Recommend a Post Apocalyptic table top game?

[Clive Howlitzer]

My friends and I have been playing Pathfinder for the past year or so and now a couple of them have been on my case to do a post apocalyptic and more modern style setting.
I really don't have a lot of experience with game settings outside of D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder so can anyone recommend any decent ones to try in that setting?
Our sessions are usually a mix of story/combat in about equal measures.

 

[Saladfork]

I think there was a fallout RPG.

Yeah, here it is:

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/J.E._Sawyer's_Fallout_Role-Playing_Game

Can't really speak to how good it is, though, as I haven't tried it myself.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

You could try Deathwatch or Dark Heresy. Several scenarios are post apocalyptic, and the ability to play as super soldier Space Marines means there's always plenty of Combat.

 

[eimatshya]

Well, I was going to suggest the Fallout PnP, but Saladfork beat me to it. I've never played it, so I don't know how good it is. The site Saladfork linked gives disclaimers about it not being a professional or complete product, so who knows.

This site has both Sawyer's version (the Simple System) as well as someone else's attempt at making a Fallout PnP. Might be worth checking out:

http://falloutpnp.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Also, Gamma World was a post apocalyptic PnP game. I've never played it, but some people in my gaming group used to play it back in the day and, apparently, recommend it. Wizards of the Coast recently rereleased it using the DnD 4e rules, so that might be easier to find than the older versions (although depending on your feelings on 4e, you might not want to go that road).

Anyway, here's the wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_World

 

[Acier]

Chaosium's BRP sourcebook has monsters and stats for any setting you could possibly imagine
http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=6561

If for some reason the basic book doesn't have enough for you they have sourcebooks as well, not to mention the BRP system is very easy to improv with. It uses percentile dice so gauging how easy it is to do something is quite simple. Not to mention they have a good mix of combat stats and speech/movement/whatever stats. It's very modular so you can tweak it and get exactly what you want

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

Thanks for the advice. I don't care for the setting myself so I wouldn't even know where to look.

 

[octafish]

Shit, if you can find a copy, Twilight 2000 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight_2000] was the best post-apocalypse RPG of all time (well besides Paranoia!, but I'm guessing that's NOT what you are looking for). You might want to swap in the D20 combat system though as people like simple these days. See if you can get the original 1984 version for a super nostalgic apocalypse.

 

[DeepReaver]

d20 modern is a very open setting that you can use to provide any number of home brew worlds

 

[GTwander]

If you look at it through coke-bottle glasses, Planescape can be seen as post-apoc... some planes more than others, though.

 

[Syzygy23]

Hmmm, other than Gamma World, the closest to a post-apoc TTRPG that I know of would be Unhallowed Metropolis:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/UnhallowedMetropolis?from=Main.UnhallowedMetropolis

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/UnhallowedMetropolis?from=Main.UnhallowedMetropolis

I've GM'd a few sessions of it and it's pretty damn good, combat is fast and brutal, and God help you if you go outside the city walls without a cartload of ammo.

The style is less "modern" and more "Steampunk" what with the whole Neo-Victorian themes and Tesla weapons (Ball lightning generators on the city walls, anyone?) But it hits all the criteria for a post apocalypse themed game (Mass zombie uprising in 1905 devastates an unprepared world, strange blight starts spreading killing off fertile land slowly, the last bastions are overpopulated, ridiculously polluted walled cities by the year 2105, and everyone is being beset by raiders, deviants, mad scientists, zombies, vampires, cults that worship Jack the Ripper, and strange Mr. Hyde type people called Thropes. Also, everyone and their mother has a gun that shoots lightning, have fun.)

 

[ShadowStar42]

It really depends one what you're looking for. If you like a lot of rules and a detailed combat mechanic (ala Pathfinder and D&D) then Gamma World, although it is a bit silly. Another option would be Rifts, but my god those rules are almost unplayable.

Another strong, rules heavy, system is Deadlands which recently had a post-Apocalyptic campaign setting come out.

For a more unique gaming experience (and a cheaper one) I can't recommend Apocalypse World more highly. http://apocalypse-world.com/ It's designed to re-create fiction like Mad Max, Waterworld, Cyborg and the like. It takes some getting used too, but with a good GM it's one of the best games I've ever played.

 

[Dumori]

Hmmm, other than Gamma World, the closest to a post-apoc TTRPG that I know of would be Unhallowed Metropolis:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/UnhallowedMetropolis?from=Main.UnhallowedMetropolis

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/UnhallowedMetropolis?from=Main.UnhallowedMetropolis

I've GM'd a few sessions of it and it's pretty damn good, combat is fast and brutal, and God help you if you go outside the city walls without a cartload of ammo.

The style is less "modern" and more "Steampunk" what with the whole Neo-Victorian themes and Tesla weapons (Ball lightning generators on the city walls, anyone?) But it hits all the criteria for a post apocalypse themed game (Mass zombie uprising in 1905 devastates an unprepared world, strange blight starts spreading killing off fertile land slowly, the last bastions are overpopulated, ridiculously polluted walled cities by the year 2105, and everyone is being beset by raiders, deviants, mad scientists, zombies, vampires, cults that worship Jack the Ripper, and strange Mr. Hyde type people called Thropes. Also, everyone and their mother has a gun that shoots lightning, have fun.)

Now now your setting info is a bit wrong, galvanic weapons aren't really in everyone's hands, though the setting is about the most grimdark I know. It's not even ott dark humor grim dark, it's just humaity is almost doomed to a slow death as is the world. Though yes it's a game world where the trains are small tanks with huge plows and while the wastelands are naigatorable on foot you do not want to go near an abandoned city and even then you don't want to drop your gaurd.


As for other PnP games, there's Exodus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus_(role-playing_game) was orgionally going to be an offical Fallout PnP but the licence got pulled so they filed off the serial numbers so to speak.

Looking over my PDF collection I have a few PA PRGs I haven't really looked at such as:
Earth AD.2- Earth is now a wasteland sunded by mans many failures (only looked at in passing)
EABA- a muliti setting RPG system has PA settings
GURPS- same as above
Apocalypse World- Only seen in passing seems an intresting PA RPG though.
Atomic Highway- "standard" PA RPG (not looked in to much of it)
RADZ- an PA game that looks to by fast, cinamatic and wild. (not really looked in to it though)
Remnants- a PA mecha RPG. The mecha being remnants of a former age.

I'm sure I've missed a few but that's my RPG collection for you.

 

[Starke]

d20 modern is a very open setting that you can use to provide any number of home brew worlds

There was actually a D20 modern post-apocalypse supplement. I know I have a copy around here somewhere.

...unfortunately, turns out, it's not cheap on Amazon [http://www.amazon.com/d20-Apocalypse-Modern-Supplement/dp/0786932732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343636274&sr=8-1&keywords=d20+apocalypse].

Which is ironic, since I nabbed it for about 10 bucks at a used bookstore as an impulse buy. On that front, I'd say keep your eyes open. The book is really almost more about providing the GM with a toolset for building your own custom tailored apocalypse, rather than providing you with a specific setting.

Anyway, beyond that, there's always GURPS or RIFTs, though I can't really recommend the latter, and the former is very bare bones. Though GURPS does seem pretty cheap to pick up used. If you just want a system, and don't care about the setting, digging up a copy of something like Hunter: The Reckoning [http://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Reckoning-Bruce-Baugh/dp/1565047354/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343636523&sr=1-1&keywords=hunter+the+reckoning] and jettisoning the Edge powers, and supernatural elements could give you a pretty solid system base. The storyteller system is a lot more abstract and focused on keeping the story moving, if that appeals to your group.

 

[Nami nom noms]

If you can't find one you like, you could always make your own system.

My group made a Mass Effect RPG system, what started as a test group of 4 players has grown into 8 with people being turned away

 

[yuval152]

Oh you meant table top... just ignore this post then.

 

[talker]

warhammer40K apocalypse with lots of ruined buildings

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

It really depends one what you're looking for. If you like a lot of rules and a detailed combat mechanic (ala Pathfinder and D&D) then Gamma World, although it is a bit silly. Another option would be Rifts, but my god those rules are almost unplayable.

Another strong, rules heavy, system is Deadlands which recently had a post-Apocalyptic campaign setting come out.

For a more unique gaming experience (and a cheaper one) I can't recommend Apocalypse World more highly. http://apocalypse-world.com/ It's designed to re-create fiction like Mad Max, Waterworld, Cyborg and the like. It takes some getting used too, but with a good GM it's one of the best games I've ever played.

I am not too hung up on rules, really. In fact, I think Pathfinder and D&D have way too many. It is just all I've ever used.

 

[ShadowStar42]

It really depends one what you're looking for. If you like a lot of rules and a detailed combat mechanic (ala Pathfinder and D&D) then Gamma World, although it is a bit silly. Another option would be Rifts, but my god those rules are almost unplayable.

Another strong, rules heavy, system is Deadlands which recently had a post-Apocalyptic campaign setting come out.

For a more unique gaming experience (and a cheaper one) I can't recommend Apocalypse World more highly. http://apocalypse-world.com/ It's designed to re-create fiction like Mad Max, Waterworld, Cyborg and the like. It takes some getting used too, but with a good GM it's one of the best games I've ever played.

I am not too hung up on rules, really. In fact, I think Pathfinder and D&D have way too many. It is just all I've ever used.

Then I would recommend looking into some more 'indie' games. Apocalypse World, Fate (the engine that runs Spirit of the Century and The Dresden Files RPG), and Prime Time Adventures are all good places to start. PTA is by far the most rules light of the three, then Fate, and AW, glance at the three of them and figure out where you sit best. All three can run post Apocalyptic easily (Fate will require some minimal hacking).

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

<a href=http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/rpgs/paranoia.html>Paranoia.

How to sum up Paranoia really quickly? Imagine the players are Vaultdwellers and the Vault's mainframe (the DM) is GlaDoS. Now install a set of rules that let you run the game either super crazy with slapstick deaths every five minutes or intensely serious so the whole thing goes very 1984.

And that doesn't even come close to doing it justice.