Customer Reviews

Rifts World Book 3: England

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As far as a book concerning general topography and the veriaty of magic it is exilent. I found the section on Herbalisim and potions to be a needed addition to the rifts magic item inventory. the idea of the mellinium trees and the items gifted by them is interesting . The real power point of the book has to be the temporal raiders and temporal magic . If you want an even more powerful mage they are the way to go!
Unfortunately being the "mystic isles" and all the great cataclisym pretty much destroyed all high-tech civ. so there are no hyper cool british cyber-punks or any thing like that ( a major bummer if you ask me) But if ley-lines , druids ,potions, and alien majic are your thing get this book.

Rifts, England has some great stuff as far as magical entities and the fascinating Millenium Trees, but "MRRLYN"(a play off of the folk legend Merlin) and "Arrthru" (King Arthur)?! It really is a stretch. My group found it a little too cheesy for our taste. I think better things could have been done with the British Isles. If you've already bought most of the other Rifts Worldbooks, this one is worth buying, but my advice is to hold off until you get Phase World and Japan. I haven't read Austrailia yet, but I'm dreading seeing a picture of a giant Cyborg-Kangaroo or something even sillier!

I really liked the Trees of life, druids, and the time magic. I loved rolling around as a temporal wizard or a druid. Especially as you gain some levels and get access to extremely powerful magic. The king arthu'' storyline is interesting but a little bit cheesy. Overall this is one of the memorable/best books in rifts.

Although often considered one of Palladium's weaker supplements, Rifts:England has much more than just the very popular temporal (time travel)magic rules and OCCs!
It also includes new Character Classes for Druids and Herbalists.
As well as the magical Millenium trees. All of wich may also have bearing on Palladium's Fantasy RPG.
Also included is a new Alien Intelligence called the Zllyphan.
Though Purists are likely to find Palladium's interpretation of Arthur and Camelot, as well as the lack of detail on the Faerie Folk a sore dissappointment.
Apart from these last two criticisms I find this an absolute must for BOTH Rifts Gamers and palladium fantasy Gamers!

I was very excited that an American role-playing company had decided to represent Old Blighty, my native land. I purchased it with glee and trotted off home to read it. I was slightly disappointed, to tell the truth. It represents Britain as the usual "Green and Pleasant Land" treatment it usually gets in RPGs, or, as a friend said "Less interesting land". He does hate everything, though. England has recieved similar treatment in other games such as Changeling and TSR's Magitech. The new races are there, as one would expect from a rifts sourcebook, and they are very interesting. It's really not "Less interesting land", it's "Different Land". Perhaps too different? I think really it's just my gaming group's opinions versus Palladium's. In case you're wondering how it differs from America, then I'll tell you. England rejects technology, so there are no English punks, which seriously distressed one of my players. It's all very druidic, feudal and green. My only major gripes are that, because it's a Rifts supplement the layout is terrible and also you need loads of other supplements to use it well. If you're British, you'll probably want to alter the setting slightly.

The third such World Book for Rifts Earth... we're shown more of the world setting and in this case, how the Rifts and return of magic effected the whole of the British Isles.

Kicking off is the usual Erin Tarn letter, describing her travels and exploration. As it takes up about one page, it's not too tedious of a read through, not like latter books where the letter can extend out to 3 & 4 pages.

After that, the book launches into the section for the Millennium Trees, one of the huge factors and obviousness to Rifts England that we're no longer in Kanas anymore and how things have changed. And it's a wonderful refreshing change from Vampire ridden Mexico and whole kingdoms controlled by the bloodsuckers and Atlantis ruled by alien beings from another world and here to enslave anyone they get a hold of. Here you're given living things that may or may not be sentient, that offer a safe haven for humans and other peaceful D-Bees. There's a whole list of magic, magic items, abilities and wands/staves that they give out. For showing the magical and mystical side of Rifts Earth, the book is off to a good start.

The book moves then right into the Herbalist O.C.C. and the magic of herbs, both familiar and alien. It's good as this section can be used anywhere, it's not just stuck with only the British Isles. Following the Herbalist and Herb Magic comes then the section for Druids. The draw back to all of them, is while they sound good on paper at first and seem sound ideas, their reliance on the herbs is too much like variations of the Herbalist and I personally would have allowed for some learning of spells and spell casting for all their P.P.E. base. To make them more interesting at least and to try to make them different enough from the Herbalist.

The Chiang-Ku dragons are also another welcomed addition for a "source of light" and the "good guys" where everything is monsters and demons out to eat, destroy, rule the world. Many of the new R.C.C.s and Monsters are also interesting too, given their relationship to the Mystic Isles.

One of the best parts of this book after the Herbalist comes the Temporal Wizards and the new Temporal Magic.

What ultimately brings this book back down for me is the section for New Camelot. We've already seen Alien Intelligences in Vampire Kingdoms and Atlantis... and we are faced yet with another one. Granted it's dressed up using the myth of Arthurian Legend and the aspects of the lore that show Merlin as being a demon or half demon. The whole section along with Arr'thuu feels tired and over used. The section of reusing Arthurian Legend is certainly far better then After the Bomb's take with it in Mutants in Avalon. I could have seen a huge Tech take on this with Arthur in Power Armor. Not just M.D.C. plate armor styled to look like Medieval Armor. Knights were good, that's a staple that done right, doesn't get too old.

The final sections of the book go into describing the geography and layout of the British Isles, introducing some beings who are the old Celtic Gods, the Fomorians and how the landscape has changed. I'm a bit miffed that Ireland in being described as a haven and Faerie Kingdom, doesn't have stats for the Faeries given and you have to refer to either the Conversion Book or Palladium's Monsters & Animals for their stats. And Tarramore (Dublin) located in Ireland, as the only human city and the Faeries don't go there. It even gets described as a "vacation spot," I'm "rest and relaxation" is the quote. I can just see Lord Splyncryth coming to Ireland for rest and relaxation and to take a break from his buisness affairs in Atlantis or the Horune Pirates of much later Underseas coming to party and celebrate their raids. (*Please note sarcasism*)

Lets not forget the Ogeeyins, a supernatural intelligence (?!) that's good. And a golden table... right, the roundtable? I'm not sure.

A promising, yet disappointing final entry is for France and the Blood Druids. Yet another great concept and use for villians that on closer examination, don't have spell casting ability which would have made them more of a threat and worthy adversary then someone who fortells the future by reading entrails and spilling blood to heal themselves. I'd do spells and have the herb magic in addition.

There's a lot of promise with this book and it makes a good stepping stone for exploring the British Isles, but follow up books for Scottland and Ireland (say giving out stats for the Faeries, new ones and more menancing, frightning) would be nice. And France... mentioned that there'd be follow up, but as yet, I've never seen any such book do so. I suppose though those who are heavy into the tech end of Rifts will be disappointed by the lack of it and lack of tech reliant areas. But for offering up the Magic, Mysterious, Strange, Alien and Exotic, England managed to deliver that much. It's all in the art work, a huge pristine wilderness feel and quaintnace to it and not enough pictures showing a grungy, run down look of Pre-Rifts cities and tech.