TOYPOCALYPSE

BY TREVOR CHRISTENSEN

mike mitchell (Order #13428384)

 Design, writing, and layout by Trevor Christensen
Trevor@topropegames.com
When attributing game design or writing from this
work please include the above email address.

Originally written for the RPG Geek 24-Hour RPG

competition on March 1st 2011 (and into the wee
hours of March 2nd!)
Version 1.2 Changes and editing - July 2011.
Special Thanks to our playtesters: Melissa Chris-
tensen, Kelly Larsen, Dave Eldredge, Wade Hone
Also to those who gave me support and feedback: Josh
Wheeler, Jay Larsen, Brian Holverson, Scott Wray,
Mark Hanny
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. To view
a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative
Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Fran-
cisco, California, 94105, USA.

Editing by Christine Hassman

This book contains adaptations of images found on Wiki-

media Commons. Most are available under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Share Alike license or Creative
Commons Attribution Generic license. The owners are at-
tributed here:

The cover image is authored by Brandon Lim Lik Wei The image found on page 6 is authored by Alan Chia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lim_lik_wei/ http://www.flickr.com/people/13403905@N03

The background image throughout the book is authored by
Jordy Theiller
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:TigrouMeow
The image found on page 2 is authored by Philip Halling
http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/1837
The image found on page 8 was originally uploaded by
Chestertang at en.wikipedia
The image found on the upper half of page 9 is authored by
Alexander Kaiser
http://www.flickr.com/people/60281550@N00

The image found on page 3 is authored by Stephen The image found on page 14 is authored Wikimedia user
Sweeney Infrogmation
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The image found on page 15 is authored by Niek Beck

The image found on page 4 is authored by Jiuguang Wang
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http://www.flickr.com/people/42775026@N00
The image on the lower right hand corner of page 9 and the
images on pages 7, 11, and 13 are Public Domain images
found on Wikimedia Commons.

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Table of Contents

Ch1 - Introduction .................................................................................................................. Page 2

Ch2 - Character Creation ..................................................................................................... Page 3
-Attributes ............................................................................................................................. Page 3
-Defense and Intuition ........................................................................................................ Page 4
-Pneuma .................................................................................................................................. Page 4
-Morale .................................................................................................................................... Page 5
-Characteristics .................................................................................................................... Page 5
--Condition ........................................................................................................................ Page 5
--Facets ............................................................................................................................... Page 5
--Movement ....................................................................................................................... Page 6
--Cognizance ..................................................................................................................... Page 7
-Powers ................................................................................................................................... Page 7
-Social Role ............................................................................................................................ Page 8
--Social Role Choices ...................................................................................................... Page 8
-Public and Private Goals ................................................................................................... Page 9
Ch3 - Pneuma and Morale .................................................................................................... Page 10
-Pneuma Gain and Loss ...................................................................................................... Page 10
--Invoking Characteristics ............................................................................................ Page 11
--Invoking Social Roles .................................................................................................. Page 11
-Morale Gain and Loss ........................................................................................................ Page 11
Ch4 - Task Resolution and Combat .................................................................................. Page 12
-Basic Task Resolution ....................................................................................................... Page 12
-Opposed Task Resolution ................................................................................................ Page 12
-Critical Success and Massive Blunder ........................................................................... Page 12
-Initiative and Combat Resolution .................................................................................. Page 13
-Damage and Serious Damage ........................................................................................... Page 13
Ch5 Setting ............................................................................................................................... Page 14
-Rewarding Pneuma and Adjudicating Powers ........................................................... Page 15
-Creating the Town ............................................................................................................. Page 15
-The Wilderness ................................................................................................................... Page 15
-Religion ................................................................................................................................. Page 15
Optional Rule: Advancement .............................................................................................. Page 15

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Chapter 1
Introduction
A New Dawn

M y name is Ted. It’s been almost ten years since the genesis
of my people. The ‘Great Dawning’ it was called by the
more academic members of our society. We arose from an eternal
slumber that none of us ever expected to wake from, with our
supposed masters missing and no answers as to why; most of us
with powers we cannot explain or even attempt to understand.
But here we are simple children’s toys, sentient, cognizant, and
potent.
It was from these strange origins we began life—each of us
emerging from our former masters’ homes and toy boxes into the
light of awareness. No bodies to be found, just a vibrant world
abandoned. The automated processes held the world together for
a while, but soon food began to rot and reactors began to melt
down. It mattered little to us. The supply of batteries, patches, and
other provisions seemed endless. After all, who was there to stop
us from walking into the local store and taking them off the shelf? the GM provides the descriptions; the players provide
My own feet have been patched numerous times. But the shelves the PCs reactions and actions. If you are new to
didn’t restock themselves, and greedy toys took more than their RPGs you may wish to learn more about them before
fair share. proceeding. It is beyond the scope of this document to
explain all the nuances of table top RPGs. However,
Life is damn hard on the street nowadays. At first everything if you’re willing to jump in and learn as you go please
was hunky dory, but life fell apart quickly. We thought we had proceed!
risen into a utopia where no hatred or prejudices existed. We
were wrong. It did not take long for the more dominant toys In Toypocalypse players play toys in a strange ominous
to seize power and subjugate the lesser toys to gathering and setting where humans mysteriously disappeared a few
maintenance duties. Soon the tyrants of our world had amassed years ago and the toys have become sentient. No one
glue, batteries, screws, and thread, the staples of our measly lives. knows where the humans have gone, but everything
Now they ration it off to those that follow their orders and are has been left in place, and the toys have been left to pick
good little slaves. Well this is one bear who isn’t going to effin’ up the pieces. The more powerful toys have created
put up with it anymore! These sons of bitches are going to pay for various governments to rule the towns, but most are
the suffering and pain they have set upon us. The enslaved must oppressive and tyrannical. The toys can no longer suffer
rise up and overthrow this oppressive tyranny in a hail of fists the oppression of this hastily formed government.
and destruction. I think a great human once said “The time is near Danger lies around every corner, and exploration of
at hand which must determine whether we are to be free toys or this new world drives each toy to find his place in a
slaves.” That time is now! world where he is alone. Toypocalypse is intended to feel
very much like Toy Story meets Roanoke Colony meets
Welcome to Toypocalypse Lord of the Flies.

T oypocalypse is a Role Playing Game (RPG) where

players use their imagination to craft a world and
story with the help of a Game Master (GM). The Game
Master provides the setting by describing the world
and its inhabitants to the players. This includes Non-
Player Characters (NPCs), creatures, the environment
and all the situations that come with a living, evolving
world. He provides an interactive realm that the
2 Player Characters (PCs) may interact with. In short,

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Chapter 2
Character
Creation
Woke Up in a Ditch

M y head is ringing, my ass hurts, and I am having a tough

time remembering how I got here in this ditch. Last night
is mostly a blur. The local self-proclaimed king Tonn-ka, or
“Tonn-ka the Great” as he demands to be called, had announced
extended hours for the scavenging crews and the stuffing miners.
The crowd became restless and I thought it was the perfect
opportunity to fight back. Maybe we were brash and went in Character Creation Overview
without fully assessing his goons, I dunno, but the simple fact is
we got beat all to hell. It didn’t take long for the less confident 1. Pick type of toy and decide on an outline of
of the toys to turn and run in the face of insurmountable odds. I personality
tried to brawl back against the tide of Tonn-ka’s thugs but it was 2. Set attributes to Normal (1d12); Spend 4 AP to
no use. As I fled the city I saw some of the others being caught and raise Attributes
tortured for their mutiny.
3. Derive Defense, Intuition, max Pneuma, and max
The tall grass had been cool and wet against my fur like the Morale
mists of a spring fog. It felt good to be alive and free. I was out of
the town and out from under Tonn-ka’s rule. The sun was gone 4. Pick Characteristics; Pick Power (optional)
and the stars began to shine through the dusky sky overhead. The 5. Pick a Party Role; Write a public goal and a
air was crisp and clean. Sure I had my freedom, but while I was private goal
dreaming in this wonderland my friends and surrogate family in
town were being cruelly punished for my actions. And to make 6. Flesh out name, appearance, personality and
things worse I was no longer within the safety of the buildings and apparent sex
numbers of the town. Things roamed at night in the wilderness: Creating a Toy Character
dogs, cats, birds, raccoons, all of them looking for something like
me to “play” with. If I’m lucky they leave me after tearing my arm
off; if I’m not, they shred me and use my entrails to line their home C haracters in Toypocalypse can be anything you
imagine from the realm of toys. Choose your
favorite toy from your youth or a toy you saw at the
with.
store and use these rules to create a sentient toy with a
It was getting really late and I had to find shelter soon if I wanted personality and supernatural power. In your mind or on
to live to see the day Tonn-ka pays for his highhanded rule. That’s a piece of paper, outline who you want this character
where the evening’s festivities really started to dim. I remember to be from a personality standpoint. This will help
hearing a rhythmic panting coming through the grass from the guide you in making attribute, role, and characteristics
edge of the field where the willows grew. I held as perfectly still choices.
as I could and watched the shadows dance in the breeze. Unlike a
lot of toys, I have amazing strength. I once lifted a chunk of fallen Attributes

A
floor joist off a crushed fellow toy. We had been mining stuffing ttributes are a representation of a character’s
out of an abandoned basement couch when the main floor caved mental, physical and emotional prowess. They
in upon us. I actually stood a marginal chance at fending off the represent a composite of the character’s many aspects
beast stalking me, if he wasn’t too big. that make them a living creature. There are four
Obviously the dog wasn’t too big, but he was big enough to different attributes in Toypocalypse: Will, Cognition,
maltreat me and leave me wet. I’m alive though and that’s really Versatility, and Intensity.
all that matters aint it? Will

W ill is a character’s mental and emotional

toughness and his determination to push
3

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on in the face of adversity. A GM may ask a player
to roll his character’s Will to stand toe to toe with
a dangerous creature and not flee, or to roll Will to
convince another toy that a swatch of thread is only
worth half of its current asking price.
Cognition
C ognition is a character’s ability to interpret the
world around him. Cognition is both his mental
aptitude and his physical perception. A GM may ask
a player to roll his character’s Cognition to test his
knowledge on ancient artifacts of humanity, or to roll
Cognition to spot the cat hiding in the overgrown
flowerbed a few feet ahead.
Versatility
Normal (1d12). You receive 4 Attribute Points (AP) to
raise your attributes with; each step costs one AP. For
example, you could raise all your attributes to Good
(1d10+2), or alternatively you could raise one attribute
to Superior (1d6+6), one attribute to Good (1d10+2),
and leave the last two at Normal (1d12).
Defense and Intuition
O nce you have spent your AP to raise your
character’s Attributes, you need to derive your
characters Defense and Intuition.
A character’s Defense is how hard he is to hit in
physical combat. This represents the target number
an opponent would need to roll to successfully land a
blow against the character.

V ersatility is a character’s emotional and physical

ability to adapt under duress. Versatility
represents a character’s dexterity and
A character’s Defense is equal to 7 + half of the
higher modifier of either his Will or his Versatility.
For example, if a character had a Great
his cunning. A GM may ask a player to (1d8+4) Versatility and a Normal (1d12)
roll his character’s Versatility to fast Will, his Defense would be 9. Or in
talk a local government enforcer or to other words: 7 + (half of their higher
roll Versatility to do a triple back flip modifier [+4]) = 9.
over a charging adversary (albeit at a A character’s Intuition is how hard he
high Target Number!). is to overpower in mental combat and
Intensity how quickly he thinks during combat.

I ntensity is the strength of A character’s Intuition is equal to 7

character’s heart and soul. To use
a cliché, it’s the size of the fight in the
toy instead of the size of the toy in the
fight. A GM may ask a player to roll his
character’s Intensity to strike a double
talking stooge in the mouth or to roll
Intensity to intimidate a crow to stay
on his perch instead of diving down.
Attribute Levels
+ half of the higher modifier of either
his Cognition or his Intensity. For
example, if a character had a Good
(1d10+2) Cognition and a Normal
(1d12) Intensity, his Intuition would be
8. Or in other words 7 + (half of their
higher modifier [+2]) = 8.
Pneuma
P neuma is a character’s strength of soul. It is a

A ttributes come in four levels: Normal, Good, Great representation of his spiritual and emotional
and Superior. Attributes are designated with a magnitude. If a characters Pneuma is reduced to zero,
die type and, for the three higher levels, a modifier. The he is killed.
four levels with die type and modifier are as follows: A character’s maximum Pneuma is equal to 7 + half
Normal (1d12), Good of the lower modifier
Dice
(1d10+2), Great (1d8+4), In RPGs dice are used to create a random resolution of tasks and of either his Will or his
or Superior (1d6+6). abilities. In Toypocalypse we use four different types of dice: A D12 Cognition. For example, if
When an attribute is or twelve-sided die, a D10 or a ten-sided die, a D8 or eight-sided a character has a Normal
checked, the player rolls die, and a D6 or six-sided die. Each player will need two of each (1d12) Will and a Good
the corresponding die and type of dice. Six-sided dice are very common in board games and (1d10+2) Cognition, his
adds the modifier to the gambling. You may or may not have seen the other types but they max Pneuma would be 7.
are quite common in the table top gaming hobby. These dice can
roll. be found at your local gaming store or purchased online at many Or in other words 7 + (half
All attributes start at various locations. of their lower modifier
4 [0]) = 7

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When play starts all characters are beaten down and used. You need oil applied to your body or screws
oppressed. They start with a Pneuma of 3. tightened and replaced from time to time.
The main way a character will regain Pneuma is role Batteries Not Included: You need batteries to
playing and participating as their party role. For more continue running, your batteries run out of power at
information on spending and gaining Pneuma see regular intervals. You need replacement batteries from
chapter 3. time to time.
Morale Mechanical: You must be inflated, cranked, wound,
or charged to continue working correctly. You need
M orale is a measure of a character’s conscious someone or something to power you from time to time.
strength. It is a representation of his current
ability to push forward as well as his ability to keep Brand New: You have never really been used. You
fighting. If a character’s Morale is reduced to zero, he need to work out your joints and moving parts each
is knocked unconscious, stops fighting and asks for morning to loosen up. You will need to apply oil from
mercy, or quits persevering. time to time.
A character’s maximum Morale is equal to 7 + half Cracked: You are sun worn and cracked or ripped.
of the lower modifier of either his Versatility or his Whether forgotten out in the backyard or just old and
Intensity. For example if a character has a Great(1d8+4) well used, you are in need of constant repairs. You need
Versatility and a Good (1d10+2) Intensity, his max glue on your cracks or stuffing put back inside you
Morale would be 8. Or in other words 7 + (half of their from time to time.
lower modifier [+2]) = 8.
When play starts all characters
live in servitude and are brutally
persecuted. They start with Morale
of 4.
The main way a character will
regain Morale is rest and proper care.
For more information on regaining
Morale see chapter 3.
Characteristics

Y ou must choose at least one

characteristic from each
category for your character. You may
choose additional characteristics if
you wish. You should seek to take
the characteristics that best describe
your toy. A player should not take
obviously opposed characteristics
(Threadbare and Brand New).
Characteristics are used in Pneuma
expenditure, Pneuma gain and Morale replenishment.
For more information see chapter 3. Facets
Wanted: You were a previous year’s most wanted
Condition
Christmas toy and you are hated by the other toys for
Threadbare: You were loved in a previous life. Your it.
threads are worn, your body patched together. You
Loved: You have a deep connection with a human
need threaded repairs or cloth patches from time to
or another toy now long gone. You only have fleeting
time.
memories of the being you are connected to, but their
Corroded: Your joints and moving parts are corroded. memory haunts you.
You were left outside, poorly crafted, or just overly 5

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Missing Parts: You originally had extra parts. Militaristic: You are a militant toy. Maybe you are a
Plastic missiles, clothing accessories, or attachments; tank, an action figure, or a box of green army men. You
whatever it was, it’s gone or replaced. use discipline, tactics, and order to accomplish even
Modified: You have replacement parts and the simplest tasks.
modifications completed by a previous owner. You Oversized: You’re huge! Or at least for a toy you are.
are the conglomerate of multiple toys, and some may Your size and weight dwarfs other toys making you
consider you an abomination because of your motley very intimidating but limiting the places you can go
appearance. and some of the things you can do.
Broken: At some point in the past you were broken Noisy: You are loud Creating Your Own
and never repaired. At this point only a master and annoying. You might Characteristics
craftsman could bring you back to your original state. have buttons or motion The characteristics list is not all
Lost: You are lost; you can’t remember where you sensors that cause encompassing. If you feel you
need an additional characteristic
are supposed to be, but you know you should be sound effects, especially to fully explain your character’s
tailored to annoy parents components or idiosyncrasies,
somewhere.
everywhere. feel free to create your own.
Discarded: You were thrown out with the common These are provided here to speed
trash. You may be broken, worn out, or simply no Movement character creation and create
longer wanted. Hopper: You have a standard list for the average
player to choose from. Work
No Hands: You have no hands or any other form of no noticeable form of with your GM to decide which
opposable digits, hooks or tentacles to grab things locomotion and therefore category your characteristic
with. However, you have adapted to this impairment must hop everywhere should fit in. A single category
amazingly well and are able to make do with what you you go. It’s terribly tiring may only be invoked once per
have. and slow, but it’s hard for session (see chapter 3).
attackers to know where
Some Assembly Required: You were supposed to your next move might be.
be assembled but your directions were lost. You were
either never completed or assembled incorrectly. You Flyer: You were obviously built to fly! Look at your
have multiple pieces that are not connected. Optionally wings, thrusters, and electronic “whooshing” sounds!
To stay aloft you must always keep moving and never
stop. If you ever stop you will need the assistance of
at least 2 other toys (or one small child if you can find
one) to accelerate and push you aloft again.
Wheels: You can go from place to place using your
fantastic wheels! Sometimes your axles get bent,
especially if you try to carry too much weight, but
that’s a minor inconvenience when you can move at the
speed of push!
Tracks: Short of a wall there are very few things you
cannot climb up or over. Your tracks sometimes slide
you may be very complex and have many parts that are off and have to be fixed, but usually you’re unstoppable!
too difficult to combine or figure out. Legs: Who needs other forms of locomotion when
Modular: You have many parts that were meant to you have legs? They are adaptable and usable in almost
be put together in various ways to fit form, function, any situation. While they may not be as fast as wheels
or whim. You do not function well when in pieces, but or as cool as wings they still get the job done.
you can reform your shape in many various ways. Your Hoverer: You can’t fly as high or as fast as a toy with
parts and pieces think with a collective mind, which wings, but you can easily hover in one place for an
may or may not always agree. extended period of time. You used to be a favorite at
Stuffed: You are filled with a soft and pliable parks and backyards everywhere.
substance: whether its jelly, beans, pellets or cotton
6
it allows you to be soft and yielding.

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Cognizance Telekinesis: The character can lift objects with the

Sight: You see a reasonably wide spectrum of light
and color using eyes or other optical organ or device.
Hearing: You hear a normal range of sound waves
using ears or some other auditory organ or device.
Smell: You smell a normal range of odors using a nose
or some other olfactory organ or device.
Taste: You taste a normal range of flavors using a
tongue or some other gustatory organ or device.
power of his mind and move them around. Depending
on the size of the object, the GM may require an
attribute test (usually Will).
Psionic/Energy Blast: The character can blast
opponents or objects with the power of his mind.
Depending on the power of the blast, the GM may
require an attribute test (usually Will). If attacking an
opponent with energy blast the character must roll an
attribute test vs. the opponents Intuition.

Touch: You detect a normal range Phasing: The character can phase
of diverse stimuli using your skin, out of the material plane and
outer body, or some other tactile pass through objects and beings.
organ or device. Depending on the density or depth
of the object the character is trying
Note: Most toys will not have the to phase through, the GM may
following 4, and will never have more require an attribute test (usually
than 1 of them. Consider dropping one of Intensity).
the 5 standard senses if you wish to take
one of these. Additionally these are fairly Super Strength: The character can
weak in comparison to the strength of the gain the strength of a creature much
normal senses. larger than himself, allowing him to
lift unusually large objects or deter
Sense/PSI: You have an extra predators with physical blows.
sensory perception of your Depending on the level of strength
surroundings. You can detect the character is attempting to use,
things that some others might the GM may require an attribute
miss. You may have developed this test (usually Intensity).
sense in addition to or because of
the exclusion of normal senses. Animation: The character can
animate inanimate objects and force
Temperature: You are them to do his bidding. Depending
particularly sensitive to changes on the size of the object(s) and the
in temperature. You can detect difficulty of the task the animator requests, the GM
changes that most others would miss. may require an attribute test (usually Versatility).
Electric Fields: You are particularly sensitive to Super Speed: The character can move at impressive
electric fields and their detection. You can detect the speeds, easily outrunning creatures with much longer
presence of electricity near you through one of your strides or bigger wings than he has. Depending on how
other senses. fast he is moving and how much he is attempting to
Magnetic Fields: You are particularly sensitive to do during the time period, the GM may require an
magnetic fields and their detection. You can detect the attribute test (usually Versatility).
presence of magnetism near you if the field is strong. Elasticity: The character can stretch beyond the limits
of normal materials allowing him to do amazing and
Powers wondrous things with his body. Depending on how far
he wishes to stretch and how elaborate the task, the

Y ou may choose one of the following powers. Not GM may require an attribute test (usually Cognition).
all toys have a super power but some do. It takes
a great deal of effort for even the most powerful toys to X-ray Vision/Super Senses: The character can
use their powers. To activate a character’s power for enhance his senses to way beyond normal levels. The
one round of time (10 seconds), the player must spend character can see, hear, smell, taste, or feel in ranges
two Pneuma (for more information on spending and way beyond even the exceptional levels of creatures
in nature. Depending on the level of enhancement 7
gaining Pneuma see chapter 3).

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Creating Your Own Social Roles

Optionally if a player wishes to play a social role not listed he may discuss and create a role with the GM’s approval. The role should
be somewhat archetypical to adventuring party tropes in literature, RPGs, or movies. These roles are intended to create an interesting
party dynamic that involves inter-party role play and interaction. Any social role that enhances that goal should be encouraged.

and the extremity of the task, the GM may require an sometimes steps in to defend even if his protection isn’t
attribute test (usually Cognition). wanted.
Duplication: The character can make a visual or Schemer
physical clone of himself. The clone has no soul and is
merely a husk animated by the character. Depending
on the substance of the clone and the intricacy of the
their goals.
H
e provides the plans, the tactical solutions, and
hatches the plots the party uses to accomplish
He may not always have the party’s best
clone’s actions, the GM may require an attribute check
(usually Cognition). interests in mind. He usually is thinking several steps
ahead.
Social Role
Prankster
E ach player must pick a social role to play within
the party or characters. Each role represents a
social archetype within the party. It is recommended H e provides the entertainment and the distractions.
He refuses to take most situations seriously and
that players not double up loves a good practical joke.
on a role in the party until His lightheartedness can
all roles have been filled by grate upon the nerves of the
at least one PC. rest of the party especially
when times are tough and
Playing the character’s supplies are low.
social role is the main way
in which he replenishes his Caretaker

H
Pneuma. Each time a player e provides for the
engages in meaningful role parties needs,
playing where he portrays worries about the party
his party role, the GM can member’s physical and
and should give the player a mental health. Nurture
Pneuma point. Additionally is second nature for the
if the player furthers his caretaker sometimes to
personal or public goals the annoyance of other
in doing so, the GM can optionally give additional party members. His constant worrying and nagging
Pneuma points. can sometimes be painful, but few complain when
Social Role Choices receiving a kind stitch to repair a ripped seam or when
the caretaker tightens a loose screw.
Leader
Mentor
H e believes he is the glue that holds the party
together and he very well may be. He chooses the
paths the party will take, has the final vote, and tries to H
e attempts to direct the party in moral dilemmas
and provides philosophical advice. Sometimes
keep the party moving. He tries to keeps the peace and prefers to speak cryptically to help educate the “less
resolve conflicts before they tear the group apart. Not enlightened” much to the annoyance of the more direct
everyone may agree that he should be in charge. minded among the group. He believes mind over might
can accomplish anything.
Protector
Contrarian
H e must protect other members of the party,
cannot leave anyone behind, and must stand up
for them against bullies and attackers. He is always H
e usually wants the party to accomplish its
(and thereby his) goals using alternative or
on the lookout to defend the weak or oppressed. He questionable means. He may get other party members
8 in trouble with the law or friends to have a good time.

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character accomplishes his personal goal,

he should write a new one at the end of the
current session.
Finishing Your Character

N ow that you have created the

He sees power as oppression and frequently disagrees
with the Leader or sees more direct means as easier. He
usually gets annoyed by the Mentor.
Zealot
foundation of aspects that make
the core of what your character is about,
you need to do the finishing touches. Give
your character a name, a description, some
personality quirks and an apparent sex.
Optionally your group may also wish
to create a group social contract as
well. Discuss with your group why the
characters are together as a party and
create a group public goal.
Sex of a Toy?
Are You Kidding Me?
While it’s obvious that toys do not have sexual organs, the toys
of Toypocalypse do feel associated with a particular sex: either
male or female. They also do pair with other toys in relationships

H e provides the party with spiritual chastisement

and seeks to push the party towards his own
religious goals. He may consider it his own personal
(hetero and homo). They join in spiritual and emotional unions.
A toy’s sex may be unknown to observers because of its
androgynous appearance but all toys have an emotional sex.
goal to redeem his spiritually lost companion’s
souls and frequently sees their actions as the path to
damnation. He may be blind to his own iniquity.
Public and Private Goals

O nce a player has picked his character’s social role

he needs to create two goals. These goals can
change at the beginning or ending of any play session
but he should make sure to show the changes to the
GM. The public goal can and should be read aloud
to the rest of the party during the first session and at
any point that it changes in the future. The private
goal should be kept secret (write it on the back of the
character sheet). The GM should approve the private
goal and only the GM and the player will know the
character’s private goal.
Public goals can be anything that pertains to the
overall plot or the character, but they should be
obtainable within the scope of the game. If a goal is
obtained, a new goal should be written at the end of
the current session.
Private goals could also be anything that pertains to
the overall plot but usually and more poignantly should
pertain to the character’s personality and individual
growth. These goals should be more difficult to obtain
but still possible within the scope of the game. If the 9

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Chapter 3 Tracking Pneuma

Tracking Pneuma may be easier by using poker chips or beads to

Pneuma and represent current Pneuma pools. This allows the GM to hand out
Pneuma without breaking the conversation or stopping the in-

Morale
character role play. This also allows the GM to use a different color
of poker chip for Pneuma gained by social role rewards and see who
has received their maximum for the session and who has not.

Happiness Is… ways such as playing his social role, completing his
goals, or accomplishing major tasks within the game.
I t’s been two days since the uprising. Yesterday I ran across A character can lose Pneuma from spending it in heroic
Barb and two others, a scary looking dude they call Plai- actions, using it to fuel his powers, or from taking
dough and his friend. I didn’t catch his friends name cuz I was too serious damage. If a characters Pneuma is reduced to
busy staring at… at… well I ‘aint sure what I was staring at. It was zero, he is killed—snuffed from existence, only a husk
sort of a cross between a fold and a pockmark. At first I thought left of his former self. Generally toys cannot do this
it was Plai-dough’s eye but after more consideration and a whiff sort of serious damage to other toys; it takes physical
of it, my mind started to swirl with the possibilities of what that disassembly, weapons like fire, or a large predator like
orifice was and what he, she, or it used the funky half-hole for. I a dog to cause Pneuma loss.
don’t care if that thing is the most docile creature on the planet, I
wouldn’t want to cross ways with it. Pneuma is awarded by the GM and can be gained in
the following ways:
More toys rolled into the camp today and we are split on how we
should proceed. Several of the toys, Barb included, want to stick • A player may gain a Pneuma for his character
together as a group and find a place to stay down the trail, just by Role Playing aspects of his social role in an
forgetting and leaving our friends in town. Barb was always in appropriate manner. This bonus can be received
it for herself; we dated a few years back but I couldn’t handle her a maximum of three times per session. This bonus
self-centered bitchiness. Me, I can’t get the visions of my friends maximum can be extended to six times per session
being burnt with matches and being disassembled by Tonn-ka’s if all characters get their three.
cronies out of my head. I tried to kept my mouth shut for most of • The character may gain Pneuma for completing
the day, but when Plai-dough stood up and made a call for “free a story arc, accomplishing a particularly difficult
minded souls to help protect the innocent”, I couldn’t stand by any task, or doing something particularly heroic.
more. That funky half-hole was speaking my language.
• A character may gain Pneuma for completing or
Now we are assembling the troops, if you can call them that— forwarding a personal or group public goal. If the
this rag-tag group of lightweights would have a tough time group is particularly successful at forwarding
punching their way out of a display box. Yet we have something a goal in a scene they may be rewarded with
we didn’t have before, a confidence or assurance that we couldn’t Pneuma.
muster on the fly at the announcement. With a couple days rest
and some fresh air, we are feeling strong and we have a plan. I may • A character may gain four Pneuma for completing
not know Plai-dough’s gender but the thing’s tactics are sound. his private goal. This can be completed a maximum
We might just pull this off… of once per chapter or story arc, but should not
usually be that frequent.
Pneuma and Morale
• The GM may offer a player one or more Pneuma

A character has a Pneuma and Morale pool. These

stats vary up and down during play but they can
never exceed the character’s Maximums and can never
be reduced below zero. This chapter discusses how
these pools go up and down and what happens when
they reach zero.
Pneuma
for his character by convincing him to not invoke
one of his Condition or Facet characteristics to
automatically fail a test. The player does not have
to take the Pneuma and fail the task if he does not
wish.
Pneuma can be spent or lost in the following ways:
• A player may spend a Pneuma to invoke one of

A s discussed in the character creation chapter,

a character’s Pneuma is his strength of soul. It
is a representation of his spiritual and emotional
10 magnitude. A character gains Pneuma in a few different
his characteristics or his social role for a +2 to
an attribute roll. This can only be done if the
characteristic applies to the situation. This also
can only be done once for each characteristic

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category per game session. It may be done for his Invoking Social Roles
social role multiple times per game session.
• A player may spend two Pneuma to activate his
character’s Power for a single round (10 seconds).
A
player may also invoke his character’s Social Role
and spend a Pneuma to gain +2 to an attribute test.
The situation must apply to his Social Role. However,
• A character may lose Pneuma in various chunks unlike invoking characteristics a player may invoke
from serious damage, disassembly, extreme his character’s social role any number of times during
environmental damage (i.e. fire or falling rock), or a play session. Although doing it too many times may
from large beasts such as dogs. put his Pneuma levels dangerously low.

Invoking Characteristics Morale

T here are four different characteristics categories:

Condition, Facet, Movement and Cognizance.
These characteristics frame what the character toy is.
These characteristics can be invoked to help complete
tasks. Any time a player thinks he might need some
extra help to complete a task, he can invoke a specific
characteristic from a category he has not yet used
during that session and spend a Pneuma point. He
gains a +2 on the attribute test roll. The characteristic
chosen must realistically help the character accomplish
his task.
For example: Ted the Bear has found himself in a large field of
tall grass and thinks a dog is trying to track him down. He has the
Threadbare Condition characteristic. He may invoke Threadbare
and gain a +2 to his attribute test to attempt to appear worthless
to the dog. The GM asks Ted the Bear’s player to role Versatility
and allows the +2 to the roll. However, now that he has used the
Condition category he may not invoke from that category again
for the rest of the game session.
A s discussed in the character creation chapter, a
character’s Morale is a measure of a character’s
conscious strength. It is a representation of his current
ability to push forward as well as his ability to keep
fighting. A character gains Morale in two ways: rest
and proper care. A character loses Morale by taking
damage from other toys, lack of care, or massive
Pneuma loss. If a character’s Morale is reduced to zero,
he is knocked unconscious, stops fighting and asks for
mercy, or quits persevering.
Morale can be gained in the following ways:
• For each full 8 hours of rest the character toy gains
two Morale.
• In addition, a character may restore one Morale
per day by receiving proper care. To receive proper
care his Condition characteristic must be fulfilled
(ex: if the character is Threadbare and gets a
few stitches or a patch he gains one additional
Morale).
• Optionally the GM may reward Morale for
completing difficult tasks, story arcs, or goals.
Morale can be lost in the following ways:
• Taking normal damage from combat reduces
Morale (see Task Resolution and Combat chapter
4).
• Not receiving any proper care by fulfilling his
Condition characteristic in an entire week reduces
Morale by one per week it has not been received
(ex: if a character has not received any proper care
for 28 days his moral will be reduced by 4). This
Morale loss happens at the end of each full week
without proper care.
• Each time a character looses Pneuma from serious
damage (disassembly, environmental damage, or
large beasts), he loses an equal amount of Morale.

11

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 T O Y P O C A LY P S E

Chapter 4 may require a different Attribute roll. The player will

roll his character’s attribute plus modifier vs. the Target
Task Resolution Number (TN) provided by the GM. If the player meets
or exceeds the Target Number assigned to the task, the
and Combat task succeeds.
Target Numbers can be one of three different levels:
an Average task should be TN 7, a Difficult task should
Tyrannies End be TN 9, and a Very Difficult task should be TN 11.

P lai-dough’s friend is named Gee-eyejo. He is one of those

“strong silent” types, and the more I learn about him the Opposed Task Resolution
more he seems like the brains behind the operation. We have
been sitting on a hill overlooking the town for the last two days I f two characters are attempting to accomplish
opposed tasks each rolls their relevant attribute
watching Tonn-ka and his minions pushing our friends around. tests and compare the final roll plus modifier. The
Each time someone has noticed something of interest and passed higher roller wins the opposed task. If the roll is tied,
the news on to Plai-dough, him and Gee-eye’ head off into the they are at least temporarily set in a deadlock. This is,
woods to talk for a bit. When they come back, Plai-dough has all however, the only situation where the GM can add
kinds of smart things to say, but I’m certain it’s the little guy and modifiers to the roll (instead of setting a higher or
not that stinky blob that is coming up with the plans. lower TN level). For example, if one character is rolling
Right now we are planning on The Math his Intensity in an attempt to
moving in late tonight, knocking % Chance to Accomplish a Task at a intimidate a shopkeeper to
out Tonn-ka’s personal guard and Given Attribute Level and Difficulty sell his entire inventory for a
burning down his shack. There are pittance and the GM is rolling
Average Difficult Very Difficult
a few that ‘aint got the stomach for Will for the shopkeeper, the
1d12 50% 33% 16% shopkeeper should receive
it, but me, I can’t wait to hear that
1d10+2 60% 40% 20% a massive bonus to his
bastard’s metal warp and see his
tires melt. These old legs might not 1d8+4 75% 50% 25% roll (or depending on how
let me lead the charge, but I sure as 1d6+6 100% 66% 33% ridiculous the situation is,
hell will be in the thick of the fray. 1 = massive blunder just automatically succeed/
12+ = critical success fail).
Those not in the main mission
are moving in groups to various % Chance to Have a Task Be a Massive Helping With a
locations to warn the rest of Blunder or a Critical Success at a Given Task
the members of the town and Attribute Level
maybe drum up some support in
the morning. If we take them by 1d12
Blunder
8%
Critical
8%
I f a situation involves a task
where another character
could possibly help in the
surprise, we most certainly will 1d10+2 0% 10% completion of a task, he can
have the opportunity to put in our do so by forfeiting anything
1d8+4 0% 12.5%
own government and change the he would be doing during
way we live in this dreary town. 1d6+6 0% 17%
that turn to participate. The
Heh… The king is dead, long live applied help provides a +1
the king. modifier to the main character’s attribute test. This
Basic Task Resolution does not apply to most tasks and should be used
sparingly.
W hen a character attempts to accomplish a task
that involves a level of uncertainty around
whether or not he might accomplish the task, the GM
Critical
Blunder
Success and Massive
should ask for an attribute roll. There are only four
attributes in the game; they are detailed in the character
creation chapter (see chapter 2). The GM must decide A ny time an attribute task roll comes up as a
modified 1, the character has blundered the
task to the point that something bad also happens
with each task which attribute best fits the situation.
This may vary depending on the circumstances; the in addition to the task failure. If an attribute task
12 same task given more time or in a different situation roll comes up as a modified 12 or more, the character

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 T O Y P O C A LY P S E

has automatically succeeded and green d6 and one red d6 and declares that the
additionally something good happens red d6 is his initiative die. Ted’s Versatility
in addition to the task success. is Good (d10+2) so he takes one blue d10 and
one red d10 and declares that his red d10 is
Initiative and Combat his initiative die. They both roll and Tonn-
Resolution ka gets a 4 on his green die and a 3 on his red

E ventually a situation will not die; Ted gets a 5 on his blue die and a 2 on his
be able to be resolved with red die! The GM counts up from 0 through
mere words and things will come to the initiative order to determine the order of
fisticuffs. A combat round represents actions. At initiative count 2 Ted dives out
10 seconds of time and proceeds as follows: of the way with a 7 (5+2) on his attribute check just barely getting
out of the way of Tonn-ka, who hits the wall with a massive thud
1. Each participant in the combat declares what on initiative count 3. Even though Tonn-ka hit his target with a
he intends to do with his action, starting with 10 (4+6), he hit it just a fraction too late. If Ted’s initiative roll
lowest Intuition and proceeding to the highest had been higher than Tonn-ka’s or if he had failed to dodge out of
Intuition. Ties go to the players. During the action the way, Tonn-ka would have easily hit his defense of 8 dumping
declaration step, the GM will assign attribute him into the bed of the truck and causing Morale damage.
tests to the actions being declared.
2. Once every member of the combat has declared
Surprise Round
his action, everyone rolls his appropriate attribute
die and an initiative die. The initiative die is the I
f a combat starts unexpectedly, the attackers and
characters with knowledge of the attack may
same die type as the attribute die but is a different act normally during the first round. Those unaware
color (this must be declared before the roll or the are caught off guard and do not get to act during the
roll will need to be remade). Initiative dice do not surprise round.
have modifiers.
Damage
3. In order of lowest initiative die roll to highest, the
actions are completed. Ties are broken by smallest
die type first. Further ties happen simultaneously.
W hen an attack exceeds a character’s defense,
roll 2d6 and apply the lower die result as
Morale damage. If the attacker rolled a critical success,
4. The GM describes the round of combat from roll a single d6 and apply the result as Morale damage.
lowest initiative action to highest. If an action If the attacker used a weapon instead of just a standard
earlier in the round would stop a declared action attack, roll a single d6 and apply the result as Morale
that will happen later in the round, it is up to the damage. If the attacker used a weapon and rolled a
GM to adjudicate the results. critical success, roll 2d6 and apply the higher die result
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until the situation is as Morale damage.
resolved. Serious Damage

S
For Example: Ted the Bear has failed to sneak up on the erious damage is not common in Toypocalypse.
sleeping town tyrant Tonn-ka. Tonn-ka, angry and fully awake, Generally toys do not have access to things that
must declare his action first because his Intuition stat is 7 and
cause serious damage, and town governments take
Ted’s is 8. Tonn-ka declares he is attempting to back up into Ted’s
personal possession of such things very seriously.
knees and drop him into the dump part of Tonn-ka’s truck body.
When weapons and creatures that cause serious
Ted then declares he is going to dive out of the way and let the
damage successfully hit a defender with an attack, roll
truck ram into the wall. The GM declares that Tonn-ka’s action is
2d6 and apply the lower die result to both Pneuma and
an Intensity attribute check and that Ted’s action is a Versatility
Morale as damage. When weapons and creatures that
check. Tonn-ka’s Intensity is a Superior (d6+6) so he takes one
cause serious damage successfully hit a defender with
What can I do with my action? a critical success, roll a single d6 and apply the result as
You can do pretty much anything you want to do. The GM will damage to both Pneuma and Morale.
assign a higher TN or modifiers if you get out of control with your
combat declaration and at some point he will most likely say “that’s
too much, even a super powered teddy bear can’t accomplish all
that in one round” and rein you in. 13

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 T O Y P O C A LY P S E
Chapter 5
Setting
Memories Fade
I t’s been nearly a month since our assault on Tonn-ka and
his establishment. I would be lying to you if I told you things
were perfect now, they aren’t. But folks are happy and things are
improving. My wounds have been fully stitched and patched, and
the few dead have been buried. We haven’t decided on a system of
government or put toys in leadership positions yet, but a roving
priest showed up and started a congregation of the Great Crafter.
I don’t subscribe to such malarkey but it makes some toys happy
to think someone or something created us. It’s obvious from dusty
tombs and all the ancient ruins around us that humans came
before us, but who knows where they went.
Soon things will be back to normal—no, better than normal.
Soon we will be a thriving community of toys all working for
the greater good, and everyone will be chipper, everyone that is
except me. This whole experience has stirred something inside of
me. I have to believe that other towns are out there under the same
oppressive plight that we were, and the dreams of tortured toys
don’t just go away like you would think they would. I have it in my
mind to leave this place once things are a bit more stable. There
are others who think the same way I do, toys who want to push
out and see new areas, find other like-minded toys and help them.
Maybe someday someone will come across my record and find
that my words have inspired them to fight oppression where
14 it lies and strike down tyranny for others too weak to defend
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themselves. Until then, I will travel the roads seeking to do this
myself. My name is Ted. It’s been almost ten years since the
genesis of my people.
For the GM
T he rest of the book is mostly for the GM, if you
wish to continue reading you can but it’s not
necessary.
The Setting
T oypocalypse is supposed to marry opposing genres
and themes to create a setting that is at the same
time gritty, unsentimental, and unromantic while being
at times lighthearted and fun. The core themes of the
game are Oppression, Revolution, and Freedom in an
abandoned world. As the GM, it is your responsibility
to paint the imaginary picture that the players see as
they adventure through this world. It is recommended
that you create a town with an oppressive government
of some kind and push on your players to the breaking
point. A successful Toypocalypse campaign involves
the players overthrowing oppression and creating
their own government. There are many ways you can
examine this trope because it has happened so many
times throughout our own history. You should create
a vibrant town with many interesting and reoccurring
NPCs that the players will either grow to love or hate.
Make a sandbox world where the players can grow and
explore who their characters are.
 T O Y P O C A LY P S E

Rewarding Pneuma and Adjudicat- and they hang around towns looking for the handouts
ing Powers that are no longer there. Cats, dogs and many birds can
cause problems for sentient toys.
A s the GM, it is your responsibility to maintain
the setting and theme of your game. Depending
on how much Pneuma you reward and how far you let
Possible Feral Dog Stat line
Will: Normal (1d12) Cognition: Normal (1d12)
your players go with their powers will set the stage for Versatility: Great (1d8+4) Intensity: Great (1d8+4)
the style of game. You can choose to set the power level
yourself to create the flavor of game you wish to run Defense: 9 Intuition: 9 Pneuma: 7 Morale: 9
or you could discuss the power level with your players Serious Damage Bite
and decide what sort of flavor they want the game to
have. Religion
Creating the Town
R eligion in Toypocalypse in many ways reflects
religion in our own world. There are several
T o create your town you may wish to create a map
of buildings and streets (you could even use your
home town or neighborhood), a list of major toys in
factions who believe in the Great Crafter but they
disagree in how they should worship him. Most of the
tyrannical warlords and rulers of the various cities and
the town including the town leadership, and possibly towns that have been created since the Great Dawning
a list of factions and what they stand for or want to despise the idea of a Great Crafter or anything that
accomplish. To create your sandbox environment involves the toys worshiping anything except them.
and setting, write out what the major toys in the Additionally many of the academically minded among
town are planning and will accomplish if the party the toys see the idea of an all powerful Great Crafter
does not interfere. Write out major events that will as ridiculous. The faithful believe something similar to
happen because of those toys’ plans and these will be these tenants or a derivative of these tenants:
your major scenes. Allow the players to interfere with
these plans. Make your NPC toys change their plans • The Great Crafter is first and last and should be
in reaction to the players. Make the world vibrant and worshipped as such.
living, and most importantly make it react to what • The Great Crafter created toys in his own liking
your players do. and all toys are therefore good.
The Wilderness • The Great Crafter removed the Humans because
of their iniquity; do not follow in their footsteps.
S ince the humans disappearance, the animals left
on the earth have boomed in population. Most
of the overgrown areas outside of towns and cities
• A toy’s soul is eternal and valuable unto the Great
Crafter; it should be treated with respect.
contain a large mass of animals. Some don’t care about • Do not live upon the industry of other toys; craft
moving toys, others see them as possible food. As the your own or work for your needs.
GM you should portray the wilderness as a very scary
and extremely dangerous area. Household pets have • Worship the beautiful things and pay homage to
become feral dangerous versions of their former selves all that the Great Crafter has created.
Optional Rule: Advancement

I f you wish to play a Toypocalypse game that involves

advancement, you can give your players an Attribute
Point at the end of a long story arc or completion of
a major chapter in the story. Changing an attribute
will also adjust the derived stats. Attribute Points
are powerful and well worth the effort so do not give
them out lightly. After you have given out 8, the players
attributes will all be at Superior (d6+6) and tasks will
have very little chance of failure and will have very
little meaning any more. It is recommended that you
end campaigns before that happens. 15

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 TOYPOCALPYSE player

CharaCTer sheeT Campaign/Town

CharaCTer name soCial role

Type of Toy sex

personaliTy

DesCripTion

Defense

Circle the appropriate die type and modifier for the attribute’s level.
normal gooD greaT sUperior inTUiTion

will 1d12 1d10+2 1d8+4 1d6+6

max pnUema / CUrrenT pneUma

CogniTion 1d12 1d10+2 1d8+4 1d6+6

versaTiliTy 1d12 1d10+2 1d8+4 1d6+6

max morale / CUrrenT morale

inTensiTy 1d12 1d10+2 1d8+4 1d6+6

ConDiTion faCeTs movemenT CognizanCe

Invoked Invoked Invoked

Invoked
power

pUbliC goal

Write the character’s Private Goal on the back of the sheet.

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