GAMMA WORLD ARTIFACT USE AND OPERATION
This is an alternate house rule to replace the charts found on p. 31 of Gamma World 1st edition.
The Artifact Experimentation table below uses a roll of percentile dice (d100 or d%) for each 12 minutes spent working with a device. If the character has the Heightened Brain Talent mutation, each roll only requires 4 minutes.
ARTIFACT EXPERIMENTATION
* 04 or less … Mishap
* 05 to 84 … No Progress
* 85 or more … Partial Progress
Modifiers…
* +20 … Pure Strain Human
* +10 … Heightened Intelligence mutation
* +10 … Heightened Touch mutation
* +10 … Molecular Understanding mutation
* +5 … Dual Brain mutation
* +5 … Genius Capability (Scientific Genius) mutation
* -10 … No Sensory Nerve Endings mutation
* -10 to -40 … Device already damaged or in disrepair
MISHAP: Bombs and energy cells explode, mechanisms break, and power sources rupture. Those nearby suffer harm and the device is permanently ruined.
NO PROGRESS: Work is safe but fails to generate any new insights.
PARTIAL PROGRESS: Experimentation helps learn how the device operates. The number of Partial Progress results required to make the device functional depends on the device’s complexity:
* SIMPLE DEVICE: Requires three (3) Progress results to function. A mishap cause 2-12 (2d6) damage to all within 5 meters (about 15 feet). Examples: pistols, rifles, energy weapons, grenades, bombs, missiles, defensive armor, portent, energy cloak, control baton, communication sender, anti-grav sled, UV/IR goggles.
* ADVANCED DEVICE: Requires five (5) Progress results to function. A mishap causes Radiation Exposure of 1 to 6 intensity (1d6) to all within 10 meters (about 30 feet). Examples: offensive armor, combustion vehicle, turbine car, hover car, flit car, medi-kit, energy cell charger, robotic unit, rejuv-chamber, stasis chamber.
* COMPLEX DEVICE: Requires seven (7) Progress results to function. A mishap causes Radiation Exposure of 2 to 12 intensity (2d6) to all within 20 meters (about 60 feet), and half that intensity (round down) out to 40 meters (about 120 feet). Examples: environmental car, bubble car, permanent cybernetic installation, think tank, life ray, main building computer, broadcast power station.