Ashes Without Number vs Fallout: The Roleplaying Game
Compare Ashes Without Number and Fallout: The Roleplaying Game side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Ashes Without Number | Fallout: The Roleplaying Game | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Post-Apocalyptic | Post-Apocalyptic |
| Play Style | Sandbox, Deadly, Gritty, Exploration, Survival, Faction Play, Ascending AC | Tactical, Exploration, Combat-Heavy, Survival, Character Building, Cinematic |
| Core Mechanic | 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. | Roll 2–5d20 against a target number (Attribute + Skill). Each die at or under the target scores a success. Compare successes to difficulty (1–5). Extra successes become Action Points to buy bonus dice, extra damage, or information. |
| Dice | 2d6 / d20 | 2d20 + d6 |
| Complexity | Medium | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | Medium |
| Community | Low | Medium |
| License | Proprietary | All Rights Reserved |
| Cost | Free / $$ | $$$ |
| Publisher | Sine Nomine Publishing | Modiphius Entertainment |
| Year | 2025 | 2021 |
| Best For | Sandbox post-apocalyptic campaigns — nuclear wastelands, zombie deadlands, or societal collapse — with the same incredible GM tools as Stars Without Number. | Fallout fans who want to explore the Wasteland at the tabletop with SPECIAL attributes, perks, Action Points, and the iconic post-apocalyptic setting. |
| Highlights | 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 | Faithful Fallout experience with S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats and perks, Action Point economy creates tactical depth, Combat Dice handle damage cleanly, well-supported licensed setting |
| Considerations | OSR combat can feel flat, dense 294-page rulebook, requires GM comfort with sandbox play | Expensive to buy in — core book plus supplements add up, 2d20 system has a learning curve, tightly tied to the Fallout IP limits homebrew settings, can be crunchy for casual groups |