Running Post-Apocalyptic worlds in D&D and other TTRPGs

Amid the ruins, survival isn’t just a battle—it's a test of grit, wits, and the will to endure a world that no longer forgives.

As a Game Master (GM) looking to enhance your post-apocalyptic tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) experience, it's essential to delve deeper into the nuances of this genre. While general TTRPG principles apply, there are specific techniques and considerations that can elevate your game to new heights.

Worldbuilding: Craft a believable apocalypse

 The foundation of any compelling post-apocalyptic TTRPG lies in the world itself. To create a believable and engaging setting, consider the following:

• Research historical events and scientific theories: Draw inspiration from real-world events that could plausibly lead to societal collapse. Whether it’s nuclear war, pandemics, climate change, or technological disasters, grounding your world in reality can make it more relatable. For instance, consider how a global pandemic might alter social structures and lead to the rise of authoritarian regimes or survivalist communities.

• Develop a clear timeline of events: A well-defined timeline helps players understand the world they inhabit. Detail the events leading up to the apocalypse and the immediate aftermath. This timeline can include key moments like the breakdown of government, the emergence of new technologies, or significant battles between factions. Such details not only enrich the lore but also provide hooks for player-driven narratives.

• Introduce factions and organizations: In a post-apocalyptic setting, various groups will vie for power and resources. Create factions with distinct ideologies and goals—survivalists who hoard supplies, raiders who prey on the weak, or scientists trying to restore civilization. Each faction can serve as potential allies or antagonists, driving conflict and intrigue within your campaign.

Roleplaying: Embracing the survivor mentality

 Survival is paramount in a post-apocalyptic world. Encourage your players to embrace this mentality by focusing on:

• Emphasizing scarcity of resources: Make resource management a central theme of your game. Players should feel the weight of their decisions regarding food, water, ammunition, and medical supplies. Introduce mechanics that track resource consumption and availability, forcing players to strategize about when to scavenge or trade.

• Introducing moral dilemmas: Present players with challenging choices that test their ethics and values. For example, they might encounter a group in desperate need of help but have limited supplies themselves. These dilemmas can lead to rich roleplaying opportunities and character development as players grapple with their decisions and their consequences.

• Creating unique survival challenges: Survival goes beyond fighting enemies. It's about navigating a harsh world where the environment itself is a constant threat. Instead of relying solely on resource scarcity, introduce environmental hazards like toxic wastelands, acid rain, or mutated wildlife that force players to adapt. These challenges should feel overwhelming, pushing players to make difficult choices—whether it's deciding to scavenge in a radiation zone or braving extreme weather for vital supplies.

Atmosphere: Creating a sense of dread and uncertainty

 A successful post-apocalyptic TTRPG relies heavily on the atmosphere you create. To enhance the sense of dread and uncertainty:

• Incorporate environmental hazards: Use the environment as a dynamic element in your game, making it more than just a backdrop. Players may have to navigate treacherous radiation zones, take shelter from dangerous weather like acid rain or blizzards, or avoid deadly mutated creatures. These environmental hazards are unpredictable, creating tension and urgency. They also force players to plan carefully, often needing specialized gear or knowledge to survive.

• Use descriptive language: Vivid descriptions can transport players into your world. Paint a picture of desolate landscapes filled with crumbling buildings overtaken by nature or cities shrouded in fog where danger lurks around every corner. Use sensory details—sounds of distant gunfire, the smell of decay—to immerse players fully in their environment.

• Introduce unsettling NPCs: Populate your world with NPCs who embody the harsh realities of survival. Some may be helpful but have ulterior motives; others may be outright hostile or mentally unstable due to trauma from their experiences. Creating morally ambiguous characters adds depth to interactions and keeps players guessing about whom they can trust.

By focusing on these key aspects of worldbuilding, roleplaying, and atmosphere, you can create a truly immersive post-apocalyptic TTRPG that will captivate your players and leave them eager for more.

Ideas from the Underground

GreatGM discusses creating post-apocalyptic settings, emphasizing scarce resources, tribal systems, and hybrid technology. He covers plots involving survival, scavenging, and finding safe havens. The tone should be harsh yet highlight human ingenuity. The cause of the apocalypse shapes the setting.

RPG PHD explores these campaigns too, emphasizing tone, scarcity, and moral dilemmas. It highlights using dynamic environments, resource management, and psychological effects to create immersive experiences. It provides advice on setting tone, managing resources, and adding moral challenges.

Qedhup discusses the topic, emphasizing environmental challenges, resource scarcity, and psychological effects. It highlights the importance of mystery and decay, contrasting with typical RPGs focused on clear heroes and villains.

Nerdarchy talks about blending high-tech and magic. They explore ideas like corporate mascots as super soldiers, a cataclysmic event merging dimensions, and factions with unique tech-magic dynamics. They also emphasize scarcity, survival, and creative world-building.

Web DM emphasizes the integration of historical apocalyptic events, resource scarcity, and societal collapse. They explore different types of apocalypses and their impacts on world-building, contrasting with typical fantasy settings.

Crucibles to test in your next post-apocalyptic TTRPG session

1. Introduce Resource Scarcity: Limit the players' access to vital resources like food, water, or ammunition. Force them to scavenge or trade to survive.

2. Create a Moral Dilemma: Present a situation where players must choose between helping a group in need or hoarding their limited supplies for themselves.

3. Add Environmental Hazards: Introduce a dangerous zone, such as a radiation-infested area or a sudden acid rainstorm, that forces players to adapt and make critical decisions.

4. Use Descriptive Language: Elevate your worldbuilding by describing a ruined landscape with vivid sensory details—crumbling cities, eerie silence, or distant echoes of danger.

5. Bring in a Mysterious NPC: Introduce a morally ambiguous character with uncertain intentions to add depth and tension to social encounters.

Trying out these simple techniques will help immerse your players in a gritty, unpredictable world.