D is for Defense, part 1

I've never really been happy with Mutant Future's basic armor, so I decided to open up the range of what kind of armors would be available. I decided I wanted a variety of improvised armors in addition to pre-apocalyptic treasure find styles. I also wanted to incorporate armor from mutant sources such as plants and animals as well. I also had a difficult time deciding on the "finalists" as it were, and may end up tweaking this material a bit more. Since this expands the range of ACs (and other factors) available, I recommend making some changes to the more power armor-like armors available as artifacts.
Recommended AC changes for advanced armors and EMAs:
Environmental Armor AC 2
Scout EMA AC 1
Light EMA AC 0
Medium EMA AC -1
Heavy EMA AC -2

Armor	Armor Class	Weight	Damage Absorption Per Round	Cost
Furs	8	10 lbs		5
Vineweave	8	8 lbs		10
Concealed Body Armor	8	5 lbs	5 (bullets)	100
Bone Armor	8	12 lbs		20
Leather/Beast Hide	7	15 lbs		20
Leaf mail	7	12 lbs		25
Spidersilk Armor	7	10 lbs		35
Ballistic Vest	7	10 lbs	10 (bullets)	150
Sports Pad Armor	6	12 lbs		50
Thorn Armor	6	15 lbs		40
Beast Scale	6	18 lbs		45
Stab Vest	6	15 lbs	5 (bullets) 5 (blades)	200
Beast Scute	5	24 lbs		60
Bark Lamellar	5	20 lbs		65
Shark Suit (mail)	5	25 lbs		250
Tire Armor	5	24 lbs		75
Bug Shell	4	30 lbs		70
Bamboo Splint	4	25 lbs		80
Blunt Trauma PPE	4	18 lbs	10 (blunt)	350
Plastic Plate Sparring Armor	4	20 lbs	10 (blunt)	300
Color Plate	3	40 lbs		200
Plywood Laminar	3	30 lbs		180
Shell Plate	3	65 lbs		140
Riot Control Armor	3	20 lbs	10 (blunt) 10 (bullet)	450
Heavy Scrap Plate	2	50 lbs		400
Carbon Nanotube Clothing	2	5 lbs		2500
Combat Armor	2	20 lbs	10 (bullet)	600
Heavy Combat Armor	1	35 lbs	20 (bullet)	750
Bomb Suit	1	70 lbs	10 (bullet) 20 (explosion)	1000
Atmospheric Diving Suit	1	600 lbs		1500

DESCRIPTIONS AND OTHER NOTES:

Furs
Furs are a low level armor that offer little protection, relying instead on mimicking the appearance of a fierce animal. Fur armor is typically made of furs or skins from predatory animals, such as wolves, coyotes, foxes, bears, lions, tigers, panthers, and hyenas. Sometimes the skins horned animals such as cattle, goats, antellope, gazelle, deer, moose, and elk are used. Fur armor typically covers the legs, torsos, and arms with the head typically covered by the animal's head in a sort of covered bone helmet to reflect the appearance of the animal.

Vineweave
A simple form of armor where vines are woven together to form wicker as a protection against damage. Vineweave armor typically only covers the torso and head, though some versions do add a flexible skirt and simple bracers and greaves.

Concealed Body Armor
An uncommon pre-apocalyptic aramid vest designed to be worn under other clothing.

Bone Armor
Common among certain tribals, this form of armor is generally made by plates and strips of bone, as well as intact skulls being attached to a fabric backing. Bone armor is generally made to cover the entire body, though, like many armors, there are gaps left at the joints to improve mobility. Bone helmets made of skulls are particularly favored, though skulls may also be used as spaulders or poleyns, as well as chest, back, and groin coverings.

Leather/Beast Hide
The most common form of basic armor. Usually constructed of layers of thick leather designed as jackets and trousers to cover the majority of the body. Leather helmets tend to be uncommon as there are other, more protective headgears available.

Leaf mail
A type of scale armor, where leaves from the metalleaf tree are joined to a fabric suit. Commonly made as jackets with skirt coverings for the lower body.

Spidersilk Armor
Spidersilk armor is made from the spidersilk produced by giant spiders or spidergoats and is generally a lightweight alternative to leather armor.

Ballistic Vest
A pre-apocalyptic aramid vest with metal or ceramic plates installed in the front and back for added protection.

Sports Pad Armor
This common improvised armor is generally composed of a layer of leather covered with additional protection provided by a variety of plastic covered sports pads with shock absorbing foam such as a protective cup, ankle guards, Ballistic Jerseys/Jackets (includes chest, back/spine, shoulder and elbow protection and a kidney belt), elbow pads, knee pads, neck braces, padded shorts, Roost Deflector (a chest protector designed to deflect 'roost' (rocks, dirt, and mud) thrown onto rider), shin guards, shoulder pads, and wrist protectors.

Thorn Armor
This type of armor comes in two basic types. The first type consists of specially grown and prepared brambles where the thorns are designed to project away from one side of the vine, woven together to form an advanced version of vineweave armor. The other type resembles plate armor in design and is constructed of various hard skinned cacti where the spines project outward from the wearer.

Beast Scale
Another type of scale armor made from the scales of snakes, lizards, and fish, especially those with the moderate Natural Armor mutation. Jackets and trousers tend to be the main covering in this form of armor.

Stab Vest
These pre-Apocalyptic vests are generally made with aramid materials backed by chain mail or other flexible metal materials.

Beast Scute
Laminar armor made from mutated animals with the extreme Natural Armor mutation, such as alligators, crocodiles, caiman, and armadillos. Overlapping bands of scutes (bone or horn materials similar to scales) are joined together to form a segmented cuirass that protect the front and back torse, as well as the upper arms and shoulders. Often, a protective skirt or thigh guards are also incorporated. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Bark Lamellar
A type of armor where small rectangular sections of tree bark (usually from trees with hard bark) are sewn or laced into horizontal rows. Coverage generally includes the torso and a skirt for the lower body, with bracers and greaves for added protection. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Shark Suit (mail)
For whatever reason, post apocalyptic chainmail armor has come to be known as shark suits. Commonly appears as a full body suit with attached chainmail hood (coif). Though it is often constructed of any type of metal wire or chain rather than the water resistant material that shark suits are made of.

Tire Armor
Another type of laminar armor, constructed from old rubber tires. Small metal rivets or spikes may also be added to increase the menacing appearance of this armor.

Bug Shell
A type of plate armor where the material comes from certain giant insects and spiders. Chitin plates from beetles, ants, and the occassional other insect are fairly common, as are the carapaces of a variety of giant spiders. Bug-mimicking helmets designed from the heads of these creatures are especially popular. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Bamboo Splint
Armor made with strips of bamboo attached to fabric backing, with additional padding underneath. Generally consists a torso protector, groin and leg protectors, hand and forearm protectors, and a combined face mask and shoulder protector. This type of armor generally resembles pre-apocalyptic kendo armor.

Blunt Trauma Personal Protective Equipment
Full body armor that essentially combines the protection of a stab vest with sports pads.

Plastic Plate Sparring Armor
This type of armor is essentially and advanced form of sports pad armor, incorporating all the standard pads, as well as a chest protector and a helmet in either barbute or 3/4 style.

Color Plate
An improvised type of armor consisting of metal from various street and road signs over leather or padding. It is generally composed of a laminar torso, shoulder, and upper arm set, with plate bracers, cuisses, and greaves. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Plywood Laminar
Another laminar armor, constructed of molded plywood that covers the torso, arms, legs, and head, with gaps at the joints. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Shell Plate
Plate armor made from the shells of giant mutant turtles or tortoises. Similar to Bug Shell armor, but heavier. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Riot Control Armor
A pre-apocalytic body armor that incorporates ballistic armoring into blunt trauma armor, adding a protective helmet, gas mask, and often a shield. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Heavy Scrap Plate
This form of improvised armor is a plate armor that recycles various sections of heavy metal plates such as cooking utensils, car body parts, HVAC ducting, diamond plate, corrugated iron, and even manhole covers and metal piping. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Carbon Nanotube Clothing
One of the most advanced forms of pre-apocalyptic armor, this is a set of jacket and pants made from carbon annotubes. It is lightweight and very durable.

Combat Armor
Pre-apocalyptic armor composed of ballistic fiber covering the torso, arms, groin, legs, and neck. Generally also includes a combat helmet.

Heavy Combat Armor
This version of combat armor adds metal or ceramic plate inserts covering the front and back torso, sides, and groin. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Bomb Suit
Constructed similar to heavy combat armor, this armor adds further, overlapping, protection to the neck, groin, and front torso. A larger, reinforced armored helmet is also added. Because of the weight and awkwardness of this armor movement is reduced to 75% of the regular rate.

Atmospheric Diving Suit
Less a type of armor, this suit is more of a wearable submarine composed of glass-reinforced plastics and cast aluminum, with articulated joints and manipulator jaws at the ends of the arms. A powered exoskeleton aids the wearer in moving the suit. Also included is a closed circuit rebreather and battery power supply each of which lasts about six hours. Moves very poorly on land, at a rate of about 25% of the regular movement rate.


Some Incomplete Notes on Armor Styles:

Bone Armor styles: Trophy Hunter, Skull Hunter, Skeleton Warrior, Beast Bones, Great Beast, Rattling Bones

Fur styles: Wolf Scout, Bearzerker, Feline Warrior, Minotauros, Deerstalker, Baphomet (goat)

Leaf Mail styles: Sylvan Elf, Autumn Rainbow, Canadian Red Maple, Pot Leaf, Palm Frond, Four Leaf Clover,

Leather styles: Road Warrior, Aviator, Punk Spike, BDSM Fetish, Skulls & Chains, Stingray, Sharkskin

Beast Scale styles: Cobra Hood, Rattlesnaker, Diamondback, Python, Death Adders, Copperheads, Green Mambas, Cottonmouths, Iguanas, Gila Monsters, Komodos, Geckoskinned, Chameleon Suited, Tuatara

Beast Scute styles: Black Caiman, Gatorskin, Gray Croc, Armadillo Banded, Albino Alligator, Green Croc

Thorn Armor styles: Prickly Cactus, Black Briar, Guns & Roses, Coat of Thorns, Stinging Nettle, Firethorn

Color Plate styles: Stop & Yield Red , Speed Limit 55 White, Yellow Diamond & Arrow, Work Orange, Rest Exit Blue, American Interstate/Interstate Shield (Red, White, & Blue), 1st & Main (Green), RxR (Yellow), Children Diamond (Yellow), Dead End Yellow

Bug Shell styles:
Flyer Chitin; Dragonfly, Firefly, Bumble Bee, Honey Bee, Yellow Jacket, Tarantula Hawk,
Beetle Chitin: Bombadier, Lady Bird, Scarab, Rhinoceros Beetle, Clown Beetle (black or metallic green), Golden Ground Beetle
True Bug Chitin; Aphid, Shield Bug, Cicada, Assassin Bug, Earwig, Minute Pirate Bug
Ant Chitin; Fire Ant, Black Ant, Leafcutter Ant, Bullet Ant, Army Ant, Pharoah Ant
Spider Carapace; Black Widow, Wolf Spider, Trap-Door Spider, Mexican Redknee Tarantula, Thomisus Crab Spider (various colours), Red Legged Purseweb, Happy Face Spider, Joro Spider, Red Widow, Green Lynx, Skeleton Tarantula, Zebra Spider, Magnolia Green Jumping Spider, Silver Garden Spider, Velvet Spider

Sports Pad Armor styles: Football, Hockey, Lacrosse, Paintball, Roller Derby, Skateboard, Motocross, Fencing

Scrap Plate Armor styles: Kitchen, Automobile, Folding Chair, Diamond Plate, Corrugated Iron, Rebar Mesh, Sewage (manhole covers and pipes), HVAC ducting

Tire Armor styles: Tire Pad, Laminar, Lamellar, Scale

Fury Road

In honor of the release of Mad Max: Fury Road, here's a table for random wasteland names, Mad Max style.

Mad Max Wasteland Names

01 Anna Goanna
02 Aunty Entity
03 Bearclaw Mohawk
04 Benno
05 Big Rebecca
06 Black Mask
07 Blackfinger
08 Blood 'Shed'
09 Bubba Zanetti
10 Capable
11 Captain Walker
12 Cheedo the Fragile
13 Chumbucket
14 Clunk
15 Corpus Colossus
16 Cundalini
17 Curmudgeon
18 Cusha
19 Diabando
20 Dog
21 Dr. Dealgood
22 Eddie
23 Fifi
24 Finn McCoo
25 Furiosa
26 Gekko
27 Glory the Child
28 Golden Youth
29 Grease Rat
30 Grinner
31 Grinning Mohawker
32 Gutgash
33 Gyro Captain
34 Immortan Joe
35 Ironbar
36 Jeet
37 Johnny the Boy
38 Keeper of the Seeds
39 Lair
40 Max
41 Midge
42 Milking Mother
43 Miss Giddy
44 Morsov
45 Mr. Scratch
46 Mr. Skyfish
47 Mudguts
48 Nightrider
49 Nux
50 Pappagallo
51 People's Observer
52 Pig Killer
53 Quiet Man
54 Red Flare Warrior
55 Rictus Erectus
56 Roop
57 Sarse
58 Savannah Nix
59 Scabrous Scrotus
60 Scrooloose
61 Scuttle
62 Silverrtongue
63 Singer
64 Slake
65 Slit
66 Sprog
67 Stankgum
68 Starbuck
69 Station Master
70 The Accusing Dead
71 The Ace
72 The Amazon
73 The Blaster
74 The Breakman
75 The Bullet Farmer
76 The Collector
77 The Dag
78 The Doof Warrior
79 The Feral Kid
80 The Lord Humungus
81 The Master
82 The Organic Mechanic
83 The People Eater
84 The Prime Imperator
85 The Rock Rider Chief
86 The Splendid Angharad
87 The Toadie
88 The Valkyrie
89 The Vuvalini
90 The Winchman
91 The Wretched
92 Toast the Knowing
93 Toecutter
94 Ton Ton Tattoo
95 Tubba Tintye
96 War Boy
97 War Pup
98 Wez
99 Zetta
00 Ziggy

Freak Friday

Killer Maiden


No. Enc.: 0 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: None
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 1
Damage:
Save: L3
Morale: None
Hoard Class: XIX
XP: 1070

A Killer Maiden, a mutant species of Ginkgo biloba, appears as an attractive female humanoid, 6-12' tall and slender. They have green-colored flesh, and fan-shaped green leaves which radiate out from the apparent head like hair. The hair-like leaves briefly turn yellow for about two weeks a year. While Killer Maidens appear to have inviting facial features, as well as other enticing curves to their bodies, they do not actually have any associated organs with these natural formations, being nothing more than an alluring trap for humanoid prey. This detail, along with the fact that the apparent legs become roots will only be noticed on a 1-2 on a roll of 1d6.

Killer Maidens survive by using their Fragrance Development mutation to lure in humanoid "suitors" who generally attempt to embrace the Killer Maiden. These poor unfortunate souls are then pierced by 3d6 hollow thorns, each doing 1d4 damage. After the thorns have struck the victim, they well remain inside the victim, draining 1d6 hit points each round until all the thorns are removed. Half of any hit points drained in this manner will be transfered to the plant.

Even though Killer Maidens don't actually take treasure for themselves, bones and other inorganic materials generally accumulate in the gaps formed by their roots.

Mutations: Abnormal Size, Fragrance Development, Modified Thorns: Fluid Leech Thorns (as per Fluid Leech Vines CotTW)

Freak Friday

Cannibal Sativa


No. Enc.: 2d4 (2d4x10)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 4+20
Attacks: 1 (claw or weapon)
Damage: 1d4 or by weapon
Save: L2
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: I, VIII
XP: 540

These short, 3-4' tall, green-skinned humanoids are mutated from the Cannabis sativa plant. They have sharp, claw-like, five-fingered hands, and rope-like tendrils on their heads, shoulders, and backs. Because of their appearance and coloration, in forested or brush-filled areas, they are difficult to spot, surprising beings on a surprise check roll of 1-3 on 1d6. They are highly intelligent and have a spoken language and are also known as Cannibal Steves, Hemp Horrors, and (for the rarely encountered females) Murder Janes.

While Cannibal Sativas get along well with mutant fungus and plant species, they are obligate carnivores who form hunting parties to attack any animal life forms near their lairs. While they do ambush prey, they are also active hunters that prefer to directly attack their targets. They usually release a hallucinogenic gas cloud to disable their prey, and then they move in with their weapons for the kill. This gas cloud covers a 40' area around the Cannibal Sativa, and any creature (other than other Cannibal Sativas) in that area must make a save vs poison, or be subject to the effects of the hallucinogenic gas (roll 1d20 on the following table):
D20    Roll Reaction
1-2     Cower and whimper
3-4     Curl up into fetal ball
5-7     Stare into nothingness
8-10    Laugh uncontrollably
11-13   Overcome with insatiable hunger and thirst
14-16   Falls asleep
17-18   Flee shrieking in a random direction
19-20   Hallucinates as if under the effect of Mental Phantasm
While they can and do employ ranged or missile weapons in attacks, they have a preference for sword-like and axe-like weaponry. Roll 1d4 to determine their individual armament: 1 - Club, 2 - Axe, 3 - Short Sword, 4 - Pistol (Roll 1d6: 1 - Black Powder, 2 - Revolver, 3 - Automatic Pistol, 4 - Machine Pistol (as SMG), 5 - Stun Pistol, 6 - Laser Pistol).

Cannibal Sativas can generally be found lairing in ruins or caves in forested or swampy regions.

Mutations: Carnivore, Free Movement, Full Senses, Toxic Weapon

Freak Friday

Osseous Walker


No. Enc.: 3d4 (3d10)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: 1 (fist or weapon)
Damage: 1d6 or weapon
Save: L1
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: None
XP: 10

Osseous Walkers are the skeletal remnants of those Ancients who have been subjected to nanomachine bone grafts. They appear as human-sized silvery-grey bones arrayed like an anatomical model skeleton. While not capable of advanced reasoning, the nanomachines are able to use their skeletal form to utilize weapons in a club-like fashion.

These nanomachines have very limited programming and only seek to support the bone structure they are grafted onto. In order to support bone tissue, they seek living creatures for the biological nutrients contained in living bodies, though they do not masticate them. In order to transfer the nutrients needed, the nanomachines need to place the bones in direct contact with immobilized creatures. Immobilization is best done through killing the creature, though the nutrient material needed only remains viable in the first day or so.

Osseous Walkers generally lair in ruins or underground, where they can safely remain in contact with their nutrient "baths" with little disruption. Those found actually walking will do so because the nanomachines have detected new sources of nutrients for the bones they support. As there is no biological intelligence to be found in Osseous Walkers, they are unaffected by mental mutations which affect the mind. Mental mutations capable of linking with computers/robots will only sense the basic desire of the nanomachines to find sources of nutrients for the bones.

Mutations: None

Freak Friday

Carrion Mangrove


No. Enc.: 1 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: None
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 12
Attacks: see below
Damage: see below
Save: L6
Morale: None
Hoard Class: XIX (x2)
XP: 2000

Carrion Mangroves are immobile, mutated Avicennia germinans which appear among, and nearly identical to their unmutated versions. Appearing as a 40'-60' tall mangrove tree with dark brown bark, elliptical, dark green leaves, and small creamy white flowers, their distinguishing feature is their long, underground system of roots and hundreds of pencil-like pneumatophores which grow upwards from the roots, appearing as a field of stakes. Decaying corpses may be noticed among the root system on a roll of 1-3 on 1d6.

This mutant tree doesn't actively hunt, but rather depends on its root system to deal with prey. Each Carrion Mangrove's root system covers a 100' diameter area around the tree. When prey is detected through ground vibrations, the nearest pneumatophores (roll 2D10 to determine number) shoot small poisonous thorns straight up into the prey doing 1d4 damage each. Each thorn has a Class 11 poison which causes paralysis for 2d6 rounds for each thorn which strikes the target. Victims that are paralyzed tend to fall directly onto 2d4 pneumatophores, causing 1d6 damage for each one struck, additionally, each pneumatophore pumps out the same Class 11 poison each round. Since these victims generally can't save against so many poison sources, they tend to be paralyzed until death from thirst or drowning. Carrion Mangroves feed on the blood and decaying bodies thus created.

These trees can be found just above the high tide line in the sandy or muddy regions around brackish water estuaries, lagoons, and mangrove swamps.

Mutations: Modified Vines and Roots (CotTW)


Hangman's Tree


No. Enc.: 1 (0)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: None
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 9
Attacks: 4 (constrictive tendrils)
Damage: 2d6
Save: L5
Morale: None
Hoard Class: XIX
XP: 1700

This tree is a mutated version of Carya texana appearing as a hickory tree 20-30' tall with dark grey bark covering a trunk roughly one foot in diameter, shiny, dark green leaves which turn golden-yellow in autumn, bronze-colored nuts, and yellow catkins.

Hangman's Trees attack by dropping 1d4 constrictive tendrils around prey. A successful attack roll achieves constriction, and the victim will suffer 2d6 damage on each consecutive round. The length of these tendrils ranges from 10’ to 20’.

They are typically found in hilly, forested regions. Their fruit is edible and considered tasty (see New Mutation - Edible Leaves)

Mutations: Prehensile Tendrils, Edible Fruit


Hellions


No. Enc.: 0 (2d10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: None
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 1
Damage: 4d6
Save: L2
Morale: None
Hoard Class: None
XP: 290

Hellions are mutant Helianthus annuus (sunflowers) that were failed bio-correcting solar collection plants, reflecting powerful beams of sunlight against nearby terrain as they track the sun across the sky. They appear as typical 10' tall sunflowers whose flowers actually track the sun's path across the sky. At frequent intervals (once every three rounds) during sunny days, they emit their stored solar energy at a spot up to 50' away. Often this results in only scorched ground, and the areas around Hellion fields are often scorched of vegetation making them easy to recognize. If any creature wanders into the area however, there is a chance that they may be struck by a beam (roll to attack any targets in the area with a -2 to the attack roll).

Mutations: Glow in the Dark (CoTW), Reflective Epidermis (Heat), Reflective Epidermis (Radiations), Thermal Emissions (Heat)

Freak Friday

Carnifolia


No. Enc.: 1 (0)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: None
Armor Class: 2
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: see below
Damage: see below
Save: L5
Morale: None
Hoard Class: XX
XP: 3800

These mutated, unintelligent Taxus brevifolia appear as 50' tall evergreen trees which have apparently rotted from the inside, creating hollow cavities which appear to be inviting places to shelter. With their brown, scaly bark, dark green, lanceolate leaves, and bright red, berry-like seed cones, these carnivorous predators are almost impossible to distinguish from normal trees. There is only a 1 in 6 chance that a creature will recognize a Carnifolia as such, although plant mutants can detect them on a 3 in 6 chance.

Carnifolia have two primary means of enticing creatures to rest within their tempting cavities. If any creature consumes the red seeds of the plant, they must make a saving throw vs poison or feel compelled to stop and rest within the cavity. Of course if the weather is inclement, the hollow cavity may also appear as an inviting place within which to shelter. Any creature which falls asleep within the hollow cavity will cause the cavity to close and begin filling with a digestive sap which oozes up from the roots, at a rate of one foot per round until the 10' cavity is filled. The digestive sap does 1d8 damage per round until the creature dies. The limited room inside the cavity prevents those trapped inside from attacking by any weapon except a dagger. Additionally, attacking from within the cavity is difficult, and the attack suffers a -4 penalty.

These tree predators can be found just about anywhere, although they will only be found near streams in drier regions.

Mutations: Carnivore, Edible Seeds (CotW), Energy Absorption (Electricity; CotW), Thermal Sensitivity (Fire)

Freak Friday

Baneboo


No. Enc.: 1d4 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 90' (30')
          Fly: 240' (80')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 5+5
Attacks: 2 (bite or mutation, constrict)
Damage: 6d6/2d
Save: L3
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: XV
XP: 1460

Designed as a bio-weapon by a certain demented bio-lab, best left forgotten, this strain of Phyllostachys rubromarginata has been turned into a ferocious predator. They appear as bamboo-like serpents some 30' long with a fanged, skull-like head and red ruff or mane. They fly by means of four delicate, leaf-like wings that contained under a protective layer of bark which acts similar to an insect's elytra. Primarily meat eaters, they generally prey on large game animals, but have been known to attack larger prey or humanoids. Additionally they are known to consume certain amounts of metal for unknown reasons.

Baneboo typically attack as if they were Giant Pythons, starting with a bite, and following up on a successful hit with a constricting attack that does an additional 2d4 hit points of damage. This constriction attack continues on ensuing rounds. When cornered, surprised, or seriously wounded, Baneboo are capable of spitting a poisonous gob up to 60' away. This gob is a Class 16 poison that causes death to targets unless a successful save vs poison is made, then the character takes 5d6 damage. Baneboo can spit a poisonous gob up to 3 times per day.

Habitually sheltering in caves or ruins found among wooded or forested areas, Baneboo are known to collect metallic objects and other valuables which they obtain by scouring ruins.

Mutations: Carnivore, Complete Wing Development (Elytra - see Wisdom from the Wastelands #40), Free Movement, Full Senses, Metallic Bark (see Creatures of the Wastes), Toxic Weapon

Mutant Monday

Well, the holiday season is finally over, and I've gotten the problem with my ISP fixed. However, Mutant Monday will be moving to Freak Friday for the next six months or so. Hopefully I'll also be getting some of my other little ideas worked out and projects done.

MUTANT: Year Zero Review

For this review, I'll be covering Modiphius Entertainment's MUTANT: Year Zero - Roleplaying At The End Of Days (English translated version of Paradox Entertainment AB's game). Unlike some of my other entries, I'll be covering the mechanics and layout of this offering a bit more than I normally would, since the overall mechanics really tie in to how the game is played.

Likes (D6):

• 1. The artwork is well done, with the inclusion of both color and B&W art which supports the setting appropriately, and appears often enough to augment the text without generally bogging it down. I'll even go as far as to agree with the use of a standard two-column layout of text (in general, with exceptions for utility, like tables and the "Index").
• 2. Character creation is quick and easy. The inclusion of character classes (called "Roles") with skills (though I wasn't too keen on the limited class skills). Example names, though limited, are included, though probably scattered too much throughout the book for quick reference.
• 3. The mechanics do provide a gritty, post-apocalyptic feel, while retaining a good mix of gonzo elements. The Rot as a generic mechanic for CBR hazards was fairly well implemented, though I thought it's generic nature lost some points because detection devices (such as chem sniffers or geiger counters) were missing. While food, clean water, and ammo were stressed as resources to help give that scavenger/survival feel, fuel sources (especially for vehicles) seemed a bit more hand-waved to the detriment of the setting.
• 4. The setup that allows and encourages building up the PCs home base "Ark." When combined with the (somewhat flaky, see below) Artifact system, it makes for an interesting challenge.
• 5. There are some rules for scavenged arms, armor and equipment, though I'd probably only rate the system as fair, due to the quick-play mechanics of the system.
• 6. A fairly good setting, with sample locations, ideas for other locations, and factions to interact with.

Dislikes (D66):

• 11. Useless 'Chapter Only' "Table of Contents" (sorry, if your TOC only shows what page a chapter is on, it's f***ing useless as a TOC for a Role Playing Game). While I don't mind the small image included with each chapter, spreading this useless POS over FOUR pages (two PC section and two GM section) was a waste of space (though no doubt makes sense from a designer's perspective (i.e. holding a physical book let's you see the whole PC or GM section at one glance). Also the PDF version didn't even hyperlink the chapters.
• 12. Character sheet in the "middle" of the book (pages 20-21). With the TOC being useless, having this in the middle of the book just makes it difficult to find. Moreso when the 'Index' has this for the Character Sheet entry, "Character Sheets 11, 265". On page 11 is the mention of Character Sheets as s tool of the game (oddly saying you can find one at the back of the book, which would be page 265, except, it's not there, instead some art and quote page is there.
• 13. Actually, somewhat of a personal dislike here, I'm not fond of a lot of the "two-page" layouts for the material in this book, while it works somewhat for a physical book, all it does in PDF form is highlight wasted space (or artificial page count padding...see Seclusium of Orphone of the Three Visions for an extreme example of this). The "color" page borders with what appears to be fairly extreme text margins doesn't help either.
• 14. Quick character creation because there's really only one offering of character type; Mutant Human. Pure Humans, Animal Mutants, Plant Mutants, Robots, Cyborgs, and the like are hinted at, and appear as NPC monster types, but with so little information as to be only a teasing appetizer.
• 15. The lack of gonzo mutations for mutants. There's only 24 mutations available, the game recommends that each PC have a different one, and then half fills a D66 table* for random rolls.
• 16. Really poor overall layout in that you're constantly told to reference some other part(s) of the book for information on most subjects. (When you're not being teased with "be covered in future supplement" tidbits.)
• 21. A "unique sector generation system" that has the most useless table in the entire book. It can be summed up thusly, "ruin environments have ruins and artifacts, wilderness environments don't; all environments have threats". For that I needed a whole table taking up a quarter of a page? Admittedly, the rest of the material in the chapter is quite useful, to the point you may want to incorporate much of the material into your own game.
• 22. *I have to qualify this dislike a bit. While I'm not opposed to limiting the mechanics resolution to use of one or more D6s on its own merits (easy availability of dice with which to play the game), I am opposed when the only reason for really doing so is so you can sell your own, custom (and overpriced) dice. Even using D6 based tables though, the table layouts in this book are much better than Barbarians of the Aftermath, though still not great because of their limitations (i.e. 24 mutations on a D66 table).
• 23. I'm not completely sold on the way "Artifacts" are done in this system. Certainly it makes sense with the way the game is laid out, however some of the choices don't really seem to fit (I'll admit, this reaction may mainly stem from being presented with the first "Artifact," "Air Mattress," I mean, seriously, an air mattress, doesn't quite fit the whole gritty PA feel the designers have been trying to interject).
• 24. The price tag, twice the price of The Mutant Epoch, maybe one quarter of the utility. Combined with constant references to the custom dice and cards for the game (overpriced merchandizing), you feel like you paid way too much for way too little.
• 25-66. Re-roll

Overall, I felt that this game was more of an overdeveloped board game or underdeveloped computer RPG than a table top, pen-and-paper RPG. There are a few useful things to take a look at in the setting, and the game mechanics are intriguing enough for representing a grim and gritty PA feel, but for the price, you're better off looking elsewhere. Maybe in the future if the expansion material gets published and can be incorporated into one book for a reasonable price, this might be something to use as a go-to Post Apocalyptic RPG, but for now, not really.


Edit: After thinking about it a bit, I've decided that this "game" is more like a large adventure module of the sandbox-setting style rather than a board game or CRPG. It is great for running a limited sandbox, but as it's own RPG it still doesn't make the grade.