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Medical
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Animal Husbandry: This area of study provides
the character with a knowledge of the care, feeding, breeding, reproduction,
treatment and behavior of domestic animals, as well as very basic veterinary
skills for minor illness, setting a broken leg and giving birth. The animals
included under this skill are cattle, sheep, goats, horses, mules, donkeys,
ducks, chickens, and similar livestock and domesticated animals like dogs
(see horsemanship for breeding horses and breeding animals for dogs). The
percentile number indicates the degree of knowledge and skill one has about
animals and their care. Reduce the skill ability by half when caring for
captive or injured wild animals. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per
level
of experience.
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Bioengineering: Use of engineering and biological
principles for the identification of the functions of living systems and
for the development of (1) therapeutic devices, especially artificial body
parts and systems, e.g., artificial blood vessels, pacemakers, dialysis
equipment, and artificial limbs that function like their prototypes; and
(2) equipment for monitoring the performance of healthy and diseased organisms.
Base
Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. Requires: Biology,
Electrical
Engineering and
Mechanical Engineering.
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Brewing: The understanding and methods of
making fermented alcoholic beverages from grains and fruits. This specifically
includes wine, mead, ale, beer and moonshine. Stronger alcohol, such as
brandy, rum and whiskey, are not included, nor are champagnes or fine wines.
The first percentile number indicates the chance of success (a failed roll
means an undrinkable batch of booze). The second indicates the quality
of the brew - the higher the number rolled the tastier the drink. Base
Skill: 25%/30% + 5% per level of experience.
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Criminal Sciences & Forensics: Basic
knowledge of police skills including basic criminal law, fingerprinting,
ballistics (matching bullets to weapons and angles of impact), and general
investigative techniques.
Forensic medicine is the methods and techniques which enable the character
to find evidence regarding the cause of death, time of death, and other
details when examining a corpse. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level
of experience. Requires: Biology,
Chemistry,
Chemistry
Analytical, Math Advanced, and Literacy.
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Dentist: Take care of and treats the teeth
and associated oral structures. Dentists are concerned with tooth decay,
diseases of the supporting structures (such as gums), faulty positioning
of the teeth, and tooth replacements, as well as prevention of these problems.
Specialized fields of dentistry include orthodontics (corrective dentistry)
and periodontics (treatment of gum disease, such as gingivitis). Base
Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience. A failed roll means that the
teeth are not cleaned properly, or the root canal was not done correctly,
or braces were improperly placed. Note: Specializing in a specific
type of Dentistry such as orthodontics, will add +15% to the skill, but
the overall Density skill stays the same. The skill would be listed like
this Dentist/Orthodontics: 35%/50%, if you are a first level character.
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Diagnostic: This doctor of medicine
is a specialist in diagnosing the causes of disease and illness. He/she
cannot actually treat patients although he/she may be able to suggest treatment.
His/her special skill is determining and locating the cause of a malady.
Emphasis on anatomy, physiology, immunology, pathology, and requires the
additional skills of microbiology and chemistry. The same conditions (and
penalty) applies to incomplete study in this fields Listed under M.D. A
PHD is required to practice. Requires: Math:
Basic and
Advanced, Literacy,
Writing.
Base
Skill: 30% + 8% per level of experience.
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Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM): The veterinarian
is a trained animal surgeon capable of treating most commonly domesticated
animals. Has knowledge in basic anatomy, physiology, body chemistry, and
so forth. However, since he is not specializing on one particular animal,
the information tends to be more broad, though still in depth. When dealing
with largely unfamiliar animals (such as animals not usually domesticated)
a -25% penalty is imposed. Alien creatures are even more difficult: -40
to -70%, depending on how strange/different they are. The first number
is the vet's ability to accurately diagnose the problem. The second is
the ability to treat. Base Skill: 60/50% + 5% per level of experience.
Requires:
Biology,
Pathology,
Chemistry,
Math
Advanced, and Literacy.
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Entomological Medicine: Insect biology and
medicine are completely different from the normal medical skills of doctors,
and require a separate specialization. A character with First Aid skill
can help a wounded insect mutant, but anything more complex than that sill
require assistance from a medic with this skill, who will be able to cure
most insect complaints, from diseases to broken chitin. Base Skill:
40% + 5% per level of experience.
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First Aid: Rudimentary medical treatment
which includes how to bandage wounds, stop bleeding, administer CPR/artificial
respiration, and use antiseptics and common anti-inflammatory drugs and
pain killers. Base Skill: 45% + 5% per level of experience.
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Field Expedient Surgery: is the same as
the Field Surgery skill found on below. Base Skill:
16% + 4% per level of experience.
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Field Surgery: This skill reflects training
in emergency, life-saving surgical procedures that can be performed in
the field to keep critically wounded characters alive. Given the proper
tools, the surgeon character can perform amputations, suture torn arteries,
check internal bleeding, cauterize wounds, give blood transfusions and
even install cybernetic implants (penalty of -15% except if character has
basic cybernetics skill). Field expedient surgery is a dangerous proposition
that too often results in the death of the patient. Because of the risk
involved, field surgery is attempted only when it is the only chance the
wounded character has for survival! If the operation is successful, the
patient lives and can be evacuated to a hospital, but a failed roll results
in the immediate death of the patient. Base Skill: 16% + 4% per
level of experience.
Optional Guidelines for Fatal Injury Treatment: In the violent world
of Rifts, regular human and similar non-maga-damage beings are at an extreme
disadvantage. Once a human's body armor is destroyed, a single M.D. blast
will usually obliterate him/her. These guidelines are provided to give
player characters a chance, however slight, to survive a blast that would
normally evaporate the character. If the GM agrees, the character can survive
a mega-damage intensity wound if a trained medic makes a successful field
surgery skill roll.
Unless the attacker made a called shot or rolled an unmodified 19 or higher,
the character has the chance to live. The basic idea is that the M.D. blast
was partially absorbed by nearby cover or merely sheared off a limb (G.M.s,
give some reasonable explanation). Within 1D4 melee rounds after the character's
being hit, a medic character must attend to his/her injuries. If the medic
makes a successful skill roll, the character is incapacitated but survives
the attack, though just barely (reduce S.D.C. to zero and hit points are
at 1D6 above zero). A failed roll means the injured character was beyond
saving and dies an instant later. Even if the field operation succeeds,
the wounded character is in chock, crippled, may require additional extensive
surgery and is likely to require cybernetic or bionic reconstruction and
a long recovery period before he is able to adventure again. Although crippled,
the character lives (it may be appropriate to also determine an insanity
and permanent physical side-effects from the injury). Note: This
optional survival rule is also applicable to Medical and Cyber doctors.
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General Practitioner: Or family doctor,
is versed in clinical skills and most of the biological skills as listed
under M.D. in the treatment and care of the human body. The major difference
is the G.P. is not trained in the art of surgery. The same conditions for
incomplete studies as listed under M.D. also apply to this category. Base
Skill: 30% + 8% per level of experience. Requires: Math
Basic and Advanced, Chemistry
Pharmaceutical, Microbiology,
Literacy,
Writing,
and Diagnostic.
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Genetics Engineer: Group of research techniques
that manipulate the DNA (genetic material) of cells in order to change
heredity traits or produce biological products. The techniques include
the use of hybridomas (hybrids of rapidly growing cancer cells and cells
that make amounts of desired antibody) to make monoclonal antibodies, gene
splicing or recombinant DNA technique (in which the DNA of a desired gene
is inserted into the DNA of a bacterium, which then reproduces itself,
yielding more than a desired gene), and polymerize chain reaction (which
makes copies of DNA fragments and is used in DNA Fingerprinting). Genetically
engineered products include bacteria designed to efficiently break down
oil slicks and industrial waste products, drugs (human and bovine growth
hormones, human insulin, interferon), and plants that are resistant to
diseases and insects or that yield fruits or vegetables with desired quantities.
Because genetic engineering involves techniques used to obtain patents
or human genes and create patentable living organisms, it has raised many
legal and ethical issues.
Questions have also been raised about the safety of releasing into the
environment genetically altered organisms that might disrupt ecosystems.
GM's remember there is a difference between the military use and the civilian
use of Genetics Engineer. Please keep this in mind when the characters
are using this skill. Base Skill: 15% + 5% per level of experience.
Requires: Biology,
Botany,
and Math Basic and Advanced.
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Holistic Medicine: Training in the recognition,
preparation, and application of natural medicines usually made from whole
plants and/or their parts (roots, leaves, fruit). The holistic doctor is
basically a natural pharmacist and naturalist who creates drugs from vegetation
and studies common ailments. He can find and use plants to create salvs,
balms, ointments, and lotions, to soothe burns, boils, rashes, and insect
bites, reduce swelling, as well as create local anesthetics, and to heal
wounds faster (twice as quick as normal). Potions and tonics are created
to settle upset stomachs, induce drowsiness, or hallucinations. The individual
can also make alcohol and poison (hemlock and mandrake for example).
The student of herbology also has a good knowledge of plant lore and when
and where to find healing plants, edible fruit, roots, and bark, as well
as how to use and/or avoid dangerous flora. The character can also preserve
foods and knows how to set and mend bones, bandage cuts, and suture cuts.
Note: Plants are seasonal and the right root or leaf may not be
readily available in certain times of the year/season, or may be found
exclusively in remote regions. Game master should use a certain amount
of common sense and drama with this skill. Base Skill: 20% + 5%
per level of experience. A failed roll means the treatment or concoction
did not work.
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Medical Doctor: The medical doctor is a trained
surgeon and has a doctorate in the medical sciences. Areas of training
include: clinical skills, medical discipline, code of ethics, physiology
(muscle, respiratory, blood, body fluids), pathology (diseases, their structure
and function), rudimentary pharmacology (use, reaction, and interaction
of drugs), laboratory skills, and techniques and methods of data collection.
The medical doctor (M.D.) is also a trained surgeon and has a basic knowledge
regarding cybernetics. This means the M.D. can remove and attach most cybernetic
mechanisms (although at a penalty of -10%, and -40% on bionics). Base
Skill: 60/50% + 5% per level of experience. The first percentage number
is the doctor's ability to accurately diagnose the problem. The second
percentage number is the doctor's skill at successfully treating the problem.
Requires: Biology,
Pathology,
Chemistry,
Math Basic or Advanced
and Literacy.
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M.D. in Cybernetics: This doctor is a specialist
in the science of cybernetics and a master surgeon. The character has all
the basic knowledge and requirements of the regular M.D., although his
diagnostic skills are nowhere near as honed, but is a specialist in surgery
and the removal of limbs and internal organs and the surgical attachment
of cybernetic replacements (artificial organs and prosthetics). He can
also repair cybernetic prosthetics (if not too badly damaged). Base
Skill: 40/60% + 5% per level of experience. The first percentage number
is the "Cyber-Doc's" ability to accurately diagnose and treat a non-surgical
problem/illness. The second percentage number is the doctor's ability to
perform complex surgery, remove and install all types of cybernetic organs
and devices. The cyber-doc can also work on bionic implants and systems
but suffers a -15% skill penalty. Bionic sciences is much more complex
and machine oriented than cybernetics.
Note: An M.D. in Cybernetics can become a bionics surgeon (M.D.B.
in cybernetics) by selecting this cybernetics skill twice and Electrical
Engineering (and must have all the M.D. requirements). This will make
him a master in all of the cybernetic and bionic sciences. There is now
no penalty for installing bionics and there is a special bonus of +10%
added to the character's surgery skill. The M.D.B. can also repair, modify,
design, and build bionic and cybernetic devices. Game Master's Note:
One can not create a bionic implant in a garage. The character will need
access to a cybernetics or bionics laboratory to build or modify an artificial
implant. Even a high-tech medical facility will not have the necessary
components to create a cybernetic or bionic mechanism, although it may
have access to them.
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Medical - Juicer Technology: This is a medical
specialty dealing with the Juicer conversion. Note: A character needs this
skill and an M.D. in Cybernetics or Medicine to install the bio-comp and
other Juicer implants. This skill allows a doctor to supply the right drugs
to a Juicer, recognize Juicer variants, and diagnose most Juicer side effects
and syndromes.
Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience.
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Medical Instruction: The ability to
instruct others in basic medical skills and the use of medical equipment.
With this skill the character is familiar with and trained in, the style
of mental and physical pedagogy (education). The character can instruct
another individual or group in any skill they posse if it's at least 60%.
For every 10% of the base skill, there will be one weeks worth of training
(ex. If the base skill is 30%, then it will take three weeks for a trainee
to learn. A base skill of 45% will take four and a half weeks of training).
The trainee will receive upon completion of training, a base skill score
in that skill if they successfully roll equal to or beneath the base skill
number (ie. if the base skill is 56%, then after 5 weeks, 6 days of instruction
if they roll 56% or less then they have learned that skill).
Should a trainee not pass the base skill roll then they roll one six side
die (1D6) per week of training and that will be the number of additional
hours of retraining before they can reroll and attempt to gain the skill.
For base skills with odd end numbers, round up. If on the third try they
still don’t pass, they are not eligible for that skill.
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Nurse: Male or female, highly trained in
the care of the sick and injured. Skills include: CPR, first aid, the administering
of drugs, and medication; fundamental use of common medical instruments
and tools, knowledge of hospital and clinical procedure, and a working
knowledge of anatomy and physiology (enabling them to recognize/ interpret
any symptoms of disease, drugs and laboratory tests). Requires: Math:
Basic and Advanced,
Chemistry
Pharmaceutical, Microbiology,
Literacy,
Writing
and Diagnostics.
Base Skill: 30% + 5%
per level of experience.
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Paramedic: An advanced form of emergency
medical treatment which includes all first-aid techniques, the setting
of broken bones, suturing of wounds, use of oxygen and emergency medical
equipment, administering of drugs, knowledge of how to move a critically
injured person, the removal of cybernetic prosthetics, and other life-saving
techniques.
A failed roll means the patient has not responded to treatment or that
the treatment has been improperly administered. Note: For serious
injury or coma, roll three times, consecutively, on percentile dice. A
roll of two successful out of three means the wound has been properly treated
or that the patient's condition has been stabilized. Failure means the
patient's condition is unchanged. Another character can immediately attempt
to apply medical aid or the same player can try again, but only after the
character has spent six minutes for reexamination and/or concentration
on the problem. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience.
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Parapsychology: Study of paranormal
or psychic phenomena not explainable by accepted principles of science.
Modern experiments have concentrated principally on Extrasensory perception
(ESP) and psychokinesis (mental influence on physical objects). Scientists
differ to the validity of the results.
Base Skill: 30% + 3% per
level of experience.
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Pathology: This branch of medicine deals
with the nature of diseases, their cause and symptoms, and the functional
and structural changes caused by disease. Training includes anatomy, physiology,
cell biology, manifestation of disease, tissue injury and repair, abnormal
cell structure, metabolism, diagnosis of human diseases, tissue culture
methods and applications, analysis of drugs in biological samples and laboratory
research, investigative methods, and use of instruments and equipment.
Base
Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience. Requires: Biology,
Chemistry
and Literacy.
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Plastic Surgery: The ability to manipulate
a persons features, under surgery, to correct problems, or to create a
whole new appearance. Base Skill: 60% + 6% per level of experience.
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Psychiatry: Branch of medicine concerned
with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are
licensed physicians who complete a three-year residency in psychiatry after
their medical training. Modern techniques such as psychotherapy and psychoanalysis
can be traced to the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud, who turned to the
behavior and emotional history of the patient for clues to his or her psychological
disorder. Research has discovered that biological, genetic, psychological,
and social components contribute to many types of mental illness. This
causal diversity is reflected in treatment, which may include the use of
drugs that influence neurotransmitter functions in the brain, electroconvulsive
therapy (ECT), psychotherapy, and behavior therapy. Base Skill:
30 + 5% per level of experience.
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Psychobiology: Study of anatomical and
biochemical structures and processes and their effect on behavior. It is
closely related to physiological psychology. Areas of investigation include
hormonal and biochemical changes in nerves, glands, and muscles, and how
these changes influence development, emotions, and learning. Base Skill:
45% + 5% per level of experience.
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Psychology: Science or study of the
thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interaction
with their environment. Psychologists study sensory perception, emotion
and motivation, problem solving, use of language and other mental tasks
group interaction, adjustment to social and physical environment, and the
normal and abnormal development of these processes. The file is closely
allied with such disciplines as anthropology and sociology in its concerns
with social and environmental influences on behavior physics in its treatment
of vision, hearing, and touch; and biology in the study of the physiological
basis of behavior. Psychology encompasses a very broad range of specialties
and approaches including behaviorism; gestalt; neuropsychology, which studies
the interaction of brain function and behavior; and clinical psychology,
which focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems.
Base
Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.
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Psycho-Therapy: This training deals
with the principles, theories and evaluation of human behavior as they
apply to psychology. Includes, analysis, understanding and treatment of
emotional, mental, motivational, perceptual disorders; interaction of emotion,
nervous system, sensory motor mechanisms, personality assessment, alcoholism,
drug addiction, and treatment. Requires: Math:
Basic and
Advanced, Chemistry:
Pharmaceutical, Microbiology,
Literacy,
Writing
and Diagnostics.
Base Skill: 30% + 5%
per level of experience.
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Sea Holistic Medicine: Training in the recognition,
preparation, and applications of natural medicines derived from aquatic
plants/seaweed and animals, including ink, blood, poisons and other secretions
and chemicals. This skill also includes the knowledge of where to find
the necessary plants or animals, how to extract the necessary components
and some knowledge of legends as they pertain to the healing properties
of the sea and sea animals. Otherwise, the skill is fundamentally the same
as the standard holistic medicine skill. Note: The standard skill
does NOT include medicines derived from the oceans and seas, likewise,
the sea holistic knowledge does NOT include most of the land herbs and
plants (only a handful of the very most common and basic items). Base
Skill: 20% + 5% per level of experience. A failed roll means the treatment
or concoction did not work.
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Specialist: This is a doctor of medicine
who specializes in one or two areas of study/medicine. General knowledge
includes biology, anatomy, physiology and clinical/laboratory skills and
instruments. Specific areas may include: Audiology (Sound/hearing), bio-chemistry,
internal medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology,
ophthalmology (muscle/skeletal), otolaryngology (ear, nose, throat), pediatrics,
physiology (internal organs), radiationoncology, and radiology. A PH.D
is required. Requires: Math: Basic
and Advanced, Chemistry:
Pharmaceutical, Microbiology,
Literacy,
Writing
and Diagnostics.
Base Skill: 20% +5% per
level of experience.
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Surgeon: This person must study most of
the same medical areas as listed under the M.D., with an emphasis on anatomy,
physiology, pathology and expert in surgical techniques. This doctor of
medicine is a specialist in surgery. The same conditions (and penalty)
for incomplete studies as noted under M.D. also apply to this category.
A pH D is required to practice.
Requires: Math:
Basic and
Advanced, Chemistry:
Pharmaceutical, Microbiology,
Literacy,
Writing
and Diagnostics.
Base Skill: 30% + 5%
per level of experience.
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Radiation Technology - Medical: This
training includes a knowledge of radiation and its interaction with matter;
use as a diagnostic tools (radiography, X-ray, fluoroscopy, mammography,
topography, etc.), the physics of nuclear medicine with emphasis on imaging,
radiation therapy, radio biology (interaction with cells) and a practiced
familiarity with techniques, interpretation, and instruments. A master's
degree is required for professional activities; incomplete studies in this
area could provide a position as a radiological lab assistant. Requires: Math:
Basic and Advanced,
Microbiology,
Literacy,
Writing
and Some Nuclear Physics as relating
to this skill. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience.
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Toxicology: This is a specialty in medicine
that deals with poisons, venoms and toxins, their manufacture, composition
and antidotes. This skill is useful for both healers and assassins. A successful
skill roll will help determine if poisons have been used on somebody and
even the general type of poison/toxin used (a definite answer may require
an autopsy and the forensics skill). Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level
of experience. Requires: Biology,
Chemistry
and Literacy.
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Veterinarian: Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
of animal diseases. They usually specialize in either small animals such
as pets, or large animals, or such as horses and farm animals, and/or reptiles.
This involves the anatomy, behavior, etc. of the specific type of animal
that the veterinarian is specialized in. The character will also know how
to create antibiotics for certain animal diseases only.
The veterinarian skill also gives the character specific knowledge about
the behavior, habits, evolution, physiology, cells, anatomy, and genetics
of animals. This knowledge enables the character to prepare antidotes for
various diseases like rabies, venom from snakes, disarming skunks, etc.
This knowledge enables the character to perform surgery, remove glands
and sacs of poison or chemicals, prepare antidotes to poisons (from all
reptiles and animals only) and the care, keeping, and medical treatment
of wildlife animals, including bears, cougars, etc. Base Skill:
35%/25% + 5% per level of experience. The first number is the character's
general knowledge. The second number is specific medical and scientific
applications, including making antibodies to poison, capturing animals
without killing them (+10 to hunt/kill), surgery (animals only; -60% on
humanoids), and the care, keeping and medical treatment of animals. Note:
-30% when dealing with alien and mutant life forms. Requires: Microbiology,
Math:
Basic and Advanced,
Literacy,
Writing
and Chemistry Pharmaceutical.
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