Apocalypse World vs Ashes Without Number
Compare Apocalypse World and Ashes Without Number side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Apocalypse World | Ashes Without Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Post-Apocalyptic | Post-Apocalyptic |
| Play Style | Narrative, Rules-Light, Collaborative, Improvisation, Low-Prep, Drama, Theater of the Mind, Roleplay-Heavy, Playbook-Driven | Sandbox, Deadly, Gritty, Exploration, Survival, Faction Play, Ascending AC |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 + stat. 6−: MC makes a hard move, 7–9: succeed with cost or complication, 10+: full success. Playbook moves trigger from the fiction. The MC follows Agendas and Principles instead of plotting. | 2d6 + skill + attribute modifier ≥ target for skill checks; d20 + modifiers for combat. Edges and Foci customize survivors. Enclave turn manages settlement-level play. Mutation system for mutant wasteland campaigns. |
| Dice | 2d6 | 2d6 / d20 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | Medium |
| Community | Medium | Low |
| License | CC BY 4.0 (Powered by the Apocalypse) | Proprietary |
| Cost | $$ | Free / $$ |
| Publisher | lumpley games | Sine Nomine Publishing |
| Year | 2016 | 2025 |
| Best For | Groups who want raw, character-driven post-apocalyptic drama where the fiction leads and the MC never plans ahead. | Sandbox post-apocalyptic campaigns — nuclear wastelands, zombie deadlands, or societal collapse — with the same incredible GM tools as Stars Without Number. |
| Highlights | Genre-defining design that launched the entire PbtA movement, playbooks with built-in dramatic hooks, MC framework provides detailed GM guidance, highly hackable | Three apocalypse flavors (mutant wasteland, zombie deadlands, after the fall), comprehensive sandbox GM tools with encounter site and enclave generators, mutations and cybernetics, compatible with other Without Number games |
| Considerations | Can feel directionless without strong character flags, 2nd edition layout is dense and hard to reference, move trigger ambiguity requires frequent MC judgment calls, harm mechanics can cascade quickly | OSR combat can feel flat, dense 294-page rulebook, requires GM comfort with sandbox play |