A more realistic , but simple and fun radiation system for PA style games, IE Gamma World, Metamorphosis Alpha, and MCC style games.

 

Radiation Zones & Draw Rules

Zone	Draw Rate
Low	Draw 1 card per hour exposed
Medium	Draw 1 card per 10–15 minutes
High	Draw 1 card per round

---

🂠 Card Interpretations

❤️ Hearts (Safe-ish)

• Minor effects or false alarms

• “You feel a wave of warmth and nausea, but it passes.”

• No damage; possible fatigue or RP effect

♦️ Diamonds (Minor Consequences)

• Mild health penalties or cosmetic mutations

• -1 to saves for a while, itchy skin, glowing veins, nausea

• Possibly gain a "harmless" mutation

♣️ Clubs (Harmful)

• Hit point loss, serious illness, functional impairment

• Vomiting, bleeding gums, confusion, -2 CON for 1d6 hours

♠️ Spades (Dangerous)

• Roll on the mutation table or take serious damage

• Organ failure, seizures, terrifying mutation, sterility

---

🧪  Jokers

• Black Joker: Draw a mutation and take damage. Radiation poisoning at its worst.

• Red Joker: Mutation grants a temporary beneficial effect (super-sight, tough skin, etc.)—divine mutation or divine wrath?

---

⚙️ Modifiers (Optional)

• Protective Gear: Reduce number of draws or redraw Hearts on Clubs.

• Lingering Effects: Every Spade card drawn increases odds of mutation in the future (keep a “Radiation Scar” tally).

---

✨ Example Draws:

• In a Medium zone, a player draws a ♠️7 after 15 minutes: “You vomit violently as your vision doubles. Roll CON save d6 damage based on number of card (success gains a mutation)

• In a High zone, someone draws a ♥️2: “You feel dizzy, but push on. No effect—yet.”

Thanks to chatbot GBT for the assist on this design. Best GM tool ever!

No clue

Couple days ago i played in a G+ game. I don't know what the game was called. I don't know the setting. I have no idea how characters are rolled for it. Myself and a few others played D&D/FLAILSNAILS characters. Mine was actually a Castles and Crusades fighter but i am sure you all could have guessed that.
It was a freaking blast. The world reminded me a bit of rifts, with the end of civilization and magic returning. There wasn't any hi-tech stuff that i saw but there were black powder weapons and magic. We infiltrated an office building via the sewers then fought our way back out. Wolf monsters, Gargoyles, road warrior biker types and a brief glimpse of a dragon.
Remined me of my early days in the hobby before i knew any of the rules. Everything seemed possible and danger lurked at every turn.

I very much love reading RPGs memorizing the rules and mastering various systems. There is something to be said being clueless in every regard about a game. It makes everything surreal. you wander around dazzled by everything that happens. Instead of thinking in rules jargon you speak with creativity.

That's a big part of why i have embraced the rules lite of the OSR. I collect everything D&D and AD&D i can get my hands on and read every rule set that comes down the pipes.

Next time you get a chance to play a new system. go in blind. have the GM give you a character or roll one with the GMS help. Try not to learn the rules and just experience the game.