. In general, any of the items listed on this site are usually approved.

Step Six: Rounding out the Character

There are a number of items one can use to round out a character, including determining personality, moral alignment, family history, drug addiction (including alcoholism), insanity, phobias, and the environment in which he or she was raised. Due to the complexities inherent in insanity, that has been given it's own section farther down.

Alignment

There are seven alignments a person can choose from: Principled, Scrupulous, Unprincipled, Anarchist, Miscreant, Aberrant, and Diabolic. These are outlined below:

Principled: The classic "lawful good" alignment, respecting law, order, authority figures, self-discipline, and honor. These characters will never knowingly break the law. Principled characters do not use torture, nor will they kill for pleasure. These characters will always keep their word, and rarely, if ever, lie. Neither this character nor the Scrupulous character will kill or attack an unarmed foe.

Scrupulous: This is the classic action hero as portrayed by Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan. While the character prefers to work with the law, he or she knows the difference between law and justice, and often finds him or herself working outside or even against the law in order to correct injustice.

Unprincipled: This is the type of selfish character best portrayed by Harrison Ford in his classic roles of Han Solo and Indiana Jones. This character is generally out for himself, yet finds himself helping others and hating himself for doing so. This character will associate with both good and evil characters, and is often tempted to lie and cheat.

Anarchist: The Anarchist character epitomizes the term "every man for himself". These characters don't break the rules, they bend them... a lot. This character has little to no respect for authority, so long as, when the stuff hits the fan, he comes out smelling like a rose.

Miscreant: One step down from the Anarchist is the Miscreant character. Like the Anarchist, the Miscreant is simply out for himself. However, the Anarchist is not necessarily ruthless in attaining his goals; the Miscreant is. While the other alignments will not kill for pleasure, this character may.

Aberrant: This is the classic "lawful evil" alignment. This character is driven to attain his goals through power, force, and intimidation, but lives by a strict, if twisted, code of ethics. He will always keep his word or honor, but is careful to say exactly what he means, and he means exactly what he says. For instance, if this character says, "If I find out that you lied to me, I will kill you," the person he said that to better not be lying. This character will always twist the law to meet his goals, and will never torture or kill for pleasure.

Diabolic: I've seen this alignment is best described as "your typical everyday slimeball". This is the alignment typically reserved for merciless killers, megalomaniacs, and the like. Be extremely careful when playing this alignment, for the character may not last long. I usually reserve this alignment for NPC villains.

Combat Rules

Hand to Hand Combat
In general, all combat is conducted in melee rounds, each of which consists of a "real" time (to the characters) of 15 seconds. Each character has a minimum of two actions per melee, with some characters reaching as many as seven or eight.

Step One: Roll Initiative

Step Two: Attacker Rolls Strike

Step Three: Defender Rolls Parry, Dodge, or Entangle

Step Four: Determine Damage

Step Five: Defender Attempts to Roll With Attack

Step Six: Repeat Steps Two through Five for the remainder of the Melee Round

Step Seven: Repeat Steps One through Six as needed.

Robot/Power Armor/Mecha Combat
There is little difference between High-Tech Combat and standard Hand to Hand Combat. However, any bonuses a character may receive from his specialized training is applicable only when fighting with his or her selected Combat Robot, Power Armor, or Mech. For instance, a Coalition SAMAS pilot does not receive his combat bonuses for the SAMAS unit if he is out of the armor at a bar.

Magic Combat
Combat using Magic is also quite similar to standard Hand to Hand Combat. The difference comes from the amount of time it takes to cast a spell. Most "combat" spells are fairly easy for a practitioner of magic to learn. The number of spells cast in combat depends on the level of the spell. Spell levels one through six can be cast at a rate of two per melee; a spell of seventh through tenth level in strength can be cast at only one per melee; and a spell of greater strength is normally not cast in combat, requiring two melees per spell cast. As can be expected, the caster loses all other actions in the melee round.

The recipient or target of a combat spell attack that does not have a physical aspect to the effect must roll a saving throw, or succumb to the effects of the spell. In a way, the saving throw is a mental parry to block the effect of magic. Physical attack spells, however, can be dodged or parried.

Should a spell caster be interrupted, there is no expenditure of PPE or any side effects... unless, of course, the GM wishes.

Psionic Combat
In Psionic combat, the number of psionic attacks a psychic can make is equal to the number of attacks per melee a character can make. Saving throws are treated similar to magic. Non-psychic characters must roll a 15 or higher to save; Minor and Major Psychics must roll a 12 or higher, and Master Psionics must roll a 10 or higher

Experience Points

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