Character Demographics Discussion

[Radecliffe]

I've compiled a list of all the characters currently in a group on the site. The link to the Google Sheet is here.

A few demographics I've gleaned so far:

Iconic Frameworks

• Lords of War (18)
  • Combat Cyborg (3)
  • Crazy (5)
  • Cyber Knight (4)
  • Glitter Boy (4)
  • Juicer (2)
• M.A.R.S. (27)
  • City Rat (1)
  • Cyber Doc (1)
  • Mercenary (3)
  • Operator (3)
  • Personal Concept (7)
  • Power Armor Soldier (1)
  • Psi Operator (1)
  • Robot Armor Pilot (3)
  • Rogue Scholar (2)
  • Techno Warrior (3)
  • Vagabond (1)
  • Wilderness Scout (1)
• Psychic Powerhouses (6)
  • Burster (3)
  • Mind Melter (3)
• Masters of Magic (18)
  • Ley Line Walker (4)
  • Mystic (5)
  • Shifter (2)
  • Techno-Wizard (7)
• Dragon (3)
• Home Rules (12)
  • Apok (1)
  • ARES (3)
  • Eco Wizard (Techno Wizard variant) (1)
  • MARS Psi Slinger (2)
  • Super Power Companion (2)
  • Undead Slayer (1)
  • Wraith (1)
  • Zapper (Burster variant) (1)

Races

• Altara (3)
• Altara Aberration (1)
• Android (1)
• D'Norr (2)
• Dog Boy (4)
• Dwarf (1)
• Feline (1)
• Fennodi (1)
• Galamen (1)
• Gnome (1)
• Grackletooth (4)
• Half Elf (3)
• Human (36)
• Human half Sihe (1)
• Living Spell (1)
• Lyn-Srial (3)
• Man Bat (1)
• Nightcrawler (1)
• Phlebus (1)
• Pixie (1)
• Presci (1)
• Psi-Stalker (2)
• Quick-Flex (6)
• Serran (1)
• Simvan Mutant (1)
• Slasher Movie Villian (1)
• Trimadore (1)
• True Atlantean (4)
• Werejaguar (1)

Yep, the 18th is included. Every character currently in a group should be accounted for. The only groups not full is the Nameless which is down 1 and Black Company which is down 3 by my count. Also, I know it wasn't a requirement but I'll try to keep the list up to date and update the demographics at end of each quarter.

[Ndreare]

Looking at this, what really stands out to me as prominent is that my favorite Iconic Framework (dragon) is apparently only average in popularity with only 3 people electing to play a dragon. While the Techno-Wizard is sitting in at twice as many people with 7 of them in the game.

It also becomes 100% apparent that while I only play characters with cool powers it is perfectly valid to play a tech based character as a reasonable percentage of characters have no Arcane Background. From a game breaking point of view I notice there is no single super strong trend such as 25%+ of characters all coming from a single archetype.


I would say that apparently Sean Patrick Fannon did an amazing job in his efforts to balance roles as opposed to power if this is a trend that can be found in other groups.

[Corrigon]

I noticed half elves listed which amused me as Palladium doesn't allow cross breeding

[Radecliffe]

Evidently Shaintar throws better parties.

[Ndreare]

I noticed half elves listed which amused me as Palladium doesn't allow cross breeding

I always thought this was funny. KS rants about genetics, science, and game balance. But all three are elements completely lacking from Palladium Fantasy. Then he makes it so Ogres effectively always have to breed with humans so mass rape is the underpinning of an entire species making them effectively always half breeds. How do they even sustain a population in the wild?

Of course while the Palladium Fantasy elves and the common ones in Rifts from Rifts Conversion Book 1 and South America are not able to interbreed with humans, who is to say in a megaverse of awesome there are not other planets where versions of humans, elves, orcs and dwarves can cross breed.


List of Strengths for KS

• Amazing Imagination
  Massively huge/epic games
  Artist

Notice these are all the things that make for an awesome gun world to game in! Also note they do not include: Consistency, Mathematics, or Balance. Notice these are the things introduced by a system change.

[High Command]

I moved the discussion portion of this to a more appropriate place, and the actual informational post to yet another. Radcliffe, when you post next quarter, reply to the original thread (now in Recruiting). Excellent work.

[Radecliffe]

Sounds like a plan!

[Radecliffe]

Another thing I found interesting was that humans make up the same portion of MARS characters as they do overall if you exclude the CS group. In each case humans make up 34.5% of all MARS characters (10/29) with the same ratio overall (29/84).

I would've thought that humans would be a less popular choice for MARS characters given the extra advances would make the human's extra edge less advantageous.

[Tribe of One]

Except there's always one more Edge that you need for any particular concept. With MARS, you can pick up some interesting Edge chains that need that extra Edge to cap off, or adding a little cream on the top. I've built a few where being human was the difference between starting with something like Telemechanics or similar high-rank Edges with lots of prerequisites.

[Ndreare]

Except there's always one more Edge that you need for any particular concept. With MARS, you can pick up some interesting Edge chains that need that extra Edge to cap off, or adding a little cream on the top. I've built a few where being human was the difference between starting with something like Telemechanics or similar high-rank Edges with lots of prerequisites.

This is amazingly true. It seems even when spending advances there is always that need for just a little more, or that moment where you are forced to decide between two edges. (Of course I do not have a single human so far...)

[Tribe of One]

Except there's always one more Edge that you need for any particular concept. With MARS, you can pick up some interesting Edge chains that need that extra Edge to cap off, or adding a little cream on the top. I've built a few where being human was the difference between starting with something like Telemechanics or similar high-rank Edges with lots of prerequisites.

This is amazingly true. It seems even when spending advances there is always that need for just a little more, or that moment where you are forced to decide between two edges. (Of course I do not have a single human so far...)

Yeah, and worth noting that the Human extra Edge isn't just an Edge, it's a Born A Hero Edge, so something not easily replicated for many quarters of game time.

[Venatus Vinco]

Yeah, and worth noting that the Human extra Edge isn't just an Edge, it's a Born A Hero Edge, so something not easily replicated for many quarters of game time.

Agree about the human edge being the difference maker, especially with Born a Hero in effect.

VV

[Radecliffe]

True, edge chains can eat up slots at an alarming rate. Still, I think that MARS and D-Bees go together exceptionally well. In fact, I never really noticed before but Grackletooth are restricted by default to MARS packages. Their inability to use ISP, PPE or Cybernetics locks them out of all the other current IF's.

[Ndreare]

True, edge chains can eat up slots at an alarming rate. Still, I think that MARS and D-Bees go together exceptionally well. In fact, I never really noticed before but Grackletooth are restricted by default to MARS packages. Their inability to use ISP, PPE or Cybernetics locks them out of all the other current IF's.

Except Glitter Boy. It says in their racial description that gear from IF is customized to fit them.

[Maximilian]

Except Glitter Boy. It says in their racial description that gear from IF is customized to fit them.

Hm. I saw that, but it says there's no way they can manage a GB suit built for a normal humanoid frame. I assumed the GB simply wouldn't lend itself to that kind of customization, as grackles are the same size as GBs. That's a lot of customization of something that's no longer in production to get parts from.

[Tribe of One]

Yeah, I think the Glitter Boy write up specifically says it's limited to human-shaped and - sized D-Bees

EDIT: It's in the Grackletooth "Stuff Ain't Built for Me" description. Glitter Boy specifically mentioned.

[Radecliffe]

I have a hard time rationalizing a Grackletooth Glitter Boy. A Grackletooth is already a size 2 and a Glitter Boy is size 3. To cram a Grackle into a Glitter Boy should require considerable enlargement of a standard suit.

I think the discussion came up once and the gist was power armor no but robot armor would work. In fact Snackhappy in the 7th is a Grackletooth Robot Armor Pilot.

[Maximilian]

I have a hard time rationalizing a Grackletooth Glitter Boy. A Grackletooth is already a size 2 and a Glitter Boy is size 3. To cram a Grackle into a Glitter Boy should require considerable enlargement of a standard suit.

I think the discussion came up once and the gist was power armor no but robot armor would work. In fact Snackhappy in the 7th is a Grackletooth Robot Armor Pilot.

I could even see grackle power armor. Commonly available parts for currently manufactured PA suits should be workable. PA is little different than armor, and GTs have access to all the regular body armor with mods (that they oftentimes can put together themselves). GBs are no longer manufactured (ignore Free Quebec) and spare parts for repairs is a little different than undamaged armor plating that you'll have to splice in.
Besides, if you tell me no PA for GTs, I'll have to give back the SAMAS suit my GT took off a living dead GT.

[Radecliffe]

Ok, give it back. That was easy.

[Thrudh Zebrem]

Nnoooooooo!

[Radecliffe]

Sorry, my Techno-Wizard Gnome has already converted it into a two bedroom apartment.

[Orrin Truthseeker]

Ok, so this a probably a dumb question, and I only have the TLPG, the SWD books and the super power companion.... but what the heck is a shifter? Nothing I can find mentions it as an Iconic Framework.

Also not sure where the details for A.R.E.S. characters comes from, I assume a book I dont have, but those I can at least find on the forums.

[Hans Greuber]

Ok, so this a probably a dumb question, and I only have the TLPG, the SWD books and the super power companion.... but what the heck is a shifter? Nothing I can find mentions it as an Iconic Framework.

Also not sure where the details for A.R.E.S. characters comes from, I assume a book I dont have, but those I can at least find on the forums.

A Shifter is from the Savaging Rifts Ideas book, given as an example of how to do it. A.R.E.S. is this site's approach for a broadly usable IF that can replicate a good majority of OCC's and RCC's by itself, so that there will not have to be a special custom built IF for each one.

[Orrin Truthseeker]

A Shifter is from the Savaging Rifts Ideas book, given as an example of how to do it. A.R.E.S. is this site's approach for a broadly usable IF that can replicate a good majority of OCC's and RCC's by itself, so that there will not have to be a special custom built IF for each one.

Is there somewhere on the site that details the specifics of a shifter's IF (in case I ever want to make one)? I can find the ARES info Here

[Ndreare]

A Shifter is from the Savaging Rifts Ideas book, given as an example of how to do it. A.R.E.S. is this site's approach for a broadly usable IF that can replicate a good majority of OCC's and RCC's by itself, so that there will not have to be a special custom built IF for each one.

Is there somewhere on the site that details the specifics of a shifter's IF (in case I ever want to make one)? I can find the ARES info Here

The Shifter can be found on pinnacles site in a document called something along the lines of "Savaging Your Favorite Rifts® Ideas".

Edit: I think it is something like $3

[Radecliffe]

You can download the Savaging your Favorite Rifts Ideas doc for free from here in the Pinnacle store.

It's at the bottom, just click download.

Edit: You can also download if for free from DriveTruRPG if that is your preferred medium.

[Ndreare]

You can download the Savaging your Favorite Rifts Ideas doc for free from here in the Pinnacle store.

It's at the bottom, just click download.

Edit: You can also download if for free from DriveTruRPG if that is your preferred medium.

Oh, cool. I did not know it was available for free.

[Radecliffe]

You can download the Savaging your Favorite Rifts Ideas doc for free from here in the Pinnacle store.

It's at the bottom, just click download.

Edit: You can also download if for free from DriveTruRPG if that is your preferred medium.

Oh, cool. I did not know it was available for free.

You were probably thinking of the sample characters. Those are 2.99 each.

[Ndreare]

You can download the Savaging your Favorite Rifts Ideas doc for free from here in the Pinnacle store.

It's at the bottom, just click download.

Edit: You can also download if for free from DriveTruRPG if that is your preferred medium.

Oh, cool. I did not know it was available for free.

You were probably thinking of the sample characters. Those are 2.99 each.

Which is funny, because if ever there was anything that should be free, it is Iconic Characters.