Campaign Pitch: The Apocalypse is Other People

Next up on my pitches for this year is another Apocalypse World game. This time using the new edition and with a bit more focus.

The Apocalypse is Other People

Elevator Pitch: After the end of the world, everyone has to rely on their neighbors. Even the ones they hate.

Once, when the world was whole, things were better. People could get food anywhere with just a piece of plastic. Water came out of a pipe clean and fresh, even hot if you wanted. Everything you needed would show up magically at your door and entertainment flowed like water into your hands.

Now we live in the wreckage of what was. If you need food, you make a deal with with the Barrow Boys for servitude or salvage. Mother May is the only one who can fix the water filtration system but she’s getting old. And if want something more exciting than fire, you have to pay to get into Rod’s. He only accepts blood.

System: Apocalypse World, 2nd Edition

This was inspired by how my previous Apocalypse World games failed to deliver certain relationships. Notably my players tended to become murder hobos and we’d end up without a continuous community. 

So basically I want a Hot focused game.

Initially Available Playbooks: Battlebabe, Brainer, Child-Thing, Chopper, Hardholder, Hocus, Maestro`D, News, Waterbearer

The rationale behind these is to include playbooks with a focus on either the maelstrom or people/communities. 

The Chopper and Hardholder bring gangs (plus I rarely see them played). The Hocus adds cults. The Maestro’D is a social manipulator with a place of entertainment. The News has to investigate and propagate information through a community while the Waterbearer delivers law and order through control of a resource.

I still need some weird options (besides the Hocus). The Brainer needs people even if others might not want them. The Child-Thing makes children a thing and thus brings out an often neglected dimension to societies. I considered including the Savvyhead (my favorite playbook) but they are perhaps too useful in this setting and too easily isolate themselves from others.

Of the pure combat types, the Battlebabe has the most social options so it also gets included.

After play begins all standard and extended edition playbooks (except the Quarantine) will be allowed.