Like finding a sealed and intact pharmacy in a ruined post-apocalyptic hospital, Wisdom From The Wastelands #8: Diseases & Medical Options provides a grand sampling of odds and ends regarding all things biological, both ill and benign. I'll break it into chunks, because there's a ton of material and rules tweaks to cover.
) First comes the Modified Constitution Table, which expands the core rules stat block to ranges from 3-30, with corresponding Saving Throw bonuses. The table also adds daily bonuses to healing--the higher your CON, the more extra HP you heal per day.
As a GM, I'm not that fond of the increased stat ranges—I mean, really, a 30 CON?—but the bonus healing sure is useful from the players' side of the screen. I'd allow it.
) Next comes Rules Option: Negative Hit Points. This is your typical section on not dying when your PC reaches 0 HP; instead, you die when you reach a score equal to your negative CON. Nothing fancy here, but again, useful for players who don't keep enough character sheets on hand.
) Rules Option: Bonus To Daily Healing. Oh, I already mentioned that above. Move along.
) This next section is where things get a bit crunchy. Rules Option: Medical Compatibility introduces the Genotype Medical Compatibility Table and the Medical Incompatibility Table. These two tables determine IF Ancient medical devices / treatments / substances work with particular PC Races (including the new races found in WFTW #4) in the first place, and how badly they damage the recipient in the process.
Here's how it works. Roll 2d6. If you're, say, a Mutant Animal, any given device works on a roll of 2-6, with a -1 modifier per mutation. Then, if it fails, roll d100 to find out if you suffer half-effect, no effect, poisoning, stat reductions, genetic damage, lost mutations...or outright death.
Every Race has their own baseline, with Pure Humans ALWAYS benefitting, and Mutant Plants NEVER being impacted.
As I said, CRUNCHY. And I honestly have no idea how I feel about it (but the sadistic GM in me thinks it might be fun).
) Next comes about a full page and a half of Disease Symptoms and their in-game effects: tinnitus, blurry vision, fatigue, headaches, lesions / pustules, nausea, and more. These are fun.
And I have to give the Skirmisher Gang their due: Man, those sunnsabitches are THOROUGH.
) New Diseases follow, and they are a hoot AND a holler: Blood Melt (turns victim's blood to acid...GRODY!), Rhino's Curse (super-callousing), Ghost Flesh, Predator's Gift (induces rot-stank), Rage.
) Two small sections close the 5-page supplement, New Medicine (with 2 new options to trick out the standard Filter Dose artifact) and a new mutational drawback: Transparent Skin. Ugly + increased laser damage = misery!
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There is something for every Mutant Future fan in this issue. While I don't know if I'd use the more complicated options—because we've already established that I'm lazy—much mayhem can be dished out towards the players.
And that's always a good thing.
