Mega Skills Sourcebook

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Fenrir_Lokison
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Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Fenrir_Lokison »

I think it would be nice to see a mega skills sourcebook that could be like a universal setting for all Palladium Material. And then maybe a table which says which skills would be for what worlds they would work. Plus adding a host of new skills like Architecture, Landscaping, or even Urban Design. And rules for skill combinations and team effort for added, unique, and/or enhancements to skills? For example: what kind of bonus would Jack get while pick pocketing an NPC who is distracted by Jill's (seduction and dance) routine?
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Jack Burton
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Jack Burton »

That would be awesome. In the mean time, have you seen this list of skills posted on HouseofBTS.net? It's a website ran by forum member, mrloucifer. There are also other homebrewed skills on there. Pretty useful...

http://houseofbts.net/skills.html
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by zyanitevp »

Fenrir_Lokison wrote:I think it would be nice to see a mega skills sourcebook that could be like a universal setting for all Palladium Material. And then maybe a table which says which skills would be for what worlds they would work. Plus adding a host of new skills like Architecture, Landscaping, or even Urban Design. And rules for skill combinations and team effort for added, unique, and/or enhancements to skills? For example: what kind of bonus would Jack get while pick pocketing an NPC who is distracted by Jill's (seduction and dance) routine?

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Jack Burton
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Jack Burton »

Thanks, Zyanitevp. I had to Google Rifter #0 to find out what its deal is. It's only available digitally on DriveThruRPG:

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/92159

I just downloaded it for 5 bucks!
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Zer0 Kay »

Jack Burton wrote:That would be awesome. In the mean time, have you seen this list of skills posted on HouseofBTS.net? It's a website ran by forum member, mrloucifer. There are also other homebrewed skills on there. Pretty useful...

http://houseofbts.net/skills.html


And now that you mentioned it hopefully it doesn't get a S&D like Mad dog did with the mega list.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Jack Burton »

Zer0 Kay wrote:
Jack Burton wrote:That would be awesome. In the mean time, have you seen this list of skills posted on HouseofBTS.net? It's a website ran by forum member, mrloucifer. There are also other homebrewed skills on there. Pretty useful...

http://houseofbts.net/skills.html


And now that you mentioned it hopefully it doesn't get a S&D like Mad dog did with the mega list.


I guess that means you should download it while you can then for your own personal use. :-D
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Zer0 Kay
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Zer0 Kay »

Jack Burton wrote:
Zer0 Kay wrote:
Jack Burton wrote:That would be awesome. In the mean time, have you seen this list of skills posted on HouseofBTS.net? It's a website ran by forum member, mrloucifer. There are also other homebrewed skills on there. Pretty useful...

http://houseofbts.net/skills.html


And now that you mentioned it hopefully it doesn't get a S&D like Mad dog did with the mega list.


I guess that means you should download it while you can then for your own personal use. :-D


:cry: All the good ones get told to go away instead of told... hey! Do that for us and we will publish it.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

1) I doubt it will happen. Sales promotion thing that gets people to get all the books to find all the skills.

2) Not all the skills are in all the settings for reasons specific to the individual settings.

3) Making a "Megaveral" skills sourcebook would end up just basing everything off the Rifts setting thus polluting the other settings with rifts things that have no reason to be polluting those settings.

4) There are skills that are uniquely linked to certain classes, races and mutations. And since there are not so many skills to start off with, it would imaginaton that to fill up the page count the writers would include those skills also. Thus polluting the idea that they are unique to those classes, races, and mutations by making them appear mundane instead of 'special'.

5) Besides, for rifts players, RUE does a good job of including nearly al of the non-restricted skills in it's skills list.

6) *shrugs* Where is the fun with having all the skill (or whatever) in one place? I mean half the fun of making a character is looking through the books for stuff.

7) There is a skills list of all the settings in the 'Rifter 0'. It is a bit out of date since books have kept coming out.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by mellowmaveric »

I'm actually working on converting the MadDog Skill List PDF and converting it to a .docx. I'm about half way through with what's currently in the book and am hoping to find people to transcribe skills released after it's initial publication and or help me with the legal boilerplate in the beginning of the document. With the rate things are going, I might have it finished late next week or the week after. Just in time for Halloween.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Zer0 Kay »

mellowmaveric wrote:I'm actually working on converting the MadDog Skill List PDF and converting it to a .docx. I'm about half way through with what's currently in the book and am hoping to find people to transcribe skills released after it's initial publication and or help me with the legal boilerplate in the beginning of the document. With the rate things are going, I might have it finished late next week or the week after. Just in time for Halloween.


Good luck don't be surprised if you get a S&D from PB like MadDog did. :(
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by mellowmaveric »

If I do, I'll just keep it for my personal use then. Might submit it to Palladium and they can do something with it then. It would be a strange way to ostracize their fan base though. All I'm trying to do is help build a cohesive resource. I don't see how it could hurt anyone when people can do it them selves and also illegally download the books. I don't condone that. I have damn near every book they have published except some of the more recent ones. I work on updating my collection every few years and I have been a subscriber of the Rifter from day one. I have also been thinking of doing a database of O.C.C.'s by book (not the breakdown of benefits from each class.)
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Prysus »

mellowmaveric wrote:If I do, I'll just keep it for my personal use then. Might submit it to Palladium and they can do something with it then. It would be a strange way to ostracize their fan base though. All I'm trying to do is help build a cohesive resource. I don't see how it could hurt anyone when people can do it them selves and also illegally download the books. I don't condone that. I have damn near every book they have published except some of the more recent ones. I work on updating my collection every few years and I have been a subscriber of the Rifter from day one. I have also been thinking of doing a database of O.C.C.'s by book (not the breakdown of benefits from each class.)

Greetings and Salutations. Well, I've been watching this thread (and the other) with some level of interest/curiosity. However, since you seem unsure why this might be a problem with Palladium, I'll try to explain. For note, I do not speak for Palladium and am in no way authorized to be their voice, so this is my opinion based on my observations.

Creating a Skill Book or fan material is NOT a problem. However, a Skill Sourcebook can be an issue. Why? Well, if it's all homebrewed skill, then it's not. However, the more official material you include the bigger the problem becomes. Including a list and where to find it, not a problem. See here as an example:

http://www.geocities.ws/kuseru/NewMasterSkillsList.htm

I also have an up to date PF only version on my site. Adding in % is questionable. The Rifter 0 was okay because it's a product Palladium authorized and released for sale at a nominal fee. Adding in % and full description from the book could easily be problematic. Palladium, in general, does not like fans buying their books, then redistributing parts of their copyrighted material for free. This is kind of like music artists who don't like their songs on platforms such as Pandora. Or how some dislike their music being pirated, while others say it helps spread the fanbase and actually promotes their music. People having differing opinions on such matters, but the choice for how they profit and allow distribution of their copyrighted material is, in the end, theirs. Now, if this is "Mega Skill Sourcebook" is just homebrew skills, there should be no conflict. However, if you're taking Palladium's skills directly from the books (and the other thread makes me think that's what you're suggesting), then effectively you're pirating their copyrighted work (though you'd be pirating small amounts from multiple sources instead of just one, though that content possibly adds up when you're talking about an 80+ page book). So yes, I could see why it's a potential problem.

Also, skills unique to products such as Manhunter, TMNT, and Robotech can be extra tricky as they're licensed. I'm not sure of the full legalities there, but just figure anything from a licensed product will be more problematic than normal.

If you're really curious, you could always try calling the Palladium offices to ask for permission. Though if you're including text and percentages, I strongly suspect they'd say no. If you take out any copyrighted work, I don't think they'd complain. If you want an Official Mega Skills Sourcebook, then you can contact them (maybe even Wayne through the Rifter e-mail) to ask if this is a product they'd be interested in if you submitted. Honestly, if you went through the trouble of making an up-to-date comprehensive skill list from all the books, I can't imagine why they'd object to taking it and selling it on DriveThruRPG as a PDF, but I can't speak for them either. This is all just my opinion, based on what I've read and heard (and at least some of that is directly from hearing Palladium discuss such things). Anyways, hope that helps. Farewell and safe journeys for now.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by FluidicAztec »

Ideally, PB should create some online products that supplement the game. A compendium of skill would be perfect.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Reagren Wright »

I have been drinking the Palladium Kool-Aid for nearly 30 years before Rifts even existed.
Palladium Fantasy and Heroes Unlimited will always be in my life. But lately in the last couple of
months, I've developed a real annoyance with the skills categories, especially for Heroes. I mean
I've written my share of skills and have been trying to get a few extra physical skills into PF to beef
up O.C.C.s, but part of me wants to start all over again and do something new. I hate to say it but
more in the lines of what 5th edition D&D did and Pinnacle Entertainment Group did for original
Deadlands, Brave New World, etc. My group wants me to write the thing up and do a
Rifter submission. It would cut down on all these skills, make character creation easier (and faster)
and remove the need to create a mega skill book. Trying to finish up another project before I
decide to tackle this. Not what I want to be doing, but groups is putting "gamer pressure" on me to
fix an issue we feel needs to be resolved.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by MADMANMIKE »

Zer0 Kay wrote:
And now that you mentioned it hopefully it doesn't get a S&D like Mad dog did with the mega list.


:roll:

This nonsense about Palladium hasn't had teeth for 20 years... Also, Cease starts with a C, it would be abreviated as "C&D"..

Lastly, mrloucifer is Steven Dawes, who is a freelancer for Palladium Books, he's not having a website up for Palladium Material for several years that goes against Palladium's policies.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Myrrhibis »

I for one, would be happy with an updated listing of skill names w/ percentages, similar to what PB has in their Rifts GM packet. With the non "RUE" skills noted where they are from.

I don't want descriptions (well, I do, but agree w/ the posters that mention that gets into very specific TM'd work), but a coherent & complete listing would be great.

I have utilized (with my hand-written additions of skills from the GMG list that aren't in RUE) those pages from the GM download a LOT.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Sureshot »

If this were to happen it should be done as a online SRD. Similar to what Paizo has done with the Pathfinder rules. That way it does not become obsolete over time and can be periodically updated as needed. In print format it runs the risk of being obsolete.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by zyanitevp »

Reagren Wright wrote:I have been drinking the Palladium Kool-Aid for nearly 30 years before Rifts even existed.
Palladium Fantasy and Heroes Unlimited will always be in my life. But lately in the last couple of
months, I've developed a real annoyance with the skills categories, especially for Heroes. I mean
I've written my share of skills and have been trying to get a few extra physical skills into PF to beef
up O.C.C.s, but part of me wants to start all over again and do something new. I hate to say it but
more in the lines of what 5th edition D&D did and Pinnacle Entertainment Group did for original
Deadlands, Brave New World, etc. My group wants me to write the thing up and do a
Rifter submission. It would cut down on all these skills, make character creation easier (and faster)
and remove the need to create a mega skill book. Trying to finish up another project before I
decide to tackle this. Not what I want to be doing, but groups is putting "gamer pressure" on me to
fix an issue we feel needs to be resolved.

Love that idea...
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by WyvernWarrior »

I for one would absolutly love to have a master skill list for verything that is in the palladium universe, and i do agree that it would be best as an online recourse, that way it could be undated and kept relevant. and i really do appreciate the list that Mad Dog made i personaly have used it a lot, i just wish that there was a more updated version of it that included all of the new skills.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by The Beast »

Zer0 Kay wrote:
mellowmaveric wrote:I'm actually working on converting the MadDog Skill List PDF and converting it to a .docx. I'm about half way through with what's currently in the book and am hoping to find people to transcribe skills released after it's initial publication and or help me with the legal boilerplate in the beginning of the document. With the rate things are going, I might have it finished late next week or the week after. Just in time for Halloween.


Good luck don't be surprised if you get a S&D from PB like MadDog did. :(


They're gonna get a Metallica song from Palladium? Where do I sign up for this? :P
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Zer0 Kay
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Zer0 Kay »

MADMANMIKE wrote:
Zer0 Kay wrote:
And now that you mentioned it hopefully it doesn't get a S&D like Mad dog did with the mega list.


:roll:

This nonsense about Palladium hasn't had teeth for 20 years... Also, Cease starts with a C, it would be abreviated as "C&D"..

Lastly, mrloucifer is Steven Dawes, who is a freelancer for Palladium Books, he's not having a website up for Palladium Material for several years that goes against Palladium's policies.


Oops C&D

Are you saying PB wouldn't slap a C&D for publishing an online list that gave descriptions and % + %/lvl? Lastly what does Mr. Lucifer have to do with my response to Jack Burton? Ah. I see it's his website. Funny you list it as mr Lucifer since if I checked out the website I'd only know him as Steven Dawes.

Funny how you use his being a freelancer as some sort of certification that he wouldn't post material against PB policy. He has Mad Dog's sheet on there and according to Mad Dog the reason he stopped updating it was because he received a C&D. So his newest list is private and his last public list was custom only.
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Zer0 Kay »

The Beast wrote:
Zer0 Kay wrote:
mellowmaveric wrote:I'm actually working on converting the MadDog Skill List PDF and converting it to a .docx. I'm about half way through with what's currently in the book and am hoping to find people to transcribe skills released after it's initial publication and or help me with the legal boilerplate in the beginning of the document. With the rate things are going, I might have it finished late next week or the week after. Just in time for Halloween.


Good luck don't be surprised if you get a S&D from PB like MadDog did. :(


They're gonna get a Metallica song from Palladium? Where do I sign up for this? :P


Yes
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Re: Mega Skills Sourcebook

Unread post by Sureshot »

Until PB either releases a new edition or at the very least slims down and consolidates their skill list or stops adding new skills to their new books. This is something which should be available online on their forums imo. As a print product it's something that could end up being out of date fairly quickly. Given how many of their books are in the publishing backlog something like this should be be a tertiary product.
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Palladium can't be given a free pass for criticism because people have a lot of emotion invested in it.

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