More Mutant Epoch...

    
A few days ago I mentioned I had received a new Post Apocalyptic RPG : The Mutant Epoch.
I wanted to provide a bit more info about it, as several of you have emailed me asking for more information.  Specifically how it compares to Mutant Future or Sorcery and Super Science.
     First I must confess, I had several email exchanges with the author during the games late development and he specifically worked in the Bestial Humans race based upon my recommendations so I definately have a soft spot for this product.
     My initial impressions are very positive. You can tell its a labour of love from the author/artist. Each page is packed with art. Everything is illustrated. In fact I'm having a hard time keeping focused on reading it because I keep getting distracted by the cool art, I will oftentimes stop and realize I'm flipping pages drooling over the artwork and not actually reading the material. The art style may look familiar to some of you because the artist did alot of the art for some of the Goodman Games Dungeon Crawl Classics line back in the lines 3.x days.  : )

   It is a packed book, not just with art but with details, way more detail than Mutant Future. If you prefer a rules lite OSR game like Mutant Future, you may find The Mutant Epoch to be more than you want in a system. As for comparing it to Sorcery and Super Science, (I have S&SS but haven't had the chance to play it yet) The Mutant Epoch doesn't have any magic/sorcery references/elements in it.  Also character generation for S&SS looks to be quicker than TME character generation.  That's not to imply that TME (The Mutant Epoch) is like Rolemaster or similar games ( I once spent 4 1/2 hours making up a character for Rolemaster and still wasn't done sheesh), or to imply that it is overly complicated, it just has alot more to it than say Mutant Future or similar game systems.  As readers of my blog know I'm a big fan of Mutant Future, and up until very recently was running a Mutant Future Campaign, so that is the main system that I compare TME too when I'm reading/studying this new system. Oh and another question that someone asked me...does it have rules for androids and Plant based characters?  Androids are in the book but not as PC's, however the author has indicated that Android and Plant based PC races will be included in a future expansion.  Woo Hoo!
     I honestly haven't had time to playtest the combat mechanic in TME yet, combat is percentile based with the attacker having a Strike Value minus the defenders Defense Value... factor in some modifiers based on circumstances (cover, called shots, etc.)...the number left is what the attacker has to roll in order to hit.  Doesn't sound too complicated to me. The called shots sound cool and feature things like shooting out your opponents kneecaps!  OUCH!
    I'm going to show it to my group and try to get them to try it. I sat down and rolled up a character to test out the system, I did everything by random rolls even gender and handedness (you don't have to do this, but the option is there if you want to do it this way), it took me about 30 minutes and about 30+ rolls, but I had an interesting character that I will be keeping to use as an NPC.
      "Mugly Tusker" (working name) Mutant, pregame caste: Logger, strong swimmer, skilled with axes, Ugly as heck (Appearance : 1... the lowest appearance score allowed in game), green hair, golden eyes,  creepy carapace hide, tusks, telekinesis, he can fire a piercing blade appendage-tendril (Thrust Spike) from his gut that if others see him use it they have to save vs. nausea cause its so gross!, has the Dodge skill (no doubt from dodging falling trees), quite poor and owes the logging guild money,  has some ordinary basic gear, hatchet and a double-headed woodsman's axe (that he's a weapons expert with), an iron helmet, spiked shield and spiked leather armor.
More to come!
 Good Gaming! -B