Upgrading Humans

1st edition? 2nd edition? It doesnt matter! Let's just talk Palladium Fantasy.

Moderators: Immortals, Supreme Beings, Old Ones

User avatar
Library Ogre
Palladium Books® Freelance Writer
Posts: 9813
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2001 1:01 am
Comment: My comments do not necessarily represent the views of Palladium Books.
Location: Texas
Contact:

Upgrading Humans

Unread post by Library Ogre »

So, something that's become a bit more common in RPGs is to give humans distinct abilities, rather than being baseline with no special abilities. For most games, it's that humans are flexible... additional skills or being able to choose a special ability that others have to pay for (in Savage Worlds, its a free feat; in WD&D, it's a feat and more skill points).

What would you give to humans in Palladium Fantasy... some special ability that sets them apart from "just the average"?
-overproduced by Martin Hannett

When I see someone "fisking" these days my first inclination is to think "That person doesn't have much to say, and says it in volume." -John Scalzi
Happiness is a long block list.
If you don't want to be vilified, don't act like a villain.
The Megaverse runs on vibes.
All Palladium Articles
Mutant Dawn for Savage Worlds!
User avatar
kiralon
Champion
Posts: 2804
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:05 pm
Comment: Kill it with Fire.

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by kiralon »

Rather than rolling the stats and putting them in as they roll them in order, I let the players of humans roll all of them and then choose where to put them, so if they need a high IQ character playing a human gives them the best chance of doing that which shows their adaptability.

Otherwise it's 2 down 1 up for their stats (except speed)
User avatar
Kraynic
Dungeon Crawler
Posts: 339
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:01 pm
Location: Montana

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by Kraynic »

Something I have been thinking about (but haven't tried in a game) would be to give them something based on the culture they originated from. This could be resistances against psionics and certain magics for those from Bizantium where those things are reviled, or bonus PPE/casts per day or maybe even knowledge of a specific spell or circle of protection for those from the Western Empire where magic is more prevalent. It would be more difficult to come up with an array of things instead of a set benefit, but I would personally find that more interesting than "all humans get X".
User avatar
NMI
OLD ONE
Posts: 7172
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2000 2:01 am
Location: McHenry Illinois

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by NMI »

The Rifts Dimension Book: Manhunters gave humans a 4D6 M.A. and +20% to 3 skills.
"Freedom is the recognition that no single person, no single authority or government has a monopoly on the truth, but that every individual life is infinitely precious, that every one of us put on this world has been put there for a reason and has something to offer."
Megaversal Ambassador Coordinator
My GoFund Me - Help Me Walk Again
User avatar
drewkitty ~..~
Monk
Posts: 17778
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Location: Eastvale, calif
Contact:

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

There is (in the HU game) the Eugenics Power Cat. in PU2 and Bio-Modifications in AU:GG, that could be used to make specialized 'human' races for use as NPCs in PF.

What I remember of the top of my head the old MH DB book the terrans got 3d6+1 for every attribute stat & some skills bonuses....but I'm not going out to the garage to go look for that book right now. so that is another way for humans to be specialized.
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
Curbludgeon
Hero
Posts: 1188
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 7:08 am
Comment: They/Them

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by Curbludgeon »

Humanity is one of the shorter lived species in Palladia, right? If someone needs them to have a special thing I could see adding an experience bonus for non practitioner of magic OCCs, to represent a general sense of ambition.
User avatar
NMI
OLD ONE
Posts: 7172
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2000 2:01 am
Location: McHenry Illinois

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by NMI »

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:There is (in the HU game) the Eugenics Power Cat. in PU2 and Bio-Modifications in AU:GG, that could be used to make specialized 'human' races for use as NPCs in PF.

What I remember of the top of my head the old MH DB book the terrans got 3d6+1 for every attribute stat & some skills bonuses....but I'm not going out to the garage to go look for that book right now. so that is another way for humans to be specialized.

I posted above what Humans aka "Terrans" got in Manhunters Dimension Book
"Freedom is the recognition that no single person, no single authority or government has a monopoly on the truth, but that every individual life is infinitely precious, that every one of us put on this world has been put there for a reason and has something to offer."
Megaversal Ambassador Coordinator
My GoFund Me - Help Me Walk Again
User avatar
kiralon
Champion
Posts: 2804
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:05 pm
Comment: Kill it with Fire.

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by kiralon »

In the northers hinterlands book there is a family of humans where the women from that family get bonuses to PP and bonus skills.
But i must say i prefer cultural type bonuses like the Imperial Janissaries OCC in the western empire for example.
User avatar
The Dark Elf
Rifter® Contributer
Posts: 3074
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 8:04 am
Comment: "So gentlemen, are you prepared to open your minds and travel to worlds hitherto undreamed of?"
Location: UK

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by The Dark Elf »

I wouldn't make them any more special. I'm more into the race for the role playing sake and humans make up the dominant civilisations in most of the Palladium World which is a big advantage.
Rifter 52 Cannibal Magic
Rifter 55 The Ancestral Mystic P.C.C.
Rifter 59 The Lopanic Games adventure "The Lion, the Ditch & the Warlock". Illustrations to this adventure can be found here.
Rifter 71 & 72 Double Issue Ninjas & Superspies adventure "On a Wing & a Prayer"
Rifter 80 Masters Unlimited
User avatar
drewkitty ~..~
Monk
Posts: 17778
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Location: Eastvale, calif
Contact:

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

NMI wrote:
drewkitty ~..~ wrote:What I remember of the top of my head the old MH DB book the terrans got 3d6+1 for every attribute stat & some skills bonuses....but I'm not going out to the garage to go look for that book right now. so that is another way for humans to be specialized.

I posted above what Humans aka "Terrans" got in Manhunters Dimension Book

Yep, we were talking about the same book.
I see the mildly insulting 'explaining to' statement, but not the 'the race with +1 to each stat was the XXXXX race' part.
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
User avatar
NMI
OLD ONE
Posts: 7172
Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2000 2:01 am
Location: McHenry Illinois

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by NMI »

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:
NMI wrote:
drewkitty ~..~ wrote:What I remember of the top of my head the old MH DB book the terrans got 3d6+1 for every attribute stat & some skills bonuses....but I'm not going out to the garage to go look for that book right now. so that is another way for humans to be specialized.

I posted above what Humans aka "Terrans" got in Manhunters Dimension Book

Yep, we were talking about the same book.
I see the mildly insulting 'explaining to' statement, but not the 'the race with +1 to each stat was the XXXXX race' part.
Looking through the book, I dont see a race that gets a +1 to each stat.

Image
"Freedom is the recognition that no single person, no single authority or government has a monopoly on the truth, but that every individual life is infinitely precious, that every one of us put on this world has been put there for a reason and has something to offer."
Megaversal Ambassador Coordinator
My GoFund Me - Help Me Walk Again
User avatar
drewkitty ~..~
Monk
Posts: 17778
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2000 1:01 am
Location: Eastvale, calif
Contact:

Re: Upgrading Humans

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

Okay
TY
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
Post Reply

Return to “Palladium Fantasy RPG®”