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Learn to Play: Mutant: Year Zero
The Ark is dying. Venture into the Zone, scavenge ancient ruins, survive the Zone using strange mutant powers, and save your people
Free
Details
Once / Saturday - 8:00 PM UTC
Apr 4
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
4 / 5 Seats Filled
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Meet your party members
4/5
About the adventure
The world ended long ago. The seas boiled, the skies burned, and the cities of the Ancients crumbled into rust and ruin. What remains is the Zone — a deadly wasteland filled with strange artifacts, twisted creatures, and secrets from a forgotten age. You are a mutant, one of the few survivors born after the apocalypse. You live in the Ark, a fragile settlement struggling to survive in a hostile world. Food is scarce. The Elder has called for volunteers to venture into the ruins and search for grub, scrap, and relics of the old world — anything that might keep the Ark alive for another day. Your mission is simple: Explore the Zone. Scavenge what you can. Try to survive the journey home. But the wasteland never gives up its treasures easily. In this Learn to Play Mutant: Year Zero one-shot, you'll experience the core mechanics of the award-winning Year Zero engine while playing a group of strange and desperate mutants struggling to save their home. This game is perfect for: Players new to Mutant: Year Zero Players curious about the Year Zero system Anyone who enjoys post-apocalyptic survival, exploration, and weird mutant powers What to expect: Pre-generated mutant characters with unique mutations A guided introduction to the Year Zero dice system Exploration of the mysterious and dangerous Zone Tactical choices about risk, survival, and resource management No experience with the system is required. Just bring your curiosity, your desperation… and maybe a willingness to grow an extra limb or two. The Ark is starving. Will your expedition save it — or become another forgotten skeleton in the ruins?
Game style
West Marches
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Realm Building
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(4)
5 years on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Visual Aid, Knows the Rules
About me
I've been playing RPGs for over 30 years, the vast majority of those as a DM. I regularly run games in high-profile gaming conventions such as GenCon, GaryCon, Origins, and Gamehole Con. My favorite systems include Symbaroum, Shadowdark, Mutant: Year Zero, Dungeon Crawl Classics, and even 5e D&D.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Players will choose from a variety of pre-generated characters.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
We will be utilizing Discord for voice and Foundry VTT for maps and rolls. Links will be delivered prior to the start of the game.
What Cory Smith brings to the table
I aim to create an immersive, story-driven experience where player choices truly matter. I use character voices for NPCs and occasionally incorporate ambient music to help bring the world to life. My games embrace the Rule of Cool while still respecting the core mechanics of the system. Creative ideas and bold actions are encouraged, and clever thinking is often rewarded. That said, the world of Mutant: Year Zero is dangerous. I don’t pull punches—injury, trauma, and even character death are real possibilities. The Zone is harsh and unforgiving, and survival depends on teamwork, smart decisions, and sometimes a little luck. Your actions will shape the story, and the consequences of those choices will carry forward throughout the adventure.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Cory Smith creates a safe table
This game focuses on adventure, exploration, and survival in a harsh post-apocalyptic world. While the Zone can be dangerous and characters may face injury or death, the tone of the game will avoid graphic or disturbing content. I keep table expectations simple: respect the other players and don’t be disruptive. If something makes you uncomfortable, you’re always free to step away—no explanation needed. I maintain an open-door policy and will adjust if a player raises a concern. My goal is for everyone to feel comfortable focusing on the story, the adventure, and the decisions that shape the fate of the Ark.
Content warnings
Safety tools used