The first step in character creation is genotype selection. This is the equivalent of the character race in other games. The world of Ground Zero offers a wide selection of post-human genotypes to choose from. Stock humans descend from the 'normal' survivors of the Crash, who have lived, bred, and prospered in the aftermath of Armageddon. Near-humans possess some minor mutations, but are more-or-less human. And mutant humans are decidedly inhuman. Additional Genotypes are also available at the GM's discretion.
(For the Tribal Defenders campaign, you must pick either the near-human or mutant human genotype. Depending on player experience, PCs from the Ruins of Gary can be of any these genotypes. All three genotypes are also available for the Wastelords campaign.)
Stock humans, the genetic baseline in Ground Zero, are the most familiar branch of humanity - though no longer the most common. They are like us in most ways, though they are hardier than the people of the modern Western world. Despite the competition from other genotypes, mutants in particular, stock humans may yet reclaim their position as the dominant species.
Stock Human Traits:
Stock humans possess the following species traits:
- Attributes: Stock humans determine their attributes randomly and receive no modifiers to their rolls.
- Size & Speed: Stock humans are medium-sized creatures and have a base speed of 30 ft.
- Bonus Talent: Stock humans must compete against mutants, robots, giant insects, and sentient appliances. Only the adaptable survive, thus all stock humans receive a bonus class talent at character creation. (They must meet all regular prerequisites for the bonus talent.)
- Medical Compatibility: Most pre-Crash medicines, cybertech, biotech, and nanotech was originally designed for humans. Unlike many others, stock humans can use these medicines, grafts, and implants normally; no medical incompatibility check is required. They also have an easier time controlling nanotech powers (base DC 10).
One step removed from their stock human forbears, near-humans (also called 'sports', or 'spooks' if they have no obvious physical mutations) are the most common genotype in the world of Ground Zero. Each near-human possesses several abnormalities, but can probably still pass as a 'normal' human, if required.
Near-humans can possess additional trivial mutations with inconsequential game effects (a vestigal tail or forked tongue, for example). Such abnormalities are considered normal in this post-apocalyptic setting.
Near-Human Traits:
Near-humans possess the following species traits:
- Attributes: Near-humans determine their attributes randomly and receive no modifiers to their rolls.
- Size & Speed: Near-humans are medium-sized creatures and have a base speed of 30 ft.
- Mutant Perks: A near-human character possesses a few randomly-determined mutant perks, paid for with Build Points. The player can decide to roll for one or two minor mutant perks or one medium mutant perk. Minor mutant perks cost 2 BPs each, while a medium mutant perk costs 4 BPs.
- Mutant Flaws: Conversely, a near-human possesses at least one randomly-determined mutant flaw. The player decides whether to roll for one or two minor mutant flaws or one medium mutant flaw. Minor mutant flaws grant 2 BPs, while a medium mutant flaw grants 4 BPs. The character is not required to have the same BPs worth of perks as flaws.
- Mutation Limit: Near-humans can have a maximum of four separate mutations (two minor perks and two minor flaws).
- Medical Compatibility: Most pre-Crash medicines, cybertech, biotech, and nanotech was originally designed for humans. Near-humans are close enough, so they can use these medicines, grafts, and implants normally; no medical incompatibility check is required. They also have an easier time controlling nanotech powers (base DC 10).
Humans were the masters of the Ancient Age, but in the world of Ground Zero their mutated descendents populate the wastes. Mutants (also known as 'new-men') are a diverse lot; they include men with scales and gills and women with wings, individuals with amazing mental powers and great physical prowess (and sometimes both). The only certainty about mutants is that when you see one, you probably have never seen another like it before.
An individual's mutations may originate from the deliberate genetic engineering of their ancestors, accidents that occured because of the biotech soup floating in the air and water, the background radiation left over from the Crash, or the desperate attempts by nature to put things right. In addition to their notable perks and flaws, mutants typically possess a host of additional abnormalities that have no game effects (such as a different number of fingers and toes, or perhaps a third nipple).
Though the player can spend BPs to reroll unwanted mutant perks and defects, the PC may be saddled with undesired or innapropriate mutations. See the Mutations page for more details.
Mutant Human Traits:
Mutant humans possess the following species traits:
- Attributes: Mutant humans determine their attributes randomly and receive no modifiers to their rolls, other than possible adjustments for mutations.
- Size & Speed: Most mutant humans are medium-sized creatures and have a base speed of 30 ft (some mutations will alter these stats).
- Mutant Perks: Mutants are blessed with a variety of special abilities. The character possesses one or more randomly-determined mutant perks, paid for with Build Points. The player decides how many mutant perks their character possesses and their distribution between the minor, medium, and major categories. Minor mutant perks cost 2 BPs each, medium mutant perks cost 4 BPs each, and major mutant perks cost 6 BPs each.
- Mutant Flaws: Conversely, mutants are cursed with a variety of genetic defects, possessing at least as many BPs worth of random flaws as his single most costly perk. The player decides the number of flaws and their severity, receiving BPs in compensation. Minor mutant flaws grant 2 BPs, medium mutant flaws grant 4 BPs, and major mutant flaws grant 6 BPs. The character is not required to have the same BPs worth of perks as flaws.
- Mutation Limit: Mutants can have a maximum of ten separate mutations (perks and flaws), including Medical Incompatibility (described below). Advanced versions of the same perk or flaw only count as a single mutation. Some mutant perks and flaws (such as Bicephalous or Tumourization) can include sub-mutations, but they are treated as only one total towards the overall limit.
- Medical Incompatibility: The mutant automatically has the Medical Incompatibility flaw and does not benefit as easily from medicines, cybertech, biotech, or nanotech designed for normal humans. He must make a Fortitude save (base DC 15) or suffer a random medical incompatibility effect when using most medicines, grafts, and implants. He also have a harder time controlling nanotech powers (base DC 15). (The character does not receive any build points for this flaw.)
- Mutant Talents: Mutants can select mutant talents in place of class talents as long as all prerequisites are met. These talents can strengthen mutant perks, mitigate mutant flaws, and provide additional mutation-related abilities.
- Level Adjustment: Due to their special abilities, mutant humans are more powerful than other genotypes and are treated as being one class level higher than for purposes of overall character effectiveness, for challenge levels, and for determining how many experience points the character needs to gain a new level.
PCs of some genotypes are more powerful than other characters of the same level. Such genotypes are assigned a level adjustment - a number that, when added to a character's class levels, determines the overall level to which he would be equivalent. A level adjustment provides a numeric comparison with a standard stock human, showing how much 'better' that genotype is than the genetic baseline.
Effectively, characters with a level adjustment have one or more 'genotype levels' because they can succeed at greater challenges than their class level would indicate. They will also advance more slowly and face stronger foes than a stock human character with the same number of class levels.