Rifts Mutants in Orbit "Defornmed Genius" OCCs?

[Mathew]

When rolling up a Rifts Mutants in Orbit character I got a Deformed Genius from the Outcast station. So I get 3 rolls on the Unusual Characteristics table, plus the rules say I can pick an OCC... I'd rather stick to Rifts OCCs, so what are appropriate "genius" OCCs in Rifts?

I'm thinking appropriate ones might be:

Psi-Tech from Psyscape
Turbo-Jockey from Phase World Sourcebook

Any others you would suggest?

[kaid]

Probably any of the scholarly type OCC, Cyber doc/operator/rogue scholar/body fixer things along those lines.

[Mathew]

Probably any of the scholarly type OCC, Cyber doc/operator/rogue scholar/body fixer things along those lines.

Yeah, but since normal Rifts Mutants in Orbit can ALREADY pick from those OCCs, it sorta seems silly for the Deformed Geniuses to also have those OCCs. That would mean they are just Deformed Normal Guys. I take it that Geniuses should be people who are REALLY exceptional at something.

Oh, I suppose one of the gunslingers from New West would work. Those guys are geniuses at shooting, right?

[say652]

Zapper, Warlord Cyber Doc, Tech Ninja, Sheriff and Yamabushi Monk.
To name a few. Genius not only means smart it means you excel at things, perhaps a specialized occ?

[Mathew]

Zapper, Warlord Cyber Doc, Tech Ninja, Sheriff and Yamabushi Monk.
To name a few. Genius not only means smart it means you excel at things, perhaps a specialized occ?

Good ideas, but I would throw in Zapper as a possible substitute for the Burster result, since it's not so much being a "genius" as being a Master Psychic who can control a physical element.

[Nightmask]

Probably any of the scholarly type OCC, Cyber doc/operator/rogue scholar/body fixer things along those lines.

Yeah, but since normal Rifts Mutants in Orbit can ALREADY pick from those OCCs, it sorta seems silly for the Deformed Geniuses to also have those OCCs. That would mean they are just Deformed Normal Guys. I take it that Geniuses should be people who are REALLY exceptional at something.

Oh, I suppose one of the gunslingers from New West would work. Those guys are geniuses at shooting, right?

The only problem with that is you're talking people who live in space stations which would kind of work against someone becoming an uber-expert at shooting guns.

[eliakon]

Probably any of the scholarly type OCC, Cyber doc/operator/rogue scholar/body fixer things along those lines.

Yeah, but since normal Rifts Mutants in Orbit can ALREADY pick from those OCCs, it sorta seems silly for the Deformed Geniuses to also have those OCCs. That would mean they are just Deformed Normal Guys. I take it that Geniuses should be people who are REALLY exceptional at something.

Oh, I suppose one of the gunslingers from New West would work. Those guys are geniuses at shooting, right?

The only problem with that is you're talking people who live in space stations which would kind of work against someone becoming an uber-expert at shooting guns.

Or be why they are so good at it.
After all, if you want to make sure that you only hit what you want to. Every time.

It would also depend on what sort of guns they are using. A lot of people forget that gunslingers can use auto-pistols. And that pistols can use all sorts of special rounds. Heck, they make special rounds these days for use on airplanes.

[glitterboy2098]

i'm assuming you mean the option given on pg9-10 for outcast station?

if so, it already gives details on how to make them. you use one of the the hardware classes from HU2, natural Genius or Psi-mechanic from BTS, or the Gizmoteer spy from N&SS. that is your OCC, you do not pick one of the other types being offered in the book. it gives you both skills and special abilities. if you take another OCC you are illegally dual-classing.

basically you have a character that can build very advanced gadgets, machines, or weapons.

but you have to roll on the unusual characteristics table on pg12, so you will look abnormal. given that you have three rolls, it is likely that you could end up looking more like a Dbee than a human



note however that the deformed genius is just an option you can choose for an outcast station origins character. it does not even appear on the regular OCC lists or any of the random tables. it is just a footnote offering to outcast station characters.
if you do not want to use one of the HU2, BTS, or N&SS OCC's listed for it, you should make a regular character by choosing one of the other OCC's offered in the book, and instead choose a minor super power from HU2 as their special ability (as per the note on Pg9), and roll on the mutation determination table on pg9.


edit: ok, a few thoughts that occured to me after posting.
first, MiO came out before most of the rifts books. so there might be comparable OCC's in rifts that might fit, if your GM approves. for example, MiO predates the psyscape worldbook, so the rifts Psi-tech didn't exist at the time. likewise it came out well before system's failure and it's egghead OCC, which would also be a good fit to the concept. you should consult with your GM to see what newer options he might allow. but you really should stick to a "brains over brawn" builder/repairer of stuff type class.

[eliakon]

As the book is an early one it predates almost all the current material.
I would, as a GM, allow the selection of another similar class. For example the Psi-Tech in Psyscape would be sort of like the Psi-Mechanic. But as GB said, that would be your OCC, you would only get the Psi-Tech class. I can see a gunslinger as it fits in with the idea of the gizoid agent. I would be more skeptical about something like a Monk. That, to me, is really reaching.

[Mathew]

That's what I am thinking. Mutants in Orbit may be one of my favorite books, since it was made a TON of material was printed that would be appropriate to the Orbit setting. OCCs, D-Bee races, equipment, would all work in Orbit. If no one will make an updated version of the book, it would be nice to see a Rifter with additional material. Let's see some space-specific Borg bodies. Space mecha, space-specific psionics...

If world where oxygen in at a premium, wouldn't a BURSTER be seen as a major threat? Would Master Psychics evolve with other abilities (like the Zapper, or a Telekinetic) instead?

Would partial conversion Borgs help people who grew up in zero-G survive in gravity?

[Mathew]

Another problem I cam across trying to generate a character for Mutants in Orbit and modern Rifts is that I roll someone who came up as a partial conversion Borg. Now back in the original Rifts that would have mean they were the Borg OCC (which contained full and partial conversion Borgs), which is now the Combat Cyborg OCC, but that only contains FULL conversion borgs. The partial conversion cyborgs are now in the Headhunter OCC, but the character didn't have the minimum PP and PE to become a Headhunter. Should I up them to full conversion or allow them to be Headhunters anyways?

[Nightmask]

Another problem I cam across trying to generate a character for Mutants in Orbit and modern Rifts is that I roll someone who came up as a partial conversion Borg. Now back in the original Rifts that would have mean they were the Borg OCC (which contained full and partial conversion Borgs), which is now the Combat Cyborg OCC, but that only contains FULL conversion borgs. The partial conversion cyborgs are now in the Headhunter OCC, but the character didn't have the minimum PP and PE to become a Headhunter. Should I up them to full conversion or allow them to be Headhunters anyways?

You could look at it that while they met the criteria to start by game time they'd suffered injuries that permanently reduced their PP and/or PE below the minimum (since you don't leave a class generally when that happens).

[ShadowLogan]

That's what I am thinking. Mutants in Orbit may be one of my favorite books, since it was made a TON of material was printed that would be appropriate to the Orbit setting. OCCs, D-Bee races, equipment, would all work in Orbit. If no one will make an updated version of the book, it would be nice to see a Rifter with additional material. Let's see some space-specific Borg bodies. Space mecha, space-specific psionics...

If world where oxygen in at a premium, wouldn't a BURSTER be seen as a major threat? Would Master Psychics evolve with other abilities (like the Zapper, or a Telekinetic) instead?

Would partial conversion Borgs help people who grew up in zero-G survive in gravity?

IIRC there was a Rifter article about the Rifts Solar System. Yes Rifter #56 according to the Rifter Index. (I don't have Rifter #56 so I can't comment beyond the material exists).

Theoretically yes even a partial conversion Borg should help a zero-G/microgravity raised person survive in a heavier gravity environment, provided they have the proper implants.

Another problem I cam across trying to generate a character for Mutants in Orbit and modern Rifts is that I roll someone who came up as a partial conversion Borg. Now back in the original Rifts that would have mean they were the Borg OCC (which contained full and partial conversion Borgs), which is now the Combat Cyborg OCC, but that only contains FULL conversion borgs. The partial conversion cyborgs are now in the Headhunter OCC, but the character didn't have the minimum PP and PE to become a Headhunter. Should I up them to full conversion or allow them to be Headhunters anyways?

Partial Conversion Borgs even under RUE do not have to be Head Hunters. RUE refers one back to Bionics Source Book which has a few additional Borg OCCs, including a non-headhunter Partial Conversion Borg (pg71-4, option #2). Other OCCs include variants of the City-Rat, multiple Full Conversion Borg, and the Cyber-Snatcher (NPC).

[say652]

Cyber Samurai is a very good partial Conversion Cyborg occ.

[Blue_Lion]

TW so advanced genius it boarders on magic.
Roboslammer from Canada (uses robots better than any one else.)
Spy or SF from rifts merc.