TEXT: wisdom
  Wastelands
  From
  The
  By Chris “Outlander” Van Deelen and the Skirmisher Game Development Group
  This publication is dedicated to providing useful information, game content, and ideas to players of modern, science
  fiction, and post-apocalyptic table-top and role-playing games in general and to fans of Goblinoid Games’ Mutant
  Future RPG in particular. The material contained herein are compatible with it and any others that use the “Basic”
  system introduced in the most popular role-playing games of the early 1970s and are easily adaptable to many other
  games (especially successor systems, to include those covered by the Open Game License).
  Issue #26:
  Energy Weapons
  Inside this issue
  Disruptors, Ion Blasters ........................... 2
  Microwave Emitters .................................. 3
  Sonic Disruptors ....................................... 4
  T
  he latest installment in our popular series on leading edge military technology and combat rules, this issue brings
  five deadly weapon systems and several new combat “conditions” to your gaming table. As a warning, Mutant Lords
  should use this equipment with care — some of these systems are extremely powerful. Even those weapons that do
  not appear lethal can devastate specific target types (like robotic units); other items have debilitating temporary effects.
  Disintegrators
  Developed just before the Final Wars, these fearsome weapons
  are extremely rare. Perhaps a good thing, for disintegrators
  tear apart matter at the molecular level. This takes a great
  deal of energy, restricting systems to rifle and vehicle-
  mounted variants. However, a less powerful version of this
  technology was used in disrupters, making these weapons
  more portable.
  Any living target hit by the disintegrator’s ruby-red
  energy beam must save versus death or be killed, instantly
  reduced to a pile of ash. Even if successful, the target suffers
  horrific damage. Also, all armor, weapons, and equipment
  carried must either save versus death (using the character’s
  saving throw), or make an item saving throw versus energy
  (see Wisdom from the Wastelands issue #1 for optional rules
  on item saving throws). Any item failing this saving throw
  suffers 1d3 levels of condition damage.
  Despite their power, disintegrators saw little combat;
  force fields disperse the energy, rendering blasts harmless.
  Given the popularity of shield technology — used by
  individual soldiers, on armored vehicles, and in powered
  armor — disintegrators were not very cost-effective, except
  when deployed against soldiers or units lacking these energy
  fields.
  However, disintegrators are great against stationary
  targets like buildings. Given enough shots wielders can
  obliterate structures, with each shot reducing one cubic foot
  of material per die of damage. Simple objects like doors are
  no match for this weapon.
  Disintegrator Table
  Weapon
  Damage
  Trigger
  Range
  Weight
  Battery
  Charges
  Disintegrator
  Death/15d8
  Normal
  1,500’/3,000’
  40 lbs.
  Radioactive
  Battery 10
  
  2
  Wisdom from The Wastelands
  Ion Blasters
  Ion blasters discharge an electric-blue stream of energized
  particles, which damages both flesh and electrical systems.
  They are particularly effective against robots and similar
  units.
  Against biological targets, the blaster does regular tissue
  damage and causes the nervous system to misfire: the victim
  will suffer 1d3 points of Dexterity damage (save versus energy
  for no nerve damage). This heals at the normal recovery rate
  and is never permanent. Even if hit multiple times, for
  significant Dexterity losses, characters will fully recover,
  given enough time. Should the ion damage reduce a target’s
  Dexterity to zero (it cannot drop below zero), the character
  will be paralyzed until he heals at least 1 point. For mutants
  resistant to certain types of damage, the ionic energy stream
  is considered electrical damage.
  Robots and androids hit by blaster fire also suffer damage
  and Dexterity reduction, but to a much greater degree (unless
  the artificial lifeform is hardened against electro-magnetic
  pulse [EMP] or electricity). All damage is increased by 50%,
  and the target must make TWO saving throws. The first is a
  save versus stun; failure causes 3d4 rounds of paralysis. The
  second is a save versus energy; failure causes 2d3 points of
  Dexterity loss. The same rules mentioned above (for healing
  rates and 0 dexterity) also apply to artificial and robotic
  lifeforms.
  Lastly, all electrical equipment the target carries must
  either save versus energy (using the target’s save), or save
  versus electricity (if using the optional item saving throw
  rules from Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue #1). Should
  any fail, the item will suffer 1d3 condition levels of damage.
  Disruptors
  Like the more powerful disintegrators, these weapons also
  destroy molecular bonds. But unlike the disintegrator beam’s
  uniform blast, the bright red disruptor bolts break these bonds
  indiscriminately across a target.
  Because of this random nature, disruptors are not very
  effective against buildings or large items. Instead, they easily
  damage smaller objects like weapons, armor, equipment, or
  locks, weakening structural integrity or causing malfunctions.
  These items must either save versus death (using the
  character’s saving throw) or make an item save versus energy
  (see Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue #1 for item saving
  throw rules). Failure means the target item suffers condition
  damage (see the Disruptor Table).
  Living creatures hit by disruptors suffer hideous,
  debilitating wounds. The bolts cause regular damage, but
  also inflict pain one category higher (see below, under
  Injury). In addition, the target must save versus energy to
  avoid taking Strength and/or Dexterity damage (make a
  separate save for each statistic). These lost points will return
  at the victim’s natural healing rate, but only after the disruptor
  wounds have healed. The victim can decide which statistic
  heals first and how much is healed. For example, Myn has a
  healing rate of 3 and lost both Strength and Dexterity. She
  could direct all three points toward restoring one statistic, or
  put two points into Strength and one into Dexterity (or vice
  versa).
  Disruptors were only made as pistols and rifles. There
  were rumors of other variants (e.g., light machine gun and
  submachine gun), but these may never have been produced.
  The massive tissue damage caused by disruptors horrified
  human rights groups; this political pressure led all but the
  most unfeeling government agencies to frown on using or
  developing these weapons.
  Disruptor Table
  Stat/Condition
  Weapon
  Damage
  Trigger
  Range
  Weight
  Battery
  Charges
  Level Loss
  Disruptor Pistol
  6d6
  Normal
  500’/1,000’
  4 lbs.
  Power Cell
  5
  1d2
  Disruptor Rifle
  10d6
  Normal
  1,500’/3,000’ 18 lbs.
  Power Clip/Magazine
  20
  1d4
  
  Issue #26: energy weapons
  3
  Microwave Emitters
  Originally a method of non-lethal crowd control, the military
  quickly adapted microwave technology to use against
  unprotected troops. The emitters inflict painful thermal
  damage by exciting water molecules inside the body and other
  organic material. They can also cause metal to spark — possibly
  damaging the target and any metallic equipment carried.
  The two variants have either a pistol grip or rifle stock
  attached to a small satellite dish. Both forms have a short
  range and a conical area of effect. The cone starts 5’ from
  the emitter and widens by 5’ for every 10’ feet the wave travels
  (to a maximum width of 20’). Thus, if the weapon is fired at
  a target 30’ away, the area of effect will be 15’ wide.
  Both variants inflict an initial damage, but this increases
  Ion Blaster Table
  Weapon
  Damage
  Trigger
  Range
  Weight
  Battery
  Charges
  Ion Pistol
  5d6
  Normal
  750’/1,500’
  2 lbs.
  Power Cell_
  6
  Ion Carbine
  7d6
  Normal
  1,000’/2,000’
  6 lbs.
  Power Clip
  15
  Ion Assault Rifle
  7d6
  Automatic
  1,000’/2,000’
  10 lbs.
  2 Power Clips
  30
  Ion Sniper Rifle
  10d6
  Normal
  2,000’/4,000’
  12 lbs.
  Power Clip
  8
  Ion Explosives Table
  Weapon
  Damage
  Burst Radius
  Weight
  Grenade
  15d6
  30’
  2 lbs.
  Micro Missile
  10d6
  15’
  20 lbs.
  Ion weapons are listed in the two tables below. Targets
  in an ion explosive’s burst radius save versus energy for half
  damage. Use the Mutant Future core rules to determine ranges
  for these two weapons.
  
  4
  Wisdom from The Wastelands
  by 1d6 for each successive round the target is hit, until
  reaching the configuration’s maximum damage. For example,
  Sonic Disruptors
  This weapon has a misleading name, as it is little like the
  disruptors above. Instead, sonic disruptors are more like high-
  intensity radio transmitters. Originally a crowd control
  device, but adapted for combat, the technology uses oscillating
  sound frequencies to disrupt brain functions in organic
  targets. The technology will also work against AI targets,
  but has no effect on programmed robotic units.
  Sonic disruptors come in three main forms. The first
  type are thrown like hand grenades and affect targets in a
  relatively small radius. The second are the series of launched
  warheads, which can be shot from a missile launcher, grenade
  launcher, mortar, or artillery piece, or dropped as an actual
  bomb. Last is a crowd control device that must be physically
  placed and activated, rather like the Ancients’ Claymore
  mine. This form was most commonly used by the police to
  control crowds when demonstrations went from bad to bloody.
  Unless properly protected (what this means is up to the
  ML, but could include personal shields), any organic caught
  in the radius of effect must save versus stun, or suffer one of
  the following random effects.
  The negative effect continues while the target remains
  within the disruptor’s sonic field. Once the victim leaves
  this area (or the device shuts off), the effect will wear off in
  2d6 rounds. A character who stays in the sonic field after
  making his saving throw must save every round until he leave
  a pistol causes 3d6 damage in the first round, 4d6 in the
  second round, until the 7th round, when 9d6 is inflicted with
  a successful hit.
  If the target carries any metal equipment or weapons,
  the microwaves will cause the items to spark, possibly
  inflicting 1d3 points of damage per item carried. For a target
  wearing metal armor and carrying five pieces of metal
  equipment, the damage could potentially be 6d3. The ML
  can have the victim either save versus energy for each piece
  of equipment, or, for simplicity’s sake, make a single save.
  Microwave damage is very painful. If using the Injury
  rules below, the victim is considered injured one level higher
  (i.e., if lightly wounded, the victim would suffer the effects
  of moderate wounds).
  Microwave Emitter Table
  Weapon
  Damage
  Trigger
  Range
  Weight
  Battery
  Charges
  Microwave Pistol
  3d6/9d6
  Normal
  40’
  6 lbs.
  Power Clip
  6
  Microwave Rifle
  6d6/18d6
  Normal
  100’
  15 lbs.
  Power Beltpack/Backpack
  20
  the zone. If he fails a later saving throw, the character will
  suffer an effect from the table above.
  Sonic Disruptor Effect Table
  Roll
  Effect
  1
  Dizzy
  2
  Sickened
  3
  Enraged
  4
  Sleep
  5
  Paralyzed
  6
  Pain
  7
  Dazed
  8
  Fatigued
  9
  Frightened
  10
  Calmed
  Calmed: A character currently fighting will stop
  immediately. He can defend himself, but will either try to
  run from an enemy, or sit down and relax — if there is no
  immediate danger.
  Dazed: While dazed, the character moves half her
  normal rate and loses any Dexterity bonuses to AC. She
  cannot make physical attacks, use mental mutations, or do
  any complex action. The character is still capable of
  defending herself against mental attacks, but her Willpower
  is considered four points lower.
  Sonic Disruptor Table
  Weapon
  Radius of Effect
  Weight
  Active Duration
  Grenade*
  30’
  1 lb.
  1d3 minutes
  Bomb or Missile*
  3,000’
  100 lbs.
  2d3 turns
  Mortar or Similar*
  300’
  10 lbs.
  1d3 turns
  Crowd Control
  1,000’
  25 lbs.
  6 turns
  *See the Mutant Future core rulebook for grenade and launcher ranges.
  
  Issue #26: Energy weapons
  5
  Dizzy: A dizzy character may safely move only 25% of
  his regular rate. If he tries to go faster, use the Grenade
  Scatter Table to determine his travel direction (reprinted
  below, from WftW #11). Every round he tries to move his full
  rate, the dizzy character must make a saving throw versus
  stun or tip over. Dizzy characters cannot climb up or down,
  they suffer -4 to all attack rolls, and lose any Dexterity bonus
  to AC. Any mental attacks are -4 to Willpower for both attack
  and defence. Lastly, victims who can fly will not be to do so
  while dizzy. Trying does not cause damage, the character
  will just “fall down, go boom.”
  Grenade Scatter Table
  d6 Result
  Direction Deviated
  1
  Front left hex
  2
  Directly in front
  3
  Front right hex
  4
  Rear left hex
  5
  Directly behind
  6
  Rear right hex
  Enraged: An enraged character will attack the nearest
  target, be it friend or foe. She cannot use any ranged weapons.
  If holding a weapon, she will either drop it, or use it as an
  improvised club. For the latter, damage is left up to the ML,
  but it should generally start at 1d4 for a pistol-sized weapon
  and head up to 1d8 for a full-sized rifle. If the character
  drops her weapon, she will attack with any natural weapons
  or use her fists and teeth. While enraged, the victim gains
  +4 to Strength, +2 to hit, and +1 per die of damage with
  whatever weapon she uses. All these bonuses stack with any
  normal benefit the character might have from a high Strength
  score. But, the victim loses any Dexterity bonuses, cannot
  use a shield (unless using it for bashing, and then still loses
  the AC bonus it provides), and suffers a +2 AC due to her
  reckless attacks.
  Fatigue: This can be caused by sonic disruptors or being
  in combat. As a disruptor effect, for every round caught within
  the area of effect, a character will gain one level of fatigue
  until heavily fatigued. If using fatigue as an optional combat
  rule, the longer a fight continues, the more tired a character
  will get — and the more penalties that will build up. Consult
  the chart below for fatigue levels, amount of time in combat,
  and the penalties incurred as fatigue increases.
  To completely erase fatigue penalties after a fight, the
  character must rest for a number of minutes equal to one
  half the number of rounds he spent in combat. Should this
  break be interrupted, the character might drop one fatigue
  category (e.g., being moderately fatigued, instead of heavily
  fatigued) instead of recovering fully. The ML’s ruling should
  depend on how long the character could rest.
  Frightened: Targets may be frightened by several
  mutations or effects, in addition to the sonic disruptor. A
  frightened character must try to flee whatever triggered the
  fear, at his fastest movement rate. If he cannot, the victim
  will cower, incapable of any action except defending himself
  — and unable to make any sort of attack. Every round he
  cowers the frightened character must save versus stun or fall
  unconscious for 1d6 rounds.
  Injury: Getting wounded makes a character less effective
  in combat. There are four injury levels, each with its own
  modifier to attack and movement.
  Pain: This usually comes from being injured, so the
  Injury rules above apply. However, someone could be healthy,
  but still be in considerable pain because of a specific effect
  (produced by certain mutations, or by weapons described in
  this article). In this case, a character in pain is considered
  moderately injured until the effect is removed, experiencing
  those same penalties, but without the hit point loss.
  Paralyzed: See the Mutant Future core rulebook, section
  5: Encounters and Combat for more details.
  Sleep: The target nods off for 2d6 rounds. He will not
  wake for loud noises or being jostled. Only actual damage
  (causing 1 hit point or more) will rouse him.
  Sickened: A sick character loses half her movement and
  suffers a -4 Dexterity penalty. Any saves suffer a -2 penalty,
  and she cannot take any strenuous physical action, like
  attacking. The character can still defend against physical
  attacks, but will lose any Dexterity bonus to AC. She can
  defend normally against mental attacks, but cannot make
  any mental attack, or concentrate on any mental mutation,
  until the sickness passes.
  Fatigue Effect Table
  Fatigue Level
  Number of Rounds in Combat
  Modifiers
  Rested
  Up to 1/2 CON (round down)
  No penalties
  Lightly Fatigued
  1/2 to full CON
  -1 to hit, - 25% movement
  Moderately Fatigued
  Full to 1.5 x CON
  -3 to hit, -50% movement
  Heavily Fatigued
  Over 1.5 x CON
  -5 to hit, -75% movement, save vs. stun every round or fall unconscious
  Injury Effect Table
  Injury Level
  Number of Hit Points
  Effect*
  Uninjured
  Up to 25% of total hit points
  No effect
  Lightly Injured
  26-50% of total hit points
  -1 to hit, -1 Dexterity modifier, -25% to movement
  Moderately Injured
  51-75% of total hit points
  -2 to hit, -2 Dexterity modifier, -1 Strength modifier, -50% to movement
  Heavily Injured
  76-99% of total hit points
  -3 to hit, -3 Dexterity modifier, -2 Strength modifier, -75% to movement
  *These modifiers stack with any fatigue penalities.
  
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Mutant Future/Wisdom From the Wastelands (MuFut)/Wisdom from the Wastelands #26 Energy Weapons.pdf