Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Let's Go To Gamma World. Meet... The Maali.


Maali

No. Enc.:  1 (1)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
        Biped:  60' (30')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  11
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 gore) or 1 (weapon)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d6, 2d8, or by weapon
Save:  L11
Morale:  11
Hoard Class:  XVIII
XP:  7,300

The solitary maali (singular and plural) are enormous, shaggy ungulates with radiation-ravaged heads and hides.  The creatures often appear "simple" due to scar-induced drooping tongues, crossed eyes, etc., but they are shrewd, and speak multiple humanoid languages. Maali generally roam as quadrupeds, but can locomote bipedally (standing over 15' tall)...and use tools, weapons, and artifacts while doing so, thanks to leathery hands on their forelimbs.

Maali lay claim to large swaths of forest, and are quite protective of the their domains and the wildlife within. They dispatch predators and hunters with extreme prejudice.

Despite the maali's fascination with Ancient technology, the sight of robots sends them into epileptic fits.  Treat as Paralysis that lasts for 1 full turn, after which they can act and behave normally.

Mutations:  Ability Boost, Aberrant Form (XenomorphismHands), Bizarre Appearance (Burns & Scars) [D], Control Weather, Displacement, Dual Cerebellum (+1 extra random Mental Mutation), Energy Ray (Sonic), Force Screen, Mental Phantasm, Seizures (Modified) [D]


New Mutation

Displacement (Mental):  Allows mutant and its possessions to teleport out of danger, once per hour and up to a distance of 200'.  The mutant has no idea as to where it will reappear within the area.  The mutant never teleports into a solid object or any location that results in instantaneous death.  The Mutant Lord may wish to force the mutant to teleport during ANY stressful event (representing the body's unconscious desire to escape over conscious objections).  It is possible that situations arise where it's where it's impossible to teleport out of danger because of the limited radius (as in the entire region could be hazardous), so the mutant remains where they are and must wait an hour to try again.





Not-The-Designer's Notes:  The Maali and Displacement appeared in 1982's Famine In Far-Go, which was designed by Michael Price, and developed by Price and Michael J. Richie. Illustration provided by the enigmatic Darlene.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

"B" is for "Bighorn Seal"


Bighorn Seal

No. Enc.:  0 (3d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  45' (15')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  7
Attacks:  1 (headbutt)
Damage:  2d6
Save:   L4
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  790

Bighorn seals are 13' long, 2-ton, stumpy-limbed aberrations that inhabit rugged, rocky terrain and blasted badlands, and they favor extreme climes (both hot and cold) over temperate zones.  They feed on thorny scrub and nasty mutant plants that other species avoid.

Aggressive and territorial, bighorn seals Charge their foes, but look quite ridiculous in the process.  Anyone thus attacked must make an Ability Check Vs Willpower, or be Paralyzed for 1d3 rounds with paroxysms of mirth at the beasts' blubbery galumphing.

Mutations:  Increased Balance

Saturday, May 4, 2013

"S" is for "Splicesaur — Trirannosaurus X"


Splicesaur — Trirannosaurus X

No. Enc.:  0 (1)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  22
Attacks:  3 (3 bites)
Damage:  5d8 / 5d8 / 5d8
Save:  L11
Morale:  11
Hoard Class:  VII x3
XP:  15,000 (+2,000 per extra Mutation)

One of the most horrible creatures birthed by the apocalypse, the trirannosaurus X is a 25' tall, triple-headed monstrosity that terrifies even the mightiest of Mutant Future predators.  It stalks grasslands, swamps, and forests, and seemingly favors humanoid prey.

Trirannosaurus Xes Swallow man-sized or smaller victims on To Hit rolls of 17-20.  And they are never Surprised, thanks to 360-degree vision.

As if the beasts couldn't be any more nightmarish, 10% of any encountered are albinos with vast mental abilities.  These sentient specimens posses:  Albinism [D], +1d4 beneficial Mental Mutations, and Willpower scores of 7+1d10...and their claws are dexterous enough to manipulate tools and artifacts!

Mutations:  Dual Headed (x2), Increased Sense (Smell, Vision)





 


Friday, April 26, 2013

"S" is for "Splicesaur — Liopterdon"


Splicesaur — Liopterdon

No. Enc.:  0 (1d4)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  30' (10')
  —Fly:  240' (80')
  —Swim:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  13
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  3d6
Save:  L7
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  XVI
XP:  5,100

The 25' long, all-terrain liopterdons terrorize the skies and the seas (the land, not so much).  They are surprisingly agile for their bulk, and Dive [p. 58 of the Mutant Future Core Rules] to carry prey to cliff-side nests.

Liopterdons shimmer with blue energy, and discharge Class 4 radiation from their eyes. They use their atmospheric abilities to herd prey into dead ends and/or the waiting jaws of their fellows.

Mutations:  Control Weather, Force Screen, Optic Emissions (Gamma Eyes)



Friday, April 19, 2013

"M" is for "Mariqué"

Mariqué

No. Enc.:  1d6 (1d10)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  4
Attacks:  3
Damage:  1d4 / 1d4 / 1d6
Save:  L4
Morale:  9 (or 11)
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  355

Mariqués are child-sized, four-eyed, scabrous-skinned, tumor-riddled primates that shimmer with shifting, iridescent hues (meaning they never Surprise their foes).  The descendants of laboratory test animals, the vicious beasts carry an ingrained hatred of Pure Humans and "scientific types" (bumping their Morale 11 in such encounters).  Their elongated, nigh-prehensile lashes twitch with malice.

Mariqués discharge rainbow streams of chemicals from their malformed cranial cavities at a range of 25'.  A failed Saving Throw Vs Poison means the target is Blinded [-4 To Hit, +4 AC penalty] for 2d6 rounds.  Furthermore, the victim's skin and hair are stained for 1d4 months, which either diminishes (75% chance) its CHA score by 1d4+1...or actually improves (25%) it by the same margin.

There are reports of mariqués as big as men, with boundless physical strength and aggression, and the cunning to use them....  [AC 6; HD 6; 2d6 / 2d6 / 1d10; SL6, ML 11, XP 1,570]

Nimble and spry, mariqués brachiate through overgrowth and ruins at full movement rate.

Mutations:  Bizarre Appearance [D], Prehensile Tail, Toxic Weapon ("Cosmetic Cloud") 


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Mutants In The News — "I Have Waited 25 Years For This" Edition

Thanks to a pair of dino-and-corresponding-name-decorated pajamas, words like "tyrannosaurus" and "triceratops" and "stegosaurus" were amongst the very first utterances from my wee two-year-old mouth.  I've had a lifelong love of the big brutes, and tried to give those thunder lizards some attention on this here very blog.

And in 1988, Topps' Dinosaurs Attack! card series blew my mind.  They were gleefully gory and gorily gleeful, and totally hit all my monster / apocalypse / sci-fi buttons.  I knew of Mars Attacks! cards, but these had FREAKING DINOSAURS!

Belongs In The Louvre

"I know an old dino who swallowed a guy...."

The RPG You Never Knew You Wanted, Until Now:   Gammasaur World!!!

There was supposed to be a tie-in comic series, but only one issue ever saw print.  I've still got my copy, and always lamented there weren't more.







AWESOME.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Mutants In The News — "It's Like They Merged Dr. Zoidberg And Bender B. Rodriguez" Edition

According to the Associated Press, a surgical robot named da Vinci is under scrutiny for assorted problems and deaths, including "hit[ting] a patient in the face during a hysterectomy" and not "let[ting] go of tissue grasped during colorectal surgery".

Here's some pics of that li'l scamp.



Wow.  There is NOTHING about "Dr. Stab-bot, M.D." there that isn't terrifying.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Mutants In The News — "I Don't Wanna Grow Up, I'm A Toys-R-Us Kid...." Edition

I've made no secret about my love of the new Lego Chima sets, with their mutastic minifigures.  Those gator-tribe guys just tickle me pink, particularly Crug with his metal jaw and Crooler rockin' the ol' Raquel-in-furs look.


The resemblance is uncanny.


The great site Eurobricks brings us pics of the upcoming base for those reptilian rascals, The Croc Swamp Hideout.









It's like they think I'm made of money.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

"W" is for "Wrexus Wronghorn"


Wrexus Wronghorn

No. Enc.:  0 (1d20)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  1 (gore or trample)
Damage:  2d8 or 2d10
Save:  L5
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  800

Wronghorns are robust, speckled, 1.5-ton bovines that roam the Wrexus prairies, feeding on contaminated grasses and scrub.  Their multi-pronged racks of horns extend upwards of 10', tip to tip, and inject blistering acid that inflicts automatic Class 2 poison damage for 1d4 rounds after every gore attack.  

While normally quite docile, wronghorns Charge and Trample when threatened.

Female wronghorns are larger than the males, and each posseses a "crown" of extra iron-infused horns that discharge bolts of electricity [add +2 HD, Energy Ray (Electricity), and Reflective Epidermis (Electricity); XP:  2,540].  These metal growths are quite valuable, as they are melted down for weapons, armor, etc.

There are rumors that some wronghorns have attained sentience and evolved humanoid forms, and call themselves bevoids....

Mutations:  Increased Sense (Taste), Toxic Weapon (Acid)


Friday, April 12, 2013

I'm A River To My People. A Glowing, Radioactive River. Full Of Toxic Monstrosities.



Well, color me giddy.  (You can find that in your Crayola box between "Aflutter" and "Nervously Queasy".)

I'm not really sure what they're thinking, but those mad bikers of the apocalypse over at Skirmisher Publishing—you know, the deviants behind the best 99¢ you can spend on gaming PDFs, the snazzy Wisdom From The Wastelands—invited me to run The Ruins Of Woebrook at this year's Comicpalooza show.  Nifty!

And I'll be hosting a pre-game seminar (no, I can't believe I get to use that word, either) on how to make your very own mutant for the event.  Because if there's anything I've learned as a Mutant Lord, it's that the judicious application of random mutations make adventures shine.  You just never know when the ability to shapeshift into a man-sized worm that slithers through the dungeon's ruin's plumbing will come in handy.  (Yes, I've truly seen it happen...and it was as awesomely ridiculous as it sounds.)

The schedule's here for all the other snazzy games planned (sweet spermatazoa of Krakatoa...LOWLIFE!), but my timeslot is from 1pm-6pm on Saturday, May 25th.

If you're a local, come slang some dice...and if you're not, buy an airline ticket and come to Texas.  It'll be a hoot AND a holler!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Guys Of Wrexus Are Upon You — Meet The Notorious B.O.T.!

The Nortorious B.O.T.  ("BIG*E")
Synthetic Superstar

NPC
Character Type:  Android
Alignment:  Neutral

Level:  6
Hit Points:  50
Armor Class:  3 (2+1)
Movement:  120' (40')

Abilities
STR:  14
DEX:  6
CON:  10
INT:  14
WIL:  16
CHA:  14


Modifiers
To Hit / Damage (Melee):  +1 (+3)
To Hit (Missile):  -1
AC:  +1
Technology Rolls:  +5%
Reaction Adjustment:  -1

Saving Throws
Energy Attacks:  13
Poison / Death:  10
Stun Attacks:  12
Radiation:  11

Implants (Mutations):  Energy Ray (Sonic), Killing Sphere, Toxic Weapon (8d6)

Attacks / Weapons / Abilities
)  2 attacks per round


) Warp-Field Sword (1d8+16, treats foe's armor as +2 AC worse)
) Energy Baton (2d6+15)

)  +2 damage in melee combat (Level Bonuses, factored in to Modifiers)
)  Immune To Poisons / Paralytics

)  Immune To Sense-Based Stun and Blinding Effects

Equipment

)  LazAb Armor (AC 2)
)  Android Repair Kit
)  2d10 Drugs / Chemicals / Medical Devices
)  A Loyal Cyborg Crew

XP:  73,400

Description
The Ancients were awash in mass-media-driven "celebrity culture", but the concept lost all meaning as anyone with an implant-cam and a cerebro-link instantaneously broadcasted their antics throughout the known worlds.  The Hollywood-Military complex couldn't profit from these "independent artists" the way they did in the glory days of contractually-bound entertainers, so The Powers That Be literally made celebrities of their own...or, more accurately, re-made them.  They cloned and robotized and digitized long-dead stars of stage, screen, song, and stadium into programmable, controllable cyber-chattel.

The Notorious B.O.T. (a.k.a. BIG*E) is one such construct, a portly fabricant as deadly with a rhyme as he is a blade.  He awoke angry and ambitious from the celebri-storage tanks beneath The Syn-Hell Pavilion (an accursed prison-slash-graveyard for Ancient artificial beings), and he's obsessed with reforging his musical empire.  Thanks to exhaustive data-chips on Ancient chemistry, The Notorious B.O.T. subsidizes his endeavors by dealing in rare pharmaceuticals.

In combat, BIG*E usually lumbers into melee, cutting down the weak and the wack alike.  He also manipulates deadly sonic waves (Energy Ray, Killing Sphere), and launches narcotic finger-syringes (Toxic Weapon) up to 30'.  Though he strives to maintain a pristine appearance, his synthe-skin is often battered and tattered from hard living.  BIG*E abhors primitive firearms, and single-mindedly attacks (Morale 12) anyone who points one his way.

Rumors suggest The Notorious B.O.T. is actively recruiting a gang of other revived MCs ("MusiConstructs"), which include such cryptic unit designations as O-D-B, SH0K-G, KRS-1, 2L-C00L-J, ICE³, FLAY-V, BZ-MRK*E, and 3R1C-B.  And he may have a bloodthirsty archenemy, a renegade sentient hologram called 2P4Q.



Monday, April 8, 2013

Thangs Are Afoot!

I've temporarily taken down The Ruins Of Woebrook locale.  Those of you who already downloaded it have a treasure, indeed!

No, there's nothing nefarious or lawyer-ific or unpleasant.  It's just that SECRET DOINGS are underway.

HOW MYSTERIOUS!!!


Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Guys Of Wrexus Are Upon You — Meet Exxon The Eternal!


Exxon Honda
Immortal Warlord and Unyielding Kingpin


NPC
Character Type:  Mutant Animal
Alignment:  Chaotic

Level:  5
Hit Points:  96
Armor Class:  5
Movement:  60' (30')

Abilities
STR:  19
DEX:  15
CON:  12
INT:  13
WIL:  17
CHA:  18

Modifiers
To Hit / Damage (Melee):  +1 / +4
To Hit (Missile):  -1
AC:  -1
Technology Rolls:  +5%
Reaction Adjustment:  -2

Saving Throws
Energy Attacks:  13
Poison / Death:  10
Stun Attacks:  12
Radiation:  11

Mutations:  Energy-Retaining Cell Structure, Epidermal Photosynthesis, Force Screen (Greater), Increased Physical Attribute (CON), Intellectual Affinity (Bartering), Mental Barrier, Vision Impairment [D]

Attacks / Weapons / Abilities

) 3 attacks per round

) Tusks (1d12+4)
) Axe (1d8+4)
) Laser Pistol Mk2 (6d6)
) Warp-Field Dagger (1d4+10, treats foe's AC as +2 worse)

Equipment

) Studded Leather Armor (AC 6)
) All The Money
) GOONS!
) An Entire City At His Disposal
) As-Needed Mobster Arsenal and Accoutrements

XP:  10,000

Description
Exxon Honda's been chopped, shot, stabbed, and blasted, but seemingly nothing can stop the 10' tall, semi-shaggy, half-ton-plus pachyder-man.  And losing both his right eye and left leg did little but piss him off.

Through brawn, drive, and seeming invincibility [thanks to that solar-healing and increased HP], Honda climbed the ranks of Gunspoint's organized crime...until violently claiming the throne for himself.    His army of enforcers, smugglers, scroungers, and assorted lowlifes serve his every whim.  Exxon Honda is Gunspoint, for all intents and purposes.

Honda's ruthless and brutal, but not without charm and a dark sense of humor.  He often takes a shine to his favorite employees, and offers them access to the finest munitions and equipment...but he also demands repayment for every discharged slug and expended energy charge (usually after the fact...and usually at rates that surpass salary agreements).  Many find that they can never escape their debts, and end up working for him forever....

While Honda tries to maintain a veneer of the utmost professionalism and practicality, he's been known to squash—literally—incompetent and problematic employees.  (You can tell when he's getting irritated, as his big ears start twitching.)  And Honda would move heaven and earth to get his trunk around the bony throat of rival crimelord Don Esqueleto, the translucent mutant who maimed him.

"By Honda's metal foot!" is a common epithet amongst Gunspoint's denizens.  It's just never said too loudly.


Designer's Notes:  In the campaign's very first adventure, I quickly needed a Wilson Fisk / Jabba The Hutt type to goad the PCs to action...and made up the name and description ("an elephant-dude with an eye-patch and prosthetic leg") on the fly.  But over the last few sessions, Honda's shadow over the characters grew larger, and it was high time to stat him up.

I randomly roll up my NPCs (3d6 in order, random mutations...if it's good for the players, it's good for the Mutant Lord), and I swear on a drum of toxic waste that the stats above are 110% legit.  Just look at that ridiculous STR and CHA (natural 18s!), 17 WIL, double HP, super-moolah skills, and awesome damage-dodging abilities.  Even the Reduced Vision Drawback paid off, due to that aforementioned patch at all.  And in making him Lvl 5, I randomly used the advancement chart, too...and earned a +1 STR, +1 INT, and +2 attacks per round in the process.

Beastly!  The PCs are going to HATE this guy, if they ever come to blows.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

"C" is for "Cinnaman"


Cinnaman  ("Cinnobite")

No. Enc.:  1d8 (4d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  18' (6')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  11
Attacks:  1 (fist, or trample, or weapon)
Damage:  1d4, or 3d6, or by weapon
Save:  L8
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XV
XP:  10,000

Cinnamen are rotund, sparsely-haired humanoids that stand 4’-5’ tall and measure twice as wide.  They are so blubbery, their genders are indeterminate.  Their pasty, doughy hides continually excrete a sticky glaze (Poison Class 6) that induces systemic shock with its hyper-absorptive super-sweetness.  Cinnamen only ingest mush and slurries, as their teeth rot away in infancy.  They are immune to all known diseases and toxins.

When a cinnaman successfully strikes with a fist attack, it adheres to its target; each round thereafter, it freely pummels with its other fist or melee weapon for automatic damage.  Those stuck must make an Ability Check Vs STR at a +2 penalty to escape.  Cinnamen also slam foes with their prodigious bulk, knocking them prone and Trampling (+4 To Hit).  Possessions crushed by the overweight onslaught are up to the Mutant Lord.

Evidence suggests that the cinnamen devolved into their current forms from decades of exposure to certain Ancient foodstuffs....

Mutations:  Accumulated Resistance (Radiation), Dermal Poison Slime, Obese (x2) [D], Metaconcert, Mind Thrust, Optic Emissions (Bright Eyes), Reduced Oxygen Efficiency [D], Reflective Epidermis (Cold, Electricity, Heat)





Saturday, March 30, 2013

Mutants In The News — "Two Superbugs Is One Too Many" Edition




While it hasn't been verified through proper scientific analysis, I think we can all agree on this:  

Mankind can barely handle one superbug going bananas at any given time.  But two?  We're DOOMED.



Oh, Dean Jones...why have you forsaken us?!!!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Presenting...The First 'A Field Guide To Doomsday' Adventure Module!

When typing up my recap for Session #3 of our Don't Mess With Wrexus game, I kept doubling back and digressing and over-explaining things to give you readers a sense of what the hell was going on.  It was all about CONTEXT, MAN!

And then I figgered it'd be much easier to present the adventure itself, all purty-like, and then do the recap afterwards.

So here it is...THE RUINS OF WOEBROOK!!!


16 mindblowing pages of pure mindblowingness!!!

Graphics!!!

Maps!!!

And a brand new specie of beastie, never before seen!!!  The critter won't get solo posted for at least a week—get your first bonus glimpse, right in these very pages!!!


Download the PDF here, or look in documents section on the sidebar.

Having never written up a full-on adventure before, I'm kinda tickled by how it turned out...so if you don't mind, please tell me what you think.  Hope y'all enjoy it.

Monday, March 25, 2013

"V" is for "Vacuuvore"


Vacuuvore  ("Suckbug")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d3)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  0' (0')
        —Fly:  75' (25')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  22
Attacks:  1 (vacuum)
Damage:  See Below
Save:  L11
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XXII + 2d00 junk
XP:  13,000

Flying via "jets" attached to their abdomens, vacuuvores are glowing, bioengineered beasts as large as Ancient commercial airliners.  They were created to clean hazardous spills and floods, draw oxygen from raging fires, and collect mineral-laden dust from off-world surfaces.  They are utterly immune to all known diseases, toxins, and environmental conditions.

Vacuuvores cruise along about 100' off the ground, siphoning up all loose materials and liquids in a 150' radius.  Anyone thus sucked is deposited in a tank-like stomach, and buffeted and battered by flying debris for 1d12 damage per round.  The creatures tend to go on vacuuming binges lasting hours at a time....

When "full", vacuuvores excrete their inert payloads in convenient 15' x 15' solid bricks.  Their Hoard Class represents items chiseled from their leavings and/or contents of their stomachs.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Xenomorphism—"Vacuu-Tubes"), Epidermal Photosynthesis


Friday, March 22, 2013

Let's Go To Gamma World. Meet... The Menarl.

Menarl ("Slime Devil")

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d4)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  75' (25')
  —Swim:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  14
Attacks:  1d6+1, 1d3, or 1 (fists, or weapons, or squeeze)
Damage:  1d8 per fist, or by weapons (melee +3d6), or 6d8
Save:  L14
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  3,300

Menarls are massive, 30' long serpentoids that favor aquatic environs.  Each possesses 2d6+4 burly, 3' long arms ending in dexterous hands.  Though highly aggressive, they are relatively friendly to Pure and Mutant Humans, and often work in their employ as mercenaries or guards.

Menarls can attack multiple targets each round, striking any and all targets adjacent to any part of their elongated bodies.  They favor low-tech weapons (clubs, spears, etc.), but can be trained in the use of Ancient armaments and artifacts.  Menarls' immense strength grants +3d6 damage with melee weapons.

Menarls prey on waterfowl, and go into a frenzy when encountering any type of avian...including Mutant Animals.  They ignore Morale in this crazed state, and attack until all birds in sight are dead.

Despite being seemingly related (which both races vehemently deny), menarls and manacondas are bitter enemies.

Mutations:  Increased Physical Attribute (Strength)



2nd & 3rd Edition

4th Edition

5th Edition
6th Edition



Not-The-Designer's Notes:  The Menarl first appeared in 1978 in the 1st edition of Gamma World, by James M. Ward and Gary Jaquet, and again in the 2nd edition of Gamma World from 1983, by Ward, Jaquet, and David James Ritchie.

Not-The-Designer's Notes Addendum:  The Menarl may just be the most illustrated of all Gamma World monsters.  Illustration by Larry Elmore from the 2e set.  The subsequent versions were by Newton Ewell or Mark Nelson (4e), Monte M. Moore (5e), and Claudio Pozas (6e).