This is not a playtest review.
Darwin's World is the core sourcebook for a range of products set in the post-apocalyptic Twisted Earth setting.
At $10.00 for 128 pages, this e-book (.pdf download) is fairly standard in terms of price for its size and type (as is the $19.95 print version). The 'internal' art ranges from poor to good, but is mostly average, whilst the front and back 'covers' use colour and shadow well to create the feel of a post-apocalyptic city. The writing style is at times a little verbose and at other times a bit informal, but not bad on the whole. Editing mistakes are regular but not numerous.
Darwin's World begins with a potted history of an alternative earth, where the US withdrew from world politics after World War 2. Outside the US the world becomes more violent, and the US is eventually invaded by a coalition of fascist Germany, imperial England and communist Asia culminating in a massive nuclear war. Some of the population manages to retreat to domed cities and nuclear fallout shelters whilst others are affected by radiation, and chemical and biological weapons. The earth itself is re-formed by earthquakes and tidal waves, followed by dramatic climate changes which dry up the seas, destroy most plants and animals and leave most land an irradiated desert. Those few who survive are crippled in their breeding capacity, with only a rare few again able to reproduce.
There are some significant changes made to the core d20 rules to attempt to better represent a post-apocalyptic setting:
* Race does not determine ability adjustments; instead, the setting the character grew up in determines this.
* None of the D&D classes are used. Instead, five new classes are given.
* There is no magic, although some of the feats and mutations presented allow characters special powers such as telepathy.
* The setting makes use of modern and futuristic weapons such as machine guns and plasma cannons.
* Both race and background have 'Level Adjustments' (ECLs) that affect the characters advancement in terms of XP per level.
There are only four 'races' available in Darwin's World: pure humans, first generation mutants (i.e. directly affected by radiation), second generation mutants (i.e. those born to parents affected by radiation) and third generation mutants (the offspring of two second generation mutants). The higher the generation the PC is, the more mutations and defects the character has (mutations are those features that are to the benefit of the character, defects are those which are not). Third generation mutants are pretty weird and also very unpleasant creatures, destined to wipe out the other 'races' through their superior abilities and survival capabilities. Second and third generation characters have Level Adjustments applied to them in an attempt to balance the advantages of the mutations these 'races' have, compared to pure human and first-generation mutants.
Character Background is an important aspect in Darwin's World. There are 11 to choose from:
* Ferals grew up alone in the ruins of civilisation. They gain a +2 to Str and Con, -1 to Int and -2 to Cha. They also gain some benefits to certain survival-orientated skills. They have a Level Adjustment of -1.
* Primitives grew up in a primitive community, with stone age technology. They gain a +2 to Str and -1 to Int, and also benefit from enhanced survival-orientated skills. They have a Level Adjustment of +1.
* Ritual Preservationists have discovered and use pre-apocalyptic technology but without understanding, and often assign the technology religious connotations. They gain a +1 Int and -1 Wis, with no level adjustment.
* Resentfuls are anti-technology 'hippies' who gain a +2 to Str, +1 to Wis and -1 to Int. They have no level adjustment.
* Radicals actively seek the destruction of any pre-apocalyptic technology, though they may hypocritically use this technology in order to destroy the hoarded technology of others. They gain a +1 to Str and a -1 to Int, with a +1 level adjustment.
* Degenerates are groups that have only recently lost touch with how to maintain or re-create the technology that they inherited from pre-apocalyptic civilisation. They gain +1 Int, -1 Cha and have a +1 Level Adjustment.
* Resurrectors are just beginning to re-discover the uses, maintenance and even re-creation of pre-apocalyptic technology. They gain no ability adjustments, and have a +2 level adjustment.
* Visionary Reinventors are actually creating new technologies. They gain a +2 Int and have a +2 level adjustment.
* Guardians own and use pre-apocalyptic technology to their best advantage. They gain +1 Int, +1 Wis, -2 Cha, and have a +3 level adjustment.
* Hedonists have survived the apocalypse without even realising there was one, usually protected from the outside world in a bio-dome designed to protect them from pre-apocalyptic pollutants. They have -1 Int, -1 Str and +2 Cha, with no level adjustment.
* Advanced possess, understand and have developed pre-apocalyptic technology. They gain +2 to Int and Wis, and -4 to Cha.
There are five character classes:
* Guardian - soldier/warrior/protector
* Raider - thief/brigand/barbarian
* Scav - nomadic survivalist scavengers
* Thinker - scientist/craftsman/leader
* Trader - merchant/pioneer
A number of new craft skills are introduced for aspects such as cybernetics and mechanics, and Knowledge-based skills for issues like genetics, ancient lore, and mutant lore. There are some new languages, including the equivalent of 'common' - unislang, and there is a short lexicon for the language to enhance roleplaying in a post-apocalyptic setting. Some skills are not available such as Knowledge (Religion) and Scry.
A number of new feats are also offered, from 'Home-School'd' (making all Knowledge skills class skills) to 'Improved Hit Dice' (Hit Dice Type moved up one level - e.g. d8 to d10) and including more specifically post-apocalyptic feats such as 'Fertile/Potent' and 'Sandwalker' (can make local area knowledge skill checks in many locations).
The next section deals with mutations, which are much like feats in many ways. Minor mutations include such weirdness as aberrant horn development (think antlers) and photoluminescent aural emission (you glow). Moderate mutations covers such things as acid excretion glands (you can projectile vomit acid) and multiple stomachs (you can eat most anything). Major mutations include complete wing development and spontaneous electric charge generation. There are a shorter list of defects ranging from minor through moderate to major including such things as alopecia (your hair falls out), photosensitivity (blinded by the light), and night blindness. The neural mutations (e.g. telepathy and the like) require a Concentration check to see if they function or not.
A range of equipment and weapons is described and statted up, from sleeping potions to baseball bats, and from air rifles to submachine guns. There are also details for what are termed 'artifacts of the ancients' - that is, technology left over from pre-apocalyptic times. These items include junk items (such as identity cards and holo projectors), foodstuffs (such as canned and dried foods), medical stuff (termed juju in the game), books, implants, and 'gizmos' (such as cigarette lighters, aptops, motion detectors, jetpacks, and fire extinguishers). There is also a section on advanced and futuristic weapons (the book recommends that the GM should restrict access to these weapons) from chainsaws to meson cannons, and including sections on bombs and grenades, and futuristic armour. All information on these weapons and armour contain rules for using them where relevant.
There follows a section on vehicles, statting out standard 21st century vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, and trucks. There are rules for modifications to these vehicles, and for vehicle combat.
The next section provides a discussion of some of the dangers of the Twisted Earth, including gamma radiation, disease, and chemical contamination. There are rules for the effects of radiation.
The next section begins with the general types of location where adventures can be set in a Twisted Eart campaign setting - irradiated deserts, fallout shelters (huge biodomes), robot communities, and the ruins of pre-apocalyptic cities.
Eighteen major groups or organisations that have a significant effect on the social and political life of Twisted Earth are detailed:
* Benders - oil-rich xenophobes
* Brethren - cult dedicated to destroying technology
* Brotherhood Of Radiation - cult who believe mutation is a blessing and deliberately irradiates initiates.
* Cartel - another oil-rich organisation who benignly aim to spread technology across all communities they come into contact with.
* Children Of The Metal Gods - mindless worshippers of robot masters
* Clean Water Clans - have the monopoly on the most powerful commodity in the Twisted Earth - fresh water
* Entropists - doomsday cult who destroy everything in their path
* Far Traders - gypsy-like trading nomads
* Foundationists - militaristic organisation dedictaed to preserving pre-apocalyptic technology.
* Ghouls - cannibalistic gangs that roam the underground of dead cities
* Movement - religious movement aimed at bringing peace and harmony between pureblood humans and mutants everywhere.
* Paradise-Believers - cult who attempt to build rockets to take them into space.
* Raider Gangs - motorbike gangs of rapists, murderers and the like.
* Rangers - wandering equivalent of Texas Rangers, intent on enforcing law and justice.
* Ravagers - one of the biggest and most brutal Raider Gangs.
* Savants - sinister mutants with mental powers.
* Doomriders - cross between Entropists and Raider Gangs.
* Xenophobes - xenophobic communities with stockpiles of weapons, goods, etc.
Some other non-organisational 'groups' are also discussed:
* Amazons - tough women who have managed to survive alone in a male-dominated world
* Bounty Hunters
* Pit Fighters
* Purists - racist (i.e. anti-mutant) pureblood humans
A few trading establishments are also discussed from single traders through to arms dealers and Juju Men - post-apocalyptic 'doctors'
The next section discusses legends, myths, and famous places. Aspects detailed include:
* Fantastic airships - self-sufficient zeppelins raided by air pirates.
* Mythical Amazon paradises - areas supposedly ruled by warrior women.
* Star Cults - those who believe some pre-apocalyptic peoples took to space to avoid the apocalypse and will one day return.
* The Lost City - a huge dead city sunk beneath the ground following the cataclysmic earthquakes following the apocalypse.
* The Seed-Carrier - a guru-like scientist who brings peace to the communities he mysteriously visits.
* The Wheeled Avenger - a motorbike-riding hero who saves communities beset by evil raider gangs
* Fedor The Hunter - a feral hunter of ghouls who shares stories of his exploits for reward.
* The Arching Eye - some sort of space station whose astrological reocurrences have taken on religious and calendrical significance for many communities.
* The Fantastic 'Century Whale' - a huge spaceship that lands on Twisted Earth every century that is maintained by robots and disappears back out to space after a few hours on terra firma.
* The Cave Of Life - a mysterious hole in the earth detailed in the Cave of Life adventure, a separate module.
* The Mountain Of Time - a mountain seemingly unaffected by radiation but protected by fierce savages.
* Aliens - myths of aliens
* The Forbidden Lands - a vast desert waste ruled by Raider Gangs who fight amongst themselves for resources and power.
* The Great Dust Seas - covering what was once The Great Lakes (I think).
* The Cursed Desert - a blue-green chemically polluted desert.
* The Hollow Hills - an area of hills and mesas that whistle in the wind.
* The Purple Desert - a highly irradiated desert that glows purple at night and has high concentrations of mutated creatures.
* The Wasteland Of Bone Cities - another irradiated desert filled with the skeletons of ruined cities.
The section finishes with some 'rules' of hospitality and survival for the wastelands that make up so much of Twisted Earth.
The next section offers some prestige classes, several of which are linked to the organisations outlined above:
* Brethren Follower
* Brotherhood Force Master, followers of the Botherhood of Radiation who gain some psionic-type powers.
* Champion (5 levels only)
* Cartel Trade Master (5 levels only)
* Demolitions Expert
* Foundationist Paladin
* Juju Doctor
* Mech
* Ranger (5 levels only)
* Road warrior - vehicle specialist (5 levels only)
* Amazon (5 levels only)
* Symbiot - has developed a symbiotic relationship with an animal via mental powers due to mutation (5 levels only, also includes 5 level progression for animal partner).
The book ends with a set of character sheets.
There is also a free downloadable adventure, the Cave Of Life (mentioned in the book as an adventure location). Further, there is a free downloadable gazetteer, which RPG Objects are slowly adding to as time goes by, which so far covers ten major areas centred on the ex-US. There are also three downloadable maps of the area covered by the gazetteer, and information to be added to PC Gen to create Twisted Earth characters using this program.
Conclusion:
If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic movies, Darwin's World was the first d20 RPG to offer a setting in which to run your game (though Judge Dredd is also now available - there may be more, but I can't think of any off the top of my head). However, unless you're prepared to make some significant changes to the core rule changes presented here, this book may be more of a hindrance than a help. My major concern is with the stats. There have been some major changes to the basic d20 rules as presented in Core Rulebook I, and this at first seems appropriate due to the changed nature of the setting. However, what has been done seems unbalanced not only in comparison with standard d20 rules, but also internally within the new rules themselves.
Mutations power up a character whilst defects fail to balance the increased abilities. Many of the character backgrounds are similar in scope but have wildly different ability and level adjustments. The classes gain no additional class features at several levels. The character backgrounds give +1/-1 ability adjustments. Several of the feats seem over-powered; several of the defects seem under-powered. Third generation mutants do not seem well-designed to be PCs in terms of temperament. Firearms do not seem to give enough damage compared to simple weapons. Even the history at the beginning asks a little too much of my ability to suspend disbelief (fascist germans, imperial english and communist asians forming a coalition - hmmmm...)
All in all, while eliciting a good sense of atmosphere and containing a few bright ideas in a reasonably cohesive world view, the creation and execution of the game rules for the setting fail to give a balanced set of rules for play within the setting. Though a full playtest of the effects of the level adjustments in 'race' and 'background' would be required to prove it, I strongly suspect that Darwin's World would be a power gamers paradise.
On a more positive note, the section covering politics, 'religion' and locations of the campaign setting is interesting and evocative. Some of the organisations are too similar, but the grim nature of the setting, the importance of resources, the mindsets that have evolved since the apocalypse all capture the 'feel' of many of the post-apocalyptic movies and books that have birthed this genre.
All in all, a good post-apocalyptic feel and excellent web support, let down by some poor rules employment.
