Mutant Trolls: d100 Mutations

Mutant Trolls

Trolls in my setting originally come from an area that was transformed into an irradiated wasteland. The combination of high background radiation and the trolls' regenerative healing powers have created a slightly smaller but significantly more dangerous species that can rapidly mutate. Now they have spread out across the continent through underground cave networks and adapted to each new environment in turn. They are kept well away from the great cities, and as a whole still fear the light of the sun. You'll see them on all of my terrain-based random encounter tables with a note about any automatic mutations they may have.

The 2^nd Edition AD&D Monstrous Compendium Annual Vol. 4 is probably my least favorite of the series, but it contains an entry called “Troll Mutate” (pg. 84) that always seemed just shy of great. Mutating trolls are way more fun than regular trolls. Why even use regular trolls? Sadly, not only is the mutation table in the book merely a 1d12, it only has TEN? entries.

Whut?  We have Jon Pickens to thank for this.

I have expanded that weak list to one hundred entries, specific to these mutant trolls, but potentially useful as a general Biological Mutation table. The trolls in the MCA4 at half size were too small, I've made them one quarter smaller than normal (i.e. 6 HD in 5e). Also, I prefer the mutations to begin after twenty HP are regained, and that they are created fully formed and functional. It's also more fun to fight a monster that mutates during the course of a battle and the MCA4 trolls don't really achieve that the way they're written.

Beyond the ability of normal trolls severed body parts to keep moving and attacking, mutant trolls possess another power. If multiple trolls are reduced to zero HP (without using fire or acid) in the same area and allowed to regenerate, they may fuse together into a huge Troll Abomination, adding their HD together and increasing their combined strength and attacks.

You can use the table as a single d100 or two separate d50 lists. The first fifty contains all the “no effect”, low effect, and negative effect results (among some good ones), while the second fifty are all good rolls except for 00. Rolling for the first mutation with d50 and each subsequent one with d100 works. Some of the entries have a second, greater effect to use if duplicates are rolled.

You can randomize mutation placement, particularly if the obvious location gets crowded, by using a “body die” or rolling 1d12: 1 Full Body, 2 Head, 3 Stomach, 4 Chest, 5 Left Arm, 6 Left Hand, 7 Left Leg, 8 Left Foot, 9 Right Arm, 10 Right Hand, 11 Right Leg, 12 Right Foot.

 

Mutant Troll Mutation Table

01 Suction Cup Fingers – scale sheer surfaces with ease, may be able to climb upside down.

02 Extra Fingers – no effect.

03 Extra Thumbs – no effect.

04 Longer Claws – slight increase to claw attack damage.

05 Extra Knuckles - no effect.

06 Extra Hands – slight increase to claw attack or damage.

07 Extra Arm Joint – extended claw attack reach.

08 Disease Vector – ten percent of bite, claw, or any other physical attacks transmit a randomly chosen debilitating disease (1d4). Double chance of transmission if rerolled.

  1 Nausea

  2 Weakness

  3 Boils

  4 Death

09 Extra Leg – increase to movement rate.

10 Extra Leg Joint – slight increase to movement rate.

11 Tentacle – additional grapple attack.

12 Suction Cup Toes – scale sheer surfaces with ease, may be able to climb upside down.

13 Horn Clubbed Tail – tail tipped with a mace-like knot of horn.

14 Extra Liver – additional external liver, no effect.

15 Prehensile Tail – dexterous tail able to grapple and manipulate objects.

16 Scaled Skin – armor class increases somewhat.

17 Chitinous Plating – armor class increases significantly.

18 Stinging Nematocysts – body covered in venomous cells that cause wracking pains.

19 Extra Bladder – additional external bladder, no effect.

20 Sticky Blood – highly adhesive ichor, weapons may stick in wounds, difficult to grapple.

21 Acidic Blood – oxygen activated acidic ichor.

22 Greasy Blood – slippery ichor may grease surfaces, difficult to grapple.

23 Stinking Musk – may spray nauseating oil from specialized glands once every three rounds. Spray once per round if rerolled.

24 Extra Teeth – slight increase to bite attack damage.

25 Extra Heart – additional external heart, no effect.

26 Madness – erratic behaviors, takes actions as if confused, attacking trolls and non-trolls alike.

27 Black Ink Spit – may spew blinding ink once every three rounds. Spew once per round if rerolled.

28 Bat Ears – highly developed hearing, enhances perception, more difficult to surprise.

29 Poison Immunity – immune to normal poisons, half effect from magical poisons.

30 Pincer – an appendage ends in a crab-like pincer.

31 Quills – substantial portion of body covered with hollow spines or quills, deals additional grapple damage and has a chance to harm melee attackers.

32 Telescopic Neck – extended bite attack reach.

33 Exaggerated Spinal Ridge – resists decapitation.

34 Heightened Immune System – immune to normal diseases, half effect from magical diseases.

35 Digging Claws – heavy fused fingernails that can tunnel through earth at half movement. Tunnel at full movement if rerolled.

36 Segmented Antennae – able to “taste” trace compounds in the air.

37 Vestigial Wings – no effect.

38 Additional Nostrils – enhances perception, harder to surprise.

"Nearly all troll mutates have additional eyes and a
third limb."  0/2, I wonder if this is Brian Despain's
fault, or whoever gave him the description?

39 Enlarged Eyes – natural infravision extends by fifty percent. Extends by one hundred percent if rerolled.

40 Albinism – lack of pigment results in white skin run through with green and black veins, minor issues with vision and hearing, hyper-sensitive to light to the point of damage.

41 Choking Smoke – when burned with fire or acid, oily black nausea inducing smoke is created in great volume.

42 Enlarged Mouth & Stomach – swallows creatures one size smaller on a critical hit.

43 Dorsal Fin – slight increase to swimming speed.

44 Tail Fin – slight increase to swimming speed.

45 Hand & Foot Webbing – slight increase to swimming speed.

46 Eyestalks – enhances perception, harder to surprise.

47 Extra Eyes – additional 1d3 eyes, enhances perception, harder to surprise.

48 Current Sense – able to detect the electromagnetic fields produced by living tissue, enhances perception, harder to surprise.

49 Semi-permeable Skin – amphibious.

50 Gill Slits – amphibious.

51 Sonic Shriek – deafens and damages those within earshot once every three rounds. May shriek once per round if rerolled.

52 Summoning Shriek – tone that can carry for miles, drawing more mutant trolls and potentially other interested creatures.

53 Extrudeable Tongue – frog or chameleon-like tongue, may use it to drag a target closer and bite once every three rounds.

54 Hypnotic Gaze – may attempt to paralyze a target meeting and maintaining its gaze.

55 Wizard Eyes – able to see invisible creatures, through illusions, and true forms.

56 Bone Blades – sharp protrusions of bone from the joints, additional slashing attack.

57 Extra Head – additional bite attack and higher intelligence, +2.

58 Stinger Tail – tail tipped with a venomous scorpion stinger adds a randomly chosen poison effect (1d4).

  1 Nauseating

  2 Paralytic

  3 Necrotic

  4 Deadly

59 Straight Horns – antelope-like horns, may use a charge attack.

60 Antlers – elk-like antlers, may use a charge attack.

61 Chromatophores – color changing cells allow near perfect camouflage.

62 Extra Arm – additional claw attack.

63 Spiral Horns – ram-like horns, may use a charge attack.

64 Proboscis – blood-sucking facial appendage latches on and drains continuously.

Scaled up spinnerets pointing at you.

65 Insectile Wings – functional veined wings allow flight at three quarters movement speed. Fly at one hundred and fifty percent movement speed if rerolled.

66 Spinnerets – silk-spinning organs, may ensnare a target once every three rounds. May ensnare once per round if rerolled.

67 Bioluminescent Organ – bulbous glowing organ, may use it to create a blinding flash attack once every five rounds.

68 Venomous Fangs – bite attack adds a randomly chosen poison effect (1d4).

  1 Nauseating

  2 Paralytic

  3 Necrotic

  4 Deadly

69 Chiropteran Wings – functional membranous wings allow flight at three quarters movement speed. Fly at one hundred and fifty percent movement speed if rerolled.

70 Solar Protection – unaffected by ultraviolet radiation, half damage from light attacks. Immune to light attacks if rerolled.

71 Extra Mouth – allows an additional bite attack.

72 Conductive Skin – half damage from electrical attacks. Immune to electrical attacks if rerolled.

73 Cold Resistant Fats – half damage from cold attacks. Immune to cold attacks if rerolled.

74 Acid Resistant Waxes – half damage from acidic attacks.

75 Fire Resistant Mucous – half damage from fiery attacks, cannot be set alight.

76 Mitochondrial Burst – may forego regeneration for a short period to act as if hasted twice daily.

77 Adrenal Rage – may auto-mutilate and enter a berserk frenzy twice daily.

78 Feathered Wings – functional feathery wings allow flight at three quarters movement speed. Fly at one hundred and fifty percent movement speed if rerolled.

79 Acidic Spit – may spew burning acid once every three rounds. May spew once per round if rerolled.

80 Sharper Wit – higher intelligence, +4. Gets 1d3 wizard spellcasting levels if rerolled.

81 Focused Mind – higher wisdom, +4. Gets 1d3 cleric spellcasting levels if rerolled.

82 Telekinetic – may forego bite to employ a crushing attack or manipulate an object up to intelligence x10 feet away.

83 Telepathic – able to communicate with or read the thoughts of intelligent beings up to intelligence x10 feet away.

Suriname Toad.  This picture is so good I'm tempted to make
trolls look pretty much the same.

84 Magnetically Repulsive – repels iron-based weapons and objects with magnetic bones.

85 Troll Spawn Carrier – covered with tiny parasitic troll-lets inside individual breeding pouches, they can be transferred to a target with a claw attack and behave like rot grubs.

86 Parasitic Cancers – covered with tumorous growths, the disease is transferable to targets with a bite, claw, or any physical attack, and begins to slowly transform the host into a troll.

87 Detachable Appendages – may drop an arm, leg, tail, etc. at will.

88 Dense Flesh – weight is doubled, half damage from slashing and piercing attacks.

89 Rubbery Body – skeleton becomes cartilaginous, able to squeeze through tight spaces, half damage from falling and crushing attacks.

90 Radioactive – causes withering effects on close contact with non-trolls. May create a radioactive burst once every three rounds if rerolled.

91 Rapid Mutation Cycling – reroll this mutation every three rounds.

92 Antimagic Organ – visible crystalline structure cancels half of nearby magics.

93 Double in Size – doubles evenly in size, adjust strength and constitution accordingly.

94 Triple in Size – triples evenly in size, adjust strength and constitution accordingly.

95 Regeneration Factor Doubles – recovers twice as many HP per round.

96 Regeneration Factor Triples – recovers three times as many HP per round.

97 Mentally Dominates Other Trolls – able to psychically control other trolls up to intelligence x10 feet away.

98 Physically Absorbs Other Trolls – able to undergo fusion with other trolls on contact.

99 Evolutionary Leap – progress further on the path of the Über Troll, +2 to all abilities.

00 Collapse into Green Slime – troll's body loses cohesion and decomposes into a like amount of green slime.

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In case you are interested in the MCA4 Troll Mutate entry in its fully wonky glory.  The poor little things don't seem to mutate meaningfully unless you beat on them then run off and do something else for a day.  Which in my experience is not how players deal with trolls.  The queen troll thing is fine, if played, but I prefer sexless trolls that reproduce through hormone triggered fits of intra-species violence: limbs are severed and rather than reconnecting are compelled to grow into troll-lets.  But I also like trolls as cancer, trolls as virus, and the above parasitic troll spawn (Suriname Toad lifecycle) thing.

d100 Familiars

When you cast the Find Familiar spell, roll on the table, you may add or subtract your level – 1 to your roll.  If you dislike all available options you may cancel the spell, the material components (at least 100gp worth) are consumed and you are unable to cast the spell again for one month.  If your familiar is killed you take permanent CON damage and must wait one year to cast the spell again.

O = offensive familiars can be compelled to any action.

I = inoffensive familiars, most grant powers when in physical contact with their master, some are useful enough without any power beyond their empathic connection to their masters..

01-50 are natural creatures suitable for anyone, 51-00 are the weirder ones. Potentially, roll on the table then you may +/- = your level – 1, to influence the roll.

01 Toad – I – your skin secretes a nauseating ingested poison at will.

02 Sloth – I – slows the progression of poisons and diseases by half.

03 Fox – I – your lies become slightly more believable.

04 Squirrel – I - you may spider climb once per day.

05 Gorgonopsid – O – plains pack predator.

06 Donkey – I – what more could one want than an obedient donkey?

07 Fruit Bat – I - grants you darkvision and immunity to ingested poison.

08 Nectivorous Bat – I – improves your dexterity saves and perception checks.

09 Weasel – I - your lies become slightly more believable.

10 Badger – O – fierce fighter to the death.

11 Toucan – I - your sense of smell is heightened, knows one language.

12 Iguana – I – your saves against heat and cold are improved.

13 Raven – I - speaks and teaches you another language.

14 Gecko – I – you may spider climb once per day.

15 Finch – I – speaks and teaches you another language.

16 Parrot – I – can remember and reproduce sounds and voices.

17 Tamarin – I - slightly increases your dexterity saves.

18 Possum – O – you soak one point per die of cold damage.

19 Wild Cat – O – various cat types.

20 Wild Dog – O – various dog types.

21 Wombat – I – you may consume half as much water as normal for one month.

22 Tarantula – O - poison severity grows with your level.

23 Chameleon – I – you may camouflage yourself against any natural background for as long as you do not move and hold your breath.

24 Constrictor Snake – O – crushing serpent, continuously grows as you level.

25 Hare – I – your running speed increases by five feet.

26 Wallaby – I – your running speed increases by five feet.

27 Venomous Snake – O – poison severity grows with your level.

28 Giant Centipede – O – poison severity grows with your level.

29 Owl – I – grants you darkvision, increases your perception checks.

30 Giant Snail – I – you may close your eyes and stay perfectly still to raise your armor class.

31 Peccary – I – your sense of smell is heightened, your constitution saves improve slightly.

32 Luna Moth – I – you have a near perfect internal compass.

33 Rat – I – slightly increases your dexterity saves.

34 Monitor Lizard – O – medium-sized water lizard.

35 Scarab (Dungbeetle) – I – you my feign death once a day, and reincarnate randomly when killed.

36 Hummingbird – I – increases your dexterity saves and perception checks, you eat 50% more food.

37 Coelophysis – O – small clever therapod.

38 Turtle – I – improves armor class and allows you to hold your breath underwater the higher your level.

39 Mudskipper – I – you may begin to breath only water after waiting one turn, you may breath air again by waiting another turn.

40 Falcon – O – various raptor types.

41 Stirge – O – you gain one of every ten points drained as hp, up to your level.

42 Desert Tortoise – I – improves armor class and you require half as much water.

43 Anteater – I – you suffer half the effects of poisons, and are immune to the stings of insects.

44 Stick Insect – I – you may camouflage yourself against any natural background for as long as you do not move and hold your breath.

45 Lemur – I – agile and dexterous prosimian.

46 Echidna – I - you suffer half the effects of poisons, and are immune to the stings of insects.

47 Giant Tick – O – can transfer a small portion of its stored hit points to you.

48 Porcupine – O – quills for all occasions.

49 Mantis – I – your unarmed attacks are improved.

50 Goat – O – what more could one want than an obedient goat?

51 Armadillo – I – whenever you take cover your bonus is doubled.

52 Bunipillar – I - you eat 50% more food, you have one bonus hit point per level.

53 Vulture – I – you can eat spoiled food and resist disease.

54 Pangolin – I – improves your armor class and saves against insect venoms.

55 Skunk – O – black and white musk-spraying polecat.

56 Peak Peeper – I – squat tail-less mountain prosimian.

57 Archaeopteryx – O – ancient protobird.

58 Eudimorphodon – I - speaks and teaches you another language.

59 Hedgehog – I – any physical attack against you deals one damage back to the attacker.

60 Giant Cockroach – I – all your saves increase a small amount.

61 Aerial Eel – O – toothy blue-gray eel that swims gracefully through the air.

62 Adorable Flying Creature – I – looks just like a cat/rabbit/puppy/fox/bear with feathery wings but swears it is a baby dragon, mostly useless, but speaks (to you) and maybe one day...

63 Lantern Beetle – I – very large firefly, functions as an at-will light spell, can deliver a blinding flash daily.

64 Shambling Lump – I – bonsai shambling mound.

65 Jinxer – I – furry wide-mouthed hopping scavenger, can target an opponent with minor curses and bad luck.

66 Floral Felus – O – predatory and highly mobile quadrupedal flora beast.

67 Brownie – I – bound hearth spirit, only performs household-type duties, essentially a personal magic butler.

68 Grilly Pig – I – plump & furry mammalian creature, its flesh makes a nourishing meal for five people, it then grows back from its leftover hard stump of a tail in a single night without complaint.

69 Flying Squid – I – elegant aerial cephalopod, improves your dexterity saves, can release a small ink cloud once a day.

70 Kuppa – I – furry, hollow-backed frog creature, if its hollow can be kept full of water it will confer fire resistance and the strength to bear heavier burdens.

71 Bound Spirit – I – someone's ancestor, knowledgeable in certain historic events, languages, religions, etc.

72 Minyacorn – I – small furry and scaled single horned creature, can lay on hands once a day.

73 Cerebral Parasite – I – you become host to a beneficial brain worm that connects you to the astral plane.

74 Living Cauldron – O – animate cookware, perfect for magical concoctions, capable of changeing size and turning any monster into magical food.

75 Miniature Spidercat – O – neither a spider nor a cat, a spiny long-limbed mammal with too many joints.

76 Floating Skull – I – well-informed skull is able to answer questions about various topics.

77 Hydromander – I – salamander with minor water control and creation powers.

78 Low Tier Wide Vibrational Being – O – least among celestial beings they take a variety of odd forms, their true essence is spread over a wide area.

79 Antigrav Jelly – I – floating jelly that can absorb certain kinds of energy as it drifts on the edge of the astral plane.

80 Expandible Elephant – O – miniature pachyderm that can be commanded to grow to the size of a dog, a horse, or an elephant, but then must remain that size for a full day.

81 Zorbo – I – small koala-like animal that can absorb the hardness and other properties of materials it touches and pass some of those on to you.

82 Hotter – O – burning otter that swims through the air on its own flames.

83 Wizard Hand – I – your own severed hand, free from your body to fly about and able to cast certain spells.

84 Tulpa – (O) – imaginary servant of your own design, able to physically manifest more forcefully as you level.

85 Jaculani – O – thin metallic serpent that can lock its spine to be rigid as a spear, and even assist in throwing itself.

86 Coeurl – I – sickly kitten-like creature knows 1d4 spells & magic missile.

87 Geodeon – I – living ioun stone, each with a different geomagical effect.

88 Mephit (1d8) – O – foot tall imp of elemental...

1. Fire

2. Air

3. Earth

4. Water

5. Lightning

6. Ice

7. Smoke

8. Crystal

89 Foo Dog (Tiny) – O – faithful celestial guardian, happiest when its rigid nap regiment is kept.

90 Turban Worm – I – intelligence boosting hat mimic, needs a bit of your blood.

91 Flame Snake – O – flying serpent of living fire with a venom that burns the body from within.

92 Carbunkle – I – weak and fearful creature with a magic crystal “horn”, grants magics that aid in escape.

93 Flying Eye – I – your own extracted eyeball becomes a bat-winged monstrosity through your magic, able to deliver certain spells through its gaze.

94 Gumdrop Gel – O – teardrop shaped land jelly with a silly face.

95 Dragon Nymph – I – tiny butterfly-winged dragon, has many abilities but often misbehaves.

96 Ethyk – I – one-eyed lemur, can influence the emotions of one or more people nearby in animalistic ways.

97 Wisp – O – living incandescent gas, burns foes with cold fire, and is very difficult to harm.

98 Sprite – I – magical nature being from the Counter Continent of Fulcris Haelere.

99 Imp – O – tiny dangerous devil, a constant source of diabolic plots, favorite of the most vengeful and hateful of the evil wizards.

00 Homunculus – I – wretched psuedo-life created from your own bodily & spiritual essences, they are humanoid with at least some resemblance to their creator, they can do nearly anything their masters desire but are useless in combat.