Aftermath!
Aftermath! cover art
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| Designer(s) | Paul Hume, Robert N. Charrette |
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| Publisher(s) | Fantasy Games Unlimited |
| Publication date | 1981 |
| Genre(s) | Post-apocalyptic fiction |
| System(s) | Custom |
Aftermath! is a role-playing game created by Paul Hume & Robert Charette which was published in 1981 by Fantasy Games Unlimited.
It is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which the characters typically have to fight for food, water, basic supplies and shelter. The rules are reasonably complex and include many flow charts and tables to enable the Games Master to simulate the world. This leads to a gaming experience some consider immersive, while others are put off by the extreme detail and long play times for events that happen quickly in the game world. Either way, it does require a good working knowledge of the rules to play.
The nature of the Apocalypse is up to the Games Master but it is often reminiscent of the Mad Max films. There is even an expansion (Aftermath! Magic!) to play in a universe dominated by dragons in the style of the film Reign of Fire.
The game's designers can be found in the credits list below (see External links).
Aftermath is the second RPG produced by Hume and Charrette for FGU after producing Bushido. It was also praised for its features, but often criticized for its complexity, a common refrain when discussing games from FGU.
Characters are rated on a set of six stats – Wit, Will, Strength, Deftness, Speed, and Health. These are rated as follows:
Characters also have a set of talents – Charismatic, Combative, Communicative, Esthetic, Mechanical, Natural, and Scientific. These talents govern the progress in skills, and can be used in a pinch as a “Natural Talent” instead of a skill.
Aftermath! is a true skill-based system, with no “levels” to artificially balance gameplay. A character has a set of skills that define the tasks that they are proficient in. Skills are rated on a skillscore, which is converted to a D20 roll (BCS) for convenience. If the D20 is under the BCS, then the skill test succeeds.
The combat system is a tiered system. The players only resolve the combat to the level of detail needed for the encounter; therefore, they can forgo using the more complex resolution methods if it benefits the game's current pace.
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