While Metamorphosis Alpha (MA) is an excellent game certain problems arise for players choosing to play mutants (and for their ref’s!) One common problem is how to evaluate a mutant’s attempt to figure out how to use (or what is the use of) a device, weapon, etc. Humans use the rules on pp 21-22, cross indexing their leadership potential and the item’s complexity level, but mutants have no leadership potential, so a new ability for mutants is needed, their mechanical (or technical) aptitude. This ability is a regular three dice roll, and is used wherever humans would use leadership potential on the device learning table on page 22.
A more serious problem arises with mutations of animals other than human. Since in the unmutated form they have intelligence less than the human norm, and do not have hands or other manipulative members (with a few exceptions) the ref’ should require that they use Mental Mutation (MM) 1, and Physical Mutation (PM) 4, to gain human level intelligence and manipulative paws or whatever. This ruling means that a mutated animal has two less useful mutations than a mutated human, so why should anyone pick an animal mutation?
The answer here is that animals have certain advantages over men, and the ref’ must allow his mutants to use them. Animals’ senses are generally better than men’s, they are often stronger then men, they have natural weapons, and many have special abilities that in a human would be a mutation, for example wings, natural camouflage (equal) to PM11 in their natural surroundings), tough hides and outstanding dexterity and balance.
The table given here is not intended to be an all encompassing list, but rather a guideline for ref’s to use. Referees should expand the chart as needed in their games. Indeed, since MA is a free-form game system the ref’ should not hesitate to modify the chart as he feels appropriate.
It is assumed that all player characters playing mutated animals use MM 1 to increase their intelligence to human level. To increase it beyond human norm use MM34 as well.
Players do not have to use manipulative members. If their creature does not have them (either naturally or mutated) they cannot use tools, devices, etc. Anything you can use with your hand in a mitten with the thumb taped down an animal could use, but few items fall into this category.
Players with animals are incapable of human speech without PM4, but would still be able to understand human speech and work out a system of communication. Alternately they can use MM 5, telepathy. If PM 4 is used once it can alter both the paws and vocal cords to allow both manual dexterity and human speech.
*This is not the number of hit dice, rather it is the number of dice rolled to obtain the number of hit dice, i.e. if a 3 appears in this column the animal has from 3 to 18 hit dice. Note that players and important non-player characters (NPC) have twice the hit dice of normal animals or men. Therefore a herd of horses will have only half the number of hit dice shown on this table, since the table is designed for player characters. Similarly the table on page 17 of MA is designed for normal NPCs, if a player becomes a creature from that table he (or she) would have twice the hit dice shown.
**Strength is not used with damage from natural weapons (unless PM25 is used) because the strength of the animal is designed into the table. The strength is used when the mutant uses a club, sword or other weapon.
W = water speed
F = Flying speed
Animal Type | Size | Dice for Abilities | Hit Dice* |
Armor Class |
Move | Damage** | Notes | ||||
RR | MR | DX | ST | C | |||||||
Mammals | |||||||||||
Horse | 1500# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 1-8 Hoof | 19, 21, 22, 23 |
Deer | 200# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 1-4 Hoof 1-8 Antlers |
18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 4 |
Moose | 1500# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 1-8 Hoof 1-12 Antlers |
18, 21, 22, 23, 3, 4 |
Mountain Goat | 200# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 1-4 Hoof 1-8 Antlers |
4, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 |
Black/Brown Bear | 300# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 1-8 Bite 1-8 Claws |
4, 21, 22 |
Grizzly Bear | 800# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 1-12 Bite 1-10 Claws |
4, 21, 22 |
Armadillo | 15# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1+1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 1-3 Claws | 4, 21, 22, Has PM 17 |
Boar | 350# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 1-10 Tusk | 4, 21, 22, 1 |
Elephant | 1200# | 3 | 3 | 2+1 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 2-24 Tusk 1-8 Trunk/Crush |
6, 21, 22, 24 |
Pigmy Elephant | 350# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 1-10 Tusk 1-4 Trunk |
6, 4, 21, 22, 24 |
Raccoon | 25# | 3 | 3 | 3+1 | 1+1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 1-4 Bite 1-4 Claws |
3, 4, 7, 21, 22 |
Skunk | 20# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 1-4 Bite | 4, 22, Has PM 8 |
Gorilla | 500# | 3 | 3 | 2+1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1-6 Bite | 6, 21, 22 |
Sea lion | 100# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 4 (12 W) | 1-6 Bite | 3, 15, 25 |
Canines | |||||||||||
Coyote | 50# | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 1-6 Bite | 1, 3, 4, 21, 22, 26 |
Wolf | 80# | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 1-8 Bite | 1, 3, 4, 21, 22, 26 |
Fox | 25# | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1+1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 1-4 Bite | 1, 3, 4, 21, 22, 26 |
Mastiff | 160# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 1-8 Bite | 1, 3, 4, 21, 22, 26 |
Felines | |||||||||||
Domestic Cat | 20# | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 1-4 Bite 1-2 Claws |
1, 4, 7, 15, 17, 21, 22, 26 |
Cougar | 150# | 3 | 3 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 1-6 Bite 1-4 Claws |
1, 4, 7, 15, 17, 21, 22, 26 |
Lynx | 45# | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 1-4 Bite 1-3 Claws |
1, 4, 7, 15, 17, 21, 22, 26 |
Lion | 500# | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 1-10 Bite 1-8 Claws |
1, 4, 7, 15, 17, 21, 22, 26 |
REPTILES | |||||||||||
Alligator | 400# | 4 | 3 | 2+1 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 (8 W) | 2-24 Bite 1-12 Tail |
1, 2, 3, 5 |
Chameleon | 2 Ft. | 4 | 3 | 2+1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1-4 Bite | 2, 6, 7, 9, has PM 11 |
Gila monster | 2 Ft. | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1-4 Bite 1-3 Claws |
1, 2, 4, 5, Poison (12) |
Komodo dragon | 200# | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1-12 Bite 1-8 Claws |
1, 2, 4, 5 |
Swift Lizard | 3 Ft. | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 1-4 Bite 1-3 Claws |
1, 2, 4 |
Snakes | |||||||||||
Constrictors | 6-30 Ft. | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1/6 | 3 to 4 | 2 to 6 | 6 | 1 | 1-6 Bite Constriction |
2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 |
Pit Viper | 4-6 Ft. | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1-6 Bite Poison (12) |
2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 |
Viper | 4-12 Ft. | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 to 3 | 6 | 1 | 1-6 Bite Poison (15) |
2, 3, 4, 5, 10 |
BIRDS | |||||||||||
Eagle | 42 In. | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2+1 | 3 | 2+1 | 8 | 1 (18 F) | 1-6 Beak 1-4 Talons |
4, 12, 14, 15, 16 |
Falcon | 18 In. | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1+1 | 8 | 1 (24 F) | 1-4 Beak 1-3 Talons |
4, 12, 14, 15, 16 |
Owl | 30 In. | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 1 (18 F) | 1-4 Beak 1-4 Talons |
4, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 |
Duck | 24 In. | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1+1 | 8 | 1 (2 W, 18 F) | 1-3 Beak | 3, 4, 12, 14, 15, 16 |
Swan | 60 In. | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2+1 | 3 | 2+1 | 8 | 1 (2 W, 18 F) | 1-4 Beak | 3, 4, 12, 14, 15, 16 |
MISC. | |||||||||||
Turtle | 125# | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3+1 | 6 | 2 | 1-12 Bite | 2, 3, Has PM 17 |
Octopus | 100# 9’ Tentacles |
4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 (8 W) | 1-3 Tentacles | 2, 3, 6, 7, 20 |