Bald Psi-Stalkers???

[Steve Dubya]

So, I just read (while looking for something else) that in Lone Star in mentions that Psi-Stalkers are bald. Does it give any further explanation for this? It seems that if this assumption was off the original artwork, there has been further artwork that gives them Psi-Stalkers hair (such as Sargon the Hunter from Mercenaries and the Psycho-Stalker bit from JU).

[Nekira Sudacne]

No, the origional artwork set it in stone.

same way the MOM implants are actually tottally inside, meaning crazys don't need the nobs on their head. however, again, due to the artwork RUE says that putting artifical nobs there is a "fad" for crazies.

[Steve Dubya]

So then why the hair on the two noted Psi-Stalkers???

[Nekira Sudacne]

So then why the hair on the two noted Psi-Stalkers???

because the origional write up of psi-stalkers said they looked identical to humans with just slightly feral features.

[Mech-Viper Prime]

bio-hair implant or grafts

[Steve Dubya]

because the origional write up of psi-stalkers said they looked identical to humans with just slightly feral features.

This is what kills me. Despite the fact that IN THE TEXT they should look like everyone else, because a FEW artists had them bald they are now all officially bald.Do Techno-WIzards all now HAVE to start looking like 40's bomber pilots??

I am so very worried about getting any new books because of stuff like this - they keep saying to use common sense but then when writing the book all common sense flies out the window...

[Slag]

The only "canon" hair I know of is the Ponytail Tribe, who wear fake ponytails glued to their scalps...

[Nxla666]

As of RUE all psi-stalkers are bald any hair is an add-on.


Dont make much sense, but hey what the hell.

[Nxla666]

because the origional write up of psi-stalkers said they looked identical to humans with just slightly feral features.

This is what kills me. Despite the fact that IN THE TEXT they should look like everyone else, because a FEW artists had them bald they are now all officially bald.Do Techno-WIzards all now HAVE to start looking like 40's bomber pilots??

I am so very worried about getting any new books because of stuff like this - they keep saying to use common sense but then when writing the book all common sense flies out the window...

Yes, TW's in fact do look like that now. Remember, Rifts is the single greatest collection of stereotypes in gaming.

Not entirely true, I have seen a game that includes more stereotypes.

Of course it was written by a white supremest group, but still.

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

there has been further artwork that gives them Psi-Stalkers hair (such as Sargon the Hunter from Mercenaries and the Psycho-Stalker bit from JU).

those pictures are wrong. the artists were not paying attention. artwork is not canon.

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

sometimes. more often than not, the books are written first, then artwork is done based on what is written.
Since it was mentioned in the very first Rifts book that Psi-Stalkers had no hair whatsoever, any artwork depicting them with hair (without an explanation like 'they stapled fake hair to their heads') is wrong.

[Steve Dubya]

RoadWarriorFWaNK wrote:

sometimes. more often than not, the books are written first, then artwork is done based on what is written.
Since it was mentioned in the very first Rifts book that Psi-Stalkers had no hair whatsoever, any artwork depicting them with hair (without an explanation like 'they stapled fake hair to their heads') is wrong.

Pages 104 and 105 of Rifts published in 1993 makes absolutely no mention of being bald. It does specifically state they can be humans, mutants, or d-bees and that the CS stalkers are completely human looking. Where does bald enter into that?

Exactly - EXACTLY!! Why oh why would you then want to change that?? I mean, maybe it is just me, but the stereotypical Psi-Stalker (like the ones in the VK book for that vampire killin' outfit) looks really, really dumb. If it is to look intimidating, guess what - most of these guys are going to have to wear helmets, so that effect is greatly lost...

So far now it is 50-50 that I "upgrade" to RUE - it sounded like there were some good changes, but stuff like this makes my head hurt...

[Killer Cyborg]

They seriously need a continuity editor.

They'll get one eventually, and then they'll have always had one.

[Prince Artemis]

it was mentioned a looong time ago that their bald, heck even the bionic's book said that they were bald. as for why? they're supposed to be a type of human mutant that arose after the comming after the rifts. I always attributed their hairlessness to the fact that there was likely a good deal of nuklear fallout in the wilds where the psi-stalkers arrouse and hair always loses to radiation.

[Prince Artemis]

sure, as long as you're willing to drop the bill not only for re-writing all the books but the bill for every players replacements seriously though, you all seem to be complaining that they have MADE something continuity. usually you guys are complaining cause they won't make something continuity.

[Library Ogre]

same way the MOM implants are actually tottally inside, meaning crazys don't need the nobs on their head. however, again, due to the artwork RUE says that putting artifical nobs there is a "fad" for crazies.

And this one really gets me.

So, all crazies want these big knobs on their head, because it shows they're crazies. They want them, even before they're crazies and therefore crazy?

[Prince Artemis]

the blad psi-stalkers has been continuity i think since just after the main rifts book. merc's has a haired psi-stalker but that's because mercs followed racial standards/characteristics/canon about as well as a lemming.

[Library Ogre]

the blad psi-stalkers has been continuity i think since just after the main rifts book. merc's has a haired psi-stalker but that's because mercs followed racial standards/characteristics/canon about as well as a lemming.

What standards exactly? Therein lies the problem. We get back to maintaining continuity.

Contiwhat now?

[grandmaster z0b]

The first mention of psi-stalkers being bald is the expanded psistalker OCC/RCC in Rifts: Lone Star. It says that they have no body hair anywhere. I don't mind the idea, but I may divide them into different sub-species. So there would be one sub-species of psi-stalker that is caucasian with no body hair, but others with different features. Are all psi-stalkers white (as almost all are in pictures) or can you have an asiatic or african decent psi-stalker?

[plata_knight]

From what I've read, it doesn't actually say anywhere what their original "race" was apart from human. Since it says in several books that you can find psi-stalkers around the world, I would assume they have all sorts of ethnic physical characteristics.

[Nxla666]

The first mention of psi-stalkers being bald is the expanded psistalker OCC/RCC in Rifts: Lone Star. It says that they have no body hair anywhere. I don't mind the idea, but I may divide them into different sub-species. So there would be one sub-species of psi-stalker that is caucasian with no body hair, but others with different features. Are all psi-stalkers white (as almost all are in pictures) or can you have an asiatic or african decent psi-stalker?

I recall it mentioning that they were (now) all albinos.

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

So then why the hair on the two noted Psi-Stalkers???

Because:

1. the Art in Mercenaries sucks.. Another character is described as having a long mustache...in his picture...no stache.

2. The art for the Psycho-Stalker was just a bad art pairing. I.e. someone went "We need a picture here, huh? Let's just slap this down." Doesn't look to be a Psi-Stalker to me...more like some kind of D-Bee, elf maybe?

~ Josh

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

same way the MOM implants are actually tottally inside, meaning crazys don't need the nobs on their head. however, again, due to the artwork RUE says that putting artifical nobs there is a "fad" for crazies.

And this one really gets me.

So, all crazies want these big knobs on their head, because it shows they're crazies. They want them, even before they're crazies and therefore crazy?

Most want it...not all.

It is iconic of the augmentation, so most will want the nobs. Similar to how ley line walkers like to wear gas masks...they don't have to, they just like to.

~ Josh

[Nxla666]

same way the MOM implants are actually tottally inside, meaning crazys don't need the nobs on their head. however, again, due to the artwork RUE says that putting artifical nobs there is a "fad" for crazies.

And this one really gets me.

So, all crazies want these big knobs on their head, because it shows they're crazies. They want them, even before they're crazies and therefore crazy?

Most want it...not all.

It is iconic of the augmentation, so most will want the nobs. Similar to how ley line walkers like to wear gas masks...they don't have to, they just like to.

~ Josh

Can you cite where it's stated LLW's wear gas masks in this manner? I can't recall reading it.

I dont know, quite a few posters here jumped all over the fact that LLWs always have the damn things plastered to their face when I brought up the topic of using tear gas against them.

[Prince Artemis]

first off, the books list the common styles for the different classes, specificially mages is because it's sort of a badge of office for most. heck, they even went so far to stat a ley line walker armor in RUE. it's just the idea that you can recognize bikers/jocks/military just by looking at what they wear. They don't all wear the EXACT same thing but they tend to dress in a very similar style.

secondly, if you read the crazy section in RUE it actually says that the internal implant is a new creation and that most old units were actually external and that there are even some chop shops that continue to use the knobbed versions due to lack of funds/availability. and besides, if you're going to flush your sanity down the drain wouldn't you want to be recognized for the super insane soldier that you've become?

as for the picture of the 'psycho stalker' the picture says nothing. If you're going by the image that is put next to the occ then per the original core book layout/picture ALL PSI STALKERS HAVE PYRO KINESIS! i don't know how many new people i had to tell that the picture next to the psi-stalker was ment for the burster on the previous page. also using that same logic ALL PICASO MAGIC FISH HAVE SKULL FACED SCALE DESIGNES AND LOOK NOTHING LIKE THEIR LISTED DESCRIPTION. that's just two examples i can think of. Continuity error? hardly. More like layout error.

Oh, also, for that psi-stalker in merc, it said that he rituallistically mutilated himself to make himself seem scarier and more demon like. So, since his bald albino-ness would automatically pin him as a psi-stalker wouldn't it make sense for him to get some cyber hair to help his image as a monster and not just another psi-stalker?

[Steve Dubya]

I just think that it is ridiculous that they had to go around and change the Psi-Stalker appearance from what it originally was:

Pages 104 and 105 of Rifts published in 1993 makes absolutely no mention of being bald. It does specifically state they can be humans, mutants, or d-bees and that the CS stalkers are completely human looking.

Now, the fact that (now) all Psi-Stalkers are officially hairless albinos makes it very difficult to say that this is anything other than a strictly human phenomena. Basically what this is telling me is that Psi-Stalkers are now an human evolutionary answer to all the random mystical craziness that is happening on Earth - which it very well might be.

But it wasn't originally intended to be like this. So many random changes for the sake of change...

[Steve Dubya]

So, with the changes in the Psi-Stalker now, are they still considered to be human, or elven, or whatever race they might have come from or Psi-Stalkers and Psi-Stalkers and Psi-Stalkers alone?

[Nxla666]

So, with the changes in the Psi-Stalker now, are they still considered to be human, or elven, or whatever race they might have come from or Psi-Stalkers and Psi-Stalkers and Psi-Stalkers alone?

They have (in RUE) their own set of stats, even going so far as to seperate wild and civilized ones.

To me that now marks them as a distinct species that is capable of mating with humans and ogres (yes and Sea Titans), but not other species like elves and dwarves.

*need pistol to temple emoticon*

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

sometimes. more often than not, the books are written first, then artwork is done based on what is written.
Since it was mentioned in the very first Rifts book that Psi-Stalkers had no hair whatsoever, any artwork depicting them with hair (without an explanation like 'they stapled fake hair to their heads') is wrong.

Pages 104 and 105 of Rifts published in 1993 makes absolutely no mention of being bald. It does specifically state they can be humans, mutants, or d-bees and that the CS stalkers are completely human looking. Where does bald enter into that?

So? it never said they were not bald. it says they look human, and many humans are completely bald. And in the pictures in that book (the one under the character description,and the poorly colored Larry McDougal later on) clearly depict psi-stalkers as bald with dark patches under their eyes; the way they are described in text in WB14. So there is no contradiction. There is elaboration.
And the art in Mercenaries is still bad and still wrong.

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

sometimes. more often than not, the books are written first, then artwork is done based on what is written.
Since it was mentioned in the very first Rifts book that Psi-Stalkers had no hair whatsoever, any artwork depicting them with hair (without an explanation like 'they stapled fake hair to their heads') is wrong.

Pages 104 and 105 of Rifts published in 1993 makes absolutely no mention of being bald. It does specifically state they can be humans, mutants, or d-bees and that the CS stalkers are completely human looking. Where does bald enter into that?

So? it never said they were not bald. it says they look human, and many humans are completely bald. And in the pictures in that book (the one under the character description,and the poorly colored Larry McDougal later on) clearly depict psi-stalkers as bald with dark patches under their eyes; the way they are described in text in WB14. So there is no contradiction. There is elaboration.
And the art in Mercenaries is still bad and still wrong.

Completely human in appearance does not equate to all are completely hairless. That is your mistake. But have at it.

yet again, there is nothing in that book to suggest that they are not completely hairless. "completely human" could be taken many different ways. what about circus freaks? Does the bearded lady look "inhuman" to you? Odd, certainly. But inhuman?

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

this isn't silly. this is SERIOUS BUSINESS.

[Steve Dubya]

The only race other then humans to have Psi-Stalkers as a mutant sub-species, that i've seen, is Amaki, and that says they have there own equivelant to Psi-Stalkers not actual Stalkers.

Pages 104 and 105 of Rifts published in 1993 makes absolutely no mention of being bald. It does specifically state they can be humans, mutants, or d-bees and that the CS stalkers are completely human looking.

So, which is actually taking precedence here in terms of what races the Psi-Stalker actually comes from? I think that it has been made clear that there are now some "appearance" issues with Psi-Stalkers - so would a dwarven or chengeling or elven or Atlantean (which apparently are human precursors, or so I have seen purported by Nekira) also be hairless and albino???

[Vrykolas2k]

it was mentioned a looong time ago that their bald, heck even the bionic's book said that they were bald. as for why? they're supposed to be a type of human mutant that arose after the comming after the rifts. I always attributed their hairlessness to the fact that there was likely a good deal of nuklear fallout in the wilds where the psi-stalkers arrouse and hair always loses to radiation.

The bionics book is relatively new.

[Steve Dubya]

the skin ispowder white with pink around lips and eyes whichare blue or gray so the can't be true albinoes eyes wpuold be pink/reddish

Another very good point. I always thought that the Psi-Stalkers depicted as bald and kinda' pasty was a fashion choice (sort of like the TW penchant for the bomber jackets) rather than the way they might actually look - and a DUMB fashion choice at that...

[Omega6]

Did you ever see the movie "Powder"? The character is a completely hairless albino with psycic powers. This is what I think of for Psi-stalkers.
Also, it could be said that the absorbtion of the P.P.E enegry is on a electromagnetic frequency that destroys hair folicles. So, they could have hair when first born, but after the first meal... (Electrolysis Hair Removal)

[Steve Dubya]

Did you ever see the movie "Powder"? The character is a completely hairless albino with psycic powers. This is what I think of for Psi-stalkers.

Sure, but the reason that he looked like that was because he was part alien.

Also, it could be said that the absorbtion of the P.P.E enegry is on a electromagnetic frequency that destroys hair folicles.

This is as good an explanation as any for that, I suppose. I don't like it (doesn't make much sense), but what the heck. Doesn't change the fact then they then look like badly made-up goths tho'...