Cat Power! is a mini RPG where you play as magical cats trying to get their neighbourhood back.
You can PWYW for this title on DriveThruRPG or download a free PDF here. To get early access to monthly games, support me on Patreon.
The neighbourhood has changed. Power has shifted. Territories have been taken.
There has been a hostile takeover. What was once a patchwork of neighbouring of territories – with boundaries respected, but sometimes tested – is now a single, sweeping zone of terror ruled over by a mysterious new Enemy. Their Agents cover every corner and block the path to their villainous leader.
Old feuds must be forgotten, and disagreements put aside. It’s time for the cats to unite to overthrow this menace and get their gardens back.
BEING CATS
You’re cats: smart, graceful, acrobatic, and capable of bestowing unbounded affection on a lucky few. You’re also clumsy, foolish, supercilious, and can be a real piece of work for no apparent reason. You might always land on your feet, but things don’t always go your way.
Pick one of the Archetypes below. Each has a specific GIFT that can be used once per game.
| ARCHETYPE | GIFT | EFFECT |
| WITCH’S CAT | OMEN | INSTILL FEAR IN AN ENEMY AGENT WHEN YOU CROSS THEIR PATH |
| MAJOR TOM | GROUND CONTROL | FORCE AN ENEMY AGENT AWAY FROM A PLACE YOU CAN SEE |
| ALLEY CAT | WHO, ME? | CONVINCINGLY BLEND IN WITH ENEMY AGENTS |
| SHOW CAT | FABULOUS | AN ENEMY AGENT BECOMES A TEMPORARY ALLY |
| RARE BREED | SKIN DEEP | CONVINCE AN ENEMY AGENT THAT YOU AREN’T A CAT |
| MOGGY | ONCE MORE WITH FEELING | USE ONE OF YOUR FEATS, EVEN IF YOU ARE OUT OF CAT POWER |
Next, write down what The Enemy has taken from you and what made it special, or roll on each side of the table:
| d6 | WHAT HAVE YOU LOST | WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL |
| 1 | AN ALLOTMENT | SO MANY GREAT SMELLS |
| 2 | AN OVERGROWN GARDEN | SECRET CATNIP CROP |
| 3 | A WELL-KEPT ROCKERY | THE ONLY PLACE YOU LIKE TO POOP |
| 4 | A SERIES OF GARAGES | GREAT FOR MOUSING |
| 5 | AN ABANDONED HOUSE | YOUR HAPPY PLACE |
| 6 | A DISUSED FACTORY | THERE’S THIS ONE BOX AND IT IS PURRFECT |
DOING CAT THINGS
Whenever you act and the outcome is in doubt, you perform a MUNDANE ACTION – roll a d6. On a 3+ all goes well. On a 1-2, something goes wrong – you slip, fall, do something awkward, or otherwise embarrass yourself and make an awful racket.
You also have access to reserves of magic that allow you to twist the world around you. Whenever you do this, you spend CAT POWER.
Cat Power
Spending CAT POWER allows you to perform specific FEATS without risk of failure. You begin the game with 5 CAT POWER. Using a FEAT costs 1.
Whenever you run out of CAT POWER, you can only perform MUNDATE ACTONS until you fulfil a NEED.
| FEAT | EFFECT |
| SILK IN THE BREEZE | MOVE INSTANTLY AND GRACEFULLY TO A PLACE YOU CAN SEE |
| FLUID MECHANICS | FIT PERFECTLY INSIDE AN OBJECT |
| KITTY, NO! | DESTROY OR DAMAGE AN OBJECT WITHIN REACH |
| THIS CAT HAS CLAWS | INFLICT DEBILITATING PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL HARM TO AN ENEMY |
| STEP SIDEWAYS | TELEPORT TO SOMEWHERE YOU HAVE BEEN BEFORE |
| I THOUGHT I SAW A PUSSYCAT | VANISH FROM SIGHT FOR A FEW MOMENTS |
NEEDS
Fulfilling a NEED allows you to return to 5 CAT POWER.
When you want to do this, ask your GM for a scene where you return home and receive one of the following:
SLEEP, FOOD, AFFECTION
If you return home with a present, gain 1 additional CAT POWER.
RUNNING A GAME – FOR GMs
The Enemy is smart and powerful and won’t be taken down easily. They have agents all around the neighbourhood with sharp eyes and keen hearing, though they aren’t too bright and scare easily.
Roll three times on the table below to generate The Enemy, their weakness and their agenda.
| d6 | THE ENEMY | THEIR WEAKNESS | THEIR SECRET AGENDA |
| 1 | AN ESCAPED TIGER | HATES WATER | BUILDING A BOMB |
| 2 | RATS IN CATS’ CLOTHING | SCARED OF MICE | SUMMONING A DEMON |
| 3 | MAD DOGS | HATES BEING ALONE | RAISING THE DEAD |
| 4 | MEDDLING KIDS | AFRAID OF THE DARK | WRECKING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD |
| 5 | A GANG OF NEW CATS | HATES MESS | A BRUTAL RENT HIKE |
| 6 | A MAGIC USER’S FAMILIAR | BELLY RUBS | REMOVING ALL HUMANS |
This game created with thanks to the following Twitter users and their beautiful cats (some cats have remained anonymouse):
@originalchull & @didjmo (Hank & Louis), @jane_hermiston (Shadow), @darbell607 (Barsik), @tinstargames (Azrael), @catharsystemic (Hector), @pagesofkenna (Duchess), CommanderrA (Pisqueak), @Thomas_224 (Edgar), @jamieb182 (Chungus), @LeRoiDuGouter (Barney), @Bovisrex, @tearsofgolden, @anniemalmstrom (Thumbs & Asher), @lcrioh, @bananadumbledor (Dahlia), @adrianbkelly
Ursidice 