Mental Mutation Drawback: Acute Distraction
A minor and rather annoying drawback for your OSR game. SQUIRREL!
The epidermal layer of the mutant exudes a glowing substance. The light produced is strong enough to give opponents a better chance of striking the mutant in dim or poor light, but on the other hand have a more difficult time striking the mutant during the day, as the same substance makes the mutant appear fuzzy or slightly out of focus. In low-light conditions opponents gain two plus the power score modifier to hit, but in light suffer the same as a penalty instead of a bonus. This produces the same level of torch-light.
Glowing Secretion (drawback)
Type: Plant
Frequency: Rare
Power Score: Yes
Range: Power score in feet
Duration: Permanent
AI Recognition: +2
Damage: None
Uses: Constant
Aging Field
Type: Plant
Frequency: Rare
Power Score: Yes
Range: Power score in feet
Duration: Power score in minutes. Effect is permanent.
AI Recognition: None
Damage: None
Uses: One plus power score modifier per 72 hours.
Acute Dyslexia (drawback)
Type: Mental
Frequency: Very common
Power Score: Yes
Range: Personal
Duration: Permanent
AI Recognition: None
Damage: None
Uses: Constant
Acute Hyper Healing
Type: Mental
Frequency: Common
Power Score: Yes
Range: Personal
Duration: Instant
AI Recognition: None
Damage: None
Uses: One plus power score modifier per day.
Atrophied Natural Weapon (drawback)
Type: Physical
Frequency: Very common
Power Score: Yes
Range: Personal
Duration: Permanent
AI Recognition: +1
Damage: None
Uses: Constant
Acute Lysosomal Function
Type: Physical
Frequency: Uncommon
Power Score: Yes
Range: Personal
Duration: Permanent
AI Recognition: None
Damage: None
Uses: Constant
Dietary Requirement Change (Drawback)
Type: Physical
Frequency: Very common
Power Score: Yes
Range: Personal
Duration: Permanent
AI Recognition: None
Damage: None
Uses: Constant
Roll on the chart below for the type of dietary change:
Dietary requirement change table
| Roll |
Dietary Requirement |
Effect |
| 1 |
Blood |
The mutant must consume the power score in hit points of blood, or 2 quarts. |
| 2 |
Bone |
The mutant requires bone (or calcium) to survive, and has to consume the power score in hit points (or 1 pound) of bone per feeding. |
| 3 |
Cannibal |
The mutant must consume the power score in hit points (or 1 pound) worth of flesh of its own species per feeding. +6 to reaction if this is discovered. |
| 4 |
Carrion |
Any type of clearly rotting flesh will do, one plus the power score modifier to Charisma due to the scent of decay that surrounds the mutant. The flesh to be consumed must be at least seven days old. Anything less and the mutant will not gain any benefit. The mutant must consume the power score in hit points (or 1 pound). |
| 5 |
Cerebellum |
The mutant has a horrible need to consume the nervous centers of sentient creatures. This requires the mutant to kill and eat the brains of sentient creatures, which will make it an outcast in almost every society. |
| 6 |
Chitin |
The mutant needs to consume the power score in hit points (or 1 pound) of chitin or crustacean shells per feeding. |
| 7 |
Fungal |
The mutant must consume the power score in hit points (or 1 pound) of fungal matter per feeding. |
| 8 |
Living Flesh |
The mutant cannot consume dead flesh. The food must be consumed right off the still living creature. The mutant must consume the power score in hit points (or 1 pound) to a living creature. Flesh more than the power score in minutes old provide no nutritional value. |
| 9 |
Metal |
The mutant must consume at least one pound of metal. Most mutants will be forced to ‘shave’ down metal into filings or something it can consume easily. Rust will do as well. |
| 10 |
Parasite |
The mutant must physically attach itself to another living creature. It will drain the power score in hit points per day from the creature in order to survive. Another drawback is that the mutant with this dietary requirement cannot heal naturally; it has to be attached to another creature in order to regain hit points via feeding, or use the host’s natural healing capability. When this is happening, the host cannot heal damage naturally! |
| 11 |
Petroleum |
The mutant must consume one plus the power score modifier in quarts of any type of petroleum. This can be raw oil, refined fuel, propane, any type of petroleum product. |
| 12 |
Plastics |
The mutant must consume one plus the power score modifier in pounds worth of any type of plastic. |
| 13 |
Poison |
The mutant must consume at least two plus the power score modifier of destructive poison per feeding. The upside is the mutant is also immune to destructive poison. |
| 14 |
Radiation |
The mutant must bathe in radiation for 10 hours minus the class of radiation (so class 5 radiation would require the mutant to bathe in the radiation for 5 hours), with the mutant always having to spend at least one hour in the radiation. The mutant is likewise immune to the effects of radiation. |
| 15 |
Silica |
In order to survive the mutant must consume one plus the power score modifier in pounds of sand, crystals, glass, quartz or any other similar substance. |
| 16 |
Textiles |
The mutant has to eat artificial fabrics such as cotton, polyester or other such fabrics. One plus the power score modifier must be consumed to gain any nutritional benefit. |
| 17 |
Vegetable |
The mutant must consume the power score in hit points (or 1 pound) of vegetable matter per feeding. This can be anything from grass to wood to sentient plants, it does not matter. |
| 18-20 |
Choose |
Choose one type of dietary requirement change from the above list. |
Adhesive Sap
Type: Plant
Frequency: Uncommon
Power Score: Yes
Range: Power score in feet
Duration: Permanent
AI Recognition: None
Damage: None
Uses: Constitution score, see description.
King Zombie (Expert) CR 5 XP 1,600
Chaotic neutral, medium undead
Init; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16
Defense HP 65
EAC 17; KAC 18
Fort +4; Ref +4; Will +10
Immunities undead immunities, un-living, zombie immunity
Offense
Speed 35 ft.
Melee Survival knife, +10, (1d4 S)
Ranged Sonic rifle, +10, (1d10+5 S0, Crit deafen)
Offensive Abilities Control zombie, controlling bite, modify zombie behaviour
Statistics
Str +0; Dex +2; Con -; Int +5; Wis +3; Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +11, bluff +11, diplomacy +16, sense motive +16, stealth +11
Feats Deadly aim, small arms proficiency, long arm proficiency
Languages Common, Eoxian, Kasatha, Shirren, Vesk
Gear None
Ecology
Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Special Abilities
Control Zombie (Sp) The King zombies are fully capable of controlling other zombies. Any zombie they encounter automatically falls under their control, and they can command a total of 10 CR levels worth of zombies (and only zombies). Any intelligent zombie is allowed a Will save (DC 14) to resist. Mindless zombies are automatically controlled. The intelligent zombies are allowed a new saving throw once every 5 days, and if they succeed, they are able to wrest control away from the King. They can still stay and follow his orders if they so desire. If the King takes levels in any type of class, the number of CR levels in zombies they can control increases by 2 per level. So if the King has three levels in Mystic, they will be able to control a total of 16 CR levels in zombies. This ability can be used at will.
Controlling bite (Su) Any living humanoid bitten by a King Zombie must make a Will save (DC 14) or fall under the control of the creature. They are still able to act and think, and can even work against the creature that bit them and can even (eventually) break the control. The creature maintains control by biting the victim at least once every 48 hours, or forcing the victim to consume its blood. The victim is allowed a new saving throw every 48 hours to attempt to break the control, unless the victim is once again bitten or forced to consume the blood of a King. If that happens, the victim automatically fails the saving throw.
Modify zombie behaviour (Su) Whenever the King encounters large groups of zombies, he can choose to control some, or make attempt to sway the hoard. All zombies within 100 feet of the king can be forced to turn another direction, stand perfectly still or other simple actions. If any of the zombies in the area of affect are intelligent, they gain a Will save (DC 14) to ignore these simple commands. This can be used once per hour. The King may attempt to force the zombies to turn on one another and attack. The group is allowed a collective Will Save (DC 14). If it fails, they will instead turn on the king and attack him instead! They will be immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Zombie Immunity (Ex) If the King ever encounters zombies, they will ignore him entirely, even if he attacks them – with one exception (see Modify zombie behaviour). Intelligent zombies are able to ignore this by making a Will save (DC 14). If the will save succeeds, they are fully capable of taking any action against the king they so desire.
Acute Distraction (drawback)
Type: Mental
Frequency: Very common
Power Score: Yes
Range: Personal
Duration: Permanent
AI Recognition: None
Damage: None
Uses: Constant