Omega World Question

[Ketjak]

Hi! How are you folks handling stock mutations:

Do they count toward the limit of 10-points of mutations? In other words, do Clickies' stock mutations (8 points of Scent, Tremorsense, Exoskeleton) reduce their available random mutations points?

- Ketjak

 

[Mr Fidgit]

you know, the more i look at the rules, i less i'm sure what the answer should be

as you've stated, the clicky starts with 8 points of mutations, then rolls a random stock mutation. this will put their total at exactly 10 (blindsight), or more (Ht. Int or Poison Bite)

rule 3b says: "the total value of your mutations exceeds 10"

i'm not sure what the 'official' answer should be, but i would let a player roll random mutations separate from the stock mutations

which could be ahellofalotta mutations!

 

[jaults]

    Per Imhotepthewise in this thread, I ran it like this:

Making better sense of the Mutation process

When picking a mutant race, write down only the Stock Mutations to begin with.

You will be randomly rolling all other Mutations and Defects.

If you roll a 91 - 100 on Table 1-3, roll again for Random Stock Mutations on Table 1-2.

In fact, that entry on Table 1-3 should read Random Stock Mutation.

If you roll a 91 - 100 on Table 1-4, write down the Stock Defect from Table 1-2.

This allows all Clickies to have an Exoskeleton, Hairies to have Fur, and Scalies to have Scales.

It doesn't doom all mutated humans to be Smaller, Clickies to have Crude Hands, or Scalies to have Poor Respiratory Systems. It just makes those defects to be the MOST LIKELY drawback to being what they are.

    It worked out great for us...

    Jason

 

[Ketjak]

Per Imhotepthewise in this thread, I ran it like this:

Christ on a stick, I searched for something like that and it turned up a lot of very one-off hits on "Omega World" so I stopped looking... sorry! And thanks!

It worked out great for us...

Yeah, but it still doesn't quite answer the question. It answers how to deal with stock mutations and defects, which I got: clickies get all the standards and many clickies will have one or more of the stock mutations and defects...

However, do the standard mutations for the race (mutated human, clickie, hairy, scaly) count against the "10 points of mutations" a character gets when the player rolls for random mutations?

In other words, do clickies get the 8 standard (exoskeleton, scent ("keen nose"), tremorsense) and then another ten or more points' worth, or do those initial 8 count?

If they count, then most clickies (and to a lesser degree hairies and scalies) will be similar to each other, with the variety coming from those final 2 or more points of mutations. (The luckiest clicky is one who gets a 1-point mutation on his first roll, then the max-point mutation (I don't have my Polyhedron here) on his second roll.)

If they don't count, then mutated animals - especially clickies - are juggernauts.

You see my concern, I hope.

- Ketjak

 

[jaults]

If they don't count, then mutated animals - especially clickies - are juggernauts.

    Sorry, you're right, I forgot to answer that bit. We ran it as if the stock mutations are "free" and don't count toward the 10 point limit. It actually did not have a very big effect on the balance of the game. If anything, the +2 ECL that the mutants get underpower them.

    Jason

 

[Severion]

On another thread on this board, Eric (i think) stated that yes the stock mutations are free.

 

[Ketjak]

Free, then!

Thanks, jaults & Severion. I'll let you know how it goes up here in sunny Everett. I may have a few players create characters tomorrow, if'n they show up.

- Ketjak