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For 5ep roll on the below table, or 10ep to choose: If you character already received the benifit instead gain an increase in die type, further progression of the edge line, or an extra +1 bonus of the same type given. If that is impossible reroll.
1) He's traveled far and wide, and he knows a lot about the world that could come in handy. Your character gains a +2 on any Common Knowledge rolls related to geography and understanding the people and places of North America. He also gains a +2 on Survival and Streetwise checks in North America.
2)Your character's innate understanding of computers makes her one of the most valuable people in the world, whether most folks understand that or not. She gains Knowledge (Computers) at d8, as well as +2 when dealing with electronic security.
3)Your character doesn't take kindly to threats, and no one messes with her head. She is Strong Willed.
4)Some folks come to understand that lone wolves don't make it in a world as dangerous as this one. Your hero has Common Bond.
5)There are moments when everything comes together and an opportunity presents itself. Your hero knows how to make the most of just such a moment; choose one Wild Card Edge, regardless of requirements.
6)Human Lie Detector. Empathic awareness leads many to the ability to sense the feelings of other. This empathy allows you to determine the general emotional state of another being within Smarts range by making an opposed Spirit check. On a raise, she can tell if another character is lying or being evasive in a conversation.
7)Enlightened. Your character can focus ever more energy and effort via their will. Your hero is able to spend a Benny to use her Spirit in place of any other Trait roll for a round.
8)Whether via formal training in a dedicated school, learning at the hands of a master, or just surviving a dangerous world, your hero's picked up some serious fighting skills. He's got the Martial Artist Edge (or Improved Martial Artist, if he already had the former), as well as the Brawler Edge.
9)Functional machines and technology often mean the difference between life and death in the world of Savage Rifts®. Fortunately for any group your hero runs with, she's pretty good with tech, giving her a one die type increase for the Repair skill, as well as +1 on Knowledge (Electronics) and Knowledge (Engineering) rolls.
10)There are a lot of broken elevators and overgrown mountain trails across the world, making trained climbers a valuable addition to any group. Your character is one of those folks who knows his way around ropes and clamps, granting him a d6 Climbing, or +2 to the skill if he already has it. He also has a good set of climbing gear for a party of four.
11)Though few and far between, the cites of Rifts Earth are the hubs of what remains of civilization, vital as sources of information. Your character understands the ebb and flow of their streets and alleyways, gaining a d8 in Streetwise. She is also good at creating fakes of necessary papers, badges, and the like; she's got experience and training in Forgery (treat as Common Knowledge), with a +2 to related checks.
12)Your hero is an infiltration specialist, skilled at blending into a culture or group for undercover work. She gains a +1 to any Investigation, Persuasion, Stealth, and Streetwise rolls related to being undercover, and a +2 to any Common Knowledge rolls for disguising herself and playing the role. She also gains two additional languages on top of what she already knows.
13)Spies and provocateurs are regularly called upon to do just about anything to accomplish a mission; your hero's made it a point to learn a little something about everything. She has the Jack-of-All-Trades Edge.
14)Many folks develope or naturally have a powerful presence that aids them in influencing and unnerving others. Your hero gains +2 on all Intimidation and Persuasion checks. As well, if he has the fear power, he gains +2 when using it.
15)There are times when no amount of skill, talent, or training is enough. Fortunately for your character, she has a bit of Luck (as in the Edge) on her side. Take Great Luck instead if she already has Luck.
16)Understanding the ebb and flow of power in the habitable lands of North America may very well mean the difference between life and death, making your hero's grasp of such matters extremely valuable. She gains Knowledge (Politics) at d8. She also gains +2 to Persuasion.
17)Following in the footsteps of Erin Tarn, your character is a student of the past. Only by understanding what has come before can he hope to make the most of what is to come. He gets Knowledge (History) at d8 and +2 on all Common Knowledge checks.
18) She's done more and traveled more than anyone, and she always seems to know someone, somewhere, she can call on for information or aid. Your hero has the I Know a Guy Edge, and she gains +2 on all Connections rolls to contact and gain assistance.
19-20) Choice of selection on the table.

Pender Lumkiss wrote:For 5ep roll on the below table, or 10ep to choose: If you character already received the benifit instead gain an increase in die type, further progression of the edge line, or an extra +1 bonus of the same type given. If that is impossible reroll.




6)Human Lie Detector. Empathic awareness leads many to the ability to sense the feelings of other. This empathy allows you to determine the general emotional state of another being within Smarts range by making an opposed Spirit check. On a raise, she can tell if another character is lying or being evasive in a conversation.
7)Enlightened. Your character can focus ever more energy and effort via their will. Your hero is able to spend a Benny to use her Spirit in place of any other Trait roll for a round.
14)Many folks develope or naturally have a powerful presence that aids them in influencing and unnerving others. Your hero gains +2 on all Intimidation and Persuasion checks. As well, if he has the fear power, he gains +2 when using it.

The above items are all from the Psionics table. I believe that they are meant to emulate specific abilities from Psyscape, which were only possible for psionic characters who had a mentor with training from a suitable mentor. As such, I'm strongly inclined to keep them Psionic-only, not something you can just pick up for 10 EP--I'd have to vote "no" on a table that included them.

On a broader level, I'm unconvinced this is needed. As a GM reward, it's awesome--"Your characters save the townsfolk. While not adventurers, they have more pragmatic skillsets they are willing to teach you. Roll here, and take the result." Hell, as a GM reward, I'd even set aside my specific concerns about the Psionic Table Items--if the GM thinks those are suitable, they can include them.

But I might be wrong. What's your specific reasoning for the proposal? What lack is it meant to cover?

Freemage wrote:

Pender Lumkiss wrote:For 5ep roll on the below table, or 10ep to choose: If you character already received the benifit instead gain an increase in die type, further progression of the edge line, or an extra +1 bonus of the same type given. If that is impossible reroll.




6)Human Lie Detector. Empathic awareness leads many to the ability to sense the feelings of other. This empathy allows you to determine the general emotional state of another being within Smarts range by making an opposed Spirit check. On a raise, she can tell if another character is lying or being evasive in a conversation.
7)Enlightened. Your character can focus ever more energy and effort via their will. Your hero is able to spend a Benny to use her Spirit in place of any other Trait roll for a round.
14)Many folks develope or naturally have a powerful presence that aids them in influencing and unnerving others. Your hero gains +2 on all Intimidation and Persuasion checks. As well, if he has the fear power, he gains +2 when using it.

The above items are all from the Psionics table. I believe that they are meant to emulate specific abilities from Psyscape, which were only possible for psionic characters who had a mentor with training from a suitable mentor. As such, I'm strongly inclined to keep them Psionic-only, not something you can just pick up for 10 EP--I'd have to vote "no" on a table that included them.

On a broader level, I'm unconvinced this is needed. As a GM reward, it's awesome--"Your characters save the townsfolk. While not adventurers, they have more pragmatic skillsets they are willing to teach you. Roll here, and take the result." Hell, as a GM reward, I'd even set aside my specific concerns about the Psionic Table Items--if the GM thinks those are suitable, they can include them.

But I might be wrong. What's your specific reasoning for the proposal? What lack is it meant to cover?

What would you replace them with?

General Rant and in not a critique of your critique at all.

I do not see any difference between tables and we only select a few tables for folks to allow purchasing from that are gear based. That is tableist (racism for tables). I do not support any such notion and regret being part of a group that does. I am trying to build equality for all tables. Sure gear can be taken away, but gear is part of characters in a setting like this. Edges, are not so breaking that a character with 8 extra rolls would be so unbeleivablly ground breaking that I could not run them through a game, and the disparity between such a character and one that did not spend ep on extra rolls is so small that it would not be much of a challenge to challenge both. It is absolutely ridiculous that in this day in age we only allow certain tables to be rolled on. This rant is not directed at you at all Freemage but at the powers that be.

It really does strike a cord within me that it seems like something akin to rasisim to only allow certain table rolls over others. Maybe some tables are better than others but isn’t that up to the character and player to decide?

Rant off.

Short version I told Timmy I would put together a table of HJ rolls I have not seen used frequently that I felt GM folks might not mind players to spend EP on to get extra rolls. Basically a comprimise.

I cannot speak for everyone else.

But for me the difference is that gear is something that is very fluid in availability. Characters often receive gear in mass as they defeat bad guys and it is something that comes by gets sold and purchased.

Whereas actual edges and skills are things that are permanent to a character they do not have the fluid nature they cannot be taken away for a brief side trips.

For example right now the 99 are on an adventure that is deliberately designed to reduce the amount of equipment available to them. You can't do that with edges that are naturally thiers. For me that is the difference between gear versus advances and other edges.

RFT wrote:I cannot speak for everyone else.

But for me the difference is that gear is something that is very fluid in availability. Characters often receive gear in mass as they defeat bad guys and it is something that comes by gets sold and purchased.

Whereas actual edges and skills are things that are permanent to a character they do not have the fluid nature they cannot be taken away for a brief side trips.

For example right now the 99 are on an adventure that is deliberately designed to reduce the amount of equipment available to them. You can't do that with edges that are naturally thiers. For me that is the difference between gear versus advances and other edges.

Thats fine and I agree with you, but I still don’t get how that should not allow any table from being rolled on. Wouldn’t a character with three extra rolls on the under cover black ops table still be affected by the loss of gear?

Freemage wrote: The above items are all from the Psionics table. I believe that they are meant to emulate specific abilities from Psyscape, which were only possible for psionic characters who had a mentor with training from a suitable mentor. As such, I'm strongly inclined to keep them Psionic-only, not something you can just pick up for 10 EP--I'd have to vote "no" on a table that included them.

On a broader level, I'm unconvinced this is needed. As a GM reward, it's awesome--"Your characters save the townsfolk. While not adventurers, they have more pragmatic skillsets they are willing to teach you. Roll here, and take the result." Hell, as a GM reward, I'd even set aside my specific concerns about the Psionic Table Items--if the GM thinks those are suitable, they can include them.

But I might be wrong. What's your specific reasoning for the proposal? What lack is it meant to cover?

This all came about because I proposed an EP option that would allow players to get additional rolls on the non-gear tables. The proposal met with a less-than-positive reception because some of the results on the tables are pretty powerful, so Pender volunteered to put together a table of the results that he thought wouldn't be overpowered.

I requested that he include some of the items off the Psionics table because (1) they are narratively cool and (2) they aren't likely to cause GMs much heartburn from a mechanical perspective. I also think they work thematically; there's nothing inherently psychic about empathy or being spirited (especially not in a setting that makes Edges like Danger Sense available to all). I think you may be right that the results were probably meant to mimic some Psyscape stuff, but I have no issue with a mundane (or even a magic user) who has a special talent for reading people (to use that example).

This is intended to be additional rolls on the HJ tables at character creation? I'm not sure I like the table for that. I'd rather see this in the GM tweaks area as an optional table for, as mentioned above, a GM adventure reward. That said, I don't think the power level is terribly skewed. Your Kn: Politics d8 isn't going to swing the tide of the battle.
I'm going to abstain. I don't see the need, but I'm not against it if people want to include it.

Snake Eyes wrote:This is intended to be additional rolls on the HJ tables at character creation? I'm not sure I like the table for that. I'd rather see this in the GM tweaks area as an optional table for, as mentioned above, a GM adventure reward. That said, I don't think the power level is terribly skewed. Your Kn: Politics d8 isn't going to swing the tide of the battle.
I'm going to abstain. I don't see the need, but I'm not against it if people want to include it.

This is a table folks could roll on via EP. So outside character creation. Like Persuit indicated it was not meant to swing the tide of anything.

Given that I have a character in the CS with the Edge: Empathy (I don't know where it comes from) that works almost exactly like the roll from the Psionics table (her empathy is flavored as Psionics), but it uses Notice instead of Smarts, I don't see why any character couldn't have it. And the Spirit trait replacement version has a version in Shaintar for dwarves (use Vigor instead of Spirit), though that is mostly just for Fear checks. I don't see why you need to be Psi to have those abilities. Digging deep when you are at the end of your reserves is classic Hero's Journey/Action movie.

I don't see anything wrong with the table.

If the intent of the designers was remotely to allow for non-Psis to have access to these abilities, they'd be on Experience & Wisdom or somesuch. As an EP option, I'm against jumping that particular shark. (Again, no issue with a GM allowing a specific character to earn one of these abilities as a reward for in-play actions.)

If they MUST be on the table so that Psis can pick them up later, then they should be a Column A/B/C thing--"If you have an ISP-based AB, then X; if you have a PPE-based AB, then Y; if you have no AB, then Z." For Y, pick something off the Magic & Mysticism table (I like 2-3, 15-16, and... meh. No good fits, other than 1, which nobody likes for good reason); for Z, pick anything else that fits the general theme (Edu 5 or 12; E&W 15-16; Training 8-9; U&BO 1 could all work).

And I'm still not persuaded that this is needed at all. In addition to the 'removable' aspect of gear, there's also the fact that it's an acquirable resource in the first place. ALl of it is readily available in the setting for nothing more than cash, and even the fairly tightfisted GMs, loot-wise, are finding that their players can usually manage to afford anything they want. These abilities, outside the Psionics table items, are things that players have to work to include by spending advances and creation points. Again, to me, this feels like a very deliberate game design. But I could be persuaded to accept this as an EP option.

But the Psionics table items is definitely a bridge too far to me, and would still get a flat 'no' vote. In many ways, it rankles the same nerve that Always a Hero does for me, to an even greater degree.

I've stayed out of the argument here because I don't have particularly strong feelings about it. But generally, I'm not seeing the need for this, and it falls a little too far on the "Pay to win" spectrum for me. Using EP to gain access to options or for gear I'm cool with. EP for Edges, not so much.

Lets drop it then. I just put it together because someone asked me to. I am not married to it.