M is for Money Substitutes

A little list for those who prefer some alternatives to either the fantasy-style "gold" (or "silver") piece post apocalyptic monetary unit, the artificial pseudo-science monetary unit (Domars and Corium Pieces, I'm looking at you), or the verisimilitudinous, yet subjective barter system prevalent in games which eschew monetary units. A note on using alternate currencies. The currency should be a commodity that has limited availability and/or intrinsic value, preferably something that can't be used up (as many items on the list below can be). The most common reason for limited availability in a post apocalyptic setting is that the commodity can no longer be constructed. Intrinsic value means that the commodity has a perceived worth.

Roll Alternate Currency
01 Alcohol
02 Antiobiotics
03 Antiseptic Wipes/Towelettes
04 Arcade Tokens
05 Aspirin
06 Ballpoint Pens
07 Bandages
08 Batteries
09 Beads
10 Beans
11 Bicycle Chains
12 Bleach
13 Bobbleheads
14 Bottle Caps
15 Bottled Water
16 Bubblegum
17 Bullet Casings/Ammo
18 Butane Lighters
19 Candles
20 Canned/Preserved Food
21 Chemlights
22 Chocolate
23 Cigarettes
24 Coffee
25 Compact Discs
26 Condoms
27 Credit Cards
28 Dice
29 Dominoes
30 Duct Tape
31 DVDs
32 Electrical Tape
33 Faction Scrip
34 Fish Hooks
35 Food Stamps
36 Fuel
37 Game Tokens/Pieces
38 Gas Mask Filters
39 Gold
40 Handcuffs
41 Hand Sanitizer
42 Hard Candy
43 Hot Wheels
44 How To Books
45 Ice Cream
46 Insect Repellent
47 Iodine Tables
48 Jewelry
49 Keyrings
50 Legos
51 Lightbulbs
52 Locks
53 Magnets
54 Marbles
55 Marshmallows
56 Microchips
57 Military Field Manuals
58 Military Rations
59 Motor Oil
60 Mouse Traps
61 Perfume (Bottles)
62 Pez Dispensers
63 Playing Cards
64 Pliers
65 Poker Chips
66 Pop Tabs
67 Popcorn
68 Postal Stamps
69 Recreational Drugs
70 Refrigerator Magnets
71 Religious Icons
72 Rubber Ducks
73 Rubber Tubing
74 Salt
75 Screwdrivers
76 Seed Packets
77 Sewing Needles
78 Shampoo
79 Shoelaces
80 Silver
81 Soap
82 Spark Plugs
83 Spices
84 Steel Springs
85 Sunglasses
86 Survival Manuals
87 Syringes
88 Tampons & Maxipads
89 Tattoo Needles/Ink
90 Tea
91 Toilet Paper
92 Toothpaste
93 Trading Cards
94 Twinkies
95 Vitamin Supplement Tablets
96 Water Purification Tablets
97 Waterproof Matches
98 Wrenches
99 Wrist Watches
00 Zip Ties

Mutant Monday

Quercentaur


No. Enc.: 0 (1d8)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 180' (60')
Armor Class: 2
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 3 (2 root "hooves", limb bash)
Damage: 1d8/1d8/2d6
Save: L6
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: XX
XP: 1570

A Quercentaur is a mobile, intelligent, mutated oak tree that appears to have a four-legged, tree-trunk lower body with a leafy, humanoid upper body with two arm-like branches, and with small leafed branches for "hair" (often in fantastical designs like "mohawks" or "afros"). About 18' tall, quercentaurs have ash-grey bark skin and green leaf skin, which turns red or brown in autumn and winter. When not moving, their legs resemble multiple trunks growing into one tree, making them nearly indistinguishable from other trees. For this reason, at a distance of more than 30 yards, a motionless quercentaur is difficult to distinguish from a normal tree, surprising beings on a surprise check roll of 1-3 on 1d6.

Quercentaurs are relatively reclusive, living far from humanoids in densely wooded areas. They are able to attack by kicking with two "legs" at one time, as well as bashing with their arm-like limbs. Usually they avoid conflict, but are not adverse to attacking those who threaten their homes and fellow plants. While they do not fear fire, they are cautious near fires.

Mutations: Abnormal Size, Free Movement, Full Senses, Natural Armor (Plant), Dormancy [D]

Alternate Mutation Table for Mutant Future

I just wanted to see if this idea might be useful:

Base Mutation Table

Roll	Result
01-20	Physical/Plant Drawback
21-60	Physical/Plant Beneficial Mutation
61-73	Mental Drawback
74-00	Beneficial Mental Mutation

MiniMecha of the Mutant Future

If I only had 1.3 million dollars...

Mutant Future Review

Having picked up quite a few post apocalyptic RPGs over the last few years (Mutant Future, Mutant Epoch, Darwin's World, Aftermath, Atomic Highway, Barbarians of the Aftermath, Metamorphosis Alpha, OctaNe, Other Dust, Post Apocalyptic Hero, Retrocalypse, Exodus, Broken Earth, and probably a few I'm missing...from the recent acquisition list, I'm not counting classics like After the Bomb or Gamma World), I thought I should start reviewing what I like and dislike about each. So first up, is Goblinoid Games' Mutant Future.

I won't be discussing game mechanics so much in these reviews, since everyone has different preferences for game mechanics, and those aren't my main interest in each game. Instead I'll be discussing the options and choices of each, how they relate to the setting, and what points I like and dislike. Admittedly, some game mechanics aspects may come up, depending on how they affect the choices of play in the game.



Likes:

• Revised edition cover.
• Some of the mutant monsters are really good inclusions to a post apocalyptic mutant setting, especially the Accipitoid, Ant Horror, Hideous Boar, Brain Lasher, Brain Plants, Burn Leech, Canisoid, Castoroid, Cockroachoid, Encephalized Coyote, Death Bird, Domer, Electrophant, Eloi, Eye Dog, Fishmen, Flame Plant, Fungal grove, Gamma Sloth, Gamma Wyrm, Glue Flower, Goliath, Hemofowl, Homo Erectus, The Irradiated, Jellyfish Plants, Kanga, Kelper, Leech Rabbit, Lobstrosity, Mansquito, Mant, Mummy Vines, Narcolp, Night Glove, Night Goat, Pantheroid, Pigmen, Piranha Butterfly, Porcine Devourer, Pufferoid, Pumpkin Man, Quicken, Rabboxen, Radiation Whales, Rock Shell, Screech Bush, Scuirinoid, Serpentoid, Carnivorous Sheep, Skin Steel, Skinner Tree, SPIDERGOATS!, Sporer, Suidoid, Tripod, Vampire Star, Ventrilovine, Vomit Fly, Wailer, Xeno Cattle, Zap Vines, and Zunicorn.
• The Aftifacts have a nice basic selection and work well as treasures.
• The basic "racial" options well represent a good PA mutant setting.
• The mutations have drawbacks as well as advantages and are broken down well into physical, mental, and plant categories.
• Generally good adventuring and basic setting support.

Dislikes:

• Original edition cover.
  
• Not enough "racial" options to play, sure this is kind of a basic RPG game, but I want more options available.
• There's only a limited number of mutations (IMO) which require one to go elsewhere (such as Metamorphica or the various Skirmisher Publishing offerings) for more mutation options. Especially since drawbacks seem to be so prevalent in the random rolls. The basic setup is more D&D retro-clone than Gamma World retro-clone, making the setting of Mutant Future more like D&D and less like a post apocalyptic setting.
• Some of the monster offered are too much in the D&D fantasy vein, especially monsters like the Black Pudding, Carcass Scavenger, Gray Ooze, Green Slime, Kamata, Men (all), Ochre Jelly, Purple Worm, Rot Grub, Flame & Frost Salamanders, and Yellow Mold. The Medusoid gets a pass as it has a post apocalyptic feeling makeover. There's too many basic animals, I can give passes to giant, dire, and cave variants. Insect Swarm is a fairly useful entry. The various mutant animals types are well included (even if I don't particularly care for them). But most of them aren't really useful, even as base stock for mutant animals.
• The gold piece standard for currency. I realize why they did it, but it still feels to fantasy setting, not enough post apocalyptic setting.
• A very limited "junk" table to scavenge from, though this is possibly one of the most minor details, as there are dozens of easily available scavenging lists and tables out there to choose from.
• Lack of improvised, "junk" weapons and armor.
• Limited setting information and options, like "Cryptic Alliances" or cults, or raider gangs, or restorationist groups, etc.
• Limited selection of non-android robots. In the mutant future there are always robots, lots and lots of robots.

Luckily, Skirmisher Publishing's Wisdom from the Wastelands series (as well as their other offerings) help to flesh out a lot of the missing ingredients that really make Mutant Future great. AND, you can pick and choose which options you wish to include.

Mutant Monday

Deathdelion

No. Enc.: 1d4 (1d8)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 150' (50')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage: 1d3/1d3/1d8
Save: L2
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: VI
XP: 465

These mutant specimens of Taraxacum officinale are thought to be deliberate plant-animal hybrids that resemble African Lions in general appearance (though they are more mountain lion sized) consisting of four legs and a head, with a greenish, leafy skin and a yellow flower mane for males and both sexes spotting a tail ending in a dandelion seed tuft. Like Lions they live in prides with three or four females, one or two males, and any associated "cubs." As with the felines they resemble, they are carnivorous.

Commonly found in savannah and grasslands, they are also encountered in semi-arid wastelands as hunting groups. Female Deathdelions tend to act together when hunting, encircling prey. Deathdelion males tend to act as scouts and protect the pride from outsiders. They attack with their carnivorous bite or by thorn-like "claws" on the ends of their limbs.

They typically lair in small caves and rock overhangs. Treasure is typically found in their dens and consists of goods left behind be humanoid victims, scattered among the bones and carcasses.

Mutations: Abnormal Size, Carnivore, Free Movement, Full Senses, Natural Vegetal Weapons, Nocturnal, Reduced Fertility

Mutant Monday

Switching things up a little, I decided to post my basic take on mutant humans (at least the most common breeds thereof). Since I use -men for the various beastmen types (i.e. mutant animals), I decided that mutant humans are collectively known as -folk. (Now I just need to figure out which appellation I want to use for plant humanoids.)

FOLK

Hillfolk
No. Enc.: 2d4 (1D4x10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: as CON
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d6 or weapon type
Save: L1
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: XV
XP: Varies

Mutated descendents of rural humans living off hunting and the proceeds from the ancestral moonshine still. While they are generally wary of outsiders and liable to attack first and ask questions later, they are also known to trade foodstuffs (primarily meat and vegetables), moonshine, and tobacco for things they cannot make themselves. They will typically be found with 3d4 coondogs (stats as per Ordinary Wolves), huntin' dogs (stats as per Dire Wolves), eyedogs, or chickenwolves.
While most (80%) will be found armed with daggers or axes, some will have a polearm (shovel, hoe, rake, or other tool) or machete (treat as short sword). Hunting parties will also typically have either short bows or crossbows. Hunting parties will also have one 2nd level leader for every five hillfolk who will be armed with a firearm (roll 1D4: 1- boomstick (black powder rifle), 2 - scattergun (shotgun), 3 - varmint rifle (sport rifle), 4 - huntin' rifle (automatic rifle)).
Hillfolk villages (called homesteads) will often have a 7th level 'patriarch' or 'grandpa' for every 20 hillfolk. A 5th level preacher may be present in a homestead (1-5 on 1d10). There is also a probability that a powerful "hoodoo man" or "witchie woman" of 4+1d2 levels will be present (roll 1-3 on 1d10) with 1D4 mental mutations.
Mutations: Obesity (50% chance), Moderate Natural Armor, Bizarre Appearance.


Swampfolk
No. Enc.: 2d4 (2d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90' (30')
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: as CON
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1D6+2, or weapon type+2
Save: L2
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XV
XP:

These degenerate descendents of humans are encountered in swamps, bogs, marshes, and bayous. Unlike their friendlier hillfolk relatives, they are cannabilistic predators who hunt other intelligent humanoids for food. Since they also tend to be chronically short on fertile females, they will raid other humanoids to acquire new breeding stock.
Hunting parties will be armed with a mix of crossbows (roll of 1-4 on 1d6) or firearms (type as per hillfolk leaders; roll of 5-6 on 1d6) in addition to a backup melee weapon (roll 1d6: 1 - polearm, 2 - machete, 3 - axe, 4 - dagger, 5 - hammer or pick, 6 - chainsaw). There will be one 3rd level leader for every four Swampfolk.
Swampfolk lairs may have a 4th level "granny" (roll 1-3 on 1d10). There is also a probability of a powerful 5th level 'cousin' (roll 1-5 on 1d10).
Mutations: Gigantsim (75% chance), Obesity (50% chance), Extreme Natural Armor, Bizarre Appearance, Increased Strength, Pain Insensitivity, Atrophied Cerebellum

Fallout Funniness

It never ceases to amaze me that no one believes me when I tell them I avoid bananas because they're radioactive. Well, this fun little tidbit should make them happy.

From Nuclear Radiation and Health Effects comes this lovely line: "Since there is radioactivity in many foodstuffs, there has been a whimsical suggestion that the Banana Equivalent Dose from eating one banana be adopted for popular reference. This is about 0.0001 mSv."

So Mutants, go out and get your daily BED of radiation.

Mutant Monday

Well, I think I've finally found a day of the week to start working on some post-apocalyptic creatures (using Mutant Future for now). Here's the first of (hopefully) many, many more to come. Mostly I'll be doing plants, aquatics, insects, robots, undead, space aliens, and weird critters, a few inspired by other sources, and whatever else happens to catch my fancy.

Rambling Weed


No. Enc.: 2D12
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 225' (75')
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 1 (charge)
Damage: 1D6, paralysis
Save: L2
Morale: 12, 3 vs fire
Hoard Class: None
XP: 245

Also known as Killer Tumbleweeds and Kuseru's Bane, this is a large, man-eating plant, though Rambling weeds feed on any mammal. They are highly branched and rounded in form, 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m) in height and from 2 to 10 feet (06.-3m) in diameter, with awl-shaped, spine-tipped leaves that bear small, inconspicuous poison sacs. They are found in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly the wasteland.

The Rambling Weed attacks by rolling into it's prey, injecting it with a quick-acting paralytic poison, so it can digest the prey at it's leisure, using powerful digestive enzymes. It takes approximately 1D4 days to completely devour a small mammal, 1D6 days to devour a human-sized creature, and 2D4 days to devour a large animal. During that time the plant is docile and does not attack again until its previous prey is digested completely. Reproduction of these terrible plants is accomplished by a process similar to mitosis, with a well-fed Rambling Weed (one which has digested over 2000 lbs within 10 days) splitting into two separate Rambling Weeds.

Rambling Weeds may not seem all that dangerous, but they’re known for their cunning attacks, utilizing terrain obstacles to trap an opponent, attacking from ambush, and making sneak attacks from behind the target.

Mutations: Free Movement, Injected Poisonous Sap, Thermal Sensitivity (fire)