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. |
