Arrowbeaks by Bob Crichton Number: 2d6 Percept: 13 Stealth/R.U.: +10 AC: 10 MD: 13 Health: 11 Speed: 36 Level: 3 Hit Dice: 4(14) THAC: +3 Attacks: 1 Beak 1d8 Leech 1d6 Int: Animal Morale: 12(17) Size: S(.5 m) XP Value: 270 Frequency: Uncommon Organization: Flock Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Blood Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Temperate forests, hills Physical Mutations: Immunity(disease), paralytic poison(17), chameleon power(20) Mental Mutations: Directional sense Special Powers: None Description: During the spring mating season, these mutated robins are one of the most dangerous avian lifeforms known in the Gamma World, due to their requirement to ingest several pints of mammalian blood for each egg produced. Their coloration is normally dark brown, with a light brown patch on their chest (bright red in the case of the non-aggressive males). Their chameleon power is usually only used in combat. Combat: The usual tactics used by arrowbeaks is for the males in a flock to cause a distraction ahead of a group of victims, while the females dive in and attack from behind. As they use their chameleon power and glide silently during their attack, they are very difficult to detect (sonar or infravision usually work). They will attack separate targets, unless there are fewer targets than attackers. After a target has been paralyzed, the attacking arrowbeak will suck blood from the target for 5 rounds, then fly off to roost and deliver an egg. If an attacker fails, she will generally harass the party to protect the successful individuals. Males will not usually participate in combat except when attacked. Society: Arrowbeaks have a primitive organization, with a flock consisting of several mated pairs,with the oldest female as the leader. Chicks are raised communally, maturing after 2 years. They are quite peaceful during summer and autumn, even allowing travellers to camp under their roosts, as long as they are quiet and unobtrusive. Batsliths [Spinning Snakes] by Chris Van Deelen Number: 1d4+2 Percept: 13 Stealth/R.U.: +4(-6 while spinning) AC: 11(16 while spinning) MD: 12 Health: 15 Speed: 12 Spinning 24 Level: 3 Hit Dice: 7(25) THAC: +3 Attacks: 1 or 5 Bite 1d6 Spin Bite(5) 3d6 Int: Animal Morale: 10 Size: S(1 m long) XP Value: 175 Frequency: Uncommon Organization: Group Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Carnivorous Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Temperate plains, hills, forests Physical Mutations: None Mental Mutations: None Special Powers: Spin Description: A batslith is a beautifully colored descendent of the garter snake. Combat: The batslith is noted among scholers for its unusual mode of transportation and attack - spinning. A batslith can raise its 1 m length up to full length vertically and begin spinning, pivoting on its tail. After one combat round of this the snake is spinning so fast to seem to be a miniature, multi-colored tornado. While spinning, a batslith's normal movement speed doubles and its armor class increases. A batslith can spin for up to one hour. Not only is it harder to hit while spinning, but its bite causes triple the normal damage and it can attack up to five times in a single round. Society: A batslith has no nest. It usually lives, travels, and attacks in groups, and has no treasure. Live batsliths are worth a great deal to certain collectors. Claptraps by Bob Crichton Number: 1d6 Percept: 5 Stealth/R.U.: +4 AC: 12 MD: 8 Health: 10 Speed: 0 Level: 1 Hit Dice: 4(15) THAC: +4 Attacks: 1 Bite 1d10 Int: Non Morale: 10 Size: S(.5 m) XP Value: 35 Frequency: Uncommon Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Carnivore Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Temperate plains and hills Physical Mutations: Carnivorous jaws(18) Mental Mutations: None Special Powers: None Description: This primitive mutated plant is effectively nothing but a large mouth. It has no senses but touch, no ability to move its body, and a nervous system no more complicated than a venus flytrap. It tends to grow in areas with tall grass, with the only sign of its presence being a slight depression in the soil. Combat: Any character stepping in the mouth of a clap trap is attacked, and only the character's DX modifier and armor covering the legs will affect his chances of getting hit. The severe bruising of the affected limb results in -3 Movement to the character for 1d4 days. If the character fails two successive health rolls, the limb is broken, causing a reduction of Movement to 1/3 the original value (1/2 for quadrupeds) until the limb has healed, requiring 1d4+1 weeks. It requires a challenging PS check to pry the jaws apart enough to free the trapped character. The claptrap has only a single attack - the jaws take several hours to reset themselves. Society: The claptrap reproduces by sending out roots underground to a new location at a distance of 2d20 meters, after which the roots detach themselves and mature into individual plants. Eyebanes by Bob Crichton Number: 1d4 Percept: 7 Stealth/R.U.: +2 AC: 7 MD: 10 Health: 10 Speed: 0 Level: 1 Hit Dice: 2(7) THAC: N/A Attacks: 1 Gas Special Int: Non Morale: 10 Size: L(2 cm thick, 20 m long) XP Value: 120 Frequency: Common Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Sunlight & water Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Temperate or tropical forests Physical Mutations: Gas generation (20), poison and blinding Mental Mutations: None Special Powers: None Description: A completely immobile, unintelligent plant, eyebane is remarkable only for it's strength and the cloud of gas it emits when disturbed. When properly cured, eyebane makes a flexible, fire-resistant rope, able to support 300 kg. Combat: When touched, eyebane emits a 3 m diameter cloud of gas which causes blinding and acts as Intensity 9 debilitative poison if inhaled. Society: The eyebane vine has no society as such, reproducing by wind- carried pollen and seeds. It is completely dormant in winter, and is sometimes dug up and replanted to serve as a defense by creatures which are immune to the gas' effects. Horl Eps [Arrow Trees] by Bob Crichton Number: 1d2 Percept: 14 Stealth/R.U.: +3 AC: 14 MD: 10 Health: 12 Speed: 0 Level: 3 Hit Dice: 12(42) THAC: +3 Attacks: 2 Seed(2) 2d8 Int: Animal Morale: 13 Size: L(4 m) XP Value: 175 Frequency: Uncommon Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Carnivorous Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: A Climate/Terrain: Temperate or subarctic forests Physical Mutations: Infravision, rocket seeds(16), antibiotic fruit(10) Mental Mutations: None Special Powers: None Description: This relative of the pine tree has a unique method of seed propagation - organically fueled solid rockets. It can use these seeds for defense or for increasing the range of the species. These seeds are only active during the late summer and early fall. After the first frost, the Horl Ep fires off all its remaining seeds at a high angle, causing the northern woods to be quite a hazardous place for a week or so. Combat: The horl ep will generally attack any warm-blooded, man-sized or larger creature that comes within 20 meters. If more than one such creature is available, it will switch targets every 2 rounds until either all targets have fled, or 1/2 of its seeds have been expended, reserving the remaining seeds for defense. The wounds caused by the horl ep seeds will heal at twice normal speed, and if the fertile tip breaks off in a wound (40% chance), it will heal at 4 times normal speed (it will also be the first of the wounds to heal). In the latter case, 2 weeks after the wound heals over, the seed will start to grow, doing 1d4 damage and -1 to CN daily until the character dies (at 0 HP or 0 CN), after which a sapling will sprout from the body. Society: As this mutant is immobile and has no means of communication, it has no social organization. There have been some attempts to cultivate this plant, but the dangers involved have prevented any successes. New Mutation: Rocket Seeds Physical, Plant; Activated, MP 4d6-L This highly evolved version of Explosive Seeds results in the growth of organic solid fuel rocket motors to propel seeds a great distance from the parent tree. The base range for these seeds is 20+MP modifier meters, and they do 2d6+MP modifier damage. Each plant will grow 4d6 rocket seeds per season. This mutation has only recently been developed, and has only been reported in areas to the south of Lake Ont. Hydras by Kerry Jordan Number: 1 Percept: 12 Stealth/R.U.: 0 AC: 18 MD: 13 Health: 13 Speed: 20 Level: 3 Hit Dice: 23(81) THAC: +3 Attacks: 5 Bite (5) 2d6 Int: Low Morale: 15 Size: G(10 m length) XP Value: 11000 Frequency: Very rare Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Night Diet: Carnivore Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Any nonartic Physical Mutations: Dual brain, five heads/brains, gas generation (15), burning, night vision, nocturnal [D], poison (17), radiating eyes (15), regeneration (14), sonic blast (14) Mental Mutations: Mental blast (12), mental reflection (15) Special Powers: Immune to radiation and sonic attacks Description: Hydras are mutated serpents which greatly resemble the hydra of legend. Their long slender bodies each sport five heads. Each head is mounted on a 2 m long neck and is a different color. The body is generally a basic green or brown, but the heads are green, blue, red, black, and white. Combat: Hydras are very aggressive hunters and deadly in combat. Each of the hydra's heads has control of a particular attack form: the green head controls the gas generation mutation, the blue head controls the mental blast mutation, the red head controls the radiating eyes mutation, the black head is poisonous, and the white head controls the sonic blast mutation. A specific head may be targeted by the hydra's opponent, but he receives a -4 penalty to THAC and each head can withstand 15 points of damage. Generally, when in close combat, only three heads can attack a man-sized creature at once. However, all heads can be used to combat multiple opponents. The hydra's mental reflection mutation is a unconscious collaboration of all the heads. For each head destroyed, the hydra loses not only that head's attack ability, but also 3 points from the mental reflection's MP. Society: Hydras are very unsociable creatures. They only come together during mating season. After being fertilized by the male, the female, who is usually 4 meters or greater in length than the male and has 3 additional hit dice, kills and eats the male. After the meal, the female travels in search of a radiated region in which to lay her eggs. During this period, the female eats only when necessary and tends to ignore other creatures. When a nest has finally been prepared, the female lays 6-12 eggs, covers them with dirt or sand, and then leaves. The eggs hatch 3-4 days later and the young hydras dig themselves out. Makeens [Skreechers] by Robert G. Flack Number: 1d4 Percept: 21 Stealth/R.U.: 3 AC: 11 MD: 13 Health: 13 Speed: 12 Level: 3 Hit Dice: 13 (46) THAC: 3 Attacks: 1 or 2 Bite 1d3 Club 1d6 Int: Animal Morale: 13 Size: S (1.5m) XP Value: 1400 Frequency: Uncommon Organization: Band Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Omnivores Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Any tropical forested area Physical Mutations: Heightened Constitution (13 CN), New Body Parts (Extra Eyes), Multiple Limbs (Extra Arms), Air Sail Mental Mutations: Stunning Force (11), Fear Generation (13) Special Powers: Bipedal; manipulate tools & objects; Climbing attempts are two difficulty levels easier than normal; can swing from grip to grip at speed of 8; +1 bonus to robot recognition; base speed of 12 even if walking upright; prehensile tail. Description: A Makeen appears as a large American Spider Monkey, with three major exceptions. Instead of two eyes, Makeens have four. The two additional eyes are located just above each ear, giving them excellent vision. They also have two additional arms, one arm at the top of the hip on each side. Between the arms on each side stretches a skin membrane, used by a Makeen to glide when jumping across large spans between trees. Combat: Makeens attack with two crude clubs or, if weaponless, by biting. They will use their Fear Generation when first encountered, trying to avoid conflict. They activate this power by screaming loudly at the target. They won't use Stunning Force until a morale check is needed. If it fails, all of the Makeens present will use their Stunning Force mutation and then try to flee. A Makeen activates the Stunning Force with a very high pitched scream. Note that neither the Fear Generation or Stunning Force is a sonic attack, so protection against sonics have no effect. These are mental attacks. Society: Makeens have an arboreal society, never coming to the ground unless necessary. They build sleeping areas in trees with branches, leaves and twigs. A large band can number up to 30, including young and females. The young have no combat ability, but females are just a capable as the males. Makeens will defend their home territory and young with a morale of 18 for flight, but the standard 13 for the use of their Stunning Force mutation. Thus, a Makeen can use its Stunning Force ability without fleeing when defending its home. Mal Tonas [Courage Moss] by Robert G. Flack Number: 1 Percept: 24 Stealth/R.U.: +11 AC: 7 MD: 11 Health: 11 Speed: Immobile Level: 1 Hit Dice: 4 THAC: n/a Attacks: None Int: Non- Morale: n/a Size: S (1m) XP Value: 270 Frequency: Very Rare Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Any Diet: Scavenger Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Temperate swamps, forests, or hills Physical Mutations: Fruit(13), Chameleon Power(12), Poisonous Thorns(18) Mental Mutations: Mental Paralysis(15) Special Powers: None Description: Mal Tonas appears as a fuzzy patch that covers about a 1 meter square area. Its color varies because of its Chameleon Power, adapting to whatever the surrounding colors are. Anywhere from six to ten spores are on a Mal Tonas at any given time. Each spore is about the size of a small pea, and very light and fragile. If swallowed, a spore acts as a pain killer. (See pg. 32 of the 4th edition rules.) The name Courage Moss has been given to Mal Tonas, since many tribes use the moss as a test of bravery. When a youngster is ready to become an adult, a Mal Tonas must be searched out. When found, the youngster must pluck a spore and present it to the elders of his tribe. Combat: While a Mal Tonas doesn't actively attack other creatures, its defensives are hazardous to those who try to take its spores. Because of the fragile nature of the spores, each must be pulled delicately, or it will crack and the pain killer effect fade within minutes. This must be done by hand, as other methods cause the spore to crack 95% of the time. Pulling a spore can be dangerous. Each spore is surrounded by spines that contain a destructive poison. When picking a spore, a hazard check is made, as the spines are unavoidable. When a spore is pulled, a paralysis attack is made on all within a five meter radius. If the creature that is removing the spore is affected, the hazard check is made at +5, since the creature can not actively try to avoid all of the spines. Society: Mal Tonas reproduce by popping their spores, which are very light weight. They can be carried up to two kilometers by the wind. Only one in every twenty spores survive to produce a new Mal Tonas as most rupture when they land. Mal Tonas tend to be found on Narl Eps or Haunted Fruit Trees. Razorgrass by Bob Crichton Number: 1d10 meter patch Percept: 5 Stealth/R.U.: +1 AC: 9 MD: 6 Health: 8 Speed: 0 Level: 1 Hit Dice: 2 per square meter THAC: +1 Attacks: 1 per leg Slice 2d6 Int: Non Morale: 8 Size: T(.3-.5 m) XP Value: 65 Frequency: Common Organization: Patch Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Carnivore Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Temperate plains Physical Mutations: Razor-edged Leaves, immunity to heat Mental Mutations: None Special Powers: None Description: This type of mutated grass is visually indistinguishable from normal grass. The only obvious sign of its presence is a slight odor of carrion. Combat: When the center of a patch is stepped upon, the blades will thrash around rapidly. Sharp enough to cut bare skin on contact, the blades perform an attack on each leg standing in the patch. A fallen character suffers 2 attacks for each meter of height in the patch. Society: Razorgrass grows in patches up to 10 meters in diameter. It is frequently found around water holes in dry regions. Shog by Bob Crichton Number: 1d4 Percept: 12 Stealth/R.U.: +1 AC: 11 MD: 16 Health: 15 Speed: 8 Level: 4 Hit Dice: 15(53) THAC: +6(0) Attacks: 1 Fist 1d8 Weapon +5 Int: High Morale: 15 Size: M(2 m) XP Value: 650 Frequency: Uncommon Organization: Tribal Activity Cycle: Day Diet: Omnivorous Tech Level: III Artifacts: E, W Climate/Terrain: Temperate/subarctic forests Physical Mutations: Heightened physical strength, immunity, mental attacks, body change, baldness, bony skull ridge, diminished hearing Mental Mutations: None Special Powers: None Description: Shog are a race of humanoids generally considered quite ugly by human standards. Shog have great difficulty in distinguishing between the sounds of the English language, communicating among themselves using a complex sign language. Their inability to learn spoken languages quickly often results in their being considered stupid, a viewpoint reinforced by their great strength and slow movements. In actuality, shog are quite intelligent, and possess a great deal of knowledge about the abilities and characteristics of the various mutated animals living in their environment. They frequently possess Tech IV artifacts. Combat: Shog are not very precise with ranged weapons, preferring to close with enemies and attack with melee weapons or their fists. While slow on their feet, once one has a grip on an opponent, it is very hard to break free (Tough PS check). A favored tactic is to grab an opponent and swing him into another (1d6 for both opponents, separate attack rolls), which can be performed with opponents of up to 130 kg mass. If another opponent is not available, walls, trees, etc. are often battered instead. Society: Usually found living in small villages, shog are also known to occasionally live with grens. When shog and grens live together, the shog follow the customs of grens with regards to use of armor and ancient technology. Shog are also frequently hired as servants or laborers, especially by those with secrets to keep! Xanqas [Shocking Mildew] by Chris Van Deelen Number: 1 Percept: n/a Stealth/R.U.: +14 AC: 11 MD: n/a Health: 13 Speed: 1 Level: 1 Hit Dice: 3(11) THAC: n/a Attacks: 1 Shock 1d4(2d4) Int: n/a Morale: n/a Size: Variable XP Value: 35 Frequency: Uncommon Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Any Diet: Omnivore Tech Level: 0 Artifacts: None Climate/Terrain: Any underground Physical Mutations: None Mental Mutations: None Special Powers: Electric shock Description: Xanqas are a type of mutated mildew which adapt to the color and texture of any surface upon which it grows. Combat: Xanqas feed on freshly killed organic substances and will attack any animals or characters that approach within one meter. Once an animal is within range, the xanqas will release a slight chemical electrical charge causing 1d4 damage. If anyone touches a xanqas with metal gloves or a metal weapon, the charge damage is doubled. Armor does not protect against this charge. However, the charge can be blocked by force fields. This discharge is automatic if the plant is touched. Water thrown on the xanqas will stun it for 1d8+2 combat rounds. Society: Little is known about this strange mutated mildew.