Gathox Classes: The Mutant

Today we take a look at the Mutant class for Gathox, with the attendant art:

Mutants

Mutants are a special breed of bizarre creature - a human born corrupted from the psychic radiation of Gathox itself. There are as many variations of viable adult mutants as there are humans. Gathoxan Mutants are scorned and maligned by the elites, abused and taken advantage of by merchants and gangs, and often forced into the most impoverished places in society.

For all these endless abuses, Mutants have incredible potential. They are natural psychic talents, and they continue to mutate as they progress in level. The harsh reality of their day to day lives forces them to become quick learners, acquiring Wheelhouses (if the optional rules are used; see pp.xx) at a pace which far outstrips any of their adventuring comrades. Many mutants eventually form their own gangs or establish their prowess as traders and power brokers.

Each mutant starts with 1d3 random beneficial mutations, and 1 random negative mutation. Mutants will gain an additional beneficial mutation at levels two, four, and six. They are the only beings to possess genuine psychic powers (i.e. not based in magic). Mutants use the level and hit die advancement of Clerics. They may use any armor, at a cost penalty of double the normal price, and may use any single-handed melee or ranged weapon at full effectiveness. Two-handed weapon damage is reduced to 1d4.

Mutants accrue additional psychic powers as they increase in level, and these are rolled randomly on the table below. Rolling randomly for psychic powers may result in a double-up; in this case the mutant may double their use of the power. Mutants start off with a psychic power, and gain an additional random psychic power at levels three, five, seven, nine, and eleven.

Psychic Powers

1) Nerve Cluster Stimulation - The Mutant may, once per day, accelerate the production of electrons in their body, allowing the emission of psychic bolts. These bolts have a range of 60’ and do 1d6+1 damage on a successful attack roll. Creatures weak to electrical attacks must save or suffer double damage. This power lasts for 3 turns and allows the mutant to discharge one bolt per round.

2) Liminal Materiality - The Mutant may spend a round in psychic meditation and partially dematerialize their body and possessions for up to a turn. They appear sufficiently translucent as to be effectively invisible in dim light. Additionally, normal weapons only inflict one point of damage - only lasers or magic can do full damage. They cannot inflict more than one point of damage in this state or pass through other objects. The mutant may use this power once per day for every four levels (1/day at 1st, 2/day at 5th, etc.).

3) Psionic Summons - The Mutant may focus her desire on one non-living object of up to 40 lbs. in a 100’ radius, causing it to dematerialize at its current location and re-materialize within 20’ of the Mutant, so long as nothing occupies the space at which the Mutant intends it to materialize. This is usable once per day.

4) Auratic Pattern Recognition - This power allows the Mutant to visualize the subtle shifts in the aura of a humanoid creature within a 40’ radius, giving the Mutant a basic read on the surface level intentions of the target. Lasts 1 turn and gives a +1 to the Mutant’s reaction rolls, as well as initiative if the Mutant is alone. Usable once per day.

5) Field of Atonia - The Mutant may emit a 50’ radius psychic blast of crippling energy, causing all specified targets to experience a withering of their musculature and nervous system which lasts 1 turn. This inflicts a -1 penalty to initiative and attacks, and halves movement. Usable once per day.

6) Psychic Guillotine - The Mutant channels her feelings of rage and oppression into a psychic hatchet which strikes at the base of a target’s neck, inflicting 1d6+1 damage automatically. Usable twice per day.

7) Self-Reconstructive Meditation - The Mutant may enter into a mantra-led trance lasting an hour and allowing her to psychically force her cells to regenerate. The Mutant then rolls a Saving Throw. If successful, she regains half her total hit points; if a failure, she regains one quarter of her total hit points. Either way the Mutant must consume twice as much food for the next 24 hours. Usable once per day.

8) Ectoplasmic Arm - The Mutant vomits a stream of ectoplasm from her mouth, nose, tear ducts, and ears, which then can be remotely operated as an arm with the full functionality and equivalent STR of the Mutant. This arm has a range of 60’ and lasts 1 turn. Usable twice per day.

9) Telepathic Tranception - The Mutant may target any creature within 200’ for the purposes of reading its mind. A successful 3d6 vs. WIS roll allows the Mutant to read said mind for up to 1 turn, and can still move at half speed while doing so. A failure simply means that the Mutant spams the target’s mind with psychic effluvia, causing wild and unpredictable reactions instead (subject to GM discretion). The Mutant may choose to fail this roll. Usable twice per day.

10) Paralytic Communion - The Mutant can target up to 1d6 creatures in a 30’ radius, forcing them to make a Saving Throw or be paralyzed. This lasts for as long as the Mutant remains motionless or 1 turn, whichever is shorter. Usable once per day.

11) Bleeding Heart Syndrome - The Mutant channels the totality of her hate into an entropic field of vengeance. Every targeted creature of ½ the Mutant’s hit dice or less in a 50’ radius must make a Saving Throw or instantly have their heart violently explode from both the front and back of their torso in a firehose spray. Usable once per day.

12) Terminal Communique - The Mutant may construct a message of up to 60 words in length, which she then transmits toward an intended target. If the target is within a 1 mile radius of the Mutant, said target will instantly receive the message. For each ¼ mile beyond that, subtract ten words from the back end of the message. Usable once per day.

Beneficial Mutations (1d20)

1	Claws or teeth do 1d6 dmg, appearance changes to reflect the growth.	11	Mutant sprouts oily fur which resists most liquids, but not acids.
2	A nimble tail, 4’ in length, grows from the tailbone. Usable as a 3rd limb.	12	Elongated tongue, retractable; can reach 1d3 feet in length.
3	A fully functional third arm grows from the chest of the Mutant.	13	6 holes appear instead of nose; can detect poisons by smell within 10’.
4	Extra pair of eyes above normal eyes, allowing for infravision up to 30’.	14	Calcium deposits on skull create heavy dome; 1-point bonus to Saves against mental attacks..
5	Skin becomes random mix of fur and scales, +1 AC bonus.	15	Quick regeneration, allows Mutant to recover 3 hp per rest turn instead of 1.
6	Mutant can secrete mild paralytic venom from glands in throat, two doses per day.	16	Pockets form just below eyes, can shoot spines up to 20’ 3/day, 1d4 dmg.
7	Mutant becomes barrel-chested and grows super-sized lungs. Can survive underwater twice as long as normal.	17	Can eat almost anything non-poisonous and nonmetallic, never needs rations.
8	Natural skin webbing appears between digits and limbs. Good for swimming at twice the normal rate and gliding and reducing fall damage by 10’.	18	Translucent skin with shifting pigmentation allows Mutant to blend into environment from 20’ or further. Reduces chance to spot the Mutant by 1 in 6.
9	Giant bat ears allow echolocation within 15’. Need ear-pro for loud sounds.	19	Bulbous cancers (3 daily) grow from body; can detach and move, following simple commands (including listening, carry up to 5 lbs., and spying). 2 hp each, up to 5 at once under command.
10	Marsupial pouch grows on torso, allowing Mutant to carry an extra 30 lbs.	20	1d6 limbs become tentacles. 1-4 for arms/legs, 5 is head, 6 means body is amorphous and flexible. Sensory organs and fine motor skills remain intact. Head tentacle can also grasp objects.

Negative Mutations (1d20)

1	Skin dry and brittle, takes double damage from fire.	11	Diseased skin, flaking and red, possibly pustulent. -1 CHA.
2	Stress can cause paralysis - 3d6 vs. WIS check in stressful situation (GM fiat), failure forces Mutant to curl up in a ball for 1d4 rounds.	12	Enlarged facial features, creating slurred speech and breathing. -1 CHA and -1 to reaction rolls.
3	Water dependent - needs to immerse in water for 10 minutes every 6 hours or suffer 1d4 dmg/hour.	13	Misshapen limbs and twisted bone growth, add 1 die of difficulty to DEX checks.
4	Direct sunlight causes Mutant to suffer a -1 penalty to attack, damage, and Saves.	14	Brittle bones and weak ligaments. When making a STR check, roll twice and take the lower number.
5	Arthritis - swollen joints make it difficult to haul gear. -2 Encumbrance slots.	15	Fused spine - makes checks for climbing, crawling in confined spaces, and gymnastic movements 1 die more difficult.
6	Black and white vision, unable to see color.	16	Body temperature can’t regulate - double the negative effects of cold and heat.
7	Taste and smell senses are totally absent.	17	Shrunken or missing arm (1-2) or leg (3-4).
8	Weak skin - physical attacks inflict an extra point of damage.	18	Tumors cover body, reducing movement by half and encumbrance by -20 lbs.
9	Single eye - two eyes have merged into one. Depth perception off, leading to a -1 attack penalty.	19	Insatiable appetite requires the additional consumption of 1d4 rations per day.
10	Inhuman voice, -1 to reaction rolls.	20	Roll 2 negative traits from above.