Beyond the Supernatural™ Second Edition Cover
Synopsis[]
Beyond the Supernatural Two™ builds on the bones of the classic BTS game to create a modern world of horror and magic unlike any before it.
The supernatural is real. Psychic abilities and the paranormal are real. Magic is real. Yet science and authority figures dismiss them as hysteria, hoaxes and madness. However, special individuals gifted with special abilities or cursed with firsthand encounters find themselves inexorably linked to the paranormal and forced to deal with the consequences.
Some of our heroes are gung-ho psychics and sorcerers who see themselves as humankind’s hidden protectors. Others are drawn into the realm of shadows through quirks of fate, or fueled by feelings of revenge. Still others are reluctant heroes and even victims, but all have been touched, in some way, by forces beyond human comprehension – Beyond the Supernatural.
BTS-2 is really coming together and will surprise some people with its depth of character, background and new direction.
- A contemporary horror setting that makes sense and challenges the players.
- New P.C.C.s include the Firewalker, Night Hunter, Psychic Medium, Diviner, Autistic Psychic Savant, ordinary people and others, all with new and unique abilities.
- Many of the characters, psychic abilities and magical powers are unlike any Palladium Books has presented before. Characters and powers that will challenge players and bring a new level of strategy and role-playing to the surface.
- Even familiar characters like the Psychic Sensitive, Healer, Nega-Psychic and others are more evolved and unique.
- Character background and the world setting is bold, clear and sinister.
- I.S.P. and P.P.E. interact with the characters and the supernatural in new ways.
- The secrets of the supernatural, ESP, and magic are revealed.
- Victor Lazlo and his lasting legacy: The Lazlo Agency is described.
- The world background serves as a guide to adventure.
- Interior Art by Ramon Perez, Michael Dubisch, Freddie Williams, Apollo Okamura and others. Cover by John Zeleznik.
- 256 pages. Cat. No. 700
- Available now.
Description and cover art from Palladium Books Web site, copyright 2005 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved. Rifts®, Megaverse® and Palladium Books® are registered trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. and Kevin Siembieda. All other titles and names are trademarks of Palladium Books.
Contents[]
Under Construction
The Setting[]
The setting of Beyond the Supernatural (pages 8 to 23) is our own modern world. However, in the dark, secret places of the world, supernatural terrors assail those with the knowledge and abilities to confront them, and snatch away to an unthinkable fate those that do not. The setting is described as a series of exerpts by "known" psychics and magicians, parapsychologists, and "quacks". It also includes exerpts from Lazlo's book, Worlds Within Worlds. However, when these are seen as a whole, the world is a much darker place than many realize.
The Psychic World[]
A new rule in BtS is how supernatural abilities react to the presence of Supernatural Evil. This section (pages 26 to 33) describes this new system, Proximity Equals Power, which allows characters who seem much more mundane in a low-magic environment, to confront even an alien intelligence with some chance of success. While this system probably does not below outside of a BtS game, it is an interesting approach to giving characters equal footing with creatures that otherwise would easily overwhelm them. Use at the discretion of your Game Master.
The Lazlo Society[]
The Lazlo Society
- Shining the light of truth on the darkness
The Lazlo Society, the front of the mysterious Lazlo Agency, is a place to post (in-character) information about mysterious events, unexplained circumstances, and unconfirmed events. This can be a great way for the Game Master to create plots, and for players to gather "intel" for their next outing. The web site for the Lazlo Society ([www.lazlosociety.org www.lazlosociety.org], is maintained by Palladium Books as a forum for these players.
The Characters[]
Beyond the Supernatural™ includes the following Psychic Character Classes (P.C.C.s):
- Psychic Character Classes O.C.C.s
- Autistic Psychic Savant
- The Diviner
- Fire Walker
- Genius or Natural
- Ghost Hunter
- Latent Psychic
- Nega-Psychic
- Ordinary People
- Parapsychologist
- Physical Psychic
- The Psi-Mechanic
- Psychic Healer
- Psychic Medium
- Psychic Sensitive
Psionic Powers[]
The powers of the mind are described on pages 92 to 128.
Monsters[]
Supernatural horrors included in BtS are ranked by threat level, and
- Supernatural Monsters
- Banshee
- Bogeyman/Raven's Tears
- Boschala
- Brain Burrower
- Dar'ota
- Devil Ghost
- Dimensional Ghoul
- Dybbuk
- Entity: Poltergeist
- Entity: Haunting
- Entity: Syphon
- Entity: Tectonic
- Entity: Possessing
- Grave Ghoul
- Gremlin
- Hell Hound
Rules and Game Information[]
A large section of the BtS book is dedicated to the rules for running the a Role-Playing Game. Pages 129 to 219 contains all of the rules for creating a character, learning and using skills, using psychic powers, dealing with insanity, combat, and general information about running a role-playing game.
While the Rifts Wiki does not describe rules for role-playing, descriptions of skills and abilities can be found on the following pages:
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Artwork[]
Cover Painting: Psychic detectives encounter a supernatural field, by John Zeleznik.
Interior Art: The interior black and white artwork includes work by Brandon C. Clark, Mark Dudley, Michael Dubisch, Kevin Long, Apollo Okamura, Ramon Perez, Roger Peterson, R.K. Post, and Michael Wilson.
Errata[]
Under Construction
Reviews[]
- Under Construction
Using Beyond the Supernatural in Rifts[]
Conversion notes are included in each O.C.C., monster, and power description. It is not recommended that the Proximity Equals Power rule be used in Rifts, unless a Game Master wants to have a lot of potentially high-powered characters on their hands.
How BtS fits into the Rifts Megaverse is somewhat debatable. Early on, around the time of Rifts® Sourcebook One™, BtS was thought to be the past of Rifts Earth, set in the mid-1980's (which was the timeline for BtS 1st Edition). When Rifts® Chaos Earth was announced in the Rifter, this was revised and BtS was an alternate dimension Earth which was linked to Rifts Earth in much the same was as the Earth of Heroes Unlimited is. There are players that use it both ways now, and either is appropriate.
Future Supplements[]
Two necessary supplements for the second edition of Beyond the Supernatural have been expected for several years now: Tome Grotesque, a bestiary and Beyond Arcanum, the rules for magic.
In the absence of those supplements, rules from other Palladium systems are often adapted for Beyond the Supernatural. As an example, a quick and dirty conversion of the Nightbane system of magic has been proposed, dividing base P.P.E. of casters by 10 and then applying the multipliers the same way done for psychics and ISP. The same forum post also suggest taking the Arcanist PCC abilities and powers and applying them to any occupation as given in BtS2. Advancement and PPE may be done as per the nega-psychic.
Official rules remain pending, however.
See Also[]
| Non-Rifts Sourcebooks |
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| Beyond the Supernatural Beyond the Supernatural™ |