Green is the color of my true love's exoskeleton

Still on the Gamma World kick. 

Looked through Mutant Future again, and remembered that since it's based on 2E GW mostly, the rules for mutated plants and animals are pretty slim, basically boiling down to "if you want some animal/plant type with special abilities, run it by the GM."

But since GW4 has a nice long list of animal types, and a short but adequate list of plant types already sorted out for this GM, I'll continue to use those.  [If and when I ever run this game, that is...]

One thing I especially like about the animal types is that for physical stats, instead of rolling 3d6 (or 4d6-L), they have a base number for Strength, Dexterity and Constitution, and roll 2d4 to add to that roll.  This way, a mutant gorilla, for instance, is likely to have above average strength.

More so than the ability scores, though, is the fact that certain abilities possessed by the actual animals are listed out as bonus mutations. 

Also, the list covers 45 animal types or so, which provide plenty of guidance if someone wants to play Perry the Platypus or a chinchilla or something not on the list.

Plants are simpler: there are six or seven general types that your plant will fall into.  While not as specific as the animal types, it seems to work.  There's no mechanical difference between an apple tree mutant and a sequoia mutant, or a saguaro mutant and an agave mutant, but that hasn't been much of a problem in any games I've run or played in. 

There is an urge to simplify the animal types a bit.  The list presented has too many great cats, for example.  Mutant tigers, lions, cheetahs and cougars may not all need separate stat types.  But since the work's already been done, I don't mind sticking with it.

One last thing I may keep is that Pure Strain Humans get to roll 4d6-L for all their abilities, with Int, Con and Cha each getting a +3 bonus.  Mutated humans and plants roll straight 3d6 for each.  Mutated animals roll 2d4+set bonus for physical abilities, and straight 3d6 for mental abilities.

So, to sum up, I'll likely go with GW 4th for determining character type and ability score, but straight up Mutant Future for everything else.

Alright, who let a fluffy? (March Madness Day 19)

19 What is the fluffiest RPG you have played? Was it enjoyable?

My buddy Steve created his own “narrative” RPG, variously called Binary or SSS (Steve's Simple System). As with many Forge-inspired narrative games, it was short, simple, and to the point, and rewarded getting into character and embellishing the details. The game itself came with no fluff, but a large part of the game play was creating that fluff together with the other players.

Or at least in some versions of the game.  We had a lot of fun with it creating a cyberpunk setting for one game, although the game in the end fell flat because we never really had our characters crossing paths.

Another, more fun game, involved each of us creating a "culture" as a character.  I played magical boar-riding Celts, Pete played an undead legion, and Tim played decadent and actually alien seeming elves.  We had a big three-way war (I lost).

The system really rewarded creativity in world-building.  Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, the rules led to too much interplayer conflict.  Instead of crafting a story together (the intent of the rules), we were trying to "win."  

Again, the game itself wasn't "fluffy" at all, but it demanded that fluff be created as the initial step of playing the game.  And IMO, that was the best part about the game, too!