ChromaPOP! v0.1.2

Rules reference document

Illustrations by MGCalybee

Contributors:

• u/MrChaoLupus
• u/Defilia_Drakedasker
• u/Kendealio_
• u/Cypher1388
• u/thirdMindflayer
• u/Anvildude
• u/D4RKB4SH
• u/3osh
• u/Cryptwood
• u/imnotokayandthatso-k
• u/Competitive-Fault291
• u/Useless_Apparatus
• u/ThePowerOfStories
• u/Kameleon_fr
• u/Ok-Chest-7932
• u/chocolatedessert

Change log

v0.1.3. - 24/6/2025 - Expanded on the player side of making rolls

v0.1.2. - 12/6/2025 - Added a more comprehensive GM section and fixed some formatting

v0.1.1 - 11/6/2025 - Added more detailed how to play section

v0.1. - 10/6/2025 - Added ChromaPal Affinities

What is ChromaPOP!?

To become a ChromaPOP! is to burst the bubble of the ordinary with a crowbar and a handful of broken teeth. The extraordinary awaits and magic isn't the only thing you will need to find it.

Each ChromaPOP! is someone who has had it with the world around them, be that due to inequality, injustice, the systemic destruction of the planet or just an unquenchable anger at the social machine that is running the lives of the common people. No cause is too small or too great, as long as it matters to you.

When a person’s passion burns bright, their Huemanity awakens and bursts them out of the bubble of their lives, along with creating a companion to fight alongside them, a ChromaPal. ChromaPOP!s team up with their ChromaPals to don fashionable outfits and use the powers of their Hues and Pals to kick the asses of those creating injustice, be they from Earth, Space or anywhere else.

How to play ChromaPOP!

ChromaPOP is a simple game for which you need the following:

• A couple of friends (At least 1)
• A lot of dice (D4s, D6s, D8s, D10s & D12s)
• Some paper and pencils
• This Document

In ChromaPOP!, when the outcome of an action is uncertain or you just feel like rolling the dice, you create a dice pool. This dice pool will most commonly consist of one die determined by whichever Hue you’re using for that roll and another determined by whichever of your Pal’s Natures you’re using for it. Once you’ve rolled the dice, just add the highest 2 numbers together and that’s the result of your roll. Once you have your result, the GM^[1] will let you know whether you’ve succeeded or not.

Sometimes, this pool of dice may include additional dice, such as when your allies aid you or when you’re using your Tag, but they could also include the evil caltrops, D4s, which the GM will add to your roll when acting as The Man in a scene, but more on that later.

Any roll you make and its subsequent result is determined not only by the result of your die roll, but also by the Hue and Affinities that you’ve rolled for in that situation, progressing the narrative in different ways depending on your choices and actions.

Rolling with Hues and Pals

Unlike in games you might be used to, ChromaPOP! uses Hues and Pals instead of classic attributes and skills for when you roll your dice. These shape not only the results of your rolls, but also the actions that you take and the intention with which you drive the story forward.

When taking an action, think about the intent behind it and which Hue is appropriate to use for your character in that situation. If you’re unsure, feel free to suggest what feels good to you and have a brief discussion with the rest of your table.

Once you’ve made your selection, use the Pal Affinity that relates to the kind of roll you are making. For ease of play, Pal Affinities have been broadly split into Physical, Mental and Social.

Once you’ve made your roll and the result has been decided, use the Hue and Affinity of your pal to produce the result.

Jack has decided that they would like to try and rile up their team during a major battle against an AI magic generation machine. Jack’s character’s Huemanity is Green, but they know that in this situation they would more likely go with an intense Red approach. Since their Red Hue is a D6 they will add that to their roll.

Since this broadly fits the theme of a social situation, they will use the D10 from their Horse Pal’s Affinity for a total roll of D6+D10. This isn’t necessarily where the roll needs to end as Jack can still choose to use one of their Tags to add an additional D10 to the roll, making their chance of succeeding better.

Once rolled, if Jack succeeds, their character demonstrates much less care and finesse with their words than they usually might and delivers a to the point, impassioned speech to rally their allies. Their Horse Pal is making sure to deliver this message to each of their allies.

Consider your Hue and Pal as tools for you to drive the story forward in meaningful and creative ways.

Writing and Reading your Rolls

A roll for ChromaPOP!^[2] doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re faced with an uncertain outcome (it absolutely can be, it’s just not as hard a rule as it may be in some other games), but rather that you are taking the initiative in a scene or situation. The story may be going in one direction, but you disagree and so you try to steer it in a different one.

A roll here isn’t so much a test of skill as it is an attempt at rewriting the story at play, either by yourself or together with your allies. The specifics might not always matter as much as the intent behind what is being done.

When picking your Hue, just think of which intention feels right for you in that situation. Even if it’s your Hue using the smallest die, that’s perfectly fine. Not succeeding at every roll is a big part of what makes succeeding fun so try and embrace it when possible.

Ann looks into the GMs eyes, their friends around the table are cheering them on. They’re going to make that Purple Hue roll because this crowd has been way too collected and those pigs in the front are needing a beating.

They roll their dice, they add their Tag to leave their mark, the roll succeeds. What now?

Once you’ve rolled your dice and confirmed whether you’ve succeeded or not the real fun begins. Using your Hue and your Pal’s Affinity as prompts, describe how you act and what the results of the roll will look like.

You are never alone in this process (but feel free to pull off a good solo act from time to time too) as your GM and fellow players can assist you in spinning the narrative in a way that you enjoy and will have everyone else at the table cheering you on like a skater after pulling off a sick trick.

The result of Ann’s roll now takes full fruition. They describe how little by little, they stoke the flames of rebellion among the crowd. They introduce a bit of chaos in one place, then in another and then in another. Crow is helping them stay unnoticed with its feathers as they do this.

The GM then goes to describe how small murmurs flare up and turn into a louder and louder cacophony of angered voices, finally given a chance to speak up. Meanwhile, the pigs up front start becoming more and more anxious, knowing that they can’t stand against this many people.

Finally, the other players see what their teammate is doing and they move into position, ready to protect and support the people. A riot is brewing, and Ann was the one who lit the fuse. Time for some grilled bacon.

Character Creation

Laying foundations

When creating a character, consider the following:

• Who are they before their bubble bursts?
• What is the cause they care most about?
• What event, situation or realisation made their bubble burst?

These are the key questions to getting started with creating a character for ChromaPOP! and will help in informing the decisions you make down the line.

Creating a character

On Paper

On paper, you create your character in 4 simple steps that would ideally be informed by the previous choices you made

HuemanHues

Each ChromaPOP! starts the game with one dominant Hue, their Huemanity, symbolising their break from the frame they had lived in so far

You choose your Huemanity from the 6 available:

Red

Red is the hue of force and power. There is no such thing as a riot without you and you are always at the front lines. If there are molotovs being thrown, then you definitely threw the first.

Red ChromaPOP!s are the most driven among their peers and give it everything they have, even if it's just about a minor thing

For a more simplified game experience, you can treat Red as Dexterity

Orange

Orange is a hue of balance and adaptability. Whether it's fighting against something or for something, you find yourself at home with both and once you get going, you're definitely not someone that can be stopped.

Orange ChromaPOP!s are all about finding the right approach in a situation, be that on the offense or on defense and once they have, there are few who can stand in their way.

For a more simplified game experience, you can treat Orange as Strength

Yellow

Yellow is the hue of stability and protection. You always find yourself facing the most dangerous adversaries, not because you're strongest, but because you can't be broken.

Yellow ChromaPOP!s are immovable and shield those around them, making sure that no harm comes to them

For a more simplified game experience, you can treat Yellow as Constitution

Green

Green is the hue of healing and aid. Not every problem can be fixed by breaking things, sometimes a gentler hand is needed and that's where you come in.

Green ChromaPOP!s support those in need rather than fight, lifting up those who have been pushed down

For a more simplified game experience, you can treat Green as Charisma

Blue

Blue is the hue of organisation and strategy. One person alone can do some, but an organised group can do so much more, especially when the one organising them is you.

Blue ChromaPOP!s find the best path to achieving goals, guide their allies to them and trip their enemies on the way

For a more simplified game experience, you can treat Blue as Intelligence

Purple

Purple is the hue of chaos and impulse. The status quo needs breaking before any change can happen and you're the best there is at breaking existing structures.

Purple ChromaPOP!s are best when faced with a chaotic situation or at breaking down opposing structures, creating chaos they flourish in

For a more simplified game experience, you can treat Purple as Wisdom

Once you’ve selected your Huemanity, assign your largest die, in this case the D10, to it. For your remaining Hues, you can distribute 3D6 and 2D8 however you like to create your starting Hues.

Jill is creating Nadia. Nadia is a ChromaPOP! with Red as her Huemanity and she’s getting ready to break some kneecaps. Her main strategy is to break things with her trusty baseball bat, but she isn’t just a fighter. She also protects and helps her friends whenever possible so her Yellow and Green hues are more dominant compared to the other remaining ones.

Nadia’s starting Hues will most likely look something like this:

• Red: D10
• Orange: D6
• Yellow: D8
• Green: D8
• Blue: D6
• Purple: D6

Nadia now has her Hues and her baseball bat is polished to perfection, but there are a few more steps left before she can really get out there to kick ass and touch grass.

ChromaPals

When a ChromaPOP!s bubble first POP!s, a ChromaPal is born. ChromaPals are small magical companions that allow ChromaPOP!s to utilize their Hue in different ways. Each ChromaPal is unique and has a certain kind of relationship with their partner, but all of them have one thing in common - They will help you kick ass!

When picking a ChromaPal, take a good look at their Affinities as they will help you

When creating your character, choose from one of the available ChromaPals:

Ant colony

Ant Colony Pals are all about recycling and repurposing the things around them. Nothing will go to waste with these guys.

Affinities:

• Physical: D8 - More hands yields better results 
• Mental: D10 - A good plan is key to every project
• Social: D6 - If you need to talk, your plan wasn’t good enough

Bull

Simple and straightforward, Bull pals excel at gathering momentum and then releasing it in unstoppable bursts to crash through any obstacle.

Affinities:

• Physical: D10 - These muscles aren’t just for show
• Mental: D6 - Just try again until it works
• Social: D8 - Break legs first, ask questions later

Chameleon

Appearance is not much of a concern for Chameleon pals, it can be changed any time depending on the situation at hand. As long as it looks good at the end of the day.

Affinities:

• Physical: D6 - You can always get someone to do it for you
• Mental: D8 - Go with the flow and it’ll work out
• Social: D10 - People just vibe with me, it’s cool

Crow

Crow Pals don't like to be the centre of attention, the best work is done from the shadows under the guise of the night, a hoodie and a good face mask.

Affinities:

• Physical: D10 - Punching is so un-elegant, ugh 
• Mental: D8 - Birdbrain is frankly insulting
• Social: D6 - I prefer to work alone

Horse

Getting you and your friends safely through any scenario is where Horse Pals excel most.

Affinities:

• Physical: D8 - A strong back is better than a strong fist
• Mental: D6 - This isn’t my role to play, let someone else shine
• Social: D10 - A trip is always better with friends

Whale

Whale pals might not be as large as their animal counterparts, but they are the loudest among the pals and they make sure no cry goes unheard.

Affinities:

• Physical: D6 - I’d rather just swim along if you don’t mind
• Mental: D10 - Keep trying and keep learning
• Social: D8 - Speak up so everyone can hear you

Once you have chosen your Pal, note their Natures on your character sheet together with their assigned dice.

Jill imagines Nadia as a straightforward person who doesn’t like to complicate things which makes her gravitate towards Bull. Bull goes well with more intense ChromaPOP!s so that’s who Nadia’s partner will be. 

Jill now notes down Bull’s Affinities on Nadia’s character sheet. She’ll get back to Bull’s abilities a bit later, because it’s now time for a Tag for Nadia.

*You could always choose to customize the Affinities for your Pal to really make them your own, the listed ones are here if you’d rather get straight to the action so play however you’d prefer.

Tags

Every good freedom fighter needs a symbol, something to really leave a mark on their story. When creating your first Tag, think of what kind of mark your character wants to leave on their story and channel that into the design of your Tag.

Once you’ve chosen a design for your Tag, mark it down on your Character Sheet. During moments in the story when you really want to leave your mark, you will use your Tag and add a D10 to that roll, increasing your chances to succeed.

Jill has thought about what Nadia’s Tag could be and she’s settled on the idea that Nadia really likes Pop Rocks because they remind her of the sound of bones breaking, or is it the other way around? Doesn’t really matter.

To add a bit of flair, Jill has decided that Nadia’s first Tag is going to be PopRox! and writes that down on her character sheet in the Tags section. She will also later make a small illustration of her Tag on a piece of paper which isn’t required to play the game, but also makes it much more fun when you literally get to Stick it to The Man. (More on that later…)

For Jill and Nadia, PopRox isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s the contrast of her love for this children’s candy and the brutality of the fight that she has to take part in or some bullshit like that. Be poetic if you like, Nadia has no time for that, even if it is painfully true…

Pal abilities

Each ChromaPal comes with abilities that their POP!s can use to aid them in both their battles against nefarious capitalists and local occupying forces or simply help them out in everyday life.

Abilities are the magic of your game so keep them magical. It’s best to let creativity and fun take precedence over game balance, especially if it makes for cool and memorable moments for your group.

Choosing your abilities isn’t the end. Work with your GM to realise the abilities of your Pal through your unique Hue and worldview.

Ant Colony

Reuse/Reduce/Recycle

Summon the ants to take apart one thing and build something new from it.

Bull

Stop & Go!

Channel Bull into your suit to absorb and release force.

Chameleon

Let me try that

Channel Chameleon to change your body to best suit your situation.

Crow

Obsidian Feather Mantle of Darkness

Channel Crow to produce a Cloak of moveable feathers to be used.

Horse

Onwards my companions!

Summon Horse to create magical transportation for yourself and your allies.

Whale

Whale of sound

Summon Whale to create and manipulate sounds from and around you.

Running the game

Running a game of ChromaPOP! as a GM is very simple since you will not be running the game at all. In ChromaPOP, you don’t approach the game from a perspective of running it and being an impartial judge, but rather you lean into the two extremes of being a GM.

As GM, you will take on the roles of The Man and The Fan as you play with your group, choosing which of the two is adequate for a situation. Use this as an opportunity to let your players push the narrative forward with their choices and rolls when neither of the roles seems fitting.

You will still be the one deciding whether rolls succeed or fail, but you will also sometimes play a more involved role in them than you usually might.

The Fan

The role of The Fan is to be just that, a fan of the players and their characters. Let loose a little and let them do that cool thing that you also want to see happen. As The Fan, you will be aiding your players in various ways.

The most common way you might aid your players is by letting them be heard, but not quite how you think. As players make their roles with intent in mind, The Fan can hear this intent and aid them in achieving it by adding a number of D6 to the player’s roll which they can then add to their total.^[3]

The Man

On the flipside of The Fan, we have The Man. When taking on the role of The Man, twirl your moustache and prepare your evil laugh to terrorise your players. (In an amount that is appropriate, agreed upon and doesn’t make your group uncomfortable. I suggest using a consent form before starting the game for this to see what things are and what aren’t okay) The Man is an enemy to the players and should be channeled as such when appropriate.

As The Man, you will most commonly toss Caltrops at your players in the form of D4s which they will then roll together with their dice and subtract from their total.

In both roles, you will have a limited amount of resources so choose when you spend them wisely to ensure the best experience for yourself and your players. You will typically start a session with one D6 for every player at your table and gain another whenever they use a Tag. You will also start with two Caltrops and gain a new one whenever a player rolls a 1 on their dice.