Designation: Red

[ Designations | Common Abilities | Special Abilities ]

This was the original focal point of Project Delta Eight for the military advisors. A human with the ability to start fires is undoubtedly a powerful asset, and the United States had to be the first. This was also the first success that Delta Eight had, though the power of the induced abilities were merely average. At this point there were no side effects. When the military overseers pressed for more and more powerful psionic abilities the experimental techniques were screened less and less for harmful effects. Thus, the experiments became more dangerous and the volunteers suffered.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, when in a Rifts^R environment you should substitute or increase the range and power and decrease the I.S.P.^tm cost to be equal to those of the Burster (page 102 of Rifts^R) and/or the Flame Panthers (page 112 of Rifts^R) South America I). Try to use the best or most powerful ability under all circumstances unless it will upset the campaign.

D8-Red Common Abilites:

Impervious to Fire and Heat: The character is totally impervious to normal heat and flames. Plasma, magic fires, and napalm do half damage. The pyro can also see in smoke with little trouble; reduce range of vision by half, speed by 10%, and add -1 to strike, parry, and dodge while in the smoke. This is an automatic ability that requires no expenditure of I.S.P.^tm.
Extinguish/Fuel Fires:
Range: 120ft plus 20ft per additional level of experience
Duration: Takes effect within a melee
I.S.P.^tm Cost: 6 for either Save Throw: Only to get out of the fire.

The character has the ability to supress or enhance the strength and intensity of a blaze. A 5ft radius area per level of experience can be affected in this way. Extinguishing fires will make the flame disappear within one melee, while fueling them will make them double in size within that same time frame.
Sense Fire:
Range: 360ft +60ft per additional level of experience
Duration: Automatic and constant
I.S.P.^tm Cost: None
Save Throw: None

The psychic can sense fires with an accuracy of 76% +4% per additional level of experience. A failed roll means only 2d4x10% of the fires are located. Sensing pertains to: the general size (candle, campfire, huge), nature (magical, arson, natural, spreading, contained, dying), direction (up, north, there), distance (near, far, very close), and duration of burn (seconds, hours, weeks) of the fire(s). Creatures made of flame (e.g. fire elementals and superbeings) are sensed automatically too, but with half the above range. Such beings can only be differentiated into their general nature (magic, supernatural, mutant, etc.) and cannot be identified.
Fire Eruption:
Range: 120ft +20ft per additional level of experience
Duration: Instant, lasts for two minutes per level
I.S.P.^tm Cost: 12
Save Throw: Dodge only

Without so much as a thought, the character can create an eruption of flame. This can take the form of a pillar, a circle, or a wall/barrier. Generally, the flames can be 5ft high +1ft per level and cover a maximum area of 36 square feet, plus four square feet per level. Thin circles or campfire sized pillars will do 2d6 damage when passed through, entire circles and large pillars do 4d6, and walls cause 6d6. Add a damage bonus of +1 for each level of the psychic. Victims take damage three times a melee if they remain in the fire. The fire also has a 75% chance of setting other things on fire, in which case it can last beyond the duration limit. To create a flame as an offensive attack requires the psychic to roll a strike roll using half his M.E. bonus (round up) as his attack bonus. A failed roll indicates that the fire erupts 2d4 yards/meters off target. Unconcious and immobile targets can be hit with a standard roll of a 1d20 (only a 1-4 is a miss).
Generate Flame:
Range: 240ft +20ft per additional level of experience
Duration: Instant
I.S.P.^tm Cost: Varies
Save Throw: Dodge

The character can generate fireballs, flame bolts, and continuous pulses of flame with ease. A fireball/flame bolt has a +2 bonus to strike, +1 at levels four and eight. Flamethrower blasts cost the below I.S.P.^tm cost times four per melee, can hit 1d4 targets +1 per level of experience, only have a +1 to strike bonus to start, and have ¼ the range (65ft +5ft per level).

Flame blasts cost 2 I.S.P.^tm per 1d6 of damage, up to 6d6 S.D.C.^tm damage. For 15 I.S.P.^tm an intense flame can be created that does 1d4x10 S.D.C.^tm damage.

In Rifts^R environments, the character can also generate M.D.C.^tm flame at a cost of 5 I.S.P.^tm per 1d6 M.D.C.^tm, with a limit of 6d6. In such an environment, double the range and the increase per level of this ability (or triple it if the range boost ability is selected).
Other Psionic Powers: The player may select any four psionic abilities from the three minor ability categories, or six from one category. Another two abilities may be selected from the minor categories at levels two, five, nine, and twelve.

D8-Red Developed Abilites:
Choose two at level one, plus one more at levels four and nine.

Pyrokinetic Flight:
Range: Self
Duration: One hour
I.S.P.^tm Cost: 20
Save Throw: None

A super-hot psychokinetic flame can be generated to carry the character up into the air. The maximum speed is 120mph plus 60mph per level of experience, and while in the air the character has an automatic dodge (takes no attacks) and a bonus of +4 to dodge. Note that the character cannot slow down or hover - the focus of this power is strictly on long-distance flight. The D8-red only needs about a 20ft distance for landing and taking off, however. A vertical take off/land is also possible. A flying ram is +2 to strike (can add bonuses from a body block) and causes 1d4x10 damage per 60mph of speed plus knockdown. The psychic also takes damage, only 2d6 per 60mph because he is largely protected by the flame. Attacking a slow-moving ground target can be done, but the psychic can only use half of his attacks against the target since it takes time to come around for another pass.
Flame Aura:
Range: Self
Duration: One minute per level
I.S.P.^tm Cost: 15
Save Throw: Dodge

A protective aura of psychokinetic fire can be generated. This aura will protect from all physical and energy attacks, and it has 100 S.D.C.^tm +10 per level of experience. Attacks do 4d6 damage (no bonuses). Combustibles within four feet have a 75% chance of going up in flames.
Multiple Combustion:
Range: 36ft +6ft per additional level of experience
Duration: Instant
I.S.P.^tm Cost: 1 per spark
Save Throw: None

This is the ability to cause multiple sparks within 10ft +2ft radius per level of experience. A maximum of 4 sparks +2 per level can be created. These sparks will start fires, and easily grow into a roaring blaze if the conditions are right. The combustible must be exposed to the open air for it to burn.
Heat Shield:
Range: Self
Duration: One minute per level of experience
I.S.P.^tm Cost: 12
Save Throw: None

By causing particles to move at high speeds within his aura, the D8-red generates a field of swriling, intensely heated air. This heat will not spread or cause things to catch fire at random - the psychic has complete control. He can even cause the heat to envelop body armor and weapons (not power armor or vehicles). Any person touching/touched by the character will take 3d6 damage. Hand to hand attacks do the physical damage, plus damage bonuses, plus the 3d6 from the heat shield. The heated air also acts as a barrier against projectiles like bullets and arrows, and they will bounce off or burn up inside the shield. Hand weapons are still effective against the character, but the shield has an A.R. of 12 and the weapons have a 50% chance of catching fire or getting too hot to hold comfortably.

For only 5 I.S.P.^tm, the character can envelop a victim in waves of debilitating heat. The range of this is 12ft, and the victims have a 80% chance of passing out for 1d4 melees. If they don't pass out, they are -3 to strike, parry, and dodge for that same duration. The main difference between this power and the Flame Aura ability is that this is much more contained. In Rifts^R the damage becomes 1d6 M.D.C.^tm.
Generate Flame (Superior):
Range: 720ft +60ft per additional level of experience
Duration: Instant
I.S.P.^tm Cost: Varies
Save Throw: Dodge

This ability effectively takes the place of the common ability, and allows the D8-red to generate even more deadly and variable bolts of flame. First, the character is no longer limited to 6d6 damage - he can create up to 10d6 (or 1d6x10) blasts which cost 20 I.S.P.^tm. They can still create a 1d4x10 blast for 15 I.S.P.^tm, too. A fireball/flame bolt has a +3 bonus to strike at level one, +1 at levels three, seven, and ten. Flamethrower blasts cost the same but can hit 1d4+2 targets +1 per level of experience with a +2 strike bonus and ¼ the range again (75ft +15ft per level).

There are also some other things that can be done to the psychic's fireballs. For double the I.S.P.^tm cost, the fireballs can explode upon impact and cause damage to a 10ft radius +2ft per level of experience. For an additional +10 I.S.P.^tm they can gain another +3 bonus to strike. Plus, if the psychic has the see aura ability (and uses it) he can view a target's aura and create a fireball that will hunt the target down! This is double the I.S.P.^tm cost, uses two attacks, and is effectively an automatic strike. Characters such as D8-blacks, nega-psychics, and those using a mind block or alter aura cannot be easily targeted like this, so use the standard bonuses with a +2 to strike.

In Rifts^R environments, the following is possible: 30 I.S.P.^tm allows a 1d4x10 M.D.C.^tm blast to be generated. The psychic can also use two attacks and 60 I.S.P.^tm to create a 2d4x10 blast. Also double the range and increase per level while in the environment.
Spontaneous Human Combustion:
Range: 12ft
Duration: Instant
I.S.P.^tm Cost: Double the M.E. of the victim
Save Throw: Standard, +2 to save

The D8-red can cause a human to burst into deadly flames with this powerful ability. However, it is a difficult challenge. The psychic must expend his I.S.P.^tm once per melee on this power. The victim must then roll a save throw. If the victim fails three times in a row to save, he bursts into flames immediately and takes 6d6 damage per melee. Yes, the 'stop, drop, and roll' method will work to extinguish the flames, but that would take 1d4 melees. The best bet is to jump into water, get in the shower, or wrap up in a blanket. Any of those will work within one melee. If the victim survives, he will be horribly burned over 1d4x10+50% of his body and need reconstructive surgery. They might even suffer insanity from trauma. Cannot be chosen until level four.