PLAYING A MUTANT

Mutants are members of an existing species that have genetic variations which distinguish them from average members of their species.  Player character mutants are usually the first individual within their community to display their specific set of mutations.  Genetic diversity as well as the commonality of mutations will vary by community.   In the Gravity Age setting mutants are rare enough a mutant player character might not ever know another mutant, but there are also a few communities in known space where mutants are common.

Mutants like different alien species tend to be discriminated against in communities which are dominated by a single race where everyone shares a common appearance and racial abilities.  Players with mutant characters will likely need to hide their mutations to avoid unwanted attention.  If there is a community of mutants it will be well hidden.  On the other side of the verse, there are regions of known space where the diversity of alien species is so great no one would recognize a mutant for what it is because there are either too few samples to form an opinion or they are mistaken for an entirely different race all together.  In both cases, mutants would still be rare, and a player character might not know more than one or two fellow mutants.

Usually player character mutants are the first of their kind, or in rare cases the member of a small group of similar mutants.  Many times, the conditions that cause genetic variation result in a wide variety of different mutations amongst the same population.  In these instances, mutants might be common to a community but the mutations they possess are completely different.

A player character can become a mutant in a variety of ways but here are a few of the most common.  The PC could have been born on or grown up on moon, space station, or mining colony with insufficient radiation shielding, and radiation exposure leads to their mutations.  Occasionally, parents which have knowingly or unknowingly underwent different forms endogenous retrovirus gene therapy pass incompatible genes down to their child resulting in a mutant offspring. A PC might choose to undergo “Endogenous Metamorphosis” gene therapy later in their career to become a mutant.   Finally, a player character could suffer from exposure to a mutagenetic virus during one of their adventures and have a mutant template forced upon them.  No matter how a character becomes a mutant they must select the minor mutant, major mutant, or true mutant template before they can take advantage of the mutations presented in the Gravity Age: Mutant Menagerie.

Before taking a mutant template, players should get approval to play a mutant from their Game Master.  Some GMs may also limit which mutation templates and mutations are available in their campaigns.

METAMORPH ARCHETYPE

The metamorph archetype is designed specifically for characters that want to make the most out of their mutant abilities.  Characters can gain the archetype at second level it includes many alternate class features which enhance a mutant’s beneficial mutations while lessening the effects of their deformities.