Nuts & Bolts #151 - Mutant Crawl Classics Scavenging Table

Scavenging is a big part of post-apocalyptic life. Since going into a hex crawl with my game I have been wondering how to deal with that at the table since I may have to determine what kinds of useful items may be found within a randomly found ruin. I decided to do a little work up front and create a scavenging table. 

For each turn spent scavenging/exploring within a given area the character rolls 3 dice as determined below, and adds their luck modifier (meaning low luck = penalty on roll). Characters with the gatherer starting occupation may add +1 to their roll. The total is compared to the chart.

• Location Type / Die size
• Wilderness area / d3
• Looted ruin / d4
• Un-looted ruin / d5
• Looted structure /d6
• Un-looted structure / d8

If an entry requires additional rolls the character's luck modifier is added (or subtracted) from ALL subsequent rolls!! For artifacts, roll 1d8 (adding the searcher's luck mod) and consult below:

• 1-4 - Has the lowest power source type with half charge (or roll to determine # of charges)
• 5-6 -Has the lowest power source type, but is fully charged
• 7-8 - Has the 2nd best power source type and is approximately half charged (or roll as appropriate)
• 9 - Has the 2nd best power source type and is fully charged
• 10 - Has the best power source type (usually unlimited use)

A note on trade value: The MCC book gives item values in creds within Table 1-4 (page 18). In my game this is purely to put reference around barter value (on average) and does not equate to any kind of standard currency or economy. Your mileage may vary, but regardless the values of some goods will be higher, or lower, to certain people. Scrap will be more likely to have value to a craftsperson (craftsmutant?) than a gatherer or healer. 

1. (or lower) Nothing but a location appropriate creature (75% chance of hostility)
2. Nothing 
3. Nada
4. Zilch
5. Zip
6. Junk - 1d6 pieces of junk that weigh 3d8 pounds each. Each is only worth 1d4 creds trade value.
7. Good Junk - 2d6 pieces of junk that weigh 3d6 pounds each. Each is worth 2d3 creds trade value.
8. Scrap - 1d4 pieces of scrap materials (plasteel, peraglass, etc.) suitable for crafting or trade. Trade value is 2d6 creds each.
9. Good Scrap - 1d6 pieces of scrap materials (plasteel, peraglass, etc.) suitable for crafting or trade. Trade value is 2d8 creds each.
10. Ancient clothing - Intact clothing of the ancient ones. This has no value of armor (but 50% chance of rendering the wearer immune to [roll 1d3: 1: Heat, 2: Cold, 3: Atmospheric contaminants, 4: All of the above]. 
11. Miscellaneous Artifacts (roll 1d10)
1. Carbon Nano-Cord
2. Com-Badge
3. Energy Cloak
4. Fusion Torch
5. Grav Clamp
6. Holo-Cloak
7. Multitool
8. Rejuv-Chamber
9. Sensor Pad
10. Sonic Spanner
12. Power Cells (roll 1d5)
1. C-Cell
2. F-Cell
3. S-Cell
4. Q-Cell
5. Solar Recharger
6. F-Pack
7. Q-Pack
13. Medical Equipment (roll 1d8)
1. Accelershot
2. Cureshot
3. Cybernetic Implant
4. Medipac
5. Medishot
6. Neuroshot
7. Radshot
8. Stimshot
14. Grenades! (roll 1d4 for type, and 1d3 for quantity)
1. EMP Grenade
2. Photon Grenade
3. Stun Grenade
4. Quantum Grenade
15. Ancient Melee Weapon (roll 1d3)
1. Zapper Glove
2. Force Baton
3. Plasma Sword
16. Ancient Vehicle (roll 1d3)
1. Grav Ped
2. Grav Sled
3. Bubble Car
17. Ancient Ranged Weapon (roll 1d10)
1. Dazer Pistol
2. Fazer Pistol
3. Gauzer Pistol
4. Lazer Pistol
5. Mazer Pistol
6. Neutron Rifle
7. Fazer Rifle
8. Gauzer Rifle
9. Lazer Rifle
10. Mazer Rifle
18. Ancient Armor (roll 1d6)
1. Bubble Helmet
2. Enviro Belt
3. Force Field Belt
4. Plasteel Mesh
5. Power Armor, Scout
6. Power Armor, Attack
7. Power Armor, Assault
19. (or greater) Exotic Item - This is the truly rare find. An intact item, with power or power cells, that has a unique function. Judge's discretion, but this should be good! Examples include:
• Cortexin Cylinders
• Force Field Projector
• Gene Resequencer
• Stasis Booth

Alternately you may need some tables a little more location specific. It's not expected you'd find a suit of power armor in a family home for instance. So you could try these...

Domestic Location

1. Ancient Clothing
2. Enviro Belt
3. Carbon Nano-Cord
4. Fusion Torch
5. Grav Clamp
6. Multitool
7. Rejuv-Chamber
8. Sensor Pad
9. Sonic Spanner
10. Dazer Pistol
11. Stasis Booth
12. Bubble Car

Medical Location

1. Grav Sled
2. Rejuv-Chamber
3. Sensor Pad
4. Sonic Spanner
5. Accelershot
6. Cureshot
7. Cybernetic Implant
8. Medipac
9. Medishot
10. Neuroshot
11. Radshot
12. Stimshot

Industrial Location

1. Carbon Nano-Cord
2. Com-Badge
3. Fusion Torch
4. Grav Clamp
5. Multitool
6. Sonic Spanner
7. Grav Sled
8. Bubble Helmet
9. Enviro Belt
10. Industrial Exoskeleton (use Power Armor but reduce AC and remove in-built weapons, or replace weapons with Fusion Torch and Multi Tool)

Military Location

1. Com-Badge
2. Energy Cloak
3. Fusion Torch
4. Holo-Cloak
5. Multitool
6. Military Hospital (re-roll on Medical Locations)
7. Military Garage (re-roll on Industrial Locations)
8. Force Field Belt
9. Plasteel Mesh
10. Grenades! (roll 1d4 for type, and 1d6 for quantity)
1. EMP Grenade
2. Photon Grenade
3. Stun Grenade
4. Quantum Grenade
11. Plasma Sword
12. Lazer Pistol
13. Mazer Pistol
14. Neutron Rifle
15. Fazer Rifle
16. Lazer Rifle
17. Mazer Rifle
18. Power Armor, Scout
19. Power Armor, Attack
20. Power Armor, Assault

The Alphabet of Outer Beings - Z is for Zealot

Image Source: https://piemasterxl.deviantart.com/art/Flagellant-347753837

Z is for Zealot

Zealots have an extremely deep and fervent passion for their religion. They are driven to preach, convert, or prosthelytize about their religion, or to go to war against the enemies and heretics of their beliefs. These men and women often take their beliefs to extremes, including the attendant behavior. As a result these people often have unique abilities that are driven by their passions, and can cause even the staunchest of enemies or opponents to falter before them.

Table Z1: Type of Zeal (roll 1d6 and 1d4) 

• 1-2: Radical - Radicals use their zealotry to work against their enemies with words and actions that attack faith and ruling systems to tear them down in favor of their faith.
1. Fanatic - The fanatic preaches to convert new followers. They may gain a bonus equal to their level on rolls to convert people to their beliefs or lead the believers of their deity.
2. Insurgent - The insurgent specializes overthrowing governments and monarchies unfavorable to their faith. They may gain a bonus equal to their level on all rolls to undermine such enemies.
3. Renegade - Renegades are converts, former followers of another faith who use their knowledge of that deity's faithful to further tear down their new deity's opponents. They may gain a bonus equal to twice their level when applying this specialized knowledge to aid their new god.
4. Subversive - The subversive specializes undermining the works of deities the oppose their own. They may gain a bonus equal to their level on all rolls to undermine other deities either overtly, or covertly.
• 3-4: Firebrand - Firebrands bridge the gaps between Radicals and Militants without being either. They specialize in mobilizing the faithful or urging the mob into action.
1. Demagogue -The demagogue spews hateful speech about the enemies of their faith. They may grant allies of level zero or level one a damage bonus equal to their level through hateful rhetoric about their enemies. They may also gain a bonus equal to their level to recruit such followers by leveraging people's hatred and fear.
2. Instigator - The instigator uses rhetoric to spur their followers into action, or gain the allegiance of new followers. They may grant allies of level zero or level one an initiative bonus equal to their level through rhetoric. They may also gain a bonus equal to their level to recruit such followers by leveraging rhetoric to inspire the faithful to action.
3. Rabble-rouser - The rabble-rouser works behind the scenes, playing situations to their advantage by using the power of a mob to incite events that play into their own plans. The rabble-rouser gains a bonus equal to their level when attempting to form a mob, or to incite that mob into action in the furtherance of their own plans. If the rabble-rouser instigates a mob to violence the mob gains an attack bonus equal to half their level (round up) to attack rolls. 
4. Agitator - The agitator works to weaken the enemy by harming their own faith or morale. The agitator gains a bonus when acting to damage enemy morale, cohesion, or when sowing discord within the enemy's forces or faith. When facing off against such a force in combat they may impose an attack penalty equal to half their level (round up) on their enemy's attacks through their agitating actions.
• 5-6: Militant - Militants are the warriors are their faith, and zealous militants take their belief in their deity to the extreme, gaining martial prowess through their extreme devotion.
1. Flagellants - In combat a Flagellant may wound themselves as a sacrifice to their deity. This allows them to re-roll a damage die, taking damage equal to the result of the re-rolled die. 
2. Diehard - After being reduced to zero Hit Points, Diehards may continue to fight on for 1 round per level before collapsing.
3. Maniac - The maniac charged into battle heedless of the consequences. They may choose to reduce their armor class by any amount up to their level and add the same amount to their attack rolls. 
4. Champion - The champion is blessed by their deity (or believes they are) and is protected by divine grace. In battle they may gain a bonus equal to their level to their armor class, if they do so they must sacrifice a divine spell (if applicable), or forfeit any speak attack abilities for that round. 

Table Z2: Zealous Passion (roll 1d6) 

• 1-2: Zealot - The zealot may use their special ability once per day without other restriction
• 3-4: Jihadist - The jihadist may use their special ability at will against a specific enemy of their deity or creature deemed unholy (e.g. at will against goblins).
• 5-6: Crusader - The crusader may use their special ability, once per day per level against any of their deity's enemies/unholy creatures.

MCC Recap - On the Trail of Tibbar

Last week I ran the another session of my monthly(ish) MCC game. While I do hope and intend to continue with the published MCC adventures I also really wanted to try something new. Having experienced my first hex crawl with James Walls' Purple Planet game I was all over a MCC style hex crawl! So I made some quick hex crawl rules and a table of weird crap to maybe find that I hoped would be general enough for long term use and then waited for game day!

Meet the Seekers:

• Thorn the Plantient (level 1)
• Played by Craig McCullough
• Sinclair the Mutant (Chitinous armor) (level 2)
• Played by Andrew Lyon
• Agutter the Healer (level 2)
• Played by Paul Go  
• Cypher, Shaman of ACHROMA (level 2)
• Played by James Walls 
• Tully the Mutant (Pyrokinesis) (level 1)
• Played by William Keller
• And Introducing Jon Hook as:
• Brutis the Gorilla Manimal (ZERO)
• Riki the Wolf Manimal (ZERO)
• Bo Goodboy the Yorkie Manimal (ZERO)
• Weelton Littleprick the Cactus Plantient (ZERO)

Prior Session Reports:

• A Branch to the Head for All
• A Door Too Far
• Things Get Blue
• Hot hot hot!
• Purple Pit of the Mole Men

Welcome to the Jungle Hex Crawl

As experiments in hex-crawling go this worked out pretty well I think. I'm trying to keep good notes on the stuff the PCs bring back home, and then come up with ideas how it can impact their home lover time. This session I introduced that the villagers had figured out how to reliably produce the "Mesophase Alloy" result from the "Fuz-Craft L’il Accelerator Lab Kit" from Assault on the Sky High Tower. They wanted to know if they should use the materials for better weaponry or better armor and the players chose weapons. Before they left to explore the jungle there were given the first fruits of this choice, a dozen metal tipped arrows that dealt 1d6+1 damage.

I gave the players a glimpse of the "known world" (below) which looks weirdly like a chicken after Assault on the Sky High Tower and A Fallen Star for All.  They asked about the river to the south west of their settlement and decided to start exploring by going up river...

Moving into the next hex they found a weird area of dead vegetation surrounding a pit. Approaching the pit, the ambient radiation from the object within caused Brutis the Gorilla to literally melt out of his skin (as described by Jon himself, I can't even take credit). Sinclair was interested in finding out if he could get some more mutations however so he proceeded to climb down into the crater and unearth the glowing metal orb. Burning hot to the touch Sinclair was otherwise unaffected by the radiation even at short range (maybe his chitinous armor is fortified with lead?). The team decided to bring the orb back to their village by filling a large leather sack with dirt and burying the orb in the center, then dragging it behind them via some braided vine rope Tully made (gatherer background FTW). We'll see how that changes the village eventually!

Returning to the river they continued to follow it westward, going upstream from the swampy lake they had saved from radiation. Things were quiet until they stumbled into a pair of short rabbit-like mutants. Some of the group had seen one before but before any kind of diplomacy could be attempted one of the tibbar drained 3 HP from Cypher and set of a violent, and quick, combat. The group raided the simple weapons from the tibbar, and Thorn cut one of their feet off, while Sinclair claimed some ears to tie to his axe. Angered by the tibbar's aggression the group decided to try and track the tibbar back to their village. With plenty of hunters in the group tracking the tibbar was easy enough and the group set off accordingly, still tracking up-stream of the river.

After a couple of hours following the trail of the tibbar the group found a strange creature. It stood on two legs and waddled around each of them sniffing curiously. It finally settled on Agutter and adopted her as it's new master.

Several more hours of travel and trail following led the group to a small freshwater spring and a grove of trees sporting a strange oblong fruit in a very bright pink rind. Tully recognized the fruit as Bubble Yum fruit and the group set to gathering provisions from their find. They also noticed some of the rinds of these fruit, cast off and turned silver with age, by the pool and surmised that the tibber had clearly stopped here at some point.

Though the day was getting long the group pressed onward and after a couple hours stumbled into a large group of tibbar. The 9 rabbit mutants wasted no time in launching volleys of arrows and spears as the PCs fired back or charged into the fray. Thorn was felled in a brutal attack, but was saved at the last moment by Cypher with a medi-shot. Poor Weelton the barrel cactus was slain in the fight but in the end the characters were triumphant killing 8 of the tibbar but allowing one to escape.

Worried that the escapee might alert his people the group pressed onward and came to a lake in the hills. Looking across the lake they say a ruin of some kind and surmised that this was the home of these rascally rabbits. They pressed onward as the sun began to set and came to meet on the trail a group of plantients from the Atomic Equinox. With the light waning and their new plant allies the PCs set to making camp just a couple of miles from the ruins they had seen...

In Memoriam: 

• Brutis the Gorilla Manimal - Liquefied by radiation
• Weelton Littleprick the Cactus Plantient - Skewered by a spear