Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue 4: New Races - Bonus content

A player character may be allowed to use any of the creatures from the Mutant Future core book or any of the various supplements that have been published for the game, with several rules governing them.

Of course this all hinges on the individual Mutant Lord allowing this. Personally, this author has always found it far more entertaining to choose a base genotype (be it a mutant animal, human or plant) and let the dice and chance govern the traits and mutations that the character possesses.

Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue: 4 New Races

Rules for using monsters as PC races.

A player character may be allowed to use any of the creatures from the Mutant Future core book or any of the various supplements that have been published for the game, with several rules governing them.

Of course this all hinges on the individual Mutant Lord allowing this. Personally, this author has always found it far more entertaining to choose a base genotype (be it a mutant animal, human or plant) and let the dice and chance govern the traits and mutations that the character possesses.

There are three ways presented in this article to handle this.

The first method would be to have the PC stuck with all the hit dice, abilities, mutations and so forth of the creature as it is presented in the core book. Since the statistics do not exist, just roll 3d6 (or whatever method the ML wishes) and that is that.

The second method is to do as above, but instead of using the listed hit dice, the ML will have the PC use the Constitution score instead.

The last method is described below.

A PC will be stuck with the mutations and defects. Typically the only way that the character can gain more mutations is through random chance and play of the game, but included is a percentage chance that the mutant may have additional mutations. It is recommended that the mutant be allowed to roll 1d4-1 if this chance of a mutation is rolled, and then to randomly determine if it is physical or mental in nature. Yes, there is a chance that due to a low roll the mutant may not gain an additional mutation!

Secondly, most creatures do not possess any actual statistics. Below is a rough guideline as to the bonuses or negatives that should be attached to any of the physical statistics, based entirely upon the size and type of creature. After all, it does not make any sense for a creature that is the size of an elephant to have the strength of an ordinary man!

Hit Points will likewise be handled differently. Most monsters have a ‘hit dice’ total listed or even hit points.  This will be changed in some cases instead being dictated by the players rolled Constitution score and the hit dice determined by the size and overall hardiness of the creature. Some player characters may have only 1d2 or 1d3 hit points per dice, while others could have 1d8, 1d10 or even 1d12!

Mental Statistics will be randomly determined using whatever method the ML currently uses, such as 4d6 – lowest, 3d6, etc. Occasionally the ML may allow somewhat higher scores, depending on the monster in question.

Many of the creatures may not be able to use artifacts or man-made weapons due to their size, lack of manipulative appendages, or even body types due to physical mutations. The ML will have to assign penalties or just flat out not allow a character to use certain types of artifacts or even primitive weapons and armor.

After all, a character the size of a mouse will not be able to wield even something like a pistol, let alone primitive weapons designed for a normal sized humanoid creature.

Below is a list of the mutants that are usable as PC races from the Mutant Future core book. This list also includes the hit dice type that should be used, as well as the statistic range, and odds of having mutations other than those that are typical for members of that particular race. This article does not cover the other creature books that have been published through Skirmisher games however.

When calculating the hit points, use the constitution score. The range of the constitution score provided assumes that the hit dice listed in the core book is the average hit dice for the member of that particular race. The ML can decide to allow the character to roll for regular constitution scores and base the hit dice off that instead. The option is left to the ML, either way.

Included are several intelligent monsters that should be used as NPC’s only, but are provided as a basis to show the ML how powerful creatures could be adapted. Using such a creature as a PC could be a game breaker, and as such it is strongly recommended that these creatures should NOT be allowed. Examples of these creatures added are Brain Lasher, Electrophant, Gamma Wyrm, Goliath, Irradiated, Land Squid, and Medusiod.

When rolling for any of the statistics, whenever a statistic has a –L beside it, which means that the character will roll all dice and then ignore the lowest dice. Another example is –2L which means that the character will roll the dice listed, ignoring the two lowest dice scores.

Existing Races Table

Name	Hit Dice Type	Strength	Dexterity	Constitution	Chance of Random Mutation	Number of Random Mutations
Accipitoid	d4	6+2d4	12+2d4	3d4	10%	1d2
Ape, Albino	d6	6d6-2L	4d6-L	2d6	25%	1d3
Apeman	d6	6d6-2L	4d6-L	3d6	25%	1d3
Baboon, higher	d4	6+2d6	3d6	2d6	25%	1d2
Brain Lasher	d8	3d6	4d6-L	4d6-L	50% (mental)	1d4+1
Castoriod	d4	2d6	3d6	3d4	15%	1d2
Cephalopoid	d6	3d6	5d6-L	4d6-L	20%	1d3
Cockroachoid	d8	5d6-L	3d6	4d6-L	5%	1d2
Coyote, Encephalized	d6	4d4	3d6	3d4	30%	1d3
Domer	d6	4d6-L	4d6-L	4d6-L	5%	1d2
Electrophant	d8	6d6-2L	3d6	3d6	25%	1d3
Eloi	d4	2d4	4d6-L	3d3	5%	1d2
Eye, Insectoid	d6	2d3	5d6-L	3d6	15% (mental)	1d3+1
Feeder	d4	3d4	4d6-L	3d4	50%	1d2
Fishmen	d6	4d6-L	3d6	3d6	30%	1d3
Fungoid	d6	4d4	4d6-L	3d4	25% (mental)	1d3+1
Gamma Wyrm	d8	6d6-L	5d6-L	4d6	25%	1d3
Goliath	d8	5d6	4d4	6d6-L	15% (physical)	1d3
Homo erectus	d6	4d6	3d6	4d4	10%	1d2
Homo erectus, Lord	d8	4d6	4d6-L	4d6-L	10%	1d2
Irradiated	d6	3d6	3d6	4d6	N/A	N/A
Kamata	d6	4d6-L	4d6-L	3d4	35%	1d3
Land Squid, Giant	d10	6d6-L	4d4	5d6-L	40%	1d3
Leaper	d4	3d4	5d6-L	3d4	50%	1d4