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Short version: Engineering Physics major in the modern day suddenly gains the knowledge and abilities of a Rifts techno-wizard. He obtains an electric motorcycle and converts it to run on P.P.E. Naturally, he wants to add some special features. The “Ultimate All-Terrain Package” and “Enclosure” I’ve already posted are obvious, but I’m looking for other suggestions, keeping in mind that he has no interest in going the superhero route.

i mean, technowizardry is large part "it's magic, i don't have to make sense" and pre-rifts earth is woefully lacking in PPE, so i'd suggest aiming for energy effiency and not drawing attention to your ride's high specs to avoid industrial spies coming after it.

Options I can see for sure would be:
-Speed
-Acceleration
-Jumps
-Teleport
-Invisibility (to avoid tickets with all that speed)
-Transformability (for storage, but could also do other things)
-Soup-up the Engine for more power (it might look like a 100hp engine, but kick in magical overdrive and its...)

Depending on the person's interests outside of their education major could have an impact. Ex: A Tron Fan might recreate defining aspects of the LightCycles (note do not post anything that smacks of a conversion).

Transform into what, though? There aren't really a lot of useful alt modes for a motorcycle and most of them are already pretty small.

Whitewings wrote:Transform into what, though? There aren't really a lot of useful alt modes for a motorcycle and most of them are already pretty small.

That's up to the character. As for what it can transform into:
-robot (human/animal/non-organic derivative)
-humanoid power armor
-box for more storage options
-another vehicle (4-wheeler, aircraft*, chariot, wheelchair)
-optimize the motorcycle for the terrain (ie one intended for paved roads can transform to a dirt bike for off-road, etc)
-cooking station (the engine means you have burners and possibly an oven at your disposal)

*While TW is limited in the creation of aircraft away from a Ley Line, you could use TW devices to make it easier for the tech systems to achieve flight: maybe by making the vehicle lighter, using energy fields for aerodynamic improvements, etc)

Drive on/over water (as snow, liquid, mud) as an option.
Maybe some sort of adhesion magic to make sure the wheels don't slip on pavement, and sweeping magic so the bike doesn't slip on gravel.

PPE generation and storage are the first concerns. While diamonds can handle the latter to some extent the former is crippling in lower magic settings. A custom spell to convert sunlight or even electrical current would be likely best. Alternatively, Chi Magic not only has several spells immediately applicable, that collection of Chi is generally easiest in places of natural beauty suggests a TW item combining spells from other non-Invocation disciplines like Identify Plants and Animals/Commune With Nature. This option has two hurdles: being able to manipulate Chi(T'ai Chi gained using the method from Rifter 4(?) being perhaps the most straightforward), and certain forms of magical spell weren't allocated types of stone in Rifts Ultimate Edition.

Even more out there would be a custom spell to derive PPE from others via electronic devices. Perhaps the character's super-inventions perform optimally when viewed in a livestream by a fan base.

So far, I have two features: the Enclosure feature and the Ultimate All-Terrain Package feature I've posted elsewhere, and I'm considering another, but have no real idea how to implement it. The idea is simple: an anti-collision charm, like a ring of hard rubber around the vehicle. So far I'm thinking of Telekinesis as the primary spell and Energy Bolt for a secondary, but I think I need others and have no idea what they should be.

just from a practicality perspective, you can't carry much on a motorcycle. that's probably one of the major limitations on it as a vehicle, I would think.

Collision Protection (Level 6)

Primary Spell: Telekinesis
Secondary Spells: Magic Shield, Energy Bolt

When activated, this spell produces a roughly elliptical band of repelling force parallel to the ground. For the next ten minutes, the pilot gains +15% to all skill rolls to avoid collisions, or +3 to dodge large, slow projectiles such as falling rocks or other vehicles attempting to ram.

OOC: the various costs vary hugely with the size of the primary gem, opal. The following figures assume a 4 carat opal, which leads to the lowest overall cost.

P.P.E. Construction Cost: 29
Activation Cost: 1
Construction Time: 174 hours
Construction Cost: 6140 credits (Rifts cost)

Gems: 4 carats of opal, 1 each of amethyst and red zircon

I honestly don't see the Collision Protection (Level 6) device working as outlined with the spells given. While spells can have their parameters altered, the alterations are usually within the effect of the spell. To do what you want I would think something like Watchguard combined with another spell like Timeslip or Deflect or Superhuman Speed/Magical Adrenal Rush would be required.

My reasoning was thus: Telekinesis to push on surrounding objects, Energy Bolt to strengthen Telekinesis, and Magic Shield to shape the force. That being said, Deflect primary and Watchguard secondary also works. I put Deflect as primary on the concept that Watchguard controls Deflect, but Deflect does most of the work.

Since the world's ambient PPE is so low, I think I'd go the Techno-Shifter route.

Maybe cross your idea with Ghost Busters, and have your physics guy turned techno-wizard be involved in lots of physics pseudoscience research, and leverage that background to find a way to capture some ghosts and haunting entities. Then build some kind of matrix that harnesses the PPE generated by the captured ghosts to power your electric motorcycle. For magic features/powers, I would look at the natural abilities of the ghosts and try to find analogous magical spells for inspiration for the effects of some of the bikes powers. Maybe let the bike and rider phase through walls like temporal magic or something.

Another movie inspiration for Techno-Shifter themes is Howl's Moving Castle and that little flame dude, however this media doesn't have as much of a modern feel theme to it as Ghost Busters.