Mutagenic Milestone! (or, Mutants A-Z)

Shameless hucksterism time.  With today's post, I reached not only one, but two, milestones.

The x-ray is my 100th unique mutant monster entry (which really comes out to about 105-ish critters, if you include those with sub-types (like molebears/polar molebears and groatches, both domestic and wild), and with that letter X, I filled all the slots on my "Alphabet of the Apocalypse".  Yep, I've got entries covering every letter A to Z...from the reclusive aarborvarks to the tempestuous zephrogs.

Much love to all 37 38 of my Wasteland Naturalists.  And particular gratitude to Messrs. Reints, Porky, Cyclopeatron, and Theron (as y'all provide the hits that monetize my synergies and leverage my paradigms), and Messrs. Trey, Brutorz Bill, Sniderman, and Porky again (who slake my ego with the most comments).

The Mutant Future Core Rules have about 150 creatures listed.  Given the stuff in the pipeline, I can easily beat that number.

Thanks for reading.

"X" is for "X-Ray"

X-Ray

No. Enc.:  1d6 (2d8)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  9' (3')
          —Fly:  105' (35')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  1 (bite or sting)
Damage:  1d6 or 1d8 + poison
Save:  L6
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  950

X-Rays are flat, leathery creatures with 10'-12' wingspans and barbed tails just as long.  Their bodies glow with internal energies so intense that their cartilaginous structures are visible to the naked eye.  Fully adapted to life on land, x-rays sleep by day hanging from their tails in caves and Ancient ruins (particularly abandoned hospitals, power plants, and military installations), and actively hunt the skies at night.

An x-ray's tail-barb injects a Class 7 poison.  In addition to doing the base toxin damage, anyone stung must make a separate Saving Throw Versus Radiation, or acquire a Bizarre Appearance Drawback that manifests as both translucent skin and luminous bones.  Those with Reflective Epidermis (Radiation) are immune to this side effect.

Blastats are a favored prey item, and x-rays often take over their territories.

Mutations:  Optic Emissions (Radiation), Prehensile Tail, Reflective Epidermis (Radiation), Toxic Weapon ("Isotopic Venom"), Ultraviolet Vision

"C" is for "Croakile"

Croakile  ("Leapteeth")

No. Enc.:  1d6 (1d10)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  180' (60')
      —Swim:  90' (30')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  2
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d8
Save:  L1
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  II
XP:  38

Croakiles are 2' long amphibious creatures that inhabit jungles, swamps, bodies of fresh water, abandoned sewers, and Ancient ruins.  They are spry and tenacious, and will doggedly spring after prey many times their size.

They can cling to even the smoothest of surfaces and ceilings, and frequently drop from above onto unsuspecting prey, Surprising on a roll of 1-4 on a 1d6.

Croakiles secrete a fluid (a Class 11 poison) that has powerful hallucinogenic properties.  Those that fail their initial Saving Throw against the Paralysis are also Confused for 3d4 rounds...but they gain a +2 Bonus against all Mental Attacks for 1d4 days.  If extracted from a dead specimen, the chemical retains its potency for 2d4 days; it is highly prized by shamans, medics, and thrillseekers.

Licking a live croakile is considered a right of passage (albiet a foolhardy one) in some communities.

Mutations:  Dermal Poison Slime

"M" is for "Moonatic"

Moonatic

No. Enc.:  1d4 (3d6)

Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  11
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d6 / 2d6
Save:  L8
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XVIII, XXI, XXII
XP:  7,600

Moonatics are savage lupine humanoids that stand 6'-7' tall and weigh 450-550 pounds, and their shaggy, stark-white fur glows an unholy, phosphorescent yellow-green.  Despite their feral temperaments, their eyes burn with malevolent intelligence.

Combat with a moonatic is fraught with peril.  In addition to the carnage inflicted by their claws, teeth, and disorienting howls, their bite induces Confusion on a failed Saving Throw Versus Stun.  This effect lasts for 1d6 Turns.  Once a victim is Confused, the offending moonatic moves on to another target, hoping to spread the contagion to unafflicted foes.  The beasts then ghoulishly wait for the berzerk victims to injure or kill their fellows, and then rush in and devour dead and living alike.

Most settlements besieged by moonatics end up destroyed not by the creatures themselves, but by their own rampaging, infected citizens (often dubbed "mooniacs").

Furthermore, any Pure Humans, Mutant Humans, or mammalian Mutant Animals that lose more than 75% of their Hit Points to a moonatic's melee attacks—and survive, of course—must make a Saving Throw Versus Poison or transform into moonatics in 1d4 weeks.  There is no known treatment for this affliction, though some shamans and healers profess to know of elaborate cures involving rare herbs, strange chemicals, and Ancient nutrient supplements.  Unless a solution is discovered, Player Characters thus transformed are turned over to the Mutant Lord as NPCs.

On the three nights of the full moon, moonatics possess a Morale of 12.  [And in those particular Mutant Futures with "shattered" moons, moonatics always have a Morale of 12!]

For purposes of their Neural Telekinesis, all moonatics are considered to have a WIL score of 15+1d6, and they can move WILx20 pounds. 

Their distinctive glow prevents them from Surprising any opponents but those lacking visual senses.  And though their fur loses its radiance after death, it is still a sign of great martial prowess to wear garments made from their pelts.

Curiously, most moonatic packs make their lairs near ruined military installations, airports/starports, and aeronautic museums, or the wreckage of fallen satellites.

Mutations:  Bizarre Appearance (Luminous Fur) [D], Neural Telekinesis (x2), Shriek (Greater), Toxic Weapon ("Insanity Saliva")

"T" is for "Thundirge"

Thundirge

No. Enc.:  0 (4d4)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  7
Attacks:  1 (head-butt or trample)
Damage:  2d4 or 2d10
Save:  L4
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  2,890

Thundirges are enormous blue herbivores that travel in familial herds across the plains and grasslands of the Mutant Future.  They stand between 5'-6' at the shoulder, reach lengths of 12' long, and weigh between 2-3 tons.  Eight bony tubes of increasing size sprout from the tips of their snouts to the top of their skulls.

Thundirges utilize these tubes not only as nostrils, but also as resonating chambers for generating sonic frequencies ranging from melodious whistles to triumphant trumpeting, to bellowing rumbles to forlorn piping.  They can communicate over vast distances with these sounds, and use them to devastating effect in combat (when not Charging and/or Trampling, that is).

To activate their harmonics-based Disintegration mutations, thundirges must work in unison in groups of at least three...and because of this joint effort, they ignore the unconsciousness-inducing side effects.  Their collective WIL for this attack is determined at a value of 13+1d8.

Legends insist that, deep in the wastelands, there are secret "thundirge graveyards" littered with valuable ivory and treasure.  And given their complex vocalizations and structured social behaviors, some believe that thundirges are sentient.

Mutations:  Echolocation, Disintegration (Restricted), Energy Ray (Sonic), Increased Sense (Hearing), Increased Sense (Smell), Reflective Epidermis (Sonics), Shriek (Greater)

Sir Mix-A-Lot Has Never Steered Me Wrong

"Now the ground be shakin', when my bass drum's breakin'...."  —  Sir Mix-A-Lot, "Swass" (1988)

--

When building my beasties for this blog, I've tried to stick exclusively to the official mutations listed in the Mutant Future Core Rules.  Not only did I want to make the monsters painless to drop into any campaign, but I wanted to keep things simple and uniform.  (And it hasn't always been easy, as I'm a 28-year Champions player, and wired to be all about the Special Effects.)

That said, I'm not fond of the Shriek mutation [p. 25].  It lacks flair, pizazz, and all-around oomph; the damage (which can be avoided outright) is paltry, the deafness isn't that big a hassle, and the "once per day" restriction grates.

So here's my fix:  a brand new mutation cleverly called...Greater Shriek.

Shriek, Greater
The mutant's vocal cords are substantially altered, allowing him to produce sounds both above and below the normal human auditory range.  The culmination of this ability seems to be a focused shout, using the sonic vibrations on everyone in the immediate vicinity of the mutant.

1d6 times per day (as determined randomly during Character Creation), the mutant can let out a horrible shriek that affects everyone within a 20' radius of him.  Targets in the area of effect take 2d6 points of sonic damage, and must Save Versus Stun Attacks or be both deafened for 1d6+4 rounds and Paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.

Both total damage and effect durations are doubled if the mutation is used under water.

Those who successfully Save are unaffected by the deafness and paralysis.  Mutants with Echolocation suffer a -3 penalty to Save.

--

I've gone back and updated a handful of relevant critters, like Brainwhales, oscreeches, and zephrogs.  And expect to see it in future entries.

"H" is for "Honey Badger, Giant"

Honey Badger, Giant

No. Enc.:  1d2 (1d2)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  135' (45')
   —Burrow:  24' (8')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  6
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  2d4 / 2d4 / 2d8
Save:  L6
Morale:  12
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  1,320

Giant honey badgers are ferocious, 12' long carnivores that reach 4' high at the shoulder.  Their thick, broad bodies are covered with coarse black and gray fur, and prominent white stripes run down their backsides and tails.  Their stench is distinct and unforgettable.

Giant honey badgers are some of the most feared beasts in the Mutant Future.  They are so aggressive that they get +4 on all To Hit rolls.  Six times per day, they can discharge a noxious musk in a cloud 20' in diameter that persists for 1d6+1 rounds.  All caught within take a continuous 1d10 damage per round from its sheer odiousness, and are Blinded for 2d4 rounds on a failed Saving Throw Versus Stun.  Most dangerous of all is their ability to seemingly defy death itself.  When a giant honey badger is reduced to zero or less Hit Points, it appears dead...but actually enters a regenerative coma.  A mere 1d4 hours later, it awakes completley healed, surly, fully alert...and hungry (and more than willing to hunt down and devour those that "killed" it).  The only way to prevent a comatose giant honey badger from "returning" is to dismember it (by reducing it to at least a negative 40 Hit Points).

Although no concrete proof exists, legends persist that there are giant honey badgers that transcend the "giant" descriptor, and reach more the "elephantine" or "titanic" end of the growth spectrum.  These creatures are reputed to reach sizes equivalent to Ancient semi-trailer trucks.

Mutations:  Gigantism, Toxic Weapon (Musk Cloud)

Honey Badger, Gargantuan

No. Enc.:  1 (1)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  180' (60')
   —Burrow:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  2
Hit Dice:  21
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  4d8 / 4d8 / 3d20
Save:  L14
Morale:  12
Hoard Class:  XV
XP:  11,000

.
.
.

THE LEGENDS ARE TRUE.

Mutations:  Gigantism, Toxic Weapon (Musk Cloud)



Today's entry is dedicated to Amy, my own li'l honey badger.

"O" is for "Oystalker"

Oystalker  ("Clamzee")

No. Enc.:  1d4 (2d8)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d4+1 / 1d4+1 / 1d10+1
Save:  L2
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  VI
XP:  95

Oystalkers are carnivorous mollusks that stand 4' tall at the shoulder and weigh between 100-150 pounds.  Descended from aquatic bivalves, oystalkers fully adapted to life on land by evolving quadrupedal, rubbery, ape-like bodies that extrude from their heavy, shelled "heads".  All vital organs are contained within these shells.  They lack eyes proper, but instead possess highly-developed senses attuned to movement and changes in light/brightness. 

Oystalkers are found in all but the hottest and coldest environments, and they are tenacious pack hunters.  Quick and agile, they bound after prey with slashing claws and clamping jaws.  A successful bite means the oystalker latches onto its target, doing continual claw and bite damage each round until it or the victim is dead.  To break an oystalker's vise-like grip, one must have (at least) two free hands, and then make an Ability Check Versus Strength [per p. 51 of the Mutant Future Core Rules] with a +4 penalty modifier.  Attempts to pry open an oystalker's jaws can be made each round, but all damage is applied beforehand.

Oystalkers lack skeletons; instead, their frames are supported by a combination of raw muscle and fluid pressure.  And thanks to their shells and sinewy bodies, they are highly resistant to harm, taking only half damage from conventional weapons and firearms.  They are also immune to all damage/effects from crushing and/or falling.

There is a 35% chance that an oystalker's shell will contain 1d6x100 GP worth of pearlized remnants (skulls and/or bones) of prior prey.  There is a 10% that such remains will be of the rare "black pearl" variety, worth 1d6x1000 GP.

Mutations:  None

"C" is for "Crawdog"

Crawdog

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d8)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
   —Burrow:  18' (6')
      —Swim:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  3 (2 pincers, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3 / 1d4
Save:  L1
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  80

Crawdogs are 2' tall, 3'-4' long crustaceans with red carapaces, beaked jaws, and multiple elongated antennae.  They travel in small packs, and communicate with chirp-like vocalizations.  Hardy, adaptable, and suited to terrestrial and aquatic environs, crawdogs are found in all but the hottest and coldest climes.  They feed on almost anything organic, but fancy rotting vegetation, rodents, and fish.

A crawdog's pincers have atrophied significantly from those of its Ancient ancestors, and are capable of only clumsy grasping and ineffective pinching.

Crawdogs are affectionate, loyal, and obedient, and many families in the Mutant Future keep them as beloved pets.  Shepherds also use them to tend flocks.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Gills and Lungs), Increased Sense (Smell)

"E" is for "Eegahl"

Eegahl  ("Brutebird")

No. Enc.:  1d6+1 (3d10)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  45' (15')
          —Fly:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  7
Attacks:  2 (1 bite, 1 weapon)
Damage:  1d8, and by weapon
Save:  L5
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XX
XP:  2,540

Eegahls are a race of winged, 5' tall avians with bulky bodies covered in grubby white, brown, and gold feathers.  Two antennae (the source of their Energy Rays) sprout from their foreheads, and their legs end in prehensile, ape-like feet.  They make their lairs in caves and Ancient ruins, and are usually encountered in hilly or mountainous terrain.

Primitive and brutish, Eegahls form loose tribes led by the dominant female (who possesses +1 Hit Die and -1 Armor Class from the norm).  They normally attack from the air using the Dive maneuver while wielding clubs, spears, or heavy rocks (which do 2d6 damage upon impact).

Eegahls communicate through guttural grunts and squawks, making interactions difficult.  Some claim to have appeased Eegahl hunting parties with gifts of meat, trapped live prey, and shiny trinkets.

An Eegahl can Metamorph into any of the following three forms:  an albino ape [per p.60 of the Mutant Future Core Rules], a cave bear [p. 61], or a giant tuatara [p. 81].

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Prehensile Feet), Atrophied Cerebellum [D], Energy Ray (Heat), Metamorph (x3)

Mutants In The News — Slithering Terror Edition

Courtesy of The Orlando Sentinel, the Everglades python invasion continues apace.

"Almost nothing stops them," said Dan Thayer, the water management district's director of vegetation and land management in a statement. "It tells us they're tough and rugged. The survival of an invasive species often depends on its ability to endure extremes. The Burmese python is overcoming a wide range of conditions in Florida, including extreme colds and a water shortage."

--

Hythons come ever closer to reality!

"T" is for "Thermouse"

Thermouse

No. Enc.:  3d10 (1d10)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  75' (25')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  1d2 hit points
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d2
Save:  L4
Morale:  5
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  10

Thermice are tiny rodents found in Ancient ruins, particularly those of a "high-tech" bent:  laboratories, hospitals, factories, military installations, and the like.  They are rarely encountered in the open outdoors.  While they prefer vegetation and Ancient foodstuffs, they can and will ingest fabric, electrical wiring, insulation, and discarded chemicals (meaning they are immune to all toxins).

There are two breeds of thermouse:  cryomice and pyromice.  Each variety is just as common as the other, but they only congregate with their own kind; in fact, they fight to the death on sight.  Cryomice are pale blue and covered with frost crystals and icicles, and they freeze liquids instantly; pyromice are reddish-orange in coloration, and the small flames that continually race across their bodies ignite nearby combustibles.  Picking up any thermouse bare-handed causes 2d4+1 damage per round of contact (before any extra damage, like a cryomouse's "ice spines").

Thermice are highly valued by residents of the Mutant Future.  While too dangerous to serve as pets, the creatures can be kept and bred in special enclosures that harness their abilities—pyromice are used in makeshift ovens, kilns, forges, and incubators, and cryomice in refrigerators and cooling systems.

Woe be to any village that allows their thermice to escape.

Mutations:  Cryomouse—Energy Ray (Cold), Reflective Epidermise (Cold), Spiny Growth (Small); Pyromouse—Energy Ray (Heat), Reflective Epidermis (Heat), Thermal Vision 

"U" is for "Umbrelk"

Umbrelk

No. Enc.:  0 (3d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  165' (55')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  6
Attacks:  1 (gore or trample)
Damage:  1d12 or 1d10
Save:  L3
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  1,570

Umbrelk (both singular and plural) are massive nocturnal herbivores that stand 8' tall at the shoulder.  Woolly blue-black fur coats their frames, and majestic antlers sprout from their skulls.  They migrate through marshlands, dense forests, and cold, mountainous regions.

Thick waves and tendrils of "living darkness" whirl around an umbrelk's body.  From a distance, the creatures are all but invisible, but upon closer contact, the murk suppresses all ambient light (including man-made light sources) in a 30' diameter and Blinds anyone lacking enhanced visual senses.  The creatures strike from these shadows, Surprising opponents on a roll of 1-5 on a 1d6 and following up with goring attacks or Tramples.  Umbrelk are not affected by their own darkness, or that of others of their kind.

And while umbrelk can disrupt laser fire, they suffer +3 damage per die when actually struck by such attacks.

Like most herd animals, umbrelk are led by the largest male (who possesses an additional 1d12 Hit Points).  Each group is comprised of 4 females/young per male, and all young have half the standard adult Hit Points.

Mutations:  Control Light Waves, Force Screen, Frailty (Lasers/Light) [D], Night Vision

"N" is for "Nox"

Nox  ("Zombeef")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d8)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  8
Hit Dice:  5+2
Attacks:  2 or 1 (1 gore and 1 bite, or 1 trample)
Damage:  2d4 / 1d6 or 2d6
Save:  L8
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  2,060

To satisfy their all-consuming appetites, The Ancients devised all manner of methods—chemical and pharmacological additives, radiation treatments, genetic manipulation—to process and manufacture their "frankenfoods".  The noxen are the results of such experimentation gone hideously, horribly, and altogether disgustingly awry.

Noxen are large, hairless bovines with two sharp horns and raw, angry skin covered in suppurating lesions and swollen tumors.  They reek of spoilt meat, and their bellows are labored and phlegmy.  Noxen can consume grasses, vegetation, and carrion, but they prefer to hunt and devour living prey.

Noxen are prone to Charging and Trampling.  Anyone gored and/or bitten by a noxen must make a Saving Throw Versus Poison, or become infected with "nox-rot", an aggressively disfiguring skin disease that lasts 1d3+2 weeks.  The victim takes 1d6 damage per day from weeping sores and bulging nodules (called "moomurs"), and suffers a temporary loss of -2 DEX, -1 CON, and -5 CHA.  After the disease passes, survivors still endure a permanent reduction of -3 CHA due to scarring.

Bare contact with a nox's skin causes Class 3 poison damage.

The cancers that ravage their bodies provide noxen with astounding regenerative abilities.  Not only do they take half damage from all physical attacks, but they also heal back 5 hit points per round.  And anyone successfully striking a nox with a melee weapon must immediately follow up with an Ability Check Versus Strength [per p. 51 of the Mutant Future Core Rules], with failure indicating that the weapon has become embedded in the creature's ever-healing mass.  Noxen cannot regenerate damage from fire or acid, and they take an additional +2 per damage die from cold-based attacks.

While noxen have solid skeletons, they can spend two rounds shifting into a more amorphous form so as to flow through cracks and crevices.  They must spend another two rounds afterwards to become solid again.

As if noxen weren't formidable enough, they can manipulate the body chemistries and hormones of others, resulting in radical physical alteration.  They are considered to have a WIL of 1d6+4 for this ability.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Amorphousness), Bizarre Appearance [D], Density Alteration (Others), Frailty (Cold) [D], Dermal Poison Slime, Regenerative Capability, Toxic Weapon ("Nox-Rot")

"Z" is for "Zephrog"

Zephrog  ("Tornatoad")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d6)

Alignment:  Neutral

Movement:  30' (10')
          —Fly:  240' (80')

Armor Class:  2

Hit Dice:  2

Attacks:  2 (1 bite + gusts)

Damage:  1d3 + see below

Save:  L1

Morale:  7

Hoard Class:  VI, VIII

XP:  95

Zephrogs are blue-gray amphibians about the size and weight of Ancient housecats, and they inhabit environs ranging from tropical wetlands to open savannahs to cool mountain ranges.  Active hunters, they rarely make contact with the ground, and instead divebomb unsuspecting insects and rodents, or dart after birds.

Zephrogs control winds and air pressure at a localized level, and each is encased in a miniature cyclone of swirling dust and debris (causing all incoming missile attacks to suffer a -3 To Hit penalty).  They attack by expanding their cyclones to encompass an area 30' in diameter, and all caught within the gusts take an automatic 1d6 damage per round while surrounded, and must also make a Saving Throw Versus Energy Attacks or be Blinded for the duration.  Zephrogs can also focus their winds to move objects a la Neural Telekinesis, with weights determined as if they had WIL scores of 10+1d8.

Mutations:  Neural Telekinesis, Psionic Flight

Zephrog—Nephrog  ("Thundertoad")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d4)

Alignment:  Neutral

Movement:  45' (15')
          —Fly:  270' (90')

Armor Class:  2

Hit Dice:  4

Attacks:  2 (1 bite + gusts)

Damage:  1d4 + see below

Save:  L3

Morale:  8

Hoard Class:  VII, VIII

XP:  575

Larger, stockier, and darker than their cousins, nephrogs also evince greater control over atmospheric conditions.  Their bodies arc with static electricity.

Continually surrounded by a roiling grey nimbus, all attacks made against a nephrog suffer a -4 To Hit penalty.  And they, too, can harness blinding winds as above; however, their area of effect expands to 50' in diameter, and damage increases to 1d8+2 per round.  Nephrogs can also generate electrical bolts and claps of disorienting thunder, and given time, influence the weather on a grander scale.

Mutations:  Control Weather, Energy Ray (Electricity), Neural Telekinesis, Psionic Flight, Shriek (Greater) (x2)

"K" is for "Kabloom"

Kabloom

No. Enc.:  0 (2d12)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  0' (0')
Armor Class:  9
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  2 (2 seed pods)
Damage:  2d6 + radiation / 2d6 + radiation
Save:  L3
Morale:  None
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  800

Kablooms are woody, tree-sized plants with distintive day-glo coloration, sporting blue bark, neon-green leaves, and pinkish-orange flowers and fruit.  They are found in jungles, forests, and wetlands, and they feed off of moisture and nutrients in the earth.

Each kabloom has 3d10 highly explosive fruit-pods that not only deal 2d8 damage to all within a 15' blast radius, but also release a 15' burst of radiation (intensity determined randomly).  And while immobile, a kabloom can detect movement within 40', and launch its pods up to the same distance away.  The plant is hardy enough to resist damage from pods (and other explosives) that land close to its trunk.

Every 10 Hit Points of damage inflicted on a kabloom detonates 1d4 pods.  Those caught in the blast radius are struck automatically by the blast wave, but may make a Saving Throw Versus Energy Attacks to dodge its affects; a separate Save is still needed against the radiation, however.

Shamans and healers use kabloom extracts in their poultices and remedies, particularly those that treat heart conditions.

Mutations:  Accumulated Resistance (Concussion Damage), Full Senses (Motion Detection), Grenade-Like Fruit, Reflective Cellular Structure (Radiation)

"W" is for "War'Thog"

War'Thog

No. Enc.:  1d4 (2d10)

Alignment:  Lawful
Movement:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  7 (or by armor)
Hit Dice:  10
Attacks:  1 (gore or weapon)
Damage:  1d10 or by weapon
Save:  L10
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XIV, XV
XP:  2,400

The War'Thog are a race of porcine humanoids with wrinkly orange hides criss-crossed with scars.  Their large heads sport prominent snouts and tusks, and wiry manes run from their scalps down their backsides.  They are adept at using all weapons and armor, and have a fondness for Ancient garb and technology.

All War'Thogs age prematurely, and their truncated life spans lead to hedonistic excesses—they over-imbibe, they brawl, and they carouse; truly, they make the most of their extra Hit Points (as granted by their Increased Physical Attribute based on CON scores of 14+1d6).  Despite their conditions, War'thogs are pleasant of disposition and quick to laugh, as their "live fast, die young" ethos leaves little time for angst and animosity.  The War'Thog make excellent hirelings and adventuring companions, as they are always looking for new thrills and excitement.

It is a grievous insult to call them "Pigmen" [from p.88 of the Mutant Future Core Rules] or confuse them with that vile race of creatures.

Each War'Thog band is led by the male with the most, as they say in the Mutant Future vernacular, "boss" facial hair.

Mutations:  Increased Physical Attribute (Constitution), Pituitary Deformation [D]

"J" is for "Javeleen"

Javeleen  ("Quillpig")


No. Enc.:  0 (1d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  1 (bite or projectile-volley)
Damage:  1d6 or 2d6 per projectile
Save:  L3
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  500

Javeleens are porcine creatures encountered in deserts, scrublands, and wastelands.  They closely resemble their ancestor species, with two glaring exceptions:  indigo fur and 1d4+1 spear-like spurs protruding from their backsides.

Made of hyper-regenerating ivory, javeleens launch these projectiles at enemies at a range of up to 120' with unerring accuracy (getting +3 To Hit per missile).  Each javeleen can launch a total of 20 per day.

Weaponsmiths prize javeleen bones, and use them to create fine arrowheads, spears, and lances that grant +1 To Hit and +2 Damage.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Bone-Spears), Increased Sense (Vision)

"I" is for "Idguana"

Idguana

No. Enc.:  1 (1)

Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 tail-slap)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3 / 1d4
Save:  L5
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  VII, IX, XV, XIX, XXII
XP:  1,100

The race of creatures known as Idguanas are scaly, slender lizards that reach total lengths of 3'-5' and stand about about 1' off the ground.  They appear almost exactly like their Ancient ancestors, except for possessing distended, over-sized craniums.

Idguanas have vast mind-controlling abilities.  Any sentient being—including Androids and Mutant Plants—entering within 50' of an Idguana must make a Saving Throw Versus Stun, with failure indicating that the subject is hypnotized and forced to do the creature's bidding.  The victim gets bonuses to the Save, based on the higher of their Wisdom or Charisma scores as follows:

) 13-15:  +1
) 16-17: +2
) 18-21: +3

During every waking hour, those hypnotized are allowed another Saving Throw, with success meaning that they are (temporarily) free and can't be controlled again for another 1d4 Hours. 

Those with Mental Barrier are completely immune.

Idguanas are wretched beings.  Besides being greedy, hedonistic, and gluttonous, they thrive on sowing disharmony and misery.  Their individual methods vary, but an Idguana's standard modus operandi is to invade a small, isolated settlement and systematically corrupt it.  Some Idguanas lurk in the shadows, subtly influencing the residents to unleash their worst tendencies and darkest desires, culminating in bloodlust and  carnage.  Some present themselves as kindly gurus and sages, gradually turning the village into a cult-like compound full of devout zealots.  Other Idguanas just blatantly enslave the populace, and live like decadent emperors.

On those rare instances when they are overthrown, Idguanas direct their remaining brain-slaves to destroy the town and each other, and in the chaos, they assert Parasitic Control over a poor individual and flee with their "mount" into the wastes.

Idguanas can comprehend and speak all known languages.

Mutations:  Empathy, Mental Barrier, Parasitic Control, Prehensile Tail

"C" is for "Cricken"

Cricken


No. Enc.:  2d8 (5d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  105' (35')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  1d4 hit points
Attacks:  1 (1 bite)
Damage:  1d3
Save:  L1
Morale:  5
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  5

Domesticated by settlements throughout the Mutant Future, crickens are small, 18'' tall creatures with six legs, beaked mandibles, and chitinous exoskeletons blanketed by brown feathers.  They are prized for their meat as well as eggs (which they lay in clusters of 4d8).

Capable of leaping great distances vertically as well as horizontally, crickens scatter wildly when confronted by predators; as such, breeders tend to keep them in coops with secure roofing.

As some poor souls have discovered, crickens and fanghens cannot be raised together, as the two species interbreed at an uncontrollable rate to create ravenous, bounding, swarming, razor-toothed horrors called jawhoppers.

A trite answer to a question frequently asked at Mutant Future barbeques is, "Tastes like cricken!"

Mutations:  None