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bag of peanuts that says payroll

Peanut-Based Monetary System for Zoo Mafia RPG

Step into the Roaring '20s with Zoo Mafia: An RPG Drenched in Prohibition-Era Style
The Human Element in Zoo Mafia: A Dangerous Dance

In Zoo Mafia RPG, peanuts aren’t just a tasty snack—they’re the currency of choice in Furton City’s criminal underworld. This tiered system combines a fun thematic element with PBTA mechanics, allowing players to engage in resource management while taking risks to push beyond their financial limits. More Zoo content can be found here, where you can get immersed in the prohibition era.

The Peanut Tiers and Associated Stats

Each level of wealth corresponds to a stat ranging from -1 to +3, representing the character’s financial influence. When players want to purchase something beyond their tier, they roll 2d6 and add their current peanut stat. The result determines their success in acquiring the item or service:

  • 10+: Success! You secure the item or service without issue.
  • 7-9: Partial success. You get what you need but at a cost, such as a favor owed or complications arising.
  • 6 or less: Failure. Your attempt backfires, leading to a narrative complication, like drawing unwanted attention or insulting the seller.

Peanut Levels

  1. Handful of Peanuts (Stat: -1)
    • Description: Your resources are meager—just enough to scrape by.
    • Examples of Purchases:
      • A cheap drink at a seedy speakeasy.
      • A small bribe for a street informant.
      • Basic tools for a minor job.
    • Roll Requirement: Anything above this tier requires a roll, often with a steep penalty due to the -1 stat.
  2. Bag of Peanuts (Stat: 0)
    • Description: You’ve got a bit of spending money, enough to handle modest transactions.
    • Examples of Purchases:
      • Decent-quality disguises or gear.
      • A reasonable bribe to a low-level officer or gang member.
      • A round of drinks for your crew.
    • Roll Requirement: Roll for anything from a Crate of Peanuts (Stat: +1) or higher.
  3. Crate of Peanuts (Stat: +1)
    • Description: You’re flush with cash and can afford mid-tier expenses with ease.
    • Examples of Purchases:
      • Reliable black-market weapons or a stolen vehicle.
      • Hiring a gang of thugs to assist in a heist.
      • Swaying a mid-tier official with bribes.
    • Roll Requirement: Roll for anything requiring a Truckload of Peanuts (Stat: +2) or higher.
  4. Truckload of Peanuts (Stat: +2)
    • Description: You’re a big spender, capable of financing serious operations or large bribes.
    • Examples of Purchases:
      • Ownership of a speakeasy or smuggling route.
      • Bribing a high-ranking police officer.
      • Recruiting a well-known specialist for a critical mission.
    • Roll Requirement: Roll for anything from the Peanut Empire (Stat: +3) level.
  5. Peanut Empire (Stat: +3)
    • Description: You wield immense financial power, commanding the resources to reshape Furton City’s criminal landscape.
    • Examples of Purchases:
      • Securing an entire district’s loyalty.
      • Buying out or eliminating a rival boss’s influence.
      • Financing a city-wide gang war or elaborate scheme.
    • Roll Requirement: You can attempt anything at this level without rolling but may still face narrative complications based on the situation.

Spending and Earning Peanuts

  1. Earning Peanuts
    • Completing jobs, extorting businesses, or pulling off heists grants players peanuts. The GM determines the tier of peanuts based on the job’s scale and difficulty.
    • Example: A small robbery might earn a Bag of Peanuts, while a high-profile heist could yield a Truckload of Peanuts.
  2. Spending Peanuts
    • Players can spend peanuts directly for items or favors at their tier or below without rolling.
    • For anything above their tier, they roll 2d6 and add their current peanut stat to see if they succeed.

Why This System Works

  1. Theme: Using peanuts ties directly into the Zoo Mafia setting while providing a quirky, thematic twist to the world of crime.
  2. Simplicity: The tiered system and PBTA rolls streamline transactions, keeping the focus on storytelling.
  3. Risk and Reward: Players are encouraged to take risks, rolling to secure higher-tier resources while weighing potential consequences.
  4. Scalability: The system grows with the players, offering higher stakes and greater rewards as they rise through the criminal ranks.

If you are a fan of Zoo Mafia and want to be notified when we go live on Kickstarter make sure you head over to the follow page to get notified. If you want to be on the newsletter to get all the details as we release them you can sign up here.

Go do those jobs and build your fortune. Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!

 

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Ted Adams

The nerd is strong in this one. I received my bachelors degree in communication with a specialization in Radio/TV/Film. I have been a table top role player for over 30 years. I have played several iterations of D&D, Mutants and Masterminds 2nd and 3rd editions, Star wars RPG, Shadowrun and World of Darkness as well as mnay others since starting Nerdarchy. I am an avid fan of books and follow a few authors reading all they write. Favorite author is Jim Butcher I have been an on/off larper for around 15 years even doing a stretch of running my own for a while. I have played a number of Miniature games including Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Fantasy, Heroscape, Mage Knight, Dreamblade and D&D Miniatures. I have practiced with the art of the German long sword with an ARMA group for over 7 years studying the German long sword, sword and buckler, dagger, axe and polearm. By no strecth of the imagination am I an expert but good enough to last longer than the average person if the Zombie apocalypse ever happens. I am an avid fan of board games and dice games with my current favorite board game is Betrayal at House on the Hill.

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