"G" is for "Grunch"

Grunch

No. Enc.:  1 (1)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  12
Attacks:  2 or 1 (2 claws, or 1 hatchet, or 1 gore)
Damage:  1d10 / 1d10, or 1d8+6, or 2d8
Save:  L6
Morale:  11
Hoard Class:  XV
XP:  3,600

Grunches are nocturnal, 11' tall hircinoids with shaggy, green pelts and long, curling horns. They dwell in twisted thickets and forlorn woods.  Vicious and powerful, grunches relish combat, and have a particular fondness for dismantling Ancient vehicles with bare fists and/or primitive handaxes.

Grunches are highly sensitive to olfactory and psychic stimuli...and the pheromones and lusts of amorous couples drive them particularly berserk, so the beasts stalk "lovers' ruins" and "makeout junkyards" to better brutalize the libidinous.  Grunches usually let victims flee after their savage beatings, though, and pursue the wounded for only 1d3+1 rounds.

Mutations:  Enhanced Vision (Night Vision), Increased Sense (Smell), Increased Willpower

Mutants In The News — "Make Way For The Way-Out Wacky Races" Edition

We here at A Field Guide To Doomsday favor the traditional nukes-'n-pollutants-'n-mutants apocalypses over the supernatural ones, but we truly loves 'em all.  Anything that gets your players scavenging in wrecked-out, freak-infested ruins armed with nothing but bent golf clubs and stopsign shields is great with us, no matter the hows and whys behind Earth's obliteration.

And that's why we're mentioning the awesome Monster 500 toy line, an aberrant onslaught of Armageddon-ish automobile action!

They've got motorcars, mutants, monsters, and mayhem.  What more do you need?  And just in time for Christmas!

See more in-depth coverage at our (hideous, deformed) sister (that we keep chained up in the cellar) blog, The Haunted Spookshow Of Channel X!

Radioactive Review — 'Wisdom From The Wastelands #21: High-Tech Melee Weapons'

I'll come right out and say it:  I'm a stingy Game Master Mutant Lord.

Don't get me wrong—the players in my Don't Mess With Wrexus campaign are trundling around with warp-field maces and x-laser rifles and more energy cells to power 'em than you can count, but they came by them "honestly".  And by that, I mean I roll up every NPC's loot, every monster hoard, and every secret bunker stockpile randomly, using official treasure charts and Grand Unified Junk Tables and the like.

Part of the reason I've gone full-on random is because I like the surprises.  Another is I'm a big believer in The Gamma World Aesthetic, where players whomp on big-ass robots with nothing but broken plumbing and fenceposts and screwdrivers.

After The Bomb, Susan Storm fell in with a weird crowd.

But the Real, Honest, True Reason?

I can't be trusted.

See, I love giving presents.  Unique presents.  Weird presents.  I'm the guy who hands out adorable plush venereal diseases at Christmases and toddlers' birthdays.  Or gets beloved authors to inscribe antagonistic personal notes ("Dear Chris, You're wrong, and your opinion is terrible. Love, Jim Butcher") to the recipient.

I'm awesome, I tells ya.

Flesh-Eating Streptococcus agrees...I rule!!!

And when a snazzy supplement like Wisdom From The Wastelands #21:  High-Tech Melee Weapons comes along, I get giddy and loopy and I really, really want to give the treasures within.

I truly have to fight going all Mutanty Haul at the table...and this supplement doesn't make it easy.

—

WFTW #21:  H-T MW offers five sections over as many pages (ignoring the 6th with the OGL).

The first covers Alternate Construction Materials, so your biker-raider's morningstar can be fabricated from crystalline obsidian or conductalloy instead of soldered fishhooks and rebar. Each material has a unique descriptor that really adds flavor, ups the damage, and increases resilience (if using breakage rules, natch).

The Edging section discusses fancy new blades, like carbon filament (atomic-realigning nanites!) and gamma xenon (it irradiates!) and vibrating (it, um, vibrates!).  These up the chances of Critical Hits, and also the damage output.

Section III details Enhancements that really trick out your baseball bat with the nails driven through it.  You can make it go all cryonic or energetic protonic or harmonized (slices through force fields!) or paralytic!  My favorite bits, though, involve the crystals which turn run-of-the-mill blasters into unique death-sprayers:  gammas turn lasers radioactive, thermals make lasers go all fiery, etc.  A sackful o' such crystals turns your PC into a one-man sentinel of the spectrum!

I do too, buddy.  I do, too.

New Melee Weapons come under Section IV.  While I'm not sure the Mutant Future Core Rules need an expanded weapon table that adds glaives, halberds, katanas, and/or bo staves, the idea of dura-aluminum, monomolecular, proton-nunchakus makes my inner 10-year-old deliriously happy.

The last section covers Optional Combat Rules, such as Throwing Melee Weapons, Wielding Two Weapons At Once, and Wielding A Two-Handed Weapon In One Hand.  These are elegant, simple, and to the point, and in no way broken.  I usually hate crunch in my fluff, but I'll actually use these rules at the table.

—

Okay, okay.  I freely admit that most of the material in WFTW #21:  H-T MW could be written off as standard D&D gimcrackery.

You know:  This material makes your sword do +2 damage / +2 To Hit, but THIS one makes it do +2 damage / +2 To Hit...while on fire.

And Lord knows I'm a sucker for razzle-dazzle and ridiculous hype ("Oh, look...new Mountain Dew comes in purple!  IT MUST BE MINE!!!"), and I'm not exactly discriminating when it comes to bells, whistles, and gewgaws.

But there's some really, really neat flavor stuff enclosed in these pages.  The descriptors make all the difference, and each is novel and unique.  I know they'd totally jazz up some of the artifacts in my home game, and best of all, the players would have a hoot running amok with them.

I like sizzle just as much (if not more, embarrassing truth be told) than my steak, and author Chris Van Deelen and his Skirmisher cronies deliver.

And...seriously.  The crystals rock.

You can't stop at just one!

Still only 99¢!!!  Buy it here.

"F" is for "Forkfin"

Forkfin

No. Enc.:  0 (1d3)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  0' (0')
      —Swim:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  4
Attacks:  1 (gore)
Damage:  3d6
Save:  L2
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  245

Forkfins are 12' long, saltwater fish known for their speed, agility, and vigor.  Like cetaceans, forkfins navigate and communicate via echolocation; furthermore, they vibrate their sharpened snout-prongs to generate sonic blasts.

Forkfins go berserk when speared or hooked, and gain the Charge ability (used primarily against their captors' watercraft, natch).

Mutations:  Echolocation, Energy Ray (Sonic)

Let's Go To Gamma World. Meet... The Gatorr.

Gatorr  ("Green Hisser")

No. Enc.:  1d2
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  90' (30')
      —Swim:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  2 or 2 (1 bite, 1 tailslap, or 2 tentacles)
Damage:  1d8 / 1d10, or Paralysis (see below)
Save:  L3
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  500

One of the most common swampland denizens in the Wasted State Of Wrexus, gatorrs are 3'-6' long, ornery crocodilians with pairs of 3' long tentacles jutting from their foreheads. These tentacles Paralyze [per p. 58 of the Mutant Future Core Rules] on contact (as if from a Mental Attack from a WIL score of 10+1d8), and they can strike 2 different targets per round.

Though solitary by nature, gatorrs congregate in groups of 10d6 in the springtime to spawn.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form ("Paralytic Tentacles"), Reflective Epidermis (Radiation)

Not-The-Designer's Notes:  The Gator (one R) first appeared in the 2nd edition of Gamma World from 1983, by James M. Ward, Gary Jaquet, and David James Ritchie.  Original illustration by Larry Elmore.

Not-The-Designer's Notes Addendum:  I had to stat these guys up, because my...shall we say, "ambitious"...13-year-old player decided to blow all his loot on "a really cool pet", and, well, he picked a mutant alligator sold by a sketchy meat vendor in a particularly scummy side of Gunspoint.

.
.
.

This is NOT gonna end well.

GO HOME, YOU DEGENERATES.

Keep the glasses, though.  Who knows what filth you got on 'em.

Devastation Drive-In 3-D — 'I Married A Monster From Outer Space' (1958)

Groomanoid

No. Enc.:  1d4 (3d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  14
Attacks:  2 or 1 (2 claws, or 1 blaster)
Damage:  1d8+3d6 / 1d8+3d6, or 12d12
Save:  L14
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XX (x2)
XP:  6,000

Most encounters between The Ancients and extraterrestrials erupted in deadly conflicts between predator and prey, conqueror and conquered...

...but one particular invasion involved neither hunger nor subjugation...

...BUT INSTEAD, A MASTER PLAN FOR  MATRIMONY AND MATING!!!

The extraterrestrials dubbed "groomanoids" hail from an unnamed, solar-ravaged world located near the constellation Andromeda. They stand as 6' tall, and possess pitted, rubbery skin and fleshy, external bronchial tubing about their heads and necks.  

Groomanoids are fantastically strong, and able to crush metal objects, bash in doors, and even knock down small trees with ease.  Conventional ballistic ammunition harmlessly passes through their bodies, and their shimmering force screens protect for an amplified 8d6 damage.  Groomanoids also wield disintegration pistols [see below].

Every groomanoid encountered is male (as the females of their species are deceased), and they have but one goal:  to repopulate their race!  To accomplish this, 1d3 groomanoids infiltrate a community by kidnapping and mimicking (via an absorptive black gas that generates a wearable living "simulacra-suit") key males and assuming their lives, gradually gaining the trust of those around them.  They usually target those in committed relationships, which makes assimilating—and marrying!—even easier.  Once that core group is established, a few more groomanoids arrive to take over the original's friends and colleagues, continuing the matrimonial agenda.

Groomanoids keep their hostages alive (albeit in stasis), so as to electronically extract their memories and personalities.

Groomanoids don't have it easy in the Mutant Future.  Most find human emotions confounding.  They can't swim, and are allergic to alcohol...which triggers suspicion when formerly athletic types suddenly avoid the water, or drinkers go sober overnight. Groomanoids also require gaseous methane to survive, and oxygen is toxic to their systems. Their disguises make Earth's atmosphere breathable, but if oxygen is forced into their systems (like through CPR, or respiratory equipment), the creatures perish instantly.  And in their native forms, groomanoids depend on mechanical rebreathers in oxygenated environs. 

Interestingly, animals (normal, mutant, and sentient) aren't affected by groomanoid force fields, and attack unimpeded.  Furthermore, they instinctively know to target the aliens' facial nasal-tubes in combat, gaining a +3 To Hit with a called shot to the tubes for instantaneous kills.  Groomanoids consequently eliminate any and all wildlife they encounter, if they can avoid arousing suspicion.

Groomanoids can leave their body-shells (which stand dormant and lifeless) at will.  If a groomanoid dies in its natural form, it dissolves into bubbling foam.  Groomanoids that expire in human guise do so without incident.

Groomanoids are a dedicated, methodical race, and can spend over a year learning the ins and outs of their chosen communities.  Being a generally cold, dispassionate people, they need the extra time to wrangle complicated human emotions and perfect their roles, which increases the chances of marrying to better facilitate breeding.  And over the duration, groomanoid scientists research and experiment, genetically tweaking Pure and Mutant Human females for cross-species conception.  The rest of the groomanoid race waits patiently in space all the while, hovering around the planet in undetectable starships.

Adaptable, more affable groomanoids can become such master mimics that even their fellow aliens can't recognize them—even telepathically—while disguised.

Groomanoids aren't evil, just desperate, and most truly grow fond of the humans in their lives. Some even reveal their true natures, in hopes of fostering understanding, and recruiting allies in their plight.  That said, the groomanoids won't hesitate to eradicate anyone who stands in their way.

Mutations:  Force Screen (Modified), Frailty ("Alchohol Allergy") [D], Enhanced Vision (Night), Increased Physical Attribute (STR) (x2), Metaconcert

 

Artifact:  Groomanoid Disintegrator

Groomanoids' hand-held rayguns emit triplicate beams that atomize targets instantly, doing 12d12 damage.  The disintegrators are powered by minifusion cells [p. 117 of the Mutant Future Core Rules], and contain 30 shots.

When a groomanoid dies, there is a 35% chance that its personal raygun explodes 1d4 rounds later, doing a minor 1d8 damage to anyone within a 3' radius.

Artifact:  Groomanoid Communicator

Though capable of transmitting their thoughts via Metaconcert, groomanoids require communicators to speak with those aboard orbital vessels.  The maximum range of these devices is unknown.

Devastation Drive-In 3-D — 'The Navy Vs. The Night Monsters' (1966)

Nightcrawler

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d8)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  45' (15')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  12
Attacks:  1 (acid-grab)
Damage:  4d6
Save:  L6
Morale:  12
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  6,000

Nightcrawlers are 7' tall, woody trees with mossy trunks, leafy foliage, droopy branches, and exposed roots.  They prefer cold and icy climes, but thrive just as well in warm, humid environs.

As per the Nocturnal [D] mutation, nightcrawlers stand dormant during the day, and animate at night (or during the extended sunless months at the poles, or when moved into darkened structures).  They are active predators, and lash out at anyone that gets within 5' range.  A successful To Hit roll means that the plant grabs and restrains its prey, and deals an automatic 4d6 damage per round thereafter from potent acidic secretions. Only the nightcrawler's death, or a successful Ability Check Vs STR at a -5 penalty, allows escape.  Most victims quickly dissolve in its clutches, to be absorbed in mere moments.

While hunting, nightcrawlers emit a high-pitched whine that sounds like the combination of a shrieking teakettle and radio static.   They have a particular fondness for avian prey (particularly as they nest), and feed on other plantlife in the absence of animal sustenance.

Those that survive nightcrawler attacks risk being driven insane by the pain and sheer terror of the encounter.  Upon a failed Ability Check Vs WIL, a victim goes catatonic by day, but then stalks the night in a murderous fugue!  This madness lasts 1d4 weeks.

Nightcrawlers suffer an additional +2 damage per die from fire-based attacks.

Nightcrawlers reproduce by dropping 2d10 fuzzy, 6" diameter, 2 HP pods once per day that crawl under their own power at a rate of 6' (2').  These "young" also hunt and secrete acid (that deals 1d6 damage), and grow into full-sized nightcrawlers in 1d4 weeks.  With such a reproductive rate, a plague of nightcrawlers could destroy the Mutant Future!

Mutations:  Dermal Acid Sap (Modified), Frailty (Fire) [D], Free Movement, Nocturnal [D], Reflective Cellular Structure (Cold)