Arrhenius vs Thrive to Survive
Compare Arrhenius and Thrive to Survive side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Arrhenius | Thrive to Survive | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic | Horror, Modern, Post-Apocalyptic |
| Tags | Tactical, Survival, Resource Management, Inventory Management, Character Building, Classless, Crunchy, Strong GM Support | Survival, Tactical, Crunchy, Resource Management, Base-Building, Character Building, Simulation, Skill-Based |
| Core Mechanic | For skill checks, roll a d20 and add the two relevant Talents plus the applicable Education score. A total of 21 or higher succeeds. Before a non-damage d20 roll, Luck Points can add +1 each to its bonus. | Roll d20 + skill ranks + the related attribute and meet or beat a difficulty set by the Apocalypse Master. An untrained skill adds half its attribute, while opposed checks compare totals. |
| Dice | d20 | d20 |
| Complexity | High | High |
| Availability | Free quickstart | Paid |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 4 of 5 book tools |
| License | All Rights Reserved | Proprietary |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Dungeonteller, LLC | Caden Humpherys |
| Year | 2025 | 2026 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want a survival-focused science-fiction campaign where characters cross frozen ruins, manage limited equipment, and resolve fights on a tactical grid. | Groups who want a long-form modern zombie-survival campaign built around tactical grid combat, body-location injuries, detailed crafting, and turning scavenged materials into a defended settlement. It suits an Apocalypse Master who wants tools for custom infections, encounters, and campaign goals. |
| Highlights | Frost Points turn prolonged exposure to subzero conditions into resilience checks, so shelter and protective gear shape expeditions. The optional Tuning Session assigns Talent scores through a short character-memory scenario, tying early choices to the resulting build. Combat uses a 2-meter grid with optional Perks that award attack bonuses for flanking or high ground. | Attacks pair maneuver-specific hit numbers with 2d10 location rolls, so armor, crippling injuries, and targeted strikes make each body part matter. Crafting links designs, material types, construction, generators, and storage, turning scavenged supplies into weapons and a working refuge. The Apocalypse Master chooses an infection model and modifies zombie templates, allowing campaigns to shift from base defense to a cure hunt without changing the core rules. |
| Considerations | Exposure to subzero temperatures triggers a Resilience check every 20 minutes of real table time and failure costs one Frost Point. Broad equipment archetypes rely on the Dungeonteller to define the specific items characters encounter. Combat resolves each attack through opposed rolls before damage is rolled. | Combat resolves attacks through hit checks, location rolls, armor reduction, location health, and injury effects, creating multiple steps for every successful strike. Characters track food, water, sleep, fatigue, carry weight, ammunition, and ten crafting materials, making resource bookkeeping a central part of play. The system assumes a modern zombie apocalypse, so adapting it to other settings requires replacing much of its equipment, infection, and campaign material. |