new character idea cyborg animal is it possible?

[Knight_General]

i have this idea from watching an anime series long ago called Zoids. The Command Wolf is like a canine with a large gun on it's back. the problem however is that it is piloted and is very big, as it is technically a vehicle. the objective to this character is to be a sniper with something like a railgun, or some other high damage rifle. i will probably need GM permission to play this but i would like to know how close to it i can get. any help with this build would be greatly appreciated, as i don't know how to go about creating a robot or cyborg animal. i know it will need a language translator and a weapon but other than that i have no clue how i would build it.

is there a way to play something similar but is smaller?

[Curbludgeon]

The robot creation rules in Sourcebook 1 could do the trick. Possible sources for inspiration would be Triax 2, which has a Wolf robot drone which can be commanded in groups of up to 4 by troops in a Wolf shaped robot, or China 2 has a Lion Geo-Borg which could be reflavored.

[ShadowLogan]

Rifts Source Book 1 has the Robot RCC, options include vehicular and non-humanoid creature frames. These 'bots are intended primarily for non-pilots (AI, Drones, transferred intelligence, remote/VR-control). You can use those to create either a small 'bot or borg.

Rifts Bionic Source Book has some odd lower body/leg options (Horse, Spider), and IIRC there are Bionic Horses (off hand I want to say England or Russia). You could just get the odd body, and say you where put into the body proper instead of Centaur like.

New West does have Robot Horses, but primarily you'll find humanoid 'bots in various WB/SB/DBs, but non-humanoids do exist. Shemmarian Mounts (SB1, and dedicated SB to them) might be a good place to start, Black Market has some IINM, Japan and MiO also have Dragon Bots (and Japan has Dragon Borgs). Kittani from Atlantis (WB2/7/6/21) have lots of animal/centaur-ish designs to. That isn't a complete list either, South America books have a few, along with Triax books, Spirit West might to.

[Dustin Fireblade]

The Sovietski world book has cyborg combat animals. I want to say a soldier can control/link with up to 4 such animals.

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

You can create a full-conversion borg in any style you want. Japan, for instance, has borgs that are completely non-humanoid oriental dragon shapes.

There are even rules in the Bionics book for wings, etc.

So youd just create the borg like normal, only your "arms" and "legs" are animal style, etc. Just use the same stats as any other borg. Shape shouldn't matter.

[kaid]

The Sovietski world book has cyborg combat animals. I want to say a soldier can control/link with up to 4 such animals.

Exactly because what right thinking comrade would not wish to have full conversion borg bear companion!

[Knight_General]

thanks for all the information, i really appreciate it.

[Knight_General]

okay so i don't understand what it means by other scholar or adventurer class for the Robot R.C.C. in SB1?

does that mean i can choose an OCC on top of being a robot?

[taalismn]

okay so i don't understand what it means by other scholar or adventurer class for the Robot R.C.C. in SB1?

does that mean i can choose an OCC on top of being a robot?

Transferred Intelligences---That means your character was once a living breathing being but somehow got downloaded into a robot brain. Your ability to advance in levels and learn is severely curtailed because you're no longer running on wetware, but you start out with skills that a pure programmed robot wouldn't ordinarily have.

Triax also has a subsidiary system that allows you to add skills that are basically tutored to your character via interactive program, but the skill level tends to be low and performance slow, because you're essentially being talked through the skill.

[Knight_General]

well in the description for transferred intelligence it states:

Transferred intelligence: Skills are equal to a humanoid's
understanding and level, generally starting at level one. To determine
the skills, choose an Occupational Character Class. Also
make the normal rolls for the character's I.Q., M.A. and M.E.;
all others are irrelevant. Select an O.C.C. from CS grunt, military
specialist, technical officer, headhunter, or any of the scholars
and adventurers. R.C.C.s can be used as well, but these beings
have minimal skills and all of the creature's natural powers are
lost, except for some minor psionic powers; retain existing
psionics from the sensitive and physical categories only (all
others are lost) and I.S.P. is reduced by half and the I.S.P. does
not increase with each level of experience.

so say i was a human cyber knight that got sucked into the robot via being a test subject for an evil experiment. i would get those skills instead of the skill programs correct?

if that is the case which form of intelligence would you choose between the neural brain or transferred intelligence? i am torn because i don't want to be a mindless monster but at the same time i am not very good at roleplaying and just need a simple character to play.

[taalismn]

so say i was a human cyber knight that got sucked into the robot via being a test subject for an evil experiment. i would get those skills instead of the skill programs correct?

if that is the case which form of intelligence would you choose between the neural brain or transferred intelligence? I am torn because i don't want to be a mindless monster but at the same time i am not very good at roleplaying and just need a simple character to play.

Yes,

And which one you choose depends on your character concept.
A Transferred Intelligence gives you the benefit of a previous history as a living being. You have the emotions and self-awareness of having been truly alive, but now you're something both more and less than a human(even mores than a 'borg), and your hard times(dealing with your loss of flesh and blood) are just beginning, mentally. On the other hand, barring disassembly, you're likely effectively immortal.

Neural intelligences are going the other way; they are working towards being more self-awareness. They can learn new skills, but not at the same number or as fast as living beings. They're also initially limited to their programmed skills, which may start out at a higher level in many cases than organic equivalents, but don't improve with time(unless possibly the NI wastes an elective skill on improving in a particular area). Also, there are skills not available to robots that are to organics.

So if you want to start off the blocks with a character with fairly fair to high skill levels, but little in the way of future development, an NI is your best bet.
If you want character background for roleplaying, as well as a wider range of skills, go with a Transferred Intelligence.


So, NI's probably your best bet for a basic jack of trades, and you can fumble the roleplaying because your character's not entirely socially adjusted. TI's work best when the character is already pretty high level, though they have to work much longer to get to the point that their skills can start to improve with experience again.

[Knight_General]

so what i am hearing is for the situation i posted earlier it would most likely be the transferred intelligence. on another note is there any sort of sniper OCC? so far i have only found a skill for sniping.

[Dustin Fireblade]

There is no sniper OCC. The closest would be OCC's like the Paratrooper and Gunfighter.

[kaid]

There is no sniper OCC. The closest would be OCC's like the Paratrooper and Gunfighter.

Some of the various Police OCC have a S.W.A.T type option that works as a sniper as well.

[Knight_General]

besides sniper skill what are some good ways to increase strike bonuses for this character

[kaid]

besides sniper skill what are some good ways to increase strike bonuses for this character

There are some OCC that have some build in + to strike also things like the new west gunfighter skills give bonuses to strike ability to do trick shots.

[Dustin Fireblade]

besides sniper skill what are some good ways to increase strike bonuses for this character

If you are going with the robot idea the basic military program gives a +3 to strike with long range weapons, plus there are a few laser targeting options I believe that will add to it. Of course the skill level bonus can be added on.

Using the transferred intelligence option, you can basically transfer into any sort of custom designed robot, or an existing robot or even a power armor. So all sorts of options might be available there for targeting something.


For comparison -

Paratroopers get a very good bonus to start called 'Marksmanship' - note that unless your GM says otherwise, you can't use a Paratrooper as your transferred intelligence
+ 1 attack/action per melee round,
+ 2 to strike on an Aimed or Called Shot,
+ 1 to strike with a burst or spray, and
+ 1 to disarm on a Called Shot when using any long-range weapon or firearm .
The character can also make an Aimed or Called Shot from a moving vehicle, when running, swimming or parachuting without penalty

This can be further enhanced with the basic WP bonus, the Sniper skill, WP Sharpshooting skill, a bionic targeting eye, scope's, and probably a few other odds and ends.

Gunfighters, Headhunters and such can pretty much do the same, minus the 'Marksmanship' that is exclusive to the Paratrooper OCC.

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

Just for my clarity:

1 - you want your character to be an animal shaped cyborg

or

2 - you want an animal-cyborg as a companion?

Im not sure what we're going for here.

[Knight_General]

well i have recently chosen the robot RCC from sourcebook1, instead of a cyborg as it fits the character better right now what i am trying to figure out is the best way to become a sniper. what i am looking for is any bonuses that can be used for long ranged attacks and the best starting weapons for said attacks. i am not looking for the overall best equipment, i will gain those as i gain money. right now i get an energy pistol and energy rifle and three of my choice. so any help will be appreciated as i am new to the system. thanks for the help so far it has been really helpful.

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

Ermm.. if youre non-humanoid (animal shaped)...

How do you intend to use energy weapons designed for people with hands? Just hrowin that out there.

As for “best starting sniping weapon”; really depends on what books your GM allows, but the JA-11 is very hard to beat until *much* later in the timeline/books.

Its got insane range for an infantry laser rifle (4000ft, as much as most rail guns), solid damage per shot, a bolt-action SDC rifle barrel, and an underslung ion blaster. And its relatively common.

For “heavy hitting” single shots, a C-27 or C-29 plasma cannon packs a punch, but arent nearly as long range (still well over 1000ft), and the NG-P7 particle beam rifle is a good substitute. NG also makes plasma cannons (the NG-E4 and NG-E4A) that are roughly equivalent of the CS models.

There arent really good “high damage” single-shot weapons with good range until post Siege on Tolkeen. And even then they are only marginally better than the JA-11.

[Father Goose]

well i have recently chosen the robot RCC from sourcebook1, instead of a cyborg as it fits the character better right now what i am trying to figure out is the best way to become a sniper. what i am looking for is any bonuses that can be used for long ranged attacks and the best starting weapons for said attacks. i am not looking for the overall best equipment, i will gain those as i gain money. right now i get an energy pistol and energy rifle and three of my choice. so any help will be appreciated as i am new to the system. thanks for the help so far it has been really helpful.

Seems like you have switched the topic of the thread. You should probably stop here and start a new thread regarding your sniper questions. Otherwise the moderators will likely lock the thread.

[Dustin Fireblade]

I don't believe the Robot RCC would be the best choice to be a sniper, but sure it could be done.

I should have mentioned it way earlier, but get hold of Rifter #23, and check out the CS T.A.G. article. The training is technically for the CS, but I don't see why it couldn't apply to other nations as well. This will net you some additional bonuses.

Dang, a Paratrooper with T.A.G. would be really effective now that I think of it.

[Knight_General]

Thank you Father Goose i will go ahead and make a new thread