Converting Campaign to FC Questions

[Race]

I am in the process of converting a home brew game to FC and its giving me a bit of pause.

SO I thought I would come to my very favorite specialists to convert my Manapunk campaign ideas to FC to get direction and help so I can eventually do this kind of thing on my own.
So Here Goes:

1.Magic system - With FC's magic book on sort of an indefinite hold, I've taken to converting Atomik Magik's magic system. This has a couple of benefits for our game. As players like to create their own spells, the system is designed for modular playability, you can cast spells on the fly based on character knowledge about magic systems. etc. I dont think there is anything wrong with FC's magic system, just to put that out there, but this gives us versitality and opens up loads for new magic spells and specialization that my players will enjoy, and lets face it, having fun at the table (or wherever you play your game) what this is all about.

2. Classes - We've converted this game between systems before. But FC is a different (and much better) animal so we would like to see things have that flavor to things.
Those whom are familiar with RIFTS, (yes we know that system has its own problems, but it does have merits also, and we'd like to keep some of those and dump the rest) may see that classes in that system have a few beginning class abilities that slowly go up with each level and a few extra abilities that they get as they progress. I figure some of these can be done as feats. but some of them I have no idea how to balance. I think i read somewhere there is a class and race building guides on the site? but I know some things may not have an equivalent to build with. in Wormwood there is a class called the Apok, which gets an indestructible mask for instance. I have no idea how to build that. or the leyline walker or technowizard class abilities. *shakes head* The campaign economy is actually based upon adventuring parties, sending players out to scavenge, test or steal abilities. leyline walkers made sense at the time when we used rifts and some would like something simliar with out their abilities being spread out across 20 levels, while technowizards made sense at the time before we had Eberron's Artificers. Which brings up, Artificers, is there a build that keeps the homoculi as a core concept to the class? In the original build you could essentially build as many as you like, provided you had the components (and blood)  and time to do so. ANd if you had a crap load of them and they got destroyed well that was your bad cause you'd be having a lot of backlash coming toward you that could very well kill you. And DDO has artificers now, which a nifty battle glove (which I assume can be made from the magic system in FC)

3. Race - I guess I need a link for races too to build some from scratch. And a lot of reading to go on from there on it. *nod*

4. technology - I am thinking i can borrow from my spycraft 2.0 book here, along with some pointers in FC (firearms for instance) and I think I saw a post about space combat that would be helpful, as I envision airships moving in a similar structure.

5. Gear - Much like RIFTS and some early D&D I had the idea to create kits for classes. the stuff you either got issued or aquired when you became an adventurer. choose x number of clothes, this type of weapon, etc. plus a lil bit of gold (or silver in this case) to start. Since all classes pretty much get a starting package I figure this balances out.

6. Suggestions - Any other suggestions so far? I'd be happy to post my campaign ideas for this if you like? though I am not sure if i should post here or in the lic to improvise? that way you guys could see more of the whole I am messing with. But any advice at this point would be of a great help.


Thank you guys very much. Its always a pleasure to work with you guys!

[Blankbeard]

Here's our origin creation guidelines and here are the class skeletons.  Abilities can be judged from existing classes. 

I'm not that familiar with Rifts (it's been decades) and as far as Articifers go take a look at the followers and more followers feats.  They're not unlimited in number but you can get a boatload of them.  If someone has the Sterling Reputation ability from the Courtier, you can negate the one drawback to the feats.

Most of your Spycraft 2.0 equipment will work with a bit of modification.  The License to Improvise subboard is the best place for most of these ideas.  You'll get tons of help (wanted and unwanted ) there.

[Krensky]

2. Classes - We've converted this game between systems before. But FC is a different (and much better) animal so we would like to see things have that flavor to things.
Those whom are familiar with RIFTS, (yes we know that system has its own problems, but it does have merits also, and we'd like to keep some of those and dump the rest) may see that classes in that system have a few beginning class abilities that slowly go up with each level and a few extra abilities that they get as they progress. I figure some of these can be done as feats. but some of them I have no idea how to balance. I think i read somewhere there is a class and race building guides on the site? but I know some things may not have an equivalent to build with. in Wormwood there is a class called the Apok, which gets an indestructible mask for instance. I have no idea how to build that. or the leyline walker or technowizard class abilities. *shakes head* The campaign economy is actually based upon adventuring parties, sending players out to scavenge, test or steal abilities. leyline walkers made sense at the time when we used rifts and some would like something simliar with out their abilities being spread out across 20 levels, while technowizards made sense at the time before we had Eberron's Artificers. Which brings up, Artificers, is there a build that keeps the homoculi as a core concept to the class? In the original build you could essentially build as many as you like, provided you had the components (and blood)  and time to do so. ANd if you had a crap load of them and they got destroyed well that was your bad cause you'd be having a lot of backlash coming toward you that could very well kill you. And DDO has artificers now, which a nifty battle glove (which I assume can be made from the magic system in FC)

Without specifics, I'm going to say probably. Of course, one issue with Palladium is that they've never heard of balance so I could be stepping in it. Can you give some specifics about what these powers/abilities are or do? As for the Artficer, I know there's a Eberon thread on the board that someone did something with it.  I also did some stuff with a specialty and a feat chain to do Pathfinder's Summoner.

3. Race - I guess I need a link for races too to build some from scratch. And a lot of reading to go on from there on it. *nod*

Well, the rules are in the wiki. Anything particular giving you problems?

5. Gear - Much like RIFTS and some early D&D I had the idea to create kits for classes. the stuff you either got issued or aquired when you became an adventurer. choose x number of clothes, this type of weapon, etc. plus a lil bit of gold (or silver in this case) to start. Since all classes pretty much get a starting package I figure this balances out.

Actually, I recently started a new game and after fretting and worrying over how to handle it (it's set in Paizo's Golarion and characters didn't just feel right) I finally just said heck with it and told people to write down what they wanted to start with regardless of cost and I'd approve or disapprove based on how greedy they were. Worked rather well, but it's admittedly very table dependent.

[agent oni]

I believe it is basically impossible to convert RIFTS OCCs/RCCs to FC's Class system.  The first problem you have to overcome is the front-loadedness of Palladium chargen.  There are multiple powers that define each OCC/RCC upfront whereas in FC, there is just the core ability that really define the class and one other ability that starts you off on that class' journey.  The second problem is the balance issue.  FC, from its d20 legacy, is geared towards balanced gameplay whereas RIFTS throws that concept out the window.

Trying to make a straight conversion is neigh impossible so you have to find that one essence that really define that class and build around that essence using FC's class structure.  You also have to decide how balanced you want the classes to be.  The more balanced you want, the more you'll find that it feels less like RIFTS OCC/RCC.  SO you have to figure out how much of a sacrifice you are willing to make in either direction.

In my experience, I've tried to convert it to d20 and Savage Worlds.  It really was a nightmare.  However, I found a system that can accomodate almost all the RIFTS concepts effortlessly.