"F" is for "Frisbee Fungus"

Frisbee Fungus

No. Enc.:  1d6 (1d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  3' (1')
         —Fly:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  2
Attacks:  1d6 (tentacles)
Damage:  1d3 per tentacle
Save:  L1
Morale:  12
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  65

Frisbee fungus is a levitating, bioluminescent organism found in tropical jungles, fetid swamps, and mouldering ruins. It generally floats docilely above the landscape, drifting with the winds...but upon sensing prey, the creature rockets with frightening speed.

Frisbee fungi feed off psychic energies, and target those with 3+ Mental Mutations and/or WIL scores of 15+.  They fixate on the head, lashing out with probing tentacles that invade any and all orifices to leech the brains within.  Those struck by 3 or more frisbee fungus tentacles in any given combat round not only take the appropriate damage, but lose 1d4 WIL points upon a failed Saving Throw Vs. Stun.  Anyone reduced to 0 WIL collapses in a drooling, brain-dead heap.

Lacking minds proper, frisbee fungi are completely immune to Mental attacks.

Mutations:  Flight, Free Movement, Unique Sense ("Cerebro-Sense")

"R" is for "The Rax"

The Rax  ("Webrustler")

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d6)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  11
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite) or 2 (2 kicks) or 4 (4 spine-volleys) or 1 (lasso)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3 / 1d8 + poison, or 1d10 / 1d10, or 1d4 / 1d4 / 1d4 / 1d4, or See Below
Save:  L11
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  XXII
XP:  7,800

The Rax (singular and plural) are nightmarish arachnoids that stand 10' tall atop six spindly, spike-festooned legs.  They possess another set of stunted limbs that ends in manipulative digits.

Nocturnal, silent, and terrifyingly fast, The Rax lurch from the darkness (which they often generate themselves...), Surprising on a 1-4 on 1d6 and attacking in a flurry of claws and spines.  They hurl these spines ranges of 60' without penalty.  A rax bite injects Class 11 paralytic poison.

The Rax primarily use their "hands" to weave and hurl lariats made of sticky webbing.  It takes 1 round to spin a lasso, after which it can be tossed up to 45'.  Anyone struck is trussed up on the spot, and falls helpless to the ground.  The web-cords are nigh-unbreakable, and require 15 points of cutting damage from an outside party, or solvents (which invariably damage the prisoner).

The Rax are religious fanatics, and their bizarre faith fixates on "the liquids of life"...so their rituals involve blood, battery acid, gasoline, and android fluids.

Mutations:  Control Light Waves, Enhanced Vision (Night), Mind Thrust, Shriek, Spiny Growth (Small), Toxic Weapon (Venom)

"E" is for "Eyecone"

Eyecone

No. Enc.:  3d12
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  3 hp
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d4
Save:  L1
Morale:  11
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  7

Eyecones are small, parasitic insects that infest larger plants (usually conifers...and often of the killer-mutant variety) to leech the fluids within.  They are virtually indistinguishable from vegetative growths, and Surprise on a 1-5 on 1d6.

Aggressive and opportunistic feeders, eyecones drop on passersby en masse.  If an eyecone makes a successful attack against a target, it burrows into the victim, and does automatic damage each round until removed or killed.   Those wearing metal- or plastic-based armor are resistant to this effect.

Eyecones are also far quicker than they have any right to be, and sprint after foes on spindly "branches".

Mutations:  None

"H" is for "Hippoid" [Metamorphosis Alpha Version]

Hippoid

Number Usually Appearing:  1-3
Armor Class:  3
Movement (Yards / Turn):  8
Hit Dice:  9

Mutations:  Heightened Brain Talent, Heightened Intelligence, New Body Parts (Photosynthetic Skin), No Sensory Nerve Endings [D], Telekinesis

Hippoid (Hippopotamus):  This gregarious, creative biped stands a beefy 7' tall and is wholly immune to pain.  Hippoids are skilled body modification artisans, and each sports numerous tattoos, piercings, implants, and decorative scars / brands.

The creatures are psionically attuned to electrical current, and with minimal concentration, can pinpoint the location of any functional artifacts within a one-mile radius.  Hippoids are also photosynthetic, and heal 4x as quickly in lit environs; conversely, they move 50% slower in the dark, and suffer -2 to Saving Throws versus temperature-related attacks.

"H" is for "Hippoid" [Mutant Future Version]

Hippoid

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d4)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
      —Swim:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  13
Attacks:  1 (bite, punch, or weapon)
Damage:  2d8, 2d6, or by weapon
Save:  L13
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XVIII
XP:  6,900

The creative and gregarious hippoids are beefy, 7' tall bipeds that are wholly immune to pain.  They are skilled body modification artisans, and each hippoid sports numerous tattoos, piercings, implants, and decorative scars / brands.  They're the only race in the Mutant Future that doesn't blanch at the words "recreational dentistry".

Hippoids are psionically attuned to electrical current, and with minimal concentration, they can pinpoint the location any functional artifacts within a 2-mile radius.

Mutations:  Epidermal Photosynthesis, Increased Willpower, Neural Telekinesis, Quick Mind, Pain Insensitivity [D], Unique Sense ("Electro-Sense")

"C" is for "Czarfish"

Czarfish

No. Enc.:  1 (1d4)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  18' (6')
      —Swim:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  2 (spine-shards)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d6
Save:  L5
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  XXII
XP:  2,300

Czarfish are 1'-diameter echinoderms adorned with glowing, crystalline growths.  They can launch 2 shards per round at a range of 20'.

The megalomaniacal czarfish embed themselves in targets (animals, humanoids, and even sentient plants), then slither headwards to be worn as "crowns".  A czarfish's Parasitic Control requires only 1 round of contact to be effective, instead of the usual 3.  Psychic leeches, czarfish drain 1d3 WIL points from their hosts per day.

In melee combat with a czarfish and its "mount", the Mutant Lord should apply all damage to the host first; only called shots with natural To Hit rolls of 18-20 hit the czarfish.  But mental attacks apply against the parasite first, which has a Willpower score of 15+1d4.

Czarfish ordinarily live marine existences, but can survive on land (attached or otherwise) for 5 days.

Mutations:  Energy Ray (Laser / Light), Force Screen (Greater), Increased Willpower, Metaconcert, Mental Barrier, Mind Reflection, Mind Thrust, Neural Telepathy, Parasitic Control (Modified), Precognition, Spiny Growth (Medium)

"L" is for "Luminoid"

Luminoid

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d4)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  90' (30')
         —Fly:  45' (15')
Armor Class:  -3
Hit Dice:  10
Attacks: 1 (weapon)
Damage:  by weapon
Save:  L10
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XXII
XP:  5,900

The otherworldly invaders nicknamed "luminoids" are vaporous beings contained within neon-infused membrano-suits.  Other than being nocturnal, almost nothing is known about luminoid biology.

Luminoids require their skeleton-like garb to maintain cohesion, and it's presumed their abilities derive from the tech instead of mutations proper.  Most physical attacks pass harmlessly through the suits' permeable shells, but electricity-based assaults scramble the circuitry and target as if against AC 1.

Feared across the Mutant Future, luminoids capture wildlife and sentients alike for study and experimentation, and plunder all Ancient tech they find.

Mutations:  Control Light Waves, Energy Ray (Laser / Light), Enhanced Vision (Night, Thermal, Ultraviolet), Plane Shift, Teleport

Mutants In The News — "Hungry, Hungry Hippos" Edition

The BBC is reporting that an ever-expanding colony of African hippopotamuses is thriving in rural Colombia.

How'd they get there, you ask?  They're hold-overs from deceased drug lord Pablo Escobar's menagerie.

"For about two decades, they have wallowed in their soupy lake....  Nobody knows how many there are," reports William Kremer.  They're also venturing far and wide, with some being spotted over 150 miles away from their birthplace.

And get this mind-boggling mutato-liciousness:  male hippos in Africa attain sexual maturity in seven to nine years, and females nine to eleven...but thanks their spectacularly perfect living conditions, these South American residents are reaching it in as little as three.  "All the fertile females are reported to be giving birth to a calf every year."

Seriously, the article's a fascinating read, and explains why "they escaped from zoos" isn't so far-fetched an explanation behind the monsters of the post-apocalypse.

"T" is for "Thornhopper"

Thornhopper

No. Enc.:  0 (2d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  6
Attacks:  1 (gore or kick)
Damage:  2d8 or 2d6
Save:  L3
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  1,070

Thornhoppers are armored, flightless insects of bison-like proportions that reach lengths of 15' long. Domesticated over the post-apocalyptic centuries, thornhoppers can carry two riders and up to 500 lbs of extra gear.

Thornhoppers often Trample when provoked, or at their riders' insistence.  And they are nigh-invisible in verdant environs, Surprising (even if carrying riders) on 1-5 on 1d6.

Mutations:  Increased Balance

"C" is for "Craydeen"

Craydeen

No. Enc.:  1d8 (2d6)

Alignment:  Chaotic

Movement:  120' (40')
   —Burrow:  15' (5')
      —Swim:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  3

Hit Dice:  11

Attacks:  4 (2 claws, 2 weapons)

Damage:  2d6 / 2d6, and by 2 weapons

Save:  L11

Morale:  11

Hoard Class:  VI, XIV

XP:  5,200

While the Craw are relatively peaceful crustaceanoids, the miliant Craydeen are anything but.  Stronger and nastier than their arthropoidal cousins, The Craydeen are rampant speciesists who bully, torment, and enslave "lesser races" at every opportunity.

The Craydeen are nomadic and semi-aquatic, and live as brigands and pirates.  They are also polyglots who can comprehend and commune with all sentient mutant species.

Craydeen love Ancient carbonated beverages, and will do anything to acquire them.

Mutations:    Aberrant Form (Gills and Lungs), Energy-Retaining Cell Structure, Enhanced Vision (Night), Force Screen, Frailty (Heat) [D]

"F" is for "Flinch"

Flinch

No. Enc.:  2d6 (3d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  18' (6')
         —Fly:  210' (70')
Armor Class:  2
Hit Dice:  1d2 HP
Attacks:  1 (peck)
Damage:  1 hp
Save:  L1
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  7

Flinches are 6" tall birds with grimy, soot-stained feathers. Fleshy tumors erupt across their skulls, sometimes growing so pervasively as to blind the creatures outright.

Pyrokinetic pests that eat seeds, small arthropods, and ash, flinches are feared throughout the Mutant Future.  They turn settlements and ruins into infernos, and lay waste to arable land and crops.  To keep flinches at bay, villages often keep fiery "feeders" (rusty toxic waste drums filled with smoldering grains, vegetation, and debris) at the outskirts.

Some (burn-scarred, hair-deficient) individuals claim to have domesticated flinches, using exotic nectars and hand-carved whistles...which they'll happily sell for an exorbitant sum, natch.

Mutations:  Reflective Epidermis (Fire / Heat), Temperature Control (Heat), Vision Impairment [D]

"K" is for "Kurbaq"

Kurbaq

No. Enc.:  1 (1d4)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  90' (30')
      —Swim:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  13
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  2d6+2 / 2d6+2 / 1d8
Save:  L13
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XIX
XP:  8,700

The hermaphroditic, brutish kurbaqs are 8' tall, hunchbacked amphibianoids with slick, shiny bodies that ripple with muscles.  A third eye—bulbous, black, lifeless, and all-seeing—juts from the humps above their misshapen, snaggletoothed faces.  Though of low intelligence, kurbaqs possess cruel cunning and grim determination (WIL scores of 9+1d8).

Kurbaqs inject poison (Class determined at random) from sickle-like protrusions on their wrists.  And they insidiously combine their Ancestral Form and Empathy mutations to create loyal gangs of primitive, devolved humanoids.  A lone kurbaq will be accompanied by 1d3 thralls, while larger groups can have 2d6 (or more).

Mutations:  Ancestral Form, Empathy, Enhanced Vision (Night, Thermal, Ultraviolet), Reflective Epidermis (Fire / Heat), Mind Thrust, Reduced Oxygen Efficiency [D], Toxic Weapon (Venom)

Radioactive Review — 'Wisdom From The Wastelands #23: Sea Monsters'

"Like, 40% of the original Gamma World monsters were fish.  What was up with that?" — WotC's Bruce Cordell, on Gamma World 4e (7e) (at GenCon 2010)

"Despite much of the planet being covered by ocean, sea monsters have oddly been absent from all editions of the game that inspired Mutant Future." — Introduction to WFTW #23

They're both (kinda-sorta) right.

Fish play a huge role in the Gamma World bestiaries from the 2nd Edition on, but they're freshwater (one supposes, based on the brief descriptions) critters.

But Dragon Magazine's two Mutant Manual supplements (found in #98 and #108) added a handful of sea-things, like aerosquids, blade whales, crusteans [crabs], draguns [saltwater crocs], and flipps [dolphins].  Sure, they're not "official" boxed-set beasties or anything, but they're close enough.

A Swiss-army version needs to happen.

WFTW #23 brings more post-apocalyptic content of a specifically salinated spin.

—

First off are nine new monsters.

There's the candy cod, a "fairly common game fish" that slightly mutates those that eat it.  It also has 30 Hit Dice, which is insane.  Compatible Labyrinth Lord tyrannosaurs have 20, fer chrissakes.

Next up is the glup, a grunion-y seal-thing that offensively shifts ambient temperatures.  Most of the text is about its mating cycle, though, so the Wisdom From The Wasteland series once again makes it abundantly clear why author Derek Holland is known as Skirmisher Publishing's Official Staff Biologist.

The greater inferno whale follows, and if you remember your Thundarr, you get the gist.  I reckon the "greater" part comes from added noxious clouds of gaseous chlorine it generates. Snazzy!

MAJESTY.

Then there's the shark king, which isn't a shark proper, but a sentient bass that makes Jaws-y sand elementals.  Nifty concept.  But this line in the description tickled me silly: "They are not a good source of information and most people ignore or avoid them."  It's just so random.  And doesn't that generally apply to EVERY monster, sentient or otherwise, in any given RPG?

It takes a whoooooooooooole lotta text to describe the shellback, when "big, poisonous clam" would've sufficed.  Same goes for the slaath, "big, explosive, carnivorous seaweed."

Close to the last but certainly not anywhere near the least, the sticky tree is a 300' long, 40' wide, 30' tall, 250 ton, 60 HD sea cucumber that swallows ships whole and is consequently stuffed with 10 times worth of Mutant Future's best treasure Hoard Class.  The Kraken as piñata!

"I CONTAIN MULTITUDES...OF STARBURSTS AND SKITTLES!!!"

Looks like my sentiment regarding the shellback and slaath applies to the stonegull, too. "Bird with hardened feathers."

And again, with the the striking lump, "coral that entombs you on contact".  Ugh.  Sooooo. Much.  Expository.  Text.  I know word-counts matter to reach the WFTW standard format, but sheesh.

—

Rounding out the issue is some crunch, with painless, down-n-dirty drowning rules (lacking from the core Mutant Future book), and three new mutations:  Animate Object, Chemical Gland, and the disadvantageous Loss Of Trait.  All of these could be covered under existing mutations like Aberrant Form, Toxic Weapon, and Frailty, respectively, but there they are.

—

This issue of WFTW isn't my favorite.  Fiery whales and shark-golems aside, it's dry (hyuck!) and too tame.

But no matter what I think, Holland's science bonafides are unimpeachable.  And the drowning bit is sllick.  Totally using it.

—

Buy it here for 99¢.  Still the best value in gaming PDFs!

"X" is for "Xeemu"

Xeemu

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d6)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  2 or 1 (1 peck, 1 kick, or 1 weapon)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d10, or by weapon
Save:  L5
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  950

The man-sized, 400 lb xeemus are mean-spirited, aggressively stupid avians that accost any humanoids they encounter.  They love shiny trinkets and weapons, and rob travelers unlucky enough to enter their territory.

Quite dexterous, a xeemu can wield 1 weapon (via prehensile feet) in combat. However, the unique resonances of energy-based melee weapons (vibro-swords, warp-field maces, etc.) drive them into a panic.

Xeemus produce live young, and carry their hatchlings in abdominal pouches.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Pouch, Prehensile Feet), Increased Balance, Neural Telekinesis, Phobia (Energy HTH Weaponry) [D], Teleport

"L" is for "Leapsteed"

Leapsteed

No. Enc.:  0 (2d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  240' (80')
Armor Class:  3 / 6
Hit Dice:  5+2
Attacks:  2 or 1 (2 kicks, or 1 headbutt)
Damage:  (1d10 / 1d10, or 2d6)
Save:  L3
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  860

Leapsteeds are bison-sized amphibians adapted to drier terrestrial climes.  Thick armored plating covers their heads and upper-bodies [AC 3 when attacked from the front and sides], while their backs, abdomens, and extremities are slick and smooth [AC 6 from behind].  They travel in family herds.

Leapsteeds are omnivores, dining on vegetation, tubers, and small animals.  They also, bizarrely enough, feed on psychic energies, which they procure by mentally manipulating (via Empathy) sentient beings into physical contact.  Upon a successful Mental Attack (as if from a WIL score of 2d6+5), a leapsteed motivates the target into using it as a trusted mount.  Sticky secretions adhere the target in place on the leapsteed's back (even during full-bore movement), and the leapstead is "steered" with its rein-like antennae, which also serve as telepathic conduits.  Leapsteeds drain 1d3 HP per day from their riders.

Despite the seemingly negative implications of mind-control-based relationships, leapsteeds genuinely care for their "masters", and crave positive symbiotic bonds.  In fact, most leapsteeds find that, with enough time, they don't have to use their mutations on their riders, thanks to engendered trust and goodwill.

Leapsteeds are powerful enough to carry two riders (sitting one in front of the other) and all their gear, plus an additional 200 lbs.

Mutations:  Empathy (Modified), Neural Telepathy (Modified)

"T" is for "Tapiroid" [Metamorphosis Alpha Version]

Tapiroid

Number Usually Appearing:  1-3

Armor Class:  6

Movement (Yards / Turn):  12

Hit Dice:  6

Mutations:  Heightened Vision, Hemophilia, Illusion Generation, Mental Paralysis, Molecular Disruption, Repulsion Field Generation

Tapiroid (tapir):  This 5' tall, nocturnal biped travels in small family bands.  Being hemophiliacs, they are shy and secretive, and have evolved powerful mental mutations to avoid and deter conflict.

Tapiroids prefer heavily wooded environs, and often travel along lake and river bottoms to mask their travels.  Their prominent snouts can further elongate another 1-2' to serve as (rather clumsy) extra limbs, or makeshift snorkels.

"T" is for "Tapiroid" [Mutant Future Version]

Tapiroid

No. Enc.:  1d6
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
          Swim:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  7
Attacks:  1 (bite, or weapon)
Damage:  1d6, or by weapon
Save:  L7
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XIV
XP:  2,540

Tapiroids are nocturnal, 5' tall beings that live in small family bands.  Being hemophiliacs in the merciless Mutant Future, they are shy and secretive, and have evolved powerful mental mutations to avoid and deter conflict.  Each tapiroid has a WIL score of  10+1d6.

Tapiroids prefer heavily wooded environs, and often travel along lake and river bottoms to mask their travels.  Their prominent snouts can further elongate another 1-2' to serve as (rather clumsy) extra limbs, or makeshift snorkels.

Mutations:  Disintegration, Enhanced Vision (Night), Force Screen (Greater), Hemophilia [D], Mental Phantasm, Prehensile Tail (Modified)

"P" is for "Pinnipoid — Walrusoid" [Metamorphosis Alpha Version]

Pinnipoid — Walrusoid

Number Usually Appearing:  1-4

Armor Class:  4

Movement (Yards Per Melee Turn):  15

Hit Dice:  9

Mutations:  Genius (Military, Scientific), Speed Increase, Symbiotic Attachment

Pinnipoid—Walrusoid (walrus):  This hulking biped stands 7' tall and is resistant to cold and electricity.  Though dim of wit and clumsy (-2 to all relevant Mental Resistance and Dexterity rolls), walrusoids are savant-like masters of strategy, tactics, and technology, and improve scavenged weapons and/or fabricate them outright.  They are also preternaturally fast for their bulk, and attack twice per turn.

"P" is for "Pinnipoid — Walrusoid" [Mutant Future Version]

Pinnipoid — Walrusoid

No. Enc.:  2d4 (2d8)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  180' (90')
      —Swim:  240' (80')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  13
Attacks:  4 or 2 (2 gores and 2 fists, or weapon x2)
Damage:  2d6+1d6 / 2d6+1d6 / 1d10 +1d6 / 1d10 +1d6, or by weapon +1d6+4 / weapon +1d6+4
Save:  L13
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XXII
XP:  7,800

The bizarre walrusoids are living contradictions.

Their blubbery, hulking, clumsy frames belie amazing speed and finesse (which they cunningly reserve for combat, to the shock of their foes).  And though slow of wit, walrusoids are technological and tactical savants.  They craft masterful weapons that grant +4 damage, and use them to deadly effect in combat.  Walrusoids are relatively peaceful when left to their own devices, but often put their skills to use as mercenaries, weaponsmiths, and arms dealers.  None dare take advantage of their simple natures.

Walrusoids are immune to all cold- and electricity-based effects.

Mutations:  Atrophied Cerebellum [D], Intellectual Affinity (Martial, Tinkerer), Quickness, Parasitic Control

Mutants In The News — "Where Creatures Roam... Where Beasties Creep... Where Spooks Skulk, Shimmy, and Slink" Edition

Face front, True Believers!

We spectacular sages here in The Bullpen strongly suggest you start saving your shekels and simoleons, 'cuz you dare not skip our sense-shatteringly scarifying Shocktober issue of TALES TO FLABBERGAST!

This astonishing comic will have it all:  Adventure!  Danger!  Excitement!  Horror!  Intrigue!  Suspense!  Thrills!

Scripted by those sultans of stupefying storytelling, Jocular Justin and Alana "The Mama" Davis, and pencilled by none other than that grand guru of the gargantuan, Chris "The Wiz" Wisnia!

You simply must read this tremendous tale of trepidatious, tot-anic terror we just had to call, "The Power...and The Placenta!"

IT'S MUTANT MONSTER MATERNITY IN THE MIGHTY MARVEL MANNER!!!