4E & Gamma World

[Desert Hare]

I got to thinking of all the good times I had playing Gamma World in the last two decades (I've been gaming since I was 7). I love the setting, and the feelings I get thinking about it make me feel all warm and fuzzy.

But I realize now that I wouldn't want to play it again the same way. And then I had an epiphany!

If WotC were to republish the setting, fully using the 4E ruleset, I think the setting would be as perfect as it could ever be. It just seems a natural fit.

I admit that I'm not a fan of D&D 4E, but if Gamma World were to be released using the system I'd be in Gamer Heaven.

 

[Desert Hare]

No one to agree or disagree?

I'd really like to know what other gamers think of this idea.

 

[Pbartender]

I think it's a great idea...

You could almost play it as-is. Just remember, magic items == advanced technology; magic powers == psionics.

 

[Nagol]

Have you tried Gamma World d20, Omega World, or Darwin's World? (Sorry, no links handy).

All three are d20 OGL versions that have a Gamma World feel.

 

[andozane]

OK, funny thing....

The original post I started writing was to completely disagree with you and point out the multiple areas where this couldn't work.

Then, as I was writing it, I was realizing "hey, that might work".

So...

Stats stay the same.
Races would need some work, and some major flexibility from the GM. Personally, I think on the power scale GW characters should be a tad tougher then a D&D character.

Pure Strain Human - +2 CON +2 INT, +1 on all untrained skills, +4 History. This race needs more bonuses, just not sure what.
Mutated Human - 2 Daily (only choose one each day ala the Wizard), 2 Encounter, 3 At Will mutations
Mutated Animal - Animal Archetype Bonus (this is where there would have to be a LOT of flexibility, as it could be stats, natural attack, something the character brings with them from their animal heritage). 1 Daily mutation, 2 Encounter, 2 At Will mutations

Classes: Fighter, Wanderer (Ranger), Scavenger (rogue type), Magi (Psionic Add on powers? Perhaps even a PSH could get a few Psionic Encounter abilities. Maybe the class gets 1 daily, 1 encounter, 1 at will Psionic Ability),
Zealot (Barbarian class with a quasi religious fanatic twist)

The one issue in the above is for the PSH to fit into say the Magi, we need to give him "powers", something that in GW he didn't have. Of course, perhaps if a PSH chooses the Magi class, he is a "TechnoMagi" and it is assumed he comes with some Pre-Apocalypse Tech which grants him these "powers" ?

Skills will only require minor tweaking.

OK, yes, I think this could work with a lot more work then the above

 

[darjr]

I was kinda the same.

I'm starting to like the idea.

I do think that the classes should be something along the lines of mutations.

So the races would be like Human, intelligent Animals (or several types of animal), and intelligent mobile intelligent plants (or several types of plants). Then the class would be things like the kinds of mutant archetypes you find in apocalypse fiction. maybe? I dunno what those would be off the top of my head.

Maybe really dial them in to specific archetypes and then loosen up the multiclassing a bit.

 

[andozane]

I do think that the classes should be something along the lines of mutations.

Hmm...so, Races would end up being more:

PSH - Bonuses in my earlier post
Mutated Human - 1 At will, 1 Encounter?
Mutated Animal - 1 At will, Stat Bonus or Natural Attack from Animal
Mutated Plant (optional) 1 At will, Stat Bonus or Natural ability from Plant

Classes. OK, so in D&D most 1st level characters get, what, 1 Daily, 2 Encounter, 2 At Will right? So, for all classes below we assume they will each have their own Power Lists to choose from. But I would also envision a "generic list", perhaps the mutations themselves that could cross over between classes.

Fighter - If PSH, you have some Pre-War Tech weaponry. If Mutant, you have some fairly offensive Abilities?
Physical Mutant (No PSH allowed)
Mental Mutant (NO PSH allowed)
Wanderer (Ranger)
Scavenger (Rogue)
Zealot (Barbarian)

I'm not sure if its my GW roots, but I really want to have Mutant Classes along with the rest, even though it doesn't feel quite right. But, I don't think its right NOT to have mutant classes either... I envision the Mutant Classes have more Utility Powers, or being multi-functional types.

One big issue though I see is variety (something D&D 4e doesn't do well IMO). In original GW you could have four people playing Mutant Animals and all would be very unique do to the random stats, animal stock, and random mutation tables. A D&D 4e version would lend itself to be much more cookie cutter unless you created a very large and diverse list of balanced "mutations" for ALL levels of play.

 

[Pbartender]

I think this could be done a lot more easily than you guys are suggesting.

First, allow players to choose from all the playable races you can find, not just the ones in the PHB. Humans are humans. Everything else is a mutant. Let players choose a race-class combination as usual. Humans with only martial power sources can be (but don't have to be) considered Pure Strain Human. Humans with any other power source are considered mutants.

Now here's the tricky part... Regardless of the PC's race-class combination, the player can describe the character's physical looks and where the character's powers come from however they like. For example...

A Minotaur Infernal-Pact Warlock could be an over-sized more-or-less human mutant who has latent pyrokinetic psionic powers and who was always picked first when his village was choosing teams for football.

Or the same Minotaur Infernal-Pact Warlock could be an under-sized intelligent mutated bison with flame-throwing cybernetic implants.

 

[Nebulous]

I love me some Gamma World. Haven't played in 20 years though, but i always thought it was a cool setting. Yes, 4e would be a good fit, and a great opportunitiy to tweak the ruleset. I'd particularly like to see the healing surges refitted to make it a grimmer and darker world with less full healing so quickly.

 

[darjr]

erk... I think the universe just shifted under me.

Are you guys saying, use the rules as is and just change the flavor text?

I was taking the tak of comming up with actual new races and classes....

bwuh... I'm gonna have to think now. Great. On my day off and everything.