Reviews

Mutant Crawl Classics Role Playing Game by Jim Wampler

tallpaul's review

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4.0

This is a Post-apocalyptic expansion for the Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) rules system. It's set in the far future, long after the apocalypse claimed humanities greatest inventions and technologies. Civilization is right back where it started, except for the mutations, ancient artifacts of great power and radiation everywhere.
This book is packed full of mutations for your characters. There are over 70 mutations that range from superhuman strength to defects like vistigial non-functional wings. Something else that I loved is the lack of an alignment system (kind of). In its place, characters are part of a social construct with its own beliefs, goals and member benefits. I bought this book thinking it was sci-fi for DCC, which it's not, but it makes a fantastic starting point for sci-fi fantasy.

thomcat's review

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4.0

Probably the best modern interpretation of Gamma World, a role playing game which dates back to the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

The original game borrowed heavily from Metamorphosis Alpha, another Jim Ward title. It was loosely set in a highly irradiated midwest, a nod to the original home of D&D, Lake Geneva Wisconsin. Later editions moved away from the D&D roots towards clunky mechanics also used in a Marvel Super Heroes game. One of the later releases used Alternity rules, right before that system was cancelled. There was even a release for 4th edition D&D that I had never heard of until wikipedia.

This game will combine well with the random setting and dungeon creation tools of Dungeon Crawl Classics. The "character funnel" mechanic of creating several commoners to see which rises to become and adventurer works really well here, allowing players multiple rolls on the mutation tables to make interesting characters. There are a double handful of published adventures already, but I would guess that earlier Gamma World modules could be adapted fairly easily. I'd love to see a Metamorphosis Alpha setting for this system.

I own a PDF of the game and found a third printing softcover at Merlyns in Spokane. If I can convince my gaming group to actually meet, I hope to spring this on them in the (hopefully not irradiated) future.

grognard's review

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adventurous funny informative medium-paced
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0