TEXT: wisdom
  Wastelands
  From
  The
  By Chris Van Deelen and the Skirmisher Game Development Group
  Issue #17:
  Artifact Conditions
  Inside this issue
  Primitive Firearms Ammunition,
  Primitive Firearms,
  Advanced Melee Weapons ..................... 2
  Advanced Pistols and Rifles, Armor,
  Encasing Military Armor ......................... 3
  Power Sources,
  Grenades/Bombs/Explosives,
  Powered Gadgets and Gizmos,
  Foodstuffs ................................................ 4
  Drugs, Repairing Items ............................. 5
  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).
  A
  rtifacts play a key role in Mutant Future. Like magical items in fantasy games, artifacts are treasures sought by
  adventuring parties that brave the mutant-infested ruins of the Ancients’ world. But often these treasures are in less
    than pristine condition due to factors such as age, neglect, or misuse.
  Although the rules provided in the Adventuring section of
  the Mutant Future core book are effective, sometimes both
  the Mutant Lord and the players (well, maybe just the ML)
  want something a little more dramatic. The following rules
  expand upon the Technology Condition table and make
  using that slightly-damaged weapon a little more
  interesting.
  Whenever a player character uses an artifact, there is a
  chance it might malfunction. Every time the item is used,
  whether it functioned previously or not, consult the
  Technology Condition table in the Mutant Future core book.
  If a malfunction results, roll on the appropriate artifact table
  below to see what happened.
  A few artifact categories require slightly more
  explanation beyond the tables. For instance, damage to
  power sources may only indicate they cannot hold full
  charges, so each category level represents a 20% maximum
  charge increment (e.g., condition 5 is 100%, condition 4 is
  80%). But, there is also a table for additional power source
  hazards below, should the ML wish the damage to be more
  substantial.
  Food is another special case, with each condition level
  of damage indicating a 20% chance the rations are
  contaminated. Thus, condition level 4 food has a 20% chance
  of being off, condition 3 has a 40% chance, and so on. Also,
  ML should remember the contamination could be just about
  anything—poison, radiation, chemicals (hallucinogens or
  acids), diseases, parasites, very small mutants, etc.
  Medical drugs are also not immune to damage. Over
  time, they could have been contaminated, or just expired and
  become ineffective.
  The last exception is Encasing Military Armor. When
  EMA is discovered, roll separately for each function to
  determine what still works, and what does not. Basically, if
  the suit is condition level 1, you can expect approximately
  80% of the attachments and capabilities to be inoperative.
  Break out that toolkit.
  
  2
  Wisdom from The Wastelands
  Primitive Firearms Ammunition
  Roll
  Effect
  01-50
  Dud. The round simply fails to fire.
  51-65
  Jammed. A round gets caught in the chamber or
  barrel, requiring 1d3 rounds to clear.
  66-75
  Weakened effect. The weapon fires, but the
  damage die is reduced by one category (e.g., a
  weapon that normally does 1d10 damage now
  does 1d8).
  76-85
  Weakened effect. The ammunition propellant has
  degraded, so the weapon’s effective range is now
  half. 
  86-95
  Cook off! The round ignites in the chamber,
  causing 1 condition level of damage to the
  weapon. The wielder must save versus energy or
  suffer the same damage the round would normally
  inflict. Save indicates no damage taken.
  96-00
  Catastrophic cook off! All rounds in the weapon
  explode! The weapon is destroyed, and the user
  must save versus energy or take damage equal to
  half the rounds left in the weapon (e.g., a
  handgun holding 8 rounds that do 1d6 damage
  each does 4d6 damage to the victim). Maximum
  damage is 10 dice. Save indicates the victim takes
  half damage. 
  Primitive Firearms
  Roll
  Effect
  01-50
  The weapon fails to fire. 
  51-65
  Trigger Jam. The weapon will continue to fire
  its maximum rate of fire until the wielder is able
  to unstick the trigger, which takes 1d3 rounds.
  Potentially hazardous to those nearby. 
  66-75
  Warped barrel. An irregularity in the weapon
  barrel causes the round to get stuck. The weapon
  is unusable until the barrel is fixed or replaced. 
  76-85
  Weakened components. Because the weapon’s
  parts are worn, the magazine falls free. The user
  must reinsert and reseat it, which takes 1d6
  rounds. 
  86-95
  Component failure. A part or series of parts fail
  in the weapon, causing it to lose 1 condition level,
  and range of the weapon is reduced to half. 
  96-00
  Catastrophic cook off! All rounds in the weapon
  explode, the weapon is destroyed, and the user
  must save versus energy or take damage equal to
  half the rounds left in the weapon (e.g., a
  handgun held 8 rounds that do 1d6 points of
  damage each, so the victim would suffer 4d6
  damage). Maximum damage is 10 dice. Save
  indicates the victim takes half damage. 
  Advanced Melee Weapons
  Roll
  Effect
  01-50
  The advanced portion of the weapon fails to
  function, so the weapon acts like a primitive
  melee weapon. For example, an energy mace
  loses the energy factor, but the weapon can still
  be used as a mace. This condition is permanent
  until fixed.
  51-65
  Electrical components loose. The weapon loses
  advanced feature but can be regained by taking
  1d3 rounds to reattach or tighten the loose wiring.
  This is condition permanent until fixed.
  66-75
  Power Fluctuation. The weapon works as usual,
  but the damage die is reduced by one category
  (e.g., a weapon that normally does 1d10 damage
  now does 1d8). This condition is permanent until
  fixed.
  76-85
  Power surge! The weapon uses 1d3 extra charges
  but otherwise works as normal. Despite the surge,
  the damage is not increased. This condition is
  permanent until fixed.
  86-95
  Overload! The weapon takes 1 condition level of
  damage, and the user must save versus energy or
  take the damage one attack would inflict. No
  damage if the save is successful. This condition
  is permanent until fixed.
  96-00
  Catastrophic failure! The weapon is destroyed
  as the energy cell explodes. Everything in a 15’
  radius takes damage based upon the 96-00 result
  under Power Sources (see below).
  
  Issue #17: Artifact Conditions
  3
  Advanced Pistols and Rifles
  Roll
  Effect
  01-50
  The weapon fails to fire.
  51-65
  Electrical components loose. Weapon will not fire
  until the loose wiring is reattached or tightened,
  which takes 1d3 rounds.
  66-75
  Trigger Jam. The weapon will continue to shoot
  at its maximum rate of fire until the wielder is
  able to unstick the trigger, which takes 1d3
  rounds. Potentially hazardous to those nearby.
  76-85
  Power surge! The weapon uses 1d3 extra charges
  but otherwise works as normal. Despite requiring
  the additional power, the weapon’s damage is not
  increased. This condition is permanent until fixed.
  86-95
  Energy Surge! The weapon takes 1 condition
  level of damage, and the weapon’s damage die is
  reduced by one category (e.g., a weapon that
  normally does 1d10 damage now does 1d8). This
  condition is permanent until fixed.
  96-00
  Catastrophic failure! The weapon is destroyed
  as the energy cell explodes. Everything in a 15’
  radius takes damage based upon the 96-00 result
  under Power Sources (see below).
  Armor (does not include EMA)
  Roll
  Effect
  01-50
  Straps and connections loose. The armor begins
  to fall apart! Lose 1d3 points of AC protection,
  plus any AC bonus due to Dexterity. It
  requires1d6 rounds to reattach all parts.
  51-65
  Malfunctioning joints. The armor’s joints begin
  to stick and freeze in place. Lose 1d3 points of
  AC protection, plus any AC bonus due to
  Dexterity. Movement is halved. It requires 3d3
  rounds to loosen joints.
  66-75
  Arm guards and gauntlets lock up. The user is
  considered slowed (slow mutant drawback), and
  it takes 2d6 rounds to fix the problem. 
  76-85
  Serious malfunction. If the armor provides
  damage resistance, it is negated. Lose 1d4 points
  of AC protection. Can be fixed in 3d6 rounds.
  86-95
  Plates and components fail. Armor takes 1
  condition level damage and armor protection is
  cut in half. 
  96-00
  Catastrophic failure. Any electrical components
  short out, causing the wearer 3d6 points of
  damage (save versus energy for half), and the
  armor is destroyed.
  Encasing Military Armor
  Roll
  Effect
  01-50
  Armor will not power up, all functions are non-
  operational. The user cannot move.
  51-65
  Servos malfunction. All movement is reduced by
  50%, user acquires the slow mutant mutation for
  1d8 rounds while the armor reboots and restores
  proper servo function. Armor class is reduced by
  1d4+1 for the duration.
  66-75
  A mounted weapon randomly mis-fires. If there
  are any weapon systems onboard, one fires
  without the user triggering it. Randomly choose
  a target and pray. If no weapon systems are
  available, a different function (chosen by the ML)
  breaks down and now no longer functions. 
  76-85
  Cascade failure. 1d3 random functions fail. There
  is a 50% chance that each will reboot in 1d6
  rounds. The user must roll for each failed
  function. If they do not reboot they are off-line
  until repaired. 
  86-95
  Component failure. Armor takes 1 condition level
  of damage and AC is reduced by 1d4.
  96-00
  Catastrophic system failure. Power feedback into
  the suit’s power system causes massive damage.
  Wearer takes damage based upon the 96-00 result
  under Power Sources (see below) and the suit is
  destroyed!
  
  4
  Wisdom from The Wastelands
  Power Sources
  Roll Effect
  01-50
  No additional effect
  51-65
  Item uses twice the amount of power required.
  This condition is permanent until fixed.
  66-75
  Item uses three times the amount of power
  required. This condition is permanent until fixed.
  76-85
  Power surge causes 1 condition level of damage
  to the item it is used in.
  86-95
  Power source melts down! Causes 1d3+1 levels
  of condition damage to item. Inflicts 1d6 points
  of heat damage PER CONDITION level lost, to
  everything in a 15' radius. Power source is
  destroyed. If mini-fusion, plutonium, or
  radioactive battery, it releases a burst of class 4,
  7, or 10 radiation (respectively) in a 100’ radius
  for 1d10 turns. 
  96-00
  Power source explodes! Both item and power
  source are destroyed. All creatures in a 30’ radius
  must save versus energy or take the following
  damage based upon power source type: power
  cell 3d6, power pack 5d6, power clip 8d6, power
  beltpack 12d6, power backpack 16d6, minifusion
  20d6, plutonium clip 25d6, radioactive battery
  30d6. The last three all produce class 4, 7, or 10
  radiation (respectively) in a 100’ radius for 4d6
  months.
  Grenades/Bombs/Explosives
  Roll 
  Effect
  01-50
  Fails to detonate. 
  51-65
  Detonates but does only 75% damage. 
  66-75
  Detonates but does only 75% damage and has
  50% the usual range. 
  76-85
  Detonates but does only 50% damage and has
  25% the usual range. 
  86-95
  Detonates but does only 25% damage and has
  25% the usual range.
  96-00
  Detonates but does only 10% damage and has
  10% the usual range. 
  Powered Gadgets and Gizmos
  (includes medical devices)
  Roll 
  Effect
  01-50
  Fails to work. 
  51-65
  Item uses double the amount of energy to
  function. This condition is permanent until fixed.
  66-75
  Item uses triple the amount of energy to function
  normally. This condition is permanent until fixed.
  76-85
  Some function of the item fails to work. It can be
  brought back online in 1d6 rounds. 
  86-95
  Component failure. Item fails to function at all
  and loses 1 condition level. 
  96-00
  Catastrophic failure. The item malfunctions
  spectacularly and is destroyed! Everyone in a 15’
  radius takes damage based upon the 96-00 result
  under Power Sources (see above).
  Foodstuffs
  Roll 
  Effect
  01-40
  Provides no nutritional value. 
  41-50
  Mild poison (class 1-4) 
  51-60
  Moderate poison (class 5-10) 
  61-65
  Deadly poison (class 11-18) 
  66-70
  Food has become acidic. A save versus poison
  means the character will suffer no ill effects.
  Failure means the character takes 4d6 damage,
  and must save again next round. This damage
  continues and lessens by 1d6 for three more
  rounds, or until the character saves, i.e., round 2
  would be 3d6, round 3 would be 2d6, and the
  last 1d6. 
  71-90
  Contains a disease (save versus poison). ML
  should choose the type of disease present, or
  create a suitably nasty one that has infected the
  food. 
  91-95
  Food contains a tiny mutant—and it is not happy
  that you tried to eat it. Roll for initiative. ML
  needs to decide the type of mutant present.
  96-00
  Somehow the food has become contaminated and
  causes genetic damage. Lose 1d2 points from one
  statistic, or 1 randomly determined mutation.
  
  Issue #17: artifact conditions
  5
  Drugs
  Roll 
  Effect
  01-40
  The drug simply does not work. Try a placebo. 
  41-50
  The drug works moderately well, providing 75%
  of the effect. 
  51-60
  The drug is not as effective as it should have been,
  providing 50% of the effect.
  61-70
  The drug barely works, providing 25% of the
  effect.
  71-80
  The drug is contaminated. It acts as a mild poison
  (class 1-4), with no beneficial effect.
  81-90
  The drug is contaminated. It acts as a moderate
  poison (class 5-10), with no beneficial effect.
  91-95
  The drug is contaminated. It acts as a deadly
  poison (class 11-18), with no beneficial effect.
  96-00
  The drug causes permanent genetic damage. Lose
  1d2 points from one statistic, or 1 randomly
  determined mutation. 
  Repairing Items
  Many of the previous tables may cause an item to lose
  condition levels. If an item is reduced to condition level 0, it
  is considered destroyed. However, this does not mean the
  item may explode or suffer a similar catastrophic failure; it
  just ceases to function. It may be repaired using the rules
  provided below.
  In the Mutant Future corebook, the Adventuring section
  does provide players with a means to repair artifacts they
  discover in the wastes. However, the following expansion
  ideas can be used to make the dealing with artifacts a little
  more interesting. When using them, the character must first
  understand how to operate the artifact in question, and then
  must make a repair roll to successfully employ any of the
  rules presented below.
  Also, it is possible some items simply cannot be repaired.
  For example, a ML could decide spoiled food may not be
  brought to a higher condition, and you take your chances
  when you try to eat it. The same can apply to medical drugs,
  that there is no way to repair condition damage the item may
  have sustained. If this is the case, the ML could decide that
  certain artifacts like Drugs or Foodstuffs might always be in
  pristine condition when discovered. Or, if a ML has access
  to Wisdom of the Wastelands issue 13, “Medical Equipment,”
  she could decide that a medical compatibility computer could
  also be used to restore a drug to condition level 5.
  Cost of Repair
  Repairing an item requires parts that cost 10% of the list
  price per damaged condition level. For example, repairing
  an item in condition level 4 will require parts costing only
  10% of the initial item price and one in condition 3 would
  require 20%, while an item in condition 0 would require
  50%. It is obviously cheaper to repair an item than purchase
  a condition 5 item. Unfortunately, many equipment items
  are not given prices; when using this rule, the ML is
  encouraged to come up with an item cost.
  Cannibalizing Items for Repair
  This is another method of repairing artifacts, by exchanging
  good parts from one item for damaged parts on an identical
  item. As an example, several adventurers find four assault
  rifles in the lair of a mutant monster they dispatched. The
  rifles are in condition 1, 2, 3, and 3, respectively. By using a
  straight one-for-one swap, the party can cannibalize the good
  parts from the level 1 and level 2 rifles to repair one level 3
  rifle to condition 4 and the other to condition 5. If they had
  found three rifles in condition 1, 1, and 3, the party could
  have repaired one rifle to condition level 5, at the cost of the
  other two.
  Swapping Similar Items for Repair
  This is very similar to cannibalizing items, but rather than
  using identical items, they can be similar, instead. In order
  to affect a repair, the character can trade condition levels on
  a 2 for 1 basis. As an example, a character with a condition
  3 assault rifle and a condition 2 hunting rifle could sacrifice
  the latter to repair the former, bringing assault rifle up to
  condition 4.
  The ML can rule the swap cost could be higher. For
  example, using parts of an assault rifle to repair a laser rifle
  might require swapping 3 levels for 1, or the ML could decide
  this procedure will simply not work.
  Time to Repair
  The time to repair an item is equal to the condition level
  multiplied by the complexity class time modifier (see below).
  As an example, if a character wishes to repair one condition
  level on a slightly damaged slug gun (complexity class 1)
  this will require one hour. However, if the slug gun was only
  condition level 1 and the character wanted to bring it up to
  condition level 5, this repair would take four hours. More
  complicated artifacts, like computers (complexity class 3),
  will take much longer to fix: repairing one of these from
  condition level 3 to condition level 5 would require two days.
  Note that this is a general rule of thumb. The ML should
  increase or decrease the amount of time required depending
  on exactly what the character wants to do, how badly damaged
  the item is, and how complex an item is.
  Time and Complexity Table
  Complexity Class
  Time Required
  Level 1
  1 hour
  Level 2
  12 hours
  Level 3
  1 day
  Tools
  The ML can also modify the chance of success and time it
  takes to repair an item by using tools. Wisdom from the
  Wastelands issue #1 covers toolkits and the modifiers, but if
  the ML does not have this issue, a good rule on the fly should
  cover things: without tools, reduce the character’s chance to
  fix an item by up to 25%, and multiply the repair time by
  four.
  
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  Wisdom from The Wastelands
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  2012 Skirmisher Publishing LLC, all
  rights reserved.
  Mutant FutureTM is copyright 2008,
  Daniel Proctor and Ryan Denison. Mu-
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