Species Templates

[Sketchpad]

The Those Detectors thread got me thinking about mutants and their like. Has anyone created a template for "mutants" or some other human subspecies? Do mutants have common abilities in your campaign? 

[Asperion]

This works not that well on beings with highly variable abilities such as those mutants, but in a sci-fi game,  aliens could have similar enough traits for such a package to operate properly. I have made my (HEAVY EMPHASIS) my version of Vulcans, Skulls, Klingons, and other aliens.  The closest I came to such a package for mutants is when they are in a closed origin campaign. Then all their abilities will be close enough that a package might be workable. 

[DShomshak]

Not mutants, but I might do so for aliens if any became common enough to warrant it. Like, I've already decided that the super-powered Coronans will just use the Empyrean packages (from Hidden Lands, IIRC) if I ever need to write up more than a few of them. Not likely, though, sainxce I've only thought of three Coronan characters who might appear (one NPC hero, two somewhat high-wend villains). Not enough to justify a template.

 

Dean Shomshak

[LoneWolf]

For the most part mutants are pretty varied so a template would only have a complication of them being a mutant.  

 

One of the older books had a classification of mutants called advanced generation mutants that actually did have some common abilities.   From what I recall they all had life support Immunity to all poison and disease, Increased lifespan to 1600 years and safe in high radiation. They also had power defense, mental defense and a small amount of regeneration. Most also had increased STR, CON and maybe INT.  I think they may have also had some latent telepathy.  I believe it was bought as mind link with other advanced generation mutations.  I could see a template for this.     

[Stanley Teriaca]

There are too many variations for mutants that a template is inpractable to do so.

 

Beyond the powers, the only thing wich links mutants together is the ability to be detected by mutant detectors, and the "most everyone hates mutants" disadvantages which are not universal to every mutant.

[Opal]

On 3/31/2024 at 7:36 PM, Sketchpad said:

Do mutants have common abilities in your campaign? 

Yes, sort of?

 

I created a longish list of known mutations and 'syndromes,' and a shorter list of super soldier serums and other mutates.

 

I did a similar thing with super tech. And an even sketchier one with magic. 

 

Together they constituted loose campaign limits based on the most common special effects.

 

But they werent binding or anything, a mutant that didn't fit into an existing category just expanded the list.