Using Mental Hit Points in Mutant Future

Recently I purchased Advanced Arcana VIII, a collection of Pathfinder spells that include some within three themes. One of them is Mental Hit Points, an alternative method of resisting attacks against the mind that are not pass/fail like saving throws (though many still include saves). I like the idea so much I am going to use it to replace the mental attack table on page 55 in Mutant Future. 

 

First, all the characters will roll their mental hit points, a number of d6s (mutants) or d8s (pure humans, androids) equal to their Willpower score. In a monster write up, it is easy to add a listing for mental hit dice after the physical hit dice. For example, the crocodile has a listing of 2/4 as they are not physically strong, but ornery and difficult to mentally control. Unlike physical hit points, mental damage heals quickly- eight hours of rest will restore all of them.

 

 

Here are all the mutations in the core book that I am going to modify and how. First mostly physical and plant and then mental.

 

 

Dermal Poison Slime, Toxic Weapon, Dermal Poison Sap, Injected Poison Sap and Poisonous Spores. When one of these mutations are rolled or selected, the play must decide if the poison does physical or mental damage. Those reduced to 0 mental hit points are paralyzed until all that damage is healed.

 

Fragrance Development and Fragrance Development (plants) do 4d6 points of mental damage per round to those who inhale the odors, save versus poison for half. Those reduced to 0 mental hit points are enslaved by the mutant, doing whatever is described in the mutation. To free themselves, victims must get away from the mutant for 24 hours and make a successful save versus poison. The save can be made every 24 hours until it is successful.

 

Parasitic Control, Possession and Vegetal Parasite do 5d6 points of mental damage per round (per attack for Possession). Those reduced to 0 mental hit points are dominated or possessed as per the mutation description.

 

Metamorph is a special case. When the mutation is rolled or selected, the player has to decide if the mutation gives the shapeshifter additional traits and powers of the alternate form or not. With the former, there is a chance the character will lose their sense of self and every round the mutant is in that form, they take 1d10 mental hit points. If they are reduced to 0, they will think themselves to be the mutant creature they have shifted into and can not escape without the assistance of a telepath. If the player decides on the weaker alternate form, treat it as the standard mutation. This is based on two spells, Flesh to Spiders and Sauric Conversion (the latter turns the target into a dinosaur).

 

Unique Sense may allow the mutant to detect the amount of mental damage another character is suffering. This isn't an exact number, but rather a relative response.

 

 

Ability Boost, when applied to Willpower, does affect the mutant's mental hit points as long as it is in effect.

 

Acute Hyper Healing doubles the mutant's mental hit points for the 24 hours after use.

 

Ancestral Form is another special case. Those hit with the mutation take 10d10 points of mental damage and lose 1d4 mutations, save versus stun attacks for half damage. If the attack results in them being reduced to 0 mental hit points, the target loses all their mutations as per the description in the core book. if they are not reduced to 0, the mutations that were lost in the initial attack return when all the character's mental hit points are restored.

 

Body Adjustment heals mental and well as physical damage.

 

Damage Turning either works on physical or mental damage. The player must select which when the mutation is rolled or selected.

 

Dual Cerebellum adds 10 mental hit points. This does not affect the existing bonuses for having the mutation.

 

Increased Willpower and Weak Will have obvious effects on the number of mental hit points the character rolls for.

 

Mental Barrier increases the mutant's mental hit points by 10. This is in addition to all its existing benefits.

 

Mental Phantasm is turned into an attack and does 4d6 points of mental damage, save versus stun for half. Those that still have mental hit points can see the image but can tell it is not real. Once they are reduced to 0, they can not help but treat the image as if it was real.

 

Mind Thrust can either do 3d6 points of physical or 3d6 points of mental damage. The mutant has access to both versions and can select the damage type when making an attack.

 

Neural Telekinesis mentions a mental attack and I have no idea why as the target isn't using their mind to resist. This is replaced with a saving throw versus energy attacks.

 

Neural Telepathy can be used to restore the minds of those who have lost their sense of self. This can be done quickly but that has a chance for failure. After 1d4 rounds, the recipient can make a save versus stun to regain their mind. If the save fails, they are lost forever. If the telepath takes eight hours, the recipient is automatically saved. Those who are restored must take 1d4 turns to get their bearings. Until then they are considered to have ability scores of 3 (for all six scores).

 

Dual Cerebellum (defective) reduces the mutant's mental hit points by 25. This replaces the drawbacks existing pentalties.

 

Phantasmal Damage affects only the mutant's mental hit points. A reduction to 0 results in paralysis just like the poison based mutations.

 

Phobia results in the mutant suffering 3d6 points of mental damage per round they are exposed to the source of their fear. A reduction to 0 results in them fleeing for 1d4 rounds, as per the drawback's description in the core book.

 

 

The other two kinds of spells in Advanced Arcana also have a place in Mutant Future. Challenging spells can be used for flaws in superscience artifacts and Soluble spells can be used for other sorts of mutations as well as artifact powers, hazards and other effects that seem supernatural.