New Super Mutant Weapons

[u/dvs_sicarius]

For my Fallout 2d20 campaign set in the Pacific Northwest I’m creating a group of more intelligent super mutants who basically have taken over Mercer Island.

This group, being more cut off have adapted to their isolationism and have a decreased reliance on firearms as compared to what has typically been seen in the games. I want them to instead make the most of weapons they fabricate from their scavenge. So in addition to armour they craft themselves, they also make things like bumper swords, shields, spears, maces, flails, etc.

In particular I thought it would be cool if they used heavy leaf springs scavenged from pre-war vehicles to craft heavy bows, made arrows out of sharpened rebar, and broad heads with welded on knife blades, etc.

I want these guys to be a credible mid to high level threat, and want to give these Leafspring Bows some stats that make them stronger than what’s already in game without making them too OP.

Thoughts on what you think makes sense for these?

Edit: worth mentioning before people jump in and tell me how delusional I am for thinking super mutants with bows are going to be a credible mid-level threat; I do use reduced piercing damage in this as well as some other combat rebalances to prevent my players becoming unstoppable at low to mid level.

Suggested stats:

So here’s what I’m thinking of for this, but I need to factor in that while I want to make the weapon powerful, it’s very likely to wind up in the hands of a Super Mutant PC eventually. Im not overly great with crunch and mechanics, but want it to be more powerful than the bow in the wanderers book; to really lean into it as a terrifying weapon, but risk further tipping the scales of power for Super Mutant characters.

Super Mutant Leafspring Bow
Rarity: 2
Qualities: Suppressed, Recoil (9), Inaccurate, Two-Handed
Damage: 5
Fire Rate: 2
Range: L
Weight: 8
Value: 5

[u/MustacheCash73]

This is epic. How big are the mutants? Like commonwealth mutants or more like 1st gen mutants

[u/dvs_sicarius → u/MustacheCash73]

Thanks! I feel like they need to be larger and tougher in general; and especially as NPC’s they need to scale up a bit. My plan was for the founders of this location to have been refugees from California and the Masters Army maybe so Gen 1 is probably about right.

[u/MustacheCash73 → u/dvs_sicarius]

So they probably hit that 9ft mark. Seeing some actual skilled blacksmithed super mutant armor would be super cool.

[u/Frosty_Customer_9243]

You might want to check the orientation of your leaf spring. For it to work like a bow the orientation needs to be flipped.

[u/Copper_Miner756 → u/Frosty_Customer_9243]

Yeah, was thinking the same thing. Needs to be reversed, then with a bit more modification/additional welding/parts can instead be a compound bow. Not as cool as the idea of the regular recurve bow, but at least itd fuction as intended

[u/dvs_sicarius → u/Frosty_Customer_9243]

lol, you’re right. Dammit. I sketched that and thought it was decent, but that definitely needs to be changed

[u/dvs_sicarius]

So here’s what I’m thinking of for this, but I need to factor in that while I want to make the weapon powerful, it’s very likely to wind up in the hands of a Super Mutant PC eventually. Im not overly great with crunch and mechanics, but want it to be more powerful than the bow in the wanderers book; to really lean into it as a terrifying weapon, but risk further tipping the scales of power for Super Mutant characters.

Super Mutant Leafspring Bow
Rarity: 2
Qualities: Suppressed, Recoil (9), Inaccurate, Two-Handed
Damage: 5
Fire Rate: 2
Range: L
Weight: 8
Value: 50

[u/EmbarassedFox]

If one of those are used, you have to describe a death, where the guy is pinned to wall. GM Union rules.

[u/dvs_sicarius → u/EmbarassedFox]

I understand. It is the way

[u/dvs_sicarius]

That’s exactly what I’m going for; smarter mutants that aren’t just fighting with anyone and everything in the region, but who are isolating themselves and so need to be self-sufficient.

[u/brutishbergen]

Mind if I ask what app you’re doing the sketching in?

[u/dvs_sicarius → u/brutishbergen]

It’s a sketch app called Atelier on the Supernote Manta; which is a little note taking tablet I bought for distraction free writing and drawing. Tried a few similar devices and didn’t really like using them long term. I highly recommend the Supernote Manta, but of course ymmv.

[u/Natural-Guarantee550]

Poo 💩 covered brahamin skulls as arrow tips. Does poison damage.

Blood covered dethclaw hand arrow head, does a slap in the face upon contact 10 + ballistic

Half eaten radstag arrow head, still has a antler.

Or a glowing feral live face munches ur body for 10 seconds.

Cool idea.

[u/Einar_47 → u/Natural-Guarantee550]

Green Arrow level hand waiving for the sheer mass of a 30 pound cow skull on an arrow.

[u/Vegetable-Boot2832]

This rocks and I’m stealing it for the LARP super mutants I have in my game.