Game Background
Setting Rules
These are setting rules that apply to a SWADE Rifts game.
Blaze of Glory
The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide page 115
If a character would be killed by an attack, he can instead go out like a boss. The character dies at the end of the arc, after accomplishing something.
Blood & Gore
The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide page 116
Mega Damage inflicts Gritty Damage (Savage Worlds Adventure Edition page 139) on those without some sort of MDC armor. When trying to treat or heal wounds suffer a -1 penalty per wound. This does not stack with a character trying to heal his own wounds.
Born a Hero
Savage Worlds Adventure Edition page 136
Ignore Rank requirements for Edges (and powers from them) at character creation. This does apply to the bonus Edge granted to Humans.
Conviction
Savage Worlds Adventure Edition page 136
Heroes can gain Conviction Tokens which add a d6 to a Trait or damage roll; awarded for personal triumph or tragedy.
Death & Defeat
The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide page 116
When making Vigor rolls for Incapacitation, a Critical Failure or total Vigor check of 1 or less results in a roll on the Death & Defeat Table. Unless a character decides to go out in a Blaze of Glory.
More Skill Points
Savage Worlds Adventure Edition page 140
Start with 15 skill points at character creation (normally 12). Unless you're a dragon, then you only get 10 points. Sucker.
Siphoning PPE
The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide page 116
If you have an Arcane Background that uses PPE you can take PPE from willing characters at a range equal to Smarts. Normal people have PPE equal to Size+4, and regain PPE at a rate of 1 per hour of rest. Any PPE beyond the caster’s maximum must be used to power a ritual. More PPE can be gained through blood sacrifice, but no PC should be contemplating that, right?
Technical Difficulties
The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide page 117
Everything breaks. All high-tech devices, including armor and weapons are subject to breakage when a Critical Failure is rolled. Whenever a device suffers a Critical Failure, roll a d6 and consult the Technical Difficulty Table. For complex devices only the part being used in the check will suffer (e.g. while using the sensors in your armor to Notice, a failure only breaks the sensors, not the armor).
Vehicle Fatigue
The Tomorrow Legion Player's Guide page 118
Each day of travel requires a Boating, Driving, or Piloting skill check made at no penalty for the first six hours of travel, and a cumulative −1 penalty per six hours of travel thereafter. Fatigue affects vehicles as it does people, with recovery requiring an hour of work and a Repair roll. With success recover one level of Fatigue, or two with a raise. Failure means the Fatigue cannot be recovered without expending 1d4 × 250 credits worth of spare parts. With a Critical Failure, roll for a Technical Difficulty.
Wound Cap
Savage Worlds Adventure Edition page 141
Attacks never generate more than four Wounds in a single hit; apply this limit before making Soak rolls.
You're free to use the following for your own game, but be warned that there are adult words used. If this offends you, I don't care.
The campaign centers around the town of Janie’s Slit. Expect a wide range of settings for adventures, from urban to untamed wilderness. Janie’s Slit lies along the Atlantic coast in what once was known as Rhode Island.
Land explorations and adventures will primarily revolve around expeditions into the rest of the New England area. Expect action on the high seas as well. Janie’s Slit is an important port in the area. The bottom of the gorge that bisects the city is too small for large craft, but large enough for smaller cargo vessels and a fishing fleet.
Recommendations
Some suggestions when designing your character.
Combat
All characters are expected to have some utility in combat. To maximize your fun, try and design your character for adaptability. The two most common types of combat encounters are anti-tank and anti-personnel. Make sure your character has something to do when fighting both robots or a small squad.
The math of Savage Worlds can be complex. When fighting big stompy robots it can be better to have a lot of armor piercing than big damage dice. It can also be better to have smaller damage dice that ace more easily then to have larger dice that rarely ace. The golden bee-bee can be very useful.
It's a brand new edition. If you've played before, some stuff seems like it hasn't changed, but there are many subtle changes. Keep an eye on the current rules, rather than assuming.
Out of Combat Boots
The exact way a role is carried out isn’t important. Technology or Magic can usually accomplish the same things. For example, several iconic frameworks have benefits that make them better diplomats. Fullfilling a role well, is usually a combination of skills and edges.
It's possible for a particularly skilled character to fill multiple roles, and some overlap within the party can be beneficial. However, in many cases only a single roll will be allowed.
Face or Diplomat
Someone needs to do the talking. The ability to accomplish goals without violence saves resources like ammo, PPE, and ISP.
Useful Skills: Common Knowledge (Smarts), Intimidation (Spirit), Language (Smarts), Notice (Smarts), Persuasion (Spirit)
Helpful Edges: Attractive, Very Attractive, Charismatic, I Know a Guy, Linguist, Work the Room, Work the Crowd
Engineer or Mechanic
All things break. On Rifts Earth it’s a literal setting rule. At least one party member should know how to repair things.
Useful Skills: Electronics (Smarts), Hacking (Smarts), Repair (Smarts), Science (Smarts)
Helpful Edges: Gadgeteer, McGyver, Mr. Fix It
Doctor or Healer
Magical Healing works in combat, but mundane healing can install and fix cybernetics. Either form can get most wounds back out of combat.
For most characters a wound heals naturally every five days at best. Longer if the Vigor roll fails.
Useful Skills: Common Knowledge (Smarts), Electronics (Smarts), Healing (Smarts), Repair (Smarts)
Helpful Edges: Healer, Combat Lifesaver, Improved Combat Lifesaver
Pilot or Driver
Vehicles are a big part of travel and it’s helpful if someone can operate the thing the party is riding on.
Useful Skills: Boating (Agility), Driving (Agility), Electronics (Smarts), Piloting (Agility), Repair (Smarts)
Helpful Edges: Rich, Filthy Rich, Steady Hands, Ace, Combat Ace
Scholar or Professor
Knowing things is powerful. While character’s can research and ask questions, why waste the time when using a skill like Academics can cut through all that crap?
Useful Skills: Academics (Smarts), Battle (Smarts), Common Knowledge (Smarts), Hacking (Smarts), Language (Smarts), Notice (Smarts), Occult (Smarts), Research (Smarts), Science (Smarts)
Helpful Edges: Linguist, Investigator, Scholar
Scout or Monster Hunter
Most adventures will be urban rather than wilderness. Roughing it will still be a major theme. Having a player able to find food or track down the slavers can be crucial.
Useful Skills: Athletics (Agility), Notice (Smarts), Occult (Smarts), Riding (Agility), Stealth (Agility), Survival (Smarts), Thievery (Agility)
Helpful Edges: Quick, Soldier, Thief, Woodsman, Frontiersman, Pathfinder, Monster Slayer
Tactician
While not a requirement, having someone who can make extras perform at a higher level can make things easier.
Useful Skills: Battle (Smarts), Common Knowledge (Smarts), Intimidation (Spirit), Persuasion (Spirit)
Helpful Edges: Any and all leadership Edges