Planning the Perfect Score: GM Tips for High-Stakes Caper Sessions
Zoo Mafia Blog Series – Game Mastering the Underworld In the high-drama world of Zoo Mafia, few things are more thrilling—or more chaotic—than running a high-stakes heist. Whether your crew of criminal critters is knocking over a bank, hijacking a smuggler’s convoy, or infiltrating Owl Capone’s...
Escalation, Escape, and Explosion: Managing the Chaos of a Job Gone Wrong
In Zoo Mafia, pulling off the perfect job is the dream — but let’s be real: most capers spiral into beautiful, roaring chaos. Whether it’s a busted distraction, a botched safecrack, or a rival gang showing up uninvited, jobs in this world rarely go smooth....
🐾 What Lies Beyond the Enclosure? Building Outside-The-Zoo Adventures
For most Zoo Mafia campaigns, the action is contained within the electrified fences, steel bars, shadowy tunnels, and dark alleys of the zoo. But what happens when the crew looks beyond the gates? What if the outside world starts creeping in — or the players themselves...
Contraband & Curiosities: Strange Items in the Zoo Underworld
Not everything that moves through Furton City’s back alleys and smoke-filled speakeasies is made of peanuts or bullets. Beneath the surface trade routes and boss-sanctioned shipments lies a secondary economy built on rare items, forbidden finds, and the downright bizarre. These contraband goods and strange...
Retirement, Redemption, or Ruin: What Happens After the Game?
Long-Term Character Arcs in Zoo Mafia In a world where animals walk, talk, and deal in back-alley peanut deals, Zoo Mafia offers more than just heists and speakeasies—it offers legacy. What happens when your crew’s marker meter is low, the rival bosses are either buried or...
Crime Ecology in Zoo Mafia: What Happens When a Mob Boss Falls?
In Zoo Mafia, the game is built on shifting power, fragile alliances, and the looming threat that nothing — and no one — is permanent. The jungle may have its laws, but Furton City has its own: survival, loyalty, and territory. And in a setting...
Power and Politics: Mob Bosses & Mayhem – Running Your Own Crime Syndicate in Zoo Mafia
In Zoo Mafia, power isn’t just about muscle—it’s about maneuvering. While street fights and heists make headlines in Scarborough, the real game happens behind closed doors, in smoky speakeasies and under neon-lit bridges. Running your own crime syndicate isn’t just a role—it’s a campaign-defining experience...
Fur, Fangs, and Firearms: Running a Zoo Mafia Campaign in D&D
What if The Godfather was run by a pride of lions? Or if Goodfellas played out in a city run entirely by humanoid animals—sharp-suited raccoons, crocodile hitmen, and owl accountants cooking the books by candlelight? Welcome to the Zoo Mafia, a campaign theme that fuses the...
Crew Dynamics in Zoo Mafia: Making Your Mob Feel Like Family (or a Disaster)
In Zoo Mafia, you're not just playing a lone gun with a fuzzy face—you’re part of a crew. Whether you're a wide-eyed Lookout, a silver-tongued Grifter, or a dynamite-happy Goon, your gang is your home base, your lifeline, and sometimes… your greatest complication. This post...
10 Heist Hooks to Steal the Spotlight in Zoo Mafia
In Zoo Mafia, every big job is more than just a payday—it’s a play for power, a test of loyalty, and a chance to make your mark on the city’s criminal food chain. Whether you're running a one-shot or building toward a climactic finale, a...
The Marker Meter and Beyond: Managing Consequences in TTRPGs
In the world of Zoo Mafia, bullets aren't the only thing flying—Markers are the currency of chaos, the countdown of consequence, and the key to every dramatic twist. Whether you’re pulling off a [caption id="attachment_88759" align="alignright" width="232"] Zoo Mafia Boss Owl Capone[/caption] peanut heist, talking down a...
From Peanut Rum to Gang Wars: Crafting TTRPG Heist Adventures for Zoo Mafia
Heists are the beating heart of Zoo Mafia—a world of clever critters, prohibition-era grit, and larger-than-life personalities. From stealing ledgers out from under a rival gang’s nose to hijacking peanut-based booze shipments, every job is an opportunity for daring action, tense negotiations, and unpredictable consequences. If...
Inspired by Powered by the Apocalypse: Why Zoo Mafia Stands Out
When it comes to modern tabletop RPGs, few systems have had the same impact as Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA). Known for its narrative-forward approach and flexible mechanics, PbtA has become the foundation for many innovative indie games. Zoo Mafia builds upon this legacy, combining...
Behind the Velvet Curtain: Designing and Using Speakeasies in Zoo Mafia
In Zoo Mafia, a well-designed speakeasy is more than a backdrop for illicit deals and late-night jazz—it's a narrative engine, a hotbed of gossip, power, and danger wrapped in velvet and smoke. [caption id="attachment_89887" align="alignright" width="298"] Zoo Mafia RPG Black Ops Edition[/caption] Whether you’re running a gritty,...
Character Creation Spotlight: Picking the Perfect Playbook in Zoo Mafia
In Zoo Mafia, your Playbook defines your character’s skills, strengths, and place in the criminal underworld. Whether you're a fast-talking Grifter, a sharpshooting Button, or a hard-hitting Goon, your choice impacts not only your playstyle but how your gang operates as a team. So, how do...
