Setting Rules - The Unique Mechanics of Rifts Earth

Understanding Setting Rules

Every Savage Worlds setting switches on a handful of setting rules - optional tweaks to the core rules - and sometimes adds its own (how that works in general: Setting Rules). Think of Rifts' setting rules as the physics of Rifts Earth. Just as gravity works differently on the moon than on Earth, heroism, death, and survival work differently on Rifts Earth than in other Savage Worlds settings.

This part explains what each rule is for and how it shapes play. Exact numbers and tables are in the Player's Guide and the Game Master's Handbook, so they aren't restated here.

graph TD A[Rifts Setting Rules] --> B[Core Rules] A --> C[Survival Rules] A --> D[Power Rules] A --> E[Technology Rules] B --> F[Born a Hero] B --> G[Conviction] B --> H[More Skill Points] B --> I[Wound Cap] C --> J[Blaze of Glory] C --> K[Blood & Gore] C --> L[Death & Defeat] D --> M[Siphoning PPE] D --> N[Ley Line Effects] E --> O[Technical Difficulties] E --> P[Vehicle Fatigue] style A fill:#e74c3c,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:3px style J fill:#f39c12,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:2px style K fill:#c0392b,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:2px

Core Setting Rules - The Foundation

Several of Rifts' setting rules are standard options from the core rules, switched on here. They work as written there (see Setting Rules); what matters is why Rifts turns them on.

Born a Hero - Starting Powerful

In most settings, you start as a novice and work your way up. In Rifts, you start as someone who's already survived the unsurvivable. You're not a farmhand who picked up a sword - you're a warrior who's already faced demons and lived to tell about it. Born a Hero lets you ignore Rank requirements for Edges when you create your character, representing that hard-won past.

Real Example: Sarah is making a Cyber-Knight. Normally she would have to wait until a later Rank for one of the Cyber-Knight's advanced Edges, but with Born a Hero she can start with it, representing years of training before joining the Tomorrow Legion.

Conviction - Moments of Destiny

Sometimes, in the heat of battle or the depths of despair, heroes find an inner strength they didn't know they had. Conviction captures these pivotal moments: spend it and an extra d6 joins your rolls for a short burst of destiny. The mechanics are the core Conviction rule; in Rifts, look for it at the moments below.

Earning Conviction: In a Rifts campaign, the GM might award Conviction when:

More Skill Points - Competent Heroes

Rifts heroes aren't just tough - they're skilled. The extra skill points from this core option mean you can be good at fighting AND know how to repair your gear, or be a scholar who can also survive in the wilderness.

Wound Cap - Survivable Devastation

Even in a world of Mega Damage, there's a limit to how much punishment one attack can inflict: Wound Cap limits how many Wounds a single hit can cause.

Why This Matters: That dragon's breath that would otherwise shred you is capped. You're still probably dying, but at least you have a chance to Soak and survive.

Blaze of Glory - Choosing Your End

This is perhaps the most powerful and thematic rule in Rifts. When death comes calling, heroes can choose to make it mean something.

flowchart TD A[Character Would Die] --> B{Player Choice} B -->|Accept Death| C[Roll on Death Table] B -->|Blaze of Glory| D[Declare Epic End] D --> E[Final Heroic Push] E --> F[Survive Until Chosen Moment] F --> G[Epic Death Scene] C --> H[Various Outcomes] H --> I[Actual Death] H --> J[Permanent Injury] H --> K[Miraculous Survival] style D fill:#f39c12,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:3px style G fill:#e74c3c,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:3px

Real Example: Marcus the Glitter Boy is overwhelmed by a Brodkil horde. Instead of rolling to die ingloriously, he declares Blaze of Glory and tells the GM: "I want to hold the bridge until the refugees escape, then bring it down with my last Boom Gun shot." The GM agrees, and Marcus plays out his heroic last stand.

The Power of Choice

Blaze of Glory isn't about avoiding death - it's about making death meaningful. Your character WILL die, but they'll die as a hero, not a statistic.

Blood & Gore - The Reality of Mega Damage

Mega Damage doesn't just hurt - it obliterates. This rule makes combat visceral and reinforces why Mega Damage armor is essential.

Healing Penalties

When you're trying to patch up someone who took a rail gun burst, it's not easy. Under this rule, a patient's Wounds make the Healing roll harder (the core Healing rules are in Interludes & Downtime). This makes combat medics and healing powers incredibly valuable.

Death & Defeat - When Heroes Fall

Not everyone chooses Blaze of Glory. Sometimes fate decides. The Death & Defeat table provides varied outcomes when characters would die, keeping stories interesting even in defeat.

The Range of Outcomes: The Death & Defeat table runs from worst to best roughly like this (the actual roll and odds are in the Game Master's Handbook):

Result What It Means
The End Death claims you. Time for a new character.
Mangled Alive but forever changed - physically and mentally.
Coma Out of action for days, maybe weeks.
Hard Recovery Beaten down but not out. Long recovery ahead.
Down But Not Out Injured but still fighting!
Not Today Superficial wounds. Lucky you.
Near Death Experience Changed by the experience in mysterious ways.

Siphoning PPE - The Economy of Magic

Magic isn't just personal - it can be shared, stolen, or sacrificed. This rule creates a magical economy where power flows between beings.

graph LR A[PPE Sources] --> B[Personal PPE] A --> C[Ambient PPE] A --> D[Ley Line PPE] A --> E[Blood Sacrifice] B --> F[Willing Transfer] C --> G[Every Living Being Has Some] D --> H[Plentiful on Ley Lines] E --> I[Death Surge - EVIL!] F --> J[Given Freely] F --> K[Must Be Close By] F --> L[Must Use Immediately] style E fill:#8b0000,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:2px style I fill:#8b0000,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:2px

Practical Example: The party's Ley Line Walker is out of PPE but needs one more spell. The Cyber-Knight standing beside him freely offers his own small reserve of PPE. The Walker now has enough to cast with, but must use it right away or lose it.

The Dark Side

A living being releases a surge of PPE at the moment of death, and dark practitioners harvest it through blood sacrifice. This is ALWAYS an evil act. The Tomorrow Legion fights against those who use such methods.

Technical Difficulties - When Tech Fails

High-tech gear is powerful but not perfectly reliable. When you roll a Critical Failure (see Core Rules) while using advanced technology, something goes wrong - anything from a brief glitch to a breakdown that needs a proper Repair job.

What Can Malfunction:

Story Impact: A glitch in your laser rifle during a firefight isn't just a mechanical penalty - it's a moment of drama. Does your character have a backup weapon? Can the Operator jury-rig a fix mid-combat?

Vehicle Fatigue - The Wear of Travel

Vehicles in Rifts Earth traverse hellish landscapes. This rule simulates the toll that takes.

The Breakdown: The longer a vehicle runs without rest and maintenance, the harder its driver's rolls become, with the penalty growing over a long day of travel.

When Vehicles Get Tired: Failed rolls mean the vehicle gains Fatigue. Too much Fatigue and it breaks down. Smart groups carry spare parts and have someone with Repair.

Ley Lines - Environmental Rules

While not listed as a specific Setting Rule, ley lines fundamentally alter how the world works. Understanding their effects is crucial.

graph TD A[Ley Line Effects] A --> B[Magic Enhancement] A --> C[Danger Increase] A --> D[Travel Options] B --> E[Boosted Range/Duration] B --> F[Stronger Effects] B --> G[Faster PPE Recovery] C --> H[Dynamic Backlash] C --> I[Rift Possibility] C --> J[Attracts Supernatural] D --> K[Ley Line Walking] D --> L[Instant Communication] D --> M[Phasing Between Points] style B fill:#9b59b6,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:2px style C fill:#e74c3c,stroke:#fff,stroke-width:2px

Practical Application - Putting It Together

Combat Scenario with Setting Rules

The Setup: Your team is ambushed by Coalition forces. Sarah (Cyber-Knight) is badly wounded.

  1. Blood & Gore: Sarah took Mega Damage without MDC armor. She rolls on the Injury table and loses her left arm.
  2. Technical Difficulties: Tom's rail gun jams (Critical Failure). The severity roll says it's a serious problem - he'll be firing at a penalty until it's fixed.
  3. Death & Defeat: Sarah goes down again. Instead of dying, the Death & Defeat roll comes up Hard Recovery.
  4. Conviction: Marcus spends his Conviction Token for the extra d6, taking down the Enforcer.
  5. Vehicle Fatigue: The team's ATV has been running since dawn, so Elena's driving roll takes a penalty as they escape.

Downtime with Setting Rules

After Combat:

The Meta Impact

These Setting Rules work together to create the Rifts experience:

Remember This

Setting Rules aren't limitations - they're the physics that make Rifts Earth unique. They create moments of drama (Technical Difficulties), epic endings (Blaze of Glory), and force creative solutions (Siphoning PPE). They're not obstacles to fun; they're the building blocks of unforgettable stories.

Embrace them. Use them. Let them shape your legend in the Tomorrow Legion.

Next: how combat itself plays out on Rifts Earth, from Mega Damage firefights to power armor brawls...

© 2026 Ray de la Paz. The Savage Worlds Guide. All rights reserved. · Ray's House of Fun
Rifts® is a registered trademark of Palladium Books Inc. Savage Worlds is a trademark of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. This guide is an unofficial fan resource.