Help designing a TW vehicle

[PalladiumBrony]

Hi guys

I'm trying to design a Techno-wizard motorbike, and I've never actually done it before so I could do with some tips. I'm writing for a world where, rather than being additional to/beyond the level of modern technology, Techno-wizardry has pretty much entirely replaced it (If you see a device that would IRL be operated by electricity, guarantee it's a TW device instead), so costs and things are radically different from the norm. I'm loath to use some of the pre-made stuff (I know there's a book somewhere that describes TW engines, but that works weirdly compared to how I'm used to, and a lot of places with TW gear just tell you what it does and how much it costs, but not what spells are actually used in its construction), and I sometimes struggle to follow the logic of how THAT particular chain of spells, knowing what they do RAW, achieve that particular TW effect.

The bike is based on the chassis of a Harley Davidson XL1200R Sportster with sidecar, modified with a bracket to mount a heavy weapon (either a grenade launcher or machine gun, which work by normal physics). There needs to be 3 separate spell chains, and I'm just curious what gems and spells should be used for each one:

• The bike's engine must be replaced with one that's powered by magic. Not flying, just instead of fossil fuels, the thing runs on PPE. The greater the range per activation the better. Saw a TW engine in one book, but got confused as to how nothing but 2 fire spells led to propulsion. Steam powered engine would work thematically, but ultimately I just want an engine that can go as fast as a regular motorbike (or close to it)
• When the rider wishes, the bike must be able to ride on any surface; I'm going to pull GM rank here and limit that to "can ride on any surface at any angle, as effectively as on the ground". Think that scene in Men in Black where the car drives along the ceiling of the traffic tunnel (though that was achieved with massively powerful rockets, not magical adhesion/ignorance of gravity)
• The bike needs "saddle-bags of holding". The more stuff that will fit in the saddle bags, and the longer it'll stay there without being magically spat back out, the better!

The device should be of "average" level (around level 5-ish I think that is?), and I do want to include space for a PPE battery pretty much the size of the bike's original electric battery... which is HUGE in terms of the number of carats of diamond and emerald you can fit in, though I've never fully got the hang of building PPE batteries either.

[guardiandashi]

Hi guys

I'm trying to design a Techno-wizard motorbike, and I've never actually done it before so I could do with some tips. I'm writing for a world where, rather than being additional to/beyond the level of modern technology, Techno-wizardry has pretty much entirely replaced it (If you see a device that would IRL be operated by electricity, guarantee it's a TW device instead), so costs and things are radically different from the norm. I'm loath to use some of the pre-made stuff (I know there's a book somewhere that describes TW engines, but that works weirdly compared to how I'm used to, and a lot of places with TW gear just tell you what it does and how much it costs, but not what spells are actually used in its construction), and I sometimes struggle to follow the logic of how THAT particular chain of spells, knowing what they do RAW, achieve that particular TW effect.

The bike is based on the chassis of a Harley Davidson XL1200R Sportster with sidecar, modified with a bracket to mount a heavy weapon (either a grenade launcher or machine gun, which work by normal physics). There needs to be 3 separate spell chains, and I'm just curious what gems and spells should be used for each one:

• The bike's engine must be replaced with one that's powered by magic. Not flying, just instead of fossil fuels, the thing runs on PPE. The greater the range per activation the better. Saw a TW engine in one book, but got confused as to how nothing but 2 fire spells led to propulsion. Steam powered engine would work thematically, but ultimately I just want an engine that can go as fast as a regular motorbike (or close to it)
• When the rider wishes, the bike must be able to ride on any surface; I'm going to pull GM rank here and limit that to "can ride on any surface at any angle, as effectively as on the ground". Think that scene in Men in Black where the car drives along the ceiling of the traffic tunnel (though that was achieved with massively powerful rockets, not magical adhesion/ignorance of gravity)
• The bike needs "saddle-bags of holding". The more stuff that will fit in the saddle bags, and the longer it'll stay there without being magically spat back out, the better!

The device should be of "average" level (around level 5-ish I think that is?), and I do want to include space for a PPE battery pretty much the size of the bike's original electric battery... which is HUGE in terms of the number of carats of diamond and emerald you can fit in, though I've never fully got the hang of building PPE batteries either.

to be honest I haven't done much tw stuff, so was reading the RUE writeup. One thing I notice is that you can often come up with multiple ways of accomplishing things.
for instance the main engine, could be fire based, electricity based, telekinesis, or "strength" based and still do what you are looking to have it do. the drive on various surfaces again could be approached a number of ways, fly magic, adhesion, or TK based. the gotcha is that depending on how, the driving on different surfaces works it could have radically different outcomes. for instance adhesion or tk based might overcome weight /gravity by generating "pressure" that means the surface has to handle the weight or multiple times the actual weight or it will break (makes driving on windows a very problematic issue)

[ShadowLogan]

and I'm just curious what gems and spells should be used for each one

Gem requirement is related to the spell desired. See Stone Master Gem powers or the RUE TW Gem list (IIRC they are highly compatible, but the Stome Master could do in a pinch for some spells).

The bike's engine must be replaced with one that's powered by magic. Not flying, just instead of fossil fuels, the thing runs on PPE. The greater the range per activation the better. Saw a TW engine in one book, but got confused as to how nothing but 2 fire spells led to propulsion. Steam powered engine would work thematically, but ultimately I just want an engine that can go as fast as a regular motorbike (or close to it)

If you have Rifts Main Book (original) the work is already done (TK-Engine conversion).

If that option isn't available. Use RUE's TK-Flyer (pg136), but modify it to be non-Ley Line Powered. Since Form-Function are different the end product will be different to (in this case it would "drive" rather than "fly" like the TK-Flyer). This would give a close approximation to the TK-Engine Conversion in RMB (pg92) if it wasn't available.

When the rider wishes, the bike must be able to ride on any surface; I'm going to pull GM rank here and limit that to "can ride on any surface at any angle, as effectively as on the ground". Think that scene in Men in Black where the car drives along the ceiling of the traffic tunnel (though that was achieved with massively powerful rockets, not magical adhesion/ignorance of gravity)

Three other options come to mind:
-a strength regulated "Carpet of Adhesion" (RUE has this as an example for better traction tires, but the principle could also apply here I would think)
-You could also consider a "Swords to Snakes" => "Metamorphosis: Insect" => "Giant" spell chain. This would turn some part of the bike into a giant insect (one that can walk on ceilings and such) that the bike "rides on", though you could alter it to just giving the bike insect legs.
-enchant with the "Climb" spell, may or may not need additional spells.

The bike needs "saddle-bags of holding". The more stuff that will fit in the saddle bags, and the longer it'll stay there without being magically spat back out, the better!

Spells that might be useful:
"Time Hole", "Warped Space", "Dimensional Pocket", and "Dimensional Envelope" come to mind. The last two are Temporal Magic and fit perfectly (probably use them w/o secondary spells or tweaking). The first two likely will require some TW "regulation" and/or secondary spells to get the desired effect, but they should work.

IINM there are non-TW versions of "bags of holding" out there in palladium-megaverse.

[Mack]

Here's some simple suggestions.

[*] The bike's engine must be replaced with one that's powered by magic. Not flying, just instead of fossil fuels, the thing runs on PPE. The greater the range per activation the better. Saw a TW engine in one book, but got confused as to how nothing but 2 fire spells led to propulsion. Steam powered engine would work thematically, but ultimately I just want an engine that can go as fast as a regular motorbike (or close to it)

Adapt the Mystic Portable Generator (RUE p136). It's designed to only function on a ley line, so some adjustments would be needed. Then tack on Superhuman Strength and/or Superhuman Speed to make it more powerful.

[*] When the rider wishes, the bike must be able to ride on any surface; I'm going to pull GM rank here and limit that to "can ride on any surface at any angle, as effectively as on the ground". Think that scene in Men in Black where the car drives along the ceiling of the traffic tunnel (though that was achieved with massively powerful rockets, not magical adhesion/ignorance of gravity)

I'd go with Carpet of Adhesion to create super-traction tires. (It's even mentioned on RUE p129.)

[*]The bike needs "saddle-bags of holding". The more stuff that will fit in the saddle bags, and the longer it'll stay there without being magically spat back out, the better!

For that, you'll need to reach over into Temporal Magic for the spell Dimensional Pockets (BoM p247, or in Rifts: England). But you won't need to make a TW version. Just have the spell cast on each saddlebag.

The device should be of "average" level (around level 5-ish I think that is?), and I do want to include space for a PPE battery pretty much the size of the bike's original electric battery... which is HUGE in terms of the number of carats of diamond and emerald you can fit in, though I've never fully got the hang of building PPE batteries either.

For a TW PPE battery, you can either go with a ton of diamonds/emeralds, or you can use the spell Energy Sphere (BoM p140) which would last for about a week and a half.

The TW rules are overly complicated in my opinion, and take a while to really understand.

Good luck!

[Blue_Lion]

The bike sounds like the quad from Anzo, with dimensional pocket(temporal wizardry spells) saddle bags.

I would go with a TW converted electric engine. Stats are basically lost they have not been reprinted since they appeared in the book Rifts RPG. It has a range of 1000 or 1 month of constant operation. (I assume it is which ever happens first.) It does require casting a call lighting spell to recharge. Spells needed call lighting parts 1d4 X 100 and 1200 in quartz crystal.


I think the wall riding would be a combination of the spells climb and carpet of adhesion.


The saddle bags would require the use of temporal magic.

[taalismn]

Hi guys

I'm trying to design a Techno-wizard motorbike, and I've never actually done it before so I could do with some tips. I'm writing for a world where, rather than being additional to/beyond the level of modern technology, Techno-wizardry has pretty much entirely replaced it (If you see a device that would IRL be operated by electricity, guarantee it's a TW device instead),

Post-petroleum world?
I'll have to use that as a setting for a TW-using society.

[PalladiumBrony]

Hi guys

I'm trying to design a Techno-wizard motorbike, and I've never actually done it before so I could do with some tips. I'm writing for a world where, rather than being additional to/beyond the level of modern technology, Techno-wizardry has pretty much entirely replaced it (If you see a device that would IRL be operated by electricity, guarantee it's a TW device instead),

Post-petroleum world?
I'll have to use that as a setting for a TW-using society.

Post-petroleum or never-developed-petroleum, either one would work!

[ShadowLogan]

For that, you'll need to reach over into Temporal Magic for the spell Dimensional Pockets (BoM p247, or in Rifts: England). But you won't need to make a TW version. Just have the spell cast on each saddlebag.

Megaversally speaking you may not even need to resort to Temporal Magic category, in Pallidum Fantasy 2E, the spell is part of the standard Wizard Invocation List.

But I guess a question is valid that if a TW didn't have access to this spell, how might they go about duplicating its effect with other spell(s).

[Blue_Lion]

For that, you'll need to reach over into Temporal Magic for the spell Dimensional Pockets (BoM p247, or in Rifts: England). But you won't need to make a TW version. Just have the spell cast on each saddlebag.

Megaversally speaking you may not even need to resort to Temporal Magic category, in Pallidum Fantasy 2E, the spell is part of the standard Wizard Invocation List.

But I guess a question is valid that if a TW didn't have access to this spell, how might they go about duplicating its effect with other spell(s).

Reduce self 6 inches would go along way to recreate the affect, by making the contents about 1/12 the size would increase storage. Perhaps combining telport lessor with ley line spell to store things on a ley line. Circle of teleportation on the inside of storage shed and the inside of the saddle bags. Temporal magic is available to other spell casters.

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

honestly, just use the RMB rules for converting engines. Why they were omitted in RUE i have no idea.

[dreicunan]

honestly, just use the RMB rules for converting engines. Why they were omitted in RUE i have no idea.

I heartily concur. We kept on using those rules, as well as the weapon and battery conversion rules, after RUE came out as well.

[Blue_Lion]

honestly, just use the RMB rules for converting engines. Why they were omitted in RUE i have no idea.

I heartily concur. We kept on using those rules, as well as the weapon and battery conversion rules, after RUE came out as well.

In favor of the poorly created creation guide.