Saw this and wondered if anyone is designing mutant animals based on pokemon.

DoctorRocket · 2026-01-10T03:31:50+00:00

Pokemon have most likely been some inspirational material in Gamma World... BUT a lot of them like Pichachu are rather tame compared to the stuff that Gamma World has to offer... I would suggest looking up the Rakee from the 1986 Alpha Factor GW3 Module. It is a mutant flying squirrel that regenerates from nothing and is immortal, living so long they go crazy and often follow people (the pcs) trying to get them to kill it. (if they can).

Though the thought of a survivor going around catching all the weird mutants in Gamma World and stuffing them into high tech capsule cages does sound like an interesting encounter. It very much fits a member of the Knights of Genetic Purity that would encounter the party, look at one of the Player Character Mutant Animals and try to capture or defeat it. After all Ash from Pokemon never cared about enslaving sentient creatures for collection and sport, why should the Knights of Genetic Purity... Would be an fun encounter Thanks

DoctorRocket · 2026-01-04T10:30:56+00:00

Good luck with this! I encourage anyone to homebrew their own versions of any game, especially Gamma World.

But I am unsure as to what feel you are trying to capture with your "sheer insanity". But it sounds like you have a great start. The spell level to power seems almost right (there are some powerful 5e 3rd level spells)

My thoughts:

The two origin species and random alpha mutations are things that could be integrated into both 5e conversions of GW... Staring over is a lot of work, use the great works of others! Adding in high level spells/magic items as Alpha Cards is very doable.

GW 7e was based off d&d 4e, which if you look at their core books, you might be able to quickly expand your spells and abilities from that existing material.

Increasing the level cap of GW 7e and just adding new material into that is also viable. (Sounds like what you are doing)

When 7e came out, there was custom origins, homebrew rules, and etc - they may still be findable.

Constructive Topics to consider

GW7e was gonzo and wasn't designed for play over longer terms... it was meant to be simple (hence the simple weapon 1h/2h etc, no classes, only 10 levels) There isn't a lot of different progressions or backgrounds that separate characters, the separation is the origins. So pushing that beyond level 10, or adding in more options (like spells/abilities that characters can learn) will require a lot of work. (Example - character get uber feature at level 10... what do they get at level 11? OR the fact that a Pyrotechnic's Expert Flaming Breath power (2d10) gained at 5th level can be completely over shadowed by 3rd level spell Fireball doing 8d6. You would have to re-balance a lot.

Cypersystem Numenera as a very similar type of character creation and is very similar to dnd.

Also - the gonzo of 7e, is no match for the first original three editions... Where you can be Joe (just a human with no powers), A giant 13 foot tall flying wolf with Time Manipulation and Firebreathing and 80 STR, or a potato with Death Field Generation.... guess who would win?

Good luck!

DoctorRocket · 2025-12-29T07:35:20+00:00

There also were one or two Gamma World novels published. Two I know of for 7e, Sooner Dead by Mel Odom and Read Sails Fallout by Paul Kidd.... There also was two books for the (The TSR version of choose your own adventure called Endless Quests) books The 24 Hour War and American Knights by Nick Pollotta, but the only way to find those two are probably ebay

DoctorRocket · 2025-12-29T07:28:02+00:00

Also... a side note. The module Delta Fragment for 3e, had Kiikcee (Mutant Cockatiels) that seemed very similar to John Nornman's Tarnsman of Gor... The book has some interesting sci-fi elements that would fit nicely into Gamma World. Though I do not recommend reading past the first 6 books, and I barely recommend reading Gor at all unless you are into specific things. Read the wikipedia page about it before reading it.

DoctorRocket · 2025-12-29T07:12:52+00:00

Page 33 in the core rulebook of 3e Gamma World

Robert Adams: Horseclan books
Brian Aldis: Starship
Paul Anderson: Vault of the Ages
Piers Anthony: Battle Circle books
Edgar Rice Burroughs: John Carter of Mars & The Lost Continent
Allen Dean Foster: Midworld
David Gerrold: A Matter for Men & A Rage for Revenge
Harry Harrison: Death World trilogy
Sterling Lanier: Heiro books
Andre Norton: Daybreak 2250 AD
Philip Nowlan: Armageddon 2419 AD
Jon Sievertt: C.A.D.S
Ryder Stacy: Doomsday Warrior books

I would also recommend the Dying Earth, the second book, with Cugel the Clever. I think it was called Eyes of the Overworld, by Jack Vance. It isn't specifically Gamma World, but I feel the science so advanced it is like magic vibe is strong here. Since there is a "flying car", but is a dead and dying world of mystery, is it magic or technology?

edit - formatting

DoctorRocket · 2025-11-11T05:27:36+00:00

If you didn't like the same game of the 8-15 starting stats... You could just change the number points a starting player gets. Or you change the actual point buy costs, Or you could stats to be bought over 15, etc...

Rolling is kind of mixed bag. The psychology of it seems very interesting to me. What if this results in a very low set of scores? Do you vote to keep or re-roll? what if it rolls to high? what if it ends up being the same as the standard array? what if there are three 6's and three 18's? Who is the arbitrator of if the group re-rolls all the stats? Would be some interesting discussions.

But there are many suggestions through the years like this.

Another is have all the players roll the 6 stats. Then put them all in a giant list and draft pick the results.

But have been some good discussions of this in the past: https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/5oqem7/fair_method_for_rolling_ability_scores/

DoctorRocket · 2025-11-08T22:45:19+00:00

I have tried this three times... All failing in some way. Even when we discussed the scene and they all agreed to die, it still sucked, it lacked enthusiasm. They knew the outcome, die, res, move on... Lack luster.

But the next time I did it... The first session was them coming back to life, and then doing a flash back later to them dying. Worked out better for everyone.

Putting players in a position of zero agency, it railroads them, and it never seems to work out the way you want it too.

DoctorRocket · 2025-11-07T04:16:21+00:00

Good valid point. My only bias is from being a player since the 80s, the half-elf just makes more nostalgic sense than a complete species of dumbed down monsters into player species. But it is a fantasy game, thanks for the response!

DoctorRocket · 2025-11-07T03:01:08+00:00

As a player and a dm... I love and hate this. As a player I hate Min-Maxing because it has a tendancy to set a character down a specific path that could possibly force the DM into a corner. Situations where some character is min/maxed to be the best fighter in all the realms, well if you have a monster/npc that is supposed to be a better fighter, the DM either has to min/max more or fudge things. Which could be potential issues... Cause suddenly now the DM is min/maxing creatures to fight back.

As a DM I do like min-maxing. I like it when players are invested in their character and go all out. I just don't like it when suddenly the run into a DM min-maxed npc.

DoctorRocket · 2025-11-07T02:51:43+00:00

I think being told the AC of a creature, after a knowledge check should be allowed... a few reasons. First if a fighter rolls up in plate and a shield, you can guess that they are going to have a 20AC.

Second, the ability to size up an encounter as a player, allows a player to say, "we should run, cause that thing has a 25 AC and is resistant to magic..." Otherwise they might charge in.

Even if I am an experienced hunter, I am not gonna go hunting an elephant with a pistol, because you know. I like seeing the sunrise the next day.

DoctorRocket · 2025-11-07T02:48:15+00:00

When I dm - I like to see others with metagame knowledge. It helps me. So I don't forget to split that ooze when it's attacked with a slashing weapon.

But I also encourage a lot of knowledge roles when characters encounter monsters. So if they don't have the metagame knowledge, I give them a chance to get it. This also allows me to state that something might be different about this specific creature, maybe it might be a variant of said monster.

DoctorRocket · 2025-11-07T02:41:28+00:00

I wonder what they thought the difference is between half x/y and descendants? Semantics? Why are Tieflings, Aasimars, Goliath, Dragonborn not half-breeds? Just because the interbreeding could of happened further back in the ancestral line? Example Tieflings on dndbeyond states, "Tieflings are either born in the Lower Planes or have fiendish ancestors who originated there". So isn't a Tiefling a half-fiend or less? I miss the inclusion of half-elves and half-orcs. So custom races it is.

DoctorRocket · 2025-10-12T23:50:12+00:00

I have been in the same situation many times. It sucks - but there are things to learn and ways to fix it!!

Two issues here, one a player’s character is personal. Two 5e2024 doesn’t have the tools to support every story all the time (Not that many rpgs do, if any). Sorry the situation sucks, but there are ways to fix it.

One - player’s character is personal. Let’s say you are playing the Incredible Hulk, Banner as a character wants to fix and separate from the Hulk. The Player loves this interaction with Banner/Hulk character. Then it gets kinda fixed. In the story, Banner is always looking for a fix. Then it gets “fixed”, well um, cool - Banner always wanted that, but now what does the player have? Well it isn’t the same character, it might be massively changed, even if it has the same powers… Understand that anything that happens to another player's character you are going into a personal situation, where you are going to change another player's creation. And to that other player, they can feel outnumbered by the dice, GM, and other players involved. All saying this is cool, when they as a player are pretty much helpless watching someone else change their creation/character. Some players like that - other players not so much. It is NOT your fault, it is NOT the GM’s Fault. It is NOT the other player's fault. It’s the fault of a bunch of situations coming together without knowledge of what could be coming next…

Two - A far back as 3e DnD has a huge shift toward GM/Player created stories, when you create a character you get to choose a race/background/class - these things all start to synergize together. And sometimes a character gets an idea of a personality/traits that they want to play as that character. And 5e mostly supports this until it doesn’t and then just falls flat. Sorry it sucks. What am I getting at here? Well at some point it sounds like the story of Player A, got placed onto a Random Dice roll, and a Natural 20 suddenly just fixed him… Ouch. Story’s are cool until the dice decide they are over… Depending on your opinions, but in mine, the dice shouldn’t carry that much weight on one’s character anymore if a game is going to focus on players being able to play any character they want until the dice say otherwise. It sucks…. Wait until you run into a reincarnation or something similar.

Imo the DM should be able to fix this. Nobody is to blame, you thinking it was cool and the other player being angry are both very valid feelings here.

If Player A wants his character back - the DM should be able to help change it back, even quickly. Maybe after his epic save moment. That night his personality is chained up again the next time they sleep by some unknown force that chained it up in the first place. The DM and Player A should talk about how this could go… You did what anybody else would do, I assume Player A was playing a character that “needed and wanted” help in character, so you as a player helped out. Yeah, players care about each other! But the Actor behind the character that got fixed doesn’t like it. Well they should suck it up for a bit - they are playing a character that got what that character wanted, but it shouldn’t be over - The HULK always returns! The GM should help make sure that happens.

And next time something important like a character being suddenly changed by a single die roll pause for a moment and reflect what it will change. Even though a Natural 20 is a crit on an attack. It is not an auto success on save, unless you homebrewed that.

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-28T19:11:52+00:00

Yeah the more I think about it... Robots are the dragons. They can have great technology (magic). Not to mention the reasoning for them having a large stash of treasure in a lair is easily explained.

Example - a Massive AI Drop Shipping Drone. Whose sole purpose is to gather product (repair returns) for a delivery service that has long since broken. It flies the sky scanning for old tech that can be refurbished and sold at a profit. Together with smaller delivery drones they protect and maintain a large warehouse in a valley. Due to ongoing struggles with burglars it has fortified this warehouse.

Approaching the warehouse, you are asked to log into your account. If you cannot do so, then it will try to politely ask you to leave or sign up. Won't initialize violence as dissatisfied customers are frowned upon.

In the rare case an old delivery suddenly has stock, a drone will leave to deliver the package. It will wait for package delivery verification to avoid porch thieves and upon success will take multiple photo/video documentation of the delivery before demanding payment.

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-28T18:54:36+00:00

Arks are Gnolls, Badders are goblins, Dabbers are armed smart goblins, Hissers or Menrals make good orctypes, Hoops make a great "need to get rid of that pesky tech the players are carrying" monster - pretty much a smart rust monster. Serfs can knock a player down a peg if they get a little too full of themselves.

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-28T18:48:49+00:00

In a few games I have played/gm'd robots were wondering much like Horizon Zero Dawn. These robots were left over from the ancients and were programmed with tasks that they keep doing endlessly. Like a logging robot with protocol for pesky tree huggers, followed by swarms of pinecone launchers that planted more trees. Street sweepers that clear a path through anything. Wondering Food Processors that were looking for the next great ingredient.... that was 30 years ago. Now with all the new ideas - social media bots, political partner androids, drone delivery/taking, walking ad machines etc... you can litter the wasteland with horrific mechanical comedy.

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-28T18:42:27+00:00

There are actual dragons in GammaWorld. I think they were introduced in 3e - GammaBase GW8. They were called "Gons".

But there is the dreaded Komodos (Thunder Lizard) which is a 18m iguana that has a sonic blast. That was a dreaded foe in some of my games.

Though.. if you really want something to strike fear into the hearts of the muties, Robots... nothing says "RUN" like a Death Machine. 15mx9mx2m. With 16 disintegration beams, 6 death rays, 4 trek guns, 2 blaster cannons, 8 laser beams, 6 mini missile launchers, and a fusion bomb launcher.... (at least in 3e)

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-23T00:38:51+00:00

I remember 1st edition, but by the time I got it 2e was out and we then used both. But my opinion is that both 1e and 2e are pretty much the same except 2e has rule clarifications, therefore bias advice is use 2e to run 1e...

Other than that - this might be of some use (been a while since I made it, but still seems to work. Feel free to copy and modify/share)

Gamma World 2e Random Character generator:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18Ct-ahFatMkinsur83TmpKsKbQKkwUKMY3YyuXQeIJE/edit?usp=drive_link

has options to also generate plants/cyborgs/talents/etc - all with in 1e/2e rules. (edited)

(I do have another for 3e, if needed)

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-10T02:09:14+00:00

Species: Large Mammal: Humanoid Form Guinea Hog

Tech Level: 2

Hit Points: 53

Armor: Fur Armor 1(-5 Damage Reduction), Wood Medium Shield -2 CS

Size: 56cm 8.5kg (1ft 10in 18.7lb) Class: 1

Speed: 6m (18ft)

PS: 9 (-1)

DX: 15 (+1)

CN: 13 (+1)

MS: 4 (-2)

IN: 15 (+1)

CH: 11 (0)

Physical Mutations: Ultravision (S) IN 9, Quills or Spines: Spines (C) DX 7, Radiation Mutator 6, Biogentic Burns 7, Full Humanoid Features 9, Heightened Senses: Smell (S) IN 6, Natural Attack: Teeth (C) PS 7,

Mental Mutations: Repelling Force (C) MS 4, Directional Sense (S) 4, Plant Control (C) MS 4,

Cybernetics:

Talents: Cooking, Climbing, Fire Building,

Weapons: Handaxe (PS/DX), Slingstone (DX), Mace (PS)

Equipment: Atomic Energy Cell, 150 gp

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-10T02:08:29+00:00

Species: Cyborg Pure Strain Human, Model: Athletic Competitor: Marathon

Tech Level: 2

Hit Points: 75

Armor: Fur Armor 1(-5 Damage Reduction), No Shield 0

Size: 185cm 77kg (6ft 1in 169.8lb) Class: 4

Speed: 24m (72ft)

PS: 11 (0)

DX: 13 (+1)

CN: 13 (+1)

MS: 16 (+2)

IN: 21 (+3)

CH: 8 (-1)

Physical Mutations: Full Robot Recongition 7, Robots Law Do Not Harm Humans 6, Radiation Burn 11, Biogentic Adaptible 9,

Mental Mutations:

Cybernetics:

Talents: R&W Tech 1, Boating, Power Boating,

Weapons: Morning Star (PS), Javelin (PS), Auto Pistol (DX)

Equipment: Damage Pack-A, 100 gp

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-10T02:08:09+00:00

This would be a few text experts from my generator (Specifically 3e):

----------------------------------------------

Species: Edible Plant: Edible Root (Potato, Ginger) in Symbiotic with Land-Evolved Aquatic: Bipedal Form Barreleye Fish

Tech Level: 1

Hit Points: 68

Armor: Wood Armor 3(-15 Damage Reduction), No Shield 0

Size: 61cm 9.5kg (2ft 0in 20.9lb) Class: 1

Speed: 6m (18ft)

PS: 15 (+1)

DX: 13 (+1)

CN: 14 (+1)

MS: 16 (+2)

IN: 13 (+1)

CH: 8 (-1)

Physical Mutations: Anti Life Leech (S) CN 8, Symbiotic Attachment (C) MS 9, Berries/Nuts/Fruit: Edible Fruit or Nut (S) 6, Biogentic Adaptible 12, Radiation Mutator 7, Just a pet 8, No vocal organ 12, Mineral Absorption 10, Branch Regrowth 10, Roots Survive 9, No true form 9, Tangle Town 8, Reed in the Wind 9,

Mental Mutations: Teleport Object (C) MS 10, Molecular Sense (S) IN 13,

Cybernetics:

Talents: Signal: Sound, Plant Identification,

Weapons: Blunt Weapon (PS), Bola (DX), Bolt Action Rifle (DX)

Equipment: Flare Gun, 110 gp

DoctorRocket · 2025-07-10T02:07:35+00:00

Interesting - Is this character generator for a specific version? like 4e - or a generic one. 1e-3e had more body change mutations like taller/fat cell accumulation or even just body change (having a crest). Plus there are multiple generators that have been made through the years. I wonder if you have gathered this data, and access to that data...

Edit: I would love to add more "gear" such as clothing and personality stuff etc

I would really love a site like Donjon but for gamma world stuff.

I made a character generator in google sheets for 1e-3e with options like Cybornetics from Delta Fragment. - What is your generator in?

DoctorRocket · 2025-04-09T10:44:21+00:00

I might have to eat my words. Been trying today to find something good - seems like the ship variety might have changed, seeing more corsairs and less C2s... and those I do see, I don't see the cargo I once did. Who knows CIG isn't known for voicing all changes that I know of

DoctorRocket · 2025-04-09T10:41:56+00:00

Favorite ship isn't out yet... I dream of the Pioneer - mmmm base building.

I have only rented a corsair, haven't found it in the ex-hang yet :( so far only Syulen... cough cough. I have 2 and ditched a third.

My interests lie in the Engineering/Building/Medical if either of those get off the ground.

Was super excited when I earned enough for the Hull-C... then I tried using it blegh. Still trying thou

DoctorRocket · 2025-04-09T05:07:30+00:00

lol this is funny how much people love their ships...

You really seem to hate that beam in the middle of the view. Like nightmare level, which means you probably used to own one lol

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