Mecha Ninja Ranger Paradigmatic Framework

Across the Megaverse® – in over threescore universes and parallel realities – god-like beings of wisdom and goodness channel their will through chosen champions, squads – or sentai – of young beings given the power and responsibility of Mecha Ninja Rangers. Tasked with battling terrible creatures of evil, inevitably some of these young heroes found themselves on Rifts® Earth.

Some Ninja Rangers are barely aware of their transcendent destinies, ascribing their powers to mere technology as their benefactors work in mysterious ways, but most are openly approached and offered a choice. Like Cyber-Knights, these champions are compelled to uphold a code of honor and heroism or else lose their powers. The sponsors then implant artificial psionic capability in their chosen champions (usually teenagers, as their bodies and psyches are quicker to recover than adults but their minds are better-developed than children) and fuse their psyches to incredible TW battle machines.

These battle machines – or mecha – are powerful Techno-Wizard robot armors with the astonishing ability to combine together into larger and even more powerful forms. The mecha can enhance and focus Mecha Ninja Rangers’ psionic abilities; they even display rudimentary personalities of their own, punishing those who are untrue to the Ninja Ranger code. It’s theorized by some that the mecha are powered by captive elemental spirits, but it seems that Ninja Rangers’ mysterious benefactors may instead awaken the natural spirits inherent in all metal and electricity.

Despite their immense power, the benefactors of Mecha Ninja Rangers must still limit their sentai to no more than five to fifteen members apiece, meaning they will never be as large and successful a force for good as the Cyber-Knights. At this time, perhaps five teams from different worlds have been drawn to Rifts® Earth. 

HERO'S JOURNEY

As Cyber-Knight

MECHA NINJA RANGER ABILITIES AND BONUSES

• Leap into Battle: Mecha Ninja Rangers train to leap astonishing distances. They can jump 2” vertically and 4” horizontally; a successful Strength roll grants 1” additional distance. 
• Mecha: Mecha Ninja Rangers are trained in the use of highly advanced TW vehicles and robot armors that do not interfere with their psionics. These mecha possess (or perhaps are possessed by) a rudimentary sapience that allows them to come when summoned, but otherwise require their pilots to function. See below for a typical mecha.
• Mecha Pilot: Depending on whether their mecha of choice takes the form of a vehicle or robot armor, the Ninja Ranger begins with the Ace or Robot Armor Jock Edge. 
• Mecha Warrior: A Mecha Ninja Ranger begins play with Fighting d8 and Piloting (or the appropriate skill for their mecha) d8. 
• Minor Psionic: As the Cyber-Knight Ability.
• Transdimensional Weaponry: As a free action, the Ninja Ranger can pull from or deposit into a pocket dimension a weapon keyed to their unique biorhythms. This weapon functions as a Cyber-Knight’s Psi-Sword in all respects save that it also has a Shooting or Throwing range of 3/6/12; if thrown, it returns to its master’s hand.
• Transmute!: As the Cyber-Knight Cyber-Armor ability, but the armor takes the form of an advanced polymer battle costume. 

COMPLICATIONS

• Code of Honor: As the Cyber-Knight complication. The penalties to Psionics rolls also apply to piloting their mecha as the mecha’s AI revolts against being commanded by a an unworthy pilot. 
• Cybernetics: As the complication for Psychic Powerhouses and Masters of Magic, not Cyber-Knights. Ninjas Rangers can receive cybernetic augmentation, but it severely reduces the effectiveness of their Psionics.
• Psionic Limitation: Due to receiving their psionic abilities artificially, Mecha Ninja Rangers are incapable of taking the Master Psionic Edge (but see below).

MECHA NINJA RANGER STARTING GEAR

They've got a weapon, armor, and a mecha. They don't need any other starting gear, do they?

 

MECHA NINJA RANGER ROBOT ARMOR
As Techno-Wizard vehicles, all mecha require Power Points equal to half their Size (minimum 1) per hour to operate – through they can travel indefinitely along Ley Lines after their operators pay the ISP cost to start them. More explicitly technological than Dweomer City automatons, Ninja Ranger mecha otherwise obey the rules for robot armor outlined in The Tomorrow Legion Player’s Guide.
Most Mecha Ninja Ranger mecha resemble bipedal or four-footed animals. Dinosaurs and Pleistocene megafauna seem to be the most common designs, but magical creatures have also been seen. Many sentai seem to have a single flying vehicle among them. Some very rare squadrons pilot more conventional-looking vehicles.

 

MNR Robot Armor: Size: 6, Crew 1, Strength d12+6, Toughness 35 (17), Pace 10 OR Size: 5, Crew: 1, Strength d12+4, Toughness 30 (17), Pace: 1, Acc/TS: 20/90

• 2 x Dual-linked Medium Rail Guns (shoulder-mounted)
• 2 x Dual-linked Medium Lasers (eyes) OR Medium Ion Cannon (mouth)
• Assault Jaws/Claws (Damage: Str+d8, AP 2, Mega Damage)

  

TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE – THE MECHA NINJA RANGER

• Unlike conventional Iconic Frameworks, Mecha Ninja Rangers work best together. When most (if not all) of the players at a table are playing Ninja Rangers, the combined form mecha can be incredibly powerful.
• Keep your Spirit up. The way of the Mecha Ninja Ranger is as much a spiritual path as it is a martial calling. Friendship and teamwork have direct mechanical benefits.
• Specialize. Even though Ninja Rangers work best in groups, those groups work best when they’re composed of individuals with diverse abilities and powers.

ICONIC EDGES

Mecha Ninja Rangers can take Improved Cyber-Armor and Master Cyber-Armor, Improved Psi-Sword and Master Psi-Sword, and Psi-Shield. They also have access to:


Mecha Fusion

Requirements: Seasoned, Mecha Ninja Ranger, Spirit d8+
Every Mecha Ninja Ranger in a single squadron who possesses this Edge has learned to techno-psionically combine their mecha with that of their teammates into a single, larger robot armor.
Each additional robot armor joined to the combined form adds only +3 to Size as various redundant systems are shunted into the same transdimensional space where Ninja Rangers weapons go. The increase in Size grants a +3 to Strength per mecha and +4 (1) Toughness. For every two robot armors combined, one Mecha Ninja Ranger must make a successful Piloting roll each round in order to keep the combination active; if that roll fails, the mecha separate.   
Mecha Ninja Rangers piloting combined mecha may use their action to perform Cooperative Rolls for Piloting rolls and combat actions.
Example:
The Daiyoukai Super Force pilot five mecha: Brown Tanuki, Golden Kitsune, Green Kappa, Red Nekomata, and White Hebi. Green Kappa – the mecha that forms the torso – has a Strength of d12+6 and Toughness of 35 (17). When all four other mecha combine with Green Kappa to form Superdaiyoukai Onmyouji, the combined mecha’s strength is d12+18 and its Toughness is 51 (21).
In order to keep the combined form active, however, two of Mecha Ninja Rangers must make a successful piloting roll each round. They can do this as a Cooperative Roll or with a multi-action penalty, but if they fail, Superdaiyoukai Onmyouji collapses back into its component mecha.

Mecha Transdimensional Weapon

Requirements: Seasoned, Mecha Ninja Ranger, Common Bond, Psionics d8+, Spirit d8+
The Mecha Ninja Ranger learns to manifest their transdimensional weapon through their fusion with their mecha. The mecha can now wield a version of the weapon, using its Strength for calculating damage. This weapon automatically does Mega Damage.

 

Super-Mecha Transdimensional Weapon

Requirements: Veteran, Mecha Transdimensional Weapon

The Mecha Ninja Ranger sentai that has really learned the value of teamwork is capable of astonishing feats, even slaying gigantic raging monsters (see Savage Foes of North America) in one blow.

When combined, the squad can manifest a gigantic transdimensional weapon that does the combined mecha’s Strength + the Spirit die of every contributing Mecha Ninja Ranger in damage. All contributing Ninja Rangers must possess this Edge and the Fighting roll to hit must be made as a Cooperative Roll.

Psionic Channeling

Requirements: Veteran, Mecha Ninja Ranger, Spirit d8+
While Mecha Ninja Rangers can't take the Master Psionic Edge, they can learn to channel their psionic abilities through their Mecha. Effectively, this Edge gives Mecha Ninja Rangers access to Mega Powers, but only when piloting their mecha.