I’d like to share my thoughts about Rifts world book 12 Psyscape today. Let’s review all the different additions to the world of Psionics and Rifts Earth itself from this book.
World Book 12 includes new psionic powers and rules for those born in Psyscape. Plus threats that Psyscape has returned to help stop once again.
Enter the world of Psyscape, the stuff of myths and legends revealed at last! The history, power and key figures of this mysterious realm.
Rifts World Book 12 Gm Material
There are few beings as terrible and powerful as the Old Ones from Palladium Fantasy. Well, Psyscape brings one of them to Rifts Earth. This book describes an evil power that dwarfs all threats save perhaps Death and the Four Horsemen (check them out in the Africa world book). The Evil known as Nxla is only years from manifesting on Rifts Earth and Psyscape has shown itself to the world again primarily to fight against this immense evil.
There are several directions things can be taken with 4 examples listed. Specifically how the Coalition will react to Psyscape and Nxla, possibly taking the fight to Nxla’s home dimension, secret harvesters, and Psyscape vs the Federation of magic.
The state of Psyscape is an interesting creation. It exists in two planes of existence at the same time and can only be attacked when entering the astral plane after going into the mists that Psyscape is in. So missile bombardments, magic attacks, and other attacks on Rifts Earth are useless to harm Psyscape and its inhabitants. GMs should look at this and come up with their own renditions of places like this when using the Dimensional roller from the Megaverse Builder or the planet roller from Anvil Galaxy.
Player Material Rifts World Book 12 Psyscape
Far more psychic options than prior to this book. If you actually are from Psyscape then you have even more abilities and increased psychic power points (called Inner Strength Points or ISP). Other than OCCs players get access to some extra races like the Amorph.
Something to note is that at this book still seems to have some confusing aspects regarding RCC and OCC. I find the idea of an RCC to be a throwback to that of old-school Elf dungeons and dragons days. In Palladium games it throws players off as to what combinations are possible. Even I am confused regarding them at times. Generally speaking with Psychics if you want to play as a master psychic you choose the RCC listed and that’s what you play as. There are exceptions throughout the books that then continue this confusion, but generally speaking minor and major psionics is all that’s available to a race that then picks an OCC to go along with it.
Story material in Rifts World Book 12 Psyscape
Several hundred years ago Nxla came and tried to manifest on Rifts Earth. A psychic entity created a place called Psyscape and brought other psychics’ help to defeat him. Nxla wasn’t defeated but postponed and now he is close to appearing again. So Psyscape has returned to once again stop him. That’s the basic story element of what’s going on.
There are some other storylines that can cross over from outside elements, specifically the Coalition, and Federation of magic.
Originality of Rifts Psyscape
Totally new material was given to players and Gms to make new psychic characters. Those wanting to play up a super evil necromancer could do that if given GM permission. I highly recommend this book at the very least to get acquainted with the full story of things, and some OCCs are super fun.
Is World book 12 game breaking
The psychics of Psyscape are much better than those outside of Psyscape. Consequently, many players feel it almost necessary to be from Psyscape any chance they can. Or at the very least to have some of the Psyscape cybernetics to increase their options and power.
So while not truly game-breaking, it does present an imbalance if you will between psychics. I’m sort of neutral on this being good or bad. They are in fact supposed to be special, or unique psychics so I understand the difference. At the same time, some players will feel like it’s “unfair”. If you know me at all though you’ll understand how petty and silly that is, as no amount of power makes players on par with the rest of the universe.. they will always be a small fry.
Aside from the psionics, there are some RCCs that are absolutely game-breaking. For instance, the Demon-Dragonmage is powerful as a young being on par with a dragon, maybe slightly stronger. As they age they get more powerful, and if they kill and bond a dragon to themselves they are just ridiculous. Next up is the Lanotaur Hunter.
They are as the description states, like a cross between a Psi-Stalker and a Juicer. They track like Psi-Stalkers and have insane reflexes and a bunch of special powers and limited magic plus psychic powers.
How good are the occs of Psyscape
The OCCs are awesome from this book. My personal favorites are the Psi-tech and the Psi-ghost. You can do some really fun things with both. Zip around as a ghost with just your head above ground being insanely hard to spot, much less target (just as one idea).
How well does Psyscape mix with the core book
This book fits in fantastically with the core book. It brings a totally new chapter to those wanting to play psychics. In addition, there is a new threat to all life that can be used as a real epic set of adventures.