Thread: Mutation Questions

I have some questions about mutations from the corebook. I creating a character that has (or wants) monkey features and I am using mutations for and was wandering which mutations would work the best? Hands could do it but not sure if it can sure having bonuses to skills like climb, fine manipulation, jump and others. Imitation not sure cause you are only imitating the feature not actually having the feature, well not until major level but do you have the actual feet? Structural Improvement is another mutation I'm not sure about as well, and still not sure if could or should grant skill bonuses for some of the added body parts.

any suggestions would be helpful.

If you want a character with monkey features, then I'd just say that the character has them. It is easier that way.

However, if you want to build a character from, say, a human base and add features then Mutations might work. A human already has hands, so I'd add prehensile feet and a prehensile tail (if you want monkeys not apes), probably some kind of bite.

Bear in mind that the mutations are just samples and guidelines - if you want something that isn't there then invent the mutation. You are not randomly rolling and hoping you choose the right ones, you are picking them and you might as well pick new ones which work.

Pretty much what Simon has said. The system won't break from a few homebrew powers, and it certainly won't have been the first time that its been done.

Either that, or just do your own variants from the Mutations you have already suggested. I think you could cover it with those mutations, just use those mechanics and give the trappings of monkey features, adjusting the character's APP and social skills accordingly (I'ld probably give the character monkey behaviour as well, so that's likely to affect social skills - perhaps a POW x 5% to resist acting on base instincts etc. That way the character has to take the good with the bad, so to speak).

Shouldn't be too much a quandary I reckon

...or alternatively, you could actually roll up the character using the animal statistics in the rulebooks, except replace INT, POW, and APP/CHA with the attribute rolls for Human PCs. There's a sample Gorilla in the BRP BGB, and in the Basic Creatures book there is a Baboon and a Chimpanzee, so a few monkey breeds to use as templates.

Depends on how much you want the monkey traits to be evident

so just another idea to go with...not sure how I would do it, but there's a few choices on the plate

You might want to consider looking at the super powers. Yes, monkey boy isn't a superhero, but the super power system is better for modfiying a character around a specfic concept, whereas the mutation system is better for seeing what random affliction a character has been stuck with. With the super power rules, you, as GM can bypass the whole super hero creartion bit and instead just build a small package of powers thart you think reflect what the monkey can do. With the super power system you can add skill bonuses, maybe a level of leaping, or anything else you think fits, but at a low level. You can get a lot more control and be able to fine tune the character much easier with the powers system and say 5-10 Hero Points, than you probably can with the mutation system.

Yep, Super Powers does work better from a 'build' perspective. You can also use the Failings to describe the social impact of having ape features, it would grant you an additional 1-3 'budget points' in order to spend on Ape abilities (Powers). Some ideas could include using Super Characteristics, Leap, and Unarmed Combat Powers at low levels to describe some 'ape abilities' perhaps...

If you're wanting to use mutations, you can convey a lot of a character's "monkey-ness" with them. It depends on how your mutations are selected, and how many you get, but this is what I would do:

Hybrid would probably be your first mutation, with the specification of "monkey." This would cover an animal-like appearance, and, if you take the Major form, you'll have sharp nails or fangs big enough to do better damage than a human fist.

Other useful mutations might be:

1. Hands, which would cover both a prehensile tail, or the use of feet for grasping or climbing.
2. Imitation (Monkey) would cover skill bonuses to monkey-like skills, like Climb or Search (for Banana)
3. Increased Characteristics to bump up your DEX.
4. Keen Sense (Smell) is a possibility
5. Natural Armor might be good too, for thick fur.
6. Speech (Mimicry) might be fun, and I seem to recall some species of monkey do this to a limited degree.

Of these, I think Hybrid (major) and Imitation (Monkey) are your best bets, and you can tailor the character with other ones, depending on how many mutations you can select.

All good suggestions. As others have said, it depends on how monkey-like you want the character to be. If you want him to be an intelligent, talking monkey, go with the animal stats and human-level INT and POW. If you want him to be monkey-ish but mostly human, go the Mutations or Super Powers route. In addition to boosting DEX, I'd boost STR as well. Most simians have greater muscle mass for their size (or SIZ) than humans do.

Monkey around with both concepts and see which result you like best.

LOL

I had roll for my mutations and this for a Swords of Cydordia and I a race that gains mutations natural at character creation and I got lucky rolling player choice on my first roll. The others rolls are good like Coloration, Hardy, Metabolic improvement, Regeneration. So I have to choose my first mutation carefully. I am wanting the monkey feet and tail for helping with manual controls for a vehicle or for the setting and airship.

It has a license to drive!

Glad you found a solution you like. Have fun with your campaign.

Perhaps the airship requires a pilot with extra limbs (feet and tail) to fly it because of its ridiculously complicated manual controls. Good reason for the other PCs to protect "Monkey Boy."

"I told you not to call me 'Monkey Boy!'"