Warning!

Violence, War, Magic & the Supernatural The fictional world of Chaos Earth® is violent, deadly and filled with supernatural monsters.

Other-dimensional beings often referred to as "demons," torment, stalk and prey on humans. Other alien

life forms, monsters, gods and demigods, as well as magic, murder, insanity, global destruction, the end

of the world, robots and war are all elements in this book.

Some parents may find the violence, magic and supernatural elements of the game inappropriate for

young readers/players. We suggest parental discretion.

Please note that none of us at Palladium Books® condone or encourage the occult, the practice of

magic, the use of drugs, or violence.

Chaos Earth® is a complete role-playing game.

A prequel to Rifts® and compatible with most titles from that science fiction line.

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Dedication To Palladium's Magnificent Seven - you know who you are - we did the impossible and triumphed over chaos. Keep fighting the

good fight and smile.

For Rifts® ... Rifts® Role-Playing Game

Rifts® World & Adventure Books like the following . • .

Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: Chi-Town 'Burbs™: Forbidden Knowledge

Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: The Black VauItTM

Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: The Vanguard™

Revised Rifts® Conversion Book One

Rifts® Dark Conversions (Nightbane, demons & more).

Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook

Rifts® Game Master Guide™

Rifts® Book of Magic™

Rifts® Aftermath™

Rifts® Adventure Guide™

Rifts® Vampire KingdomsTM

Rifts® Coalition Wars® (Tolkeen) #1-6

The Rifter® Sourcebook series and more.

- Kevin Siembieda, June 2003

The cover is by artist Scott Johnson depicting a flag wielding Chromium Guardsman standing strong in the heart of fiery chaos. A similar illustration appeared on the cover of The Rifter® #18 and as a limited edition print (still available) with the image flipped. This is how the artist originally intended the illustration to look.

PDF Edition - January 2016

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 2003,1990 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.

Chaos Earth, Rifts Earth, NEMA, Northern Eagle Military Alliance, Lt. General Lindsey Sawyer, Armored Sentinel, NEMA Peacekeeper,

Intel-Agent, Para-Arcane, DW Hunter, Vibro-Blades, Chromium Guardsmen, Silver Eagle, SAMAS, Gunbuster, Bull Bog, Mastiff, Big Dog, Skelebots, Combat Drone Soldier, CDS, Combat Hound, Pup, Street Bruiser, Glitter Boy, Coalition States, Coalition War Campaign, Coalition Navy, Cyber-Knights, Federation of Magic, Juicer Uprising, Mutants in Orbit, Mystic Russia, Psyscape, Heroes Unlimited, Beyond the Supernatural, Rifts® Conversion Book, Rifts® Game Master Guide, Rifts® Book of Magic, Rifts® Mercenaries, New West, Spirit West, Splynn Dimensional Market, Triax, Vampire Kingdoms, Warlords of Russia, Mystic Russia, Xiticix Invasion, 'Burbs, Xiticix, Dog Boy, Dog Pack, Wolfen, Biomancer, Bio-Wizardry, Ley Line Walker, Mind Melter, Mind Bleeder, Techno-Wizard, Shifter, Millennium Tree, Headhunter, Psi-Stalker, Simvan, Cyber-Knight, Bio-Systems, Bioware, Psynetics, Headjack, Full Conversion Cyborg, E-Clip, Mega-Damage, M.D.C., S.D.C., I.S.P., P.P.E., Brodkil, Black Faerie, Witchling, 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

Rifts® Chaos Earth® Role-Playing Game is published by Palladium Books Inc. , 3 9074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185. Printed in the USA.

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Palladium Books® Presents: ® ®

Rifts Chaos Earth A complete role-playinll Ilame

Written & Created by: Kevin Siembieda

Many robot and power armor visual designs by: Wayne Breaux Jr.

Editors: Alex Marciniszyn

Wayne Smith

Proofreader: Julius Rosenstein

Cover Painting: Scott Johnson

Interior Artists: Wayne Breaux Jr.

Apollo Okamura

Brendan Clark (DSS)

Ryan Csaszar (DSS)

Mark Dudley (DSS)

LAR (DSS)

Mike Majestic (DSS)

Ramon Perez

Freddie Williams II

Michael Wilson

Ka Xiong (DSS)

Art Direction & Keylining: Kevin Siembieda

Typography: Wayne Smith

Based on the RPG rules, text, characters,

concepts and Megaverse® created by Kevin Siembieda.

Special Thanks to Wayne Breaux, Freddie Williams, Ramon Perez, Mike Wilson, Apollo Okamura, and

Drunken Style Studio (DSS) for their incredible artistic contributions in bringing the chaos to Earth. To Scott

Johnson for a great cover and to Alex, Wayne, Steve, Julius, and Hank for putting up with me this past month or

two while we dealt with our own brand of Chaos.

- Kevin Siembieda, 2003

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Contents

Apocalyptic Rifts . . . . . . . . . 7

A world of its own . . . . .

Existing Sourcebooks . . . .

The calm before the storm • . . . . . . . . .

The North American Alliance . . . . . . . . .

The last days of a Golden Age . . . . . . .

The Great Cataclysm • . • . . • • . .

Day One: December 22, 2098

The Origin of Chaos . . . . .

Day Two: December 23, 2098 .

Day Three: December 24, 2098 .

Day Four: December 25, 2098

Day Ten: December 3 1 , 2098 .

NEMA · · · · · · · · · · .

January 1 , 2099 . . . . . . . .

Hell on Earth • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Heroes stand tall . . . . . . . . . .

· . . . . 7

· . . . . 7 · . • • . 8

· . . . . 9

· . . . . 9

10

10

12

1 3

14

14

15

15

1 6

1 6

1 6

Armageddon Christmas Day Blues . 1 7

NEMA . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . • . . . . . 19

The Role ofNEMA . . . . 1 9

NEMA on the move' . . . . 20

Imagine you are NEMA . 2 1

An aggressive position . . 22

Lieutenant General Lindsey Sawyer . 23

NEMA Heroes in Chaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . 25

NEMA Occupational Character Classes . 27

NEMA Response Teams' . . . . 27

Chromium Guardsman O.C.C . . .

NEMA Silver Eagle Pilot O.C.C . .

NEMA Armored Sentinel O.C.C . .

NEMA SoldierlPeacekeeper O.C.C.

MOS Programs . . . . . .

NEMA Field Engineer O.C.C.

NEMA Fire & Rescue O.C.C.

Special MOS skills' . . . .

NEMA Intel-Agent O.C. c. . .

NEMA Military Specialist O.C.C.

MOS Programs . . . . . .

NEMA Para-Arcane O.C.C. . . .

Special Para-Arcane Skills' . .

NEMA Demon & Witch Hunter O.C.C.

Special DW Hunter Skills . . . . . .

NEMA Volunteer Militia Fighter O.C.C . .

Magic & Psychic O.C.C.s · . . . . .

· 27

30

33

34

35

36

· 38

· 39

· 40

· 42

· 42

· 44

· 45

· 46

· 47

· 49

50

NEMA Weapons & Equipment· . . . . • . . . • . . . . 50

Neural Mace ' 50

Vibro-Blades . 5 1

Laser Scalpel . 5 1

Laser Torch . 52

Mega-Damage Explosives 52

4

Fusion Blocks . . . .

Hand Grenades' . . .

NEMA S.D.C. Firearms'

NEMA Mega-Damage Firearms . . .

Police Special Laser Pistol · . . . . .

"Terror Stopper" Laser Grenade Rifle .

"Hot Seat" Plasma Rifle . . . .

"Incinerator" Plasma Cannon .

52

53

53 • • • • • • 54

55

57

57

58

"Destroyer" Mini-Missile Rifle 59

"Lightning" Rail Gun . . . . 60

NEMA Body Armor . . . • . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . 61

Armored Long Coat . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1

Standard NEMA Body Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Fire & Rescue Enhanced Body Armor . . . . . . . . . 63

NEMA Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . 64

Street Tornado Hovercycle . . . 64

Hover Platform . 66

Combat Bike . . . . . . . . . 67

Combat ATV' . . . . . . .

Armored Personnel Carrier

Robots & Drones' . . . . . . . . . . .

Combat Drone Soldier .

Combat Hound .

Pup Scout .

Spider Probe

Flying Probe

NEMA Robot Vehicles . . . . . .

Bull Dog ' . . . . . . . .

Mastiff . . . . . . . . . .

"Big Dog" Super-Mastiff

NEMA Power Armor • . . . . • • . .

Chromium Guardsman .

Gunbuster . . . . . . .

Silver Eagle . . . . . .

· 68

· 69

· • . . . . 71

7 1

75

77

78

· 80 · • . . . . 81

8 1

· . . . . . . . . . 84

· . . . . . . . . . 86 · . • . . . . . . . 88

89

· . . . . . 93

· . . . . . 94

The Game Mechanics . . • . . . . . . . . . . · • . . . . 98

Character Creation . . . . . . .

Step 1 : Eight Attributes & Bonuses .

Attribute Bonus Chart

Speed Chart . . . . . . . . . . .

Attributes Beyond 30 . . . . . .

Augmented Humans . . . . . .

Robot Strength & Damage . . .

Supernatural Physical Strength .

Weight & Movement · . . . . .

Step 2 : Determining Hit Points & S.D.C.

Armor Rating . . . . . . . . . . .

Recovery of Hit Points & S.D.C . .

Surviving Coma & Death . .

Step 3 : Mega-Damage & M.D.C.

Step 4: Determining Psionics . .

Potential Psychic Energy (P.P.E.)

· 98

· 98

· 99

· 99

· 99

1 00

1 00

1 0 1

1 0 1

1 02

1 03

1 03

1 04

1 04

1 05

1 05

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Step 5 : Pick an O.C.C. & Skills

Skill Bonuses . . . . . .

Skill Penalties . . . . .

Step 6: Pick an Alignment .

Good Alignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Selfish Alignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Evil Alignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 06

1 06

1 06

1 07

1 07

1 08

1 09

Experience Level System· • • . . • • • . • • • • • • • • 1 10

Experience Points Award Table . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 1

Character Experience Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 1

Skills· . . . . • • • . . . • • • • • • . . • • • • • • . • • 1 14

Skill Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 16

Communications Skills . . 1 1 6

Domestic Skills . 1 16

Electrical Skills . . . . . 1 1 7

Espionage Skills . . . . . . . . 1 1 7

Horsemanship Skills . . . . . . 1 1 8

Mechanical Skills· . . . . . . . 1 20

Medical Skills 1 2 1

Military Skills 122

Physical Skills 125

Pilot Skills . . 127

Pilot Related Skills . 128

Rogue Skills . . . . . . . . 128

Science Skills . . . . . . . . . . 1 30

Technical Skills· . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 1

Weapon Proficiencies : Ancient· . . 1 34

Weapon Proficiencies : Modem· . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 36

Wilderness Skills · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 37

Combat Rules· • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • 138

Hand to Hand Combat . . . . . . . 1 3 8

Combat Sequence· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 39

Spreading out combat . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Two against one . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Horror Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hand to Hand Combat Tables· • • . • • • • • • • • • •

No Hand to Hand Combat Skill

Hand to Hand: Basic . . . . . . . .

Hand to Hand Expert . . . . . . . .

Power Armor Basic· . .

Key Combat Terms . .

Automatic Dodge . . . . . .

Paired Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ranged Combat • . • • • . • • • • • • . • • • • . • • •

Aimed Shot · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Understanding High-Tech Weapons· . . . . . . . . . . .

Defmitive Dodging Rules vs Ranged Weapons . .

Shooting Wild . . . . .

Missile Combat . . . . . .

Dodging Missiles . .

1 4 1

141

1 4 1

1 4 1

1 42

143

143

143

1 46

147

147

148

149

1 50

1 5 1

1 5 1

Shooting Missiles· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 52

5

Missile Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Optional Robot Combat Damage Tables . . .

Psychic Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 53

1 54

1 55

Adventure in Chaos • • • . • • • • • . . • • . . • • • . 156

NEMA Missions & Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 56

Quick Find A.R.C.H.LE.· . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

CDS (see Combat Drone Soldier)· . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1

Cyberworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3

Chromium Guardsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

December 2 1 , 2098, Last Day of Golden Age . . . . . . . . 8

December 22, 2098, The Great Cataclysm . . . . . . . . . 10

Demolitions ExpertlEOD, Peacekeeper MOS . . . . . . . 35

DW Hunter (see Demon & Witch Hunter) . . . . . . . . . 46

Experience Tables for NEMA O.C.C.s . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 1

Glitter Boy (Chromium Guardsman) . 27 & 89

Great Cataclysm, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0

Great Cataclysm, Origin o f . . . . . . . . 12

Heavy Weapons ExpertlPigman MOS . . 35

Magic Consultant (see Para-Arcane) . . . . . . 44

Medic, Peacekeeper MOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

M-Spec, Military Specialist· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

NEMA· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ·19

NEMA Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

NEMA, D-3R (Response, Rescue, Recovery) . . . . . . . 20

NEMA, Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

NEMA O.C.C.s start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

NEMA Peacekeeper· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

NEMA Power Armor starts . . . . . 88

NEMA Protocols for Disaster· . . . . . 20

NEMA Robot Drones start . . . . . 7 1

Pigman, Peacekeeper MOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Point Man, Peacekeeper MOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Power Armor Pilots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 & 88

Robot Commander (see Military Specialist) . . . . . . . . 42

Robot Pilots . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 & 30

Roscoe (Fire & Rescue)· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Roscoe Light Power Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

SAMAS (Silver Eagle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 & 94

Skelebot (see Combat Drone Soldier) . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1

Skill List with Base Percentages· . . . 1 14

Skill Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 16

Skills: Lore· . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Skills : Hand to Hand Combat Tables . . . . 1 32

14 1

Skills: Modem Weapons· . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 36

Spy, NEMA Intel-Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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NEMA Command Center Midwest Operations 6

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