The Warren Survival;Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA);Rules Lite;Animal;Narrative-Driven;Low Prep
At-a-glance: PbtA survival • 2d6 + modifiers • 3–5 players • Low prep • Rules-lite • 2–4h sessions
Theme and Setting
The Warren casts players as intelligent rabbits navigating a world filled with predators, harsh weather, and scarce resources. Drawing from Watership Down, Fifteen Rabbits, and Peter Rabbit, the game explores survival through community rather than individual heroism. Rabbits are small, fragile creatures in a dangerous world—cats, dogs, foxes, humans, and even other rabbits pose threats that cannot be faced head-on. The setting emphasizes the tension between bucolic surface beauty and the constant peril lurking beneath.
Core Mechanics and Rules
Built on a heavily modified Powered by the Apocalypse framework, The Warren uses shared move pools rather than individual character sheets. Players choose from playbooks like the Seer, the Runner, or the Protector, then draw from communal moves that reinforce the generational nature of rabbit life. Resolution uses 2d6 with modifiers: 10+ is a success, 7–9 is a partial success with complications, and 6- means trouble.
Rabbits do not fight—they flee, hide, negotiate, or outwit. The move set reflects this reality: instead of combat abilities, rabbits have moves for sensing danger, finding paths, and rallying the warren. Custom moves emerge through play as rabbits invent new solutions to novel threats. Campaign play follows seasons and generations, with older rabbits retiring and new kits taking their place.
What Makes It Unique
The shared moves pool creates interdependence—rabbits succeed through cooperation and creative problem-solving rather than individual power builds. The generational structure means character death or retirement is expected and narratively meaningful; the warren persists even as individual rabbits come and go. This produces emergent stories of sacrifice, legacy, and community survival that few RPGs replicate.
The tone balances pastoral charm with genuine horror. A mere mention of a cat can create paralyzing dread. The game includes Predator Cards and world playsets by Tony Dowler that provide varied settings and threats, from suburban gardens to industrial wastelands.
Target Audience and Player Experience
Ideal for groups seeking emotionally resonant survival stories with minimal rules overhead. Fans of Watership Down or Redwall will find familiar territory, but the PbtA chassis keeps play collaborative and fiction-first. New players grasp the mechanics quickly; veterans appreciate the mechanical elegance of the shared moves and generational play.
Sessions range from single intense scenarios to multi-generational campaigns spanning seasons. Expect poignant moments, clever escapes, and tragic losses. The game excels when players embrace vulnerability and work together to keep the warren alive against overwhelming odds.
