*Or Using Skeleton Six Packs A TO Z*

Spell casters, power tattooes, and entities, have the option to Animate and Control Dead (skeletons: typically 1–2 attacks per melee, basic S.D.C./H.P., and simple command obedience). But the animated skeleton is nearly useless against Rifts Combatants without a gimmick. Some general musing on using this magic.

A) LOCATION. The optimal place to cast this spell seems to be a predator's cave strewn with prey bones. A mourge or cemetery has bodies sealed away so they would have to work free first. A Rifts battlefeild often has vaporized or cremated corpses from MD weapons, so the kill must come from other means for intact bodies.

B) BONES: The skeletons are SDC unless added conversion spell (SDC to MDC). MDC creatures have MDC shells and bones but this 7th level spell doesn't animate them. Do fossils work? Would a secondary casting reassemble a pulverized skeleton? Is the entire skeleton required?? Can a headless skeleton "see"???

C) COMBAT: Skeleton Pack is slow and weak in Rifts, but they can remain perfectly still, silent, and cold until activated. Biggest draw back is SDC bodies. MDC ARMOR: Spell likely easiest¹ option for a mage. Scrap armor or alloy is an option. Complete armor also functions as a Disguise (such as Dead Boy Armor)

CC) WEAPONS: skeleton packs are poor weapon users. Can't use MODERN weapons. Start with SDC rusty ancient melee and Bony claws. Other Option (cheap to rich): rocks, thrown bomb, vibro blade, magic melee, talisman. Skeleton Archers?

D) RANGE: Necromancer needs to stay relatively close . Likely in center of. Pack and disguised as a skeleton. Can they be left behind standing in rank and file?

E) SHAPE: I assume the spell automatically assembles the skeletons from scattered bones or this would be a ritual spell. On the other hand, limbs and skulls bolted to objects could be animated like a skeletal assembly line or coat rack. Natural human and animal shapes are a given. Custom shapes might alter combat stats or add HF. Would custom Skeleton Assembling be an art or medical skill test? How do skeleton sharks swim?? Poorly.

F) AMBUSH: The concealment of a prepared ambush can be a thin layer of dirt, swallow water, skeleton motif decoration (ie Aztec temple, catacombs, taxidermy), total darkness, hung from a tree or rafters to swing into foes.

G) HF: Use Horror Factor to herd people or cause panic. Just a stumbling block for Adv. Might be way to increase Horror factor??? A host for vermin, maggots, and disease inspired fear as well.

H) DISTRACTION or DISGUiSE: Skeletons are pretending to be something they are not: students, Bodyguards, rioters, line of customers, dancers, clowns, procession, patrol under command of NM. If a group of "people" suddenly collapse, authorities come to investigate giving the Caster an opportunity to slip by or slip away.

I) TURN DEAD: Only affects Animated Dead

J) BULLET SPONGE & SENSOR DECOYS: To enemy radar and optics systems, they register as an advancing squad of ground troops. They soak incoming MD volleys, trigger ambushes, reveal enemy sniper positions, and exhaust the defender's attacks per melee before your real ATTACK hits.

K) "DEAD-BOYS" ( Literally): Make your own Skele-Bots. Frequent during the Coalition Wars.

L) SURPRESSION FIRE: While animated dead lack modern combat skills, they can follow simple commands like "hold this trigger" and "press this button". By acting like a tripwire for stationary MD rail guns, machine-guns, or area-denial flamethrowers set on tripods, they can temporarily surpress foes at least. Even with "WILD" -6 strike penalties, a burst spray along a narrow corridor or trench is a deadly hazard.

M) MINERS (Unskilled Labor): Work 24/7 but need supervision. Undead never suffer from exhaustion, muscle fatigue, or sleep deprivation. Chain a squad of animated dead to a massive crank, water pump, or kinetic flywheel to generate continuous mechanical power for a remote base or wilderness camp without burning precious fuel or emitting a heat signature. LL Nexus increases Duration and range. Use as disposable sappers.

N) BEATERS (Mine Sweeper & Trap Breaker): During a hunt a line of beaters will continuously make noise to drive game towards the hunters. When advancing through areas fortified by the Coalition States or local warlords, send a wave of skeletons carrying heavy metal shields or logs ahead of the convoy to detonate pressure-plate landmines, tripwires, and magical wards.

O) ORGANLESS: Hazardous Environment Recovery: Skeletons have no metabolism. They are completely immune to:

* Horror Factor: fearless puppets

* Stench: no sense of smell.

* Bright Light or Sound: no eyes or ears

* HardRadiation (leaking nuclear engines, Pre-Rifts ruins)

* Bio-warfare agents, lethal neurotoxins, and toxic gas

* Vacuum, underwater pressure depths, and zero-oxygen pockets

* Disease: can still spread disease.

P) PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE

* Returning Dead: Send KIA back to the front lines to anger and discourage foe.

* "FASLE REINFORCEMENTS": Station disguised skeletons in the cab and gunners' nests of your APCs or landing craft. From a distance, scouts see a heavily crewed, vigilant convoy, deterring opportunists without requiring live personnel on watch duty.

* "No Return" Tasks: Reuse the fallen for simple yet highly exposed battlefield tasks such as digging ditches, filling sand bags, breaking battlelines, carring ammo, cutting wire, retrieving bodies and gear, bearing torches, gathering wood, delivering messages, etc.

* Spread Disease & Polute Waters: Festering

* Smuggling Contraband: Skeletons and intact corpses have hollow cavities. Use the rib cages or abdominal cavities of animated deads to smuggle high-value gems, small TW devices, data-chips, or contraband past checkpoints where life-sign scanners would otherwise detect heat, heartbeat, breathing, brainwaves, PPE, etc.

* Artwork or Performance: Gruesome furniture, fashion dolls, or mimes for an artistic necromancer. Each skeleton can stay rigid between castings.

Q) QUARANTINE (Zero-Contact): Imagine a building sealed due to disease, toxin, flooding, or infestation. Instead of creating a breach, the mage seizes control of an ancient corpse to investigate or other task. Using ghostwalk, cameras, or clairvoyant view, control a squad of animated dead to access sensitive data disks, artifacts, or trapped survival pods without risking the contagion or possession enitity jumping to a living host. Have to overcome range and LOS limitations.

R) REACTOR CORE REPLACEMENT: This necromancy is combined with the tele-mechanics of Techno-Wizardary to deal with the nuclear plants of Rifts vehicles and robots. Simiar to hazmat salvage, but includes SKILLED LABOR. The skeleton is a threat as well as due to the radiation leakage. Something a Necro-Tech might create.

S) SYMIPHORE: silent long-range communication

T) TREADMILL "NO SWEAT SHOP": A skeleton crewed sewing machine or similar device powered by legs/feet. Add something to match a pattern for mass production.

U) UNDERWATER: Use them to salvage sunken cargo, clear wreckage, or hide artifacts in the sea. NM can be in a glass bottom boat above.

V) VOLATILE: Bones are treated to chemically react such as soaked in asbestos, formaldehyde, gunpowder, petroleum, cyanide, etc.

W) WALKING MINE: Explodes on contact or com and. Can be disguised as a civilian or refugee. Breaching charge to lead attack.

X) XYLOPHONE: skeleton marching band

Y) YOKED: used like draft animals

Z) ZAPPER: on contact releases an electric charge from a hidden battery. Need insulating rubber boots.

Different from Palladium gnomes...

Tinkering Gnome (Optional Player Race)

Originating from a dimension with low P.P.E., the Tinkering Gnome is a species of diminutive humanoid engineers. In the world of Rifts, they are often found in bustling tech-hubs like the Burbs of the Coalition States, Lazlo, or the Black Market, elbow-deep in scrap metal and circuits.  They lack the supernatural strength or magical aptitude of other D-Bees, but they make up for it with a natural, almost instinctual grasp of mechanics and electronics. A Tinkering Gnome can look at a pile of junk and rebuild a plasma ejector, a hovercycle, or a clockwork defense turret without blueprints.

Statistical Data

• Alignment: Any, though they tend to lean towards Unprincipled (Selfish) or Scrupulous (Good). Their curiosity often overrides local laws.
• Lifespan: 120 to 150 years.
• Size: 3 feet +1D12 inches tall.
• Weight: 40 +1D12 x3 pounds.
• Hit Points: P.E. attribute number + 1D6 per level of experience.
• Base S.D.C.: 20 (plus any additions from physical skills).
• M.D.C.: None. They are mortal S.D.C. beings and must rely on M.D.C. body armor or power armor to survive combat.
• Horror Factor: None.
• Magic: None
• Psionics: None

Attributes (Roll)

Since their physical stature is small, their strength and speed are lower than an average human, but their intellect and manual dexterity are exceptional.

Attribute	Dice Roll	Description
I.Q.	3D6+6	Highly intelligent and analytical.
M.E.	3D6	Average mental endurance.
M.A.	2D6+2	Reads machinery better than social cues.
P.S.	2D6+2	Small stature; rarely physically imposing.
P.P.	3D6+4	Incredible manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
P.E.	3D6	Average physical endurance.
P.B.	3D6	Average beauty (often covered in grease).
Spd	2D6+3	Short legs make them relatively slow runners.

(Note: If P.P. or I.Q. rolls are 16 or higher before bonuses, they still get the extra 1D6 for exceptional attributes as per standard Palladium rules).

Natural Abilities

1. Micro Vision & Digit Control:
Tinkering gnomes have highly specialized eyes that act almost like natural magnifying glasses. They possess perfect 20/20 vision and can focus on microscopic details without eye strain. Furthermore, their small, nimble fingers allow them to work on delicate electronics, cybernetics, and clockwork mechanisms with ease.

• Bonus: +10% to all Electrical, Mechanical, and Cybernetic skills.

2. Innate Jury-Rigging:
A Tinkering Gnome can temporarily fix broken machinery, patch armor, or hot-wire electronics using scrap parts and sheer ingenuity. This temporary fix takes half the normal time and requires minimal tools.

• Mechanic: The jury-rigged repair restores 1D4x10% of the item's M.D.C./S.D.C. or functionality. However, the fix is unstable and will only last for 1D4 hours (or 1D4 uses for weapons) before breaking down completely.

3. Small Target:
Because of their flexibility and constant habit of scurrying under workbenches and machinery, tinkering gnomes are harder to hit in combat.

• Bonus: +1 to Dodge, +2 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact,

4. Salvage Instincts:
Gnomes have a nose for valuable tech. They gain a flat +15% bonus to the Find Contraband, Salvage, and Recycle skills and it is always a selectable skill for every OCC.  

Vulnerabilities & Limitations

• Size Disadvantage: Their gnome size means they cannot wear human body armor or pilot human-sized power armor without heavy modifications (costs 20% to 50% more to customize). Human-sized heavy weapons (like a Borg rail gun or heavy plasma cannon) cannot be wielded without a severe penalty (-4 to strike) due to weight and recoil.
• Zero Supernatural Affinity: They cannot cast spells or fuel magic, have minimal P.P.E. base (only 1D4 P.P.E. total), and cannot be psionics (I.S.P. is 0).

Available O.C.C.s (Occupational Character Classes)

Tinkering Gnomes are drawn to technology and information. They neither select any Magic O.C.C. (Ley Line Walker, Shifter, etc.), Psionic O.C.C. (Mind Melter, Burster), nor human-only combat classes like the Juicer or Crazy (the tech is incompatible).
Recommended Classes:

• Operator: The absolute perfect fit. Gnomes excel here.
• Rogue Scholar / Rogue Scientist: Highly common.
• City Rat / Hacker: Their dexterity and tech affinity make them legendary slicers.
• Cyber-Doc: Excellent at the delicate microsurgery required for bionics.
• Robot Pilot: As long as the cockpit is modified for their size, they love driving giant mechs.
• Vagabond: For a gnome who just wanders the world looking for neat junk.

Bionics and Cybernetics

They have no aversion to cybernetics and frequently install sensory augments (like a multi-optic eye or gyro clock calendar) or tool-based prosthetics (like a finger-jack or laser). However, they rarely undergo full cyborg conversion, as they prefer to build external machines rather than give up their natural sense of touch. If they do get bionics, they must be custom-made for their small frame.

Wonder-World is an abandoned pocket dimension theme park that has been taken over by a malevolent entity. The adventures must travel across the boardwalk, through the midway, into the Fun Haus, and defeat the Amalgam. Threats are MDC traps, creatures, and puzzles. 

Laufey

The Needle-Branch, Wily Mother, The Fading Willow

Divine Profile

• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (CN)
• Pantheon: Norse
• Portfolio: Adoption, Grief, Wine, Secrets, Tattoos
• Domains: Chaos, Plant, Trickery, Void
• Subdomains: Deception, Decay, Isolation, Growth
• Favored Weapon: Short Spear
• Symbol: A willow leaf pierced by a bloody needle.
• Sacred Animal: Needlefish
• Sacred Colors: Pale green and magenta

Cult and Cleric Perks

Channel Negative Energy

Clerics of Laufey typically channel negative energy. Rather than dealing raw damage, many of her clerics utilize variant channeling to inflict physical frailty.
Variant Channeling (Weakness):

• Harm: Creatures failing their saves take a channel penalty on Strength-based skill checks, combat maneuver checks, and weapon damage rolls equal to the channel energy's d6 dice (minimum 1) for 1 round.

Unique Spell Rules

Clerics, inquisitors, and antipaladins of Laufey can prepare the following spells as if they were on their class spell list:

• 1st Level: Ray of Enfeeblement
• 3rd Level: Diminish Plants
• 4th Level: False Alibi
• 5th Level: Waves of Fatigue

Obedience and Boons

To earn Laufey's favor, a devotee must perform a daily Deific Obedience.

Obedience:

Find a healthy, living plant and carefully hollow out a small section of its stalk or trunk without killing it. Hide a small token of a lie or a stolen secret inside, then seal it with wax or mud. Spend an hour whispering false promises to the plant, meditating on how easily the strong can be brought low by a single, hidden flaw.

• Benefit: You gain a +4 profane bonus on saving throws against exhaustion, fatigue, and any effects that cause Strength damage or drain.

Evangelist Boons

1. Fey-Touched Guile (Sp): disguise self 3/day, entangle 2/day, or ray of exhaustion 1/day
2. Sap the Might (Su): Whenever you successfully hit a creature with a javelin, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your HD + your Wisdom modifier) or become fatigued for 1\text{d}4 rounds. If the target is already fatigued, they become exhausted instead.
3. Thorn-Choked Mirage (Sp): You can cast wall of thorns once per day. The wall is completely invisible to anyone outside of a 10-foot radius, acting as a sudden, horrific trap for charging foes.

Exalted Boons

1. Blight-Weaver (Sp): charm person 3/day, barkskin 2/day, or poison 1/day
2. Withering Touch (Su): Three times per day, you can make a melee touch attack to deliver the crushing weight of vulnerability. The target gains Vulnerability to a single energy type or physical weapon damage type of your choice for 1 minute. A successful Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your HD + your Wisdom modifier) negates this effect.
3. Mother of Monsters (Sp): You can cast summon monster VII once per day, but you can only use it to summon 1D3 advanced wood giants, or a single pod-spawned clone of a powerful beast.

Sentinel Boons

1. Needle-Thrower (Sp): longstrider 3/day, tree shape 2/day, or poisoned egg 1/day
2. Splinter-Strike (Su): When you throw a javelin, you can choose to have it shatter into a spray of toxic wooden shards upon impact. In addition to normal damage, all creatures within a 10-foot radius of the target must succeed at a Reflex save or take 3\text{d}6 piercing damage and be entangled for 1 round by rapidly growing briars. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier.
3. The Great Leveler (Su): Once per day as a swift action, you can imbue your next javelin attack with divine frailty. If the attack hits, the target's physical damage reduction (DR) and spell resistance (SR) are completely bypassed and reduced to 0 for 1\text{d}6 rounds. No saving throw is allowed against this reduction.

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