Mutants are characters derived from normal stock but treated in many ways like members of another, alien species.

A variety of ethical, moral, and political questions arise from the existence of the different kinds of mutants. Depending on the culture in which they are born, mutants may be treated as something more or less than sentient beings. They may be fully accepted or be feared. They may be full citizens with all the rights and responsibilities of their fellow sentients, or they treated as slaves. It was, in fact, an uprising of mistreated mutants that sparked the Second Galactic War.

Genetically engineered mutants are most common in the Thuldan Empire, and enjoy a degree of freedom and equality uncommon in the rest of the galaxy. Union of Sol, on the other hand, see all mutants as aberrations, a corruption of the human genome that is, at best, distasteful. Orion League and Concordians, champions of the equality of all sentients, have laws that guarantee full rights and citizenship to mutants, though individual citizens are still not above discrimination. Reactions to mutants among the other stellar nations and in the Verge tend to fall somewhere between these extremes.

So you want to play a mutant?

If you want to have the potential for uncanny mutant powers, the X-Mutant feat is one you will want to take at character generation. This is the prerequisite for gaining mutations through the mutation point system. Mutations, a la carte.

Genetic engineering templates (“packages”) tend to have a common theme based on either purpose, origin, or genetic material that can be applied at character generation.

If you want to be an enviornmentally adapted being, the Planetary Adaptation feat is one you will want to take at character generation. Your character's physiology was altered by environment or genetic engineering to suit a planet with harsh or adverse conditions.

If you want to have access to a single mutant ability, the Benevolent Mutation feat is the one you will want to take at character generation. You gain 3 “free” Mutation Points. These free MP may be spent in conjunction with any others gained from mutation drawbacks or other means, but must be spent at the time this feat is taken.

Mutants always add the Mutant subtype to their type.

All races have the potential for mutation.

A character may accept 4 mutation points worth of drawbacks in exchange for one additional feat at character creation. This may be done only once and only during character generation.