Warning! Violence, War, Magic & the Supernatural

The fictional world of SplicersTM is violent, deadly and filled with robotic horrors, evil monstrosi­ties, and weird weapons and machines. Humans have turned to genetic manipulation to create frighten­ing living weapons and armor, horrific animals and strange mutations.

War, global destruction, violence and inhumanity as well as murder, insanity, plagues and the end of the world are all elements in this book.

Some parents may find the violence and gruesome nature of some characters and story elements inap­propriate for young readers/players. We suggest parental discretion.

Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage violence, war or the use of drugs.

Sp/icersTM is a science fiction and horror role-playing game. 1

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Dedication To my wife Christina and my daughter Robyn for putting up with all my all-night gaming and my obsession with Palladium Books

when I should've been doing other things. I must also thank my wife for helping me with my spelling and listening to my strange ideas, thoughts and schemes for the book, as well as keeping on me to continue writing when I was getting lazy or was just goofing off.

I need to say a special thank you to Kevin Siembieda for giving me a chance in the first place, not just to write, but to let me design a world and RPG that I have been dreaming about for so long. And thanks to him for giving us more than two decades of role-playing games and enjoyment.

As well as a thanks to all of the members of my gaming groups, past and present, for putting up with all of my weird ideas and for play-testing it all. Although there have been so many people in my gaming groups, the ones who stand out the most are: Ralph Bellamy, Randi and Roger Cartier, Pat Conlin, Randy and Pauline Pare, Brian Paquette, John LaCount, Kevin Solima, Sean Roddy, David Anhorn, Cliff Cartier, Dave Marshall, Dietrich Davis, Adam Gilchrist, Todd Gervias and my little brother Joe Bellaire.

Other Palladium Role-Playing Games ... Rifts® Role-Playing Game

Rifts® Chaos Earth ™

Heroes Unlimited™ (Superheroes)

Ninjas & Superspies™

Palladium Fantasy RPG®

Nightbane® and others

www.palladiumbooks.com

- Carmen Bellaire, 2004

The cover is by artist Mark Evans depicting a Proto-Armor, predecessor to the notorious Host Armors of the Dreadguard and Roughnecks, battling some nameless robot in humankind's crusade against the insane Machine.

First Printing - October 2004

No part of this publication may be scanned, OCRed or reproduced in any way for electronic publication on the web/internet or any other medium.

Copyright 2004 Palladium Books Inc. & Kevin Siembieda

All rights reserved, worldwide, under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, Coalition Wars®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Nightbane®, After the Bomb®, Phase World®, and Palladium Books® are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Palladium Books Inc. and Kevin Siembieda.

Splicers, Host Armor, Proto-Armor, The Machine, Human Resistance, Necroborgs, Necrobots, Ratbombs, Assault Slayer, Battle Track, Cable Snake, Flying Strike-Ship, Hunter-Searcher Probe, Land Dominator, Popper Mine, Repair Wagon, Sentry Tower, Sewer Prowler, Skitter Pod, Slicer Robot, Steel Trooper, Archangel, Biotic, Dreadguard, Engineer, Librarian, Outrider, Packmaster, Rough­neck, Saint, Scarecrow, Skinjob, Technojacker, War Mounts, Gorehound, Dracos, Strider, Zephyr, Living Body Armor, Wing Pack, Eye Pod, Face Wrap, Bio-Comms, Slap Patch, Bio-Weapon, Bio-E, M.D.C., Mega-Damage, and other names, titles, character names, character likenesses and slogans are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.

Palladium On-Line: www.palladiumbooks.com

SplicersTM Role-Playing Game is published by Palladium Books Inc., 12455 Universal Drive, Taylor, MI 48180. Printed in the USA.

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PALLADIUm DOOK5® PR(5[uT5:

TM

Written & Created by: Carmen Bellaire

Additional text, names, and concepts by: Kevin Siembieda

Editors: Alex Marciniszyn

Wayne Smith

Kevin Siembieda

Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein

Cover Painting: Mark Evans

Art Direction & Keylining: Kevin Siembieda

Typography: Wayne Smith

Interior Artists: Drunken Style Studio

Brandon C. Clark (DSS)

Mark Dudley (DSS)

Mike Majestic (DSS)

Liz Refuss (DSS)

Charles Walton (DSS)

Ka Xiong (DSS)

Apollo Okamura

Inspired by The Mechanoids®, Rifts® and other RPG rules, text, characters,

concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda.

Special Thanks to Cannen Bellaire for letting his imagination go wild, the artists at Drunken Style Studio (but especially Brandon and Mark) for going wild with their artistic concepts and rendering, and to Alex, Wayne, Julius, and the rest of the guys who work so hard for Palladium Books.

- Kevin Siembieda. 2004

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Contents The Rebellion Against the Machine • . • • . . . • . . • . 6

Multiple personality disorder ............... 7 The fIrst signs of mental problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

The Nanobot Plague .•.....•...•.• •...•• 9

Game Mechanics for Handling the Nanobot Plague 11

Length of Time Before the Nanobots React· 11 Hostile Response Table . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Crossing Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Splicers Pave the Way . . • • . . . . . • • . . 13

Bio-Technology: New Hope for Mankind 13 Engineers and Saints . . 15 Biotics and Gorehounds 15 Dreadguard· . . . . . . 15 Librarians ....... 16

A Brief Word Overview' •..•.•...•.••.••. 16

The Boneyards . . 17 Ghost Towns' ...................... 18 Retro-Villages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Know Your Enemy: The mind of the Machine ..••. 24 The Seven Personalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Robots of N.E.X.U.S. • ••..••........••.. 29 The Drones . . . . . . . • • • . . • • . . • • . . • . • . • 29

Nex-Androids . . . . . . . 29

LaborlMaintenance Drone

Necroborgs Necrobots ........ . Ratbombs ........ . The Robots ••..•.•.••.•...

Features Common to ALL Robots ...

31 32 34 35

• ••... 36 36

Damage and Targeting Penalties & Conditions . 38 Assault Slayer . . 38 Battle Track . . . . . 40 Cable Snake . . . . . 42

Flying Strike Ship . . 43 Hunter-Searcher Probe . 45 Land Dominator' . 46 Popper Mine' . . 49

Repair Wagon . 50 Sentry Tower . 52

Sewer Prowler' 54 Skitter Pod . 56 Sky Fighter . 57 Slicer Robot . Steel Trooper Transport Platform . Mini-Transport Platform Robot Weapons .....••..•..

Robot Laser Pistol . . . . Robot Grenade Mini-Gun . . . . . .

Typical Robot Patrols . . . . . . . . . . The Human Resistance . . . . . . . ••... Understanding our organization . .. The Great House of the Barren Marsh

Splicer Society . . . . . . . . . . .

Ralph "the Red" Bellamy . . . . . Splicer Technology' .•.•.•...•....

59 60

· 61 62

· •.. 62

· 63 · ... 63 · ... 64

• ••••. 6S

65 66 67

· 67 • ••••• 70

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Host Armor & Bio-Tech Construction Rules . Step One: Host Armor's Basic Statistics ..

Basic Statistics for All Host Armors' . . . Step Two: Host Armor Metabolism .....

Step Three: Customization of the Host Armor Unspent Bio-E can be saved . . . . . . . .

Step Four: Biological Enhancements & Weapons Biological Enhancements • • . . . • . • •....

Sensory Enhancements & Bio-E Cost Eyes & Vision Enhancement .

ExtraEyes ........ .

Other Sensory Enhancements . Bio-Comms ...

Biological Defenses'

Bio-Force Field

Increased M.D.C. Regeneration: Super

Anatomical & Physiological Features Enhanced Leaping Ability . Glow Cells' ........... .

Quick Clotting Blood . . . . . . .

Additional Limbs & Enhanced Arms & Hands . Non-Skid Pads' ... .

Legs & Feet· .. . ... .

Serpentine Lower Body Flight Appendages ..

Organic Thrusters Prehensile Appendages

Prehensile Tail . . . Tail Appendages ... Splicer Bio-Weapons & Defenses (Host Armor) . Offensive Bio-Weapons .

Claws .....

Forearm Blades .. . Tendril Injectors .. .

Ranged Bio-Weapons (Host Armor) Bio-Energy Expulsion Vents Bore Cannons .. . . . . . . . . Casting Guns' . . . . . . . . . .

Chemical Sprayer' . Electrical Weapons'

Flame Weapons' Gore Cannons

Omega Blaster Organic Rockets Screamer Grenades . Spore Discharger . Simple Light Cells Super Light Cells . .

Ranged Weapon Upgrades An Example of Host Armor Construction . War Mounts •.....••.......•••.

Common features to all War Mounts' Behemoth .. . .. . .

Dracos (Winged Hydra) Gorehounds Grendel Horses ...

· 70 · 70 · 71 ·72

· 76 · 77 ·77

· .. ·77 ·77 ·77 · 78 · 79 · 80

.. 82

83 83 84 85 86 87 87 89 90 91

· 91 · 93 · 93 · 93 · 94

· 94 .... 9S

· 95 · 95 · 96 · 97 · 98 · 98 · 98 · 99 100 101 101 102 102 103 104 104 104 105 107 107 109 109 110 113 116 118 121

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Mega-Horses· . Leviathan .. Strider .....

Zephyr (flyer) . Equipment & Bio-Weapons .••.. Monetary Currency ........ .

Miscellaneous Bio-Tech Equipment· Bio-Comms' ... . Face Wrap ....... .

Classic Melee Weapons .. . Mega-Damage Bio-Weapons Ranged Bio-Weapons

Bio-Energy Rifle . Electro-Pulse Gun

Pod Weapons ....

Bio-Tech Explosives· Conventional M.D.C. Body Armor . Living Body Armor' . • . . ...•. Proto-Host Armor .......... . Wing Packs ....... .. . . .. .

Splicer Occupational Character Classes Archangel . Biotic' ...

Dreadguard Outrider .. Packrnaster . Roughneck' Saint ... Scarecrow . Skinjob' .. Technojacker . Characters from other Palladium Games The Game Mechanics •..•....••. Character Creation' .. ....... .

Step 1: Attributes & Attribute Bonuses Speed Chart· ..... Attribute Chart . . . . . . . . . . . Attributes Beyond 30 . . . . . . . .

Splicer & Robot Strength & Damage Supernatural Physical Strength . . . Weight & Movement . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Determine Hit Points & S.D.C. Recovery of Hit Points & S.D.C ..

Step 3: Mega-Damage & M.D.C. Step 4: Pick an O.C.C. & Skills Step 5: Pick an Alignment· . . . Experience Level System . . . .

Splicer O.C.C. Experience Tables Skills 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Skill Penalties ......... . Skill Descriptions • . . • • . . . . .

Skill List .. Espionage Skills . . . Physical Skills . . . . Weapon Proficiencies Combat Rules' . . .••........... Horror Factor ......... . ...... . Key Combat Terms' ....•.•...•..

122 122 124 127 · . . . . . 129 129 129 129 130 130 131 132 133 134 135 137 · . . . . . 137 138 140 141

· . . . . . 143 143 146 149 151 153 155 156 159 162 164 167

· . . . . . 168 169 169 170 170 170 171 172 173 173 174 175 177 178 181 183 184 186 187 187 190 195

. 203 · •.. 207 · ... 210 · •.. 210

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Hand to Hand Combat (Descriptions) .....•..• 214 Ranged Combat (Guns) •.......•.•..•... 216

Modem Weapon Proficiencies . 216 No Weapon Proficiency' . . . 216 Traditional Guns in Splicers . . 216

W.P. Descriptions . 216 Weapon Modifiers' . . . . . . 217

Weapon Penalties' . . . . . 218 Dodging Bullets & Energy Blasts . 218

Quick Reference: Bonuses & Penalties . 218 Missile Combat· .....•••...•.....•... 219

Quick Find Assassin (see Scarecrow O.C.C.) ............. 159 Bad Company (see Ralph "the Red" Bellamy) . . ..... 67 Bio-Comms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 & 129 Bio-Napalm (see Dracos) . . ............... 115

Bringing Characters from other RPG worlds . . . . 13 & 167 Constricting Attacks (see Serpentine Lower Body) . ... 92 Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Cryo-Zoos (N.E.X.U.S. History) ............... 7 Dreadguard .. .... 0 • • • • • • • 15 & 149 Dreadguard Code of Duty ..... . .......... . 150

Elixir of Life (see Scarecrow O.C.C.) . .... . ..... 159 Exterminator Robot: Cable Snake ..... . 42 Exterminator Robot: Hunter-Searcher Probe . 45 Exterminator Robot: Popper Mine . Exterminator Robot: Sewer Prowler Exterminator Robot: Skitter Pod .

· 49 · 54 · 56

Exterminator Robot: Slicer Robot . . 59 Flying Robot: Flying Strike Ship . . . 43 Flying Robot: Hunter-Searcher Probe . 45 Flying Robot: Mini-Transport 62 Flying Robot: Repair Wagon . 0 • 50 Flying Robot: Sky Fighter . 0 • • 57 Flying Robot: Transport Platform 61 Ghost Towns . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Handheld Bio-Weapons . . 131 Healer (see Saint O.C.C.) ... . . .. .......... 156 Horror Factor ......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Host Armor (Creation of) . . . . . . . 0 • • 0 • • • • • • • 70 Host Armor (Enhancements) .. .. ........ .. . . 77

Impervious to Technobot Plague (see Technojacker) ... 164 N.E.X.U.S. (aka the Machine), history of . 0 ••••••• 0 6 Retro-Villages ....................... . 19 Robot Control (see Technojacker O.C.C.)· ....... . 164 Robots: Asterisk Notations (see #12) . . . . . . 38 Robots: Body Block & Ramming (see #14) 38 Robots: Force Fields (see #13) . . . . . . . . . 38 Robots (start on) ......... . .... . . 36 Rules Section . 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 168 Seedlings .. . . .. .... ....... .... ... . . 21 Splicer O.C.Cos (start on) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Splicer Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Splicing (see New Hope) .. . ............... 15 Spy (see Skinjob O.C.Co) ................. 162 United World Congress .. . . .. ......... .... 7

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Splicers

The rebellion against the Machine From the memory file archives of Augustus, the third Librarian:

Although the record of events which led to the rise of the ma­chine intelligence, N.E.X.U.S., is sketchy at best, I will try to describe the events for you as best as I can, according to the re­search I have compiled. I do so to help you understand the strug­gle you are about to face. I know that you have grown up during this war for survival, but what you do not know is how and why the war began. Any accurate records of the past have been lost to men ages ago. These secrets are locked away in the Ma­chine's vast memory core or stored on one of the many mi­cro-discs that we use for currency (but can never read or view).

One might assume that a war between men and the machines would start with a military computer going haywire or a mass of worker androids developing sentience and rising up in revolt against their human masters. These are the stories and tales that women tell their children at night, but the truth is far more insid­ious and tragic. It was not some accident or simple fate that turned the machines against us. No, it was man that built the Machine. It was also men who fIrst programmed the N.E.X.U.S.

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computer, and it was the foolishness of man that turned us, their descendants, over to the Machine. It is we who must undo the folly of the past; it is we who must destroy the machines, for it is we who created the beast and gave it dominion over us.

While the dates are lost, I do know that in the Time Before . N.E.x.U.S. (the Neurologic, Electronic eXecutive and Utility System), this small planet was full to the brim with humans, at least eight to twelve billion of us, probably more - the count is very vague. Much about our planet is vague. We do not even know which planet this is, the Earth, our place of origin, or a colony world. Most believe it is a colony world, but because the Machine is constantly reshaping the very continents, we may never make that determination.

As we are wont to do, man made this world a heavily popu­lated hub planet. Wildlife, both native and colonial, had all but vanished from the face of the planet, replaced by buildings, highways and machines. Nature was represented by the cryo­zoos, holding native, colonial and some alien DNA of animals long extinct in the wild, as well as a few private wildlife gar­dens. Even the world's atmosphere was on the verge of collapse,

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