THE COMPLETE

MUTATIONS GUIDE

OR

A list of the weird genetic alterations

that add spice to your game

Page 1 of 20

INTRODUCTION

Some month ago I was reading the mutation's list in Gamma world campaign setting
from Andy Collins and Jeff Grub when I was creating my character for a Gamma world
campaign and I thought there are too few of them!.
I began inventing some new mutations to fit the idea of character that I had. I
discovered that it was really hard. I thought I was a creative person but...
I began searching for new ideas and new mutations to be used, and downloaded all fanbased material that could relate to mutations in RPG's.
I found a file containing a big deal of articles from Dungeon magazine on Gamma world
and some of them listed mutations. I saw some mutations too on Action Check online
magazine.
From my past gaming experiences (mostly D&D and d20) I can say that d20 has his
own choice of mutations from various books (d20 has a Gamma world setting too), so I
decided to convert the ones that don't have already an Alternity version.
At last I searched the forums o A.net to see if someone had already posted some
mutations I could use.
I found Derek Holland's mutation thread and after asking permission I have taken some
of his ideas (well... a lot of them but I thought it was a pity to leave all his stuff in a
forum thread). All mutations I found and created are in this book. I have also a small
section where some additional rules on mutations are listed.
I hope this book could help you to design interesting mutants to use in your game. But
this book is not completely finished (maybe it will never be), I am still searching and
inventing, and you can send me your mutations to be added to the book.

You can contact me at: [email protected]

Someone_else

Page 2 of 20

INDEX

New mutation point rules

Physical mutations
Mental mutations
Drawbacks
A couple roleplay-oriented mutations
Credits

Page 3 of 20

Pag.
4
5
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13
18
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MUTATION POINT RULES

Having only 7 mutation points is too low for you?
Do you want to create a really muted mutant?
These quick and simple rules are what you need!
First: select/randomize the mutations and add up all mutation points.
Second: select/randomize the drawbacks and add up all drawback points.
Third: divide mutation points by drawback points to obtain a score called Mutation score.
Fourth: the GM decides how much powerful wants to be the mutants in his campaign, so he chooses a
Mutation score from below, the mutant's score must be close to that value. (GM's fiat on what values are
close enough)
Really Realistic:
Realistic:
Gamma World PHB:
Heroic:
Super-Heroic:

0,5
1
1,75
2
3

The Really Realistic one is the most difficult, because the mutant has to offset his mutation points with
double that value in drawback points.
The Realistic one is the most balanced, all mutation points are payed off by the same amount of drawback
points.
The Gamma World PHB one has a ratio of 7 mutation points for every 4 point of drawbacks, like on
Gamma World PHB.
The Heroic one creates more powerful heroes, only a half mutation points are payed off by drawback
points.
The Super-Heroic one creates very powerful heroes, because only a third of the mutation points are payed
off by drawback points.

MUTATION POINT COST

I repeat the mutation point cost and drawback point cost, just in case you don't have another handbook
handy.

Mutation
strength

Cost
(pts)

Drawback
strength

Cost
(pts)

Ordinary

Ordinary

Good

Good

Amazing

Amazing

Page 4 of 20

PHYSICAL MUTATIONS

Table 1:

Physical mutations

Ordinary mutations

Good mutations

Amazing mutations

Decr. Life Support

Aldis Eyes

Decr. Life Support

Enlarged Lungs

Avoidance Scent

Genetic Sampling

Grasping Spines

Cast-iron stomach

Hyp. Cyberability

Great horns

Dazzling Display

Improved EMP blast

Halters

Decr. Life Support

Indestructible

Impr. Cyberability

EMP blast

Kinetic Absorption

Keromones

Enh. Cyberability

Silk production

Mucus Packaging

Enh. Gravity Adaption

Sound Imitation

Silk production

Hollow Fangs

Unlimited lifespan

Spiny Hair

Improved lifespan

X-ray vision

Turtle Eyes

Organic Radio

Zeppelin Sacks

Plasma Spheres
Platelet Factory
Power Drain
Power Eater
Power Source
Rad. Consumption
Scent Spot
Silk production
Ultravision
Useful Gland
Wall crawler

Page 5 of 20

Aldis Eyes
G, Activated, WIL

The mutant can transmit and receive information

through his eyes. Transmitting involves sending light
and does not interfere with normal vision. The range
is line of sight. Two mutants with Aldis Eyes can
communicate this way, but can be built a device to
allow communication with others without it (a handheld computer with a visual sensor). This mutation
is named after the aldis lamp.

Avoidance Scent
G, Activated, WIL

Within the cloud, which is 10 meters in diameter,

those wishing to harm the mutant take a +2 step
penalty to all attacks. Creatures with an INT of less
than 4 must make a WIL feat check, or avoid the
mutant completely.

Cast-iron stomach
G, Permanent, CON

The mutant can eat any type of biomass (plant,

animal, mushroom or mold) and gain nutrition from
it, plus he receives a -2 step bonus when saving
against all ingested biological agents (they simply
get digested as biomass) or natural poisons that the
food could contain (like the death cap's poison, but
not the arsenic that someone could put into it).

Cyberability Impr./Enh./Hyp.

natural attack mutations. The mutant can use this

twice per day for free and then spend one fatigue
point per use thereafter.

Enhanced/Hyper Environmental
Adaption
G/A, Permanent, CON

With the Good mutation, the mutant is now able to

survive in an otherwise deadly environment. It gives
the mutant the ability to survive (i.e. no penalties
nor checks to avoid damage from the selected
environmental conditions) in ONE of the following
GRAPH environments: H1, H3, R2, R0 (if it was a
damaging environment for the mutant), A3 (select a
specific one, like that of a specific planet), P1, P4.
The Amazing one permits survival in an extremely
lethal environment.
Now the mutant chooses ONE of the following
GRAPH environments: H0, H4, R4, A4 (select a
specific one, like that of a specific planet), vacuum
(P0 and A0).
Your mutant can take this mutation all times he
wants but, as you may have noticed, every time he
must select a different condition to adapt.
As the original mutation say, you can't adapt at both
two extremes, like being adapted to both H0 and
H4. This restriction works even in conjunction with
other mutations, if you are adapted to G1 by taking
Environmental adaption you can't adapt to G4
taking this mutation.

O/G/A, Permanent, CON

The mutant has tissues that allow really invasive

cybernetic implants without much problems. Every
implant has its effective size (for using up cyber
tolerance score only) reduced by 1, 2, 3 points
respectively for the O, G, A version of this mutation.
The reduction will never bring the effective size
below 0. (it can't improve the cyber-tolerance score
itself)

Dazzling Display
G, Automatic, WIL

The mutant produces colored light from his skin

upon command. The patterns generally get the
attention of anyone looking at the mutant and can
overwhelm their vision (mental resolve check to
avoid standing there gawking). The mutant must
have his face and arms exposed at the minimum to
use this mutation.

EMP Blast /Improved EMP Blast

G/A, Activated, WIL

The mutant can emit a field that damages

electronics only. The area is 5 meters in diameter,
centered on the mutant. Damage is the same as the

Enhanced Gravity Adaption

G, Permanent, CON

The mutant body is now adapted to more extreme

gravity conditions than G1 or G3 (provided by
Gravity Adaption in PHB). To do so it must alter the
very form and contents of muscles and bone, thus
giving the mutant a different look. The adaption to
G0 conditions create a more elongated and tall
mutant, negates any penalties for the G0 conditions
(obvious) and increases temporarily his dexterity
score by 2 point while he is in a G0 environment (in
a G1 environment this drops to 1 point).
The adaption to G4 conditions create a very strong
and stocky mutant, negates any penalties/checks
for G4 conditions and increases temporarily his
strength score by 2 point while he is in a G4
environment (in a G3 environment this drops to 1
point).
This mutation can be taken only once, the mutant
cannot be adapted to both G0 and G4 environment.
This restriction works with other mutations too, if he
is adapted to G1 someway (for example by Gravity
Adaption) he can't take this mutation to adapt to
G4.

Page 6 of 20

Enlarged Lungs

Great horns

O, Permanent, CON

O, Permanent, STR

The mutant takes a breath only once per 3 or 4

minutes because of his chambered and enlarged
lungs. Because of this time to drown is tripled and
the mutant gets a 1 step bonus against gas attacks.

The mutant sprouts horns capable of damaging or

goring a target. The horns may be curled like a
ram's or pointed like a bull's. Conversely, he may
grow a single horn in the middle of the forehead,
like that of a rhinoceros, or a large rack of antlers,
like that of a moose. The mutant can use his horns
to enhance his unarmed attack damage.
The bonus damage depends on the size: Small +2
Li, Medium +3 Li, Large +4 Li.
The mutant can use the horns only once per round.

Zeppelin Sacks
A, Activated, DEX

The mutant has sacks full of gas lighter than air

fixed to his body. This sacks counter his weight in an
atmosphere like earth's (or that of the mutant's
planet) allowing him to float like a hot air balloon.
The balloon sacks can carry the mutant plus a
number of Kg equal to three times his CON.
The inflated (and working) balloon is obvious to the
sight but the mutant can deflate it completely, and
carry it folded into a large modified backpack.
He can land by deflating a bit the balloon and then
move like a being of his species, but the balloon is
still obvious to the sight and its bulk prevents the
mutant from entering buildings and caves smaller
than a hangar.
The process of deflating completely the balloon is
very fast, it requires only a round. Inflating it is
more time consuming because the mutant's body
must synthesize new gas. To completely inflate the
balloon from the backpack form the mutant
spends 5 minutes, to inflate from the landing form
only takes 1 minute.
To maneuver during the flight he must use the same
skill as a hot air balloon pilot or Acrobatics- specific
balloon flight (but unless the mutant carries some
propulsion system, the speed and direction of travel
is decided by the wind).
The balloon instantly repairs holes, but when the
mutant runs out of wounds it begins to rupture,
losing gas and altitude, bringing the mutant to a
soft landing.

Genetic Sampling
A, Activated, CON

The mutant can, with physical contact, absorb a

Good or two Ordinary mutations. This lasts until the
mutant takes another. If the mutant absorbs a Good
mutation his stun rating decreases by 2 points until
he gives it up for ordinary mutations.

Grasping Spines
O, Permanent, DEX

These spines are found on the wrist and give the

mutant a -1 step bonus to Unarmed Attack and
sub-skills and when climbing.

Halters
O, Permanent, DEX

These appendages are similar to those of flies (they

are the modified second pair of wings). When
moving through the air, via gliding, wings or just
falling, these provide the mutant a -2 step bonus in
Acrobatics- flight and fall.

Hollow Fangs
G, Permanent, STR

These fangs inflict normal unarmed damage (I.e.

only stun). After pinning the opponent, the mutant
can use them to inflict damage equal to natural
attack plus 3 in draining blood or sap (the 3 points
replace any strength bonuses, if any). Note that
some creatures have acidic or poisonous blood or
sap.

Improved Lifespan/Unlimited
G/A,Permanent,CON

The biological mechanisms that regulate the aging

of the mutant are altered in some way. How this
exactly works is up to you, your mutant can appear
as fresh as a teenager even if he is a thousand
years old or he could appear really old, in any case
his appearance does not influence the game
mechanics. Improved Lifespan means that the
mutant ages three times slower, on the other hand,
Unlimited Lifespan means that the mutant does not
age at all.
Both does NOT mean that the mutant is immortal,
he can still be killed by standard means. (guns, fire,
poisons, radiations, a lighting on his head...) Things
that age the mutant are lessened for the Good
version (3 years of artificial aging means that the
mutant ages only 1 year) and totally useless on a
mutant with the Amazing one.

Indestructible
A, Permanent, CON

The mutant now has Good toughness, but gains no

armor rating from this mutation.

Page 7 of 20

Decreased Life Support

Platelet Factory

O, G, A, Permanent, CON

G, Permanent, CON

The mutant needs less food and water to survive,

due to more efficient metabolic processes.
The Ordinary mutation reduces the consumption of
food and water to a 75% of the base amount. The
Good reduces consumption to 50% of the base
amount and raises the time the mutant can hold his
breath before the checks by 50%.
The amazing one drops the food and water
consumption do a mere 25% of the standard and
extends the time he can hold his breath by 100%.

Thrombocyte (platelet) production within the bone

marrow is increased to a high level, resulting in the
formation of Platelet Factories. When a wound
affects the body, the increased amount of platelets
in the bloodstream stops bleeding at the site,
lessening the trauma from large wounds. When a
character takes damage from an attack, the Platelet
Factory prevents the secondary damage.

Keromones

G, Activated, CON

O, Activated, WIL

The mutant has the ability to communicate with

others with this mutation via scent. The difference
between a pheromone and a keromone is that the
latter affects different species. The normal range is
5 meters and this can be affected by air movement.
Only general ideas can be transmitted.

Kinetic Absorption
A, Automatic, CON

This mutation is identical to energy absorption

except it reduces high impact damage.

Mucus Packaging
O, Activated, CON

The mutant can produce a slime that inhibits decay.

Each day, enough mucus is produced to protect 25
Kg of meat, vegetables, corpses and other organic
material. The slime lasts 1 year.

Organic Radio
G, Activated, INT

The mutant has the ability to send and receive radio

signals. It takes the mutant one phase to tune into
any particular frequency. The range is 5 Km in open
terrain and without interference, mountains and
interference fields can reduce the range.

Power Drain
The mutant gains the ability to suck stored energy
out of batteries, power cells, and other items that
store energy. By making physical contact with a
battery or other accumulator power supply, he can
spend an action to drain the battery of all its stored
power. This mutation allows him to to pull out the
power from everything ranging from a small
flashlight battery to a laser rifle power pack to the
batteries used in Vehicles and robots (spaceship
grade hardware is immune).
Doing so is not totally safe, because the energy
must be discharged somewhere. The mutant must
pass a Resolve-physical resolve check with a penalty
linked to the size of the battery: 0 if small item
(flashlight, portable radio), +1 if medium item
(energy pistol power pack, computer, small robot),
+2 if large item (energy rifle/SMG power pack,
medium robot, small vehicle), +3 if very large item
(Heavy weapon power pack, big robot, vehicle,
power armor).
If he fails the check the device is still drained but he
loses all his stuns, and if he was trying to drain a
Large or very large item he suffers d4 wounds too.
Note that energy generators, like fusion reactors or
mechanical generators, cannot be drained in this
manner since they generate energy, rather than
merely store it.

Plasma Spheres

Power Eater

G, Activated, INT

G, Activated, CON

The mutant can create small spheres of low grade

plasma by touching solid objects. A one cm sphere
of the object is converted and the plasma is stable
until someting comes into contact with it. The
resulting explosion does d6w/d8s/d4s (En/O)
damage and has a range of 1/2/4 meters. The
mutant can create INT/3 spheres per day.

The mutant can feed himself by siphoning electric

energy. By making physical contact with a battery or
other accumulator power supply, he can spend an
action to drain the battery of all its stored power.
He can feed himself for a day if he drains half his
CON score in medium items (energy pistol power
pack, computer, small robot). 5 small item =
medium item = 1/5 large item. After he has drained
enough items to feed himself for that day he cannot
drain any more until the next day. (no, you cannot
become fat by draining hundreds of power packs,

Page 8 of 20

this mutation works like a internal battery)

Note that he can feed himself from a generator too,
that will provide him unlimited food. Water is still
required for survival. Air too.

Power Source
G, Activated, CON

The mutant's body can generate an electric current

that can power small devices,
vehicles, and even energy weapons.
Spending an action, he can provide a single battery
or power cell with a full charge simply by making
physical contact with it. This allows him to fully
recharge a vehicle battery, refill an energy weapons
ammunition to full capacity, or restore life to
battery-powered robot.
Naturally this has a price, the mutant loses some
fatigue points depending on the size of the battery
recharged: 1 if small item (flashlight, portable
radio), 2 if medium item (energy pistol power pack,
computer, small robot), 3 if large item (energy
rifle/SMG power pack, medium robot, small vehicle),
4 if very large item (Heavy weapon power pack, big
robot, vehicle, power armor).

Radiation Consumption
G, Automatic, CON

The mutant can metabolize ionizing radiation. The

mutant treats Radiation levels in the graph sale as if
they were one grade lower, plus the ability to ignore
food requirements while in the presence of such
radiation. The mutant still needs water though.

as the Ordinary mutation, and silk production can

have many different effects.
The mutant chooses one during character creation
and then may not change.
- Sticky webs inflict a 1 step penalty to strength feat
checks to escape
- Slippery webs inflict a 1 step penalty to dexterity
feat checks to climb
- Toxic webs either act as an irritant or paralyzer;
toxic effects last for 4 hours
- Strong rope is equal to nylon (see the GW book for
hemp and nylon)
- Thin line inflicts a 2 step penalty to perception
checks to detect
- Thick line is as tough as wood (ie it can be used as
wood)
- Elastic line can stretch twice as far as normal
before breaking
At Amazing, the amount of silk produced is tripled.
The mutant chooses one during character creation
and then may not change.
- Choose any Good version and double its strength
- Invisible line inflicts a 2 step penalty to intuition
checks to detect
- Bladed/spiny line causes d2w per phase of contact
- Toxic silk acts as a hemotoxin; this lasts for 10
minutes
- Strong line is as tough as iron
- Impact line produces spears (treat as a thrown
spear in all ways); 4 can be produced per day
- Memory line is as tough as wood and has 2 forms;
only the mutant can change it back and forth

Sound Imitation

Scent Spot

A, Activated, INT

G, Activated, WIL

The mutant can effectively do what a dog does with

its urine- communicate with liquids. Unlike dogs,
most mutants use spit and can change the contents
of the message. Mutants with this mutation can
interpret the messages. Can be built a device to
allow communication with others without the
mutation (a hand-held computer with a chemical
sniffer sensor). A spot lasts for 48 hours and a
mutant can use this ability a number of times per
day equal to his constitution score.

Silk production
O/G/A, Activated, CON

The mutant creates silk like a spider, but the exact

location of the gland is not stated here, it may be
like Spider Man's or like a real spider, be creative.
At Ordinary, silk production simply creates rope
equal to hemp. It produces 10 meters per minute
and can be used 10 minutes per day.
At Good the amount created is two times as much

The mutant can imitate any M, O or G sound he has

heard within the last 24 hours.

Spiny Hair
O, Permanent, DEX

Like some spiders and insects, the mutant is

covered with hair. Unlike mammalian hair, this "fur"
is hard and sharp, anyone attacking the mutant with
a natural attack or short melee weapon (sword or
smaller) takes d4-2s LI/O damage. It also makes
wearing clothes and armor difficult. Armor negates
the hair damage and loses one point of protection
due to the poor fit. Now the mutant's hair look like
Infected Sarah Kerrigan's from Starcraft.

Turtle Eyes
O, Automatic, DEX

The mutant's eyes retract when exposed to danger,

including Amazing light. This makes the mutant
immune to most attacks that cause blindness.

Page 9 of 20

Ultravision
G, Automatic, WIL

The mutant can see most forms of energy, including

radiation and lasers. He can tell if power cells and
machinery have power and the radiation level of an
ambient. The range is normal sight.

Useful Gland
G, Permanent, CON

Mutant has a gland that produces a substance that

can be useful. It can be a drug, a specific chemical
or, more simply, nutritive milk.
The mutant produces 2 dose of drug OR 1 deciliter
(about 1/5 of a pint) of chemical OR 2 doses of milk
every his Con hours (one dose of milk, roughly
one liter, can feed a human for one day).
The products can be dispensed by a nipple or
something more weird (like a small proboscis) at
GM's choice.
The gland does not work for free, the mutant needs
to eat 100% more for every dose of milk, for every
2 doses of drug or for every deciliter of chemical.

Wall crawler
G, Permanent, DEX

The mutant can walk walls and cling to ceilings like

a spider. He has tiny barbs on his hands and feet to
facilitate climbing, fingers and toes secrete a
transparent adhesive (or lots of tiny filaments like a
gecko) that lets him cling to smooth surfaces.
As long as the hands and feet are uncovered, the
mutant can climb perfectly smooth, flat, vertical
surfaces. In addition, he gains a -4 steps bonus on
all checks related to climbing. Wearing gloves OR
footwear reduces the bonus to -2 steps, and
wearing gloves AND footwear negates the bonus
entirely.

X-ray vision
A, Activated, WIL

The mutant can see through solid matter. X-ray

vision allows him to see through 0,5 m of brick or
stone, 0,02 m of metal or composite alloy, and up to
1 m of wood, plaster, or dirt. Thicker substances or
a thin sheet of lead blocks vision. X-ray vision has a
maximum range of 6 m and allows the mutant to
see as if he was looking at something in normal
light, even if there is no illumination. While he is
using this ability he is emitting X-rays, so radiation
detectors or EM detectors can track him.

Page 10 of 20

MENTAL MUTATIONS
Table 1:

Mental mutations

Ordinary mutations

Good mutations

Amazing mutations

Loner

Genius

Adaptive Brain

Teammate

Joy Stealer

Work affinity

Super Genius

Water Detection

Page 11 of 20

Adaptive Brain

Water Detection

A, Activated, INT

O, Activated, WIL

The mutant's neurons quickly rewire themselves to

change abilities and adapt to new experiences. As
some activities of his life are left behind, the
neurons can disassemble the neural pathways to
learn whatever new activity has replaced it. In more
simple terms the mutant can dump a broad skill and
all associated specialty skills for a new broad skill
and new associated specialty skills. Alternatively he
could dump a specialty skill to acquire or boost
another existing specialty skill (he transfers skill
points, not ranks).
To achieve this he must previously spend some time
observing the desired skills: it takes one day of
observing per skill point necessary to learn the
broad skill and one day of observing an expert
(someone with more skill ranks than the mutant)
per skill rank in a specialty skill. The mutant cannot
achieve a higher rank in the specialty skill than the
expert observed, even if he has enough skill points
to do that.
The mutation can only exchange skill points
between skills, it can't be used to dump a skill and
save all the skill points for a later time, or to take
perks, remove flaws and purchase achievement
benefits. (if some skill points remain unused they
can be pooled up with the ones received at a new
level)

The mutant has the ability to sense the general

direction of standing water (not animals, plants,
etc.) within 1 Km of land.
He can also sense if there is water underground (to
the max of 3 Km) with a radius of 10 meters around
the mutant.

Genius /Super Genius

G/A,Permanent,INT

The mutant is a true genius in his field.

Choose a broad skill, then the cost of its associated
specialty skills is decreased by 1 point (cumulative
with any other profession's or mutation's discount)
and the time required to perform each step of a
complex skill check is halved.
If he is a Super Genius the above is still valid but
when the mutant uses any of its broad skill's
associated specialty skills he treats each result as if
it was one grade higher (Crit. Failure->Failure,
Failure->Ordinary, Ordinary->Good... and so on).

Joy Stealer

Work affinity
O, Permanent, INT

The mutant likes a lot doing some boring or

exhausting activities (something like being on patrol
at night, moving heavy loads, waxing the floor,
etc..). He will always do his best when engaged in
his favored activity. This gives the mutant a -2 step
bonus to all actions made to accomplish that task.
Choose well his favored activity, because only in
that situation the bonus applies.

Teammate
O, Permanent, WIL

The mutant is the best teammate ever known, he

has just the right tool handy, he knows what you
need before you say something and so on.
The mutant gives a -1 step bonus to others in his
squad when occupied in tasks where help is
appreciated (GM fiat on what cannot have any
bonus from help).
This power works only on the mutant's trusted
friends and obviously the mutant cannot help
himself.
Since this mutation relies on a low-power telepathic
ability, it is blocked by anything that blocks
telepathic powers/mutations.

Loner
O, Permanent, WIL

The mutant's instinct works best when alone, he

receives a -1 step bonus to all checks when he is
alone (or believes he is alone).
This is a low-power clairvoyance ability, as such can
be fooled or blocked by any means that block
clairvoyance FX powers/mutations.

A, Activated, WIL

The mutant can suck the emotions out of a sapient

within 50 meters. Both the mutant and target must
make mental resolve checks to determine if the
mutation is effective. If effective, the target loses all
emotion based penalties and bonuses and takes a 2
step penalty to interaction skills for 48 hours. This
mutation can be used once per day.

Page 12 of 20

DRAWBACKS
Table 2: Drawbacks

Slight Drawbacks

Moderate Drawbacks Extreme Drawbacks

Festering Sores

Allergy

Albinism

Glow in the Dark

Bone Strips

Blood Hunger

Impaired Speech

Color Blind

Bloody

Incr. Life Support

Combat fear

Chemical Dependency

Uncontrolled Voice

Cyclopean Vision

Conditional Mutation

Emot. Color Change

Emot. Color Change

Highly Flammable

Frail Body

Incr. Life Support

Gravity Distortion

Light Distortion

Incr. Life Support

Lost Limb

One Way adaption

One Way adaption

Partial Phase

Rapid Aging (M)

Rapid Aging (E)

Reptile Brain

Reptile Brain

Stubby Fingers

Unstable Genome

Ultraviolet Allergy

Walking Bomb

Weird feeding

Weight Decrease

Weak Thorns

Page 13 of 20

Albinism

Bone Strips

E, Permanent, CON

M, Permanent, CON

The mutant is an albino or comes from a community

that never sees the sun. In bright light, the mutant
has a 2 (G light) or 3 (A light) penalty to all physical
skills. If exposed for an hour or more, the mutant
becomes temporarily blind and will only regain his
sight after a few hours in low (M) or no light
conditions.

The mutant has knobs and strips of bone that are

exposed all over the body. They do not act as armor
and in fact increase impact damage by 1 point due
to the sensitivity of the bones. The amount on the
hands also, in stressful situations, causes a 1 step
penalty to all skills that requires the use of hands.

Allergy

Chemical dependency
E, Permanent, CON

M, Automatic, CON

The mutant suffers a adverse reaction to an

ordinary substance.
As long as he is in contact with it and 1d4+1 rounds
afterwards, his reaction is so severe that he can
move at only half the normal rate and all actions
have a +2 step penalty.

Blood hunger
E, Permanent, CON

The mutant craves the taste of blood. Moreover, he

needs to drink blood to survive.
The mutant must drain 0.5 l of blood from a living
animal once every 24 hours.
Doing so is an attack action, and he can only drain
blood from a willing, helpless, or dying (but not
dead) creature. The bitten creature takes normal
damage from the bite attack plus an extra 1d4
points of wound damage from the blood loss.
If the mutant goes 24 hours without consuming
blood, he takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage.
Drinking 0.5 l of blood cures the ability damage
caused by blood deprivation in 1d6 rounds.
The mutant should drink real blood from a living
organism with a biochemistry similar his own to gain
nutrition from it. Drinking alien blood is dangerous,
he could risk poisoning or worse but as always, GM
has the final word on this.
Ability damage caused by blood deprivation cannot
be healed in any way.
The mutant must have a natural bite attack to have
this drawback.

Bloody
E, Automatic, CON

The mutant skin and mucous membrane are very

brittle, constantly bleeding. He leaves drops of blood
everywhere, this makes tracking him easier (-4 step
bonus to the tracker), identifies him as a mutant,
attracts all predators in the range of miles, and
reduce the mutant's wound points by 2.

The mutant relies on a medical compound to

survive. If he goes 24 hours without taking a dose
of his tailored chemical compound he must make a
successful Resolve-physical resolve with a +1 step
penalty or take 1 point of Strength damage and 1
point of Constitution damage. Taking a dose of
chemical cures the ability damage caused by
deprivation in 1d6 rounds. Ability damage caused by
deprivation cannot be restored through natural
healing.
This drawback should be taken only in PL5 or higher
campaigns (when building tailored chemicals is
possible) but the chemical could be even an
alchemic potion or a herbal tea or something
more weird (maybe connected to a tailored Useful
Gland mutation).

Clinging Skin
M, Automatic, DEX

The mutant has constantly growing skin that is

super tacky. He leaves a hunk of skin on everything
he touches. This makes tracking him easy (4 step
bonus to the tracker), identifies him as a mutant,
makes for extremely awkward social moments and
generally makes the mutant's life miserable.

Combat fear
M, Automatic, WIL

Due to a chemical imbalance in his brain, the

mutant is gripped by an inexplicable fear whenever
he faces a dangerous or frightening situation.
During the first round of combat or other highstress situation he must make a Resolve-mental
resolve check. In case of failure or critical failure, he
is shaken for the rest of the encounter, taking a +2
step penalty on all actions. If he succeeds, he
overcomes his moment of fear and negates the ill
effects.

Conditional Mutation
E, Automatic, CON

This defect causes one activated, automatic or

permanent mutation to function only under certain
conditions. These are generally environmental like

Page 14 of 20

amount of sunlight or radiation, humidity or even

forcing the mutant to consume something not
considered edible to his species. GMs, be creative
here.

Color Blind

Glow in the Dark

S, Permanent, CON

The mutant produces a glow that is most noticeable

in dark conditions. It both marks the mutant as
such and inflicts a one step penalty to Stealth
checks.

M, Permanent, WIL

This mutation prevents characters from seeing

colors. The mutant sees the world around him in
black and white. His style and his camouflaging
abilities will suffer A LOT. Apply a +2 penalty
anywhere the ability to see colors is important.

Cyclopean Vision
M, Permanent, WIL

The mutant has only one eye in the middle of the

head like a cyclops. Or one of his eyes does not
work. This loss of perspective and pinpointing
capabilities causes a +2 step penalty to all attacks.

Emotional Color Change

M/E, Automatic, PER

The mutant changes color depending on his mood.

The moderate version has the color change limited
to the eyes, hands or somewhere that can be
hidden. This inflicts a 2 step penalty to Culture,
Deception and Interaction checks (if the other can
see the colors and knows what they mean). The
extreme version has all the skin of the mutant
affected by this, adding a small glow that allows
others to see his color in the dark (and obviously
see where he is). A -4 skill penalties apply, but also
the mutant takes a -1 penalty to Stealth checks.

Festering sores
S, Automatic, CON

The mutant's skin is covered with painful, festering

sores. The festering sores are more aggravating
than harmful, but they make it especially hard to
wear armor. When the mutant wears any type of
armor, increase its armor penalty by +2.

Frail Body
E, Permanent, CON

The body of the mutant is REALLY frail, the

structures that would have made it of Ordinary
toughness now can barely hold his body together.
This means that his body is now considered of
Marginally toughness. Obviously nothing prevents
him from using a standard Ordinary toughness
armor to get a decent protection.
Ah yes, now the mutant's skin feels like a baby's.

Gravity distortion
E, Automatic, WIL

Everything within 20 meters of the mutant is

affected by a wild gravity field that changes every
day. Roll d4 for current effect: 1- G0, 2- G1, 3- G2,
4- G3. Unlike normal gravity, this directs things
towards or away from the mutant (roll randomly
every time the field changes). Anything not secured
(mutant's companions as well) will suffer ill effects:
they begin to fall on the mutant or fall away
from him, if someone is hit roll damage as per an
object fallen from the original distance object-target
(in the gravity corresponding to that of the field).
The mutant will be most likely wear the heaviest
armor available (when all stones in a 20 meter
radius can fall on him he is going to need it) and
will carefully clean a wide area around where he
sleeps to avoid being injured by sudden field
changes.
The damage that projectile weapons shot at the
mutant does not change (the rounds are fast and
the acceleration that gravity adds/subtracts is too
low to affect damage), but all shots that enter the
field (including those directed to the mutant only if
the field is oriented to make things fall away from
the mutant) suffer a penalty due to the different
direction of the gravity: -1 step if G1, -2 if G2, -3 if
G3. The field is active even on the mutant clothing
and equipment, I don't think that a t-shirt could
endure G3 for long...

Highly Flammable
M, Permanent, CON

The mutant's body is composed of really flammable

material, any check to avoid catching fire fails
automatically and the mutant must spend twice the
standard time to stop the flames. This makes
smoking a much more dangerous affair....

Impaired speech
S, Automatic, INT

The mutant has a defect that affects his speech: he

stutters, talks really quickly or really slowly, his
voice is disturbingly high- or low- pitched. In any
case this grants the mutant a +2 step penalty in
every action that needs speech (Interaction subskills, Leadership sub-skills and so on)

Page 15 of 20

Increased Life Support

Partial Phase

S, M, E, Permanent, CON

E, Automatic, WIL

The mutant needs more food and water to survive,

due to inefficient metabolic processes (or very high
energy requirements of the mutated body). The
slight drawback doubles the consumption of food
and water. The moderate one triples that
consumption and diminishes the time the mutant
can hold breath for 75% of the standard time. The
extreme one multiplies the food and water
consumption by four and halves the time he can
hold his breath.

The mutant is partially out of phase with the

universe and must make a mental resolve check to
interact with physical objects on a daily basis. The
GM must keep count of the number of critical
failures. Any more than 5 in one week results in the
mutant fading away forever.

Light Distortion
M, Automatic, WIL

The mutant's warped mind causes a bending of light

around him. This is not enough to provide any
combat bonuses; in fact it reduces the mutant's DEX
resistance modifier by one as the field is obvious in
lighted conditions. The GM may provide a small
bonus with scaring off animals. Otherwise it causes
a 2 step penalty to all handle animal checks.

Lost limb
M, Permanent, CON

One of the mutant's arms or legs withers or gets

eaten away, leaving behind
a stump. If the mutant loses an arm he cannot
effectively wield weapons that require two hands. If
he loses a leg his movement decreases by 50%.
In either cases he takes a +2 step penalty on
Climbing, Swimming, and grappling. He can replace
his lost limb with a cybernetic one, assuming such
technology is available and he can afford it.

One-Way Adaption
M/E, Permanent, CON

The Mutant is no more comfortable in the humans

(or his species) native environment.
Choose a mutation that removes the penalties for
operating in a GRAPH. If the mutant is in a GRAPH x
grades higher or lower than the one designated by
that mutation he suffers the same penalties as a
normal human would when is in a GRAPH x grades
higher or lower (respectively) than the Earth's
GRAPH.
Example: the mutant is adapted to G3, with this
drawback when he is in G2 he suffers the same
penalties as a normal human would suffer in G1. If
he was in G4 he would suffer as a human in G3.
The grade of this drawback is dependent on the
grade of the mutation it is linked to: Medium
drawback for Good mutation and Extreme drawback
for Amazing mutation.

Rapid aging
M/E, Permanent, CON

The mutant ages at an increased rate, he appears

many years older than his actual age. Double (for
the moderate version) or triple (for the extreme
version) the actual age to get the mutant's effective
age. The effective age determines ability score
penalties, as usual.

Reptile Brain
M/E, Automatic, WIL

The mutant has some stimulus that causes a

reaction. For the Moderate version, this is generally
not dangerous, but can be socially awkward. The
Extreme version is dangerous. When the stimulus is
detected, the mutant automatically does some
action. This could be howling at the moon and lit
lightbulbs or attacking arks. When it may cause
serious harm to the mutant, he may make a mental
resolve check (at a +3 step penalty) to run away
until the stimulus is no longer detected.

Stubby Fingers
M, Permanent, DEX

The fingers of the mutant are too short, this

impaires his manipulatory ability.
The mutant takes a 2 step penalty to all skills that
require the use of his hands.

Ultraviolet allergy
M, Automatic, CON

Ultraviolet light (including direct sunlight) burns the

mutant's flesh. It causes him 1d4 points of wound
damage per minute (or fraction thereof) even
trough any light clothing the mutant is wearing.

Uncontrolled voice
S, Automatic, CON

The mutant's voice constantly changes volume (d4

every round: 1- M, 2- O, 3- G, 4- A sound levels).
Beyond making it obvious where he is and that he is
a mutant, there are no penalties. (well, maybe he
won't be a very good singer)

Page 16 of 20

Unstable Genome

Weak Thorns

E, Automatic, CON

M, Permanent, CON

The genetic material of the mutant is quite unstable,

creating new genes and mutating the older ones.
This leads to an unstable mutant, who can change
his mutations trough time. At the end of a week he
rolls a number of CON feat checks (with a +2 step
penalty) equal to the number of mutations he has
(except this) to see if the mutation disappears. All
the mutation points derived from the mutations that
disappear form a pool that must be spent to take
random-chosen new mutations (at random
strengths).

The mutant's body is covered with large, boney

structures that neither act as armor nor allow the
use of normal clothing, armor and similar items.
Everything of such nature costs the mutant triple, if
it can be made at all.

Walking Bomb
E, Perm, CON

The mutant's body contains highly explosive gases

or really reactive chemicals that wait for only a
signal to deflagrate. When triggered the body of the
mutant explodes (and he dies instantly). Everything
in a 5 meter radius suffer En/G mortal damage
equal to one quarter the mutant Constitution score,
everything in a 20 meter radius suffers En/G wound
damage equal to half the mutant Con score,
everything in a 40 meter radius suffers En/G stun
damage equal to the mutant Con score. The main
problem about this is that the mutant does not
know how he can trigger the blast, and maybe not
even that he can explode at all. So a triggering
event must be set by GM but no one should know....
until the BOOOM. Funny if I might say.

Weight decrease
E, Permanent, CON

The mutant diminishes greatly his reserves of fat,

effectively halving his weight. This obviously has
some serious consequences: he begins to starve
(apply the rules for starvation) after only 2 days
without food. He also suffers a +3 step penalty to
stamina checks to counter the effects of cold.

Weird Feeding
M, Permanent, CON

The mutant can no more gain nourishment from his

species standard food. He must rely solely on the
new kind of feeding added by one of his mutations.
Goes without saying that this drawback can only be
added if the mutant can feed in other ways,
otherwise this is a suicide. Water is still required for
survival. Air too.

Page 17 of 20

A couple of roleplay-oriented mutations

Two Heads (Two PC in one body)

Multimorphism (one PC many bodies)

?, Permanent, CON

?, Permanent, CON

The mutant has two functional heads on two necks

and each is a PC. The two heads are not mentally
linked and need to talk or use other ways to
communicate. The body can be fully controlled by
either of them or they can share the control of body
parts. Each head/PC has his action check score and
makes his action check, thus the two heads act
independently. For example while one controls the
legs and spends his actions to run, the other can
control the arms and uses his actions to shoot to a
target: one looks forward and one looks the enemy.
This can lead to some problems, in our example if
the head/PC that moves the legs acts before the
other he can go out of the range of the guns,
wasting the other head/PC's chance to hit
something, but it can still wait the other, as GMG
says, and act at the same time.
In the unfortunate case that one head/PC wants to
do something and the other wants to stop it both
make a PER check, the greatest degree of success
wins (if they achieved the same degree of success
re-roll).
If you haven't noticed the fact of sharing a body
means a few things:
the S/W/M rating is one, the two aspiring PC must
choose the same physical scores (Str, Dex, Con)
because they are going to merge and these will be
the scores of the shared body, the heads should be
of the same sex of the body (unless you want to
play a really embarrassing mutant) but this last is
not mandatory.
Remember that there is no second head each one
is fully fledged PC, it can voice its opinions and
disagree/argue with the other head/PC as the player
sees fit.
This mutation can add a lot of fun if used correctly,
but can become a frustrating impediment as well...
player and GM warned!

The mutant's consciousness exists simultaneously in

more than one body. They closely resemble twins or
triplets with a single guiding mind. Roll a d6: 1-4 =
two bodies, 5-6 = three bodies. All bodies are
treated like different beings and act and attack as
different individuals, except as noted below.
All bodies are identical in appearance (like twins)
and have the same ability scores. Mutations rolled
before multimorphism is rolled are common to all
bodies, but those rolled after this mutation are split
evenly between them (which may make the
separate bodies look different).
Each multimorph can sense everything the other
bodies can, IN ANY CASE, even if they are light
years apart (or in different dimensions).
Somehow, long distances between the twins are
really unnerving to the consciousness, this means
that they suffer a +1 step penalty to all skill checks
when a body is not in the proximity of the other(s).
A single consciousness guides the bodies, but each
body has its own brain, so mental attacks are
handled as if the bodies were different heroes. All
bodies may be hit by the same area attack if near
each other, and the damage applies like they were
different individuals.
Stuns, wounds and mortals are specific for each
body, they cannot "loan" to another body. Each body
heals itself at the normal rate, effectively
multiplying the character's overall healing rate. If
one body dies, The survivor(s) must make a mental
resolve check with a +3 penalty to avoid becoming
insane (= taking 3 mental flaws at the max severity
without receiving any skill point)

Page 18 of 20

CREDITS
Mutations are from:
Derek

Me

Converted from Converted from

d20

Aldis Eyes

Adaptive Brain

Blood hunger

Avoidance Scent

Allergy

Chem. dependency

Bloody

Cast-iron stomach

Combat fear

Clinging Skin

Color Blind

Cyclopean Vision

Conditional Mutation

Cyberability

Festering sores

Dazzling Display

Enh. Grav. Adaption

Great horns

Decreased Life Support

Enh./Hyp. Envir. Adaption

Lost limb

Emotional Color Change

Frail Body

Rapid aging

EMP blast

Genius/Super Genius

Ultraviolet allergy

Enlarged Lungs

Highly Flammable

Wall crawler

Genetic Sampling

Impaired speech

X-ray vision

Glow in the Dark

Impr./Unlim. lifespan

Grasping Spines

Loner

Gravity distortion

Platelet factory

Halters

Power Drain

Hollow Fangs

Power Eater

Improved EMP blast

Power Source

Increased Life Supp.

Teammate

Indestructible

Unstable Genome

Joy Stealer

Useful Gland

Keromones

Walking Bomb

Kinetic Absorption

Weight decrease

Light Distortion

Weird feeding

Mucus Packaging

Work affinity

Mutagen Waste

Zeppelin Sacks

Organic Radio
Partial Phase
Plasma Spheres
Radiation Cons.
Reptile Brain
Scent Spot
Silk production
Sound Imitation

Page 19 of 20

other sources
Multimorphism

Spiny Hair
Turtle Eyes
Ultravision
Uncontrolled voice
Water Detection
Weak Thorns

Page 20 of 20