Rifts / Palladium Fantasy movement question for Jester and Company

Just curious; I like most of Palladium Fantasy except it seems that the game is set up to emphasize non-magic using types. I may be wrong in this. But I have rolled up several characters and there is nothing in any of the Fantasy books to improve MU types like the system handles for fighter types.

To my question: in your Rifts games do you guys use a movement system during combat similar to say; 3.5 D&D or Dark Heresy? In other words: how far does a person move that has a speed of 50 move in a combat round?

I know there is a speed table that shows how fast in mph they are moving; but that doesn't really help unless you break it down to the 15 second combat round. Which is a needless pita imho. Why couldn't KS break it down into speed per round, I wonder?

I have seen house rules that break it down similar to 3.5 and then adds feet per round based on speed adjustments but I hate to use house rules on a system I don't know well.

A character/monster with a speed of 50 (wow that's fast!) can move 250 yards in a combat round. If he has 4 attacks a round that means he can move 75 yards each action. Lose an action (horror, dodge, etc) and he loses 75 yards of movement as well.

I will use my house rules opposed attribute checks using speed attribute for chases, races and the like.

As for magic users they got a bump in rifts unlimited. Armor of ithan gives 10 mdc protection, but per the new rule will stop any mdc attack without bleed over to the character. Example: tad takes 100 mdc DMg attack and his 10 point Ithan spell absorbs it all leaving him unscathed but the field is certainly gone.


also remember in rifts a first level ley line walker character can cast any level spell. If he is running with juicers he should probably be give some extra spells to even the field.

I haven't read the Rifts core book (got it, though). In Palladium Fantasy during character creation a non-spell user type can take several "feats" that add to his Strength, Speed, number of attacks, and some others that don't pop in my head at the moment. The various schools that the non-spell user types add to their beginning age IIRC.

MU's don't have anything that bumps them up during character creation at all; they have nothing that can improve their Spell points or Intelligence or anything. I thought about adding something that would improve their stats (MU school; spent time with a Mentor; etc) that could add to their stats and abilities at a cost of increased age at level 1 similar to the non-spell user types.

This might very well break the game horribly and not knowing the system doesn't bode well. I might just do it and tell any players interested in the system that this is a play test to see if it breaks anything.

You are correct but mu gain more as they level up. Experience is more important for mu as they also gain Ppe and spells as they level. Melée characters get better also but not like mu

Ah, ok. That's why i wanted to ask someone who has played the system before.

So making any kind of adjustments to the MU's would be very bad.

So on movement; are you saying you move 1 yard per point of speed; divided up amongst your attacks?

For example; if there was a level 1 dwarf who had a speed of 22 ( ! ) with three attacks then he could move 7 yards with the expense of 1 attack? I ask this because I had a dwarf player who started out with a speed of 5 and at the end of character creation he had a speed of 22; with I believe three attacks.

A dwarf with a speed of 22 covers 110 yards in a 15 second melee round. If he has 3 attacks he can cover 38yards per action.... Giving him about a 5 second 40 yard dash. Pretty good in armor and carrying equipment!

Actually, I thought it was a little crazy, but I am just not used to the system. I am used to dwarves being slow.

I have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles book compatible with the Palladium stuff.
Also have the Transdimensional Turtles book as well. It has rules to mutate pretty much any animal for roleplay. Had a lot of fun with it.

SO, actually 1 point of speed will give you 5 meters of movement in a 15 second combat round. Each "attack" will use an equal amount of speed. Gotcha.

I might try to run this again with my group. I really do like Palladium Fantasy. I have heard RUMORS that Rifts can be a little slow in that it is hard to actually hit someone and damage them.

What, no turtle love? Bummer dude.