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I can't seem to find the starting S.D.C. for Physical Training characters. can anyone knows?.




brass knuckles

In an MDC world, like Rifts Earth, would a physical traoning character (as per actuall HU rules) inflict megadamage on normal punch yes or not?

..............
brass knuckle

hmmmmm. I'd say yes, tenatively. Power Punch/Kick are sort of described as being chi based, so that'd fit. I don't see them being MDC themselves though

30 if I recall

No
They are simply normal people.
They don't have robotic strength, they don't have chi powers, or magic, or super powers or anything... their entire shtick is that they are just normal people who have trained to the peak of normal human limits.
And normal people do not punch for 1d6x100 points of damage.

51 .. we have a house rule with higher than average stats

considering how I reread things, thats not too surprising. the book says P.S. is equal to Superhuman Str and all bonuses therein. so adding another 20+2D4, it'd be entirely possible to hit 50 for P.S.

If memory serves [actual numbers may very]

placed a high roll into P.S. to begin with [Lets say 20]
Added 20 for superhuman strength default [We are now at 40]
Rolled 2d4, lets say I got a 5 [We are now at 45]
Physical Training gets 6 physical skills, lets say I got +6 PS [We are now at 51]

Yes Crimson Fist is on the high end for Physical training but still several points shy of the highest possible

I guess you could go 24 [or even 30 but I don't use that rule] + 20 + 8 + 8 + 8 for 60 ...

Eli is right, they get some increased saving throws and 3D6 PPE as per the Conversion Book, but that's it really.


Daniel Stoker

I definitely see a good PT using equipment. This could be high tech knuckle dusters for someone in a high level team, or with a tech based partner, but brass knuckles or breaching gloves fill the niche as well.

I know there have been multiple lists compiled in various conversations of open market real world equipment. Things like tasers, electric cattle prods, paintball guns with special loads, brass knuckles, breaching gloves, pepper spray, ASP batons, and so on. The old New Warrior Night Thrasher had a lot of this sort of stuff built into his battle armor to give an edge over the powered crowd, without having a real robotic type suit.

This sort of common equipment could easily be adopted by a PT, or any of the Special Training classes. Honestly, in my games it isn't uncommon for a mutant with non strength based powered to have SAP gloves or similar to give them an edge against a random thug they don't want to blast with lighting, same as wearing body armor, or a good knife.

hmmm I did forget to put equipment into that article before I sent it off, ah well, always more to put on the fire. Your input, RockJock, is noted and appreciated!

I too have had chars wear sap gloves and conventional body armor

Thanks Z. In my games we tend to be several different levels of heroes. To use Marvel examples, what a team like the X-Men, or Avengers have for equipment in their supply cabinet is not going to be the same as Spiderman, or a guy on the street stopping a mugger, but some stuff will be pretty universal.

feel free to throw any low-power gear up here for thoughts, I want to send to the Rifter a list of low power hero gear sometime.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=45046&hilit=multi+tool

This is an ANCIENT post that lists a few things characters can commonly carry. I am sure the boards have dozens of these.

Paintball guns with various less than lethal rounds. Lots of variety here form pepper balls to markets that let a hero track by smell, or maybe identify with a UV light or whatever. Even solid rubber rounds that hit like a rubber bullet.

Multi-Tool knives, standard over the counter, or a higher tech future tech nano version.

caltrops/ballbearings to slow pursuit.

Small drones for various tasks. I'm talking more the civilian grade, but could go up in tech.

Just to start.

i wanted to fill up a paintball hopper with Capsaicin

What in Rifter 82 did the Physical Training get?

*cracks knuckles*

Well the hand to hand level up charts were revamped a bit, they get a ton of stuff from that still, its just more spread out, and makes every level more interesting.

Locks and holds have some more focus.

The PT superskill is Parkour which is all forms of physical movement, it can also be used to 'stunt', meaning you can roll it with negatives to gain extra bonuses to strike, parry, dodge, or damage.

there are general abilities for all characters that they can select, and some specific to the two types of combat. The PT char doesn't get nearly as many abilities as the sleuth or stage mage, due to how they already have a lot of combat potential

The PT character also gets some customizable 'signature moves' to work with, you can focus on knocking prone, knocking back, stunning, or dealing more damage. These are meant to be very reminiscent of your street fighter moveset, and can be performed once a round, a couple times a day.

Altogether, the power cat has a ton of options now, and hopefully will be a lot of fun

I look forward to see a revamped PT. I hate to admit it, but they are rarely used for anything but fodder in my games. Our characters tend to start one of two ways. Either they are totally random rolls (rare), or the player has a general idea of what kind of character they want to play, and we figure out how to make that work in the game rules. For whatever reason that tends to mean that the physical fighter tends to be rolled as an Ancient Master, the Robin Hood/Archer Guy comes out as an Ancient Weapons Master, and the gun wielder ex soldier is a Hardware Weapons Genius, or even a Secret Operative much more often than as a PT.

hopefully the Operative'll be in 83. let me know what you think of the rewrite!

Strength and Endurance training now gives you 3d6+1 PS instead of +20 [Lift/Carry is still superhuman]

Technically it is probably for the best, since it allows for a bigger variety of strength scores.
It lets you [Rules as written] make a character who is 'Strong' without being blatantly superhuman.

Crimson Fist would like the new Signature Moves/Abilities ... I guess I could swallow loss of a few points of P.S.

btw, in case someone may ask 'why get a signature throw instead of a punch or kick?', well.....there's an autothrow defense out there. So yeah that sounds like it'd be fun.

My Burgundy Bandits are in love with your signature throw.
My players may not be, but the girls definately are.

So, yeah, its a great idea and I'm very glad you thought of it. This sort of covering all the bases is why I'm glad that you did the article.

lets not forget skill stunting. the PT char has to be very innovative to keep up with all those fire slinging fliers!