TEXT:  
   
  1 
  Animatica 
   
  e Animated Multiverse 
  A Cross-Genre Cartoon Storytelling Game 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Written by 
  Peter Casey 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Published by 
  ought Police Interactive
  
   
   
  2 
  Table of Contents 
  INTRODUCTION _____________ 3 
  REQUIREMENTS ______________ 3 
  RULE ZERO _________________ 3 
  Corollary Zero ____________ 3 
  RULE ONE __________________ 3 
  COPYRIGHT _________________ 4 
  LICENSE ____________________ 4 
  CHARACTER CREATION _______ 5 
  BASIC SYSTEM _______________ 6 
  BONUS & PENALTIES___________ 6 
  Chance Die _______________ 6 
  WINS ______________________ 6 
  Sliding Scale ______________ 6 
  SPECTACULAR FAILURE _________ 6 
  HITS AND KO ________________ 6 
  CHARACTER BITS ____________ 7 
  GENRES ____________________ 7 
  Genre Impact _____________ 7 
  MEDIA _____________________ 7 
  Clays ___________________ 7 
  Puppets _________________ 8 
  Sketches _________________ 8 
  reeds __________________ 8 
  Twoons __________________ 8 
  CORE TRAITS ________________ 9 
  Brains __________________ 9 
  Charm __________________ 9 
  Luck ____________________ 9 
  Vigor ___________________ 9 
  PARADIGM _________________ 10 
  Art ____________________ 10 
  Draw __________________ 10 
  Erase __________________ 10 
  Disguise ________________ 10 
  Science _________________ 10 
  Kludge _________________ 10 
  Law ___________________ 10 
  Order __________________ 10 
  Stupidity _______________ 11 
  Deny __________________ 11 
  Reverse ________________ 11 
  Ignore _________________ 11 
  QUALITIES _________________ 11 
  QUIRKS ___________________ 12 
  Personality Quirks ________ 12 
  Downfall Quirks _________ 12 
  Scar Quirks _____________ 12 
  ACTIONS __________________ 13 
  SYSTEM RECAP _____________ 13 
  COMBAT & CONFLICT ________ 13 
  NARRATIVE RESOLUTION ______ 13 
  STEPS ____________________ 13 
  Timing _________________ 13 
  Phases _________________ 14 
  Talking ________________ 14 
  Doing _________________ 14 
  Fighting _______________ 14 
  Declaring Actions _________ 14 
  ASSIST ACTIONS_____________ 14 
  RESOLVING CONFLICTS _______ 14 
  Fighting Order ___________ 15 
  Physical vs Non-Physical __ 15 
  Mutual ________________ 15 
  Unopposed _____________ 15 
  Special Actions ___________ 15 
  Declared Defense ________ 15 
  Take Us Both Down ______ 15 
  Nope Out ______________ 15 
  Intense Actions __________ 15 
  SUPPORT CAST _____________ 16 
  PAWNS ___________________ 16 
  FACES ____________________ 16 
  ARMS ____________________ 16 
  HANDS ___________________ 16 
  MINDS ___________________ 16 
  Support Cast Actions ______ 16 
  Escape Scene ____________ 16 
  Strength in Numbers _____ 16 
  WORLDS OF ANIMATICA ____ 17 
  FRANKLIN _________________ 17 
  SLAPLAND _________________ 17 
  PUNCHTOPIA _______________ 17 
  WHATINTHE _______________ 18 
  ACTIONIA _________________ 18 
  MAGINATION ______________ 18 
  EXAMPLE CHARACTERS _____ 19 
  CLAY ____________________ 19 
  PUPPET __________________ 19 
  SKETCH __________________ 20 
  TWOON __________________ 20 
  THREED __________________ 21 
  PLAY MODES ______________ 22 
  EPISODIC MODE ____________ 22 
  STORY ARC MODE___________ 22 
  MADNESS MODE ___________ 22 
  QUICK RULES REFERENCE ___ 23 
  HOW MANY DICE ___________ 23 
  Chance Die ______________ 23 
  COUNTING DICE ____________ 23 
  Wins ___________________ 23 
  Sliding Scale _____________ 23 
  Spectacular Failures _______ 23 
  HITS ____________________ 23 
  EVENT ORDER _____________ 23 
  SPECIAL ACTIONS ___________ 23 
  Assist __________________ 23 
  Defense _________________ 23 
  Take Us Both Down________ 23 
  Nope Out _______________ 23 
  Intense Actions ___________ 23 
  KIDS RULES MOD __________ 24 
  CORE TRAITS ______________ 24 
  PARADIGM ________________ 24 
  MEDIA ___________________ 24 
  SYSTEM __________________ 24 
  Scale ___________________ 24 
  Weak __________________ 24 
  Normal ________________ 24 
  Strong _________________ 24 
  QUIRKS __________________ 24 
  GENERAL GUIDANCE _________ 24 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  3 
  Introduction 
  his is the alpha module for Animatica, a 
  cartoon multiverse storytelling game. It is 
  a draft manuscript. It may contain omis-
  sions, spelling mistakes, and other errors.  
  All rules and text are subject to revision. 
  Animatica is a sprawling multiverse made of up in-
  dividual ‘verses (animated worlds). It is populated 
  by Animates, animated characters of all varieties.  
  e stories can be focused on a single world and 
  type of story or jump across the many worlds of 
  Animatica.  
  e default play style of Animatica is absurdist 
  and tongue-in-cheek, travelling across the multi-
  verse. However, it is also adaptable to more seri-
  ous stories and genre emulation. 
  Requirements 
  Animatica requires six-sided dice for the action 
  rules and paper & pencils or electronic devices to 
  record character sheets and notes.  
  Animatica also requires  or more “narrators” and 
   or more participants (or “players”).  
  e narrators provide the sandbox setting, de-
  scribing various places and events, as well as han-
  dling the portrayal of NPCs (all the characters not 
  portrayed by the players).  
  e players take on the roles of Animates, living 
  animations in an animated multiverse. 
  Rule Zero 
  Have Fun! 
  is is not Rule . It comes before Rule . It is 
  the meta-rule underlying all other rules. Storytell-
  ing and roleplaying games are entertainment.  
  e entire point of getting together to play a game 
  and tell some stories is to have fun. 
  Corollary Zero 
  Don’t Be A Dick! 
  is is a natural conclusion from Rule Zero. Don’t 
  be cruel to people with traumas or discomforts. 
  Don’t let inane story details or rules nitpicks get 
  in the way.  
  Don’t be at Guy™.  
  Come together to enjoy yourselves. Create some 
  new stories. Be kind. 
  Rule One 
  Every production should use, discard, revise, or 
  add on rules as they see ﬁt. Use whatever combi-
  nation of book rules and house rules make the 
  most sense for your story.  
  e rules are just there to guide the narrative and 
  provide a general sense of structure. 
   
   
   
   
  T 
  
   
   
  4 
  Copyright 
  All alpha modules for Animatica are Copyright 
  , Peter Casey and ought Police Interactive 
  Studios. All releases are available under Creative 
  Commons Licenses. Please refer to the License 
  section of each release for more information. 
  License 
  Animatica by ought Police Interactive is li-
  censed under a Creative Commons Attribution-
  NonCommercial . International License. Per-
  missions beyond the scope of this license may be 
  available 
  at https://www.facebook.com/tpistu-
  dios/. 
  is is a human-readable summary of (and not a 
  substitute for) the license. Disclaimer. 
  You are free to: 
  • 
  Share — copy and redistribute 
  the material in any medium or 
  format 
  • 
  Adapt — remix, transform, and 
  build upon the material 
  e licensor cannot revoke these free-
  doms as long as you follow the license 
  terms. 
  Under the following terms: 
  • 
  Attribution — You 
  must 
  give appropriate credit, provide a 
  link to the license, and indicate if 
  changes were made. You may do 
  so in any reasonable manner, but 
  not in any way that suggests the 
  licensor endorses you or your use. 
  • 
  NonCommercial — You may 
  not use the material for commer-
  cial purposes. 
  • 
  No additional restrictions — 
  You may not apply legal terms 
  or technological measures that le-
  gally restrict others from doing 
  anything the license permits. 
  If you want to license this setting for commercial 
  purposes, please contact us regarding possible li-
  censing arrangements. If you run public or con-
  vention events that have a cover charge or mini-
  mum donation for event costs, we have a free 
  standard exemption for such activity; contact us 
  about your events. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  5 
  Character Creation 
   
  Pick Name, Genre, and Medium 
  What is your character’s name? 
  What genre of family or ‘verse do they originate from? 
  What Medium of Animate are they? 
   
  Assign Traits 
  Start with  each in Brains, Charm, Luck and Vigor. 
  Distribute  additional points between them. 
  Each trait maxes out at  in character creation. 
   
  Choose a Paradigm and Tricks 
  Pick Art, Science, or Stupidity. 
  Assign  points to Tricks in the chosen Paradigm. 
  Each Trick maxes out at  in character creation. 
   
  Pick a Quality 
  Pick one Quality, an animated ability not covered by other traits. 
   
  Choose Quirks 
  Pick two Quirks: One personality and one downfall quirk. 
   
  Make Up Backstory 
  Make up a little backstory for your character.  
  It doesn’t need to be complex, just a short summary to help deﬁne who they are. 
  Where are they from? Do they have a family? What’s their life been like? 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  6 
  Basic System 
  oll a number of six-sided dice equal to the 
  trait being used. Dice showing  or  count 
  as wins. All actions are handled this way. 
  Bonus & Penalties 
  Bonuses add dice.  
  A + bonus adds three dice. 
  Penalties subtract dice.  
  A - penalty subtracts one die. 
  Mundane, and everyday actions get a + bonus. 
  Chance Die 
  If the dice total is zero or less than zero, you can 
  take a “No” failure OR roll a single chance die.  
  If the result is a  or , get a -win success. If the 
  result is a , suﬀer a -fail spectacular failure. If 
  the result is a , suﬀer a -fail spectacular failure. 
  Wins 
  Does the action succeed? 
   – No; a simple failure 
   – Yes, but; succeed but incompletely or at a cost 
   – Yes; a simple success 
  + - Yes, and; succeed and do so better or with 
  more beneﬁt than expected 
  Sliding Scale 
  Characters can slide the results up  on the scale 
  in exchange for taking a Hit or suﬀering a - pen-
  alty on their next action. Even a -win basic failure 
  can become a -win “yes, but” success.  
  If the character is in a conﬂict, their opponent can 
  match the cost to negate the result bonus.  
  e sliding scale may not be used to negate or sof-
  ten spectacular failures. 
  Spectacular Failure 
  If a roll yields no wins and some s are showing, 
  the result is a spectacular failure.  
  Not only does the action fail, it goes spectacularly 
  wrong. Count each  as a fail for the scale and de-
  termine how extremely the action backﬁres. 
  How bad is the fail? 
   – A minor but embarrassing ﬂub that will be the 
  butt of jokes, but only for a little while 
   – A truly complete, backﬁring failure that will be-
  come the talk of town for quite a while, maybe 
  even coloring the character’s rep 
  + - A catastrophic mistake that will enter legend 
  and be told by your grandchildren’s grandchildren 
  Hits and KO 
  Hits are blows taken. A scathing insult will deal a 
  Hit as easily as an uppercut.  
  By default, player characters can take three Hits in 
  a scene before being KO’d. Once KO’d, the charac-
  ter is down and out for the scene.  
  e character returns at the end of the scene or 
  beginning of the next. Animates never die. ey 
  only go down for a little while.  
  However, they can be captured, drawn upon, or 
  otherwise handled and aﬀected while KO’d. 
  R 
  
   
   
  7 
  Character Bits 
  Genres 
  enres are various types of animation. e 
  genre helps deﬁne the background, point 
  of view, and overall style of a character.  
  Players should pick a genre speciﬁc enough to pro-
  vide some clear direction, but broad enough to al-
  low a lot of room in the story. 
  Classic silly and Saturday morning action are very 
  popular genres. Both are classic types of cartoons, 
  each over the top in the own ways.  
  Late night craziness is a great choice for zany and 
  absurd characters of any Medium. Classic movie 
  or classic TV are great for certain types of fantasy 
  or wholesome characters.  
  Go ahead and explore all sorts of inspiration. As 
  long as they include puppets and/or animated 
  characters, a niche or subgenre is fair play.  
  If you’re choosing something a little more obscure, 
  describe it more broadly or plainly rather than us-
  ing niche terms.  
  Genre Impact 
  When considering the way your character’s 
  worldview, genre is a main guide. An Animate 
  from a slapstick culture is going to see things very 
  diﬀerently from one who comes from a family of 
  anime action stars.  
  It also should inform their personalities to a de-
  gree. Use your genre as a guide for roleplaying.  
  A classic fantasy movie character may have a heav-
  ily aﬀected sense of etiquette and mock-medieval 
  opinions. A hardboiled detective from Saturday 
  morning cartoons may behave like a caricature of 
  a ﬁlm noir hero. 
  Genre also aﬀects the way a character’s “animate 
  actions”, Tricks, and Qualities are called upon and 
  function. An “old school zany” Twoon is going to 
  use their animated abilities very diﬀerently from 
  a “late night adult humor” Clay. Use discretion. 
  Media 
  ere are ﬁve main Media of Animates within the 
  worlds of Animatica: Clays, Puppets, Sketches, 
  Twoons, and reeds.  
  Each Medium has its own beneﬁts and drawbacks. 
  Most Media also have unifying personality traits 
  or other characteristics.  
  ese are representative of the common types of 
  character. In combination with genre, you should 
  be able to emulate most types of animated and 
  puppeteered characters.  
  If your group has additional ideas for subtypes of 
  Media or a new Medium to include, the narrators 
  and players may discuss it. We encourage innova-
  tion and creativity in character creation and 
  worldbuilding. Go nuts! 
  Clays 
  Clays are often but not only creatures of clay. ey 
  can be made from a wide variety of materials. e 
  uniting characteristic of Clays is that they are all 
  three-dimensional stop-motion creatures.  
  Clays range from devious shapeshifters to inno-
  cent explorers, but even the tricksters usually 
  have a simple and friendly attitude.  
  Due to their construction, they tend to be a bit 
  shorter on Brains than other Animates. Regard-
  less, even their best and brightest tend to be a bit 
  gullible and oblivious. 
  Beneﬁt 
  Bounce: Give up your ﬁghting action to ignore 
  hits from any blow, bouncing around or quickly re-
  forming without injury. 
  Drawback 
  Naïve: - on any attempts to detect traps, discern 
  lies, spot ambushes, or otherwise identify or see 
  through deceptions and illusions. 
  G 
  
   
   
  8 
  Puppets 
  ough felt puppets are the most famous example, 
  Puppets also including everything from marion-
  ettes to sock-puppets. ey are live-action pup-
  pets of all types.  
  Puppets come with varied personalities but all 
  come with a strong force of personality. ey’re 
  usually quite energetic with hidden reserves allow-
  ing them to burst into action.  
  But they are also far from graceful, having the dif-
  ﬁculties with coordinated movement you’d expect 
  from a Puppet. 
  Beneﬁt 
  Flurry: Get an extra step’s worth of actions at the 
  end of any step, once per scene. 
  Drawback 
  Clumsy: - on anything requiring coordination or 
  ﬁne motor control. 
  Sketches 
  Sketches are ﬂat paper and cut-out people and 
  creatures. ey range from literal sketches with 
  notebook paper bodies to popup book characters 
  of slightly sturdier cardboard.  
  Sketches tend to have self-obsessed attitudes, in-
  cluding more selﬁsh and cowardly sorts and deep 
  out-there or strange mashup concepts.  
  eir construction allows them to hide in plain 
  sight, but it also leaves them often without much 
  Vigor. Even the ﬁttest Sketches ﬁnd feats of 
  strength diﬃcult.   
  Beneﬁt 
  Sidestep: Become invisible and undetectable by 
  turning sideways. 
  Drawback 
  in: - on anything requiring strength or athletic 
  ability. 
  Threeds 
  reeds are D and CGI animated characters. 
  eir appearances range from highly polished to 
  glitchy and crude.  
  reeds are considered the most “solid” of Ani-
  mates, having mass in a way the others do not.  
  is works both for them and against them as 
  their increased inertia interacts with the cartoon 
  physics of Animatica. It also aﬀects their person-
  ality, making them considerably more stubborn 
  and direct than other Animates.  
  Beneﬁt 
  Solid: + bonus on pushing through obstacles and 
  barriers, including opponents; - penalty against 
  anyone/anything trying to move or stop you. 
  Drawback 
  Momentum: - to attempts to change direction 
  and - whenever an action is of a diﬀerent kind 
  than the last.  
  Twoons 
  Twoons are D & .D comics and cartoons from 
  the classics to modern animations. ey may be 
  the most varied and internally divisive of the Me-
  dia.  
  While other Animates share more personality 
  traits, Twoons are deeply fractured along genre 
  lines. eir only unity is in their genre devotion.  
  ey’re great at what they do, but quite inept at 
  everyday activities. 
  Beneﬁt 
  Extra: Take one extra genre-speciﬁc Quality. 
  Drawback 
  Abnormal: Take no bonus for mundane actions. 
  s and s count for spectacular failure on mun-
  dane eﬀorts and everyday activities.  
  
   
   
  9 
  Core Traits 
  e core traits are what you will most commonly 
  call upon and use. ey are utilized for most dice 
  rolls and actions in the game. 
  ere are four core traits: Brains, Charm, Luck, 
  and Vigor. ey are largely what they sound like. 
  Each trait has examples of mundane and “ani-
  mated” actions.  
  Mundane actions are bland or mundane activities, 
  as well as simple and everyday eﬀorts. Animated 
  actions are the types of activities and events one 
  would not encounter in the so-called real world 
  but expect in animation.  
  ey are intended as examples for illustration. 
  Players and narrators are encouraged to be imagina-
  tive and inventive. Try new things. Find new solu-
  tions. Explore the possibilities!  
  To use the core traits, take its rating. Add or sub-
  tract any bonus or penalty. Roll that many six-
  sided dice.  
  Follow the results rules and scales in the basic sys-
  tem. All action rolls work this way.  
  Remember that characters get a + bonus for sim-
  ple, mundane, and everyday actions, except for 
  Twoons. Twoons do not receive this bonus. 
  Brains 
  Brains covers intelligence and knowledge. Actions 
  based on smarts and book learning of all sorts rely 
  on Brains. 
  Mundane Actions 
  • 
  Citing the geography or “scientiﬁc” rules 
  of a ‘verse. 
  • 
  Repairing and building contraptions 
  • 
  Outsmarting a hunter 
  Animated Actions 
  • 
  Setting cartoon-physics traps 
  • 
  Creating mad scientist inventions 
  • 
  Impossibly fast hacking 
  Charm 
  Charm embodies charisma and social talents. Any 
  attempts to be personable or engage in social ac-
  tions rely on Charm. 
  Mundane Actions 
  • 
  Winning someone over 
  • 
  Fast-talking 
  • 
  Singing a song 
  Animated Actions 
  • 
  Hypnotize people 
  • 
  Summon woodland critters 
  • 
  Get pardons for serious crimes 
  Luck 
  Luck is random odds and lucky breaks. Luck is 
  used when throwing caution to the wind and rely-
  ing on random chance.  
  Mundane Actions 
  • 
  Gambling 
  • 
  Dodging hazards 
  • 
  Guessing a combination 
  Animated Actions 
  • 
  Survive big falls without injury 
  • 
  Synchronicity 
  • 
  Randomly ﬁnding just what you need 
  Vigor 
  Vigor covers strength and physical presence. Any 
  kind of athletic action or feat of strength should 
  rely on Vigor. 
  Mundane Actions 
  • 
  Jumping across rooftops 
  • 
  Hitting things 
  • 
  Breaking down doors 
  Animated Actions 
  • 
  Flipping a car 
  • 
  Leaping tall buildings 
  • 
  Fast digging or tunneling 
  
   
   
  10 
  Paradigm 
  Paradigm represents the way a character perceives 
  and interacts with the multiverse. It is insight into 
  the rules of Animatica and how to exploit them.  
  Each character picks Art, Science, or Stupidity. 
  is is not usually a conscious thought process. 
  Paradigm is a subconscious ﬁlter and most Ani-
  mates can’t begin to explain it. 
  Narrators and players are encouraged to invent 
  new Tricks. If you have a good idea for another 
  Trick, talk it out with everyone.  
  To use Tricks, roll the number of dice equal to the 
  Trick’s rating, just as with any roll.  
  Unless noted otherwise, Tricks are assumed to last 
  one scene or until dismissed. 
  Art 
  Art sees the vast worlds of Animatica as a tableau 
  of performance and expression. 
  It usually visibly expresses itself as a pen or paint-
  brush that the character uses to create the eﬀect. 
  Draw 
  Draw a new environmental or building feature. 
  Doors, tunnels, unlock or open buttons, and more 
  can be created.  
  Erase 
  Erase an environmental or building feature. 
  Doors, windows, stairs, and more can be tempo-
  rarily erased from existence.  
  Disguise 
  Draw on a disguise. e character can appear as 
  any character, Medium, or type of character ﬁtting 
  their approximate size. 
  Science 
  Science perceives the multiverse of Animatica as 
  having a method in its madness, a universal pat-
  tern of orderly rules.  
  It is calling upon the inherent nature of existence 
  in one way or another. e appearance varies by 
  the speciﬁc Trick used.  
  Kludge 
  Jury-rig repairs or piece together hodge-podge 
  contraptions. It doesn’t matter if assembled items 
  truly make sense, as long as there’s some theme or 
  pseudo-logic to it all.  
  Law 
  Call upon the laws of the area to instantly sum-
  mon local police or call forth legal warning signs 
  prohibiting a given action that everyone within 
  eyesight must obey, even if the signs are untrue.  
  Order 
  Instant order a product from e Company’s cata-
  logue for instant delivery. All products from e 
  Company only last for one use.  
  When using the products, roll a chance die. On a 
  , gain a + bonus for an action using the product.  
  On a , the item catastrophically fails. e action 
  using the product auto-fails and all s rolled count 
  for spectacular failure, even if roll has s and/or 
  s. 
  
   
   
  11 
  Stupidity 
  Stupidity is a misunderstood and underrated way 
  of approaching the inﬁnity of Animatica. It is the 
  embrace of the maxim that ignorance is bliss.  
  Dumbness can be so willful as to warp the reality 
  and story around it. 
  Deny 
  Temporarily deny the existence of a person, event, 
  or object, making it eﬀectively non-existent for 
  the character.  
  While the character cannot be aﬀected by the tar-
  get, they can neither perceive nor interact with it. 
  Reverse 
  rough sheer dumbness, ﬂip the script and turn 
  the tides against opponents or reverse undesirable 
  natural events.  
  Reverse an action or eﬀect, or undo the damage of 
  an event, whether through a direct action or a 
  semi-plausible and crazy dumb butterﬂy eﬀect. 
  Ignore 
  Traps and environmental dangers prove ineﬀec-
  tive against the character, who traipses through 
  them oblivious to their threat.  
  While triggered traps and dodged hazards may be 
  harmless to the dumb character, their companions 
  are not likely to be so fortunate.  
  Qualities 
  Qualities are special or magical animated abilities 
  not covering by the other character traits. Both 
  the core traits and Paradigms grant animated abil-
  ities.  
  Qualities must be unique. at is, they may not 
  duplicate abilities provided by other traits. A char-
  acter who has selected Stupidity as a Paradigm 
  may not take Draw as a Quality, as it is already a 
  Trick.  
  Flight and teleportation are common examples. 
  Qualities can also be special items, such as purses 
  with inﬁnite space or glasses that show the most 
  direct (not safest or most convenient) route to a 
  destination.  
  Short distance and basic usage of Qualities is usu-
  ally considered automatic. A character with ﬂight 
  can just ﬂy around. e purse with inﬁnite space 
  will store any number or size of things and still 
  only weigh a couple ounces. 
  More complicated and powerful uses of Qualities 
  instead require a roll. For the purposes of rolling 
  for results, Qualities are treated as though they 
  have a rating of . at is, three dice are rolled 
  when using Qualities this way. 
  e character with ﬂight engaging in complicated 
  maneuvers or trying to carry someone should 
  make a roll. Someone reaching into their inﬁnite 
  purse to pull out a speciﬁc item they didn’t store 
  themselves should also roll.  
  Using the teleportation example, it would be an 
  automatic use to teleport to another spot within 
  line of sight. Teleporting with others or far away 
  would require a roll. 
  Examples of more powerful Qualities always re-
  quiring a roll would be eye beams, spontaneous 
  musical numbers, summoning imps, vacuum 
  breath, and shapeshifting. 
  
   
   
  12 
  Quirks 
  Quirks are ﬂaws and bizarre habits. ey come in 
  three main varieties: personality, downfall, and 
  scar. Starting characters begin with one personal-
  ity and one downfall quirk. 
  Below are general descriptions of the quirk types. 
  ey include some examples for illustration. Nar-
  rators and players are encouraged to be inventive 
  and collaborate to ﬁnd quirks that best suit each 
  character. 
  Personality Quirks 
  Also called tics, personality quirks are strange 
  wrinkles in the behavior and attitude of a charac-
  ter. Tics are not merely weird behaviors. ey can 
  be serious impediments and the cause of serious 
  problems. 
  Obsession and narcissism are two of the most 
  common quirks. A delusional worldview, heavily 
  colored by genre, is also common.  
  Feral and alien behavior are also easily found 
  among Animates. Many of the intelligent animals 
  and beasts still have a very wild and aggressive na-
  ture with little understanding of nuance and eti-
  quette.  
  Many Animates in general have a simply alien 
  mind, seeing and feeling things in ways diﬀerent 
  from people and anthropomorphic characters. 
  Inappropriate emotional responses are another 
  regularly encountered personality quirk. An ac-
  tion anime genre character may take everything 
  far too seriously. In contrast, a late-night absurd-
  ity character could ﬁnd everything funny, no mat-
  ter what it is. 
  Downfall Quirks 
  Also called ﬂaws, downfall quirks are general fail-
  ings and weaknesses of characters.  
  Allergies and aversions are classic examples, such 
  as an inability to tolerate the sound of church bells 
  or being burned by silver.  
  ey can also take the form of limits and impair-
  ments. Bad eyesight, slow movement, and social 
  obliviousness are common examples.  
  ey can also be represented by external factors. 
  What distinguishes downfall quirks from curses is 
  the internal or inherent nature of them.  
  Rather than being imposed on the character, the 
  quirks are part of their nature or story. Hunted 
  and haunted are traditional external downfalls.  
  Status problems are a classical type of downfall as 
  well. Examples include being hated by objects, a 
  prank target for animals, or treated by e Law 
  like an unlicensed pet.  
  Scar Quirks 
  Also called curses, scar quirks are the some of the 
  lasting negative results of adventures through the 
  ‘verses of Animatica.  
  ey are most typically a literal curse laid down by 
  a defeated villain. However, scar quirks can be any 
  type of “scar” from their adventures.  
  Curses and other scars should be rare occurrences. 
  e ﬁnal hateful words of a Big Bad, an accidental 
  dip into the “undrawn” gaps between ‘verses, a 
  very personal and hurtful loss; these are the type 
  of rare events that may result in a scar quirk.
   
  
   
   
  13 
  Actions 
   
  henever a character attempts to do an-
  ything, they are taking an action. For 
  simple, straightforward actions and 
  narrative scenes, things may simply 
  happen as they are described and played out. 
  System Recap 
  For other actions, the dice system is used. Roll a 
  number of six-sided dice equal to the trait being 
  used. Dice showing  or  count as wins.  
  Bonuses add dice. Penalties subtract dice. Mun-
  dane and everyday actions get a + bonus. Slide 
  the results up  in exchange for a Hit or - penalty 
  on your next action.  
  If the dice total is zero or less than zero, take a 
  simple “No” failure OR roll a chance die. 
  If you get no wins on the roll and s showing, the 
  result is a spectacular failure. 
  Combat & Conflict 
  There is no specific “combat system” in Animatica sep-
  arate from general conflict resolution. The design is 
  focused on the flow of the story.  
  There are action sequence and conflict guidelines. 
  Non-physical conflicts are resolved first.   
  Otherwise, a battle of wits and clash of swords are 
  handled in the same basic way. A scathing tongue 
  will deal a Hit as much as a fist. 
  Conflicts can turn on wits and ingenuity as much 
  as, if not more than, physical attacks. Even out-
  right combat can be resolved with persuasion or 
  other non-combat options.  
  The system makes non-physical actions as viable 
  as violent ones, if not more effective. 
  Narrative Resolution 
  Sometimes scenes and actions may flow seam-
  lessly without a need for formal resolution. 
  There’s no need to force the rules in where they 
  are not necessary.  
  Have a big roleplaying scene and the characters do 
  well calming enemies, charming strangers, or so 
  on? That’s what happens! Let the story unfold. 
  If a character or group of characters has more than 
  sufficient skills and power to handle a given mis-
  sion? Then let them handle it and just guide them 
  through the narrative.  
  It is OK to let play it out and leave spending out of 
  the way. Take joy in the unfolding story. 
  Narrative resolution is also often used between 
  players. Characters can engage in any activities 
  that do not require involved rules.  
  Go with the flow and leave the participants to ex-
  plore the world and their characters.  
  Steps 
  Steps represent pieces of story scenes. At the end 
  of each step, the narrator should describe the dra-
  matic flow & outcome of the scene. 
  Steps present whole series of actions, rather than 
  a traditional blow-by-blow approach. To phrase it 
  one way, Animatica tracks whole boxing rounds 
  instead of individual punches. Put another, it 
  tracks a full beat or segment of a scene rather than 
  following each move. 
  Steps are one full coherent sequence of events in a 
  scene. From one step to another, the balance of 
  power and flow of the story can radically shift. 
  They are the story focus for resolving conflicts and 
  time-sensitive actions. 
  Timing 
  Steps are not tied to specific segments of time. 
  Timing follows the action and flow of the story. 
  W 
  
   
   
  14 
  Think of various battles in cartoons and anime. 
  Some fights go on forever, while others happen 
  fast. Let your story dictate the pacing. 
  The pacing of steps should follow the tempo of the 
  scene and action. The rules help frame the action, 
  rather than define it. Story takes center stage. 
  Phases 
  Events usually occur in a predictable order: Talk-
  ing, Doing, Fighting. Actions from earlier phases 
  can be reserved for later phases. Talking actions 
  can happen in the Doing phase, for example. 
  Characters usually receive 3 actions per step: one 
  each of Talking, Doing, and Fighting. 
  Talking 
  Resolved first. Hand signals, texting, or plain 
  speech all count as talking actions. One short 
  phrase to a couple of sentences. Communication 
  powers and conflicts resolve in the Fighting phase. 
  Doing 
  General actions and interactions with the envi-
  ronment come next. Opening doors and using 
  control panels are examples of actions taken in 
  this phase. Declared defenses and movement & 
  maneuvers count as Doing actions. 
  Using Paradigm Tricks counts as Doing actions. 
  Fighting 
  “Fighting” encompasses direct conflicts of all 
  kinds and comes last. Everything from fistfights 
  to battles of wit falls under this phase. Direct con-
  flict always comes last, with the exception of 
  tricks. 
  Fighting actions may be spent for a second Doing 
  action. Using Qualities counts as Fighting actions. 
  Declaring Actions 
  At the beginning of each phase before fighting, 
  go around the table or room and resolve the ac-
  tions.  
  There is no distinction between declaring the at-
  tempt and undertaking it. As soon as it is said, it 
  is done. All actions occur simultaneously or inter-
  woven.  
  During the fighting phase, everyone takes turns 
  declaring their targets and action sequence. They 
  are then resolved in an orderly fashion.  
  As with other phases, actions are presumed to oc-
  cur simultaneously under most circumstances. 
  Assist Actions 
  Characters may assist one another on tasks, as 
  sensible and appropriate. Up to three other indi-
  viduals may assist with a given task.  
  For specialized or complex efforts, helpers must 
  have a relevant trait at 3 or higher. 
  Each assistant rolls the appropriate trait. A “yes 
  but” or better give the main actor a +1 bonus. The 
  main actor may gain up to a +3 bonus.  
  In addition, the end result may be modestly more 
  effective or less flawed.  
  If assistants fail their rolls, they do not help and 
  have no impact on the main roll. If an assistant 
  rolls a spectacular failure, apply a penalty equal to 
  the number of 1s rolled.  
  Resolving Conflicts 
  Conflicts are resolved in order by situation. 
  If a conflict outcome can be resolved or described 
  without Hits, they should not be inflicted. The 
  outcome serves as the result, for good or ill, on its 
  own. Hits should only be taken when a character 
  suffers serious stress or injury. 
  
   
   
  15 
  Fighting Order 
  As with the phases of steps, the fighting phase has 
  its own order of events.  
  The order is based on story flow, rather than a re-
  alistic accounting. 
  Physical vs Non-Physical 
  Non-physical conflicts are typically resolved first. 
  Social, emotional, mental, and spiritual action se-
  quences have the edge in timing.   
  Non-physical conflicts are resolved in the same 
  mutual, defense, then unopposed order as physi-
  cal conflicts. Hits and other outcomes of non-
  physical actions are inflicted before physical con-
  flicts are resolved. 
  Physical conflicts are resolved last. A punch or 
  gunfire will occur after all other all thinking, talk-
  ing, moving, doing, and non-physical actions.  
  For the purposes of fighting phase order, actions 
  that would otherwise count as physical actions but 
  are undertaken by insubstantial or spiritual Ani-
  mates count as physical actions. 
  Mutual 
  Characters acting simultaneously taking offensive 
  action against each other both attempt their de-
  clared actions.  
  They each make a roll for their aggressive action. 
  For tied rolls, both attackers wholly succeed. Oth-
  erwise, the higher roll wins. Subtract the lower roll 
  from the higher roll to get the win result.  
  Mutual conflict actions should be resolved first 
  before other conflict actions. 
  Unopposed 
  Resolved last. If an aggressor is unopposed and 
  there is no declared defense, simply roll and follow 
  the result scale. 
  Unopposed conflicts should be resolved last. 
  Special Actions 
  Animatica uses a few different types of special de-
  fense actions. They may be thought of as exemp-
  tions to the standard flow. They offer additional 
  options in conflicts. 
  Declared Defense 
  A declared defense allows a player to roll one of 
  their character’s core traits. The defense result 
  may be used against 3 enemies or attacks in that 
  step of the scene. The defense applies against any 
  aggression or attacks using the same trait. 
  Take Us Both Down 
  Characters using a declared defense that negates 
  an attack may choose to allow a “yes but” success 
  with a cost result. In addition to the “yes but” 
  costs, the attacker also suffers a serious negative 
  outcome (such as “stunned silent” or “knocked 
  flat”).  
  If a declared defense reduces an assault to a suc-
  cess with a cost outcome, the addition negative re-
  sult of Take Us Both Down applies. 
  Nope Out 
  At any point in a scene before they have been tar-
  geted by aggressive actions, they may Nope Out 
  and depart the scene immediately.   
  After being engaged in conflict, characters may 
  still escape as a Doing action. However, they need 
  a simple success or better on a Luck or Brains roll. 
  Intense Actions 
  When high precision, area targeting, or a heavier 
  impact outcome is required, a character may need 
  to undertake an intense action. It is a costly act of 
  exertion and focus. 
  In exchange for taking a Hit and a -2 penalty on 
  the roll, the character can produce larger results or 
  affect more targets. 
  A prominent example are targeted attacks inflict-
  ing more serious harms or multiple Hits, such as 
  disabling a foe or disrupting security systems for 
  an extended time. Affecting small groups instead 
  of individuals is another.  
  
   
   
  16 
  Support Cast
  he world is populated with non-player char-
  acters. These are the background characters 
  or the support cast.  
  Most support cast members have little to no re-
  sistance to the main characters. They are ancillary 
  to the story and have little impact. 
  Pawns 
  Pawns are the common lowest level Animates able 
  to impact player characters. They receive 2 to 4 
  points to distribute to core traits and possess no 
  Paradigm or Quality. They can only take 1 Hit. 
  Faces 
  Faces are the next step up. While still tertiary 
  characters, they have started to evolve. They re-
  ceive 3 to 5 points for core traits and a Paradigm 
  of 2 or 3. They also can only take 1 Hit. 
  Arms 
  Arms are low level characters that have fought 
  their way up the ranks in one way or another. They 
  receive 4 to 6 points for core traits and a Paradigm 
  of 2 to 4. They can endure up to 2 Hits. 
  Hands 
  Hands are typically local bosses and influencers. 
  They receive 5 to 8 points for core traits and a Par-
  adigm of 4 to 6 OR a Paradigm of 2 or 3 and a Qual-
  ity. They can take 3 Hits like player characters. 
  Minds 
  Minds are mayors, Big Bads, and other ranking or 
  powerful Animates. They receive 8 to 16 points for 
  core traits (which cap at 7), a Paradigm of 6 to 12 
  (Tricks capping at 6), and 1 to 3 Qualities. They 
  also typically have at least a small gang, if not a 
  small army, of lower level goons. They range from 
  a 3 Hit to 12 Hit capacity. 
  Support Cast Actions 
  Lower level background characters are generally 
  no match for the main characters. Nevertheless, 
  the supporting cast is not completely helpless.  
  Pawn and Faces can all take supporting cast ac-
  tions. Arms, Hands, and Minds must act as indi-
  viduals like regular characters. 
  Escape Scene 
  Non-combatants may spend their doing actions to 
  leave any scene with a viable escape route. This ac-
  tion sequence occurs at the end of the step, after 
  all other efforts and interactions have been re-
  solved.  
  Support cast successfully completing the attempt 
  freely exit the scene without risk of further harm. 
  They may be tracked down later but they are out-
  side of the immediate action. 
  Strength in Numbers 
  While they may be individually fragile and limited, 
  background characters can be quite dangerous in 
  a mob.  
  Pick a leader for the mob. That character makes 
  the main rolls.  
  The other members of the mob add together the 
  same trait as the main roll into a mob pool. For 
  every three points added to the mob pool, the 
  main roll gets a +1 bonus. The mob leader may 
  gain up to a +5 bonus in this way.  
  The group absorbs Hits for the leader unless their 
  assailant makes the additional effort of an intense 
  action. Each Hit takes out one member of the 
  mob. An exceptional success (“yes and” result) 
  KOs three mob members. 
  Strength in Numbers may only be used by groups 
  of four or more. If the mob is reduced to three or 
  fewer members, the remainder must act as indi-
  viduals. 
  T 
  
   
   
  17 
  Worlds of Animatica 
  nimatica is a sprawling multiverse of inﬁ-
  nite worlds. Any type of animated world or 
  character, created or even merely imag-
  ined, exists within countless ‘verses of An-
  imatica. 
  e residents are aware of their nature as ani-
  mated creatures. Individuals may or may not be 
  familiar with the fourth wall and/or concept of an 
  audience. Most are aware of at least the vague dif-
  ferences between Media of Animates and a general 
  concept of the types of worlds possible.  
  However, most have no sense of a multiverse or 
  multiple worlds. ey may be vaguely aware of 
  other ‘verses, but think of them as faraway lands 
  or strange foreign nations (when at all).  
  Below are a few example ‘verses for reference. 
  Franklin 
  Franklin is a megacity encompassing every kind of 
  possible neighborhood and metro outskirts. It 
  also a strangely small town where everyone knows 
  everyone to some degree. 
  It is a primary hub of Animatica. It’s a strange mix-
  up place where events and characters of every 
  genre and Medium co-exist.  
  It’s also the home of the Big Station, a train depot 
  with rails heading oﬀ to every possible ‘verse of 
  Animatica. But despite the name, it’s a small non-
  descript train depot on the far outskirts of Frank-
  lin. Most residents aren’t even aware it exists.  
  ere’s technically an airport. But the planes just 
  land in other parts of Franklin or next to the Big 
  Station for supposed international travel. Nobody 
  gives it much thought. Last time someone ques-
  tioned it, air control failed. 
  Franklin is the most common starting place and 
  home ‘verse for player characters. It allows for 
  wildly mixed. It’s an ideal home base as the hub of 
  Animatica for characters who become aware of 
  and travel the multiverse. 
  Slapland 
  Slapland is a land of detailed drawings and painted 
  sets ﬁlled with crazy characters and cartoon phys-
  ics. It is, as they say, a silly place. 
  It is one of the more popular destinations for trav-
  elers. Frustrations can be vented with no conse-
  quences. e shows are legendary entertainment, 
  though one never knows if they’re in for a quality 
  production or a hilarious clash.  
  Slapland isn’t without its dangers. Some of the 
  more hostile characters can become obsessive en-
  during enemies.  
  e lack of consistent geography and variable 
  physics can also result in characters becoming lost 
  in the cacophony of scenes. 
  Punchtopia  
  Punchtopia is a vast series of cutouts and stage 
  sets ﬁlled hand-puppets and marionettes. It is 
  ruled by the erratic and violent Queen Judy.  
  e laws and etiquette are constantly changing 
  based on some inscrutable schedule.  
  is is one of the most dangerous worlds an Ani-
  mate can trend within. It is also one of the most 
  important.  
  e wisest puppets in all of Animatica reside 
  within the forests and towers of Punchtopia. 
  Without their guidance, many journeys would not 
  be possible. ey are often the only ones who 
  know the names and locations of obscure ‘verses. 
  A 
  
   
   
  18 
  Whatinthe 
  Whatinthe is where all rules cease to have mean-
  ing. No logical causality connects one event to an-
  other. ings randomly happen for no reason. Ac-
  tions are unpredictable. It is a land of chaos and 
  madness. 
  Whereas Slapland may work on absurdities and 
  unrealistic rules, Whatinthe works on no discern-
  able rules at all.  
  It certainly has its own patterns and purpose, as 
  does any ‘verse. But whatever that grand design 
  may be, it is beyond the understanding of charac-
  ters and seems only senseless. 
  Despite the non-sequiturs and insanity, What-
  inthe is one of the safer ‘verses if a character can 
  hold their head together. It is impossible to cause 
  harm or be harmed in this world. e challenge of 
  the place is staying focused enough to think of an 
  exit and not to lose one’s mind. 
  Actionia 
  Actionia is a land of constant warfare, crime, and 
  fast-paced action. 
  It is primarily populated by Saturday morning 
  champions and superhero ﬁlms Twoons, but also 
  has a substantial population of reeds.  
  Despite seeming gritty in description, the general 
  populace lives in relative safety and prosperity. 
  at is because of the proliferation of paramilitary 
  and superhero groups that police the world.  
  Despite the presence of supervillains and terrorist 
  groups, the world goes through dramas but is 
  never truly at risk. 
  ough people are generally helpful, foreign char-
  acters will have to be especially careful to follow 
  the law. “Invaders” engaging in criminal acts are 
  very quickly imprisoned or exiled by the powerful 
  protectors of Actionia. 
  Magination 
  Magination is itself one massive felt puppet, na-
  tively populated by puppets and clays. It is a world 
  where anything one imagines with any clarity 
  pops into existence, whether you mean it or not. 
  e natives have developed a talent for being eas-
  ily distracted and not holding thoughts.  
  It allows them to live their lives without con-
  stantly creating new things. However, it can make 
  holding conversations with them very confusing 
  and frustrating for outsiders.  
  Most things created in Magination cannot be 
  taken to other ‘verses. However, sometimes a rare 
  special “’magined” item proves more durable and 
  can travel with its creator to other worlds. 
   
   
  
   
   
  19 
  Example Characters 
  Clay 
  Name: Benberry Ball 
  Genre: After School Special 
  Medium: Clay 
  Brains , Charm , Luck , Vigor  
  Paradigm: Science 
  Tricks: Kludge , Law  
  Quality: Spontaneous Narration (like a spontane-
  ous musical number, but an educational interlude) 
  Quirks: Must obey all local laws (personality); 
  can’t climb stairs, ladders, etc. (downfall) 
  Bio: Benberry Ball was the young genius host of 
  Benberry Explains It All, an afterschool special ed-
  ucational series teaching civics and physics.  
  Benberry is stop-motion clay ball with a photore-
  alistic human face and able to manifest tentacle-
  arms.  
  ough he’s quite book-smart and sure he knows 
  it all, he lived a sheltered life as a child star and is 
  naïve to ways of the world. 
  Puppet 
  Name: Lambie Pie, Queen of All 
  Genre: Late Night Absurdity 
  Medium: Puppet 
  Brains , Charm , Luck , Vigor  
  Paradigm: Art 
  Tricks: Disguise , Draw  
  Quality: Clairvoyance/Remote Viewing 
  Quirks: 
  Megalomaniac 
  (personality); 
  Bling-
  Bound (she will lose  level of a core trait for every 
  bow or ring lost until it is returned) 
  Bio: Lambie Pie was, in her mind at least, a great 
  queen of a vast Puppet kingdom populated by sen-
  tient stuﬀed animals and other “backyard theater” 
  creatures. According to her, she just misplaced it 
  somewhere. 
  Lambie Pie, Queen of All, is a small bean-ﬁlled 
  lamb poppet with vigorous body language and an 
  oddly expressive blank face. 
  While she is violent and often mean in her words, 
  she is a loving companion to her friends in her 
  own way. 
  
   
   
  20 
  Sketch 
  Name: Crazy Connie 
  Genre: Indie/experimental noir-punk 
  Medium: Sketch 
  Brains , Charm , Luck , Vigor  
  Paradigm: Art 
  Tricks: Disguise , Erase  
  Quality: Kiss of Madness (blow a kiss at a target, 
  they are lost in a delusion of Connie’s choice for 
  the rest of the scene) 
  Quirks: Erratic – Roll a die for any binary choice; 
  low is one, high is the other (personality); Addic-
  tion – Connie suﬀers a - cumulative penalty for 
  every scene she doesn’t drink brandy from her 
  ﬂask (downfall) 
  Bio: Crazy Connie used to be a cop until the cor-
  ruption in her force drove her out. Driven over the 
  edge, she fell into the heart of madness and be-
  came a wildcard vigilante and madwoman for hire.  
  Connie is a messy, scribbled ink sketch on pad pa-
  per, looking a bit like a s action star. 
  While Crazy Connie is as wild as her name sug-
  gests, she is able to build stable relationships with 
  eﬀort and has a strong sense of loyalty. 
  Twoon 
  Name: Jolly Ronnie 
  Genre: Modern daytime cartoon 
  Medium: Twoon 
  Brains , Charm , Luck , Vigor  
  Paradigm: Stupidity 
  Tricks: Ignore , Reverse  
  Quality: Unshakeable – Once Ronnie has the trail 
  of a target or something owned by them, he can 
  track and ﬁnd them wherever they go; Vacuum 
  Breath – Ronnie can inhale deeply to draw in ob-
  jects and lesser foes, swallowing them whole 
  Quirks: Oblivious – Details and instructions go 
  right over Jolly Ronnie’s head, as do social nu-
  ances; he’s just oblivious (personality); Balloon 
  Weakness – Ronnie takes Hits from balloons and 
  cannot tolerate the sounds of them squeaking.  
  Bio: Jolly Ronnie was the leader of the Smiling 
  Seven, a happiness-themed superhero team. After 
  their defeat at the hands of Balloon Dog, Ronnie 
  went into a self-imposed exile to redeem himself. 
  Jolly Ronnie is a very tall and very rotund man 
  with bright orange hair and a somewhat creepy 
  smile.  
  Ronnie seems constantly happy and is a font of 
  positivity, but the cheer overlaps a deep depres-
  sion and self-loathing he has neither the smarts 
  nor social talents to understand or express. 
  
   
   
  21 
  Threed 
  Name: Tasha 
  Genre: Saturday morning comedy-action 
  Medium: reed 
  Brains , Charm , Luck , Vigor  
  Paradigm: Science 
  Tricks: Kludge , Order  
  Quality: Intangibility – Tasha can be tangible and 
  intangible at will 
  Quirks: Foolhardy – Tasha does not respond to 
  warnings and signs of danger (personality); Spec-
  tral Magnet – Tasha’s intangibility power causes 
  her to radiate an aura that attracts nearby ghosts; 
  usually only irritating but sometimes it becomes a 
  real problem (downfall) 
  Bio: Tasha used to be a scientist working with the 
  Mega Ultra Awesome Supremes until a fateful ac-
  cident robbed her of her genius, but turned her 
  into a special agent. 
  Tasha is an anthropomorphic lizard-woman and 
  stands nearly three times the height of a normal 
  character.  
  Tasha is a font of puns and witty comments, usu-
  ally badly delivered, an expression of her struggle 
  to hold onto the intelligence that remains. She 
  yearns for acceptance and will reciprocate any loy-
  alty she is oﬀered. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  22 
  Play Modes 
  nimatica can be played in a number of 
  ways. It is presented with three suggested 
  play modes as a guide. 
  Episodic Mode 
  Episodic mode is a style of play focused on one-
  shot stories or a short series of independent sto-
  ries. ink of shows where the normal reality re-
  sets to the default at the end of every episode. at 
  is the essence of episodic mode. 
  You may wish to give characters a few more points 
  for the core traits and/or Paradigm Tricks. Let 
  players have a bit more oomph for single chapter 
  stories. 
  For plotting, think of a typical episode of an ani-
  mated show or a common short story. Pick a 
  theme and a problem or obstacle for the charac-
  ters to face.  
  Story Arc Mode 
  Story arc mode is the general default. It is a mini-
  series or ongoing story.  Events in previous chap-
  ters aﬀect the current reality. Choices and actions 
  have permanent consequences in the world.  
  You may wish to award characters with additional 
  points for the core traits and Paradigm tricks over 
  time, allowing for growth. You may also grant 
  them more things, quick travel routes between 
  homes in diﬀerent ‘verses, a semi-helpful compan-
  ion, or similar bonuses.  
  Beneﬁts should not be given every chapter, but in-
  stead awarded for especially funny or interesting 
  big outcomes, solving major riddles and puzzles, 
  successfully making major changes in the world, 
  and completing signiﬁcant plotlines.  
  Decide on your location and possible destinations. 
  Write up some of the main local characters and 
  stock characters to use as needed. Determine how 
  the characters know each other and are bound to-
  gether (neighborhood friends, schoolmates, ad-
  venture club members, or so on).  
  Madness Mode 
  Madness mode is for when you want to have a no-
  holds-barred, over the top crazy good time. Noth-
  ing really matters and its all insanity & chaos. 
  Which can sometimes be a surprisingly good time! 
  If you have players that really want to cut loose in 
  an animated universe, this is the option you’re 
  looking for. 
  It is suggested that you give players a few extra 
  core trait points, a couple extra points for Tricks, 
  and one or two additional Qualities for their char-
  acters.  
  However, you should also saddle them with a few 
  more Quirks as well. Chaos cuts both ways. Quirks 
  incorporating madness and abnormality are 
  highly encouraged. 
  Character should also have a capacity of ﬁve Hits 
  instead of three. When things are so overpowered 
  bizarre, characters will suﬀer more blows. Increase 
  the capacity accordingly. 
  Decide on the general ﬂavor and theme for the 
  chaos. Pick a location and several problems or ob-
  stacles for the characters. Set some unusual and 
  insane rules for physics, objects, and other charac-
  ters encountered. Let the madness begin! 
   
   
  A 
  
   
   
  23 
  Quick Rules Reference 
  How Many Dice 
  ore trait or Trick rating. Add any bonuses 
  and subtract any penalties. Roll that many 
  six-sided dice.  
  Simple and mundane actions get a + bonus. 
  Twoons do not receive this bonus. When Qualities 
  need a roll, roll  dice. 
  Chance Die 
  If the dice total is zero or less than zero, take a 
  “No” failure OR roll a single chance die. On  or , 
  get a -win success. On a , suﬀer a -fail spectac-
  ular failure. On a , a -fail spectacular failure. 
  Counting Dice 
  Dice showing  or  count as wins. No wins and s 
  is a spectacular failure. 
  Wins 
   – No; a simple failure 
   – Yes, but; succeed but incompletely or at a cost 
   – Yes; a simple success 
  + - Yes, and; succeed and do so better or with 
  more beneﬁt than expected 
  Sliding Scale 
  Take a Hit or suﬀer a - penalty on the next ac-
  tion, adjust results up by . -win basic failure can 
  become a -win “yes, but” success. Opponents can 
  match the cost to negate. May not be used to ne-
  gate or soften spectacular failures. 
  Spectacular Failures 
  If no wins and s are showing, the result is a spec-
  tacular failure. Count each  as a fail for the scale. 
   – A minor but embarrassing ﬂub that will be the 
  butt of jokes, but only for a little while 
   – A truly complete, backﬁring failure that will be-
  come the talk of town for quite a while, maybe 
  even coloring the character’s rep 
  + - A catastrophic mistake that will enter legend 
  and be told by your grandchildren’s grandchildren 
  Hits 
  Player characters can take  Hits before KO. When 
  KO’d, the character returns at the end of the scene 
  or beginning of the next. 
  Event Order 
  Characters usually receive 3 actions per step: one 
  each of Talking, Doing, and Fighting. They occur 
  in the order: Talking, Doing, Fighting. Also: Non-
  physical actions before physical actions. Conflicts 
  before unopposed actions.  
  Special Actions 
  Assist 
  Up to three others may help. Each assistant rolls 
  their trait. Each assistant with a “Yes but” or bet-
  ter result gives the main actor a +1 bonus.  
  Defense 
  Roll one of the core traits. The defense result may 
  be used against 3 enemies or attacks in that step. 
  Take Us Both Down 
  Allow a “yes but” success with a cost result. In ad-
  dition to the “yes but” costs, the attacker also suf-
  fers a serious negative outcome (such as “stunned 
  silent” or “knocked flat”).  
  Nope Out 
  Before targeted by aggressive actions, Nope Out 
  and depart the scene immediately.  After being en-
  gaged in conflict, needs a simple success or better 
  on a Luck or Brains roll. 
  Intense Actions 
  Taking a Hit and a -2 penalty on the roll, produce 
  larger results or affect more targets.
  C 
  
   
   
  24 
  Kids Rules Mod
  o you have younger kids that want to 
  play? Kids or other players that aren’t so 
  great with the numbers? Just want a sim-
  pler form of play?  
  This is the rules mod for you. 
  Core Traits 
  Instead of assigning numbers, pick one Strong 
  trait and one Weak trait.  
  The other two are Normal traits. 
  Paradigm 
  Instead of assigning numbers, pick one Strong 
  Trick and one Weak Trick. 
  Media 
  For bonuses, they make Weak traits into Normal 
  ones and Normal traits into Strong ones.  
  For bonuses on Strong traits, the player may 
  throw twice and take the better result. 
  For penalties, characters just can’t attempt those 
  actions with Weak traits or may only succeed at a 
  cost with others. 
  System 
  Instead of rolling dice, throw rock-paper-scissors. 
  For any simple failure result, throw again. On a 
  loss, take a spectacular failure. 
  Results are based on the strength of the trait. 
  Treat Qualities like a Normal trait. Follow the 
  scales below. 
  Scale 
  Weak 
  Win – Special: Throw a second time. On a win, 
  simple success. On a tie or loss, succeed at a cost. 
  Tie – No; simple failure 
  Lose – Spectacular failure 
  Normal 
  Win – Yes; simple success 
  Tie – Yes but; succeed at a cost 
  Lose – No; simple failure  
  Strong 
  Win – Yes and; strong success 
  Tie – Yes; simple success 
  Lose – Special: Throw a second time. On a win or 
  tie, succeed at a cost. On a loss, simple failure 
  (with the standard check for spectacular failure).  
  Quirks 
  Keep it simple. For personality quirks, just let 
  players choose an obnoxious or straight silly bit. 
  For downfall quirks, just help them pick some-
  thing they can’t do or something they want to get 
  away from.  
  Help the players out by reminding them when 
  their quirks come up. Be flexible and let them 
  change their quirks as appropriate for the capacity 
  and maturity level of the players.  
  General Guidance 
  Don’t worry about special actions and other fiddly 
  bits. Stick to the main characteristics and (rela-
  tively) straightforward actions. 
  Above all else: It’s a game. Be flexible. Have fun. 
   
  D 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Deduped  Shit/Classic & Wacky Toon/Animatica (d6 Alpha Playtest).pdf