Gamma World Mutated Animal Problem Solved

[Gallo22]

Animal Mutants Problem Solved...at least for me...

I'm one of those who was disappointed in the lack of mutations and lack of animal/plant templates so I just stared going over my old GW books (I have them all, including Dragon articles, yes all!!) and I have solved the problem for the animal template. If your going to use the D20 system (the system I'm going to use) and not the Modern, I think your all set with my information.

On page 12 and 13 of the 4th edition GW rules has a list of 44 stock animals with base strength, dexterity and constitution. They are listed as slightly different stats but work on the same scale. You take this base number and role 2d4 and add your total to each. With intelligence, wisdom and charisma you would roll normally (maybe give afew minuses for balancing against pure strain humans). Also, each animal has been given what base mutations each may have. Let me give you an example.

Bear:
S16 D7 C13 (plus 2d4 to each)
claw/claw/bite for d8/d8/d6
Base Speed 35 (this was adjusted/formulated from 4th edition rules to meet D20, very simple to do)
Mutation(s) heightened smell

Raccoon:
S6 D10 C6 (plus 2d4 to each)
Bite for d4
Mutation: night vision(dark vision)
Base Speed 25 (see description above)

Just take these templates, give the animal, human features as mutations and your good to go. I would probabaly give a mutated animal a CLR a +2 (maybe +1) as opposed to Pure Strain Human. I'm not going to use the other human type that the new GW d20 gave.

I do not see any reason this would not work and you can always roll/add more mutations to your animal that you see fit.

I'm woking on the mutations and the plant template issues next! I'd love some constructive comments, if you like.

Gallo22

 

[Darrin Drader]

Rather than assign stats, you should probably just give the racial bonus. The way you do this is subtract 10 from the number and round to the nearest even number. In your bear example, you should proabaly have Strength +6, Dex -2, and Con +2.

You might also want to consider a level adjustment for having such a high bonus to Strength.

Anyway, just some ideas off the top of my head.

 

[NarlethDrider]

Rather than assign stats, you should probably just give the racial bonus. The way you do this is subtract 10 from the number and round to the nearest even number. In your bear example, you should proabaly have Strength +6, Dex -2, and Con +2.

You might also want to consider a level adjustment for having such a high bonus to Strength.

Anyway, just some ideas off the top of my head.

An idea I was playing with is using the anthromorphic animal template in Savage species---though I was going to use this as a 'base' to be be tweeked

 

[Will]

The normal method in the MM is that 'animal levels' count as LA. So a guy based on a black bear is, what, LA +6, with the various advantages.

Look at Lycanthropes, in particular, for the normal approach. Essentially, an 'anthro animal' would simply be a lycanthrope that is always in hybrid form (and lacks the other lycanthrope advantages).

 

[Gallo22]

Rather than assign stats, you should probably just give the racial bonus. The way you do this is subtract 10 from the number and round to the nearest even number. In your bear example, you should proabaly have Strength +6, Dex -2, and Con +2.

You might also want to consider a level adjustment for having such a high bonus to Strength.

Anyway, just some ideas off the top of my head.

I like it! Good idea. Thanks! And there will certainly be a level adjustment!

Gallo22.

 

[olethros]

I'm one of those who was disappointed in the lack of mutations and lack of animal/plant templates Gallo22

You might just want to wait a few months. This blurb about the upcoming monster book:

Mutants and Machines™
The Wildlife of a Ruined World
Once, not so long ago, scientists played with genes like toys, and created computers that thought and dreamed. Then came the Final Wars, and the rise of the Gamma World. Now, new species of plants and animals fill the places humanity once ruled, and things that were once tools prey on the descendants of their makers.

Machines That Think… and Hunt
This first supplement for the popular Gamma World® campaign setting covers things both animal and mechanical that roam the post-apocalyptic future. You'll find descriptions of mutated creatures and of electronic "species," with rules for use as both monsters and as player characters.
ISBN: ISBN 1-58846-068-1 Stock #: WW17251
Retail Price: $29.95 U.S. Page Count: 224

(Edit: My Underlining)

I'm assuming that last paragraph may mean that we'll have new anthro animal/plant and monster races available in this book.

 

[Gallo22]

You might just want to wait a few months. This blurb about the upcoming monster book:


(Edit: My Underlining)

I'm assuming that last paragraph may mean that we'll have new anthro animal/plant and monster races available in this book.

Thank you for the info, but I think the way I have set up I'm pretty happy with. And the suggestion from Baraendur (thank you). I'm not going to hold my breath with the new book as far as using the "monsters" as player characters. I'm sure the monsters will be great, but I never (personally) liked the idea of converting monsters to player characters. You usually have alot of tweeking to do. It's just too simple to do what I'm going and have it be very balanced. I'm very surprised S&S did not do the same with the core rule book. It would have only taken afew pages??

Gallo22

and besides I want to play now, not keep waiting for a new book to come other with rules that should have been in the core rule book.

 

[Obryn Darkfell]

Thank you for the info, but I think the way I have set up I'm pretty happy with. And the suggestion from Baraendur (thank you).

Be aware that the Racial bonuses option won't work for many of the animals from 4th edition. For example, a skunk would have a -6 to all Physical stats...

I'm using DnDChick's Furry stats, (http://members.aol.com/CountryGrrlHere/fauna.html)

There are only mammals listed but it's a good starting point, IMO...

They work well as written, just give them 1 Major or 2 Minor mutations and 1 Minor Negative mutation.

I then give them the option of getting rid of their "human traits": speech, bipedal, and tool use. The mutant animal recieves a free minor mutation for every human trait traded in.

Just some ideas...

-Jason

 

[Darrin Drader]

If you'll excuse the shameless plug, Oathbound is full of "furries." I would say most are based on animals in one way or another, and most of them do not involve magic. If you happen to own the book, or are interested in an interesting campaign setting for your fantasy world that might have some Gamma World applications, come check it out at www.bastionpress.com.

 

[olethros]

and besides I want to play now, not keep waiting for a new book to come other with rules that should have been in the core rule book.

Well, there are some rules already in the "Core book". D20 Modern has rules for Moreaus, which could easily be mutated animals. In fact, they just scream mutated animals.