[Review] Twisted Genomes: Wasteland Mutations - 400+ New Mutations!

Many of the post-apocalyptic RPGs we love have it right there in the title: Mutant Crawl Classics, Mutant Future, Mutant: Year Zero, Mutant Chronicles, etc. We love our mutants and their mutations, but the scant tables and listings in these RPGs often don't allow for much variety (MCC has a little over 100 mutations in the core book - and a quarter of them are defects!) If you want to truly warp, twist, and mutate your games with a wide variety of new mutations, I suggest you check out Twisted Genomes: Wasteland Mutations by Dungeon Remixer.

Written by Derek Holland, who has produced a ton of content for post-apocalyptic games over the years, Twisted Genomes offers more than 400 new radioactivity-triggered, genome-twisting powers to bless (or curse) your Blasted Earth denizens with. The front of the book initially covers three different categories: physical, mental, and plant-based mutations. At the start of each chapter is a table that lists the mutations within and to allow the judge/player to randomly roll their mutations. And these are not your standard Mind Blast or Telekinesis abilities. For example, Fleshreader lets you read the thoughts of a being just by coming into contact with a piece of that being. Spider Palm lets you detach your hand and control it like a familiar. Body-warping abilities like Facial Shift and Flexible Skeleton are here, as well as truly bizarre powers like Barf Guts and Bubble Blower. Several of the mutations also have their own sub-tables allowing for even more variation.

Each mutation throughout the hefty tome (150+ pages) is nicely described with at least a full paragraph explaining how it is triggered and what its effect would be. A good amount of spot art throughout helps to illustrate several of the abilities. Rounding out the book are two appendixes. The first appendix contains alternate and expanded rules for several of the mutations, as well as advice on creating your own. And although Twisted Genomes was written for Gobinoid Games' Mutant Future, the second appendix contains conversion guidelines and notes on how to implement these new mutations in other RPGs, including -- yes -- Mutant Crawl Classics. 

I will likely get a lot of use out of Twisted Genomes, both as a resource for new PC/NPC mutations as well as for inspiration for some truly horrific mutant beasties in the future. ("The creature's spilled blood coagulates into small biting flies which begin to attack as well. Roll for new initiative.") This mutation resource book now has a place of honor next to my well-worn copy of The Metamorphica. Judge Sniderman says, "Check it out."