A review of rifts world book 19 Australia won’t take long as I don’t much like it but I’m working on a campaign currently to do so, hopefully, that will change. One thing I do like about the contained area is that its map is more detailed than others.
Rifts Australia (world book 19) describes the isolated region of the Land Down Under. It contains 2 high-tech cities, Melbourne and Perth. Also included are rules to create communities in the Outback, plus over 20 OCCs, mutants, monsters, Dreamtime Gods, menaces, and more.
Isolated from the rest of the world, the Land Down Under is a unique and savage land of survival, adventure, monsters and magic. Written by native Australian Ben Lucas (with additional material by Siembieda). Rifts® Australia has been one of the most requested World Books ever, and is finally a reality,
Rifts World Book 19 Australia Gm Material
Where most cities like having people move to their city, Melbourne actually turns away outsiders for fear of damaging their society and to maintain their infrastructure. They are an island city so consequently, this has created a similar shantytown outside of the city.
The majority of Australia’s population is gathered in the 2 cities. The remaining population is strung out across the continent with most of that population in settlements and farmsteads along coastlines. If not near the coast, people gather anywhere fresh water is easily gathered, lakes, streams, watering holes, or well-traveled roads.
For making games, there are some major threats that can be used to craft long-term campaigns or one-shots depending on power level. Predatory demons are commonly placed on the island through rifts and the Agoriginis are the ones that do the most fighting. The 2 cities have the population and the technology to fend them off with relative ease. Except of course the true threats.
The big threats are mostly dormant right now either gaining more power (like the Demon Frog at the bottom of the inland sea), in trees, or gaining in numbers (vampires).
Player Material from Rifts Australia
Rifts Australia is a much more gritty, day-to-day survival style environment outside of cities. The main tech cities hoard high-tech knowledge and are reluctant to sell larger vehicles to those outside the walls. Even when they do prices are 3-4 times higher for fear they will use their own tech against the cities. In addition, the leader in the cities is even crueler than the Coalition is.
Equipment in the Australian outback is far, far more likely to be SDC in nature and much of what’s listed is what you would expect in a more modern setting like Heroes Unlimited. In fact that setting is mentioned as a source for looking up additional equipment to have for sale.
Players will like however that they are extremely likely to be on the high end of respected and even regarded as heroes, champions, or at least a power to be reckoned with. This is simply because players will undoubtedly have MDC weapons, armor, and other equipment that’s highly rare and sought after in the Australian outback.
Story material of world book 19
Most of what I’ve gathered while reading through the book again is really just a history of the place. In addition, it gives a lot of information regarding the basic setting and a feel for just how much life was lost during the dark ages. So much of Australia is littered with unexplored possibilities. Old caches of “possible” wealth lay just about anywhere an old major city other than Melbourne or Perth is.
Much of what’s listed in regional areas is about settling this area or that, sending recon teams here or there, some returning most not, etc. Other story stuff is related to the menaces of the island.
Those are the typical death and destruction type though not really anything worth discussing. Truly intelligent demons or supernatural threats are mostly content with just being a player behind the throne and causing chaos and strife, possibly making their own little kingdom.
The originality of Rifts Australia World Book 19
My initial assessment of the book has to be retracted after rereading the book to do this review.
The changes to Australia create a landscape that still maintains the real-world feel of Australia we all get from movies and our own stories. While at the same time creating a genuinely new and different feel. I totally missed (somehow) that there was an inland sea. I also forgot how feral and basic survival the land was in a state of.
Is Rifts Australia game breaking
Few books are as opposite of game-breaking as Rifts Australia is. It has to be the most isolated area on Rifts Earth. It contains some powerful threats to the rest of the world if left unchecked but with all the threats from the rest of the world, they seem like a trifle.
Exception- I almost forgot the new skill Blend. Depending on the interpretation this skill can easily be taken advantage of either in Australia or out of it. I have often found it to be one of few that are often disallowed for use.
How good are Australia’s occs
With as many OCCs as there are it’s hard to say whether they are all good or all bad. Instead, I would say that a lot of the OCCs are really good support roles for almost any area, Rifts Earth or other dimensions for that matter. Take the Merchant Trader, for example, one that could be used to define a lot of NPCs roaming through Rifts Earth trying to sell things.
The first OCC listed I thought at first glance was a really good option and one I would consider. The Bushman occ has a number of class abilities that are really intriguing and could make for a lot of various different character options.
How well does world book 19 mix with the core book
This book is extremely removed from the core set in the Rifts Ultimate Edition. That said it is an extremely magic-rich zone so you could easily choose to go to it via rift teleportation or as a random accident. Even joining with the New Navy or Tritonia from Underseas are other options for incorporating the book into a game.