RIFTS RPG Monster help

JebusUD

I'm wondering if anyone here who has played the RIFTS tabletop RPG knows of any monsters in the book that would be similar to shapeshifter in the movie "The Thing"? I'm DMing a bit, and would like to include such a monster in my campaign. However, there are around $TEXAS books with monsters in them, so if anyone knows off hand what book to look in, I won't have to look through the pile.

Edit: I could make one from scratch, but if there is something precooked up then that is easiest.

Cliff

I don't really have any advice, but that sounds awesome and if you do end up making one you should totes share.

DevoutlyApathetic

I have no advice to you but to page @OptimusZed for your assistance.

Also this may interest you.

The Ender

Rifts Index & Adventures Vol. 2 has a murder-mystery adventure featuring a creature sort-of like The Thing; the PCs are on a boat with a bunch of NPCs, and the monster kills & replaces crew members.


What type of characters are being played? Most monsters of that caliber are going to last about a minute tops once most PCs get even a little bit suspicious that there's some funny business going-on (going by it's stats alone without modifications, the one in the adventure module is a joke).

JebusUD

All the characters are pretty OP. I'll make sure to check that one out.

I just want to mess with them a bit. Have the monster grapple one of them, and zomg which is which. Knowing them they will probably shoot them both.

JebusUD

I sort of want to throw in a bunch of ridiculous tropes like that. So if you all have any suggestions to spice it up that way I appreciate it.

The Ender

Here is the H/L/S blurb:

And Then There Were None...

Hook: G.M.'s Note: This adventure can be a lot of fun, but may not be suitable in campaigns where the players are heavily attached to their characters. The characters have been hired to go on board the ship, Pioneer, to act as bodyguards while the crew studies the east coast of the former United States. The ship is a black market Triton Patrol Boat (Mercenaries pp. 118-119) minus the power armor suits.
The crew is standard for the ship except replace up to 3 gunners and 4 seamen with player characters. At least five other crew members have a scientific background.

Line: While exploring the new coast, the player characters can encounter a variety of creatures and calamities. One of which involves disappearances. On a given morning, one of the crew at random, does not report on deck. Upon searching his/her cabin, it looks as if there was a struggle and there are traces of blood (The missing crew member's). The body cannot be found. The next night, all is peaceful, but in the morning, another crew member is missing. On the third consecutive night, despite probable watches and locked cabin doors, there is yet, another missing person. In addition, a fourth crew member is found dead in a hallway, his/her throat ripped out!

Sinker: A shape changing beast has found its way on board and is busy killing the crew one by one, devouring the flesh and dumping the remains overboard. The creature is very intelligent and very, very malicious. It takes great enjoyment in causing confusion and chaos by killing a creature, assuming its form and watching the fear and paranoia which follows. The creature will wait for opportunities and strike when people are most vulnerable. As may be expected, the player characters themselves will be targeted by the creature.

The creature, when in disguised form, will be virtually undetectable by psionics and magic as it takes on the mental signature of the being it assimilates. The creature will naturally stick to targets who are humanoid and avoid those beings who have extraordinary powers it cannot imitate with its own psionic powers.

I have found, when getting down to eating player characters, it works best to take each character aside from the group at some point, regardless of whether or not they are the victim this maintains uncertainty among the players as to who the creature really is. It can also be fun for the player characters to role play the creature once he or she has become a victim (I usually offer experience toward a new P.C. both as compensation and as an incentive for good role-playing of the creature).

Clues can be slowly uncovered: someone hears a splash during the night; the remains of a body is found, but the identity is a mystery; someone could catch a glimpse of a strange figure, etc. Eventually, the player characters should be given enough clues to show them something is not sneaking up on the boat, but right there with them. The creature will continue killing until tripped up (perhaps it will come down to the entire crew staying together in the same spot, forcing the creature to make a rash move in order to eat). In any case, once the creature is discovered, it will try to escape to seek its murderous pleasure elsewhere.

The Creature:

Assimilator: In its True form, the Assimilator is a humanoid form roughly seven feet (2.1 m) tall. Its skin is pale gray with no distinguishable facial features. By touching another for one melee round, it can assume all physical characteristics, including the mental signature of the being touched, but must physically kill the individual to get rid of him and/or to feed. It doesn't always have to kill, and might capture, tie-up and hide somebody away while taking his/her identity to hunt and kill. It derives pleasure by using its powers to drive others into states of paranoia and fear.

And here is the statblock for 'The Assimilator':

Alignment: Diabolic

Attributes: I.Q.: 3D6, M.E.: 4D6, M.A.: 5D6, P.S.: 3D6 (Supernatural),

P.P.: 3D6, P.E.: 4D6 (Supernatural), P.B.: Variable,
Spd: 3D6

Hit Points: SeeMDC

Natural A.R.: See MDC
M.D.C.: 2D10x4+24 (G.M.s can adjust this as they see fit)

Natural Abilities: Nightvision 200ft. (61.5m); regenerate
2D6/minute; knows all humanoid languages; see invisible; track
by smell 52%; metamorphosize into another being size ranging
from 3 ft. to 9 ft. tall, including features and mental signature; invisibility,
simple as spell; bite, face transforms into huge mouth
and bite for MD damage.

Combat: 4 Physical HTH attacks per melee or 3 psionic per melee.

Damage: 3D6 SDC/1D6 MD/2D6 power punch (uses 2 melee
actions); bite: 6D6 SDC/1D6 MD power bite (uses 2 melee actions).

Additional Bonuses: +2 vs. PSI; +3 to strike; +2 on initiative

Magic: None

Psionics: 7th Level Mind Melter.

Horror Factor: 10-14: Increases 1 for every victim after the
second

Average Life Span: 250 years

Habitat: Any; likes to infiltrate populated areas

Enemies: All humanoids

Allies: None

Size: 3 ft. tall to 9 ft. tall (0.9 to 2.7 m)

Weight: 45 Ibs. To 4001bs. (18-160 kilos)
P.P.E.: 3D4
I.S.P.: M.E.xlO plus 10 per level

So, I mean, you can maybe stir-up something with the PCs, but the monster has a maximum of 64 MDC and 4 attacks (and it will only get to use one of those at best, I guarantee it). And it ain't running anywhere (other than onto a Carpet of Adhesion, maybe). Emptying one E-clip from any half decent weapon will totally vaporize the thing.

Great Scott

I have non-stats GM'ing advice.

Don't take over RPing characters that have been taken-over by the monster. Write a note to the player to let them know what happened and let them keep control of the "character".

I mean, sure, they will (eventually) need to reroll, but letting the player in on the scam is a neat way to keep things interesting.

zepherin

You could bring a rcc from the nightbane universe and bring over a reshaper. I think the conversion gives them a lot of mdc.