Two Different Arcane Backgrounds?

[SeeleyOne]

Yeah, put "PPE" or something in the trapping so you know which it is for.

The main issue is keeping the power points separate. There are ways for the powers.

Another way for powers to be distinct is to have a version for the Edge for New Power where you show which it is in a drop-down. This would make it so that you can look at the list of Edges and it will differentiate it for you "Power(Magic)(Bolt)" and "Power(Psionic)(Telekinesis)". For this to work the new power is "New Power(Magic)" or "New Power(Psionic)" which then have a dropdown for Components.Power for powers that are on the hero, with the Short Name (at the bottom of the listing in the editor). You could either make it two New Power Edges and select which one you want, or you could have it be one with a dropdown of its own that uses two simples, one for magic, the other for psionics. In either case, have the Arcane Background be set to 0 powers, but then it bootstraps the relevant New Power edge multiple times, like 2 times for magic and 2 times for psionics or whatever it is, which is a reason to make 2 separate versions instead of the dropdown with simples.

[salcor]

You could also do the same thing with power points. Set up power points to choose between ISP and PPE. The set the arcane background pp to 0 and bootstrap the appropriate number of pp upgrades.

[SeeleyOne]

I wonder if an eval script can be made to have the Power Points as shown on the Arcane Tab and over the powers on a printed sheet to have it show two values, much like how Toughness can show the (armor). So it could be PPE / ISP or whatever.

[TCArknight]

Definitely some good thoughts here.

I have a feeling it's going to take a combination of several to get it working right. One of the biggest issues I see is in selecting the powers. There are some powers that are just Arcane, some that are just Psionic, and some that are both. If I can get the ISP /PPE working like I want, I should be able to figure that out then...

[SeeleyOne]

This is why I was recommending a New Power that has you get a new power and then marks it with the type afterwards.

1) Add New Magic Power or New Psionic Power Edge
2) Go to Arcane tab and add a power
3) Go to Edge tab and select that power.

This is probably the simplest way that I can think of to do this.

There are two options for 4)

4a): Have the new power edge print and just say "Power(psionic)(powername)" or "Power(magic)(powername)".

4b): Do not have the new power edge print. Instead, have it hold an eval script that will add "Psi" or "Mag" to the name of the power. You could have it append "both" if they both chose that power. I would recommend doing this in a mechanic that only runs when the character has that arcane background. The script in the mechanic (which does not need a source, but should be unique) will be something like this:

Final 5010

~ Turn on only if a mystic whatever it is but I am too lazy to look it up
if (hero.tagis[Edge.edgSRMystic] = 1) then
   var powerName as string
   var powerType as string
   var bothOfThem as number

   ~ Iterate through the known Powers.
   foreach pick in hero from Power
      powerName = eachpick.field[name].text
      powerType = ""
      bothOfThem = 0


      ~ Loop through the New Power Edges
      foreach pick in hero from Edge
         if (eachpick.tagis[Edge.edgSRNPMag] <> 0) then
            if (compare(powerName, eachpick.field[usrChosen1].chosen.field[name].text) = 0) then
               powerType = "Mag"
               bothOfThem += 1
            endif
         endif

         if (eachpick.tagis[Edge.edgSRNPPsi] <> 0) then
            if (compare(powerName, eachpick.field[usrChosen1].chosen.field[name].text) = 0) then
               powerType = "Psi"
               bothOfThem += 1
            endif
         endif
      nexteach

       if(bothOfThem) = 2 then
          powerType = "Both"
       endif

       ~ Change the Power Name to show the type
       eachpick.field[livename].text = eachpick.field[name].text & "( " & powerType & ")"
   nexteach
endif

[Basara549]

For those not familiar with Rifts.

1. There are Psionic classes in the original Palladium system, and there are Magic-user classes.
2. The Mystic is an oddball because it's a Magic-user class that is also a high-end psi. Both power pools are completely different in calculation, and have completely different choices in that system. It's also odd in that, instead of being a scholarly pursuit, the class/framework is a calling/innate state of being. You don't LEARN to be a Mystic. You pursue a lifestyle of self-exploration, and MAY wake up to find yourself a mystic, if not actually born into the role.
3. In the SW version (hereafter referred to as Savage Rifts, or SR), Psis have acquired some of the abilities that were previously only magic-based (for instance, access to teleportation based abilities). So, there is more crossover in SR, but the pools and abilities will remain separate.

4. Establishing the ability to have both for things other than Mystics IS VITALLY IMPORTANT for Savage Rifts.
a. The main reason is that MANY of the NPC/Monster races of the setting have both, at even higher levels than the Mystic, and will get converted either officially or by players.
b. the SECOND, and probably more important for a character builder viewpoint, is that fully 25% of the Human populace HAS PSIONICS of some sort (and the non-humans range from non-psi, to human levels, to being fully psionic races), and this means that if converted over from an existing Palladium character, that player will almost certainly insist that their psi powers come with them - and since 25% of all humans are psis, that means that a LOT of the standard caster types will have some sort of minor psi pool that stands separate from their arcane Iconic Framework's pool.

I don't know if Pinnacle's addressed this in the books (I've not read through my package yet, and not really looked at the material since the original rough versions of the PDFs were released), but if players are familiar with the original setting, the SR game master may find it tough going if they try to deny the original version's minor psi chances, or take them away in conversion of existing characters from one system to another.

[salcor]

For Savage Rifts the dual Arcane Background is not only vital to the Mystic, but the Dragon Iconic Framework as well.

Salcor