Mutations Manual 1 1

THE COMPLETE

MUTATIONS GUIDE

OR

A list of the weird genetic alterations

that add spice to your game

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INTRODUCTION

Some month ago I was reading the mutation's list in Gamma world campaign setting

from Andy Collins and Jeff Grub when I was creating my character for a Gamma world

campaign and I thought “there are too few of them!”.

I began inventing some new mutations to fit the idea of character that I had. I

discovered that it was really hard. I thought I was a creative person but...

I began searching for new ideas and new mutations to be used, and downloaded all fan-

based material that could relate to mutations in RPG's.

I found a file containing a big deal of articles from Dungeon magazine on Gamma world

and some of them listed mutations. I saw some mutations too on Action Check online

magazine.

From my past gaming experiences (mostly D&D and d20) I can say that d20 has his

own choice of mutations from various books (d20 has a Gamma world setting too), so I

decided to convert the ones that don't have already an Alternity version.

At last I searched the forums o A.net to see if someone had already posted some

mutations I could use.

I found Derek Holland's mutation thread and after asking permission I have taken some

of his ideas (well... a lot of them but I thought it was a pity to leave all his stuff in a

forum thread). All mutations I found and created are in this book. I have also a small

section where some additional rules on mutations are listed.

I hope this book could help you to design interesting mutants to use in your game. But

this book is not completely finished (maybe it will never be), I am still searching and

inventing, and you can send me your mutations to be added to the book.

You can contact me at: [email protected]

Someone_else

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mailto:[email protected]

INDEX

Pag.New mutation point rules 4Physical mutations 5Mental mutations 11Drawbacks 13A couple roleplay-oriented mutations 18Credits 19

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MUTATION POINT RULES

Having only 7 mutation points is too low for you?Do you want to create a really muted mutant?These quick and simple rules are what you need!

First: select/randomize the mutations and add up all mutation points.Second: select/randomize the drawbacks and add up all drawback points. Third: divide “mutation points” by “drawback points” to obtain a score called “Mutation score”.Fourth: the GM decides how much powerful wants to be the mutants in his campaign, so he chooses a Mutation score from below, the mutant's score must be close to that value. (GM's fiat on what values are “close” enough)

Really Realistic: 0,5Realistic: 1

Gamma World PHB: 1,75Heroic: 2

Super-Heroic: 3

The Really Realistic one is the most difficult, because the mutant has to offset his mutation points with double that value in drawback points.The Realistic one is the most balanced, all mutation points are payed off by the same amount of drawback points.The Gamma World PHB one has a ratio of 7 mutation points for every 4 point of drawbacks, like on Gamma World PHB.The Heroic one creates more powerful heroes, only a half mutation points are payed off by drawback points.The Super-Heroic one creates very powerful heroes, because only a third of the mutation points are payed off by drawback points.

MUTATION POINT COST

I repeat the mutation point cost and drawback point cost, just in case you don't have another handbook handy.

Mutation strength

Cost (pts)

Drawback strength

Cost (pts)

Ordinary 1 Ordinary 1

Good 2 Good 2

Amazing 4 Amazing 4

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PHYSICAL MUTATIONS

Table 1: Physical mutations

Ordinary mutations Good mutations Amazing mutations

Decr. Life Support Aldis Eyes Decr. Life Support

Enlarged Lungs Avoidance Scent Genetic Sampling

Grasping Spines Cast-iron stomach Hyp. Cyberability

Great horns Dazzling Display Improved EMP blast

Halters Decr. Life Support Indestructible

Impr. Cyberability EMP blast Kinetic Absorption

Keromones Enh. Cyberability Silk production

Mucus Packaging Enh. Gravity Adaption Sound Imitation

Silk production Hollow Fangs Unlimited lifespan

Spiny Hair Improved lifespan X-ray vision

Turtle Eyes Organic Radio Zeppelin Sacks

Plasma Spheres

Platelet Factory

Power Drain

Power Eater

Power Source

Rad. Consumption

Scent Spot

Silk production

Ultravision

Useful Gland

Wall crawler

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Aldis EyesG, Activated, WIL

The mutant can transmit and receive information through his eyes. Transmitting involves sending light and does not interfere with normal vision. The range is line of sight. Two mutants with Aldis Eyes can communicate this way, but can be built a device to allow communication with others without it (a hand-held computer with a visual sensor). This mutation is named after the aldis lamp.

Avoidance ScentG, Activated, WIL

Within the cloud, which is 10 meters in diameter, those wishing to harm the mutant take a +2 step penalty to all attacks. Creatures with an INT of less than 4 must make a WIL feat check, or avoid the mutant completely.

Cast-iron stomach G, Permanent, CON

The mutant can eat any type of biomass (plant, animal, mushroom or mold) and gain nutrition from it, plus he receives a -2 step bonus when saving against all ingested biological agents (they simply get digested as biomass) or natural poisons that the food could contain (like the death cap's poison, but not the arsenic that someone could put into it).

Cyberability Impr./Enh./Hyp. O/G/A, Permanent, CON

The mutant has tissues that allow really invasive cybernetic implants without much problems. Every implant has its “effective size” (for using up cyber tolerance score only) reduced by 1, 2, 3 points respectively for the O, G, A version of this mutation.The reduction will never bring the “effective size” below 0. (it can't improve the cyber-tolerance score itself)

Dazzling DisplayG, Automatic, WIL

The mutant produces colored light from his skin upon command. The patterns generally get the attention of anyone looking at the mutant and can overwhelm their vision (mental resolve check to avoid standing there gawking). The mutant must have his face and arms exposed at the minimum to use this mutation.

EMP Blast /Improved EMP BlastG/A, Activated, WIL

The mutant can emit a field that damages electronics only. The area is 5 meters in diameter, centered on the mutant. Damage is the same as the

natural attack mutations. The mutant can use this twice per day for free and then spend one fatigue point per use thereafter.

Enhanced/Hyper Environmental AdaptionG/A, Permanent, CON

With the Good mutation, the mutant is now able to survive in an otherwise deadly environment. It gives the mutant the ability to survive (i.e. no penalties nor checks to avoid damage from the selected environmental conditions) in ONE of the following GRAPH environments: H1, H3, R2, R0 (if it was a damaging environment for the mutant), A3 (select a specific one, like that of a specific planet), P1, P4. The Amazing one permits survival in an extremely lethal environment. Now the mutant chooses ONE of the following GRAPH environments: H0, H4, R4, A4 (select a specific one, like that of a specific planet), vacuum (P0 and A0).Your mutant can take this mutation all times he wants but, as you may have noticed, every time he must select a different condition to adapt. As the original mutation say, you can't adapt at both two extremes, like being adapted to both H0 and H4. This restriction works even in conjunction with other mutations, if you are adapted to G1 by taking Environmental adaption you can't adapt to G4 taking this mutation.

Enhanced Gravity AdaptionG, Permanent, CON

The mutant body is now adapted to more extreme gravity conditions than G1 or G3 (provided by Gravity Adaption in PHB). To do so it must alter the very form and contents of muscles and bone, thus giving the mutant a different look. The adaption to G0 conditions create a more elongated and tall mutant, negates any penalties for the G0 conditions (obvious) and increases temporarily his dexterity score by 2 point while he is in a G0 environment (in a G1 environment this drops to 1 point). The adaption to G4 conditions create a very strong and stocky mutant, negates any penalties/checks for G4 conditions and increases temporarily his strength score by 2 point while he is in a G4 environment (in a G3 environment this drops to 1 point). This mutation can be taken only once, the mutant cannot be adapted to both G0 and G4 environment. This restriction works with other mutations too, if he is adapted to G1 someway (for example by Gravity Adaption) he can't take this mutation to adapt to G4.

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Enlarged LungsO, Permanent, CON

The mutant takes a breath only once per 3 or 4 minutes because of his chambered and enlarged lungs. Because of this time to drown is tripled and the mutant gets a 1 step bonus against gas attacks.

Zeppelin Sacks A, Activated, DEX

The mutant has sacks full of gas lighter than air fixed to his body. This sacks counter his weight in an atmosphere like earth's (or that of the mutant's planet) allowing him to float like a hot air balloon.The balloon sacks can carry the mutant plus a number of Kg equal to three times his CON. The inflated (and working) balloon is obvious to the sight but the mutant can deflate it completely, and carry it folded into a large modified backpack. He can land by deflating a bit the balloon and then move like a being of his species, but the balloon is still obvious to the sight and its bulk prevents the mutant from entering buildings and caves smaller than a hangar.The process of deflating completely the balloon is very fast, it requires only a round. Inflating it is more time consuming because the mutant's body must synthesize new gas. To completely inflate the balloon from the “backpack form” the mutant spends 5 minutes, to inflate from the “landing form” only takes 1 minute.To maneuver during the flight he must use the same skill as a hot air balloon pilot or Acrobatics- specific “balloon flight” (but unless the mutant carries some propulsion system, the speed and direction of travel is decided by the wind).The balloon instantly repairs holes, but when the mutant runs out of wounds it begins to rupture, losing gas and altitude, bringing the mutant to a soft landing.

Genetic SamplingA, Activated, CON

The mutant can, with physical contact, absorb a Good or two Ordinary mutations. This lasts until the mutant takes another. If the mutant absorbs a Good mutation his stun rating decreases by 2 points until he gives it up for ordinary mutations.

Grasping SpinesO, Permanent, DEX

These spines are found on the wrist and give the mutant a -1 step bonus to Unarmed Attack and sub-skills and when climbing.

Great horns O, Permanent, STR

The mutant sprouts horns capable of damaging or goring a target. The horns may be curled like a ram's or pointed like a bull's. Conversely, he may grow a single horn in the middle of the forehead, like that of a rhinoceros, or a large rack of antlers, like that of a moose. The mutant can use his horns to enhance his unarmed attack damage. The bonus damage depends on the size: Small +2 Li, Medium +3 Li, Large +4 Li. The mutant can use the horns only once per round.

HaltersO, Permanent, DEX

These appendages are similar to those of flies (they are the modified second pair of wings). When moving through the air, via gliding, wings or just falling, these provide the mutant a -2 step bonus in Acrobatics- flight and fall.

Hollow FangsG, Permanent, STR

These fangs inflict normal unarmed damage (I.e. only stun). After pinning the opponent, the mutant can use them to inflict damage equal to natural attack plus 3 in draining blood or sap (the 3 points replace any strength bonuses, if any). Note that some creatures have acidic or poisonous blood or sap.

Improved Lifespan/UnlimitedG/A,Permanent,CON

The biological mechanisms that regulate the aging of the mutant are altered in some way. How this exactly works is up to you, your mutant can appear as fresh as a teenager even if he is a thousand years old or he could appear really old, in any case his appearance does not influence the game mechanics. Improved Lifespan means that the mutant ages three times slower, on the other hand, Unlimited Lifespan means that the mutant does not age at all.Both does NOT mean that the mutant is immortal, he can still be killed by standard means. (guns, fire, poisons, radiations, a lighting on his head...) Things that age the mutant are lessened for the Good version (3 years of artificial aging means that the mutant ages only 1 year) and totally useless on a mutant with the Amazing one.

IndestructibleA, Permanent, CON

The mutant now has Good toughness, but gains no armor rating from this mutation.

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Decreased Life SupportO, G, A, Permanent, CON

The mutant needs less food and water to survive, due to more efficient metabolic processes. The Ordinary mutation reduces the consumption of food and water to a 75% of the base amount. The Good reduces consumption to 50% of the base amount and raises the time the mutant can hold his breath before the checks by 50%.The amazing one drops the food and water consumption do a mere 25% of the standard and extends the time he can hold his breath by 100%.

KeromonesO, Activated, WIL

The mutant has the ability to communicate with others with this mutation via scent. The difference between a pheromone and a keromone is that the latter affects different species. The normal range is 5 meters and this can be affected by air movement. Only general ideas can be transmitted.

Kinetic AbsorptionA, Automatic, CON

This mutation is identical to energy absorption except it reduces high impact damage.

Mucus PackagingO, Activated, CON

The mutant can produce a slime that inhibits decay. Each day, enough mucus is produced to protect 25 Kg of meat, vegetables, corpses and other organic material. The slime lasts 1 year.

Organic RadioG, Activated, INT

The mutant has the ability to send and receive radio signals. It takes the mutant one phase to tune into any particular frequency. The range is 5 Km in open terrain and without interference, mountains and interference fields can reduce the range.

Plasma SpheresG, Activated, INT

The mutant can create small spheres of low grade plasma by touching solid objects. A one cm sphere of the object is converted and the plasma is stable until someting comes into contact with it. The resulting explosion does d6w/d8s/d4s (En/O) damage and has a range of 1/2/4 meters. The mutant can create INT/3 spheres per day.

Platelet FactoryG, Permanent, CON

Thrombocyte (platelet) production within the bone marrow is increased to a high level, resulting in the formation of “Platelet Factories”. When a wound affects the body, the increased amount of platelets in the bloodstream stops bleeding at the site, lessening the trauma from large wounds. When a character takes damage from an attack, the Platelet Factory prevents the secondary damage.

Power DrainG, Activated, CON

The mutant gains the ability to suck stored energy out of batteries, power cells, and other items that store energy. By making physical contact with a battery or other accumulator power supply, he can spend an action to drain the battery of all its stored power. This mutation allows him to to pull out the power from everything ranging from a small flashlight battery to a laser rifle power pack to the batteries used in Vehicles and robots (spaceship grade hardware is immune). Doing so is not totally safe, because the energy must be discharged somewhere. The mutant must pass a Resolve-physical resolve check with a penalty linked to the size of the battery: 0 if small item (flashlight, portable radio), +1 if medium item (energy pistol power pack, computer, small robot), +2 if large item (energy rifle/SMG power pack, medium robot, small vehicle), +3 if very large item (Heavy weapon power pack, big robot, vehicle, power armor).If he fails the check the device is still drained but he loses all his stuns, and if he was trying to drain a Large or very large item he suffers d4 wounds too.Note that energy generators, like fusion reactors or mechanical generators, cannot be drained in this manner since they generate energy, rather than merely store it.

Power EaterG, Activated, CON

The mutant can feed himself by siphoning electric energy. By making physical contact with a battery or other accumulator power supply, he can spend an action to drain the battery of all its stored power. He can feed himself for a day if he drains half his CON score in medium items (energy pistol power pack, computer, small robot). 5 small item = medium item = 1/5 large item. After he has drained enough items to feed himself for that day he cannot drain any more until the next day. (no, you cannot become fat by draining hundreds of power packs,

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this mutation works like a “internal battery”)Note that he can feed himself from a generator too, that will provide him “unlimited” food. Water is still required for survival. Air too.

Power SourceG, Activated, CON

The mutant's body can generate an electric current that can power small devices,vehicles, and even energy weapons.Spending an action, he can provide a single battery or power cell with a full charge simply by making physical contact with it. This allows him to fully recharge a vehicle battery, refill an energy weapon’s ammunition to full capacity, or restore life to battery-powered robot. Naturally this has a price, the mutant loses some fatigue points depending on the size of the battery recharged: 1 if small item (flashlight, portable radio), 2 if medium item (energy pistol power pack, computer, small robot), 3 if large item (energy rifle/SMG power pack, medium robot, small vehicle), 4 if very large item (Heavy weapon power pack, big robot, vehicle, power armor).

Radiation ConsumptionG, Automatic, CON

The mutant can metabolize ionizing radiation. The mutant treats Radiation levels in the graph sale as if they were one grade lower, plus the ability to ignore food requirements while in the presence of such radiation. The mutant still needs water though.

Scent SpotG, Activated, WIL

The mutant can effectively do what a dog does with its urine- communicate with liquids. Unlike dogs, most mutants use spit and can change the contents of the message. Mutants with this mutation can interpret the messages. Can be built a device to allow communication with others without the mutation (a hand-held computer with a chemical sniffer sensor). A spot lasts for 48 hours and a mutant can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his constitution score.

Silk productionO/G/A, Activated, CON

The mutant creates silk like a spider, but the exact location of the gland is not stated here, it may be like Spider Man's or like a real spider, be creative.At Ordinary, silk production simply creates rope equal to hemp. It produces 10 meters per minute and can be used 10 minutes per day.At Good the amount created is two times as much

as the Ordinary mutation, and silk production can have many different effects. The mutant chooses one during character creation and then may not change.- Sticky webs inflict a 1 step penalty to strength feat checks to escape- Slippery webs inflict a 1 step penalty to dexterity feat checks to climb- Toxic webs either act as an irritant or paralyzer; toxic effects last for 4 hours- Strong rope is equal to nylon (see the GW book for hemp and nylon)- Thin line inflicts a 2 step penalty to perception checks to detect- Thick line is as tough as wood (ie it can be used as wood)- Elastic line can stretch twice as far as normal before breakingAt Amazing, the amount of silk produced is tripled. The mutant chooses one during character creation and then may not change.- Choose any Good version and double its strength- Invisible line inflicts a 2 step penalty to intuition checks to detect- Bladed/spiny line causes d2w per phase of contact- Toxic silk acts as a hemotoxin; this lasts for 10 minutes- Strong line is as tough as iron- Impact line produces spears (treat as a thrown spear in all ways); 4 can be produced per day- Memory line is as tough as wood and has 2 forms; only the mutant can change it back and forth

Sound ImitationA, Activated, INT

The mutant can imitate any M, O or G sound he has heard within the last 24 hours.

Spiny HairO, Permanent, DEX

Like some spiders and insects, the mutant is covered with hair. Unlike mammalian hair, this "fur" is hard and sharp, anyone attacking the mutant with a natural attack or short melee weapon (sword or smaller) takes d4-2s LI/O damage. It also makes wearing clothes and armor difficult. Armor negates the hair damage and loses one point of protection due to the poor fit. Now the mutant's hair look like Infected Sarah Kerrigan's from Starcraft.

Turtle EyesO, Automatic, DEX

The mutant's eyes retract when exposed to danger, including Amazing light. This makes the mutant immune to most attacks that cause blindness.

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UltravisionG, Automatic, WIL

The mutant can see most forms of energy, including radiation and lasers. He can tell if power cells and machinery have power and the radiation level of an ambient. The range is normal sight.

Useful Gland G, Permanent, CON

Mutant has a gland that produces a substance that can be useful. It can be a drug, a specific chemical or, more simply, nutritive milk. The mutant produces 2 dose of drug OR 1 deciliter (about 1/5 of a pint) of chemical OR 2 doses of milk every ½ his Con hours (one dose of milk, roughly one liter, can feed a human for one day).The products can be dispensed by a nipple or something more weird (like a small proboscis) at GM's choice.The gland does not work for free, the mutant needs to eat 100% more for every dose of milk, for every 2 doses of drug or for every deciliter of chemical.

Wall crawler G, Permanent, DEX

The mutant can walk walls and cling to ceilings like a spider. He has tiny barbs on his hands and feet to facilitate climbing, fingers and toes secrete a transparent adhesive (or lots of tiny filaments like a gecko) that lets him cling to smooth surfaces.As long as the hands and feet are uncovered, the mutant can climb perfectly smooth, flat, vertical surfaces. In addition, he gains a -4 steps bonus on all checks related to climbing. Wearing gloves OR footwear reduces the bonus to -2 steps, and wearing gloves AND footwear negates the bonus entirely.

X-ray visionA, Activated, WIL

The mutant can see through solid matter. X-ray vision allows him to see through 0,5 m of brick or stone, 0,02 m of metal or composite alloy, and up to 1 m of wood, plaster, or dirt. Thicker substances or a thin sheet of lead blocks vision. X-ray vision has a maximum range of 6 m and allows the mutant to see as if he was looking at something in normal light, even if there is no illumination. While he is using this ability he is emitting X-rays, so radiation detectors or EM detectors can track him.

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MENTAL MUTATIONS

Table 1: Mental mutations

Ordinary mutations Good mutations Amazing mutations

Loner Genius Adaptive Brain

Teammate Joy Stealer

Work affinity Super Genius

Water Detection

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Adaptive Brain A, Activated, INT

The mutant's neurons quickly rewire themselves to change abilities and adapt to new experiences. As some activities of his life are left behind, the neurons can disassemble the neural pathways to learn whatever new activity has replaced it. In more simple terms the mutant can dump a broad skill and all associated specialty skills for a new broad skill and new associated specialty skills. Alternatively he could dump a specialty skill to acquire or boost another existing specialty skill (he transfers skill points, not ranks).To achieve this he must previously spend some time observing the desired skills: it takes one day of observing per skill point necessary to learn the broad skill and one day of observing an expert (someone with more skill ranks than the mutant) per skill rank in a specialty skill. The mutant cannot achieve a higher rank in the specialty skill than the expert observed, even if he has enough skill points to do that. The mutation can only exchange skill points between skills, it can't be used to dump a skill and save all the skill points for a later time, or to take perks, remove flaws and purchase achievement benefits. (if some skill points remain unused they can be pooled up with the ones received at a new level)

Genius /Super GeniusG/A,Permanent,INT

The mutant is a true genius in his field. Choose a broad skill, then the cost of its associated specialty skills is decreased by 1 point (cumulative with any other profession's or mutation's discount)and the time required to perform each step of a complex skill check is halved. If he is a Super Genius the above is still valid but when the mutant uses any of its broad skill's associated specialty skills he treats each result as if it was one grade higher (Crit. Failure->Failure, Failure->Ordinary, Ordinary->Good... and so on).

Joy StealerA, Activated, WIL

The mutant can suck the emotions out of a sapient within 50 meters. Both the mutant and target must make mental resolve checks to determine if the mutation is effective. If effective, the target loses all emotion based penalties and bonuses and takes a 2 step penalty to interaction skills for 48 hours. This mutation can be used once per day.

Water DetectionO, Activated, WIL

The mutant has the ability to sense the general direction of standing water (not animals, plants, etc.) within 1 Km of land. He can also sense if there is water underground (to the max of 3 Km) with a radius of 10 meters around the mutant.

Work affinity O, Permanent, INT

The mutant likes a lot doing some boring or exhausting activities (something like being on patrol at night, moving heavy loads, waxing the floor, etc..). He will always do his best when engaged in his favored activity. This gives the mutant a -2 step bonus to all actions made to accomplish that task. Choose well his “favored” activity, because only in that situation the bonus applies.

Teammate O, Permanent, WIL

The mutant is the best teammate ever known, he has just the right tool handy, he knows what you need before you say something and so on.The mutant gives a -1 step bonus to others in his squad when occupied in tasks where help is appreciated (GM fiat on what cannot have any bonus from help).This power works only on the mutant's trusted friends and obviously the mutant cannot help himself. Since this mutation relies on a low-power telepathic ability, it is blocked by anything that blocks telepathic powers/mutations.

Loner O, Permanent, WIL

The mutant's instinct works best when alone, he receives a -1 step bonus to all checks when he is alone (or believes he is alone). This is a low-power clairvoyance ability, as such can be fooled or blocked by any means that block clairvoyance FX powers/mutations.

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DRAWBACKS

Table 2: Drawbacks

Slight Drawbacks Moderate Drawbacks Extreme Drawbacks

Festering Sores Allergy Albinism

Glow in the Dark Bone Strips Blood Hunger

Impaired Speech Color Blind Bloody

Incr. Life Support Combat fear Chemical Dependency

Uncontrolled Voice Cyclopean Vision Conditional Mutation

Emot. Color Change Emot. Color Change

Highly Flammable Frail Body

Incr. Life Support Gravity Distortion

Light Distortion Incr. Life Support

Lost Limb One Way adaption

One Way adaption Partial Phase

Rapid Aging (M) Rapid Aging (E)

Reptile Brain Reptile Brain

Stubby Fingers Unstable Genome

Ultraviolet Allergy Walking Bomb

Weird feeding Weight Decrease

Weak Thorns

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AlbinismE, Permanent, CON

The mutant is an albino or comes from a community that never sees the sun. In bright light, the mutant has a 2 (G light) or 3 (A light) penalty to all physical skills. If exposed for an hour or more, the mutant becomes temporarily blind and will only regain his sight after a few hours in low (M) or no light conditions.

Allergy M, Automatic, CON

The mutant suffers a adverse reaction to an ordinary substance.As long as he is in contact with it and 1d4+1 rounds afterwards, his reaction is so severe that he can move at only half the normal rate and all actions have a +2 step penalty.

Blood hunger E, Permanent, CON

The mutant craves the taste of blood. Moreover, he needs to drink blood to survive. The mutant must drain 0.5 l of blood from a living animal once every 24 hours. Doing so is an attack action, and he can only drain blood from a willing, helpless, or dying (but not dead) creature. The bitten creature takes normal damage from the bite attack plus an extra 1d4 points of wound damage from the blood loss. If the mutant goes 24 hours without consuming blood, he takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage. Drinking 0.5 l of blood cures the ability damage caused by blood deprivation in 1d6 rounds. The mutant should drink real blood from a living organism with a biochemistry similar his own to gain nutrition from it. Drinking alien blood is dangerous, he could risk poisoning or worse but as always, GM has the final word on this.Ability damage caused by blood deprivation cannot be healed in any way.The mutant must have a natural bite attack to have this drawback.

BloodyE, Automatic, CON

The mutant skin and mucous membrane are very brittle, constantly bleeding. He leaves drops of blood everywhere, this makes tracking him easier (-4 step bonus to the tracker), identifies him as a mutant, attracts all predators in the range of miles, and reduce the mutant's wound points by 2.

Bone StripsM, Permanent, CON

The mutant has knobs and strips of bone that are exposed all over the body. They do not act as armor and in fact increase impact damage by 1 point due to the sensitivity of the bones. The amount on the hands also, in stressful situations, causes a 1 step penalty to all skills that requires the use of hands.

Chemical dependency E, Permanent, CON

The mutant relies on a medical compound to survive. If he goes 24 hours without taking a dose of his tailored chemical compound he must make a successful Resolve-physical resolve with a +1 step penalty or take 1 point of Strength damage and 1 point of Constitution damage. Taking a dose of chemical cures the ability damage caused by deprivation in 1d6 rounds. Ability damage caused by deprivation cannot be restored through natural healing.This drawback should be taken only in PL5 or higher campaigns (when building tailored chemicals is possible) but the chemical could be even an “alchemic potion” or a “herbal tea” or something more weird (maybe connected to a tailored Useful Gland mutation).

Clinging SkinM, Automatic, DEX

The mutant has constantly growing skin that is super tacky. He leaves a hunk of skin on everything he touches. This makes tracking him easy (4 step bonus to the tracker), identifies him as a mutant, makes for extremely awkward social moments and generally makes the mutant's life miserable.

Combat fear M, Automatic, WIL

Due to a chemical imbalance in his brain, the mutant is gripped by an inexplicable fear whenever he faces a dangerous or frightening situation. During the first round of combat or other high-stress situation he must make a Resolve-mental resolve check. In case of failure or critical failure, he is shaken for the rest of the encounter, taking a +2 step penalty on all actions. If he succeeds, he overcomes his moment of fear and negates the ill effects.

Conditional MutationE, Automatic, CON

This defect causes one activated, automatic or permanent mutation to function only under certain conditions. These are generally environmental like

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amount of sunlight or radiation, humidity or even forcing the mutant to consume something not considered edible to his species. GMs, be creative here.

Color BlindM, Permanent, WIL

This mutation prevents characters from seeing colors. The mutant sees the world around him in black and white. His style and his camouflaging abilities will suffer A LOT. Apply a +2 penalty anywhere the ability to see colors is important.

Cyclopean VisionM, Permanent, WIL

The mutant has only one eye in the middle of the head like a cyclops. Or one of his eyes does not work. This loss of perspective and pinpointing capabilities causes a +2 step penalty to all attacks.

Emotional Color ChangeM/E, Automatic, PER

The mutant changes color depending on his mood. The moderate version has the color change limited to the eyes, hands or somewhere that can be hidden. This inflicts a 2 step penalty to Culture, Deception and Interaction checks (if the other can see the colors and knows what they mean). The extreme version has all the skin of the mutant affected by this, adding a small glow that allows others to see his color in the dark (and obviously see where he is). A -4 skill penalties apply, but also the mutant takes a -1 penalty to Stealth checks.

Festering sores S, Automatic, CON

The mutant's skin is covered with painful, festering sores. The festering sores are more aggravating than harmful, but they make it especially hard to wear armor. When the mutant wears any type of armor, increase its armor penalty by +2.

Frail BodyE, Permanent, CON

The body of the mutant is REALLY frail, the structures that would have made it of Ordinary toughness now can barely hold his body together. This means that his body is now considered of Marginally toughness. Obviously nothing prevents him from using a standard Ordinary toughness armor to get a decent protection.Ah yes, now the mutant's skin feels like a baby's.

Glow in the DarkS, Permanent, CON

The mutant produces a glow that is most noticeable in dark conditions. It both marks the mutant as such and inflicts a one step penalty to Stealth checks.

Gravity distortionE, Automatic, WIL

Everything within 20 meters of the mutant is affected by a wild gravity field that changes every day. Roll d4 for current effect: 1- G0, 2- G1, 3- G2, 4- G3. Unlike normal gravity, this directs things towards or away from the mutant (roll randomly every time the field changes). Anything not secured (mutant's companions as well) will suffer ill effects: they begin to “fall” on the mutant or “fall” away from him, if someone is hit roll damage as per an object fallen from the original distance object-target (in the gravity corresponding to that of the field). The mutant will be most likely wear the heaviest armor available (when all stones in a 20 meter radius can “fall” on him he is going to need it) and will carefully clean a wide area around where he sleeps to avoid being injured by sudden field changes. The damage that projectile weapons shot at the mutant does not change (the rounds are fast and the acceleration that gravity adds/subtracts is too low to affect damage), but all shots that enter the field (including those directed to the mutant only if the field is oriented to make things fall away from the mutant) suffer a penalty due to the different direction of the gravity: -1 step if G1, -2 if G2, -3 if G3. The field is active even on the mutant clothing and equipment, I don't think that a t-shirt could endure G3 for long...

Highly FlammableM, Permanent, CON

The mutant's body is composed of really flammable material, any check to avoid catching fire fails automatically and the mutant must spend twice the standard time to stop the flames. This makes smoking a much more dangerous affair....

Impaired speech S, Automatic, INT

The mutant has a defect that affects his speech: he stutters, talks really quickly or really slowly, his voice is disturbingly high- or low- pitched. In any case this grants the mutant a +2 step penalty in every action that needs speech (Interaction sub-skills, Leadership sub-skills and so on)

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Increased Life SupportS, M, E, Permanent, CON

The mutant needs more food and water to survive, due to inefficient metabolic processes (or very high energy requirements of the mutated body). The slight drawback doubles the consumption of food and water. The moderate one triples that consumption and diminishes the time the mutant can hold breath for 75% of the standard time. The extreme one multiplies the food and water consumption by four and halves the time he can hold his breath.

Light DistortionM, Automatic, WIL

The mutant's warped mind causes a bending of light around him. This is not enough to provide any combat bonuses; in fact it reduces the mutant's DEX resistance modifier by one as the field is obvious in lighted conditions. The GM may provide a small bonus with scaring off animals. Otherwise it causes a 2 step penalty to all handle animal checks.

Lost limb M, Permanent, CON

One of the mutant's arms or legs withers or gets eaten away, leaving behinda stump. If the mutant loses an arm he cannot effectively wield weapons that require two hands. If he loses a leg his movement decreases by 50%.In either cases he takes a +2 step penalty on Climbing, Swimming, and grappling. He can replace his lost limb with a cybernetic one, assuming such technology is available and he can afford it.

One-Way AdaptionM/E, Permanent, CON

The Mutant is no more comfortable in the humans (or his species) native environment. Choose a mutation that removes the penalties for operating in a GRAPH. If the mutant is in a GRAPH x grades higher or lower than the one designated by that mutation he suffers the same penalties as a normal human would when is in a GRAPH x grades higher or lower (respectively) than the Earth's GRAPH. Example: the mutant is adapted to G3, with this drawback when he is in G2 he suffers the same penalties as a normal human would suffer in G1. If he was in G4 he would suffer as a human in G3.The grade of this drawback is dependent on the grade of the mutation it is linked to: Medium drawback for Good mutation and Extreme drawback for Amazing mutation.

Partial PhaseE, Automatic, WIL

The mutant is partially out of phase with the universe and must make a mental resolve check to interact with physical objects on a daily basis. The GM must keep count of the number of critical failures. Any more than 5 in one week results in the mutant fading away forever.

Rapid aging M/E, Permanent, CON

The mutant ages at an increased rate, he appears many years older than his actual age. Double (for the moderate version) or triple (for the extreme version) the actual age to get the mutant's effective age. The effective age determines ability score penalties, as usual.

Reptile BrainM/E, Automatic, WIL

The mutant has some stimulus that causes a reaction. For the Moderate version, this is generally not dangerous, but can be socially awkward. The Extreme version is dangerous. When the stimulus is detected, the mutant automatically does some action. This could be howling at the moon and lit lightbulbs or attacking arks. When it may cause serious harm to the mutant, he may make a mental resolve check (at a +3 step penalty) to run away until the stimulus is no longer detected.

Stubby FingersM, Permanent, DEX

The fingers of the mutant are too short, this impaires his manipulatory ability. The mutant takes a 2 step penalty to all skills that require the use of his hands.

Ultraviolet allergy M, Automatic, CON

Ultraviolet light (including direct sunlight) burns the mutant's flesh. It causes him 1d4 points of wound damage per minute (or fraction thereof) even trough any light clothing the mutant is wearing.

Uncontrolled voiceS, Automatic, CON

The mutant's voice constantly changes volume (d4 every round: 1- M, 2- O, 3- G, 4- A sound levels). Beyond making it obvious where he is and that he is a mutant, there are no penalties. (well, maybe he won't be a very good singer)

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Unstable GenomeE, Automatic, CON

The genetic material of the mutant is quite unstable, creating new genes and mutating the older ones. This leads to an “unstable” mutant, who can change his mutations trough time. At the end of a week he rolls a number of CON feat checks (with a +2 step penalty) equal to the number of mutations he has (except this) to see if the mutation “disappears”. All the mutation points derived from the mutations that disappear form a pool that must be spent to take random-chosen new mutations (at random strengths).

Walking BombE, Perm, CON

The mutant's body contains highly explosive gases or really reactive chemicals that wait for only a signal to deflagrate. When triggered the body of the mutant explodes (and he dies instantly). Everything in a 5 meter radius suffer En/G mortal damage equal to one quarter the mutant Constitution score, everything in a 20 meter radius suffers En/G wound damage equal to half the mutant Con score, everything in a 40 meter radius suffers En/G stun damage equal to the mutant Con score. The main problem about this is that the mutant does not know how he can trigger the blast, and maybe not even that he can explode at all. So a triggering event must be set by GM but no one should know.... until the BOOOM. Funny if I might say.

Weak ThornsM, Permanent, CON

The mutant's body is covered with large, boney structures that neither act as armor nor allow the use of normal clothing, armor and similar items. Everything of such nature costs the mutant triple, if it can be made at all.

Weight decrease E, Permanent, CON

The mutant diminishes greatly his reserves of fat, effectively halving his weight. This obviously has some serious consequences: he begins to starve (apply the rules for starvation) after only 2 days without food. He also suffers a +3 step penalty to stamina checks to counter the effects of cold.

Weird FeedingM, Permanent, CON

The mutant can no more gain nourishment from his species standard food. He must rely solely on the new kind of feeding added by one of his mutations. Goes without saying that this drawback can only be added if the mutant can feed in other ways, otherwise this is a suicide. Water is still required for survival. Air too.

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A couple of roleplay-oriented mutations

Two Heads (Two PC in one body)?, Permanent, CON

The mutant has two functional heads on two necks and each is a PC. The two heads are not mentally linked and need to talk or use other ways to communicate. The body can be fully controlled by either of them or they can share the control of body parts. Each head/PC has his action check score and makes his action check, thus the two heads act independently. For example while one controls the legs and spends his actions to run, the other can control the arms and uses his actions to shoot to a target: one looks forward and one looks the enemy. This can lead to some problems, in our example if the head/PC that moves the legs acts before the other he can go out of the range of the guns, wasting the other head/PC's chance to hit something, but it can still wait the other, as GMG says, and act at the same time. In the unfortunate case that one head/PC wants to do something and the other wants to stop it both make a PER check, the greatest degree of success wins (if they achieved the same degree of success re-roll).If you haven't noticed the fact of sharing a body means a few things:the S/W/M rating is one, the two aspiring PC must choose the same physical scores (Str, Dex, Con) because they are going to “merge” and these will be the scores of the shared body, the heads should be of the same sex of the body (unless you want to play a really embarrassing mutant) but this last is not mandatory.Remember that there is no “second head” each one is fully fledged PC, it can voice its opinions and disagree/argue with the other head/PC as the player sees fit. This mutation can add a lot of fun if used correctly, but can become a frustrating impediment as well... player and GM warned!

Multimorphism (one PC many bodies)?, Permanent, CON

The mutant's consciousness exists simultaneously in more than one body. They closely resemble twins or triplets with a single guiding mind. Roll a d6: 1-4 = two bodies, 5-6 = three bodies. All bodies are treated like different beings and act and attack as different individuals, except as noted below.All bodies are identical in appearance (like twins) and have the same ability scores. Mutations rolled before multimorphism is rolled are common to all bodies, but those rolled after this mutation are split evenly between them (which may make the separate bodies look different).Each multimorph can sense everything the other bodies can, IN ANY CASE, even if they are light years apart (or in different dimensions). Somehow, long distances between the “twins” are really unnerving to the consciousness, this means that they suffer a +1 step penalty to all skill checks when a body is not in the proximity of the other(s). A single consciousness guides the bodies, but each body has its own brain, so mental attacks are handled as if the bodies were different heroes. All bodies may be hit by the same area attack if near each other, and the damage applies like they were different individuals.Stuns, wounds and mortals are specific for each body, they cannot "loan" to another body. Each body heals itself at the normal rate, effectively multiplying the character's overall healing rate. If one body dies, The survivor(s) must make a mental resolve check with a +3 penalty to avoid becoming insane (= taking 3 mental flaws at the max severity without receiving any skill point)

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CREDITS

Mutations are from:

Derek Me Converted from

d20

Converted from

other sources

Aldis Eyes Adaptive Brain Blood hunger Multimorphism

Avoidance Scent Allergy Chem. dependency

Bloody Cast-iron stomach Combat fear

Clinging Skin Color Blind Cyclopean Vision

Conditional Mutation Cyberability Festering sores

Dazzling Display Enh. Grav. Adaption Great horns

Decreased Life Support Enh./Hyp. Envir. Adaption Lost limb

Emotional Color Change Frail Body Rapid aging

EMP blast Genius/Super Genius Ultraviolet allergy

Enlarged Lungs Highly Flammable Wall crawler

Genetic Sampling Impaired speech X-ray vision

Glow in the Dark Impr./Unlim. lifespan

Grasping Spines Loner

Gravity distortion Platelet factory

Halters Power Drain

Hollow Fangs Power Eater

Improved EMP blast Power Source

Increased Life Supp. Teammate

Indestructible Unstable Genome

Joy Stealer Useful Gland

Keromones Walking Bomb

Kinetic Absorption Weight decrease

Light Distortion Weird feeding

Mucus Packaging Work affinity

Mutagen Waste Zeppelin Sacks

Organic Radio

Partial Phase

Plasma Spheres

Radiation Cons.

Reptile Brain

Scent Spot

Silk production

Sound Imitation

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Spiny Hair

Turtle Eyes

Ultravision

Uncontrolled voice

Water Detection

Weak Thorns

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Mutations Manual 1 1

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