Savaging Your

Favorite Rifts Ideas

Written By
Sean Patrick Fannon with Clint Black
Art Direction
Aaron Acevedo, Alida Saxon
Graphic Design & Layout:
Aaron Acevedo, Jason Engle, Thomas Shook
Editing
Ron Blessing, Jodi Black
Cover Illustration
Gunship Revolution
Interior Illustrations
Gunship Revolution, Matheus Calza,
Felipe Gaona, Alida Saxon
Rifts Created By
Kevin Siembieda of Palladium Books

[Link]

Savage Worlds is 2016 and TM Pinnacle Entertainment Group. All Rights Reserved. 2016
Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved, worldwide. Rifts and Megaverse are Registered
Trademarks of Palladium Books, Inc. All character names and likenesses are copyright and
trademarks owned by Palladium Books, Inc. and used under license.
 SAVAGING YOUR
FAVORITE RIFTS IDEAS

F
rom the day we announced the Savage Worlds. You may discover these guidelines
Rifts project as a reality, the most help you translate pretty much any idea into
requested companion piece was a something you can use in Savage Rifts.
conversion guide, something fans could
use to bring their favorite things from the
massive library of Rifts books published by
Palladium Books, Inc., into Savage Worlds. PHILOSOPHICAL
Though both the Rifts system from FOUNDATION
Palladium and Savage Worlds
fulfill similar rolescore rules
used to express a vast Savage Worlds fans have long known the
array of concepts, genres, philosophical foundation of writing
and storiesthey do things up in the systemtranslate
so in very different and interpret, rather than convert.
ways. Both are powerful Whether creating something from
and effective, giving their scratch or bringing an idea in from
fans a great gaming another source (movies, comics,
experience, yet they another game setting,
handle the core tasks of etc.), you are best
expressing characters served by trying
and actions so to recreate the
differently essential aspects
c reat i ng a of t he concept,
strictly mathematical rather than attempting
process to convert from one to to directly convert each
the other would be an exercise in and every minute detail
frustration, without much fun on of the idea.
either end. If youre writing up a
Instead, this guide is meant to specific character from
aid you in translating your favorite another source, what are
ideas from the vast amount of material the essential qualities of
in Palladiums Rifts library into Savage that character? Is she quick-

2
witted? Brutally strong? A two-guns-blazing MORE VARIETY, NOT
acrobat? A strong-willed and hard-boiled MORE POWER
detective? When recreating a previously-
designed RPG character, you will be better
off stepping away from the numbers and Most gamers know the term power
figuring out the essential questions and creep. Newer material comes out for
answers about her. Once youve done that, a game of almost any kind, and there
its a lot easier to go through the Savage is a righteous concern that the new
Worlds material and find the elements which character type, weapon, armor, etc.
best define her. will be so much better than whats
For example, if shes a strong-willed and come before it makes the older release
hard-boiled detective, you can design her to obsolete. Designers of all forms
have Edges like Investigator, Nerves of Steel, of games conscientiously struggle
and (of course) Strong Willed. There may be to ensure new material makes the
nothing in her original system write-up which game experience more dynamic and
reflects those exact mechanical qualities, but interesting without creating an arms
that may be because the original system race to acquire the new releases just
handles such concepts very differently. because it completely overpowers
Of course, the game system may have anything else.
equivalent ideas, in which case your task is This is a concept you should keep
to look for roughly similar ways to express in the front of your mind as you go
the same thing. Regardless, the above through your own creation process
mental approach serves you best as you seek to add things to your Savage Rifts
to make sure this character feels right under campaign. While the temptation
Savage Worlds rules, rather than reflecting is strong to ensure your personal
a mathematical approximation of her pure favorite O.C.C. or power armor is as
stats from the Rifts system. awesome as you can possibly make it,
This same design philosophy applies to you will do better by your game and
pretty much everything else youll want to your fellow players by working on
translate to Savage Worlds rules, though in making it stand out creatively, rather
the case of things like monsters, vehicles, than in terms of raw power. Savage
and character types (Occupational Character Worlds is a game system which favors
Classes, or O.C.C.s, in Rifts terms), you a certain amount of balance among
have another very useful tool to wield. The roughly equivalent things, and the
best guide to bringing a creature, piece game works best when honoring
of equipment, or even O.C.C. over from this idea.
Rifts to Savage Rifts is to simply look Look for what makes your favored
at an existing, similar item in the Savage idea special and interesting, rather
Rifts books and start from there. In many than what makes it kick the stuffing
cases, you can even use that concepts stats out of every other like it in the
as a starting place, varying them to better setting. After all, its relatively easy
represent the new concept. to just make something stronger,
For example, when translating a Northern tougher, and more damagingbut
Gun robot vehicle into Savage Rifts, youll thats hardly exciting or intriguing.
have a much easier time looking at the Its better to find the elements
NG robots already in The Tomorrow Legion which make it stand out in more
Players Guide (the Gunwolf, the Behemoth, memorable ways.
and the Hunter) and using one of them as
a starting framework. The same idea goes
for translating [Link] of them are
readily understood as variations on existing
Iconic Frameworks, or at least similar enough
in concept and power usage to be relatable.

3
4
 Herein lies a key idea to internalize: The idea is pretty simple at its base. The
Savage Worlds amalgamates a lot of intricate core Iconic Frameworks in The Tomorrow
detail into larger, broader packages. This Legion Players Guide represent the foundation
not only makes for faster and easier game concepts of the Rifts setting, making them
play, it simplifies both the creation and the best starting places for translating other,
understanding of characters and other later ideas, or even in creating new ones to
builds. Wielding a rapier, punching, and play with. Thinking in these terms, your
swinging a lamppost all fall under the best steps in translating a favorite O.C.C.
Fighting skill. Missiles of magic, holy bolts of into an Iconic Framework are:
energy, and a telekinetic punch at a distance
are all best interpreted as the bolt power. 1. Figure out which existing Iconic
Having a thick hide, reinforced bones, or an Framework most closely resembles
incredible pain tolerance all fall under the the idea of what you want to translate
auspice of possessing a high Toughness. or create.
As you go through the very specific details 2. Go through the various abilities and
and ideas of a given character, monster, piece switch out the ones that dont fit your
of gear, or whatever, remember to figure out current idea for something that does,
its essential game play quality and find the keeping it about the same effectiveness
Savage Worlds mechanic that represents it and power.
best. Think in broad concepts, then use your 3. For any additional abilities you feel are
descriptions and trappings to elaborate on important to the concept, define them as
the details which make the story part of that Iconic Edges the player can choose for
concept stand out. the character either at creation or later.

This is the best approach to give you

balanced results in keeping with the spirit
ICONIC of Savage Rifts. The devil resides in the
FRAMEWORKS details, however, so lets go over these steps
a bit more.

Many of you have likely heard the phrase CHOOSING A MODEL FRAMEWORK
more art than science when it comes to This is probably the most important part of
game design. This truism applies to what we the process. The right choice means the least
do with Savage Worlds, and it certainly came amount of serious work you have to put
into play with all the Iconic Frameworks. in and establishes the foundation of your
The numbers are important, yet how those build. The wrong choice can set you off on
numbers interact in terms of game impact a frustrating path and a lot of re-working.
and the players emotional experience is Again, the temptation may be to make a
as much about intuition and narrative choice you see as the most powerful. This
understanding as it is about formulas. isnt really the best approach, however, and
Nowhere is this more evident than in the can lead to a very clunky result more about
crafting of Iconic Frameworks. the power than about representing the best
elements of the O.C.C. you are trying to
The Kitbash Approach emulate. Its better by far to target the Iconic
Those who work with miniatures for RPGs Framework that exemplifies the same kind
and wargaming know the term kitbash of role and capabilities the established O.C.C.
very well. Its the process of taking existing represents from the original Rifts sources.
models and pieces, pulling them apart, and Another thing to watch out for is being
recombining those pieces into a custom too literal in your choice of foundation. For
result which more exactly fits what the example, if youre translating something
modeler wants. This is exactly the right with a strong set of psionic abilities, you
approach to take in creating new Iconic might be automatically drawn to the
Frameworks for Savage Rifts. Mind Melter as your starting place. This

5
 is probably the right choice for many ideas, lots of special abilities to articulate in
but if the particular concept youre playing order to represent them best.
with is less about raw power and more The complexities of the Mystic make
about a variety of special abilities outside of that Iconic Framework an excellent
simply using psionics, you might be better catch-all kind of foundation when
off looking at the Ley Line Walker. youre just not sure what else to
Yes, the Walker is arcane-based, but use. They work especially well for
realize that much of what you are doing something with lots of power, but also
is effectively re-skinning an established a broad focus.
Iconic Framework so that it looks and feels One option for a highly-skilled concept
like what you want. If the Ley Line Walker with lots of focused capabilities, yet not
gives you more options by switching out ley a lot of massive power (at least to start)
line abilities for specialized psionic abilities is the Techno-Wizard. This Iconic
(while still giving the character significant Framework fulfills a similar role, in
raw power), thats probably the better terms of translation foundations, as
choice. After all, you can simply replace that of the Cyber-Knight.
PPE with ISP, and the core power system is
essentially the same.
Some other guiding points to consider as
you choose which Iconic Framework works
best as your starting point:

Is your concept driven heavily by

cybernetics? The Combat Cyborg is
probably your best choice to base it on.
For super-soldier types especially
those for whom some kind of sacrifice
for sheer, raw power is part of the build
either the Crazy or Juicer is the way to
go. Note that the Juicer is especially
helpful for those wanting to convert
any of the variant Juicer concepts.
Is there a combination of mystical,
psionic, or arcane talents with
strong combat competence at
the heart of what you want to
translate? The Cyber-Knight
is a firm foundation to look
at. Its also good for any
character with low
level powers and
lots of variety.
Does the concept
have raw power with a
fairly narrow focus? The
Burster is perfect for such types.
Mind Melters are a good foundation
for any O.C.C. oriented around heavy
focus on power with a good amount of
specialization toward that power.
Most arcane-focused concepts should
start with the Ley Line Walker as their
foundation, especially those that have

6
One Iconic Framework wed advise against Also of importance when looking at this
using as a foundation for translating process are the Complications associated
O.C.C.s and other concepts is the Glitter with a given Iconic Framework. You
Boy. There is no more archetypical, will need to adapt the ones that exist, or
definitive icon in the Rifts setting than replace them with roughly equivalent
this one, and its design is very specific issues, if you want to ensure that your
to what it is and what it does. For O.C.C.s final result is effectively in balance with
based on the use of Power Armor or even other Iconic Frameworks. As well, take
Robot Armor, youre much better off going a close look at the Heros Journey for the
the M.A.R.S. route. base Iconic Framework, and remember to
establish a roughly equivalent scheme for
THE TRADE-OFFS your new one.
This is easily the most involved part of the
process. While the basic idea is pretty simple, NEW ICONIC EDGES
you will need to spend some time and serious There are times when everything simply
creative thought on it as you decide what wont fit into a baseline Iconic Framework,
parts of the foundation Iconic Framework yet these abilities need to be possible for
to keep, and what parts to replace with a character of that type. This is where the
something else. Moreover, youll be coming Iconic Edges come into play. These represent
up with your best estimations of what is special abilities someone on that particular
roughly equivalent, and in some cases may path can learn over time, or perhaps they
even be inventing new things. are an evolution of an existing power. For
Your choices may be as easy as trading one example, the Bursters Flame Blast represents
Edge or set of Skills for another. You may an advanced technique for her use of
also take established special abilities and pyrokinetics.
simply tweak to fit the idea youre working
on. Honestly, your instinct should be to FOR EVERYTHING ELSE,
borrow and re-skin as many established THERES M.A.R.S.
things from existing write-ups as possible,
both to make things easier for yourself and
to feel more confident in the balance of As many Savage Rifts fans have
whats created. already discovered, your best bet for
Another great tool to rely on is the Custom many O.C.C. translations is to simply
Races section of The Tomorrow Legion Players employ the Mercenaries, Adventurers,
Guide. Those rules will give you a solid Rogues, and Scholars framework. A
sense of what balances against what and large number of concepts are easy to
the relative value of abilities, Edges, and simulate using M.A.R.S., especially
other talents. In fact, the Race creation rules via the Personal Concept Option.
formed a solid foundation for much of what This is especially true for any
we created for Savage Rifts. O.C.C. heavily based on use and
At some point, however, youre likely to ownership of Power Armor, Robot
come up with something new, especially if Armor, or vehicles. As well, any
you feel a key concept in an original Rifts concept very oriented on combat
O.C.C. isnt represented in the necessary skills, or best defined as highly
way in anything found in Savage Worlds skilled and talented, expresses quite
yet. Feel free to run with your inspiration, well using M.A.R.S. In fact, you
but understand that you may need to play probably should start by trying to
around with the idea over a few sessions to build your concept with M.A.R.S.
be sure it really works as well as you intend. first, before resorting to any other
If it turns out overpowered, or next-to- foundation described earlier.
useless, you (and the Game Master, if thats
not you) need to be willing to go back to the
drawing board and rework it.

7
 Your best guide for creating Iconic Edges an ability they should have access to.
is both the core Savage Worlds rules and However, it probably serves better as
Savage Rifts. The Edges already listed an Iconic Edge, rather than a core Iconic
give you a baseline for deciding the required Framework ability
Rank as well as other things like Traits and Ley Line Rejuvenation. Another
prerequisite Edges. As a general rule, Rank indication of strength gained when
requirements should reflect how far along dealing with Rift energies, also in
a character is on his journey before he keeping with how Shifters work. Again,
develops this particular new technique or this may serve better as an Iconic Edge.
talent. Attribute and Skill requirements are Ley Line Sense. Like Walkers, Shifters
best used sparingly, but one or two are often are very attuned to the power of Rifts
a good idea to ensure that the Iconic Edge and ley lines. The original O.C.C.
isnt just a gimme for every character on may describe this sensory mastery in
this Iconic road. different terms, but in Savage Rifts,
its a lot easier to just go with the same
MAKING AN ICONIC core rules.
FRAMEWORKTHE SHIFTER Ley Line Transmission. This is one of
For something this involved, a good those abilities that is more firmly in the
example serves to illustrate the process for wheelhouse of the Ley Line Walker, but
more clarity. Lets take a look at the Shifter, the overall theme of the Shifter makes
an Iconic Framework many Rifts fans want this a good candidate for an available
to see as part of the Savage Rifts offerings. Iconic Edge.
Choosing a Model Framework. Anyone Ley Line Walking. This is one ability of
whos read through Savage Foes of North the Walker that doesnt warrant carry-
America can readily tell we used the Ley over to the Shifter; its very definitively
Line Walker as the foundation for the a Ley Line Walker kind of thing.
Shifter in that book. While their narrative Master of Magic. Both Walkers and
components are a bit different, the effective Shifters should start out as mega-
reality is their skills and abilities run to very powered casters, so this is needed for
similar end results. They are both adept at the core Framework. However, with the
manipulating Rifts and ley line energy, and focus on PPE Manipulation (see below),
they are both powerful arcane casters. well remove the Rapid Recharge part
The Trade-Offs. Lets start by taking of that entry.
a look at the various Ley Line Walker
Abilities and Bonuses. We wont list all Now lets look at the special abilities we
the information here (its available in the know a Shifter needs.
Players Guide), but the list follows for ease
of evaluation: Bind the Summoned. This is one
of those special Iconic Framework
Arcane Background (Magic). Obviously, abilities we designed to reflect the very
the Shifter needs this. The established specific nature of the Shifter. It goes
starting number of powers, starting PPE, outside the bounds of the summon ally
and Spellcasting skill could work as is. power, so it needed a bit of tweaking
Expanded Awareness. Shifters also to make it work effectively andmore
have strong arcane senses, so this importantly easily with the way
should stay. Savage Worlds works. We ultimately
Ley Line Magic Mastery. Though designed it to work directly with the
the original O.C.C. uses different summon ally power. This is a definitive
terminology the translation is much Shifter ability, so it may need to be in
easier when you realize that the the core Iconic Framework.
essential effect is the same. The Shifter Dimension Sense. Shifters are true
enjoys a great deal of extra power when experts on sensing and understanding
interfacing with ley lines, so this is the various dimensions that can be

8
 seen and sensed through Rifts. This is sure were taking Ley Line Walking out,
another core ability all Shifters should we decide to replace that with the Bind the
likely start with. Summoned ability. Finally, we swap out Ley
Master Summoner. Shifters summon Line Rejuvenation with PPE Manipulation.
things. No matter what else we give Looking at the Complications part of
them, they must have this. We felt it things, we replace the Disconnected entry
important to modify their use of the with something that is more in line with
summon ally power to reflect their true the rather negative reputation Shifters have
expertise with it. among folks, especially those in the magic-
PPE Manipulation. Another core wielding community. We can tweak the
conceptone that leans heavily on Enemies entry to better reflect the specifics
the trope that Shifters tend toward as applied to Shifters, as well. For the Heros
corruption more easily than most Journey, we decide to leave the entry exactly
that needs reflection in the core Iconic the same; it works as well for the Shifter
Framework. concept as it does for the Ley Line Walker.
Rift Mastery. Another definitive aspect
of Shifters, per the original O.C.C.. In Iconic Framework:
fact, one might argue this is the most The Shifter
important capability of the Shifter. Similar to Ley Line Walkers in that they
master the understanding of ley lines and
Now its time to mix and match until Rifts, Shifters focus more on manipulating
we get the right set of starting abilities. the energies of these phenomena to call
First, we look at the core Ley Line Walker forth beings from other dimensions to serve
abilities that are absolutes to keepArcane them. They also weave arcane energies
Background, Expanded Awareness, and into patterns meant to control Rifts and
Master of Magic. For the first one, we drop dimensional forces, often in highly overt
the number of starting powers to three and sometimes catastrophic ways. If the
(especially since were planning on the Ley Line Walker is the subtle cajoler of Rift-
Shifter starting with drain Power Points and driven arcane energies, the Shifter is the
summon ally in addition to any other powers brute force agitator who demands the ley
he begins with), and we leave the starting lines obey his commands.
PPE at 15 and the Spellcasting skill at d8. Shifters suffer from a negative reputation,
Why do we make the Shifter version of even among other practitioners of magic.
this entry less? Because we know some of While they are not universally evil, most
what were giving the Shifter in other areas face the constant threat of corruption due
may be a bit more powerful than what to their practices. Most of the creatures
were removing. This is also why we take and entities a Shifter might summon come
the Rapid Recharge edge away from the from dark, infernal, or otherwise dangerous
Master of Magic part of the Walker entry. realms, and they tend to demand exchanges
Thats where the art over science of this from Shifters that lead to ever-darker pacts
process comes into play. Not everything has and actions. The very act of calling a sentient
to be exactly the same, especially if it gives being into ones direct servicesome would
you some building room elsewhere. As well, say slaverybegins with a question of
variety between the two types is important. ethics. Summoning like this can lead down
Looking at the list of things we feel the very dark roads.
Shifter needs which are specifically Shifter
in nature, we determine Dimension Sense, HEROS JOURNEY (FIVE ROLLS)
Master Summoner, and Rift Mastery are Shifters gain three rolls on any of the
essential to the concept as we see things. To following tables: Enchanted Items & Mystic
fit them in, we take out (in order of what Gadgets, Education, Experience & Wisdom,
we think is roughly equivalent) Ley Line and Magic & Mysticism.
Sense, Ley Line Transmission, and Ley They also get two rolls on any table of
Line Magic Mastery. Since we know for their choice, except Psionics.

9
 SHIFTING TIME AND SPACE Arcane Background (Magic): Shifters
The keys to the Shifters power are his natural are mighty spellcasters, starting with
gifts with manipulating Rifts and ley line three powers of their choice (as well as
energy, especially when it comes to opening specific ones, listed below). They begin
a portal to another realm and bringing forth with a Spellcasting skill of d8 and 15 PPE.
entities to serve his will. Shifters have the Bind the Summoned: A Shifter can
power to control Rifts, unequaled by any bind one or more summoned beings
other arcane practitioner, and they have to his service for an extended period
an inherent sense of dimensionsthe one of time. He does this by reducing
they are in and any they might perceive his maximum PPE by the amount
through a Rift. needed to originally summon the
The most important and well-known creature. The creature remains bound
power of the Shifter is his capability to his service until he releases it or
with summoning magic, and his gift the summoned entity is Incapacitated
for controlling that which he summons (in either case, returning the creature
for extended periods of time. Shifters to its home dimension). Shifters may
were in high demand during the War of only have one bound entity per Rank
Tolkeen, especially when the leaders of (one at Novice, two at Seasoned). For
that doomed nation determined to bring example, a Seasoned Shifter could
forth whatever it might take to defeat the have two summoned allies, each
Coalition. Shifters are also well-received in costing 4 PPE to summon, bound to
Dunscons Federation of Magic, for he sees him; his maximum PPE is reduced
the great power in a nigh-limitless source of by 8 until he releases the entities or
immensely powerful soldiers from beyond. they are Incapacitated. At that point,
he recovers his PPE normally. Bound
MAGIC MASTERY allies are treated as though they were
The study of the arcane is essential to summoned with a raise, which grants
a Shifters success, and all Shifters are them the Hardy ability.
powerful spellcasters. While they dont Dimension Sense: With a successful
possess the same variety of spell knowledge Notice roll, a Shifter can determine
their counterparts among other disciplines relevant information about a dimension
might, they dont hurt for essential power, he is in or one he views through a Rift.
either. Shifters train in techniques for both This includes hostile environmental
diminishing the power of their opponents conditions, how closely related the
and turning that power against them. dimension is to Rifts Earth, and
Shifters are Masters of Magic, have the whether or not its a temporal shift.
Arcane Background (Magic), and choose Expanded Awareness: Shifters can use
from the following list of powers: armor, detect arcana at will, with no PPE cost, as
banish, barrier, blast, bolt, burrow, burst, conceal a free action.
arcana, damage field, darksight, deflection, dispel, Master of Magic: A Shifter has all the
drain Power Points, entangle, environmental Mega Powers for his spells per the Edge
protection, farsight, fear, intangibility, invisibility, Master of Magic.
light/obscure, quickness, slow, smite, speak Master Summoner: All Shifters gain
language, speed, stun, summon ally, teleport, the summon ally power automatically,
and warriors gift. They can choose any and the duration for them is 5 minutes
Trappings available for their powers. (1/5 minutes). This duration extends
to the Mega Power version, force
SHIFTER ABILITIES AND BONUSES multiplication.
Shifters possess exceptional arcane PPE Manipulation: All Shifters have
knowledge and the power to master Rifts, the drain Power Points power (and the
summon creatures from beyond our reality, PPE thief Mega Power) automatically.
and exert tremendous will and control Rift Mastery: Shifters gain a +4 on all
over them. efforts to open and manipulate Rifts

10
 (see Characters, Ley Lines, and Rifts
in the Savage Rifts Game Masters SHIFTER ICONIC EDGES
Handbook). They also gain +2 when
using the banish Power.
Shifters can acquire a number of
special abilities similar to those of
SHIFTER COMPLICATIONS Ley Line Walkers, using the Iconic
The Shifter is the living epitome of what the Edge approach. They work the
Coalition States hate and fear about magic, same way, but are acquired through
making him Target Number One for all who advancement rather than being part of
hate the arcane arts. He also dances a fine the core Iconic Framework. Treat the
line between arcane mastery and corruption following as Iconic Edges for Shifters
from the very forces he wields. (see Ley Line Walker Abilities
and Bonuses in The Tomorrow
Corruption: Many of the entities a Legion Players Guide), with the
Shifter might bring forth (with summon indicated requirements to add them:
ally or force multiplication) have strong
Ley Line Magic Mastery: A
wills and a desire to corrupt the
being who summons them. Each time Shifter dedicated to her arcane
the Shifter uses either power with a craft must be Seasoned and have
being the Game Master feels is evil a Spellcasting die of d10 to take
or corrupt in nature, she might call this as an Iconic Edge.
Ley Line Rejuvenation: Like
for an opposed Spirit check between
the being and the Shifter. If the being Ley Line Walkers, it seems
wins, the Shifter gains a point of entirely reasonable that Shifters
Corruption. Future Spirit contests with could call upon the energies
other evil summoned beings suffer a of ley lines and Rifts to restore
penalty equal to the Shifters current t hemselves. Sh if ters ca n
Corruption; when a Shifter gains a obtain this as an Iconic Edge
number of Corruption points equal to at Seasoned.
Ley Line Sense: This should
half his Spirit die type, hes become a
slave to darker external powers (and no be a fairly easy one for a Shifter
longer a playable character). to pick up, should the player
Cyber net ics: Suc h tec h nolog y decide to expand the characters
creates havoc for the flow of energy sensory abilities. The Rank
a Shifter relies upon, imposing 1 to requirement is Novice and the
the Spellcasting skill for each point Shifter must have Knowledge
of Strain. (Arcana) at d6; Shifters with a
Enemies: Shifters are automatically
less scholarly approach wont be
enemies of the Coalition States and as likely to study the ley lines.
Ley Line Transmission: This is
shot on sight. Even those CS soldiers
who might have less zealous attitudes more commonly associated with
toward most casters will likely open the Ley Line Walker, but Shifters
fire if they know theyre dealing with understand much of the same
a Shifter. As with all arcane wielders, magic. Veteran Rank is the only
those Shifters who refuse to swear requirement.
fealty to Lord Dunscon may well be
enemies of the Federation, too. In addition to these, Shifters may
also take the Ley Line Phasing and
SHIFTER STARTING GEAR Ley Line Gate Iconic Edges from The
Adventure Survival Armor, NG-33 Tomorrow Legion Players Guide.
Laser Pistol, NG-S2 Survival Pack, 1d4
1000 credits.

11
12
 Once you have the suit of Savage Rifts
armor which best compares to what you
GEAR want to translate, just make the tweaks
necessary to give it the particulars that
make it special to you. This includes some of
The Rifts series of books contains many those trade-offs that feature in The Kitbash
hundreds (likely thousands) of guns, suits of Approach translations earlier. Of course,
armor, and vehicles. Fans have their favorites, the ending cost of a suit may be effective
so its likely theyll want to translate those in establishing the balance between it and
into their Savage Rifts games. Taking as something more or less expensive, based on
simple an approach as possible is best in each final features. Weve chosen to keep the same
case, with the technique described in The costs as listed in original Rifts sources.
Kitbash Approach for Iconic Frameworks
remaining as the guiding principle. BODY ARMOR
It will be helpful to know Savage Rifts has
Armor a top limit of +8 Armor and +2 embedded
With all protective devices, the scale Toughness for Body Armor. This should
differences between Rifts and Savage be limited to the heaviest, most protective
Worlds are significant. This needs to be armor available. You should also keep in
understood and firmly in mind as you go mind the Strength Minimum listed
forward with any translations. A single for suits, as this also serves as a
point of Armor in Savage Rifts is much balancing factor. Better designed
more than it might appear. Its a threshold, (and more expensive) suits, even
rather than something you have to chip heavier ones, will have lower
away as is the case in Rifts. minimums than cheaper
With Body Armor, suits of similar ratings.
Power Armor, and
Robot Armor, simply POWER ARMOR
find the suit in Savage When constructing new
Rifts that is closest iterations of Power
to what you want to Armor, you should
write up. If you have the keep the Armor Values
appropriate Rifts source for at 8 for the lowest end
the Savage Rifts armor, compare and 12 at the maximum,
those mechanics and stats to the but go with a standard of
Rifts armor youre translating. +3 embedded Tough ness.
This should give you a decent However, note that you can
sense of which one might have trade a +1 Toughness to raise
more or less total Armor, as well the Armor of a suit by +2 to
as other factors. create some variances in the
Resist the temptation to builds. All Armor for these
constantly escalate the Armor suits is M.D.C..
values of newer suits and As Power Armor can
systems. While this was a come in different Sizes,
popular option in the original you should go with the
Rifts series, for Savage Rifts, following guidelines for
youll be better served scale. The lowest end of
keeping everything in the Power Armor should be
same general ranges. Size 1. Once you get into
This ensures Savage an Armor value of 10 or
Rifts remains valid higher, raise the Size
and effective in your to 2, while the suits at
campaigns for some time to come. Armor 12 are Size 3.

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 When establishing the total load-out of
SIZING THINGS UP weapons for a suit of Power Armor, realize
that the Size of the suit also represents the
total Mods of vehicle scale weapons the suit
One thing we feel will be helpful can bear. This goes to Size+1 if one of the
to you as you decide how best to weapons is handheld (such as the SAMAS
stat things up is to have a sense of and its rail gun). Note that this set of limits
relative heights and bulk in regards on such weapons is pretty much ignored for
to the Size ratings. The following setting Mods for Robot Armor.
should help you with a sense of
general comparison, at least for ROBOT ARMOR
characters, Power Armor, and Robot For Robot Armor vehicles, use the following
Armor with a humanoid shape. Keep to set the core Toughness, and also to know
in mind that allowances are often what the maximum Armor for that frame
made for other factorssomething should be:
being longer, wider, more or less
bulky than other things of its relative Size 4: Toughness 13, max Armor 12.
heightespeciallyat the higher end Size 5: Toughness 15, max Armor 14.
of the spectrum. Size 6: Toughness 18, max Armor 17.
Size 7: Toughness 20, max Armor 19.
Size 1: Anywhere from more Size 8: Toughness 22, max Armor 22.
than six feet to seven and a half
feet tall, something like a classic Of course, the Armor on any Robot Armor
heroic fantasy orc or a full vehicle is automatically M.D.C..
conversion `Borg.
Size 2: Humanoids up to nine Vehicles
feet in height, such as the mighty Theres a great deal more variance with
Grackle Tooth. vehicles, but using an established, statted,
Size 3: Beings of this height
vehicle as a foundation for designing or
can just reach 12 feet. Ogres are translating one of your desire should be the
rather famous examples of this starting point. As a general rule, anything
category as is Glitter Boy armor, built for mostly civilian purpose probably
of course. has regular Armor, while something
Size 4: Truly large human-
designed for combat and related dangerous
shaped beings up to 15 in situations will have M.D.C. Armor. For
height fall in this Size grouping, the more robust vehiclesthose intended
including the Triax X-535 Hunter for combatthe rules and guidelines for
Robot Armor. translating Robot Armor apply to vehicles
just as easily.
This should give you a fair sense of
beings and their sizes at the low end Weapons
of the bigger than humans scale. The vast array of weapons from Rifts
For larger ones, note the top height is impressive. Outside of look-and-feel,
for Size 4 is double that of Size 1; however, there comes a point of mostly
extrapolating from there is easy diminishing returns when trying to
(note creatures smaller than Size 0 translate all of them over into Savage Rifts
dont scale at the same rate). terms. Once again, your best bet is to pick
the weapon already written in Savage Rifts
terms that most closely parallels what you
wish to translate, then switch around the
stats in whatever way most meaningfully
gets you the final result you want.

14
 Avoid adding more damage. Youll note established weapon systems to translate
that most of the laser pistols, for example, other ones is your best guide. One very
stay relatively in the same span of damage important note here is that we decided to
types, while laser rifles fall into their own go more generic with the vehicle weapons,
category of damage dice. Remember that as this fits the essentials found in original
other defining factorssuch as Range, Rate Rifts. At this scale, one specific brand
of Fire, Armor Piercing (AP) value, [Link] of missile launcher over another has less
help create variances between one kind of meaning, so we went with generic versions.
laser rifle and another. This makes it much easier to create things
Also be careful about adding flat +x like Robot Armor or tanks.
bonuses to dice damage; its a great way to
represent a particularly powerful entry in a
particular category, but those flat bonuses
are very powerful and should be used FOES AND
sparingly. MONSTERS
Another thing to pay attention to is the
differences we created between kinds of
weapons. Plasma weapons have big damage These provide the most variety and widest
dice, but shorter ranges than lasers, and have array of possibilities. At the same time,
a peculiar way they do damage (especially theyre probably the easiest to translate, at
against anything not in a fully sealed least in terms of flexibility for the person
system). We used Savage Worlds Shotgun doing the work. The standing rule for
Rules to make ion weapons interesting in creating any character or monster in Savage
their own right, so keep that in mind. Worlds has been to simply give the entity
Vehicle weapons are essentially the whatever it needs, never mind normal
same on a much bigger scale. Using the character building rules.

15
 For most things you may wish to translate,
theres a good chance youll find an example FINAL WORDS
of something similar in one of many Savage OF ADVICE
sources. Of course, Savage Foes of North
America should be your first place to look, as
it contains many things crafted specifically With a few exceptions, most of what this
for the Savage Rifts gaming experience. The document provides is more about how to
core Savage Worlds book also has a lot of solid think when translating your favorite ideas
foundation monsters to choose as a starting than it is about the specific numbers to use.
place; to make them more of a challenge for Once again, this is intentional, because the
Savage Rifts characters, however, youll process is ultimately better for you if you
likely want to tinker with them considerably. worry less about exacting mathematical
Of particular note in the Savage Worlds formulas and more about getting the
core book is the section just before the list feel of what you want to create right for
of monsters and creatures, your campaign.
where youll find all of the After all, whats fun for you and your
Monstrous Abilities. Not group is the most important factor.
only is this a great list to look To that effect, dont be afraid to try
at for building or translating something and have it not
your favorite creatures, but work. What looks good on
whats found there should paper or screen is rarely
give you a solid set of the best it can be in practice.
guidelines for crafting any Be willing to go back and re-
special abilities you feel design things that seem either
your entity needs. next-to-useless or too-powerful.
Of course, the Custom If youre not the Game Master,
Races rules in The be willing to work with her to
Tomorrow Legion Players make sure youre not bringing
Guide are also a set of something broken to the table.
powerful tools for you to Good communication about
use. Full of special abilities these things goes a long way
a nd helpf ul packages to better creations and more
oriented towards different fun down the road.
types and roles, the It You also have a rather
Came from a Rift section large and impressive
of Savage Foes has a community in the fans of
lot of great, useful Savage Worlds, worldwide,
information to mine. to call upon for help and
Finally, there advice. The fans of this
are many dozens system are among the
of Savage Worlds best in gaming, always
sources out there, willing to provide friendly
both those published by Pinnacle conversation about any
and third party publishers, that topic without judgment or
give you a vast treasure trove of predispositions. They know a great deal
characters and monsters to use in about what does and doesnt work in Savage
your efforts to populate your Savage terms, and can be a great resource for you
Rifts campaign. as the creative process goes forward.
Heres hoping this document
helps you bring over your favorite
Rifts ideas into Savage Rifts, and
may the Megaverse be richer for what
you bring into it!

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