# TTRPG Wiki — Full System Database

> 295 tabletop RPG systems. Generated from ttrpgwiki.com.

## Dungeons & Dragons
- **Edition:** Revised 5th Edition
- **Tagline:** Heroic fantasy adventures of magic, monsters, and dungeon exploration
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Heroic, Character Building, High-Fantasy, Classic Fantasy, Vancian Casting, Ascending AC
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 88 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Make a D20 Test by rolling d20, adding relevant modifiers, and comparing the total to a target number. Ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls use this procedure. Advantage and disadvantage use two d20s and keep the higher or lower result.
- **Best For:** Groups who want heroic fantasy with configurable tactical combat, broad character options, and campaigns that span multiple levels.
- **Highlights:** Advantage and disadvantage resolve common situational effects by selecting the higher or lower of two d20 rolls. Backgrounds, classes, subclasses, and feats distribute character choices across creation and advancement. Weapon Mastery gives qualifying weapon users distinct tactical effects without replacing the action economy.
- **Considerations:** Spell preparation, spell slots, class features, and conditions create several interacting resources for players to track. High-level characters combine many spells and features, increasing adjudication work for the DM. Bastions add a separate downtime procedure for campaigns that use the stronghold rules.
- **Publisher:** Wizards of the Coast
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0 (SRD); core books proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Open license; Allowed; Creative Commons Attribution 4.0; scope: SRD 5.2.1 rules content under CC BY 4.0; core books and protected D&D intellectual property are excluded.; terms: https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd; verified 2026-08-25; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, Italian, German, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dungeons-dragons

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## Pathfinder
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition (Remastered)
- **Tagline:** A deeply tactical fantasy RPG with unmatched character building
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Crunchy, Character Building, High-Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 80 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifier against a DC. Four degrees of success: critical success (beat DC by 10+), success, failure, and critical failure (miss by 10+). Each turn grants three actions to spend freely on strikes, movement, spellcasting, or other activities. Multi-attack penalty (-5/-10) discourages repeated strikes and encourages tactical variety.
- **Best For:** Groups who want deep character customization, tactical grid combat with meaningful turn-by-turn decisions, and a richly detailed fantasy setting with free rules.
- **Highlights:** The three-action economy gives every turn the same three actions to spend on strikes, movement, or spells, so each turn is a fresh tactical decision. Characters customize through ancestry, class, skill, and general feats gained at nearly every level, letting builds diverge sharply within a single class. Four degrees of success, set by beating or missing the DC by 10, turn each roll into a range of outcomes rather than a binary result.
- **Considerations:** New players must learn the trait system, conditions, and four degrees of success before combat runs smoothly. Multi-attack penalty and numerous combat actions can slow turns for indecisive players. Character creation draws feats from ancestry, class, skill, and general pools at every level, making each build a slow step.
- **Publisher:** Paizo
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** ORC
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Open and compatibility licenses; Allowed with conditions; ORC + Paizo Compatibility License; scope: ORC-licensed rules may be reused; compatibility claims and logos follow Paizo’s Compatibility License. Setting material requires another authorized route.; terms: https://paizo.com/licenses; verified 2026-08-25; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/pathfinder

---

## Call of Cthulhu
- **Edition:** 7th Edition
- **Tagline:** Investigate cosmic horrors and try to keep your sanity
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Investigation, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Atmospheric, Roleplay-Heavy, Mystery, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Corruption, Skill-Based
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 43 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 equal to or under your skill percentage. Success tiers at half (Hard) and one-fifth (Extreme) of the skill value. Bonus and penalty dice adjust the tens digit. Failed rolls can be pushed for a second attempt at greater risk.
- **Best For:** Investigation-driven horror where combat is deadly and sanity is fragile. Great for one-shots.
- **Highlights:** Tracking Sanity as a depletable score ties mental erosion to the fiction, so confronting cosmic horror mechanically wears characters down. The percentile skills resolve on a d100 roll-under, with Hard and Extreme bands at half and one-fifth of the rating. Bouts of Madness convert failed Sanity checks into temporary phobias, manias, or loss of character control.
- **Considerations:** The chase rules add a detailed positioning subsystem whose complexity outweighs how often it sees use. Character creation allocates points across a long list of skills, a slow first step for new players. In long campaigns the sanity spiral can strip a character of player control as madness accumulates.
- **Publisher:** Chaosium
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Chaosium Fan Material Policy
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/call-of-cthulhu

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## Vampire: The Masquerade
- **Edition:** 5th Edition
- **Tagline:** Personal horror and political intrigue in the World of Darkness
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Social Intrigue, Faction Play, Urban Fantasy, Corruption, Drama, Investigation, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** Storyteller
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 53 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d10s (attribute + skill), count successes (6+). Hunger dice replace regular dice in the pool: their 10s trigger Messy Criticals and their 1s trigger Bestial Failures, making the Beast an ever-present threat.
- **Best For:** Drama-heavy campaigns exploring themes of addiction, power, and losing your humanity.
- **Highlights:** Hunger system mechanically integrates the vampire's predatory nature into every dice roll. Clan membership and sect politics structure who a character allies with and opposes, giving the social game mechanical weight. Humanity and Stains system tracks moral erosion with narrative consequences.
- **Considerations:** Hunger dice inject swingy results at the worst moments, since a Bestial Failure can surface on a critical roll. Play leans heavily on social and political maneuvering, so groups expecting frequent combat will find that side of the system thin. Choosing a clan and predator type at creation assumes setting knowledge the player may not have yet.
- **Publisher:** Renegade Game Studios
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/vampire-the-masquerade

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## Werewolf: The Apocalypse
- **Edition:** Fifth Edition
- **Tagline:** Garou packs wield Rage against ecological and spiritual collapse
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, Base-Building, Character Building, Character-Driven, Corruption, Drama, Lore-Heavy, Strong GM Support, Superpowers, Urban Fantasy
- **Family:** Storyteller
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 64 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a d10 dice pool, usually from an Attribute plus a Skill. Each 6 or higher is a success, and meeting the Storyteller-set Difficulty wins. Each pair of 10s counts as four successes. Rage dice replace regular dice up to current Rage and can cause Brutal outcomes.
- **Best For:** Groups who want long-form modern horror about shapeshifter packs defending communities from ecological and spiritual threats, with violent power constrained by moral and social consequences.
- **Highlights:** Brutal outcomes can force destructive failures or add four successes to actions the Storyteller judges can benefit from Rage. Choosing a Garou form changes a character's capabilities, creating tactical and narrative options. Caerns give the pack an improvable spiritual home whose traits connect campaign advancement to territory and community.
- **Considerations:** A Crinos-form Garou who did not kill in the previous turn must spend Willpower at the start of the next turn or enter frenzy, making the war form difficult to sustain outside violent scenes. Harano and Hauglosk can remove a Garou from play when despair or absolutism fills either track, making moral decline a campaign-level consequence. The game centers mature environmental and spiritual horror, including graphic violence and themes of exploitation and extremism that require deliberate table boundaries.
- **Publisher:** Renegade Game Studios
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Storytellers Vault; Allowed with conditions; Storytellers Vault Community Content Agreement; scope: Supplemental Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition community content published through Storytellers Vault; standalone core books, new editions, independent print sales, and outside-IP crossovers are excluded.; terms: https://help.storytellersvault.com/hc/en-us/articles/12780342689943-Content-Guidelines; verified 2026-09-21; note: Required logo and legal text apply, and current guidelines prohibit generative-AI content.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/werewolf-the-apocalypse

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## Shadowrun
- **Edition:** 6th World Edition
- **Tagline:** Cyberpunk meets fantasy: hack, shoot, cast, repeat
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 85 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to attribute + skill, counting 5s and 6s as hits. Meet or exceed a threshold to succeed. Situational advantages generate Edge points rather than modifying dice pools directly; Edge is spent on tactical effects like rerolling dice, adding successes, or imposing penalties on opponents.
- **Best For:** Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat.
- **Highlights:** The setting fuses megacorporate intrigue with magic and metahuman races, so a single team mixes street samurai, mages, and deckers. Distinct subsystems model Matrix hacking, spellcasting, drone rigging, and astral space, each carrying its own rules depth. The Edge economy converts situational advantages into a spendable resource for rerolls, extra hits, or penalties on opponents.
- **Considerations:** Matrix hacking runs on its own timescale and can leave non-decker players idle during a run. Character creation spreads across attributes, skills, magic or resonance, gear, and lifestyle, making the first build long. Dice pools grow large at high skill, so counting hits on a fistful of d6s slows resolution.
- **Publisher:** Catalyst Game Labs
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** No open license
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, German, French, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/shadowrun

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## Rifts
- **Edition:** Ultimate Edition
- **Tagline:** Dimensional rifts flood a shattered Earth with magic and super-technology
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic, Scifi, Fantasy, Horror, Superhero
- **Tags:** Character Building, Combat-Heavy, Crunchy, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Gonzo, High-Power, Mana Points, Mecha, Superpowers, Tactical
- **Family:** Megaversal System
- **Dice:** d20, d100
- **Complexity:** 82 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Combat and saving throws use a d20 plus bonuses, with high results overcoming a target number or opposing roll. Skills use d100 and succeed when the result is at or below the character's percentage.
- **Best For:** Groups who want long-form science-fantasy campaigns that move from a ruined Earth to other dimensions. The game suits tables whose GM will decide which parts of the broad setting a campaign uses.
- **Highlights:** Occupational and racial class packages assign distinct abilities and advancement tracks, giving each archetype a different role in the party. Mega-Damage places many supernatural creatures and war machines on a separate durability scale beyond the reach of ordinary Structural Damage Capacity attacks. Rifts and ley lines make dimensional travel a standing feature of the setting, letting campaigns move between devastated Earth and other worlds.
- **Considerations:** Character creation combines rolled attributes with extensive skill selection, making first-time preparation lengthy. Combat asks each player to track an action economy, active defenses, and which damage scale applies. Magic and psionics use separate point pools and power procedures, adding class-specific rules to the shared system.
- **Publisher:** Palladium Books Inc.
- **Year:** 2005
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Noncommercial publishing only — Palladium Books Internet Policy limited license; Palladium Books Internet Policy limited license; scope: Derivative works based on Palladium text may be posted only on an individual's website or other online service for personal fun and limited use. Required copyright and trademark notices must accompany each work. Sales, advertising-supported use, mass distribution, software, streaming, and other commercial or mass-participation formats require separate written permission.; terms: https://palladiumbooks.com/palladium-booksr-internet-policy/; verified 2026-09-06; note: The permission is revocable, and Palladium's policy states that derivative works are owned by Palladium. The Rifter submission route is publication by Palladium under a separate agreement, not a public commercial license.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/rifts

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## Mage: The Ascension
- **Edition:** 20th Anniversary Edition
- **Tagline:** Awakened mages reshape reality while rival visions struggle to define the world
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Modern, Horror
- **Tags:** Freeform Magic, Character Building, Crunchy, High-Power, Roll to Cast, Skill-Based, Lore-Heavy, Fear & Stress Mechanics
- **Family:** Storyteller
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 88 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 75 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a d10 pool from an Attribute plus an Ability and count each die that meets or exceeds the difficulty, usually 6. Each rolled 1 cancels a success, and a roll with no successes and at least one 1 botches. Magick uses Arete instead: the highest Sphere plus coincidence or vulgarity and witnesses establishes the base difficulty, with situational modifiers applied afterward. Successes determine the Effect, and vulgar casting risks Paradox.
- **Best For:** Groups who want long-form modern occult campaigns about reality-shaping power, ideological conflict, and the consequences of imposing belief on the world.
- **Highlights:** Nine Spheres combine to build open-ended Effects, allowing the same capability to emerge through different paradigms, practices, and instruments. Coincidental and vulgar classifications make subtlety a tactical choice because conspicuous magick raises difficulty and accumulates Paradox. Focus ties belief to procedure, so a mage's worldview determines the tools and rituals used to alter reality.
- **Considerations:** Improvised Effects place frequent adjudication on the Storyteller, who must apply Sphere permissions, focus, required successes, and consequences consistently. Vulgar magick generates Paradox even on success, so overt power can punish a mage through injury or metaphysical breakdown. Faction choices can make a cabal internally hostile, so character concepts need shared motives before play.
- **Publisher:** Onyx Path Publishing
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Storytellers Vault; Allowed with conditions; Storytellers Vault Community Content Agreement; scope: Supplemental Mage: The Ascension content for published editions, including 20th Anniversary, sold through Storytellers Vault; standalone core books, new editions, outside-IP crossovers, and independent print sales are excluded.; terms: https://help.storytellersvault.com/hc/en-us/articles/12780342689943-Content-Guidelines; verified 2026-08-28; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mage-the-ascension

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## Chronicles of Darkness
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** Modern horror where ordinary people confront the supernatural
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, Character Building, Character-Driven, Classless, Corruption, Drama, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Improvisation, Investigation, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Storyteller
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 56 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a d10 pool from an Attribute plus a Skill and count each 8, 9, or 10 as a success. Tens reroll, five successes are exceptional, and a pool reduced below one die becomes a chance die that succeeds only on a 10.
- **Best For:** Groups who want modern supernatural horror built around investigating mysteries, navigating personal consequences, and confronting threats before they overwhelm an ordinary life.
- **Highlights:** The investigation system can reveal an Incomplete clue on a failed roll, preventing a mystery from stopping at one check. Conditions, Aspirations, and Beats link consequences and personal goals to character advancement. Horror Anchors create investigative inroads for supernatural threats.
- **Considerations:** The core contains detailed procedures for combat, chases, investigation, social maneuvering, and supernatural threats, so groups need to decide which rules to emphasize in a campaign. Damage, Integrity breaking points, and Persistent Conditions create lasting consequences. Social Maneuvering includes sexual goals and hard leverage, so players should back away from uncomfortable concepts.
- **Publisher:** Onyx Path Publishing
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Storytellers Vault; Allowed with conditions; Storytellers Vault Community Content Agreement; scope: Chronicles of Darkness community content may be sold through Storytellers Vault under its current program terms; required legal text and platform conditions apply, while independently printed products and outside-IP crossovers are excluded.; terms: https://help.storytellersvault.com/hc/en-us/articles/12780342689943-Content-Guidelines; verified 2026-09-03; note: The program is not an Open Game License.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/chronicles-of-darkness

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## Cyberpunk 2020
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition (Version 2.01)
- **Tagline:** The original RPG of the dark future: style over substance, attitude over everything
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk
- **Tags:** Combat-Heavy, Skill-Based, Deadly, Lore-Heavy, Career-Based, Corruption, Faction Play, Crunchy, Grimdark
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Stat + Skill + d10 against a difficulty value set by the GM (typically 15 for average tasks, scaling up to 30 for nearly impossible ones). Combat uses the same formula: REF + weapon skill + d10 against a target number modified by range. Hit location is rolled on a d10 table, and armor on each location absorbs damage separately. Cyberpsychosis tracks Humanity loss from cyberware installation, with characters losing Empathy as they augment.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a gritty, lethal cyberpunk setting with deep character roles, detailed cybernetics and gear, and a world where style matters as much as firepower.
- **Highlights:** Nine character roles each grant a unique Special Ability, so a Solo, Netrunner, or Rockerboy plays mechanically distinct from the rest. The Lifepath system rolls out backstory, allies, enemies, and romances, tying a character into the world before play begins. Installing cyberware costs Humanity, trading raw capability for a measured slide toward cyberpsychosis.
- **Considerations:** Netrunning runs on its own timescale and can sideline the rest of the table during a hack. Hit-location rolls and per-location armor add bookkeeping to every combat exchange. Lethality is high, so focused fire can drop a fully built character in a single exchange.
- **Publisher:** R. Talsorian Games
- **Year:** 1993
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian, Polish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cyberpunk-2020

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## Cyberpunk RED
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** The newest edition of the dark future RPG: set in the aftermath of corporate war
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk
- **Tags:** Combat-Heavy, Skill-Based, Gritty, Deadly, Corruption, Faction Play, Crunchy, Licensed IP
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Stat + Skill + d10 against a Difficulty Value set by the GM (typically 13 for everyday tasks, scaling to 29 for legendary ones). Combat uses REF + weapon skill + d10 against a defender's active dodge or parry roll. Damage is rolled with d6s and reduced by armor at the hit location. Critical injuries are triggered when damage penetrates armor, rolled on a table with lasting mechanical effects. Humanity loss from cyberware installation tracks a character's slide toward cyberpsychosis.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a streamlined cyberpunk experience with lethal combat, deep character roles, and a setting that bridges the classic Cyberpunk 2020 era to the world of Cyberpunk 2077.
- **Highlights:** Ten roles each have a branching Role Ability that deepens as the character advances, not a one-time pick. Netrunning is rebuilt to resolve in real time alongside physical combat, so the netrunner acts on the same clock as everyone else. The Lifepath system generates backstory events, enemies, allies, and romances that hook a character into the Time of the Red.
- **Considerations:** Hit location and armor tracking remain from Cyberpunk 2020, adding bookkeeping to combat. Night Market equipment tables use randomized availability that can frustrate players looking for specific gear. The Time of the Red setting deliberately limits high-end technology compared to the 2020 or 2077 eras.
- **Publisher:** R. Talsorian Games
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cyberpunk-red

---

## Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
- **Edition:** 5th Edition
- **Tagline:** A grim fantasy RPG of careers, corruption, and survival in the Old World
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Career-Based, Combat-Heavy, Corruption, Crunchy, Dark Fantasy, Grimdark, Gritty, Licensed IP, Strong GM Support, Tactical
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 75 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 equal to or under the relevant Skill or Characteristic. Success Levels compare the tens digits of target and roll, with circumstances modifying the result. Opposed Tests compare the sides' Success Levels.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a career-driven grim fantasy campaign where social pressure, investigation, travel, and consequential combat make precarious adventurers feel rooted in the Old World.
- **Highlights:** Success Levels make ordinary and opposed Tests express degree of outcome as well as success or failure. Careers connect a character's status, equipment, and advancement to their work and history. Between-adventure procedures give downtime lasting consequences for a character's finances, opportunities, and advancement.
- **Considerations:** Combat links hit locations, critical wounds, Conditions, armour, weapons, and psychology. Career progression uses eligibility, status, trappings, and tracked advances instead of entirely freeform choices. Magic and religion add role-specific procedures on top of the shared Test system.
- **Publisher:** Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd.
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-04; note: A bounded review found no verified Fifth Edition route for third-party publishing.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/warhammer-fantasy-roleplay

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## Daggerheart
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Collaborative fantasy adventure driven by hope, fear, and the roll of twin dice
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Collaborative, Heroic, Roleplay-Heavy, Fiction-First, Theater of the Mind, Character Building, Drama, Beginner-Friendly, Character-Driven
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d12
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 88 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d12 Duality Dice (Hope + Fear) and add modifiers vs. difficulty. Which die rolls higher determines whether the moment swings toward the players (Hope) or the GM gains Fear tokens to spend on complications. In combat, adversary attacks roll d20 + modifier against target's Evasion.
- **Best For:** Groups who want heroic fantasy with emotionally driven storytelling, where every roll shifts momentum between hope and fear. Great for Critical Role fans and narrative-focused tables.
- **Highlights:** Every action roll uses 2d12 Duality Dice, and whether Hope or Fear lands higher hands momentum to the player or the GM. Combat runs fiction-first with no fixed initiative, so the spotlight passes by the action rather than a turn order. Characters equip abilities as domain cards drawn from two domains, building a loadout the player can swap between.
- **Considerations:** The domain-card system runs best with printed cards, though it can be played from the character sheet alone. Players and the GM use asymmetric rules, so each side has its own procedures to learn. Mechanics are tied to the game's own setting and ancestries, which takes work to reskin for another world.
- **Publisher:** Darrington Press
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Darrington Press Community Gaming License (DPCGL)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Community gaming license; Allowed with conditions; DPCGL 2.0; scope: Daggerheart SRD 2.0 Public Game Content; protected settings, artwork, and Name Marks remain restricted.; terms: https://darringtonpress.com/license/; verified 2026-08-25; note: Required attribution, presentation, and permitted-format rules apply.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/daggerheart

---

## Draw Steel
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Action-oriented heroic fantasy where every roll moves the fight forward
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Heroic, Cinematic, Character Building, High-Fantasy, Attacks Always Hit, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d10
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Power Roll: roll 2d10 + characteristic and check which tier the result falls into: Tier 1 (11 or less), Tier 2 (12–16), or Tier 3 (17+). Every ability describes three outcomes by tier, so rolls always produce an effect, with no whiffed turns. Edges and banes (+2/−2, or tier shift at double) modify rolls situationally. Each class builds a unique heroic resource during combat, unlocking increasingly powerful abilities as momentum builds. Victories earned from combat and noncombat challenges accumulate across encounters and convert to XP during respites.
- **Best For:** Groups who want deeply tactical, cinematic combat where every ability matters and no turn is wasted. Ideal for players who love build variety and dramatic, heroic battles.
- **Highlights:** Power Rolls resolve to one of three tiers, so every roll produces an effect and a turn is never wasted. Each of the nine classes builds a unique heroic resource during a fight, unlocking stronger abilities as momentum grows. A negotiation subsystem tracks an NPC's interest and patience, giving social scenes a structured back-and-forth like combat.
- **Considerations:** Heroes start with many abilities and options even at level 1, creating a steeper initial learning curve. Each combat turn juggles heroic resources, conditions, and edges and banes at once, so play carries real tracking overhead. The system targets heroic tactical fantasy specifically, so it provides no rules for dungeon crawling, hexcrawl exploration, or survival play.
- **Publisher:** MCDM Productions
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** Draw Steel Creator License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/draw-steel

---

## Cosmere RPG
- **Edition:** Stormlight Handbook
- **Tagline:** Epic fantasy in Brandon Sanderson's universe: talent trees, a plot die, and hard magic
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Character Building, Heroic, High-Fantasy, Tactical, Licensed IP, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20 + d6
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 68 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + skill vs. difficulty. The GM can raise the stakes on key rolls by adding the plot die: a custom d6 with Opportunity, Complication, and blank faces. Opportunities grant bonus effects chosen by the player; Complications introduce narrative twists chosen by the GM but also add a bonus to the roll. Each combat round, characters choose a fast turn (2 actions, act first) or slow turn (3 actions, act later). Characters advance through branching talent trees across 6 heroic paths and 9 Radiant paths.
- **Best For:** Brandon Sanderson fans who want deep character customization and hard-magic systems brought to the table: groups who enjoy Pathfinder-level build depth in a richly detailed setting.
- **Highlights:** Deep lore integration with the Cosmere setting, extensive character customization rivals Pathfinder, plot die adds dramatic tension, fast/slow turn initiative lets players trade actions for turn order, Foundry VTT support
- **Considerations:** Plot die adds a layer of opportunity/complication outcomes on top of pass/fail increasing cognitive overhead per roll, rulebook organization is poor and unclear in places, large barrier to entry for non-Sanderson fans, social encounters can feel repetitive
- **Publisher:** Brotherwise Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cosmere-rpg

---

## Starfinder
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Tactical sci-fi adventure blending magic and starships in a far-future galaxy
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Tactical, Crunchy, Character Building, Heroic, Ascending AC, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Exploration
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 75 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** d20 + modifier vs. DC. Three-action economy per turn. Four degrees of success. Cross-compatible with Pathfinder 2e.
- **Best For:** Sci-fi fans who want Pathfinder 2e's tactical depth with plasma rifles and starships. Great for PF2e veterans looking for cross-compatible space adventure.
- **Highlights:** Free rules on Archives of Nethys, deep tactical combat, cross-compatible with PF2e, distinct class identity
- **Considerations:** Steep learning curve, fewer classes and options than PF2e (still growing), tactical starship combat rules deferred to a future supplement with current rules being narrative only
- **Publisher:** Paizo
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** ORC
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/starfinder

---

## Savage Worlds
- **Edition:** Adventure Edition
- **Tagline:** Fast! Furious! Fun! Pulp action in any setting
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Cinematic, Fast-Paced, Tactical, Pulp Action, Heroic, Miniatures
- **Family:** Savage Worlds
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 48 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll trait die + wild die (d6), keep the highest. Target number 4. Raises every +4.
- **Best For:** Fast-paced pulp action across any genre. Great for large groups and mass combat.
- **Highlights:** Fast resolution, genre-flexible, handles large groups well
- **Considerations:** Exploding dice can produce extreme variance in outcomes, setting books vary in depth: some provide minimal mechanical content beyond a genre frame
- **Publisher:** Pinnacle Entertainment
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Savage Worlds Adventurer's Guild
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Hebrew
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/savage-worlds

---

## The One Ring
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Roleplaying in the world of The Lord of the Rings
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Exploration, Licensed IP, Roleplay-Heavy, Low-Fantasy, Journey, Drama, Corruption
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d12 + d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a Feat Die (d12) plus Success Dice (d6s) equal to skill rating vs. Target Number. Special icons on the Feat Die trigger automatic success or failure, and elvish runes on the d6s grant superior results.
- **Best For:** Tolkien fans who want to adventure in Middle-earth with mechanics that capture the tone of the books.
- **Highlights:** Closely models the tone of Tolkien's world, Hope/Shadow corruption mechanic drives character arcs, well-structured journey and fellowship phases
- **Considerations:** Tightly bound to Middle-earth setting, limited character options compared to generic systems, requires buy-in to Tolkien's tone
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (Middle-earth Enterprises license)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-one-ring

---

## Blades in the Dark
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Daring heists in a haunted industrial-fantasy city
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Heist, Faction Play, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Dark Fantasy, Collaborative, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** FitD
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 38 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to your action rating; keep the highest. 1–3 is a bad outcome, 4–5 is a partial success with consequences, 6 is a full success, and multiple 6s are a critical with additional advantage. Before rolling, the GM sets position (controlled, risky, or desperate) and effect level, which determine the severity of consequences and the impact of success. Players can spend stress to resist consequences or trigger flashbacks to retroactively establish preparation.
- **Best For:** Groups who want structured criminal heists with shared narrative authority, where the crew's reputation and entanglements matter as much as individual characters.
- **Highlights:** Flashback system lets players establish preparations retroactively instead of planning before a score. Position and effect framework gives the GM a structured way to set stakes on every roll. Detailed faction game tracks rival gangs, noble families, and institutions with their own agendas and territory.
- **Considerations:** Stress is the currency for flashbacks, resistance rolls, and special abilities, so characters who use these tools heavily accumulate trauma faster. The faction tracking layer between sessions requires more GM bookkeeping than the score phase itself. Downtime phase has several interlocking subsystems (payoff, heat, entanglements, vice, projects) that take time to internalize.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 3.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Hungarian, Ukrainian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/blades-in-the-dark

---

## Lancer
- **Edition:** 1st Edition (2nd Printing)
- **Tagline:** Tactical mech combat meets narrative sci-fi: pilots and their machines 15,000 years in the future
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Tactical, Mecha, Character Building, Heroic, Crunchy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20 + d6
- **Complexity:** 63 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Narrative scenes use d20 roll-over (10+ succeeds), with backgrounds granting advantage and triggers adding flat bonuses. Mech combat is grid-based and tactical: no initiative, players and NPCs alternate turns. Pilots progress through License Levels (LL0–LL12), unlocking new chassis, weapons, and systems across five manufacturers with 30+ mech frames.
- **Best For:** Groups who want deep tactical mech combat with meaningful customization layered on top of accessible narrative play: giant robot enthusiasts seeking a modern alternative to BattleTech.
- **Highlights:** Free core PDF, extensive mech customization with 30+ frames, clean split between rules-light narrative and crunchy tactical combat, alternating activations remove initiative so both sides stay engaged
- **Considerations:** Mech combat dominates: narrative half feels thin by comparison, steep learning curve from sheer volume of mech options, genre-locked to sci-fi mech fiction, requires grid/VTT for combat
- **Publisher:** Massif Press
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Lancer Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/lancer

---

## The Expanse Roleplaying Game
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Belters, Martians, and Earthers clash for power across the solar system while an ancient alien discovery threatens everyone
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Licensed IP, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Crunchy, Social Combat, Investigation, Faction Play, Social Intrigue, Strong GM Support, Tactical
- **Family:** AGE System
- **Dice:** 3d6
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll three six-sided dice, two matched and one differently colored Drama Die, and add an ability score plus a focus bonus of +2 if applicable. The total must equal or beat a target number set by the GM or an opponent's result. Rolling doubles generates stunt points spent on combat, exploration, or social effects. The Drama Die's value sets the degree of success.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a character-focused science fiction campaign of crew jobs, faction pressure, and danger across the Solar System. It suits tables that want structured action, investigation, and social encounters alongside ship travel.
- **Highlights:** Backgrounds, professions, talents, and focuses build characters with mechanical ties to their lives before the campaign begins. Action, exploration, and social encounters each use dedicated stunts, giving different kinds of scenes procedures beyond a single skill roll. The Churn turns accumulated complications into escalating story events, giving the Game Master a structured way to introduce setbacks.
- **Considerations:** Combat stunts are drawn from six separate category tables covering roughly sixty options, requiring both players and the GM to check charts mid-fight to keep pace. Ground and air vehicles receive no example statistics, leaving their combat rules almost entirely improvised. The forty-page setting guide summarizes the solar system's factions and history at a survey level, so groups wanting deeper political detail need outside reading of the novels.
- **Publisher:** Green Ronin Publishing
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-08; note: The core rulebook states All Rights Reserved. A bounded review of Green Ronin's Expanse pages, official store, and publisher-targeted searches found no Expanse-specific third-party publishing terms.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-expanse-roleplaying-game

---

## 13th Age
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** d20 fantasy combat meets narrative storytelling, powered by the escalation die
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Strong GM Support, Heroic, Ascending AC
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifier vs. defense. The escalation die (a d6 that increases each combat round, adding to player attacks) builds momentum. One Unique Things and Icon Relationships tie characters to the setting and drive story.
- **Best For:** Groups who love d20 fantasy combat but want more narrative freedom, improvisational play, and story-driven character connections baked into the mechanics.
- **Highlights:** The escalation die keeps combat moving. One Unique Things and Icon Relationships create narrative hooks. Streamlined monster design makes GM prep fast.
- **Considerations:** Tightly coupled to its default setting through the Icon system, some classes have complex trigger systems
- **Publisher:** Pelgrane Press
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** ORC License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/13th-age

---

## Shadow of the Demon Lord
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Dark fantasy where the apocalypse is coming and your choices hasten or delay it
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Horror
- **Tags:** Grimdark, Short Sessions, Beginner-Friendly, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifier vs. target number 10. Boons and banes (d6s) add or subtract from the roll, canceling each other out.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, dark fantasy with streamlined d20 mechanics and a sense of impending doom.
- **Highlights:** Fast character creation, quick sessions, single boon/bane mechanic replaces most modifiers, 11 levels keep campaigns short
- **Considerations:** Dark horror tone limits genre range, setting tightly coupled to core rules
- **Publisher:** Schwalb Entertainment
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Forbidden Rules SRD
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/shadow-of-the-demon-lord

---

## Shadow of the Weird Wizard
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Heroic fantasy adventure in a frontier realm left behind by a vanished wizard
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Heroic, Beginner-Friendly, Short Sessions, Strong GM Support, Character Building
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 65 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifier vs. target number 10. Boons and banes (d6s) modify the roll. Luck replaces traditional experience, driving both advancement and dramatic moments.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a lighter, heroic take on the Shadow of the Demon Lord engine with fast play and deep character options.
- **Highlights:** Streamlined rules with few exceptions, novice/expert/master path system offers deep character combinations, Luck mechanic doubles as advancement and resource currency
- **Considerations:** Setting tightly coupled to core rules, shares most mechanics with Shadow of the Demon Lord
- **Publisher:** Schwalb Entertainment
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Weird Wizard SRD
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/shadow-of-the-weird-wizard

---

## Fate Core
- **Edition:** Core System
- **Tagline:** Fiction-first gameplay driven by dramatic aspects
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Narrative, Rules-Light, Tag-Based, Freeform Magic, Social Combat, Improvisation, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Fate
- **Dice:** 4dF (Fudge dice)
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 4 Fudge dice + skill vs. difficulty. Spend/earn Fate points to invoke aspects.
- **Best For:** Narrative-focused groups who want to tell collaborative stories in any genre with minimal rules.
- **Highlights:** Genre-agnostic, encourages narrative play, free rules
- **Considerations:** The aspect economy demands constant creative input that can exhaust players. Character differentiation can blur with freeform aspects. The game requires system mastery from the GM to run smoothly.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2013
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 3.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/fate-core

---

## Mothership
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Sci-fi survival horror: in space, everyone can hear you scream
- **Genre:** Scifi, Horror
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Survival, Atmospheric, Low-Prep, Cinematic, Fast-Paced
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 under stat/skill. Stress and panic mechanics escalate tension.
- **Best For:** Terrifying sci-fi horror one-shots and short campaigns. Panic table creates unforgettable moments.
- **Highlights:** Rules-light, well-regarded module library, panic system creates mechanical tension
- **Considerations:** Panic table can cascade and end sessions abruptly, limited long-campaign support in core rules, stress mechanics can feel repetitive over extended play
- **Publisher:** Tuesday Knight Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** 3rd Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mothership

---

## ALIEN RPG
- **Edition:** Evolved Edition
- **Tagline:** In space, no one can hear you scream: survive the universe's most terrifying franchise
- **Genre:** Scifi, Horror
- **Tags:** Fear & Stress Mechanics, Survival, Deadly, Atmospheric, One-Shot Friendly, Gritty, Licensed IP
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill). Each 6 is a success. Stress adds extra dice: better odds, but stress dice that roll 1 trigger panic. Push rolls to reroll failures but gain stress. Cinematic mode for one-shots, Campaign mode for long-form play.
- **Best For:** Sci-fi horror campaigns and one-shots in the Alien universe, with a stress/panic system that mechanically drives tension. Supports both deadly cinematic one-shots and long-form campaign play.
- **Highlights:** Stress and panic system mechanically reinforces horror tension, two distinct play modes (Cinematic and Campaign), Evolved Edition streamlines rules and improves layout, well-supported licensed setting
- **Considerations:** Tightly bound to the Alien IP with limited genre flexibility, stress mechanics can feel punishing at high levels, Evolved Edition changes are modest over 1st edition
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved (20th Century Studios license)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/alien-rpg

---

## Apocalypse World
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** The original fiction-first RPG: the apocalypse is beautiful and violent
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Narrative, Rules-Light, Collaborative, Improvisation, Low-Prep, Drama, Theater of the Mind, Roleplay-Heavy, Playbook-Driven
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat. 6−: MC makes a hard move, 7–9: succeed with cost or complication, 10+: full success. Playbook moves trigger from the fiction. The MC follows Agendas and Principles instead of plotting.
- **Best For:** Groups who want raw, character-driven post-apocalyptic drama where the fiction leads and the MC never plans ahead.
- **Highlights:** Genre-defining design that launched the entire PbtA movement, playbooks with built-in dramatic hooks, MC framework provides detailed GM guidance, highly hackable
- **Considerations:** Can feel directionless without strong character flags, 2nd edition layout is dense and hard to reference, move trigger ambiguity requires frequent MC judgment calls, harm mechanics can cascade quickly
- **Publisher:** lumpley games
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** CC BY 4.0 (Powered by the Apocalypse)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/apocalypse-world

---

## Dogs in the Vineyard
- **Edition:** Original Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Frontier religious judges confront sin, demons, and the consequences of their own moral authority
- **Genre:** Historical, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Tag-Based, Corruption, Drama, Improvisation, Roleplay-Heavy, Social Combat, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 48 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Each side rolls a mixed pool of d4–d10 dice from applicable Stats and Relationships at the start of a conflict. A turn uses two dice to Raise with an action, and affected opponents See by spending enough dice to meet it. Traits, belongings, and escalation add dice as they enter play. Seeing with three or more dice causes Fallout, while Giving concedes the stakes.
- **Best For:** Groups who want episodic frontier drama built around difficult moral judgments, with a GM who presents each town's crisis without planning its solution.
- **Highlights:** Raise and See uses one exchange for words and violence, allowing an argument to escalate into gunplay without changing resolution systems. Fallout converts the blows a character accepts into lasting Traits and Relationships, tying conflict consequences to later play. The town-creation ladder turns pride into escalating injustice and corruption, giving the GM a crisis whose outcome remains open to the players' judgment.
- **Considerations:** The Faith's patriarchal theology and colonial frontier frame are built into the town-creation procedure, so adapting the setting requires replacing more than names and imagery. Conflicts abstract range, movement, and weapon differences into arena and die-size choices, leaving little support for positional tactics. The GM must present moral crises without a preferred solution, which rules out plotted outcomes and prewritten answer keys.
- **Publisher:** lumpley games
- **Year:** 2004
- **Cost:** Unavailable
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-19; note: The core credits contain no reuse license, and a bounded review of lumpley games' current official catalog and storefront links found no current publication route or explicit prohibition for this setting.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Italian, German
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dogs-in-the-vineyard

---

## Monster of the Week
- **Edition:** Revised Hardcover
- **Tagline:** Hunt monsters, save people, unravel mysteries: Buffy meets Supernatural
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Narrative, Beginner-Friendly, Investigation, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat. 10+ full success, 7–9 success with a cost, 6 or less the Keeper makes a move. Playbook moves trigger from fictional actions. Luck points turn failures into successes but never come back.
- **Best For:** Groups who want episodic monster-hunting adventures inspired by Buffy, Supernatural, and The X-Files: investigating mysteries, confronting creatures, and dealing with hunter drama.
- **Highlights:** Very easy to learn, mystery countdown gives the Keeper a clear prep framework, playbooks map directly to genre archetypes
- **Considerations:** No pre-written mysteries in the core book, limited mechanical depth for long campaigns, custom move design requires GM experience, monster creation guidelines are loose
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Generic Games Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/monster-of-the-week

---

## Monsterhearts
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** Teenage monsters navigate desire, social power, and personal horror in high school
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Narrative, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Drama, Roleplay-Heavy, Playbook-Driven, Player-Only Rolls, Theater of the Mind, Collaborative, Atmospheric
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 42 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 55 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a move calls for dice, roll 2d6 plus Hot, Cold, Volatile, or Dark. A 10+ is good, a 7–9 is complicated, and a 6 or less lets the MC introduce unpleasant consequences. Strings represent emotional leverage that characters can spend during interactions, while the MC never rolls dice.
- **Best For:** Groups who want collaborative teen-monster horror driven by desire, social leverage, and messy relationships. It suits an MC ready to discuss boundaries and facilitate safety practices.
- **Highlights:** Strings turn emotional leverage into a spendable resource, so relationships mechanically shape influence and risk. Every Skin carries distinct moves and an economy that gives each monster archetype a different mechanical focus. A fifth advance unlocks Season Advances for everybody, then the current session plus one more session take the campaign toward its close.
- **Considerations:** The game addresses sex, abuse, and trauma, and it calls for upfront conversations about boundaries. Physical violence uses the Lash Out Physically move, resolving harm through immediate consequences rather than a separate combat procedure. Strings and Conditions shape social interactions, while Skin-specific resources add extra tracking.
- **Publisher:** Buried Without Ceremony
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-06; note: A bounded review found no current official policy authorizing third-party publication. The available layout template and fan-facing materials do not state publication or commercial permission.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/monsterhearts

---

## Thirsty Sword Lesbians
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Queer action romance where swords cross and hearts race
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Scifi, Cyberpunk, Modern
- **Tags:** Narrative, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Drama, Roleplay-Heavy, Collaborative, Playbook-Driven, CC-Licensed Rules, Beginner-Friendly, One-Shot Friendly
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a move's fictional trigger occurs, roll 2d6 plus Daring, Grace, Heart, Wit, or Spirit. Each move defines the consequences for an up beat on 10+, a mixed beat on 7–9, or a down beat on 6-; down beats mark XP and let the GM introduce a complication.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking queer action romance centered on personal relationships. It supports one-shots and campaigns built through collaborative setting creation.
- **Highlights:** Conditions impose concrete penalties until recovery scenes or destructive actions clear them. Strings let characters influence rolls or tempt choices, making relationships mechanically consequential. Playbook conflicts and Smitten prompts give each romance a source of dramatic tension.
- **Considerations:** There is no general move for persuading an NPC directly, so mechanical leverage comes from gaining and spending Strings. The default Fight move resolves one exchange rather than a turn-based combat round, but optional Expanded Fight Moves support longer duels. Exploration and investigation rely on fictional positioning or Defy Disaster instead of dedicated procedures.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0 (text)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Powered by Lesbians open license; Allowed with conditions; Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International; scope: The game text may be reused and adapted in RPGs and supplements with attribution and share-alike terms applied to adapted text. Art is excluded; Evil Hat and Gay Spaceship Games logos cannot be used; derivative titles should not use the game's name; endorsement cannot be implied.; terms: https://poweredbylesbians.com/license/; verified 2026-09-19; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/thirsty-sword-lesbians

---

## Dungeon World
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Classic fantasy adventure powered by the conversation between players and the fiction
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Fiction-First, Playbook-Driven, Classic Fantasy, Rules-Light, Heroic, CC-Licensed Rules, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + ability modifier. On a 10+, you succeed. On a 7–9, you succeed but with a complication, cost, or hard choice. On a 6 or less, the GM makes a move (something bad happens) and you mark XP. Moves are triggered by fictional actions: describe what your character does, and the rules tell you when to roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want D&D-style fantasy adventure (dungeons, monsters, treasure, classes) but with fiction-first PbtA mechanics that keep the pace fast and the spotlight on the narrative.
- **Highlights:** Full text available free under Creative Commons, playbooks let new players start playing within minutes, GM chapter provides structured principles and moves for running the game, bonds and end-of-session questions award XP for relationships and discoveries rather than only combat
- **Considerations:** Combat lacks tactical positioning or grid-based options, long campaigns can expose repetitive move structures, damage dice are class-based rather than weapon-based which limits gear choices, no longer actively developed by its creators
- **Publisher:** Sage Kobold Productions
- **Year:** 2012
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Creative Commons CC BY 3.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dungeon-world

---

## Avatar Legends
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Elemental bending, inner conflict, and heroic drama in the world of Avatar
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Character-Driven, Drama, Playbook-Driven, Licensed IP, Martial Arts
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat (Creativity, Focus, Harmony, Passion). 10+ strong hit, 7–9 partial success, 6- miss. Balance system tracks opposing principles: lean one way for bonuses but risk being knocked out of a scene. Combat uses structured exchanges with approach selection.
- **Best For:** Groups who love Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra and want stories of young heroes navigating internal conflict, relationships, and martial-arts action across the Four Nations.
- **Highlights:** Balance system creates internal character conflict, combat exchanges feel dynamic, five era settings span the full Avatarverse, mechanically supports emotional play
- **Considerations:** Three overlapping status tracks add surprising complexity, tightly locked to the Avatar IP, combat exchanges have a steep learning curve, no open license
- **Publisher:** Magpie Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved (Paramount license)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Spanish, German
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/avatar-legends

---

## Candela Obscura
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Occult investigators hunting supernatural horrors in a gaslight-era gothic world
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Investigation, Playbook-Driven, Corruption, Atmospheric, Mission-Based, Fiction-First
- **Family:** FitD
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to your action rating (0–3), take the highest result. A 6 is a full success, 4–5 is a mixed success, 1–3 is a miss. Spend Drive points (Nerve, Cunning, or Intuition) to add dice. Gilded actions replace one die with a special gilded die: choosing its result recovers 1 Drive. The GM sets stakes (low, standard, or high) and expectations before each roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want atmospheric horror investigation with narrative-first mechanics, where supernatural corruption slowly erodes characters across a series of assignments.
- **Highlights:** Gilded dice create meaningful risk-reward tension on every roll, Drive system elegantly ties character resources to narrative themes, assignment structure gives the GM a clear framework for pacing, marks and scars make supernatural exposure feel consequential
- **Considerations:** No free core rules: only a free quickstart guide is available, setting is tightly bound to the Fairelands world, limited character customization compared to Blades in the Dark, combat is intentionally de-emphasized in favor of investigation and social play
- **Publisher:** Darrington Press
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Darrington Press Community Gaming License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/candela-obscura

---

## KULT: Divinity Lost
- **Edition:** Fourth Edition
- **Tagline:** Adult occult horror about piercing the prison of reality and reclaiming lost divinity
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Dark Fantasy, Deadly, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Fiction-First, Investigation, Lore-Heavy, Playbook-Driven, Player-Only Rolls
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d10
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a Move triggers, roll 2d10 plus the named Attribute. A total of 15 or more is a complete success, 10–14 succeeds with complications, and 9 or less lets the GM make a Move. The GM never rolls dice.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking adult modern occult horror where personal secrets drive investigation and dangerous confrontations. It suits a GM ready to build evolving threats and a table committed to explicit boundaries.
- **Highlights:** Dark Secrets link each character's traumatic or occult past to the GM's Intrigue Map, turning backstory into campaign pressure. Stability turns horror exposure into persistent conditions, culminating in a powerful GM Move when a character is Broken. Threat write-ups and milestone procedures give the GM a concrete engine for escalating a conspiracy.
- **Considerations:** The game deliberately addresses sexual violence, torture, and psychological harm, so a group should agree on boundaries before play. Campaign play asks the GM to tie each character's history into an Intrigue Map and keep it developing between sessions. The extensive cosmology and the optional rules for magic and Enlightened characters create a large reference load.
- **Publisher:** Helmgast AB
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Noncommercial publishing only — Helmgast Fan Content Policy; Helmgast Fan Content Policy; scope: Unofficial KULT: Divinity Lost roleplaying-game fan content may use trademarks, character names, game mechanics, and other game elements when shared free. Copying book text, illustrations, or graphic design is excluded.; terms: https://helmgast.se/meta/fan-content-policy; verified 2026-09-06; note: Commercial work requires a separate agreement with Helmgast. The policy is revocable and does not cover earlier KULT editions.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/kult-divinity-lost

---

## Old Gods of Appalachia Roleplaying Game
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Protect family, community, and home from eldritch forces stirring beneath early 20th-century Appalachia
- **Genre:** Horror, Historical
- **Tags:** Fear & Stress Mechanics, Player-Only Rolls, Theater of the Mind, Character Building, Character-Driven, Narrative, Low-Prep, Licensed IP
- **Family:** Cypher System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** The GM rates a task from difficulty 0 to 10 and multiplies it by 3 for the target number; difficulty 0 succeeds automatically. When a roll is required, players roll a d20 for tasks, attacks, and defenses and succeed by meeting or beating the target. Skills, assets, and Effort spent from Might, Speed, or Intellect Pools ease the difficulty; Edge reduces those Pool costs.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking community-rooted horror in early 20th-century Appalachia, with player-controlled risk spending and theater-of-the-mind action. It suits GMs who prefer flexible adjudication and explicit horror-safety conversations.
- **Highlights:** Character arcs award XP for steps in GM-approved arcs and for climaxes even when their final goals fail, keeping personal stories mechanically active. Single-use cyphers turn folk charms and strange objects into frequently changing powers, encouraging players to spend unusual tools instead of hoarding them. What Wakes Mode widens the natural-roll range for GM intrusions until a ten-hour recovery roll resets it, turning supernatural attention into escalating mechanical pressure.
- **Considerations:** Stat Pools serve as both health and spending resources, so Effort and abilities can leave characters less able to absorb harm. The GM sets task difficulties and decides when to introduce complications, placing much of the game's consistency in GM adjudication. The game is built around alternate Appalachia in the 1920s and 1930s rather than a portable generic-horror setting.
- **Publisher:** Monte Cook Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/old-gods-of-appalachia-roleplaying-game

---

## Coyote & Crow
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook v1.1
- **Tagline:** Indigenous science fantasy in an uncolonized future
- **Genre:** Scifi, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Character Building, Character-Driven, Classless, Skill-Based, Tactical, Theater of the Mind, Lore-Heavy, Heroic
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d12 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 78 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a d12 pool from Skill Rank, the applicable related Stat, and modifiers. Trained Skills use the higher related Stat, while Rank 0 uses the lower. Each die meeting the Success Number, usually 8, adds one success. Each 1 subtracts a success, while each 12 creates a Critical die. A positive total succeeds, 0 fails, and a negative total is a critical failure.
- **Best For:** Groups that want character-driven exploration and protection in an Indigenous science-fantasy future. It suits tables that prefer consequential choices and tactical conflicts resolved through abstract range bands.
- **Highlights:** Player-authored Goals turn character ambitions into advancement, keeping campaign development tied to choices made in play. Chosen Initiative makes turn order a recurring tactical decision instead of a one-time roll. The Three Path Concept turns non-linear scenario design into a concrete prep tool, so major obstacles support meaningful alternatives to combat.
- **Considerations:** The unified check is consistent, but character options and interlocking encounter procedures create substantial rules overhead. Success Numbers and critical Story Events depend on Story Guide judgment, so consistent difficulty and consequences require steady table rulings. The setting leaves much of its metaphysics deliberately open, requiring the group to establish what is real before play.
- **Publisher:** Coyote & Crow Games
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/coyote-crow

---

## Kids on Bikes
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Everyday small-town characters facing supernatural forces they cannot defeat or fully understand
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Mystery, Worldbuilding, Collaborative, One-Shot Friendly, Drama, Beginner-Friendly, Cinematic
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 28 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Six stats (Brains, Brawn, Fight, Flight, Charm, Grit) each get a single die from d4 (terrible) to d20 (superb), with the assignment determined by a chosen Trope (Brilliant Mathlete, Loner Weirdo, Popular Kid, etc.). Roll the relevant stat die against a GM-set difficulty; rolling the die's maximum 'explodes' and the die is rerolled, adding the values together. Failed rolls grant Adversity Tokens, each spendable for +1 on a future roll. Combat is fully narrative: there are no hit points; the margin between attacker and defender rolls determines injury severity and who narrates the outcome. Age (child, teen, or adult) grants +1 to two relevant stats and unlocks a free Strength. Each campaign also features a Powered Character co-controlled by all players through shared Aspect notecards and a pool of Psychic Energy tokens.
- **Best For:** Groups who want collaborative small-town supernatural mystery in the vein of Stranger Things or Stand By Me, where character relationships and tropes matter more than mechanical complexity. Especially well suited to one-shots, short campaigns, and tables that include players new to TTRPGs.
- **Highlights:** Pre-built Tropes turn character creation into a five-minute step, Setting Boundaries safety tools are integrated as the very first step before play, collaborative world-building constructs the town and seeds rumors before the first session, the Powered Character mechanic distributes shared narrative control of the supernatural element across the table via Aspect notecards
- **Considerations:** Combat is fully narrative with no hit points or initiative, which can frustrate groups who want tactical structure, difficulty setting is entirely GM judgment with example anchors but no formulas, the shared-control Powered Character can confuse players new to collaborative narration, long-campaign play requires the GM to invent advancement and pacing because the rules are tuned for one-shots and short arcs
- **Publisher:** Hunters Entertainment / Renegade Game Studios
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/kids-on-bikes

---

## Kids on Brooms
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Build a magical school together and play its student witches and wizards
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Magic School, Freeform Magic, Roll to Cast, Collaborative, Worldbuilding, Rules-Light, Low-Prep, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 36 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Each of six stats has a die from d4 to d20; roll the relevant die against a GM-set difficulty. A maximum die result that still misses triggers a Lucky Break reroll, adding the new result. Failed checks grant Adversity Tokens that players can later spend to raise rolls.
- **Best For:** Groups that want to build a magical school together and tell adventures from its rumors and relationships. It suits tables that prefer a light check system and open-ended magic over tactical combat.
- **Highlights:** Players build their school together and seed its history with rumors that the GM can turn into adventures. Open-ended spells use the intended effect and scope to set a difficulty, letting students attempt magic without a fixed spell list. Relationship questions establish bonds among characters before play and give the GM personal story hooks.
- **Considerations:** The GM judges target numbers for ordinary checks using example anchors rather than a fixed formula. Spell difficulty depends on four effect categories, asking the GM to price each new magical attempt. Combat resolves through opposed checks and an injury chart without tactical positioning rules.
- **Publisher:** Hunters Entertainment / Renegade Game Studios
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-23; note: Copyright credits reserve rights to Hunters Entertainment LLC and Renegade Game Studios; no public third-party route or game-specific prohibition was verified.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/kids-on-brooms

---

## Old-School Essentials
- **Edition:** Classic Fantasy
- **Tagline:** The gold standard retroclone of classic B/X D&D
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Dungeon Crawl, Deadly, Sandbox, Low-Prep, Beginner-Friendly, Gritty, Ascending AC, Descending AC, Vancian Casting
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 vs. descending AC via attack matrix (THAC0). Five-category saving throws. Side-based d6 initiative each round.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting a clean, beautifully organized take on classic B/X D&D with decades of compatible old-school content.
- **Highlights:** Clear layout and organization, wide B/X and OSR compatibility, modular supplements, highly hackable
- **Considerations:** There is no domain play or mass combat in the core rules. Treasure-as-XP requires careful GM economy management. Character options are limited in the Classic edition without the Advanced supplements.
- **Publisher:** Necrotic Gnome
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian, German, Spanish, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/old-school-essentials

---

## Mörk Borg
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** A doom metal RPG about dying in a cursed world
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Horror
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Gritty, Fast-Paced, Dungeon Crawl, Atmospheric, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Borg
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 13 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 67 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + ability modifier vs. DR. Player-facing rolls. Minimal stats.
- **Best For:** Short, brutal sessions in an apocalyptic setting where characters are disposable, the rules are minimal, and lethality is the point.
- **Highlights:** Player-facing d20 rolls keep resolution minimal. The Calendar of Nechrubel ticks the world toward a scripted apocalypse during play. Scroll-based powers can misfire, making magic a gamble.
- **Considerations:** Class balance varies significantly, core book layout prioritizes style over reference usability, random character generation limits player investment
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Mörk Borg Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** Swedish, English, French, Spanish, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mork-borg

---

## Troika!
- **Edition:** Numinous Edition
- **Tagline:** Surreal science-fantasy adventures across a psychedelic multiverse
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Scifi
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Weird, Random Character Creation, Low-Prep, Improvisation, Deadly, Random Tables
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Three stats: Skill, Stamina, Luck. Roll 2d6 under Skill + Advanced Skill to succeed. Initiative uses a random token-draw stack: unpredictable turn order. Luck is a consumable resource that depletes with each test.
- **Best For:** Fast, surreal science-fantasy adventures with minimal rules and random character generation. Ideal for one-shots and improvisational play.
- **Highlights:** Simple rules, creative backgrounds double as setting material, chaotic token-draw initiative creates unpredictable turn order, consumable Luck depletes with each test
- **Considerations:** Initiative stack can leave players unable to act for long stretches, mixed roll-under/roll-over mechanics confuse new players, setting is implied rather than described, minimal tactical depth
- **Publisher:** Melsonian Arts Council
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Open (Troika! SRD)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/troika

---

## Shadowdark RPG
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Old-school dungeon crawling with real-time torches and 5e-style mechanics
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Deadly, Dungeon Crawl, Rules-Light, Low-Prep, Theater of the Mind, Ascending AC, Roll to Cast, Random Tables
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 24 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + ability modifier vs. DC/AC. Real-time torch tracking (1 real-world hour per torch), risky spellcasting (fail a check and lose the spell until you rest), and randomized character generation (3d6 down the line).
- **Best For:** Tense, fast-paced dungeon crawling where resource management and player ingenuity matter more than character builds. Ideal for groups wanting old-school lethality with a modern, 5e-familiar ruleset.
- **Highlights:** Light burns in real time (one torch lasts one real-world hour), turning the dungeon into a ticking clock that pressures every decision. Built-in random tables for dungeons, NPCs, and treasure let the GM generate content at the table with almost no prep. Casting requires a spellcasting check, and failure ends the spell and locks it until you rest, making every spell a gamble rather than a guaranteed resource.
- **Considerations:** Character creation offers limited customization: ancestry, class, and rolled stats, with little room for build optimization. Talents are gained by random roll at level up, so advancement is partly out of the player's control. Real-time light tracking only works if someone reliably tracks elapsed time, which can be disruptive or forgotten at the table.
- **Publisher:** The Arcane Library
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/shadowdark-rpg

---

## Dolmenwood
- **Edition:** Core Books
- **Tagline:** Adventure and peril in fairytale woods where factions vie for control of an enchanted forest
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Hexcrawl, Dark Fantasy, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Vancian Casting, Classic Fantasy, Deadly
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 30 (Low)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifiers vs. ascending AC for attacks and vs. save targets for saving throws (five categories: Doom, Ray, Hold, Blast, Spell). Skill checks and ability checks use d6 + modifiers vs. a target number. Characters choose a kindred (breggle, elf, grimalkin, human, mossling, or woodgrue) and one of nine classes. Three distinct magic systems: arcane (memorized spells), holy (daily prayers), and fairy (glamours and runes).
- **Best For:** Groups who want a deeply detailed fairytale-dark fantasy setting with OSR mechanics, hexcrawl exploration, and rich faction play in an enchanted wood full of fairies, monsters, and intrigue.
- **Highlights:** Richly detailed fairytale-dark setting with competing factions and deep lore, hexcrawl travel system with Travel Points and terrain-based encounters, six unique kindreds including cat-folk grimalkins and fungal mosslings, three distinct magic systems each with their own spell lists
- **Considerations:** Full experience requires three core books (Player's Book, Campaign Book, Monster Book), setting-specific: not a generic OSR toolkit, GM needs the Campaign Book and Monster Book which are sold separately from the Player's Book
- **Publisher:** Necrotic Gnome
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dolmenwood

---

## Cairn
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Explore a dark and mysterious Wood filled with strange folk, hidden treasure, and unspeakable monstrosities
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Classless, Deadly, Dungeon Crawl, Attacks Always Hit, Inventory Management, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20, d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 17 (Very Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 equal to or under one of three attributes (STR, DEX, WIL) to make a save; 1 always succeeds, 20 always fails. Combat is simultaneous and attacks always hit: the attacker rolls a weapon die, subtracts armor, and applies the rest to HP. When HP reaches 0, damage spills into STR and triggers a Critical Damage save.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a fast, classless fantasy game where equipment defines the character, expeditions into the Wood are tense and lethal, and the GM can roll most of their prep from tables.
- **Highlights:** Inventory and Fatigue share the same 10 slots, so every spell cast, wound, or burden taken on competes with the equipment that defines a classless character. The Scars table turns surviving a near-death hit into permanent character development: a hit that drops a PC to exactly 0 HP rolls a unique injury or trait that often raises an attribute, making advancement a consequence of surviving danger rather than an XP track. Dungeon turns and three-watch wilderness travel each have their own resolution loop and event table, giving the Warden a structured procedure for both exploration modes instead of freeform improv. The Warden's Guide bundles procedural setting, faction, dungeon, and forest generators alongside the bestiary, so prep can be rolled rather than authored.
- **Considerations:** Starting HP is rolled on 1d6, so first-session characters can be killed by a single hit: Cairn assumes attrition and replacement rather than long heroic arcs. Combat is deterministic: attacks always hit and damage is rolled by the attacker, removing the to-hit decision space some tactical players want. There is no Charisma or Intelligence attribute and no fixed spell list: social conflict resolves through WIL saves, and a character's magical capability is shaped by which spellbooks the party finds rather than choices made at creation. Advancement comes through the Scars table rather than XP or milestones, so growth is a byproduct of surviving damage rather than a steady level-up curve.
- **Publisher:** Cairn Press
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cairn

---

## Basic Fantasy RPG
- **Edition:** 4th Edition
- **Tagline:** Fantasy adventurers choose race and class separately and face ascending Armor Class
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Classic Fantasy, Beginner-Friendly, Rules-Light, Ascending AC, CC-Licensed Rules, Hackable, Modular, Dungeon Crawl
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + attack bonus against the target's ascending Armor Class. Saving throws use a d20 roll-over against category-specific target numbers. Ability checks are d20 roll-under. Character advancement uses class-based XP tables and hit dice.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a free, simple B/X-style game that modernizes classic D&D with ascending AC and separate race and class while remaining compatible with decades of OSR adventures.
- **Highlights:** Completely free PDF with at-cost print copies through Lulu, race and class are separate unlike B/X source material, highly compatible with classic B/X and OSR modules
- **Considerations:** Four core classes only (Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, Thief) without supplements, racial class restrictions limit some combinations, no built-in setting or campaign framework
- **Publisher:** Basic Fantasy Project
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/basic-fantasy-rpg

---

## Swords & Wizardry
- **Edition:** Complete Rulebook, Revised
- **Tagline:** Dungeon delving, deadly wilds, and strongholds carved from the frontier
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Deadly, Vancian Casting, Ascending AC, Descending AC, Domain Management, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 38 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d20 to hit, comparing the result to the target's Armor Class using either ascending bonuses or the original descending-AC math. A single saving throw number, adjusted by class, resolves every save against poison, magic, breath, and the rest.
- **Best For:** Players who want a clean, flexible retroclone of original-style fantasy for old-school dungeon crawling and sandbox campaigns that grow into domain play.
- **Highlights:** Every character uses a single saving throw number modified by class, replacing the five-category save table of the games it emulates. Combat supports both ascending and descending Armor Class with parallel to-hit rules, so groups can use modern or original-style math from one book. Name-level characters can clear and hold wilderness to found strongholds, with random-castle and freehold rules turning late play into domain management.
- **Considerations:** Character death comes fast at low levels, where first-level hit points are often low enough for a single hit to be lethal. Spellcasters prepare a fixed list of spells in advance and expend each on casting, with no flexible at-will magic. Many situations are resolved by Referee ruling rather than codified procedure.
- **Publisher:** Mythmere Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/swords-wizardry

---

## Mausritter
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Sword-and-whiskers roleplaying as brave mice in a huge, dangerous world
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Inventory Management, Hexcrawl, Dungeon Crawl, Sandbox, Exploration, Deadly, Attacks Always Hit, Gritty
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 equal to or under attribute (STR, DEX, WIL) to avoid danger. Attacks always hit: roll weapon damage directly, reduced by armor. Slot-based inventory where items and conditions compete for limited space.
- **Best For:** Whimsical yet perilous adventures as tiny mice exploring a vast world of cats, owls, and crumbling ruins. Great for groups who want elegant OSR play with a charming tone.
- **Highlights:** Card-based inventory system tracks gear visually, detailed hexcrawl and adventure site toolboxes, free PDF, approachable tone with real danger, instant character creation
- **Considerations:** Condition cards can stack harshly, light on long-campaign advancement structure, card-based inventory requires printing physical materials, limited guidance for non-dungeon adventures
- **Publisher:** Losing Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Third-party license available
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Spanish, Russian, Czech, Finnish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mausritter

---

## GURPS
- **Edition:** 4th Edition
- **Tagline:** The Generic Universal RolePlaying System: simulate anything
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Simulation, Sandbox, Character Building, Tactical
- **Family:** GURPS
- **Dice:** 3d6
- **Complexity:** 90 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 3d6 under target number. Advantage/disadvantage system via character traits.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a single system for every genre with granular simulation and deep customization.
- **Highlights:** Highly customizable point-buy system, simulation-focused, one system for any genre
- **Considerations:** Character creation requires significant point-budget planning, combat rules are granular with many modifiers to track, full system spans two 576-page core books plus supplements, GM prep is substantial for campaigns using multiple sourcebooks
- **Publisher:** Steve Jackson Games
- **Year:** 2004
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** SJ Games Online Policy
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/gurps

---

## Traveller
- **Edition:** Mongoose 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Classic sci-fi adventure across the stars
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Simulation, Exploration, Deadly, Character Building, Faction Play
- **Family:** Traveller
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 58 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + skill + modifier ≥ 8 to succeed. Character generation is a mini-game.
- **Best For:** Hard sci-fi sandbox campaigns with trading, exploration, and realistic space travel.
- **Highlights:** Comprehensive sci-fi toolkit, lifepath character creation, detailed trade/travel systems
- **Considerations:** Lifepath character creation rolls for aging and career mishaps, so a Traveller can leave chargen weakened or pushed onto an unwanted path. Subsystem rules are spread across multiple supplements, so the core book leaves several procedures without full depth. Characteristics are recorded as a hexadecimal Universal Personality Profile string, an unusual notation newcomers must learn before they can read a stat block.
- **Publisher:** Mongoose Publishing
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Traveller Fair Use Policy
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, German, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/traveller

---

## 2300 AD
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Hard science-fiction expeditions and frontier conflict across humanity's nearby stars
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Career-Based, Skill-Based, Simulation, Combat-Heavy, Tactical, Crunchy, Ship-Based, Exploration, Random Tables, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** For a task, roll d10 and add modifiers from applicable skills and characteristics; meet a difficulty target from 2 for Simple to 18 for Impossible to succeed. A natural 1 fumbles, while failed checks use a separate roll to determine whether the character may retry or suffers a mishap. Hasty, hazardous, uncertain, and cooperative tasks modify time, failure risk, information, or group participation without changing the core check.
- **Best For:** Groups who want career-shaped crews exploring a politically divided interstellar frontier where starship operations and hard-science constraints drive missions.
- **Highlights:** Career terms turn pre-play service into skills and organizational ties, giving each crew member a practical history that feeds later missions. Space combat uses hex movement and signature-based detection, making maneuver and sensor discipline as important as weapon range. Linked world-generation and mapping procedures build planets down to regional terrain, giving exploration campaigns playable locations instead of setting prompts.
- **Considerations:** Character creation can end when a turning-point roll fails, leaving a concept in its current career before the player intended. Combat routes each hit through location and damage-type tables, adding several lookups to a fight. The future history assumes a World War III and French hegemony, so campaigns are tied to a specific 1980s vision of the 24th century.
- **Publisher:** GDW
- **Year:** 1988
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Noncommercial publishing only — Mongoose Publishing Fair Use Policy; Mongoose Publishing Fair Use Policy (May 1, 2025); scope: Original noncommercial fan works for 2300AD, including websites and fanzines, subject to notice, notification, attribution, and limited-quotation conditions; paid use and rulebook rewrite or republication are excluded.; terms: https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pages/traveller-licensing; verified 2026-09-19; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/2300-ad

---

## Cepheus Engine
- **Edition:** SRD
- **Tagline:** A free and open 2d6 toolkit for classic interstellar sci-fi campaigns
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Modular, Toolkit, Simulation
- **Family:** Traveller
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + skill level + characteristic modifier. Meet or beat 8 to succeed. Effect (margin above/below 8) determines degree of success or failure. Lifepath character creation with careers, skills, and mustering-out benefits.
- **Best For:** GMs who want a fully open, hackable classic sci-fi engine for sandbox campaigns: trade, exploration, and space combat without any IP restrictions.
- **Highlights:** Completely free and OGL, comprehensive rules covering personal combat to starship design, fully compatible with classic Traveller material
- **Considerations:** Dense 200+ page SRD with no setting or adventure content, lifepath character creation can kill characters before play, assumes GM comfort with sandbox prep
- **Publisher:** Samardan Press
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cepheus-engine

---

## Cepheus Deluxe
- **Edition:** Enhanced Edition
- **Tagline:** A career-built crew chases trade, trouble, and discovery across a generated interstellar frontier
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Space Opera, Career-Based, Skill-Based, Sandbox, Ship-Based, Exploration, Random Tables, Toolkit
- **Family:** Traveller
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 73 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6, add a relevant skill and characteristic modifier, and meet or beat the target number. The margin is Effect, and Advantage means rolling 3d6 and keeping the best two.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a self-contained interstellar sandbox where career histories feed a shared shipboard trade loop.
- **Highlights:** Career terms turn character history into usable relationships and obligations that already point toward adventures. World profiles feed local law and trade into the crew's travel decisions, giving generated destinations mechanical consequences. Space combat assigns distinct actions across bridge and engineering roles, keeping the whole crew involved.
- **Considerations:** Career creation can span several career terms before play, making a fresh crew slower to build than the basic 2d6 mechanic suggests. A ship-based campaign tracks recurring operating costs and cargo prices, making accounting part of the travel loop. The book supplies generators and adventure seeds rather than a ready-made sector or campaign, so the Referee must turn those pieces into an inhabited frontier.
- **Publisher:** Stellagama Publishing
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL 1.0a; Cepheus Deluxe Compatibility-Statement License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cepheus-deluxe

---

## Fallout: The Roleplaying Game
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** War. War never changes. Explore the post-nuclear Wasteland.
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Tactical, Exploration, Survival, Character Building, Cinematic
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d20 + d6
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2–5d20 against a target number (Attribute + Skill). Each die at or under the target scores a success. Compare successes to difficulty (1–5). Extra successes become Action Points to buy bonus dice, extra damage, or information.
- **Best For:** Fallout fans who want to explore the Wasteland at the tabletop with SPECIAL attributes, perks, Action Points, and the iconic post-apocalyptic setting.
- **Highlights:** Faithful Fallout experience with S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats and perks, Action Point economy creates tactical depth, Combat Dice handle damage cleanly, well-supported licensed setting
- **Considerations:** The 2d20 system carries a learning curve, with an Action Point economy to track alongside the dice. Tight ties to the Fallout IP constrain homebrew settings that stray from the license. Rules detail can feel crunchy for groups who want a lighter game.
- **Publisher:** Modiphius Entertainment
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/fallout-the-roleplaying-game

---

## The Witcher TRPG
- **Edition:** Core (3rd Printing)
- **Tagline:** Roleplaying in the dark and dangerous world of The Witcher
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Dark Fantasy, Deadly, Licensed IP, Investigation, Social Combat
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d10 + Stat + Skill against a target DC or an opponent's matching roll. Rolling a natural 10 explodes upward (roll again and add); rolling a natural 1 explodes downward (roll again and subtract). Critical wounds are triggered by beating a defense by 7+, with escalating severity at 10, 13, and 15 over the target.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a dark, morally complex fantasy setting where monster hunting requires preparation and research, and where combat is dangerous enough that drawing a sword is always a serious decision.
- **Highlights:** Lifepath character creation generates backstory, enemies, and relationships through random tables tied to the Witcher setting. Hit-location combat with four tiers of critical wounds creates tense, consequential fights. Detailed alchemy and crafting systems let characters prepare oils, bombs, and decoctions before hunting monsters. Verbal Combat subsystem resolves social conflicts with the same mechanical weight as physical fights.
- **Considerations:** Combat involves multiple subsystems (hit location, armor penetration, critical wounds, stamina management) that slow resolution until internalized. Character creation takes significant time due to the Lifepath tables and seven-step process. The Witcher profession is mechanically stronger than most other professions. Tightly tied to the Witcher IP, limiting use outside that setting.
- **Publisher:** R. Talsorian Games
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Polish, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-witcher-trpg

---

## Conan: The Hyborian Age
- **Edition:** Core Book Version 1.2
- **Tagline:** Fast sword-and-sorcery adventure in the brutal world of Conan
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Classless, Combat-Heavy, Cinematic, Gritty, Licensed IP, Low-Prep, Skill-Based, Strong GM Support, Sword & Sorcery, Tactical
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6–d10
- **Complexity:** 56 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a Stat die, add the Stat value and modifiers, and meet or exceed a GM-set Difficulty. Player characters also roll a separate Flex die with nearly every roll; a maximum result triggers a choice such as gaining Stamina, turning failure into success, refunding sorcery costs, or inflicting Massive Damage.
- **Best For:** Groups who want combat-forward Conan adventures of treasure hunting in lost cities and ancient tombs. Sorcery is rare and costly.
- **Highlights:** A player-only Flex die turns maximum results into immediate choices such as automatic success, Stamina, a sorcery refund, or Massive Damage. Stamina lets characters push movement, rolls, damage, and learned skills when the moment matters. Abstract Range supports combat without a physical map, while optional Areas add map-based positioning without replacing the core procedure.
- **Considerations:** Combat asks players to track action economy, defenses, and resource state at once. Sorcery is restricted by character Origin and can consume Life, Stamina, actions, and ongoing upkeep. Wealth and noncombat possessions are abstract, while difficulty, encounter tuning, and dramatic interventions rely on GM judgment.
- **Publisher:** Monolith Board Games SARL
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-04; note: A bounded review found no verified public route for third-party publishing with this game.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/conan-the-hyborian-age

---

## Numenera
- **Edition:** Discovery
- **Tagline:** Adventurers explore the Ninth World, a far-future Earth where the technology of fallen civilizations is mistaken for magic
- **Genre:** Scifi, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Exploration, Weird, Theater of the Mind, Player-Only Rolls, Low-Prep, Lore-Heavy, Cinematic, Atmospheric, Narrative
- **Family:** Cypher System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** GM sets task difficulty 1–10; the target number is difficulty × 3 on a d20. Players ease difficulty by being trained (one step) or specialized (two steps) in a skill, having a favorable asset, or applying Effort: spending points from Might, Speed, or Intellect Pools, with Edge in the relevant stat reducing the cost. Players make all rolls; defense rolls against creatures use the same d20 system as attacks. Natural 17–20 add bonus damage or trigger minor and major effects; natural 1 prompts a GM intrusion that awards the player XP.
- **Best For:** Groups who want exploration-driven science-fantasy where uncovering ancient technology and forgotten knowledge is the campaign's core reward. Particularly suited to GMs who prefer minimal preparation and players who enjoy spending stat-pool resources to ease tasks rather than tracking many subsystems.
- **Highlights:** Cyphers are single-use, randomly determined gadgets that every character carries and that refresh each session, so combat and problem-solving options change constantly without permanent power creep. The GM never rolls: players make all attack and defense rolls against fixed creature target numbers. Three character types (Glaive, Nano, Jack) combine with dozens of descriptors and foci to produce sharply differentiated builds without a class-and-level structure. XP is awarded for discovery and for accepting GM intrusions rather than for combat, and players can spend XP on player intrusions to bend the narrative.
- **Considerations:** Combat is theater of the mind by default with no grid or detailed positioning rules. GM intrusions are central to play and require player buy-in; players who prefer uninterrupted action control may find them disruptive. Cyphers must be rolled or selected fresh each session, adding GM workload that scales with party size. The Ninth World setting is intentionally vague in many places, leaving GMs to invent specific details.
- **Publisher:** Monte Cook Games
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/numenera

---

## Cypher System
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** Genre-spanning adventures driven by player effort and shifting one-use abilities
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Toolkit, Modular, Character Building, Player-Only Rolls, Theater of the Mind, Low-Prep, Strong GM Support, Narrative
- **Family:** Cypher System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 48 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** The GM rates each task from 1 to 10 and multiplies that difficulty by 3 to set the target number. Players roll a d20 and succeed on a result equal to or above the target. Skills, assets, and Effort ease the task before the roll, with Effort paid from the relevant stat Pool after Edge reduces the cost.
- **Best For:** Groups building genre-spanning campaigns who want broad character customization, player-facing resource decisions, and little mechanical preparation for the GM.
- **Highlights:** Player-only rolls keep the GM focused on adjudication and scene management. Descriptor, type, and focus choices support broad customization across multiple genres. One-use cyphers continually rotate situational abilities through play.
- **Considerations:** Players manage Pool spending for abilities and Effort, so pushing a roll competes with other resource uses. Abstract distances and level-based NPCs leave many tactical details to table rulings rather than map procedures. The broad toolkit asks the GM to select genre modules and character options before play.
- **Publisher:** Monte Cook Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Cypher Open License 2026-07-15
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Cypher Open License; Allowed with conditions; Cypher Open License 2026-07-15; scope: Publishers may use or modify Cypher Reference Document text and declare compatibility; protected text, art, settings, logos, and marks outside the authorized compatibility mark remain excluded.; terms: https://col.montecookgames.com/license/; verified 2026-09-01; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cypher-system

---

## Genesys
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** A universal RPG powered by narrative dice that resolve success, failure, and complications in every roll
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Toolkit, Narrative, Career-Based, Social Combat, Modular, Hackable, Character Building
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Custom dice
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Assemble a pool of custom narrative dice: positive dice (Boost, Ability, Proficiency) from character ability and skill, negative dice (Setback, Difficulty, Challenge) from task difficulty and circumstances. Roll all dice and cancel opposing symbols: Success vs. Failure determines if the task succeeds, Advantage vs. Threat determines beneficial or harmful side effects, and Triumph/Despair trigger powerful narrative outcomes. All three axes resolve independently, so a check can succeed with complications or fail with a silver lining.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a genre-flexible system where every dice roll generates narrative texture beyond pass/fail, and who enjoy interpreting results collaboratively at the table.
- **Highlights:** Every roll produces multiple axes of outcome, creating layered narrative results beyond binary success/failure. Full social encounter rules give non-combat interactions the same mechanical depth as combat. The GM Toolkit provides structured guidance for creating custom settings, species, talents, and gear. Six example settings (fantasy, steampunk, weird war, modern, sci-fi, space opera) included in the core book.
- **Considerations:** Requires proprietary narrative dice or the Genesys Dice App: standard polyhedral dice cannot be used without conversion charts. Interpreting multiple symbol types on every roll can slow play for groups unfamiliar with the system. No free quickstart or SRD available.
- **Publisher:** Fantasy Flight Games
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Genesys Foundry (community content program)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/genesys

---

## Cortex Prime
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** A modular toolkit RPG: assemble your own game from mix-and-match mechanics
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Narrative, Modular, Collaborative, Toolkit, Roleplay-Heavy, Character-Driven, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Assemble a dice pool from trait sets (attributes, skills, relationships, etc.) rated d4–d12. Roll the pool, keep the two highest for your total vs. opposition, then choose an Effect Die from the remainder to determine magnitude. Plot Points let players add dice, activate abilities, or alter the narrative. Every mechanical element is a swappable mod.
- **Best For:** GMs who want to build a custom system from modular parts: homebrew designers, genre-mixers, and groups tired of forcing their stories into a pre-built framework.
- **Highlights:** Highly modular: 18+ mods for core rules alone, clear writing with worked examples, Plot Point economy creates dynamic give-and-take, powered well-known licensed games (Marvel Heroic, Firefly, Leverage)
- **Considerations:** The game is not playable out of the box and requires significant GM assembly. There is a steep learning curve to understand which mods fit your game. Every roll involves choosing which dice to keep plus an Effect Die, which slows resolution.
- **Publisher:** Dire Wolf Digital
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Cortex Creator License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cortex-prime

---

## Star Wars Roleplaying Game
- **Edition:** Edge of the Empire / Age of Rebellion / Force and Destiny
- **Tagline:** Play scoundrels, Rebel soldiers, and hunted Force users in the Star Wars galaxy during the dark years when the Empire rules and the Jedi are gone
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Career-Based, Narrative, Space Opera, Licensed IP, Faction Play, Combat-Heavy, Character Building
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Custom dice
- **Complexity:** 60 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Assemble a pool of custom narrative dice: positive (Boost, Ability, Proficiency) from skills and equipment, negative (Setback, Difficulty, Challenge) from task difficulty. Roll and cancel opposing symbols on three independent axes (Success vs. Failure, Advantage vs. Threat, Triumph vs. Despair), so every check produces both an outcome and narrative texture. Each corebook adds its own character-pressure layer: Edge of the Empire tracks Obligation (debts and burdens that randomly trigger at session start), Age of Rebellion tracks Duty (Rebel mission focus that earns Contribution Rank toward Alliance promotions), and Force and Destiny tracks Morality (a 0–100 light-vs-dark scale that fuels a dedicated Force die powering abilities like Move, Sense, and Influence).
- **Best For:** Groups who want a narrative-rich Star Wars campaign where every roll generates story texture beyond pass/fail, and who can pick the corebook (or mix multiple) matching their preferred campaign focus: outer-rim scoundrels, Rebel operatives, or hunted Force users.
- **Highlights:** Three corebooks fully cross-compatible: Edge of the Empire (fringe criminals and scoundrels), Age of Rebellion (Rebel Alliance soldiers and pilots), and Force and Destiny (Force-sensitive characters) play at the same table with characters from any book, six careers per book each with three specialization talent trees, narrative dice produce three independent axes of result on every roll so success-with-complications and failure-with-silver-lining are common outcomes, detailed starship combat and ship-modification rules throughout all three books with Force and Destiny extending the system with lightsaber construction and Force power talent trees
- **Considerations:** Requires proprietary narrative dice or the Star Wars Dice app: standard polyhedral dice need conversion charts and slow play significantly, no free core rules available (Beginner Games exist for each corebook but require purchase), interpreting multi-symbol dice results adds a learning curve compared to standard d20-style resolution, most groups buy only the corebook matching their campaign focus rather than all three
- **Publisher:** Fantasy Flight Games
- **Year:** 2013
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/star-wars-roleplaying-game

---

## Star Wars Saga Edition
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Play heroes across every era of Star Wars with talent trees and cinematic action
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Licensed IP, Space Opera, Heroic, Cinematic, Character Building, Tactical
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifiers against a target number or opposed defense score. Three static defense values (Reflex, Fortitude, Will) replace saving throws. Trained skills grant a flat +5 bonus. A five-step Condition Track applies cumulative penalties as characters take damage, replacing hit-point attrition with escalating impairment. Force Points and Destiny Points provide narrative and mechanical resources for critical moments.
- **Best For:** Star Wars fans who want a d20-based system with deep character customization through talent trees, covering all film eras from the Old Republic through the New Jedi Order.
- **Highlights:** Talent trees let two characters of the same class play differently based on branch selection, Condition Track creates escalating combat tension without binary alive-or-dead states, covers all major Star Wars eras with era-specific content in supplements, streamlined skill list consolidates the d20 System's skill bloat
- **Considerations:** The game has been out of print since 2010 with no official digital release, so acquiring a copy means the secondary market. Force-using characters reach powers that can outpace non-Force party members at higher levels. Characters track a condition track alongside hit points and talent-tree choices, adding per-character bookkeeping over the d20 baseline it derives from.
- **Publisher:** Wizards of the Coast
- **Year:** 2007
- **Cost:** Unavailable
- **License:** Star Wars license (Wizards of the Coast, expired 2010)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/star-wars-saga-edition

---

## Serenity RPG
- **Edition:** First Printing
- **Tagline:** Crew a beat-up transport on the frontier, take whatever work pays, and keep flyin' in the 'Verse
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Licensed IP, Ship-Based, Cinematic, Narrative, Character-Driven, Classless, Skill-Based, Character Building, Tactical, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d2–d12
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll an Attribute die and a relevant Skill die and add their results to meet a difficulty or beat an opposing roll. Ratings use d2–d12 and add extra dice above d12. The Game Master chooses the Attribute paired with each Skill. Personal modifiers change die sizes; outside conditions change the difficulty. Plot Points buy bonus dice before a roll or add +1 per point afterward.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play a working-class spaceship crew taking risky jobs on a Western-flavored frontier. It suits tables that like a light core roll, dangerous gunfights, and characters defined as much by their flaws as by their skills.
- **Highlights:** Playing up a mandatory Complication earns Plot Points, so a character's flaws fund the bonus dice and damage reduction they need in a crisis. Plot Points buy GM-approved story facts on a priced scale from inconsequential to major, giving players a measured say in the plot. The crew's ship has its own Attributes, Traits, and Skills, giving its condition and quirks a mechanical role in play.
- **Considerations:** Severe Wounds penalize every Attribute die and can require surgery followed by days of recovery. Owning a ship adds monthly bookkeeping: a maintenance roll sets the bill, and each month of skipped upkeep lowers the ship's Vitality toward a breakdown. Social conflict uses ordinary Influence rolls with no dedicated procedure for arguments, negotiation, or deception.
- **Publisher:** Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd.
- **Year:** 2005
- **Cost:** Unavailable
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-01; note: The core rulebook reserves all rights to Universal Studios and Margaret Weis Productions and grants no reuse license. A bounded review of the rulebook credits, Margaret Weis Productions' current site, and targeted searches found no Serenity publishing route or explicit prohibition.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/serenity-rpg

---

## Tales of Xadia
- **Edition:** Game Handbook
- **Tagline:** Human and elven heroes navigating divided loyalties in The Dragon Prince's world
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Character-Driven, Character Building, Classless, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Corruption, Roll to Cast, Lore-Heavy, Strong GM Support, Licensed IP
- **Family:** Cortex
- **Dice:** d4–d12 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 63 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 70 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build and roll a d4–d12 dice pool from an attribute, a value and a distinction, adding one applicable specialty and assets. Results of 1 are hitches and cannot contribute to the total or effect. Add two eligible results to beat the opposition's total. Choose an unused eligible die whose size determines the effect rather than its rolled number.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fantasy campaigns where changing convictions and relationships matter mechanically alongside magical adventures in The Dragon Prince's setting.
- **Highlights:** Questioning a value statement triples its die for a roll and feeds growth, making changes of conviction mechanically consequential. Contests can change major non-player characters' values, letting persuasion reshape their future behavior. Extended challenges resolve varied approaches against a shrinking dice pool, supporting obstacles beyond physical combat.
- **Considerations:** Stress strengthens opposing dice pools, making unresolved setbacks harder to overcome. Guided rune-mage creation links ancestry and upbringing to magical vocation, limiting characters' inherent access to different sources of primal magic. Trait advancement uses growth dice in tests that can fail, rather than guaranteeing an upgrade after every story arc.
- **Publisher:** Dire Wolf Digital
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-03; note: The inspected official sources do not establish a Tales of Xadia publishing route; Cortex engine licensing does not itself license The Dragon Prince setting.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tales-of-xadia

---

## Legend of the Five Rings
- **Edition:** 5th Edition
- **Tagline:** Play samurai of the Emerald Empire torn between sworn duty and personal desire, navigating court intrigue, deadly duels, and supernatural threats
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Social Combat, Social Intrigue, Faction Play, Drama, Career-Based, Crunchy, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 + d12 custom dice
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll-and-keep with custom dice. The player picks a skill and an elemental approach (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, or Void): the approach determines how the action is attempted, so a Fire approach to combat is a reckless overwhelming strike while a Water approach redirects an opponent's force. The pool is Ring dice (d6) equal to the chosen ring's value plus Skill dice (d12) equal to skill rank; after rolling, the player keeps up to ring-value dice. Kept faces show some mix of successes, explosive successes, opportunity, and strife symbols: successes meet a target number, opportunity spends create narrative effects, and accumulated strife eventually drives the character into Compromised.
- **Best For:** Groups who want samurai drama where internal conflict between sworn duty and personal desire matters as much as the sword, with structured rules for court intrigues and duels alongside skirmish combat.
- **Highlights:** Approach choice means the same skill check resolves differently depending on which ring drives it, mechanizing personality and method instead of relegating them to flavor. Strife accumulates from dice rolls and triggers Compromised when it exceeds composure, turning emotional pressure into a tracked resource without a separate sanity subsystem. Ninjō (personal desire) and giri (sworn duty) are written into each character sheet, and the conflict between them is the engine of advancement and downtime scenes.
- **Considerations:** Custom dice are required and not easily substituted: physical sets must be purchased separately or the official dice app used. Honor, glory, status, strife, composure, void points, and conflict-specific resources all track separately, so social bookkeeping is heavy outside of skirmishes. The mechanical structure is tightly bound to Rokugan's clan system and Bushidō expectations: reskinning to other settings unwinds large chunks of character creation and technique progression.
- **Publisher:** Fantasy Flight Games
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/legend-of-the-five-rings

---

## Delta Green
- **Edition:** Agent's Handbook
- **Tagline:** Modern Lovecraftian horror and conspiracy: federal agents confront the unnatural
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Investigation, Deadly, Roleplay-Heavy, Character-Driven, Gritty
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 under your skill percentage to succeed. Matched doubles (11, 22, etc.) are critical successes or failures. Six stats (STR, CON, DEX, INT, POW, CHA) derived from percentile rolls. Bonds represent personal relationships and can be damaged as agents lose SAN. Sanity tracks Breaking Points: cross enough and you develop disorders.
- **Best For:** Groups who want modern-day investigative horror where federal agents sacrifice everything (careers, relationships, sanity) to protect humanity from threats that should not exist.
- **Highlights:** Bonds and sanity mechanics create personal drama, Need to Know quickstart is free and complete, strong atmospheric design, profession-based characters feel grounded, well-regarded published scenarios
- **Considerations:** Dense investigative scenarios require significant GM prep, limited character advancement between operations, bond deterioration can feel mechanically punishing, SAN loss mechanics can remove player agency
- **Publisher:** Arc Dream Publishing
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/delta-green

---

## Night's Black Agents
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Burned spies vs. vampire conspiracies: Bourne meets Dracula
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Investigation, Espionage, Character-Driven, Gritty
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 70 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** GUMSHOE engine. Investigative abilities auto-succeed: if you have the skill and there's a clue, you find it. General abilities (combat, athletics) roll 1d6 + spent points vs. difficulty 4. Point pools refresh between sessions, creating resource-management tension. Four play modes (Burn, Dust, Mirror, Stakes) tune mechanics to your preferred espionage tone.
- **Best For:** Groups who want spy-thriller action fused with supernatural horror: burned agents unraveling a vampire conspiracy through investigation, chases, and tradecraft.
- **Highlights:** Investigation never stalls: clues flow automatically, Conspyramid campaign structure is a well-designed GM tool, four tonal modes let you dial in the spy genre you want, highly modular vampire creation system, works stripped of vampires for pure espionage
- **Considerations:** NPC combat math can feel unbalanced against PCs, multiple point pools to track can bottleneck play, narrow genre focus limits reuse, requires significant GM prep for conspiracy networks
- **Publisher:** Pelgrane Press
- **Year:** 2012
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** GUMSHOE SRD (CC BY 3.0 / OGL)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/nights-black-agents

---

## Dungeon Crawl Classics
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Old-school adventures with gonzo flair and a full dice chain
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Deadly, Exploration, Gonzo, Dungeon Crawl, One-Shot Friendly, Theater of the Mind, Fast-Paced, Ascending AC, Roll to Cast, Random Tables
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d3–d30
- **Complexity:** 48 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifiers. Unique dice chain shifts die size up/down. Mercurial magic tables.
- **Best For:** Old-school dungeon crawls with unpredictable magic, character funnels, and a sense of wonder.
- **Highlights:** Character funnels are distinctive, unpredictable magic system, Appendix N aesthetic
- **Considerations:** Requires unusual dice (d3, d5, d7, d14, d16, d24, d30), spell result tables slow play at higher levels, funnel adventures require many disposable characters
- **Publisher:** Goodman Games
- **Year:** 2012
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** 3rd Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dungeon-crawl-classics

---

## Stars Without Number
- **Edition:** Revised Edition
- **Tagline:** Sandbox sci-fi with the best GM tools in the business
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Exploration, Low-Prep, Faction Play, Tactical, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting
- **Family:** Without Number
- **Dice:** 2d6 / d20
- **Complexity:** 48 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** 2d6 + skill + attribute ≥ target for skills; d20 + modifiers for combat. OSR-inspired.
- **Best For:** Sandbox sci-fi campaigns with comprehensive GM tools for faction turns, sector generation, and adventure creation.
- **Highlights:** Free version is generous, comprehensive sandbox tools, faction system
- **Considerations:** OSR combat can feel flat compared to modern tactical systems, B/X heritage means limited mechanical support for social or narrative play
- **Publisher:** Sine Nomine Publishing
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/stars-without-number

---

## Worlds Without Number
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Sandbox fantasy with legendary GM worldbuilding tools
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Exploration, Faction Play, Worldbuilding, Tactical, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting
- **Family:** Without Number
- **Dice:** 2d6 / d20
- **Complexity:** 48 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** 2d6 + skill + attribute ≥ target for skills; d20 + modifiers vs. AC for combat. OSR-inspired with modern refinements.
- **Best For:** Sandbox fantasy campaigns with deep worldbuilding tools, faction turns, and an OSR-flavored system from the creator of Stars Without Number.
- **Highlights:** Free version is very generous, comprehensive sandbox and worldbuilding tools, faction system, compatible with SWN
- **Considerations:** OSR combat can feel basic compared to modern tactical systems, limited mechanical support for narrative or story-arc campaigns, no built-in social encounter system
- **Publisher:** Sine Nomine Publishing
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/worlds-without-number

---

## Cities Without Number
- **Edition:** Deluxe Edition
- **Tagline:** Cyberpunk sandbox with the best GM tools in the business: from the creator of Stars Without Number
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Classless, Noir, Ascending AC
- **Family:** Without Number
- **Dice:** 2d6 / d20
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** 2d6 + attribute mod + skill for skill checks; d20 + modifiers vs. AC for combat. Edge and chrome (cyberware) add abilities and complications. Faction turn system runs corporate, gang, and government power struggles between sessions. Tag-based city generation creates districts and neighborhoods on the fly.
- **Best For:** Cyberpunk sandbox campaigns with comprehensive GM worldbuilding tools, faction turns, and noir-tinged urban adventure: fully compatible with Stars Without Number and Worlds Without Number.
- **Highlights:** Free version is very generous, comprehensive sandbox and faction tools, seamlessly compatible with SWN/WWN family, noir investigation mechanics, detailed city generation system
- **Considerations:** OSR combat can feel basic, cyberpunk genre may overlap with Shadowrun expectations, less support for narrative/story-arc campaigns
- **Publisher:** Sine Nomine Publishing
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cities-without-number

---

## Ironsworn
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Swear iron vows and quest across a dark frontier: solo, co-op, or guided
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Solo-Friendly, Rules-Light, Sandbox, Low-Fantasy, Exploration, Theater of the Mind, CC-Licensed Rules, Random Tables
- **Family:** Ironsworn
- **Dice:** d6 + 2d10
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d6 + stat vs two d10 challenge dice. Beat both for a strong hit, beat one for a weak hit, beat neither for a miss. Momentum can cancel challenge dice. Progress tracks measure long-term objectives; iron vows drive the narrative forward.
- **Best For:** Solo or small-group dark fantasy questing with fiction-first moves, oracle tables, and zero GM-prep play.
- **Highlights:** Fully free PDF, well-designed solo play, momentum system creates tension, oracle tables eliminate need for a GM
- **Considerations:** Progress track math can feel opaque at first, oracle tables can produce contradictory results requiring interpretation, limited asset variety in the base game, momentum economy requires careful management
- **Publisher:** Shawn Tomkin
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ironsworn

---

## Ironsworn: Starforged
- **Edition:** Digital Edition
- **Tagline:** Sworn quests among the stars: solo, co-op, or guided sci-fi adventure
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Narrative, Solo-Friendly, Sandbox, Exploration, Fiction-First, Theater of the Mind, Worldbuilding, Character-Driven, CC-Licensed Rules, Random Tables
- **Family:** Ironsworn
- **Dice:** d6 + 2d10
- **Complexity:** 40 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d6 (action die) + stat vs. two d10 challenge dice. Beat both = strong hit, beat one = weak hit, beat neither = miss. Momentum meter (-6 to +10) can be burned to replace your action score. Moves resolve fiction; progress tracks measure quests, expeditions, and combat. Oracle tables generate story prompts for solo and co-op play.
- **Best For:** Solo or small-group sci-fi campaigns driven by sworn vows, with rich oracle tables, starship exploration, and collaborative worldbuilding: no GM required.
- **Highlights:** Strong solo RPG design, 'Choose Your Truths' worldbuilding tailors the setting, large oracle chapter for emergent story, momentum system creates dramatic tension, three flexible play modes (solo/co-op/guided)
- **Considerations:** Dense 400-page rulebook despite narrative focus, large move count to internalize, setting is human-centric by default, oracle-driven play can produce disjointed narratives without careful interpretation
- **Publisher:** Tomkin Press / Modiphius Entertainment
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ironsworn-starforged

---

## Fabula Ultima
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook v1.1
- **Tagline:** A JRPG-inspired TTRPG of bonds, heroism, and collaborative worldbuilding
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** JRPG, Narrative, Tactical, Beginner-Friendly, Character-Driven, Collaborative, Freeform Magic
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6–d12
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll two attribute dice (d6/d8/d10/d12) paired from different attributes, sum them vs. a difficulty number. 15 mix-and-match classes (Arcanist, Elementalist, Fury, Guardian, etc.) let players multiclass freely. Fabula Points let players add story details. Bonds between characters unlock powerful combo effects. Villains have their own Ultima Points to fuel dramatic abilities. Clocks track escalating threats.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play a Final Fantasy-style adventure with dramatic boss fights, multiclass heroes, and collaborative worldbuilding: ENnies 2023 Best Game winner.
- **Highlights:** Flexible multiclass system with 15 classes, collaborative worldbuilding via Eight Pillars, Fabula Points give players narrative agency, boss fights emulate JRPG encounters, ENnies 2023 Best Game winner
- **Considerations:** Collaborative worldbuilding via the Eight Pillars requires full group buy-in. Fabula Points can create pacing issues if spent unevenly. Villain design relies heavily on GM improvisation.
- **Publisher:** Need Games / Rooster Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** Italian, English, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/fabula-ultima

---

## Tales from the Loop
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Solve mysteries in an alternate 1980s where kids on bikes confront the weird science of The Loop
- **Genre:** Scifi, Modern
- **Tags:** Narrative, Beginner-Friendly, Character-Driven, Mystery, Rules-Light, Licensed IP
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill). Each 6 is a success. Push to reroll failures but take a Condition. Kids cannot die: instead they accumulate Conditions (Upset, Scared, Exhausted, Injured, Broken) and must roleplay recovery with anchors.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting a rules-light, nostalgia-driven RPG about kids solving sci-fi mysteries in an alternate 1980s: Stranger Things meets E.T.
- **Highlights:** Very simple rules, distinctive 1980s setting, Conditions system encourages roleplay over combat, accessible for new players and younger teens
- **Considerations:** Trouble mechanic resolution can feel arbitrary, limited mechanical differentiation between kid characters, investigation pacing relies heavily on GM skill, sessions can stall without clear mystery structure
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Year Zero Engine OGL
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, French, German, Italian, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tales-from-the-loop

---

## Mutant: Year Zero
- **Edition:** 4th Printing
- **Tagline:** Mutated survivors rebuild civilization in a deadly post-apocalyptic wasteland
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Survival, Exploration, Character-Driven, Worldbuilding, Narrative
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s (attribute + skill + gear). Each 6 is a success; one success is enough. You can push your roll to reroll failures, but 1s on attribute dice cause trauma and 1s on gear dice cause damage to equipment. Mutations cost Mutation Points and can misfire with unpredictable side effects.
- **Best For:** Post-apocalyptic campaigns where mutant survivors explore a deadly Zone, build up their home settlement, and search for the mythical Eden: with the Year Zero Engine that spawned a family of games.
- **Highlights:** Push mechanic creates tough choices, Ark development gives players a shared home to build, Zone exploration is tense and rewarding, eight distinctive roles with built-in relationships and dreams, launched the Year Zero Engine family
- **Considerations:** Mutation randomness can frustrate planners, metaplot requires significant GM commitment, Ark development bookkeeping adds between-session overhead, Zone travel can feel repetitive without varied encounters
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mutant-year-zero

---

## The Walking Dead Universe RPG
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Survive the walker apocalypse: every push of the dice could attract the dead
- **Genre:** Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Survival, Narrative, Deadly, Character-Driven, Gritty, Licensed IP
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 40 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 60 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill). Each 6 is a success. Push your roll to reroll failures, but gain 1 stress and add a stress die. Stress dice that roll 1 cause bad things: attracting walkers, panic, or worse. Only 3 HP means every fight is dangerous. Anchors (named NPCs) relieve stress. Breaking Points track psychological damage; cross too many and your character is Shattered.
- **Best For:** Groups who want tense, character-driven survival horror in the Walking Dead universe: where stress, difficult choices, and human drama matter more than combat.
- **Highlights:** Stress dice create constant tension, push mechanic forces difficult decisions, only 3 HP makes combat highly consequential, Anchor system ties survival to relationships, well-integrated licensed IP
- **Considerations:** Tightly bound to the Walking Dead IP with limited homebrew flexibility, limited character options in starter set, stress mechanics can cascade into unavoidable spirals, Anchor system penalizes character growth through loss
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved (AMC Networks license)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, German, Polish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-walking-dead-universe-rpg

---

## Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Custom superheroes balance brutal battles with relationships in the Invincible universe
- **Genre:** Modern, Scifi, Superhero
- **Tags:** Superpowers, Licensed IP, High-Power, Tactical, Character Building, Character-Driven, Solo-Friendly, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 70 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to an attribute and count each 6 as a success. Extra successes buy stunts. After a failed roll or when seeking more successes, push once by rerolling dice that show neither 6 nor 1; each 1 remaining after the push causes stress.
- **Best For:** Groups who want custom superheroes to alternate between destructive team fights and relationship-driven scenes about responsibility, stress, and ordinary life. It suits campaigns ranging from young street heroes to cosmic champions, with a separate solo crisis mode.
- **Highlights:** Extra successes buy comic-book stunts such as knockback and collateral destruction, while players can propose GM-approved improvised stunts. Action scenes threaten Health and generate stress against Resolve, while relationship-centered social scenes restore Resolve and tie personal life to the campaign loop. Crisis Mode supplies response engines and escalating timers for solo superhero play without a Gamemaster.
- **Considerations:** The large power catalog, reaction-heavy zone combat, and critical-injury procedures create a steeper learning curve than the simple dice pool suggests. Brutal injuries, permanent death, and collateral damage are deliberate parts of play, so groups should align on graphic superhero violence. The setting chapter, campaign material, and character profiles draw heavily on Invincible, so groups seeking a generic superhero toolkit may choose to replace them.
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/invincible-superhero-roleplaying

---

## Forbidden Lands
- **Edition:** Core Boxed Set
- **Tagline:** Raiders and rogues exploring a cursed land where the Blood Mist has finally lifted
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Hexcrawl, Gritty, Survival, Deadly, Exploration, Base-Building, Random Tables
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s (attribute + skill + gear dice). Each 6 is a success. You can push your roll for extra dice, but risk damaging gear and taking conditions. Gear dice degrade on 1s. Year Zero Engine.
- **Best For:** Sandbox hexcrawl campaigns with stronghold building, resource management, and a dark fantasy tone. Great for groups who want to explore and carve out their own corner of the world.
- **Highlights:** Detailed sandbox tools and hexcrawl structure, stronghold building adds long-term goals, push mechanic creates meaningful risk, low-prep with random encounter tables and legend handouts
- **Considerations:** Tightly tied to its Ravenland setting, push mechanic can frustrate cautious players, stronghold rules require the full boxed set, hex encounters can feel repetitive without GM preparation
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Year Zero Engine OGL
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, German, French, Spanish, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/forbidden-lands

---

## Dragonbane
- **Edition:** Core Set
- **Tagline:** Mirth and mayhem roleplaying: a modern revival of Sweden's first fantasy RPG
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, Tactical, Classic Fantasy, Solo-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Mana Points
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d20, d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 40 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 equal to or under your skill value to succeed. Boons roll 2d20 and keep the lowest; banes keep the highest. Six attributes (STR, CON, AGL, INT, WIL, CHA). Willpower Points fuel heroic abilities, class features, and spells across four magic schools. Combat uses initiative cards drawn each round for unpredictable turn order. Based on Drakar och Demoner (1982).
- **Best For:** Groups who want approachable, fast-paced fantasy with a mix of adventure and humor: great for new players and veterans of classic European RPGs alike.
- **Highlights:** Approachable roll-under system, initiative cards keep combat dynamic, Willpower Points unify magic and abilities cleanly, solo play rules included, boxed set includes maps and cards
- **Considerations:** d20 roll-under can feel swingy at low skill values, fewer character options than comparable fantasy RPGs, initiative card system adds components to track
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Free League Third-Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** Swedish, English, German, Polish, French, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dragonbane

---

## Vaesen
- **Edition:** Revised Edition
- **Tagline:** Investigate Scandinavian folklore horrors in a 19th century world where myth and industry collide
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Investigation, Narrative, Atmospheric, Mystery, Character-Driven, Gritty, Deadly
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill). Each 6 is a success. Push your roll to reroll failures but take a Condition (Exhausted, Wounded, Frightened, Hopeless). Mysteries follow a structured investigation format. Between mysteries, upgrade your shared headquarters.
- **Best For:** Investigation-focused Nordic horror campaigns where players uncover folklore mysteries, confront tragic mythological creatures, and build up a shared headquarters between cases.
- **Highlights:** Strong atmosphere and thematic design, structured mystery format keeps investigations focused, push mechanic creates tension, headquarters upgrades add campaign investment
- **Considerations:** Investigation success is heavily GM-dependent, narrow 19th century Nordic horror focus, dice system can feel too simple for complex mysteries, information layout can be hard to navigate
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Year Zero Engine OGL
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, German, Italian, Spanish, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/vaesen

---

## Twilight: 2000
- **Edition:** 4th Edition
- **Tagline:** Survive the aftermath of World War III as stranded soldiers in a shattered Europe
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic, Modern
- **Tags:** Gritty, Survival, Combat-Heavy, Hexcrawl, Base-Building, Deadly, Inventory Management, Random Character Creation
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6–d12
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 65 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll one attribute die and one skill die, each rated as a step die (d6, d8, d10, or d12). A result of 6+ on either die is a success; 10+ counts as two successes. Rolls can be pushed for extra dice at the cost of damage or stress. Ammo dice track ammunition expenditure during firefights, degrading with use.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a gritty military survival sandbox where managing ammunition, fuel, food, and shelter matters as much as combat, set against a Cold War-gone-hot alternate history.
- **Highlights:** Hex-based travel and exploration system with structured daily tasks (march, forage, scrounge, rest), detailed but playable firearms and vehicle rules with real-world military equipment, ammo dice mechanic abstracts ammunition management without individual round tracking, base-building rules for establishing and upgrading a home settlement
- **Considerations:** Combat lethality can frustrate players attached to their characters, large core set with multiple booklets and maps to manage, narrow post-apocalyptic military premise limits campaign variety, step dice mechanic produces a flat probability curve with high variance on individual rolls
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Year Zero Engine FTL
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, German, Polish, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/twilight-2000

---

## Exalted
- **Edition:** 3rd Edition
- **Tagline:** Reborn heroes blazing with the sun's own power, hunted as demons across a fallen mythic age.
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** High-Power, Crunchy, Tactical, High-Fantasy, Martial Arts, Lore-Heavy, Character Building, Corruption
- **Family:** Storyteller
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 90 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d10s equal to an Attribute + Ability; each die showing 7–9 counts as one success and each 10 as two, measured against a target number of successes. Vivid descriptions of an action (stunts) add 1–3 bonus dice and can restore spent Essence, rewarding evocative narration on every roll.
- **Best For:** Groups committed to a long campaign about demigod protagonists: mastering deep, individualized Charm builds, fighting Initiative-driven tactical battles, and navigating the political collapse of a mythic empire.
- **Highlights:** Combat is a tug-of-war over momentum: withering attacks steal Initiative from enemies into the attacker's pool, and a decisive attack then spends that pool to deal actual harm, so the maneuvering before the killing blow matters as much as the blow itself. Each of the 25 Abilities has its own tree of Essence-fueled Charms gated by prerequisite chains, so heavy investment in one Ability yields a combat or social style a differently-built character cannot reproduce. Intimacies set hard limits on persuasion (social actions roll against a target's Resolve, attempts aligned with a Defining Intimacy are easier and those that violate one are impossible), so social conflict turns on stated stakes rather than GM fiat.
- **Considerations:** The core rulebook supports only Solar Exalted as player characters: the other Exalt types (Dragon-Blooded, Lunar, Sidereal) appear here as antagonists rather than fully playable PCs. Solars so outmatch ordinary opposition that lone mortal or even Dragon-Blooded foes rarely threaten them, pushing the GM toward Charm-wielding antagonists or massed battle groups to mount a real challenge. Artifact crafting uses three separate experience currencies across four project tiers with long in-fiction time requirements, so a crafting-focused character's payoff arrives only over a sustained campaign.
- **Publisher:** Onyx Path Publishing
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/exalted

---

## Burning Wheel
- **Edition:** Gold Edition
- **Tagline:** Fight for what you believe: a fantasy RPG where character drives everything
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Roleplay-Heavy, Character Building, Drama, Low-Fantasy, Social Combat
- **Family:** Burning Wheel
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 78 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s (ability exponent = number of dice). 4+ counts as a success. Meet or exceed the obstacle number. Beliefs, Instincts, and Traits earn artha rewards.
- **Best For:** Groups who want character beliefs and drama to mechanically drive play, with deep subsystems that reward mastery.
- **Highlights:** Beliefs mechanically drive play. Skills advance through use. The Duel of Wits and Fight subsystems offer detailed resolution.
- **Considerations:** Steep learning curve, meant to be played as written (not hackable), print availability limited
- **Publisher:** BWHQ
- **Year:** 2011
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/burning-wheel

---

## Mouse Guard RPG
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Brave mice stand against the dangers of the wild in this mission-driven RPG
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Mission-Based
- **Family:** Burning Wheel
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to your ability or skill: each die showing 4+ counts as a success. Meet or exceed the obstacle number to pass. Conflicts (fights, arguments, chases, negotiations) use scripted actions and disposition. Beliefs, Instincts, and Goals drive advancement. Play alternates between GM's Turn (missions and obstacles) and Players' Turn (personal goals and recovery).
- **Best For:** Groups who love the Mouse Guard comics and want a mission-driven RPG where brave mice face nature, weather, and predators: with Burning Wheel's belief-driven mechanics in a streamlined package.
- **Highlights:** Beliefs and Instincts mechanically drive play, versatile conflict system handles fights, debates, chases, and negotiations equally, streamlined Burning Wheel engine, well-integrated with the comics, included sample missions and 12 pre-made characters
- **Considerations:** Tightly bound to the Mouse Guard setting, conflict scripting takes getting used to, limited character options, currently out of print
- **Publisher:** Archaia Entertainment
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mouse-guard-rpg

---

## Scum and Villainy
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** Space scoundrels flying jobs under the iron fist of a galactic hegemony
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Narrative, Heist, Faction Play, Low-Prep, Roleplay-Heavy, Exploration, Atmospheric
- **Family:** FitD
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Forged in the Dark. Roll d6 dice pool, read highest: 6 = full success, 4–5 = partial success, 1–3 = bad outcome. Position (controlled/risky/desperate) sets stakes. Flashbacks replace planning. Progress clocks track complex obstacles.
- **Best For:** Groups who want Firefly/Star Wars-style spaceship crew adventures with Blades in the Dark's fiction-first mechanics.
- **Highlights:** Flashbacks eliminate tedious planning, ship playbooks level up alongside characters, detailed faction system, low GM prep
- **Considerations:** The game is tightly tied to its specific setting. Ship playbook progression can overshadow individual characters. The faction system requires significant GM prep between sessions.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions / Off Guard Games
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Forged in the Dark
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/scum-and-villainy

---

## Masks: A New Generation
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Young superheroes finding out who they are, and who they want to become
- **Genre:** Modern, Superhero
- **Tags:** Narrative, Rules-Light, Character-Driven, Drama, Beginner-Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules, Superpowers
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** PbtA moves: roll 2d6 + Label. 10+ = strong hit, 7–9 = hit with complications, 6− = miss (GM makes a move). Five shifting Labels (Danger, Freak, Savior, Superior, Mundane) represent how the hero sees themselves, and others can shift them. Influence and team mechanics drive interpersonal drama.
- **Best For:** Teen superhero drama where identity, relationships, and emotional stakes matter more than punching villains.
- **Highlights:** Labels system makes identity the core conflict, 10 distinct playbooks, low prep for GM, encourages drama and character growth
- **Considerations:** Labels shifting can frustrate players who want a stable character identity, Influence mechanic requires careful tracking, adult moves can overshadow teen PCs, limited mechanical growth beyond Label shifts
- **Publisher:** Magpie Games
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/masks-a-new-generation

---

## City of Mist
- **Edition:** Player's Guide & MC Toolkit
- **Tagline:** Neo-noir investigation meets urban mythology: ordinary people, legendary powers
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** Narrative, Investigation, Mystery, Roleplay-Heavy, Fiction-First, Noir, Urban Fantasy, Drama, Tag-Based
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + invoked tags. Characters have no numerical stats: instead they invoke narrative tags from their Mythos (legendary) and Logos (mundane) themes. 7–9 partial success, 10+ full success. Statuses replace HP on a 1–6 tier track.
- **Best For:** Groups who want noir-style investigations in a modern city where characters channel mythological archetypes: balancing mundane lives with legendary powers.
- **Highlights:** Tag system makes every character unique, investigation mechanics are well-designed, layered interplay between mythic and mundane identity
- **Considerations:** Tag-based resolution takes adjustment from traditional RPGs, heavily tied to its urban noir setting, two-book format can feel expensive, prep-intensive for the MC
- **Publisher:** Son of Oak Game Studio
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** Community content (Cauldron of Mist)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian, German, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/city-of-mist

---

## The Sprawl
- **Edition:** v1.0
- **Tagline:** Disposable operatives run corporate espionage missions in a neon-drenched cyberpunk sprawl
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk, Scifi
- **Tags:** Mission-Based, Espionage, Heist, Noir, Gritty, Faction Play, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Player-Only Rolls, One-Shot Friendly
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 55 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** When an action matches a move's fictional trigger, roll 2d6 plus Cool, Edge, Meat, Mind, Style, or Synth. A 10+ is a strong hit, 7-9 is a weak hit, and a 6 or less lets the MC make a move.
- **Best For:** Groups who want structured heist-style missions with a hacking minigame and a growing web of corporate rivals across a campaign. It suits players who enjoy risky planning and personal ties that complicate the crew's loyalties.
- **Highlights:** Countdown Clocks track legwork noise, mission alertness, and corporate attention on separate tracks, giving missions a visible pressure gauge instead of a single doom clock. Cyberdeck ratings and tiered ICE turn hacking into its own tactical minigame layered on the standard moves. The Legwork and Action phase structure lets intel and gear earned through investigation convert directly into narrated advantages during the mission itself.
- **Considerations:** Combat and infiltration rely on fictional positioning and MC judgment as much as dice modifiers, so groups who want tightly defined tactical rules may find some outcomes settled by table discussion. Running an ongoing campaign means the MC tracks separate Countdown Clocks for every corporation, threat, and mission in play at once. Choosing how a character paid for their starting cyberware can permanently tie that character to being owned or hunted by a specific corporation.
- **Publisher:** Ardens Ludere
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-22; note: Bounded review of the rulebook credits, the DriveThruRPG listing, and the publisher's site (live and archived via Wayback Machine) found no published third-party or compatibility license. A substantial ecosystem of commercial supplements and an authorized French translation are sold via itch.io and DriveThruRPG and cross-linked from the designer's own itch.io page, but no explicit terms document was located.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-sprawl

---

## Microscope
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** Build epic histories: an RPG where you create civilizations, not characters
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Narrative, Worldbuilding, GM-Less, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Fiction-First, Collaborative
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** No dice, no GM. Players take turns adding Periods (eras), Events, and Scenes to a shared timeline. A rotating Lens player picks a thematic Focus each round. A Palette of Yes/No elements sets boundaries. Scenes are role-played to answer a specific question about the history. Play jumps freely across time.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to collaboratively create vast histories spanning centuries or millennia: perfect for worldbuilding sessions, one-shots, or as a campaign-creation tool for other RPGs.
- **Highlights:** Flexible across any setting and genre, zero prep required, no GM needed, useful as a worldbuilding tool for other campaigns, simple rules anyone can learn in minutes, generates unexpected creative results
- **Considerations:** Can produce incoherent timelines without group alignment, one player can dominate if others are less assertive, no mechanism to resolve creative disagreements, sessions can stall without a facilitator
- **Publisher:** Lame Mage Productions
- **Year:** 2011
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/microscope

---

## Fiasco
- **Edition:** Boxed Set
- **Tagline:** A GM-less game of ambitious plans and poor impulse control
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** GM-Less, One-Shot Friendly, Rules-Light, Narrative, Collaborative, Drama, Fiction-First, Low-Prep
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** No GM. Setup uses cards (or dice in Classic edition) to establish relationships, needs, locations, and objects between characters. Scenes alternate between Establish and Resolve: other players either frame the scene or choose its outcome. The Tilt at the midpoint introduces chaos. The Aftermath tallies white and black dice to determine each character's fate.
- **Best For:** One-shots where players collaboratively build and then dismantle a story of desperate people with big ambitions: inspired by Coen Brothers films and crime-gone-wrong cinema.
- **Highlights:** Zero prep, no GM required, playsets define different settings and genres for each session, Diana Jones Award winner, plays in 2–3 hours
- **Considerations:** Heavily dependent on player chemistry and group dynamic, Tilt can derail carefully established narrative threads, new players often struggle with self-directed scene framing, outcome quality varies significantly between groups
- **Publisher:** Bully Pulpit Games
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/fiasco

---

## Dread
- **Edition:** Dread Standard
- **Tagline:** Horror stories where every pull raises the pressure
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, CC-Licensed Rules, Character-Driven, Deadly, Diceless, Experimental, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Fiction-First, Narrative, Rules-Light
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 18 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 78 (High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** The host calls for a pull when a character attempts something uncertain, outside their experience, or under aggravated conditions. The player removes one block from a shared tower and places it on top: a stable tower means success, while refusing means failure without character removal. Collapsing the tower removes that player's character.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking focused horror where improvised character drama and irreversible risk matter more than tactical combat
- **Highlights:** Successful pulls leave the shared tower increasingly precarious, turning prior success into mounting risk for the whole table. Questionnaire answers establish capabilities and vulnerabilities, giving the host material that directly shapes rulings and scenarios. Deliberately toppling the tower converts character removal into one final dramatically appropriate success.
- **Considerations:** The intended tower-based experience requires a physical block tower, a stable surface, and manual dexterity. A collapse removes a character from play, so players can lose their original role before the session ends. Creating original scenarios asks the host to prepare tailored questionnaires and make frequent pull judgments.
- **Publisher:** The Impossible Dream
- **Year:** 2005
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Noncommercial publishing only — Open license; Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic; scope: The rulebook text may be shared and adapted noncommercially with attribution and ShareAlike; illustrations and trademarks are excluded.; terms: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/legalcode.en; verified 2026-09-02; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, German, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dread

---

## Bluebeard's Bride
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** The Bride’s divided selves investigate her new husband’s haunted mansion.
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Improvisation, Investigation, Mystery, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Fiction-First, Narrative, Playbook-Driven, Atmospheric, One-Shot Friendly, Player-Only Rolls
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 42 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 55 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a move calls for a roll, a Sister rolls 2d6 plus Blood, Carnality, or Resilience. A 10+ is an unmitigated hit, a 7–9 is a hit with a compromise, and a 6 or less lets the Groundskeeper decide what follows.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a single-session gothic horror investigation through competing facets of one heroine.
- **Highlights:** Proposing a truth about each room yields a Faithful or Disloyal token, so the Sisters’ interpretations steer the Bride toward different endings. Passing the ring among Sister playbooks changes who directs the Bride and which moves are available. The Groundskeeper builds rooms from the Sisters’ descriptions and themed threats, turning their choices into new horrors.
- **Considerations:** The game is structured for one session and has no character advancement for a continuing campaign. Violence resolves through a single move rather than a tactical combat system. Sexual and gendered violence are central to the horror premise, so the book recommends setting boundaries with the X-Card.
- **Publisher:** Magpie Games
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-22; note: A bounded review of the core credits, publisher FAQ, community page, and general store terms found no verified Bluebeard’s Bride publishing route or explicit game-specific prohibition.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/bluebeards-bride

---

## Thousand Year Old Vampire
- **Edition:** 2nd Printing
- **Tagline:** A solo journaling RPG where you chronicle the unraveling memories of an immortal monster
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Solo-Friendly, Narrative, GM-Less, Rules-Light, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Drama, Journaling
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10 + d6
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 11 (Very Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d10 minus d6 to determine which prompt to answer next: positive results move forward, negative results revisit earlier prompts. Each response creates an Experience assigned to one of five Memory slots (three Experiences per Memory). When Memory is full, old Memories must be forgotten or recorded in a Diary that can be lost or stolen. 72 prompts with three entries each ensure high replayability.
- **Best For:** Solo players who want a reflective, literary experience chronicling a vampire's centuries-long life as memories fade and relationships are lost.
- **Highlights:** Memory mechanic (five slots with three experiences each) reinforces the vampire theme of forgetting, solo with no GM needed, 72 multi-entry prompts mean different paths each playthrough, ENnie-nominated for Product of the Year and Best Rules
- **Considerations:** Pacing is entirely self-directed which can lead to uneven sessions, memory management rules can feel arbitrary when forced to forget key experiences, prompt entries can become repetitive in longer playthroughs, no external structure to signal when the story should end
- **Publisher:** Tim Hutchings
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/thousand-year-old-vampire

---

## Alice Is Missing
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** A silent roleplaying game about the disappearance of a high school student, played entirely through text messages
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** GM-Less, Diceless, Mystery, One-Shot Friendly, Experimental, Drama, Investigation
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** No dice, no GM. One player facilitates setup, then all communication happens via text messages on players' phones for 90 minutes. A timed playlist sets pacing: when the timer hits the number on the back of a face-down Clue Card, that player flips it and follows the prompt, drawing a Suspect or Location Card and weaving the new information into the group text conversation. Characters exchange messages in a group chat and in private, building the story of what happened to Alice Briarwood. The 10-minute card determines the ending.
- **Best For:** Groups looking for a unique, emotionally intense one-shot experience played in complete silence through real text messages on their phones.
- **Highlights:** Played entirely in silence through real phone text messages: no speaking after the game begins, timed playlist structures 90 minutes of play with Clue Cards triggered at specific intervals, voicemails recorded during setup are played at the end as a group debrief, won three Gold ENnie Awards in 2021 including Product of the Year
- **Considerations:** Requires all players to have phones and each other's numbers, designed as a single-session experience with no continuation: replaying with the same group revisits familiar territory, emotionally heavy content including themes of loss and violence requires safety tools and player buy-in, facilitator must thoroughly understand the rules beforehand even though the role is lighter than a traditional GM
- **Publisher:** Hunters Entertainment / Renegade Game Studios
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/alice-is-missing

---

## The Quiet Year
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** A map-drawing game about community, scarcity, and the passing of seasons before the Frost Shepherds arrive
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** GM-Less, Worldbuilding, Collaborative, Narrative, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Fiction-First, Map-Drawing
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** No dice, no GM. A deck of playing cards drives play: each suit is a season, each card a weekly prompt. On your turn, draw a card, answer the prompt, and choose to Discover Something New, Start a Project, or Hold a Discussion. Draw on the shared map to represent changes. Projects take multiple weeks to complete. The Contempt Token signals when a player feels unheard. The game ends when the Frost Shepherds arrive (King of Spades).
- **Best For:** Groups who want to collaboratively build a community's story through map-drawing: 52 weeks of discoveries, projects, and tensions before everything changes.
- **Highlights:** Card-driven structure (one card per week across four seasons) paces the narrative through 52 turns, map-drawing produces a physical artifact of the session, Contempt Token mechanic signals when a player feels unheard, works as a standalone game or worldbuilding tool for other campaigns
- **Considerations:** Contempt mechanic can create genuine inter-player tension, no way to revisit or undo earlier map decisions, map quality depends on group comfort with drawing, limited replayability with the same group
- **Publisher:** Buried Without Ceremony (Avery Alder)
- **Year:** 2013
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-quiet-year

---

## All Flesh Must Be Eaten
- **Edition:** Revised Edition
- **Tagline:** Zombie survival horror where the dead rise and the living fight to survive
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Simulation, Modular, Character Building, Roleplay-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d10 + attribute + skill vs a target number (typically 9). Characters are built with three power tiers: Norms (ordinary survivors), Survivors (action heroes), and Inspired (supernatural powers). The Zombie Master uses a detailed zombie creation system to customize the undead threat for each Deadworld setting.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a zombie survival RPG with flexible character creation, customizable zombie types, and multiple campaign settings from Romero-style horror to wuxia undead.
- **Highlights:** Eleven distinct Deadworld settings in the core book, flexible Unisystem engine handles diverse genres, detailed zombie creation toolkit lets GMs craft unique threats, three character tiers support different play styles
- **Considerations:** Character creation is point-buy across Attributes, Qualities, Drawbacks, Skills, and Metaphysics, which front-loads a long series of choices before play begins. Combat applies damage multipliers after the hit roll and then subtracts armor, so a single exchange runs through several steps. The book supplies eleven Deadworld settings as construction kits rather than one canonical premise, so a group must settle its own zombie rules and tone first.
- **Publisher:** Eden Studios
- **Year:** 2004
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (Unisystem)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/all-flesh-must-be-eaten

---

## Basic Roleplaying
- **Edition:** Universal Game Engine
- **Tagline:** The universal d100 system behind Call of Cthulhu and RuneQuest
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Skill-Based, Modular, Simulation, Gritty, Roleplay-Heavy, Investigation, Low-Fantasy, Classless
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 under your skill percentage to succeed. Critical success on 1/20th of skill value, fumble on 99–100. Opposed rolls compare results. Optional rules layer on complexity as desired.
- **Best For:** GMs who want a modular, genre-agnostic percentile system they can tailor to any setting with optional rules for powers, combat, and more.
- **Highlights:** Highly modular: add or remove subsystems at will, intuitive percentile mechanic, unified system across any genre, skill-based progression through use, long design heritage
- **Considerations:** Can feel generic without a specific setting, requires GM effort to select which optional rules to use, combat can be deadly and swingy
- **Publisher:** Chaosium Inc.
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** ORC
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/basic-roleplaying

---

## RuneQuest
- **Edition:** Roleplaying in Glorantha
- **Tagline:** Mythic bronze-age adventure where Runes shape your destiny and combat can cost you a limb
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Tactical, Lore-Heavy, Deadly, Character-Driven
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 75 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 under your skill percentage. Criticals at 1/20th of skill, specials at 1/5th, fumbles at 95+. Seven characteristics (STR, CON, SIZ, DEX, INT, POW, CHA). Combat uses hit locations (d20) with per-location HP and armor. Strike ranks determine action order. Runes are percentile-rated cosmic affinities that fuel magic and shape personality. Passions (Love, Hate, Honor, Loyalty) augment skills when invoked.
- **Best For:** Groups who want deep mythic fantasy where characters are embedded in cults, clans, and cosmic forces: with tactical hit-location combat and a world steeped in decades of lore.
- **Highlights:** Glorantha is one of the most detailed settings in RPG history, Rune and Passion mechanics tie characters to the mythic world, hit-location combat adds tactical detail, skill-based advancement through use, three distinct magic systems
- **Considerations:** Very steep learning curve, tightly coupled to Glorantha setting, combat bookkeeping is heavy, expensive to collect all sourcebooks, dense lore for new players
- **Publisher:** Chaosium Inc.
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/runequest

---

## Castles & Crusades
- **Edition:** Players Handbook (10th Printing)
- **Tagline:** Rules-light d20 fantasy bridging old-school AD&D and modern play
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Heroic, Dungeon Crawl, Character Building, High-Fantasy, Theater of the Mind, Vancian Casting
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 38 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** SIEGE Engine: roll d20 + modifier + level vs. Challenge Class (12 for primary attributes, 18 for secondary). Primary/secondary attribute distinction replaces complex skill lists with a single unified check system.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting the classic AD&D feel with streamlined, unified mechanics: old-school spirit with modern ease of play.
- **Highlights:** SIEGE Engine unifies all attribute checks, easy to convert AD&D/d20 content, 13 classes with classic archetypes, fast character creation, large back-catalog of adventures
- **Considerations:** Primary/secondary attribute split can feel arbitrary, limited non-fantasy support
- **Publisher:** Troll Lord Games
- **Year:** 2004
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/castles-crusades

---

## Tales of the Valiant
- **Edition:** Player's Guide
- **Tagline:** Kobold Press's independent take on 5th edition fantasy with new options and full backwards compatibility
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Heroic, Character Building, High-Fantasy, Tactical
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 70 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifier against a target number or opposed check. Uses the core 5e framework: six ability scores, proficiency bonus, advantage/disadvantage. Adds a Talent system for additional character customization, reorganizes spells into numbered Circles, and introduces new Heritages and Lineages for character creation.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to continue playing 5e-style fantasy with backwards-compatible adventures but prefer an independent publisher with new heritages, talents, and spell circle organization.
- **Highlights:** Fully backwards-compatible with 5e adventures and supplements, Talent system adds character customization beyond subclass choice, spell Circles streamline spell level organization, backed by Kobold Press's extensive monster and adventure catalog
- **Considerations:** Very similar to 5e: groups satisfied with existing 5e rules may not find enough differentiation, still building its own identity separate from D&D, Monster Vault sold separately
- **Publisher:** Kobold Press
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 (Black Flag Reference Document)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tales-of-the-valiant

---

## Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** D&D 5e rebuilt with deeper tactics, exploration, and social interaction
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Tactical, Character Building, Exploration, High-Fantasy, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** d20 + modifier vs. DC/AC with advantage/disadvantage. Adds expertise dice, combat maneuvers with exertion pool, and structured exploration/social systems.
- **Best For:** 5e players who want deeper character builds, meaningful exploration and social pillar mechanics, and combat maneuvers without changing the core d20 framework.
- **Highlights:** Backwards-compatible with 5e adventures, much deeper exploration and social pillars, combat maneuvers for martial classes, rich origin system (heritage + culture + background + destiny)
- **Considerations:** More complex than base 5e, some players find the extra systems overwhelming, Requires the separate Trials & Treasures book for GM tools and magic items while monsters are in the Monstrous Menagerie book.
- **Publisher:** EN Publishing
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/level-up-advanced-5th-edition

---

## Index Card RPG
- **Edition:** Master Edition
- **Tagline:** Fast d20 action stripped to the bone: one Target, effort dice, and index cards
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Fast-Paced, Dungeon Crawl, Low-Prep, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Combat-Heavy, Pulp Action, Ascending AC, Tag-Based
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20 + d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + stat vs. a single Target Number for the whole scene. On a hit, roll an Effort die (d4–d12 by type) to chip away at a task's Hearts (10 HP each). Timer dice count down each round to create urgency.
- **Best For:** Groups who love D&D's d20 feel but want something faster, lighter, and more improvisational. Excellent for high-energy dungeon crawls with minimal prep.
- **Highlights:** Very fast play, extensive GM tools, five genre settings included, highly hackable, timer dice create real tension
- **Considerations:** DIY philosophy can overwhelm new GMs, loot-as-progression feels punishing if gear is lost
- **Publisher:** Runehammer Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** 3rd Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/index-card-rpg

---

## EZD6
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Rules-light d6 fantasy where heroes are defined by paths, not stats
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep, One-Shot Friendly, Fast-Paced, Theater of the Mind, Heroic
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d6 vs. a target number (typically 3 for combat). Boons roll 2d6 and keep the highest; banes keep the lowest. No attributes or modifiers: characters are differentiated by hero paths, species, and inclinations. Three strikes and you're down; armor provides a separate save. Karma earned on failures can boost future rolls. The Hero Die grants clutch rerolls.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, fun fantasy with almost no rules overhead: pick a hero path, grab some d6s, and play. Great for new players and convention games.
- **Highlights:** Very easy to learn and teach, hero paths feel distinct without complex mechanics, karma and hero die create drama, runs well for one-shots and pickup games
- **Considerations:** Fantasy only: no official genre support, three classes per path limits long-campaign variety, minimal character advancement, no tactical depth
- **Publisher:** Runehammer Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ezd6

---

## Pirate Borg
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Doom-metal pirate horror on cursed seas: Mörk Borg compatible
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Horror
- **Tags:** Deadly, Rules-Light, Gonzo, Pirates, Fast-Paced, Random Tables
- **Family:** Borg
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 67 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + ability modifier vs. a Difficulty Rating (DR). Players roll both attack and defense. Five abilities (STR, AGI, PRE, TOU, SPI). Classes include Brute, Rapscallion, Buccaneer, and Swashbuckler. Devil's Luck points provide clutch rerolls. Ship combat uses broadside volleys and boarding actions. Fully compatible with Mörk Borg content.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, brutal pirate adventures with a doom-metal aesthetic: ship combat, cursed treasure, and a world spiraling toward annihilation.
- **Highlights:** Simple rules, ship combat is fast-paced, Devil's Luck creates drama, fully Mörk Borg compatible, extensive random tables for pirate adventures
- **Considerations:** Class balance varies significantly, core book layout prioritizes style over reference usability, ship combat rules are lighter than expected, random character generation limits player investment
- **Publisher:** Limithron LLC / Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Mörk Borg Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/pirate-borg

---

## Coriolis: The Third Horizon
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Arabian Nights in space: explore the Third Horizon as traders, mercenaries, or pilgrims among the stars
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Exploration, Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Faction Play, Ship-Based, Investigation, Cinematic
- **Family:** Year Zero Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill + gear). Each 6 is a success. Pray to the Icons to reroll all non-successes, but doing so gives the GM a Darkness Point to spend on complications, NPC boosts, or cosmic threats.
- **Best For:** Groups who want sci-fi exploration with a Middle Eastern-inspired setting, ship-based campaigns, and a mix of trade, intrigue, and cosmic mystery.
- **Highlights:** Setting blends sci-fi with Middle Eastern mythology and Icon worship, Darkness Points create a GM resource that escalates over the session, detailed ship customization with five crew roles in space combat, ten factions provide a political backdrop for intrigue campaigns
- **Considerations:** Space combat uses a separate five-phase subsystem with added complexity, praying to the Icons is the only reroll mechanic and it always costs a Darkness Point, mystical powers chapter is brief compared to the setting and combat chapters, setting is tightly coupled: 36 star systems with specific lore
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Year Zero Engine OGL
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, French, German, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/coriolis-the-third-horizon

---

## Eclipse Phase
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** Transhuman secret agents resleeve into new bodies to fight rogue AIs, alien viruses, and existential threats across a fractured solar system
- **Genre:** Scifi, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Weird, Investigation, Espionage, Faction Play, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 88 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 and try to land equal to or under your skill (or aptitude × 3 for unskilled checks), adjusted by difficulty modifiers in ±10 increments. The 33/66 rule grades each roll on a single throw: a success of 33 or higher is a superior success, a failure of 66 or lower is a superior failure, and doubles (00, 11, 22, …) are criticals. Four pools, Insight (mental), Moxie (social), Vigor (physical), and Flex (wild card), spend to add +20 to target numbers, flip-flop a roll's digits, upgrade a success, ignore wounds or trauma, or introduce narrative elements like NPCs and environmental details.
- **Best For:** Groups who want hard transhumanist sci-fi with cosmic horror undertones, dense subsystems for hacking and body-swapping, and the Firewall conspiracy framework where cortical-stack backups turn death into a setback rather than the end of a character.
- **Highlights:** The ego/morph split separates mind from body: characters back up their cortical stacks and can resleeve into biological morphs, robotic synthmorphs, or digital infomorphs between sessions, making body choice a tactical decision and death a recoverable setback. The 33/66 rule grades each percentile roll on a continuous scale of superior success or superior failure without rerolls, so a single throw produces a degree of outcome rather than just pass/fail. Seven distinct reputation networks (@-rep, c-rep, f-rep, g-rep, i-rep, r-rep, x-rep) replace cash for many transactions in post-scarcity territory, modeling factional standing as a parallel economy with its own favor limits and weekly refresh caps.
- **Considerations:** Bookkeeping splits across an ego sheet (mind, skills, traits, pools, rep) and a separate morph sheet (body, ware, Durability, derived combat stats), and resleeving mid-campaign swaps out the morph half including pool maximums. The book takes an overtly political stance: the introduction states it is "not the game for you" if you support authoritarianism, and faction writeups present anarchist and autonomist values as the authorial baseline rather than one option among many. Routine cortical-stack backups make character death recoverable by design, so traditional life-or-death stakes need to be reframed around backup destruction, exsurgent infection, or memory lack to carry weight.
- **Publisher:** Posthuman Studios
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/eclipse-phase

---

## Symbaroum
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Treasure-hunters and rivals push into the cursed forest of Davokar to plunder the relics of a fallen civilization
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Horror
- **Tags:** Dark Fantasy, Player-Only Rolls, Corruption, Exploration, Roll to Cast, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, Gritty, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d20 and try to land equal to or under one of eight Attributes: Accurate, Cunning, Discreet, Persuasive, Quick, Resolute, Strong, and Vigilant. Opposed tests adjust that Attribute by 10 minus the opponent's relevant value, so a weak foe grants a bonus and a strong one imposes a penalty. Only players roll dice, so an enemy attack becomes a player Defense test and NPC stats appear as fixed modifiers on the player's roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want long-form dark fantasy expeditions into ancient ruins, where magic, cursed relics, and the darkest parts of the forest put each character's soul at risk of permanent taint.
- **Highlights:** Corruption turns casting and cursed relics into a gamble: temporary taint that pushes total Corruption to half a character's Resolute leaves permanent Corruption and a Stigma, a step toward becoming an abomination. Witchsight reads the colored Shadow of a creature, place, or object to expose corruption and deceit, at a temporary Corruption cost per attempt that rises with the ability's tier. Only players roll dice, turning every exchange into player attack, Defense, damage, and Armor rolls against fixed NPC values.
- **Considerations:** Mystic play carries steady bookkeeping: Corruption costs for learning and casting vary by tradition and tier, and temporary and permanent totals must be tracked against the threshold. Each hit passes through several steps (Armor reduction, damage against Toughness, and a Pain Threshold effect when one hit exceeds it), which adds bookkeeping in busy fights. The core book deliberately limits its setting to the region around Davokar; the lands south of the Titans and the broader world receive only brief mention.
- **Publisher:** Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Symbaroum Third-Party Tabletop Module License (version 1.0)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Free League Free Tabletop License; Allowed with conditions; Symbaroum Third-Party Tabletop Module License (version 1.0); scope: Supplements (adventures, setting material, or rules additions) that require the first-edition Symbaroum core game, published in print, PDF, or VTT form in English, Swedish, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, or Italian; standalone games, reproduced or replacement core rules, new attributes, official text, art, or trade dress, and future editions are excluded.; terms: https://freeleaguepublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Symbaroum-License-Agreement-version-1.0.pdf; verified 2026-09-28; note: Supplements must carry the A Supplement For Symbaroum logo and a non-endorsement notice, and generative-AI content must be disclosed.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Swedish, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/symbaroum

---

## Spire: The City Must Fall
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Dark elf operatives wage a shadow war against high elf rulers inside a crumbling, mile-high city
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Dark Fantasy, Narrative, Character-Driven, Espionage, Social Intrigue, Fiction-First, Gritty, Deadly, Mission-Based, Roleplay-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d10s (one base die, plus an additional die each for having the relevant skill, domain, and mastery) and take the highest result. Results run from 1 (critical failure, double stress) through 2–5 (failure), 6–7 (success at a cost), 8–9 (success), to 10 (critical success). Difficulty reduces the pool by 1–2 dice.
- **Best For:** Groups who want long-form campaigns as operatives in a revolutionary resistance movement, where faction politics and moral compromise shape each session as much as the missions themselves.
- **Highlights:** Five separate resistance tracks (Blood, Mind, Shadow, Reputation, Silver) let different types of harm accumulate independently, each with its own fallout table. Fallout mechanics convert accumulated stress into concrete narrative consequences (broken limbs, criminal records, vendetta NPCs, or being burned by the Ministry) rather than flat stat penalties. NPC Bonds maintain their own stress tracks; calling in favors puts allies at risk, and bond fallout can cost safe houses, informants, or key relationships. Character advancement is tied to changing the city itself: small changes earn Low advances, moderate changes Medium, and huge or irreversible changes High. The change does not have to be for the better.
- **Considerations:** The drow revolution premise is deeply embedded in the fiction; the game is built around this specific setting and repurposing it for other campaigns requires significant adaptation. Combat has no rounds, turns, or initiative system; engagements are resolved as a narrative conversation with the GM choosing the order of action. Fallout can permanently remove or severely restrict character capabilities, including arrest, lost limbs, or exile from the Ministry.
- **Publisher:** Rowan, Rook and Decard
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/spire-the-city-must-fall

---

## Invisible Sun
- **Edition:** Black Cube
- **Tagline:** Awakened mages reclaim their lives in a surreal city where reality shifts with each turn of a card
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Crunchy, Worldbuilding, Lore-Heavy, Mana Points, Narrative, Roleplay-Heavy, Weird
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 82 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 30 (Low)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Subtract your venture (skills, spent bene from stat pools, situational modifiers) from the GM's challenge to find the number you must meet or beat on a d10. If venture meets the challenge, no roll is needed. Spending bene from the Sorcery pool casts spells and adds extra dice to magical actions (succeed if any die meets the target), but a flux result on a magic die triggers magical flux, an unintended side effect. The Sooth Deck of 60 cards plays along the Path of Suns board, and each new card shifts which colors of magic strengthen or weaken at the table.
- **Best For:** Groups who want long-form magical roleplaying in a surreal setting where character arcs and spellcasting matter as much as combat. Particularly suited to tables willing to invest in deep character creation and the elaborate physical components (card decks and the Path of Suns play board) that the system uses.
- **Highlights:** Four distinct magic orders each use different rules: Vance sorcerers prepare and cast spells learned from books, Makers craft lasting magical items through the Maker's Matrix, Weavers improvise spells by combining aggregates, and Goetics summon and bind demons. The Sooth Deck of 60 cards plays along a Path of Suns board to shift which colors of magic strengthen or weaken in real time. Character arcs are the primary advancement engine: players pursue personal goals to earn Acumen and Crux points, with arcs ranging from short stories to entire campaigns. Between-session 'side-scenes' let characters take significant actions in writing without taking up table time.
- **Considerations:** The full game uses an extensive physical-component library (Sooth Deck, multiple spell and ephemera decks, the Path of Suns board, character tomes, and stat pool sheets), all integral to play. Character creation runs eight steps across multiple chapters and typically occupies a full session before play begins. The Satyrine setting and its dream-logic surrealism are built into the rules; adapting Invisible Sun to a more conventional fantasy world requires reworking the magic registers, currency, and order structure. The Black Cube boxed set's premium pricing creates a higher barrier to entry than typical RPGs.
- **Publisher:** Monte Cook Games
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/invisible-sun

---

## Twilight Sword
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Champions travel a darkened land to fight monsters and bring back hope
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** JRPG, Heroic, Beginner-Friendly, Theater of the Mind, Inventory Management, Journey, Random Tables
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d12
- **Complexity:** 54 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d12 against one of eight Abilities and score equal to or under it to succeed, so low rolls are good. A 1 is always a critical success and a 12 always a critical failure, whatever the Ability score. Modifiers shift the target by up to 3 in either direction. Advantage rolls 2d12 and keeps the lower result, while Disadvantage keeps the higher.
- **Best For:** Groups who want the feel of JRPG and adventure video games at the table, with a core roll simple enough to teach newcomers. The low-lethality tone suits family or mixed-experience tables running long campaigns of travel and monster hunting.
- **Highlights:** Eight elements form a cycle where each beats the next, so picking an element against a monster's affinity is a puzzle rather than a flat damage bonus. A monster's Threat rating sets both how many the party should face and how many turns it takes each round, letting one number carry encounter balance and battlefield pacing. Advancement runs off a shared Hope track earned by completing deeds, tying character growth to how much of the world the party has restored.
- **Considerations:** Defeated Champions are knocked out rather than killed, and permanent death exists only as an optional rule the table must agree to before play begins. Cooking and brewing each require assembling a dice pool from gathered ingredients and reading it against a tiered effect table, a separate procedure from core resolution. Combat positioning uses four abstract ranges rather than measured distances, and the optional battle-map conversion is a short note rather than a developed ruleset.
- **Publisher:** Two Little Mice / Free League Publishing
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (third-party license pending)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/twilight-sword

---

## Elite: Dangerous Role Playing Game
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Trade, fight, and explore the stars as a freelance pilot in a cut-throat 34th-century galaxy
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Space Opera, Licensed IP, Ship-Based, Sandbox, Skill-Based, Tactical, Strong GM Support, Exploration
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d10 and add your Skill bonus (one-tenth of your skill score, rounded down): equal or exceed the GM's difficulty number to succeed. A natural 1 always fails and a natural 10 always succeeds, within reason. The same roll plus a weapon's Accuracy bonus drives combat at all three scales (personal, vehicle, and spaceship) against a target's Defence score.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play freelance starship commanders trading, exploring, and dogfighting their way across the 34th-century Milky Way. Particularly suited to fans of the Elite: Dangerous video game who want to expand the experience with crewed ground missions and off-ship intrigue.
- **Highlights:** Three integrated combat scales (personal, vehicle, and spaceship) share the same d10 resolution but each has scale-specific actions and damage rules. Spaceship combat uses a two-zone abstract flight system with zone-restricted actions (joust, dogfight, broadsides, ram, and others), so manoeuvre matters without a grid. Sixteen ships from the video game (Sidewinder through Anaconda) are statted with full component, weapon mount, and modification rules. The Random Generation System provides d10 tables for generating star systems, missions, encounters, and military objectives between or during sessions.
- **Considerations:** Spaceship combat has more moving parts than personal-scale checks: shield recharge, equipment actions, floating bonuses, component criticals, and ammo all need tracking each round. The conversational prose style is approachable to read but slow to navigate when looking up a specific rule mid-session. Single-pilot ships are the default; running larger crewed vessels with multiple PCs at the same console takes GM adjustment. The setting is locked to the video game's 34th-century three-superpower politics, which constrains departures from established lore.
- **Publisher:** Spidermind Games / Modiphius Entertainment
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (Frontier Developments licensed IP)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/elite-dangerous-role-playing-game

---

## Mythras
- **Edition:** 3rd Printing
- **Tagline:** Every clash of swords is a tactical decision: gritty d100 roleplaying where combat mastery matters
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Universal
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Tactical, Simulation, Character Building, Deadly, Sandbox
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 78 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 under your skill percentage. In combat, degree of success vs. opponent determines Special Effects: tactical maneuvers like Disarm, Trip, Bypass Armor, and Bleed. Action Points govern actions per round, damage applies to hit locations.
- **Best For:** Groups who want gritty, tactical, and realistic combat in a skill-based percentile system, particularly for historical, mythic, or low-fantasy settings.
- **Highlights:** Tactical Special Effects combat system, classless skill-based progression, five distinct magic systems, adaptable to many genres, free intro version (Mythras Imperative)
- **Considerations:** Steep learning curve for combat, analysis paralysis when choosing effects, large combats become unwieldy, lengthy character creation
- **Publisher:** The Design Mechanism
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** ORC
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mythras

---

## Pendragon
- **Edition:** 5th Edition
- **Tagline:** Play a line of knights chasing glory, love, and honor through the rise and fall of King Arthur's Britain
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Historical
- **Tags:** Character-Driven, Domain Management, Lore-Heavy, Deadly, Simulation, Crunchy, Social Intrigue
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 against the relevant skill or attribute: a result equal to or under its value succeeds, a roll exactly equal to the value is a critical success, and a natural 20 is a fumble. Opposed actions have both sides roll under their value, with the higher success winning and a beaten-but-successful roll scoring a partial success. Personality traits and passions use the same numeric scale and are rolled the same way when a knight's character is put to the test.
- **Best For:** Long-running Arthurian campaigns where a knight's aging, death, and dynastic succession are part of the genre, and where playing out a character's traits, loyalties, and passions matters as much as winning fights.
- **Highlights:** Thirteen opposed pairs of personality traits and a set of named passions are rated numerically and rolled like skills, and a passion roll can leave a knight inspired to heroics, disheartened, or maddened beyond the player's control: the heightened behavior that drives Arthurian drama. Every chivalric act (combat, generosity, romance, piety, holding a title) feeds a single lifelong Glory total that sets social rank and rewards embodying knightly ideals over simply winning fights. A yearly Winter Phase resolves aging, estate income, and family events between sessions and passes the line to an heir on death, so a campaign can span generations from Uther's court to the fall of the Round Table.
- **Considerations:** Core rules restrict player characters to knights, with no mechanics for playing magicians, priests, or commoners, which narrows the cast to the warrior aristocracy. The Winter Phase's multi-step annual procedure adds meaningful between-session bookkeeping to every campaign year. High-damage attacks such as a couched lance or great sword can end a fight in a single exchange, making disadvantaged or improvised fights disproportionately dangerous.
- **Publisher:** Arthaus
- **Year:** 2005
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/pendragon

---

## Gamma World
- **Edition:** 7th Edition
- **Tagline:** Mutant explorers scavenge a post-apocalyptic Earth patched together from collided alternate timelines
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic, Scifi
- **Tags:** Superpowers, Random Character Creation, Classless, Gonzo, Comedy, Tactical, Grid-Based, Combat-Heavy, Beginner-Friendly, Deadly
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 58 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 45 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d20 and add a modifier, then compare the total to a target number or one of four defenses: Armor Class, Fortitude, Reflex, or Will. Two randomly rolled character origins combine to set starting ability scores, skills, and powers instead of a chosen race and class. Alpha Mutation and Omega Tech cards drawn from a shared deck grant each character's most powerful and unpredictable abilities for the session.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a silly, fast-paced pickup game with randomly generated mutant heroes rather than a long-term character build.
- **Highlights:** Alpha Mutation and Omega Tech cards replace a fixed power list, so a character's abilities shift unpredictably as cards are drawn, used, and discarded between encounters. Rolling two random character origins instead of choosing a race and class produces unplanned combinations that push players toward improvised character concepts. A hundred-item Ancient Junk table turns ordinary scavenging into a steady stream of small, flavorful rewards between the rarer Omega Tech finds.
- **Considerations:** Character origins are rolled randomly from a fixed table, so a player who wants a specific concept must ask the Game Master for permission to choose origins instead. The starter box's 80 cards are the only power pool for groups without the two out-of-print expansion kits, capping how many distinct Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech items a table can draw. Running combat means tracking multiple readied and discarded card piles for each character in addition to the four defenses, conditions, and forced movement of the underlying 4th Edition engine.
- **Publisher:** Wizards of the Coast
- **Year:** 2010
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/gamma-world

---

## The Dark Eye
- **Edition:** 5th Edition (English)
- **Tagline:** Germany's premier fantasy RPG: a detailed world of Aventuria with a skill system built on triple d20 checks
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Skill-Based, Lore-Heavy, Character Building, Simulation, Social Intrigue, High-Fantasy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 75 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 55 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Skill checks require rolling a d20 three times, each against a different linked attribute (roll under). A pool of Skill Points can be spent to reduce individual rolls that exceed their target attribute. Remaining Skill Points after all three rolls determine the Quality Level of the success. Combat uses d20 roll-under for attacks, with separate Parry and Dodge defense rolls. Spellcasting costs Arcane Energy points and uses the same triple-check system.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a detailed, skill-rich fantasy RPG with a deeply developed setting and mechanics that model character competence through point-based skill management rather than binary pass/fail.
- **Highlights:** Triple d20 skill check system rewards investment in both attributes and skills, Aventuria is one of the most extensively detailed published RPG settings, free quickstart rules available
- **Considerations:** Eight attributes and dozens of skills make character creation lengthy, triple d20 check resolution is slower than single-roll systems, core rulebook is dense and requires significant reading before play
- **Publisher:** Ulisses Spiele
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Scriptorium Aventuris (community content program)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-dark-eye

---

## Ars Magica
- **Edition:** 5th Edition
- **Tagline:** Troupe-style play in Mythic Europe where wizards master the art of magic through Technique and Form
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Historical
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Freeform Magic, Collaborative, Simulation, CC-Licensed Rules, Roll to Cast, Domain Management, Social Intrigue
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10
- **Complexity:** 80 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d10 + Characteristic + Ability against an Ease Factor. Simple die rolls count the result at face value; stress die rolls on a 1 double the next roll (cascading), while a 0 risks a botch by rolling additional botch dice. Magic uses Technique + Form (five verbs like Creo, Perdo combined with ten nouns like Ignem, Corpus) to define any spell effect. Formulaic spells are pre-learned, spontaneous spells can attempt any Technique + Form combination by halving the casting total, and ritual spells handle large-scale or permanent effects.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a deeply researched medieval European setting with the most flexible magic system in tabletop RPGs and troupe-style play where multiple characters share the spotlight across seasons of game time.
- **Highlights:** Technique + Form magic system allows freeform spell creation by combining five verbs with ten nouns. Troupe-style play rotates magi, companions, and grogs so every player has multiple characters. Covenant management adds strategic play between adventures. Mythic Europe setting blends historical accuracy with medieval folklore and theology.
- **Considerations:** Core rulebook is dense at 240 pages with extensive magic subsystems that require study before play. Laboratory rules, seasonal advancement, and covenant management demand significant bookkeeping. The troupe-style format requires buy-in from the whole group. Combat is deliberately secondary to magic and social play.
- **Publisher:** Atlas Games
- **Year:** 2004
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Spanish, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ars-magica

---

## Adventures in Middle-earth
- **Edition:** Core Rulebooks
- **Tagline:** Free Peoples of Wilderland resist the gathering Shadow in the years between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Journey, Corruption, Licensed IP, Low-Fantasy, Lore-Heavy, Social Intrigue, Character Building
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 63 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Uses the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition engine: roll a d20, add an ability modifier and proficiency, and compare the total to a difficulty number. Advantage and disadvantage, rolling two d20s and keeping the higher or lower, are the main swing on that roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who already know 5th Edition D&D and want a low-magic, Tolkien-faithful campaign built around travel, reputation among the Free Peoples, and slow-burn corruption instead of spellcasting and dungeon loot. It suits a long campaign that plays out the Journey and Fellowship Phase cycle across in-game years more than a single one-shot.
- **Highlights:** The Journey subsystem resolves overland travel through assigned companion roles and branching event tables, so a trek across Wilderland produces its own hazards and pacing rather than being skipped over. Shadow points replace alignment with a tracked corruption economy that climbs from the Miserable condition to permanent madness, giving each character a mechanical moral pressure tied to their class. Audiences resolve encounters with lords and elders through an eleven-culture attitude chart and an introduction check, so a hero's standing among the Free Peoples is a concrete mechanical fact rather than pure GM judgment.
- **Considerations:** None of the six classes cast spells, so a group wanting a traditional wizard or cleric has to import one from another 5e game. Combat is essentially unmodified 5th Edition, so groups already tired of standard tactical D&D combat will find the same core fight rules here. Shadow adds a second per-character failure economy alongside hit points, with permanent points that never heal and must be tracked across an entire campaign.
- **Publisher:** Cubicle 7
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** Unavailable
- **License:** OGL 1.0a; Middle-earth Enterprises license
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/adventures-in-middle-earth

---

## Feng Shui
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Hong Kong action heroes wage a secret war across four eras
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Scifi, Historical, Modern, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Cinematic, Combat-Heavy, Fast-Paced, High-Power, Martial Arts, Playbook-Driven, Pulp Action, Strong GM Support, Tactical, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 58 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a positive d6 and a negative d6, subtract the negative die from the positive, and add the Swerve to an Action Value. Meeting or beating the Difficulty succeeds, while open-ended sixes create extreme results.
- **Best For:** Groups that want fast Hong Kong action, tactical shot-by-shot fights, melodramatic hooks, and time-traveling campaigns that mix genres
- **Highlights:** A descending shot countdown makes every action and interrupt change when a character acts again. One-hit mooks support crowd-clearing spectacle, while featured foes and bosses use deeper wound rules for climactic fights. Feng shui sites link faction victories to changes in history across four connected eras.
- **Considerations:** Most starting archetypes have fixed statistics and schticks, so initial mechanical customization is limited. The default adventure structure treats investigation and social scenes mainly as connections between fights. Exploding positive and negative dice permit large reversals even when a character's Action Value substantially exceeds the Difficulty.
- **Publisher:** Atlas Games
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Noncommercial publishing only — Atlas Games Fair Use policy; Atlas Games Fair Use policy (informal guidance, not an open license); scope: Original fan adventures, fiction, short programs, and spreadsheets may be shared as free downloads on non-charging, ad-free platforms. Free fan websites and fanzines are also allowed when they generate no income. Include the required copyright and trademark notices and Atlas disclaimer.; terms: https://atlas-games.com/fairuse; verified 2026-09-07; note: Commercial publication, substantial rulebook reproduction, translations, regalia, and game or VTT implementations require separate permission.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, Russian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/feng-shui

---

## Atomic Robo RPG
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Action Scientists battle super-science conspiracies across a century of weird history
- **Genre:** Scifi, Modern, Historical
- **Tags:** Pulp Action, Licensed IP, Investigation, Cinematic, Tag-Based, Fiction-First, Narrative, Collaborative, Improvisation, Superpowers
- **Family:** Fate
- **Dice:** 4dF (Fudge dice)
- **Complexity:** 48 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll four Fate dice and add a skill rating, then compare the total against a fixed difficulty or an opponent's roll on the adjective ladder. Matching the opposition is a tie, beating it by one or two shifts is a success, and beating it by three or more is a success with style. Spend a fate point to invoke an aspect for +2 or a reroll. Accepting a compel earns a fate point in exchange for a complication.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play Action Scientists in pulp adventures against super-science conspiracies, jumping between eras of a century-long secret history. Its Brainstorms suit tables that like solving mysteries together during play.
- **Highlights:** Brainstorms turn a mystery into a group procedure: each winning roll adds a fact as an aspect, and the final hypothesis must build on every fact. Invention rules build a gadget from a function aspect, a flaw aspect, and stunt benefits, then charge for it in narrative catches like rare materials rather than money. E-Z No-Math creation starts a character from a concept and three rated modes, so players can make characters on the fly and fill in aspects and stunts during play.
- **Considerations:** Custom weird characters take longer to build, because modes and skill improvements are bought from a 30-point budget instead of picked from the E-Z options. The campaign rules assume the PCs belong to a faction, so a group playing freelancers has to build its own organization or run without the faction support and advancement rules. A Brainstorm's winning hypothesis becomes the truth of the situation, so a GM cannot count on a planned explanation for a mystery surviving play.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** CC BY 3.0 or OGL 1.0a (SRD); core book All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Open license; Allowed with conditions; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported or Open Game License v1.0a; scope: Atomic Robo RPG SRD rules text, including modes, custom skills, stunts, mega-stunts, invention, and brainstorms; the core rulebook's setting, characters, art, and Atomic Robo trademarks are excluded.; terms: https://fate-srd.com/official-licensing-fate; verified 2026-09-25; note: Evil Hat publishes the SRD in parallel CC BY 3.0 and OGL versions; attribution is required, and Evil Hat endorsement may not be implied.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/atomic-robo-rpg

---

## Adventurer Conqueror King System
- **Edition:** Imperial Imprint Revised Rulebook
- **Tagline:** From dungeon delver to domain ruler: adventurers become conquerors and conquerors become kings
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Sandbox, Domain Management, Character Building, Simulation, Dungeon Crawl, Ascending AC
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 75 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 30 (Low)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifiers vs. a target value for attack throws, saving throws, and proficiency throws. 18 classes across core (Fighter, Explorer, Thief, Mage, Crusader, Venturer), campaign (Assassin, Barbarian, Bard, Bladedancer, Paladin, Priestess, Shaman, Warlock, Witch), and demi-human archetypes. 110 proficiencies and 378 spells. Characters progress from adventurers to domain rulers with integrated systems for strongholds, realms, mercantile ventures, criminal syndicates, armies, pitched battles, and sieges.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a B/X-rooted OSR game that seamlessly scales from dungeon crawling to ruling kingdoms, with deeply integrated economics, domain management, and mass combat.
- **Highlights:** Detailed domain and kingdom management rules, economics and mercantile systems are integrated throughout, mass combat scales from skirmishes to wars, 18 classes with quick-start templates, builds on B/X foundations
- **Considerations:** 540+ page rulebook is intimidating, tightly coupled subsystems, fantasy-only with narrow genre support, very high GM prep for domain-level play
- **Publisher:** Autarch LLC
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/adventurer-conqueror-king-system

---

## BESM
- **Edition:** 4th Edition
- **Tagline:** The multi-genre anime and manga RPG: Big Eyes, Small Mouth
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Character Building, Cinematic, Heroic, Pulp Action, Anime
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 60 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Tri-Stat System: three Stats (Body, Mind, Soul) plus point-buy Attributes, Defects, and Skills built from a Character Point budget. Roll 2d6 + relevant Stat or Combat Value vs. a Target Number. Edges and Obstacles add or remove dice. Eight power levels scale from Sub-Human to Godlike.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play anime and manga-inspired adventures in any genre: from magical girls and mecha pilots to demon hunters and high school detectives.
- **Highlights:** Highly flexible point-buy system can model any anime concept, free primer available, scalable power levels from slice-of-life to cosmic
- **Considerations:** Point-buy character creation can overwhelm newcomers, balance depends heavily on GM oversight, anime-focused tone may not suit all groups, dense attribute list requires bookkeeping
- **Publisher:** Dyskami Publishing
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (Tri-Stat)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/besm

---

## D6 System
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** A multi-genre toolkit for action-adventure in any setting
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Toolkit, Modular, Cinematic, Hackable, Skill-Based, Character Building
- **Family:** D6 System
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Rate attributes and skills in numbers of six-sided dice, then roll that pool and total it against a difficulty number set by the GM. One die is the Wild Die: a 6 explodes and is rolled again, while a 1 can introduce a complication. Pips give +1 or +2 between full dice, and Character Points can be spent to add dice to a roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want one adaptable engine they can take across genres (cinematic action, fantasy, cyberpunk) with modular crunch they can dial up or down.
- **Highlights:** Attributes and skills are rated in numbers of d6 that you pool, sum, and compare to a difficulty number, so improving a trait literally adds dice. One die in every pool is the Wild Die, which explodes on a 6 to push results higher and can trigger a complication on a 1. Genre Modules for fantasy, cyberpunk, superpowers, and more bolt onto the same core, so one engine spans many settings.
- **Considerations:** Large dice pools mean rolling and summing many d6s per action, which slows resolution for highly skilled characters. The breadth of optional modules and rules variants means groups must decide which subsystems to use before play. Character creation allocates dice and pips across attributes and skills, requiring some up-front arithmetic.
- **Publisher:** Gallant Knight Games
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (licensed from West End Games)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/d6-system

---

## Risus
- **Edition:** Version 2.02
- **Tagline:** The Anything RPG: four pages of rules for any genre
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Comedy, Low-Prep, Narrative, Fiction-First, Freeform Magic, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 8 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 50 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Characters are defined by Clichés rated in d6s (e.g., Viking (4), Hacker (3)). Roll your Cliché dice vs. a target number or in opposed rolls where the low roller loses a die.
- **Best For:** Pick-up games, emergency one-shots, comedy campaigns, or anytime you need a complete RPG in four pages that handles any genre.
- **Highlights:** Fits on four pages, broadly universal, character creation takes minutes, completely free
- **Considerations:** Cliché-based resolution can feel one-note over multiple sessions, limited advancement rules, team combat heavily favors larger groups, creating a strong incentive to always combine dice, comedy tone permeates all mechanical language
- **Publisher:** Big Dice Games
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Free (non-commercial)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/risus

---

## Lasers & Feelings
- **Edition:** Original
- **Tagline:** One-page sci-fi RPG: pick a number, roll some dice, crew the Raptor
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep, Comedy, Collaborative, Fiction-First, CC-Licensed Rules, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 5 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 50 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Pick a number from 2–5. Roll 1–3d6 depending on preparation and expertise. Rolls under your number succeed at Lasers (science, tech, reason); rolls over succeed at Feelings (intuition, diplomacy, passion). Rolling exactly your number triggers Laser Feelings: a special insight where you can ask the GM one question.
- **Best For:** Quick one-shots with zero prep: the crew of the interstellar scout ship Raptor must save the day while the captain is out of commission.
- **Highlights:** Entire game fits on one page, zero prep needed, character creation takes seconds, free and Creative Commons licensed
- **Considerations:** The GM carries most of the creative and structural load. The single stat means characters can feel mechanically identical. There is no structured scenario framework beyond the initial hook.
- **Publisher:** One Seven Design (John Harper)
- **Year:** 2013
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/lasers-feelings

---

## Freeform Universal
- **Edition:** Classic Rules
- **Tagline:** Improvise action-adventure stories in any setting you can imagine
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Narrative, Improvisation, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Toolkit, Player-Only Rolls, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 12 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 and read it as a yes/no answer to a stated question: 6 = yes and (a bonus), 4 = yes, 2 = yes but (a cost), 5 = no but, 3 = no, 1 = no and (it worsens). Each Descriptor, item of Gear, or factor that helps adds a bonus die and you keep the best; each that hinders adds a penalty die and you keep the worst; helping and hindering dice cancel one-for-one. FU Points buy extra dice or re-rolls, and only players roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to improvise a story in any genre with almost no prep, and pick-up or one-shot games where character creation needs to take minutes.
- **Highlights:** Every roll answers a yes/no question on a six-step ladder, so one d6 produces graded outcomes from "yes, and" to "no, and" without separate hit, damage, or opposed rolls. Characters are built from four plain-language Descriptors plus Gear the table reads literally, so any setting plays with no stat conversion. Situational advantage adds bonus or penalty dice that cancel one-for-one and keep the single best or worst result, collapsing all modifiers into one step.
- **Considerations:** Outcomes hinge on table agreement about whether a Descriptor applies, so play depends on shared interpretation rather than fixed numbers. There is no default combat, health, or damage subsystem, so injuries are tracked as freeform Conditions and lethality is left to the group. Advancement is minimal, so long campaigns give characters little mechanical growth.
- **Publisher:** Peril Planet
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/freeform-universal

---

## Mutants & Masterminds
- **Edition:** Deluxe Hero's Handbook
- **Tagline:** Costumed heroes battle supervillains, alien invaders, and cosmic threats in modern comic book adventures
- **Genre:** Modern, Superhero
- **Tags:** Superpowers, Heroic, Crunchy, Character Building, Tactical, Cinematic
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 75 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifier against a Difficulty Class. Heroes are built from a Power Points budget capped by a series Power Level (usually 10), which limits paired trait totals (attack bonus + effect rank, dodge + toughness) to twice the level. Damage is resisted with Toughness checks that escalate conditions (bruised, staggered, incapacitated) instead of tracking hit points. Hero Points let players reroll, edit scenes, or recover from conditions; complications coming into play earn them back.
- **Best For:** Groups who want unlimited freedom to design any superhero concept (from masked vigilante to cosmic powerhouse) with a flexible point-buy build system and tactical combat that emphasizes power-level balance.
- **Highlights:** Modular power-construction system builds any superpower from effects, modifiers, and flaws; Power Level caps enforce balance even when individual traits vary widely; Hero Points reward roleplaying complications with mechanical benefits; conditions track damage progression instead of using a hit point pool
- **Considerations:** Character creation requires significant rules mastery to navigate the point-buy power construction; resolving an attack involves multiple checks per action: attack roll, Toughness resistance, condition tracking; Power Level caps can frustrate players who want to push paired-trait limits like attack and effect rank
- **Publisher:** Green Ronin Publishing
- **Year:** 2013
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mutants-masterminds

---

## Sentinel Comics RPG
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Become a comic book hero in a world of four-color superhero action
- **Genre:** Modern, Superhero
- **Tags:** Heroic, Narrative, Superpowers, Combat-Heavy, Cinematic, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll three dice (from powers, qualities, and status) and use the middle result vs. difficulty. Your status zone (green/yellow/red) changes available abilities as you take damage.
- **Best For:** Superhero campaigns that feel like reading a comic book, with a unique status-shifting system and structured hero/villain/environment turns.
- **Highlights:** Captures comic book pacing well, status system creates dramatic arcs, villain/environment turns keep things dynamic, developed published setting
- **Considerations:** Tightly tied to the Sentinel Comics universe, status dice tracking requires careful bookkeeping, can feel constrained for freeform players
- **Publisher:** Greater Than Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/sentinel-comics-rpg

---

## ICONS
- **Edition:** The Assembled Edition
- **Tagline:** Four-color superhero adventures from street-level vigilantes to cosmic powerhouses
- **Genre:** Superhero, Modern
- **Tags:** Superpowers, Heroic, Cinematic, Rules-Light, Random Character Creation, Tag-Based, Theater of the Mind, Beginner-Friendly
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Effort vs. Difficulty. Each side adds a single d6 to a 1–10 ability level (acting Ability + d6 for effort, opposing Ability + d6 for difficulty); subtract difficulty from effort to find the outcome and its degree (marginal, moderate, major, or massive success or failure). Qualities are short narrative descriptors (titles, drives, catchphrases, weaknesses) that any player or the GM can activate to gain an advantage or create trouble. Activating trouble against your own hero earns Determination Points, which fuel stunts, retcons, ability boosts, and other player-side narrative interventions.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast superhero campaigns where heroes can be rolled up in minutes, freeform qualities drive both advantages and complications, and the rules stay out of the way of comic-book pacing.
- **Highlights:** Hero creation runs through a handful of dice rolls: origin (Trained, Transformed, Birthright, Gimmick, Artificial, Unearthly), six attributes, number and type of powers, and specialties. It produces a complete superhero in minutes, with the random results functioning as creative prompts for backstory rather than constraints on concept. Qualities act like Fate aspects: any side can invoke them for in-fiction advantage, and accepting compelled trouble against your own qualities is the primary way to refill Determination Points, so personal drama directly feeds the metacurrency. Pyramid tests resolve complex challenges by stacking smaller successes (two moderate successes equal a major, two majors equal a massive), letting investigations, chases, or skill montages play out across multiple rolls and abilities with optional modifiers like Timed, Escalating, Collapsing, and Competitive to shape the challenge.
- **Considerations:** Default hero creation is fully random (origin, attributes, and powers all come off 2d6 tables), so groups wanting a planned concept need to use the alternate 45-point buy or rely on attribute swaps and re-rolls. Combat resolves against a single Stamina pool (Strength + Willpower) with no grid rules or status conditions beyond a handful of effect powers, so brawls play fast but lack tactical positional depth. Powers are intentionally broad rather than deep (about sixty powers cover the genre), and exotic builds rely on stacking extras and limits rather than the granular menu of effects found in crunchier supers games.
- **Publisher:** Green Ronin Publishing
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/icons

---

## Blue Rose
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Romantic fantasy envoys defend an egalitarian kingdom from corruption and Shadow
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Character-Driven, Corruption, Tactical, Crunchy, Social Intrigue, Strong GM Support, High-Fantasy, Lore-Heavy, Heroic, Roleplay-Heavy
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 61 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 56 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 and add the relevant ability, skill, or arcanum modifier against a Difficulty set by the Narrator. Attacks use the same procedure against Defense. Successful damage forces a Toughness save that moves the target along an injury track instead of reducing hit points.
- **Best For:** Groups who want hopeful romantic fantasy campaigns where personal motivations, political intrigue, and heroic service matter alongside tactical conflict.
- **Highlights:** Acting on a Calling and either nature restores Conviction, turning personal motives into a renewable resource. Reputation and Influence give past deeds and changing attitudes mechanical weight in social scenes. Sorcery risks Corruption that erodes abilities and can culminate in madness or unlife, making forbidden magic a sustained consequence rather than a binary choice.
- **Considerations:** Character creation combines a background and role with several layers of customization, requiring choices across multiple chapters. Combat tracks actions, modifiers, saving throws, and damage conditions instead of a single hit-point total. Sorcery's Corruption rules attach moral consequences to forbidden magic, so groups must engage with the setting's Light and Shadow framework.
- **Publisher:** Green Ronin Publishing, LLC
- **Year:** 2005
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Open Game License Version 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Open Game License v1.0a; Allowed with conditions; Open Game License Version 1.0a; scope: Chapters 2 through 11 are Open Game Content except material already designated Product Identity; Chapter 1, character and place names, histories, descriptions, art, and images are excluded.; terms: https://greenronin.com/tree_of_life/ogl.htm; verified 2026-09-20; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/blue-rose

---

## Pathfinder for Savage Worlds
- **Edition:** Core Rules, 2nd Printing
- **Tagline:** Fast, cinematic adventure across Golarion's epic fantasy world
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Heroic, High-Fantasy, Character Building, Tactical, Fast-Paced
- **Family:** Savage Worlds
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a trait die (d4–d12) plus a Wild Die (d6); keep the highest. Dice 'explode' (ace) on their max value. Beat a Target Number (usually 4) to succeed; each raise (4 over) improves the result. Playing cards determine initiative. Bennies let you reroll or soak damage. Class Edges capture Pathfinder archetypes as progressive talent trees.
- **Best For:** Groups who love the Pathfinder world of Golarion but want faster, more cinematic combat: Savage Worlds' exploding dice and Bennies replace Pathfinder's tactical crunch with pulp-action heroics.
- **Highlights:** Fast combat compared to standard Pathfinder, Golarion setting fully supported with ancestries and deities, Class Edges capture iconic Pathfinder classes, Bennies keep heroes in the action, compatible with Savage Worlds Adventure Paths
- **Considerations:** Requires Savage Worlds familiarity: not standalone for new SW players, some Pathfinder depth lost in translation, not compatible with standard Pathfinder adventures without conversion
- **Publisher:** Pinnacle Entertainment Group / Paizo
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Savage Worlds (Proprietary)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/pathfinder-for-savage-worlds

---

## No Thank You, Evil!
- **Edition:** Core Box
- **Tagline:** A tabletop RPG for families: brave heroes explore the magical land of Storia
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly, Rules-Light, Narrative, Collaborative, Low-Prep
- **Family:** Cypher System
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Simplified Cypher System: roll d6 vs. difficulty number (1–6). Spend points from pools (Tough, Fast, Smart, Awesome) to lower difficulty. Character sentences scale by age: 'I'm a Noun' (age 5+), 'I'm an Adjective Noun' (age 6+), 'I'm an Adjective Noun who Verbs' (age 8+). Every character has a Companion with a one-use Cypher power. Any player can shout 'No Thank You, Evil!' to instantly end a scary encounter.
- **Best For:** Families with kids aged 5 and up who want a structured, supportive introduction to tabletop RPGs in a whimsical setting.
- **Highlights:** Three complexity tiers scale character sentences by age (5+, 6+, 8+), built-in safety mechanic lets any player end a scary encounter, every character has a Companion with a one-use Cypher power, uses simplified Cypher System rules as a gateway to Numenera and The Strange
- **Considerations:** Designed for ages 5–12 with limited mechanical depth for older players, d6 vs. difficulty 1–6 resolution has narrow outcome range, setting is locked to the whimsical land of Storia, no advancement system beyond the three-tier sentence structure
- **Publisher:** Monte Cook Games
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/no-thank-you-evil

---

## Magical Kitties Save the Day
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** You are magical kitties protecting your humans from dangers they can't even see
- **Genre:** Modern, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly, Rules-Light, Narrative, Character-Driven, Collaborative, Freeform Magic, Player-Only Rolls, Fast-Paced
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d6s equal to your attribute (Cute, Cunning, or Fierce, rated 1–4). Each die meeting or exceeding the GM-set difficulty (3–6) counts as a success. Zero successes is a failure with a complication, one is a partial success, two is a clean success, and three or more grants a bonus. Talents add one die, Magical Powers add two dice once per scene, and Injuries subtract dice. Kitty Treats (earned by playing your Flaw in interesting ways) can reroll dice, prevent injuries, or add story elements. Failed checks award Experience Points, encouraging risk-taking.
- **Best For:** Families with kids aged 6 and up, mixed-age groups, and anyone who wants a gentle introduction to RPGs with a cozy premise and mechanically simple but rewarding play.
- **Highlights:** Character creation takes about five minutes using three attributes, one Talent, one Flaw, and one Magical Power. Failed rolls award XP, which encourages players to attempt difficult actions. Each kitty has a human with ranked Problems that drive adventures and give the story personal stakes. Kitty Treats earned from Flaws let players reroll dice or add narrative elements to the scene.
- **Considerations:** No free quickstart or SRD available: the core rules require purchase. Characters cannot die; they get knocked out and recover between scenes. The premise is specifically tied to playing magical cats, limiting genre flexibility.
- **Publisher:** Atlas Games
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/magical-kitties-save-the-day

---

## Ryuutama
- **Edition:** English Translation
- **Tagline:** Natural fantasy roleplaying: heartwarming journeys through a world inspired by Studio Ghibli and classic JRPGs
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Exploration, Beginner-Friendly, Character-Driven, Narrative, Family-Friendly, Atmospheric, Low-Prep
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll two ability dice (d4–d12) and add them together vs. a target number. Four daily travel rolls (Condition, Travel, Direction, Camping) drive gameplay. Classes are travelers (farmers, merchants, healers, artisans), not warriors. The GM plays a Ryuujin (dragon person) who secretly guides the journey. Seasonal magic and terrain types shape encounters.
- **Best For:** Groups who want cozy, travel-focused adventures where the journey itself is the story: minstrels, merchants, and healers exploring a gentle fantasy world.
- **Highlights:** Four daily travel rolls (Condition, Travel, Direction, Camping) make the journey the core gameplay loop, condition system tracks daily well-being mechanically, seven traveler classes (farmer, merchant, healer, etc.) instead of combat archetypes, seasonal magic system tied to terrain types
- **Considerations:** Limited random tables for generating travel encounters, Ryuujin GM character has benediction powers that direct the narrative, combat system is simplified compared to travel mechanics, setting assumes a gentle-fantasy tone with no built-in support for darker themes
- **Publisher:** Kotodama Heavy Industries
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ryuutama

---

## The Wildsea
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Chainsaw-sailing across a treetop ocean in a world swallowed by wild growth
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Exploration, Narrative, Ship-Based, Worldbuilding, Character-Driven, Collaborative, Fiction-First, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 dice pool: 6 is a full success, 4–5 is a partial success, 1–3 is a failure. Doubles of any value trigger a Twist: something unexpected happens. Characters are defined by Aspects (gear, abilities, cultural traits) with associated damage tracks. Progress clocks (tracks) are used universally for combat, crafting, healing, and journeys. Drives give characters personal goals that earn advancement.
- **Best For:** Groups who want exploration-driven campaigns in a wildly original setting: sailing chainsaw ships across living treetops with a diverse crew of humans, cactus-folk, spider hive-minds, and moth-people.
- **Highlights:** Seven playable species including cactus-folk, spider hive-minds, and moth-people, track system unifies combat, crafting, healing, and journeys under one mechanic, Silver ENnie winner for Best Writing, character creation uses modular Aspects (gear, abilities, cultural traits)
- **Considerations:** Track-based resolution uses the same clock mechanic for all conflict types, d6 dice pool with doubles-as-Twist is the only resolution mechanic, equipment and aspect lists lack a comprehensive index, setting-specific: tied to the treetop-ocean world
- **Publisher:** Mythworks (Felix Isaacs)
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-wildsea

---

## Grimwild
- **Edition:** Cinematic Fantasy Roleplaying
- **Tagline:** Heroic fantasy adventure driven by dramatic, cinematic scenes
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Fiction-First, Cinematic, Character-Driven, Heroic, Low-Prep, Random Tables, Player-Only Rolls, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool, d8
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6 stat dice and take the highest: 6 is a perfect, 4–5 is messy (you succeed with trouble), 1–3 is grim. Two or more 6s is a critical. For harder tasks the GM adds d8 thorns, which can cut a high die down a tier. Players spend spark to boost rolls; the GM spends suspense to complicate them. The GM never rolls.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, cinematic heroic fantasy that leans on dramatic story beats and character arcs rather than tactical grid combat.
- **Highlights:** Action rolls take the highest of a d6 stat pool for a perfect, messy, or grim result, so every roll lands on a three-tier outcome rather than pass/fail. The GM raises difficulty by adding d8 thorns that can cut an otherwise good result, scaling danger without changing the dice you roll. Pools of d6 track resources, threats, and clocks by dropping dice as they deplete, unifying hit points, supplies, and looming dangers into one countdown.
- **Considerations:** The GM never rolls dice, so all pacing and threat escalation rest on GM judgment and spent suspense. Outcomes are deliberately cinematic rather than simulationist, abstracting away tactical positioning and precise resource accounting. Advancement is tied to resolving story and character arcs, so groups that skip arc play get little mechanical progression.
- **Publisher:** Oddity Press
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/grimwild

---

## Wicked Ones
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** A band of fantasy monsters build a dungeon, raid the surrounding lands for a hoard, and defend their lair when heroes come to destroy it
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Base-Building, Domain Management, Faction Play, Sandbox, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** FitD
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 66 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 88 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a pool of d6s equal to your action rating and keep the single highest die: a 6 succeeds, a 4 or 5 succeeds with a consequence, and a 1 to 3 fails. Before the roll the GM sets position and effect, which fix how bad the consequence can be and how much the action accomplishes. Stress can be spent to push a roll or resist a consequence.
- **Best For:** Groups who like the fiction-first Forged in the Dark engine and want to flip the dungeon crawl: instead of raiding a dungeon they build, grow, and defend one as its monstrous residents across a long campaign. It rewards tables that enjoy a strategic hoard-and-tier economy layered on villain-POV roleplay, and that are willing to set tone and safety expectations up front given the evil-protagonist premise.
- **Highlights:** Players design their own dungeon during downtime and later roll its traps and defenses against invaders, which turns base-building into the game's central strategic layer. Giving in to a monster's Dark Impulse earns a Dark Heart to spend for a bonus die, so playing to your character's worst instincts is rewarded rather than left as flavor. The four-phase cycle feeds each raid's fallout back as calamity and blowback that summon heroes to your door, so the campaign escalates its own stakes without the GM inventing threats by hand.
- **Considerations:** The three magic disciplines have no fixed spell lists, so a spell's power is decided by the GM in the moment. During a dungeon invasion the player characters cannot leave the sanctum, so most of the defense is run through minions and traps until the heroes reach the final room. There is no published setting, so each group must build its own region and factions before raiding can begin.
- **Publisher:** Bandit Camp
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC0 1.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/wicked-ones

---

## Slugblaster
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Kickflip over a quantum centipede: teenage hoverboarders explore other dimensions for clout
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Narrative, Rules-Light, Cinematic, Fast-Paced, Gonzo, Character-Driven, Comedy
- **Family:** FitD
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Forged in the Dark: roll a d6 dice pool and take the highest: 6 is a success, 4–5 is a partial success, 1–3 is a failure. No attributes or skills: instead, spend Boost to add dice. Kick lets you push your luck for Style Points by adding flair to any action. Style Points fuel advancement and reputation. Trouble tracks escalate consequences from parents, school, and interdimensional authorities.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast-paced, irreverent adventures about teenagers hoverboarding through alternate dimensions, doing tricks, getting sponsorships, and avoiding getting grounded.
- **Highlights:** Combines teen drama with dimension-hopping action sports, Kick mechanic adds dice for adding flair to actions, Indie Groundbreaker Game of the Year winner, Trouble tracks escalate consequences from parents and authorities without lethal combat
- **Considerations:** Narrow genre focused on teenage hoverboard adventures, no attributes or skills: characters differentiate through playsheet and narrative choices only, five playsheets (Grit, Guts, Smarts, Heart, Chill) limit build variety, tone is specifically absurdist teen action
- **Publisher:** Wilkie's Candy Lab (Mikey Hamm)
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Forged in the Dark
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/slugblaster

---

## Band of Blades
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** A doomed mercenary Legion retreats across a dying continent, hunted by undead armies and their fallen god-champions
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Horror
- **Tags:** Fiction-First, Playbook-Driven, Grimdark, Mission-Based, Faction Play, Deadly, Survival
- **Family:** FitD
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Forged in the Dark: roll a d6 dice pool equal to your action rating and read the highest die: 6 is a full success, 4–5 is a partial success with consequences, 1–3 is a bad outcome. Position (controlled, risky, desperate) sets the stakes, and players spend stress to resist consequences. Play alternates between a mission phase (specialists and rank-and-file Legionnaires execute one primary and one secondary mission) and a campaign phase, where each player runs a permanent Legion Role (Commander, Marshal, Quartermaster, Spymaster, or Lorekeeper) making strategic decisions about routes, supply, intel, and personnel as the army retreats toward Skydagger Keep.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a campaign-length military fantasy where the Legion as a whole is the protagonist: character death is expected, players cycle through different soldiers each mission, and strategic decisions about routes, supply, and intel are split across the table rather than held by the GM.
- **Highlights:** Players rotate through Specialist, Soldier, and Rookie playbooks across missions rather than playing fixed characters, so attrition lands without ending personal arcs: the Legion endures even when individual soldiers fall. Each player also holds a permanent Legion Role that drives the campaign phase, splitting army-management decisions across the table instead of leaving them with the GM. Time and Pressure clocks turn the campaign into a race against the Cinder King: advancing toward Skydagger Keep burns time, but lingering builds undead pressure that escalates the difficulty and lethality of future missions.
- **Considerations:** The campaign phase (mission generation, spy deployments, supply, advance roll, Lorekeeper annals) takes substantial time between missions and only works if every player engages with their Role. Building a deep personal arc for a single Legionnaire is structurally difficult because characters rotate between missions: emotional investment lives with the Legion rather than any one soldier. The campaign is built around a single fixed arc ending at Skydagger Keep, with a defined map, locations, and Chosen/Broken roster. There is no open-ended sandbox mode, and a full campaign runs 12–20 sessions.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions / Off Guard Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Forged in the Dark
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Spanish, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/band-of-blades

---

## Agon
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Mythic Greek heroes compete for glory across strange islands on a perilous journey home
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Historical
- **Tags:** Heroic, Narrative, Rules-Light, Short Sessions, Low-Prep, Mission-Based, Fast-Paced, Cinematic, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** All conflicts resolve in a single contested roll. Players assemble a dice pool from relevant traits (Name die, Epithet die, Domain die, Divine Favor), each rated as a step die (d4–d12). Everyone rolls simultaneously; highest result wins. The Strife Player sets opposition with their own dice. Divine Favor grants bonus dice from the gods but is unreliable. Pathos tracks a hero's inner fire: when it runs out, the hero's tale ends.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, competitive mythic Greek adventures with minimal prep: each island is a self-contained session of trials, battles, and divine interference.
- **Highlights:** Island adventures require zero GM prep: everything needed is in the book, one-roll resolution keeps pace fast, competitive Glory system encourages heroes to outshine each other, Strife Player role rotates so everyone can play a hero
- **Considerations:** Narrow mythic Greek genre with limited setting flexibility, competitive Glory system can frustrate cooperative-minded players, heroes have few mechanical traits to differentiate them, campaign arc is finite: heroes eventually reach their Fate and retire
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/agon

---

## Wanderhome
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** A pastoral RPG about animal-folk traveling through a gentle world of seasons and small kindnesses
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Cozy, Narrative, Diceless, GM-Less, Collaborative, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Rules-Light, Roleplay-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** No dice, no GM. Belonging Outside Belonging engine: earn tokens by inconveniencing yourself or stepping outside your comfort zone; spend tokens to help others, reveal secrets, or achieve difficult actions. Violence is explicitly absent. Playbooks define each character's nature through lists of things they can always do, things that earn tokens, and things that cost tokens. Seasons and nature guide the journey.
- **Best For:** Groups who want gentle, non-violent storytelling about animal-folk journeying through a pastoral world: exploring themes of community, seasons, and small acts of kindness.
- **Highlights:** Best TTRPG 2021 from Polygon and Dicebreaker, token economy (earn tokens by stepping outside comfort zone, spend them to help others) mechanically enforces non-violent play, Belonging Outside Belonging engine removes dice and GM roles, seasonal calendar structures the journey
- **Considerations:** Tokens are earned and spent to take certain actions, so a table that loses track of them can stall its own pacing. Shared narrative authority spreads scene framing across the whole group, which can leave participation uneven when confidence differs. Playbook Natures fix a character's emotional register, which can feel constraining across a long campaign.
- **Publisher:** Possum Creek Games
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/wanderhome

---

## Eat the Reich
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** A unit of vampire commandos drop on occupied Paris with a single mission: drink Hitler dry
- **Genre:** Historical, Horror
- **Tags:** Pulp Action, Combat-Heavy, High-Power, One-Shot Friendly, Mission-Based, Playbook-Driven, Rules-Light
- **Family:** Havoc Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to your stat plus one die per piece of equipment or ability you activate; discard any die showing 3 or less, count 4–5 as a success, and 6 as a critical. The GM builds a separate Attack pool equal to the engaged Threat's rating and rolls it. You then allocate each remaining die to one of five slots, narrating one scene detail per die as you place it: advance an Objective, eliminate a Threat, defend against the GM's Attack dice, feed for Blood, or trigger a SPECIAL (criticals only). Any GM Attack dice you don't cancel with defence dice inflict Injuries.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a self-contained, ultraviolent anti-fascist action romp playable in two or three short sessions with pregenerated characters and zero campaign overhead.
- **Highlights:** Every die spent on attack is a die not spent defending or feeding for Blood, so each turn forces an explicit tradeoff between killing nazis, staying alive, and refueling the abilities that make you dangerous. Reinforcement rules ratchet pressure up each round (defeated Threats roll d6 to restore rating and every active Threat's Attack rating ticks up by one), so lingering in a scene gets steadily more lethal. Six pregenerated vampires with fixed mechanics but explicitly malleable backgrounds let the table skip session zero entirely and be drop-coffin-deployed into Paris within minutes of opening the book.
- **Considerations:** Built around a single fixed scenario (the assault on Hitler's Paris stronghold) with no support for other premises, settings, or open-ended campaign play. Character creation is reskin or hack-from-the-pregens only; the book offers no point-buy or formal chargen system. Splatter-violence tone and nazi subject matter are confrontational by design; the rulebook opens with content warnings, lines-and-veils guidance, and an evil-calibration checklist the table is expected to work through before play.
- **Publisher:** Rowan, Rook and Decard
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/eat-the-reich

---

## Public Access
- **Edition:** Digital Edition
- **Tagline:** Former latchkey kids investigate a vanished television station through strange VHS tapes in 2004 New Mexico
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Investigation, Mystery, Collaborative, Player-Only Rolls, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Corruption
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 41 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a move is triggered, roll 2d6 plus one of five ability modifiers. A 6 or less is a miss, while many moves split hits into 7–9, 10–11, and 12+ tiers. After a result is narrated, a player can turn a Key to raise it one tier and replace that outcome with a different timeline.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking a finite collaborative analog-horror campaign where player-built theories, personal histories, and found-footage prompts shape the truth behind a small-town conspiracy
- **Highlights:** Clues have no fixed locations or canonical answers, so players assemble them into a theory and roll to establish whether it is true. Turning a Key raises a resolved roll by one tier and replaces the narrated failure with an alternate timeline. Odyssey tape prompts let players author uncanny broadcasts that become a campaign timer and feed connections back into Deep Lake.
- **Considerations:** Dawn, Day, Dusk, and Night must occur in order, which constrains free-form scene pacing. The Keeper must synthesize campaign discoveries into a custom final TV Odyssey mystery. The intended campaign engages childhood trauma, body horror, ritual sacrifice, and other dark material.
- **Publisher:** The Gauntlet
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/public-access

---

## Brindlewood Bay
- **Edition:** Kickstarter Edition
- **Tagline:** Elderly mystery book club members solve murders while uncovering a dark cosmic conspiracy
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Investigation, Mystery, Collaborative, Player-Only Rolls, Narrative, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Corruption
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 22 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** PbtA framework: roll 2d6 plus ability modifier, with 10+ as a strong hit, 7–9 as a hit with complication, and 6 or less as a miss. Mysteries have no pre-written solution; players gather clues through the Meddling Move, then use the Theorize move to propose a solution and roll to see if it is correct. The Theorize roll adds the number of clues found minus the mystery's complexity rating (6–8). Putting on a Crown after any roll lets a player bump the result up one tier at the cost of marking narrative consequences on their character sheet.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a collaborative mystery game where players piece together clues and collectively theorize solutions, blending cozy small-town charm with creeping cosmic horror
- **Highlights:** Mysteries have no predetermined solution: players gather clues, then Theorize to assemble the answer themselves. The Day/Night structure balances cozy daytime vignettes against dangerous nighttime investigation. The Crown lets a player bump a roll up one tier in exchange for marking long-term character consequences.
- **Considerations:** Keeper must improvise heavily since mysteries have no fixed solutions, Day/Night move split requires tracking time of day carefully, the dark conspiracy campaign arc may not appeal to groups who only want standalone mysteries, combat is not a focus and physical danger is resolved through the same general moves as everything else
- **Publisher:** The Gauntlet
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Carved from Brindlewood (third-party content license)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, French, German, Polish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/brindlewood-bay

---

## Apocalypse Keys
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Monsters bound by fate, love, and power hold back the apocalypse while wrestling with the darkness within
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Playbook-Driven, Mystery, Investigation, Corruption, Drama, Fiction-First
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 and spend Darkness Tokens (up to 3) to add to the result instead of a fixed stat modifier. 7 or less is a miss, 8–10 is a complete hit, and 11+ is a catastrophic success: you achieve your goal but your monstrous power causes collateral damage. Bonds with other characters add +1 or −1. Darkness Tokens accumulate through roleplaying triggers specific to each playbook; exceeding 5 tokens forces a crisis that costs either a Bond or advances your Ruin track toward becoming a Harbinger of the apocalypse.
- **Best For:** Groups who want emotionally intense, mystery-driven play as monstrous agents investigating apocalyptic threats: where the real tension comes from relationships and the risk of losing yourself to your own power.
- **Highlights:** Darkness Token economy replaces static stats with a dynamic risk/reward resource that escalates tension throughout play. Catastrophic success mechanic means the strongest rolls carry the most dangerous consequences. Seven playbooks built around emotional wounds rather than combat archetypes. Five pre-assembled mysteries plus detailed guidance for creating custom ones.
- **Considerations:** Requires buy-in for emotionally vulnerable roleplay: characters are designed to hurt and be hurt. No tactical combat system; conflict resolution is narrative. Mysteries have no pre-written solutions, which demands improvisational confidence from the Keeper. Mature themes including body horror, mind control, and moral degradation are baked into the core premise.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0 (text)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/apocalypse-keys

---

## Pasión de las Pasiones
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Play the scheming, lovestruck stars of your own Latin American telenovela
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** Drama, Playbook-Driven, Narrative, Roleplay-Heavy, Social Intrigue, Character-Driven, Collaborative, Fiction-First, Low-Prep, Rules-Light
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 62 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Most rolled moves have you roll 2d6 with the questions. Each yes to the move's two questions or your playbook question adds +1. The total modifier stays between -3 and +4. A 10+ is a strong hit, 7–9 a weak hit, and 6 or less a miss. On a miss the MC (the game's GM) makes a move unless the move says otherwise. Marked conditions are emotional states that each give +1 to one basic move and -2 to another.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a short season of melodramatic romance, betrayal, and shocking reveals, with players taking turns as the audience that steers each other's stories.
- **Highlights:** Move questions such as "Are you dressed to impress?" replace stats, so each roll's bonus comes from what is happening in the scene. Players outside a scene act as the show's audience and can boost a character's roll or reveal off-screen events. A successful Accuse Someone of Lying roll can declare your character right despite what earlier scenes showed.
- **Considerations:** The game assumes romance and works best when every player character is a possible love interest. There are no in-depth combat rules: a punch uses the same move as calling someone cruel names. Every player character is expected to be Latinx.
- **Publisher:** Magpie Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-07; note: A bounded review of the core book's credits, Magpie Games' community and product pages, and publisher-targeted searches found no third-party publishing terms for this game.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, Italian, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/pasion-de-las-pasiones

---

## Stonetop
- **Edition:** Book I: Stonetop
- **Tagline:** Hearth fantasy where the heroes defend an isolated iron-age village
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** CC-Licensed Rules, Playbook-Driven, Resource Management, Fiction-First, Strong GM Support, Base-Building, Journey, Character-Driven, Worldbuilding, Exploration
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 61 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 45 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Describe what your character does; when it meets a move's trigger, roll 2d6 and add a stat from -1 to +3. A 10+ is a strong hit and a 7-9 is a weak hit: partial success or success with a cost. On a 6-, PCs normally mark XP and the GM makes a hard move unless the move says otherwise. Advantage or disadvantage normally adds a third d6 and drops the lowest or highest; damage rolls instead roll damage twice and keep the best or worst result. The GM does not generally roll during play.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a long-running hearth-fantasy campaign centered on a village as much as its heroes. Play alternates dangerous expeditions into a darkening iron-age world with homefront scenes of courtship, harvest, and community projects.
- **Highlights:** The steading playbook tracks the village's Fortunes and Surplus, so projects and disasters change what Stonetop can withstand. Seasons Change generates or consumes Surplus and grants seasonal gains, so the village's resources change with each passing season. Expeditions make preparation matter by weighing load and supplies against GM-presented travel challenges.
- **Considerations:** The game is built around defending one village, so rootless or wandering parties leave its homefront engine behind. Combat relies on spotlighting, abstract range tags, and fictional positioning, which may not suit groups that want a detailed tactical combat procedure. Supplies, load, provisions, and village Surplus are tracked in several places, adding steady bookkeeping to expeditions and downtime.
- **Publisher:** Lampblack & Brimstone
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Open license; Allowed with conditions; CC BY-SA 4.0; scope: The text of both core books may be shared and adapted, including commercially, with attribution and ShareAlike terms; artwork is excluded and remains © 2026 Lucie Arnoux, while Dungeon World-derived concepts and procedures carry the underlying CC BY attribution.; terms: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode; verified 2026-09-05; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/stonetop

---

## DIE
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Flawed adults dragged into a cursed fantasy roleplaying game are transformed into warped takes on its classic archetypes
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Horror
- **Tags:** Dark Fantasy, Playbook-Driven, Character-Driven, Narrative, Drama, Roleplay-Heavy, Fiction-First, Atmospheric, Worldbuilding, Collaborative
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool + d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a dice pool of d6s equal to the stat most relevant to the task (0–4), adding dice for advantages and removing dice for disadvantages. Each 4+ is a success; the GM's difficulty subtracts from that total. Each 6+ can also activate a Special ability tied to the roll. Each of the six Paragon classes is identified with a different polyhedral die (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, or d20) that can be added to the pool to power that class's signature abilities.
- **Best For:** Groups who want an emotionally heavy, character-focused portal fantasy: real-world friends enter a fantasy world that mirrors their buried issues and must decide whether they can ever agree to go home.
- **Highlights:** Six Paragon classes each tied to a specific polyhedral die with its own subsystem: Dictator breaks hearts with words, Fool gains luck from acting carefree, Emotion Knight weaponizes a chosen feeling, Neo powers techno-magic with daily-refreshing Fair Gold, Godbinder bargains with gods for miracles, Master rewrites reality as a rule-bender. Real-world Flashback lets each player recall a memory once per session for advantage on any task. Session-zero procedures build the Personas and the fantasy world around their buried issues. Designed around 2–3 session games with extended campaign rules provided.
- **Considerations:** Premise requires players willing to roleplay vulnerable real-world versions of themselves before any fantasy play begins. Bleed themes (the fiction leaking into real relationships) push emotional intensity that many groups will need explicit safety buy-in for. Each Paragon has a distinct subsystem the class's player must learn individually. The fantasy world is built collaboratively in session zero around the player Personas rather than drawn from a fixed setting, placing significant improvisational load on the GM.
- **Publisher:** Rowan, Rook & Decard
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/die

---

## The Black Hack
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** A comprehensive, rules-light old-school fantasy RPG designed to be hacked and made your own
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Dungeon Crawl, Hackable, Beginner-Friendly
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20 + d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Players roll d20 under their attribute scores to succeed at actions. Advantage and Disadvantage (roll 2d20, pick best or worst) modify difficulty. Armour provides a pool of d6 Armour Dice that absorb damage. Consumable resources use a Usage Die chain (d20→d12→d10→d8→d6→d4→gone): roll 1–2 to downgrade.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting a fast, hackable OSR dungeon-crawling game with modern design sensibilities: roll under attributes, abstract distances, and usage dice that track resources without bookkeeping.
- **Highlights:** Highly hackable: spawned an entire subgenre of 'X Hack' games, core rules fit in about 30 pages, Usage Die tracks resources without inventory math, armour-as-dice-pool adds a tactical layer, conversational writing style makes rules easy to learn
- **Considerations:** Only 4 classes (Warrior, Thief, Cleric, Wizard) in the core, limited character customization beyond class and background, no setting included, light on GM guidance compared to larger games, may lack depth for long campaigns
- **Publisher:** Gold Piece Publications
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** The Black Hack Open Game License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-black-hack

---

## OSRIC
- **Edition:** 3.0
- **Tagline:** A faithful recreation of 1st Edition Advanced D&D
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Dungeon Crawl, Tactical, High-Fantasy, Character Building, Theater of the Mind, Heroic, Descending AC, Vancian Casting
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 44 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifiers vs. target numbers (THAC0/AC for combat, saving throws for hazards). Ability scores rolled on 3d6, class and level determine hit dice, spells, and abilities. GM acts as referee for rulings.
- **Best For:** Players who want the classic AD&D 1e experience with cleaner organization, well-defined rules for combat and spells, and a huge library of compatible OSR content.
- **Highlights:** Faithful AD&D 1e rules reorganized for clarity, large back-catalog of compatible adventures, middle-ground complexity between B/X and modern D&D, free PDF available
- **Considerations:** Deliberately old-school: THAC0 and descending AC may confuse modern players, less balanced than modern systems, relies heavily on GM rulings, limited character customization compared to newer games
- **Publisher:** Mythmere Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** AELF + CC BY 4.0 (SRD 5.1)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/osric

---

## Whitehack
- **Edition:** Fourth Edition
- **Tagline:** Roll-under fantasy where groups define your character and miracles cost harm points
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Narrative, Hackable, Mana Points, Freeform Magic
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20 + 3d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 under your attribute to succeed; the face value of a success indicates quality. Positive double rolls (roll 2d20, pick best) and negative double rolls (pick worst) replace flat modifiers. Characters are defined by Groups (species, vocations, and affiliations) which grant advantage on relevant tasks. The Wise class casts miracles by spending HP, with effects triangulated by their groups and wordings.
- **Best For:** Experienced players who want a concise, elegant OSR system that rewards creative play: where freeform character groups replace rigid skill lists and miracles are flexible but costly.
- **Highlights:** Concise yet deep (~136 pages), Groups system replaces both skills and feats, compatible with old-school modules from 1974 onward, Auction mechanic adds tension to extended contests, miracles system rewards creative description, four editions of refinement
- **Considerations:** Dense writing requires careful reading: not a quick-start game, assumes familiarity with old-school play, no bestiary or setting included, rare classes may feel underdeveloped
- **Publisher:** Christian Mehrstam
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/whitehack

---

## Electric Bastionland
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Treasure hunting in the impossible city of Bastion: you have a failed career and a massive debt
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Weird, Classless, Dungeon Crawl, Attacks Always Hit, One-Shot Friendly, Low-Prep
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 75 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 equal to or under attribute (STR, DEX, CHA) to avoid danger. Attacks always hit: roll weapon damage directly, reduced by armor. 100+ unique Failed Careers define your character through equipment and debt rather than stats.
- **Best For:** Short treasure-hunting campaigns in a surreal, modern-tinged city. Ideal for groups who love strange worldbuilding, fast character creation via 100+ Failed Careers, and fiction-driven play.
- **Highlights:** Two pages of actual rules, 100+ varied Failed Careers, detailed GM guidance, free 42-page edition available, spawned an entire design movement
- **Considerations:** Tightly coupled to its surreal Bastion setting, minimal character progression, requires a confident GM, narrow genre focus
- **Publisher:** Bastionland Press
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Mark of the Odd SRD
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/electric-bastionland

---

## Into the Odd Remastered
- **Edition:** Remastered
- **Tagline:** Ultra-rules-light industrial-weird fantasy where attacks always hit
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Dungeon Crawl, Weird, Low-Prep, Attacks Always Hit, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20, d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Three ability scores (STR, DEX, WIL) rolled on 3d6. No to-hit rolls: attacks always deal damage directly. Saves are d20 roll-under the relevant ability. Damage reduces HP first, then STR; at 0 STR you die. Arcana are unique magical objects that grant strange powers.
- **Best For:** Groups who want an ultra-streamlined OSR game where character creation takes minutes, combat is fast and deadly, and strange Arcana replace traditional spell lists.
- **Highlights:** Character creation in under five minutes, no wasted turns thanks to auto-hit combat, Arcana system offers wide creative options, fits in about 50 pages, spawned an entire design movement (Cairn, Liminal Horror, etc.)
- **Considerations:** Very swingy random ability scores at creation, tightly coupled to its Bastion/Underground setting, no structured advancement beyond finding Arcana, auto-hit combat removes tactical decisions around accuracy
- **Publisher:** Bastionland Press / Free League Workshop
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/into-the-odd-remastered

---

## Mythic Bastionland
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Knights hunting myths in a wilderness of strange wonders
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Hexcrawl, Exploration, Attacks Always Hit, Domain Management, Sandbox, Atmospheric
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d6–d10
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Attacks always hit: roll weapon damage directly with simultaneous combat. Guard absorbs damage before Virtues (Vigour, Clarity, Spirit). Gambits trigger on 4+ damage rolls for special maneuvers. Omen tables guide myth discovery across hexcrawl exploration.
- **Best For:** Arthurian-style campaigns of knights seeking glory, ruling domains, and hunting strange mythological creatures across a wild realm. Great for groups who want structured hexcrawl play with emergent storytelling.
- **Highlights:** Simultaneous combat system, detailed hexcrawl and myth-hunting framework, award-winning layout and art (2025 Ennie Gold), domain management adds campaign depth
- **Considerations:** Combat has more procedural steps than it first appears, omen system can feel prescriptive, Arthurian tone limits flexibility, setting context buried deep in the book
- **Publisher:** Bastionland Press
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mythic-bastionland

---

## Knave
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Classless old-school adventure where you are what you carry
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Classless, Rules-Light, Dungeon Crawl, Hackable, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting, Random Tables
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + ability score (1–10) vs. 11 + difficulty modifier. No classes: your abilities come from what you carry. Item slot inventory means every piece of gear is a meaningful choice. Spellbooks occupy an item slot and can be cast once per day (INT times per day total). 100 random careers provide starting equipment and flavor. Wounds reduce ability scores directly.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a classless, inventory-driven OSR game where characters are defined entirely by their equipment: with brilliant random tables and a full worldbuilding toolkit.
- **Highlights:** Classless: gear defines the character, item slot inventory makes every choice meaningful, extensive random tables for worldbuilding, CC BY license allows free modification, fits in a small book
- **Considerations:** No character classes may feel directionless for some players, very swingy d20 rolls with low ability scores, minimal rules means heavy GM improvisation, combat is basic by design
- **Publisher:** Questing Beast LLC
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/knave

---

## Five Torches Deep
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** 5e skeleton, OSR soul: streamlined dungeon crawling with real resource tension
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Dungeon Crawl, Tactical, Resource Management, Rules-Light, Gritty, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting, Roll to Cast
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifier vs DC 11 (most checks). Four classes (Warrior, Thief, Zealot, Mage), levels 1–9. Supply (SUP) abstracts consumables, load limits gear, and equipment can break via durability rolls. Magic carries mishap risk. Compatible with both 5e and B/X adventures.
- **Best For:** Groups who like 5e's core d20 feel but want OSR resource scarcity, simplified classes, and deadlier dungeon crawling.
- **Highlights:** Bridges 5e familiarity with OSR lethality, supply system elegantly handles torches and rations, fits in 48 pages, dual-compatible with 5e and B/X content
- **Considerations:** Very slim: GMs may need to house-rule gaps, limited character options compared to full 5e, magic mishap table can feel punishing, no bestiary included
- **Publisher:** Sigil Stone Publishing
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/five-torches-deep

---

## Low Fantasy Gaming
- **Edition:** Deluxe Edition
- **Tagline:** Gritty low-magic fantasy where bold adventurers seek fortune and glory through lethal combat and dangerous sorcery
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Low-Fantasy, Gritty, Deadly, Sword & Sorcery, Corruption, Sandbox, Dungeon Crawl, Random Tables, Strong GM Support, Hackable
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Combat uses standard d20 + class attack bonus + ability modifier vs. Armour Class. Out of combat, attribute checks roll equal-or-under (1d20 ≤ attribute, with degrees of success), and skills add +1 and grant access to a level-based Reroll Pool that smooths the d20 swing. Dropping to zero hit points triggers an All Dead vs. Mostly Dead check and a roll on the Injuries & Setbacks table (lost eyes and limbs, broken ribs, madness, permanent scars). Spell casting is uncertain: every cast carries a cumulative 1-in-20 chance of triggering the Dark & Dangerous Magic d100 table, which can mutate the caster, sap Luck, or summon hostile aberrations. The Luck attribute itself is a depleting meta-resource that fuels saves, Major Exploits, and Rescue Exploits.
- **Best For:** Groups who want gritty low-magic fantasy where every combat carries real consequences (broken bones, lost limbs, madness) and where casting a spell is a calculated gamble that can corrupt the caster or summon something worse.
- **Highlights:** Dark & Dangerous Magic puts every spell at risk of triggering a d100 corruption table (mutations, summoned aberrations, Luck loss, madness) with the chance climbing by 1 in 20 each cast until it fires, making sorcery a calculated gamble rather than reliable utility. Martial Exploits layer creative combat moves (Minor, Major, and Rescue) on top of a successful hit, such as disarms, decapitations, or throwing an ally clear of a fireball, fueled by depleting Luck checks rather than a fixed action menu, so combats are improvisation-driven rather than rotation-driven. Every PC designs a Unique Feature at 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th level in conversation with the GM, working off 36 worked examples (Awakened Host, Faustian Pact, Skill Prodigy, Slippery Bastard) that each scale through low, moderate, and high power tiers the table can cherry-pick.
- **Considerations:** Magic Users are deliberately weaker than other classes: no at-will spells, no teleport, no mind reading, no resurrection, and every cast risks a corruption effect, so spell-focused players have to accept playing a high-risk role that can lose its toolkit mid-adventure. The 12th-level cap shortens the campaign arc: the book trades long-haul progression for keeping monsters threatening and magic spectacular, but groups expecting decades-long advancement curves will hit the ceiling. Permanent injuries from the Injuries & Setbacks table are a regular outcome of going to zero hit points, and short of rare in-setting healing magic those disabilities stay, which can frustrate groups attached to keeping their characters physically whole.
- **Publisher:** Pickpocket Press
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/low-fantasy-gaming

---

## Beyond the Wall
- **Edition:** Revised Edition
- **Tagline:** Zero-prep literary fantasy where playbooks build your village, your backstory, and your first adventure in one evening
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep, Collaborative, Character-Driven, Classic Fantasy, Low-Fantasy, One-Shot Friendly, Ascending AC, Worldbuilding
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifiers against ascending Armor Class for attacks, and d20 under ability score for skill checks (with situational penalties). Three classes (Warrior, Rogue, Mage) with five saving throw categories. Character Playbooks generate abilities, backstory, and village details through a series of table rolls, building shared history and relationships before play begins. Scenario Packs give the GM a complete adventure framework with no advance preparation.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to sit down with no prep and collaboratively create a village, a cast of NPCs, and an adventure in a single evening: especially those drawn to literary fantasy in the tradition of LeGuin, Cooper, and Lloyd Alexander.
- **Highlights:** Playbooks collaboratively build characters, backstory, and the village map in a single session. Scenario Packs provide complete adventures with zero GM prep. Fortune Points provide rerolls and cheat-death mechanics. True Name magic system adds a unique magical layer. Further Afield supplement adds sandbox campaign tools with threat packs.
- **Considerations:** Three classes only, with limited mechanical differentiation at higher levels. Playbook-driven creation is tightly structured, leaving less room for fully custom character concepts. Designed for low-level play (levels 1–10) with a flatter power curve than most OSR games.
- **Publisher:** Flatland Games
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, German, French, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/beyond-the-wall

---

## Tiny Dungeon
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Minimalist fantasy RPG: roll 2d6, get a 5 or 6, and you're in
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, One-Shot Friendly, Low-Prep, Fast-Paced, Dungeon Crawl, Theater of the Mind, Heroic, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Tiny d6
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6: if any die shows 5 or 6, you succeed. Advantage grants 3d6; Disadvantage drops you to 1d6. No attributes, no skill list: Traits grant situational Advantage, and weapon Mastery/Proficiency determines combat dice.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting fast, minimalist fantasy with almost zero rules overhead: character creation in minutes, core mechanic in one sentence, and tons of optional modules to bolt on.
- **Highlights:** Entire core rules fit in ~20 pages, character fits on an index card, huge trait list for customization without complexity, 17 included microsettings, extensive optional rules (martial disciplines, magic schools, ship combat) let you dial complexity up
- **Considerations:** Binary pass/fail with no degrees of success, fantasy-only (other TinyD6 games cover sci-fi), no built-in advancement by default (optional), very light on tactical depth
- **Publisher:** Gallant Knight Games
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (TinyD6)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Spanish, French, German, Polish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tiny-dungeon

---

## Tiny Supers
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Near-future comic heroes defend Sentry City from street-level schemes to cosmic threats
- **Genre:** Superhero, Modern, Scifi
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Theater of the Mind, Character Building, Superpowers, Heroic, Low-Prep
- **Family:** Tiny d6
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 17 (Very Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 for a Test; any 5 or 6 succeeds. Advantage raises the pool to 3d6, while Disadvantage lowers it to 1d6 and normally takes precedence.
- **Best For:** Groups who want quick four-color superhero campaigns with flexible power levels and a GM comfortable making consistent rulings.
- **Highlights:** Tiered Power Traits let the same ability grow in potency without a separate point-buy system. Two-action combat makes Focus and Evade compete with movement and attacks. The GallantVerse and eight micro-verses supply campaign frames for city teams, cosmic defenders, and teen heroes.
- **Considerations:** The game assigns uncovered situations to consistent GM rulings rather than detailed procedures. Power concepts outside the fixed trait list depend on reskinning or GM-created effects. Advancement is optional and offers a small menu of upgrades.
- **Publisher:** Gallant Knight Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tiny-supers

---

## Tiny Cyberpunk
- **Edition:** Corporate Edition
- **Tagline:** Street rebels hack, fight, and evade megacorps in a dystopian near future
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk, Scifi
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Low-Prep, Fast-Paced, Theater of the Mind, Classless, Solo-Friendly, Random Tables
- **Family:** Tiny d6
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 42 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 52 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 44 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 for a Test; any 5 or 6 succeeds. Advantage raises the pool to 3d6, while Disadvantage lowers it to 1d6 and normally takes precedence.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking quick cyberpunk missions where street-level jobs provoke escalating corporate retaliation. The included oracles also support solo campaigns.
- **Highlights:** Hacking uses Firewall difficulty and failure-triggered Kickbacks, giving digital intrusion distinct risks while reusing the core Test. Heat turns mission fallout into escalating corporate actions after rests, carrying consequences between jobs. A complete solo loop pairs scene procedures with oracles, supporting one-player campaigns without a Director.
- **Considerations:** Most Tests resolve as binary success or failure, leaving unlisted consequences to the Director. Long campaigns require more Director worldbuilding than one-off missions. The Corporate Edition includes portions of Neodinium that the publisher identified as generative-AI text; an announced Hacker Edition will replace that material.
- **Publisher:** Gallant Knight Games
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tiny-cyberpunk

---

## Tiny Taverns
- **Edition:** v1.0
- **Tagline:** Slice-of-life fantasy: run a tavern, serve drinks, and befriend a dragon
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Cozy, Rules-Light, Narrative, Beginner-Friendly, Slice-of-Life, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Low-Prep, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Tiny d6
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6: if any die shows 5 or 6, you succeed. Advantage grants 3d6; Disadvantage drops to 1d6. Focus expands success to 4+. Tavern chores, cooking minigames, and emotional wellness mechanics replace dungeon crawling. Fortune points bend the story. Built on the TinyD6 engine from Tiny Dungeon 2e.
- **Best For:** Groups who want cozy, low-stakes fantasy focused on running a tavern, building relationships, and exploring everyday life in a magical world.
- **Highlights:** Fills a niche no other RPG covers with slice-of-life play, gentle tone with built-in safety tools, tavern creation and cooking minigames, emotional wellness system adds depth, TinyD6 core is simple to learn
- **Considerations:** Very niche: must want low-stakes tavern life, limited combat and adventure content, limited appeal for action-oriented groups
- **Publisher:** Gallant Knight Games
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (TinyD6)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tiny-taverns

---

## Maze Rats
- **Edition:** Revised Edition
- **Tagline:** A 12-page RPG packed with random tables for instant old-school adventure
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Dungeon Crawl, Sandbox, Random Tables, Improvisation, Freeform Magic, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 22 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Danger Roll: roll 2d6 + ability bonus (STR, DEX, or WIL), 10+ avoids danger. Advantage rolls 3d6 keep best two. Attack rolls use 2d6 + Attack Bonus vs. target's Armor. Spells are randomly generated from combination tables (effect + element + form) and erased after casting.
- **Best For:** GMs who want a dead-simple system with extensive random tables that generate adventures, spells, NPCs, and monsters on the fly.
- **Highlights:** Fits in 12 pages, extensive random tables for on-the-fly worldbuilding, spell generation system is highly creative, CC BY 4.0 license, near-zero prep
- **Considerations:** Very minimal: experienced players may want more mechanical depth, no bestiary or setting included, advancement is slow and simple, assumes GM comfort with improvisation
- **Publisher:** Swordfish Islands LLC
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/maze-rats

---

## Tricube Tales
- **Edition:** Version 5
- **Tagline:** A pocket-sized system for any genre, played with three dice and a handful of tokens
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Player-Only Rolls, Narrative, Toolkit, Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 22 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Players roll one to three six-sided dice against a difficulty of 4 to 6 and succeed if any single die meets or beats it. The pool comes from the archetype: 3d6 when the character's trait fits the challenge, 2d6 when it does not, and one die fewer when the task falls outside their concept. Succeeding on two or three dice is an exceptional success, and rolling all ones is a critical failure. Players make every roll, including defense, so the GM never rolls dice. Karma tokens lower a difficulty by 1 or fuel a perk, while declaring a quirk raises it by 1 to earn karma back.
- **Best For:** Tables that switch settings often and want one ruleset to cover all of them, or groups introducing children and first-time players who need rules with no arithmetic.
- **Highlights:** Players roll to attack and to defend while the GM never touches the dice, which keeps the GM focused on describing the world rather than resolving it. Declaring a quirk raises a challenge's difficulty but refunds a karma token, giving players a mechanical reason to drag their own flaws into a scene. Eleven optional genre modules cover magic, superpowers, vehicles, and mass battles, so one ruleset stretches across settings without a second book.
- **Considerations:** The GM assigns every difficulty and adjudicates what each perk can do, so outcomes rest on one person's consistency rather than on written rules. Characters are built from a single archetype, perk, and quirk, which leaves little mechanical distinction between two PCs who share a trait. Gear grants no bonuses and exists only to justify what a character can attempt, so equipment choices never change the dice.
- **Publisher:** Zadmar Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 3.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tricube-tales

---

## Dragonslayer RPG
- **Edition:** v3.0
- **Tagline:** Classic old-school dungeon crawling from the creator of Barrowmaze: torches, rations, and descending AC
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Dungeon Crawl, Combat-Heavy, Gritty, Descending AC, Vancian Casting, Random Tables
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + attack bonus against descending Armour Class to hit in combat. Saving throws are roll-over by category (Breath, Death, Stone, Wand, Spell). Initiative is d6 per side each round. The GM (Maze Controller) tracks time, light, encounters, and resources: torches burn out, rations deplete, and random encounters escalate with noise and delay.
- **Best For:** OSR veterans who want a traditional dungeon-crawling experience with descending AC, strict resource management, and classic class-and-level gameplay: especially fans of Barrowmaze and megadungeon play.
- **Highlights:** Comprehensive old-school toolkit with 11 classes and 8 races, heavy emphasis on dungeon exploration procedures (marching order, light, time), critical hit/miss tables add combat drama, designed by a megadungeon expert, extensive spell lists and equipment
- **Considerations:** Descending AC and THAC0-adjacent math will alienate modern players, very large rulebook for an OSR game, tightly bound to classic dungeon fantasy, limited innovation beyond curating and polishing older mechanics
- **Publisher:** Greg Gillespie
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dragonslayer-rpg

---

## Tales of Argosa
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Sword & sorcery adventure where magic is dark, luck runs out, and every battle leaves a mark
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Deadly, Sandbox, Combat-Heavy, Dungeon Crawl, Roll to Cast, Gritty, CC-Licensed Rules, Sword & Sorcery
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 under attribute to succeed (roll-under). Luck saves deplete your Luck attribute with each success, ratcheting tension. Combat uses Nat 19 effects, Exploits, Fumbles, Crits, and Trauma tables. Dark & Dangerous Magic risks madness and Veil monsters when casting spells.
- **Best For:** Sword & sorcery fans who want fast, brutal combat with diminishing Luck, dark & dangerous magic, and rich emergent sandbox play: group or solo.
- **Highlights:** Distinctive diminishing Luck mechanic, combat with Exploits and Trauma is consequential, large GM toolbox (hexploration, oracles, hirelings, mass battle), solo rules included, Creative Commons license
- **Considerations:** The Diminishing Luck mechanic means characters weaken as they succeed. There are limited magical options in the core rules. The game requires GM comfort with sandbox hexcrawl prep.
- **Publisher:** Pickpocket Press
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tales-of-argosa

---

## Dungeon Crawlers
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** Rules-light fantasy adventure in just 2 pages
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Dungeon Crawl, Low-Prep, Fast-Paced, Fiction-First, Freeform Magic, Heroic, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 25 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a pool of Action dice (d6s) from trademarks and edges. Roll Danger dice for obstacles: matching Danger dice cancel Action dice. Highest remaining Action die determines success (6 = full, 4–5 = partial, 3 or less = fail).
- **Best For:** Groups wanting instant fantasy dungeon-crawling with minimal rules: perfect for one-shots, new players, or when you forgot your rulebooks.
- **Highlights:** Entire game fits on 2 pages, character creation in minutes, freeform magic system, built-in adventure generator, same action/danger dice as Neon City Overdrive
- **Considerations:** Very minimal: no detailed combat or advancement systems, limited long-campaign support, lacks depth for crunch-oriented players
- **Publisher:** Peril Planet
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dungeon-crawlers

---

## Neon City Overdrive
- **Edition:** v1.2
- **Tagline:** A game of cyberpunks in the neon-lit sprawl
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Fast-Paced, Low-Prep, Fiction-First, Atmospheric, Cinematic, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of action dice (d6s) based on advantages, then roll danger dice for obstacles. Danger dice cancel matching action dice. Your result is the highest remaining action die.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, fiction-first cyberpunk action with minimal rules overhead and maximum style.
- **Highlights:** Simple action/danger dice mechanic, fast character creation, fiction-first tags drive everything, compact 72-page rulebook, strong cyberpunk atmosphere
- **Considerations:** Tag-based characters can feel mechanically samey, limited advancement system, danger dice can stack to make rolls feel futile, short rulebook leaves many situations to GM judgment
- **Publisher:** Peril Planet
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/neon-city-overdrive

---

## Salvage Union
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Scrap-built mechs sustaining a wandering wasteland community
- **Genre:** Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Mecha, Resource Management, Base-Building, Character Building, Exploration, Sandbox, Tactical, Survival, Narrative, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 63 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 70 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** For a pilot's risky action, roll an unmodified d20: 20 succeeds with a bonus, 11–19 succeeds, 6–10 presents a Tough Choice, 2–5 fails with a setback, and 1 brings a severe consequence. The Mediator frames costs and consequences from the situation.
- **Best For:** Groups who enjoy building custom mechs, scavenging parts, and managing a shared stockpile of scrap to maintain and improve their equipment and mobile settlement.
- **Highlights:** Recovered scrap funds mech construction and crawler upkeep, linking equipment choices to the community's survival. Swappable mech components let players build for jobs such as hauling or hacking. Players choose setbacks when NPC actions fail, giving the table authority over consequences beyond its own characters.
- **Considerations:** Players track separate pilot and mech resources, including Ability Points and Heat. Unpaid crawler upkeep normally prompts a deterioration roll, making regular salvage income an ongoing pressure. Encounters follow the world's circumstances rather than guaranteed balance, making reconnaissance and retreat consequential choices.
- **Publisher:** Leyline Press
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Salvage Union Open Game Licence 1.0b
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Open license; Allowed with conditions; Salvage Union Open Game Licence 1.0b; scope: Tabletop RPG materials and VTT content using adapted rules, mechanics, lore, and game content from the core book, quickstart, and adventures; excludes artwork, translations, other media, and Leyline Press or Salvage Union branding.; terms: https://leyline.press/pages/salvage-union-open-game-licence-1-0b; verified 2026-09-30; note: Required legal text and attribution apply; direct text copying is limited to reference or VTT use. The Powered by Salvage logo is permitted, and Leyline Press retains a right of denial.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/salvage-union

---

## Beam Saber
- **Edition:** V1.2
- **Tagline:** Pilots and their massive war machines fight for what they believe in a war without end
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Mecha, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Narrative, Faction Play, Mission-Based, Character-Driven, Collaborative
- **Family:** FitD
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Forged in the Dark: roll a d6 dice pool based on action rating and take the highest: 6 is a full success, 4–5 is a partial success, 1–3 is a bad outcome. Position (controlled/risky/desperate) sets consequences. Pilots and vehicles have separate action sets and stress tracks. Vehicles have Quirks: narrative traits that grant bonus dice when invoked. Progress clocks track complex obstacles. Missions follow a structured cycle of planning, engagement roll, action, and downtime.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a mecha war drama where the pilot relationships, beliefs, and moral compromises matter as much as the vehicle combat: think Gundam meets Band of Brothers.
- **Highlights:** Dual pilot/vehicle layer gives each character two distinct mechanical identities. Vehicle Quirks reward narrative creativity with mechanical bonuses. Faction system with supply points, trust, and entanglements models the politics of war. 10 pilot playbooks and 8 squad playbooks provide extensive starting variety. Includes a full default setting with factions, regions, and 24 vehicle models.
- **Considerations:** 438-page rulebook is dense for a FitD game and takes time to absorb. Vehicle and pilot systems are deeply intertwined, requiring players to track two character sheets. Setting-agnostic in theory but the default setting material is substantial and may overshadow custom worlds.
- **Publisher:** Austin Ramsay Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Forged in the Dark
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/beam-saber

---

## Armour Astir: Advent
- **Edition:** v1.5
- **Tagline:** High-fantasy mecha rebellion: strike back against the Authority in steel-clad Astirs
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Mecha, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Narrative, Anime, Ship-Based, Collaborative, Mission-Based
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + trait (6 stats from -3 to +3): 6- is a miss, 7-9 is a partial success, 10+ is a full success. Advantage and disadvantage add or remove a die (up to 4d6 total), keeping the best or worst two. Confidence upgrades 1s to 6s; desperation downgrades 6s to 1s. Channeler playbooks pilot Astirs using the CHANNEL trait for magic-related moves, while support playbooks contribute through B-Plots and Carrier upgrades.
- **Best For:** Groups who want PbtA-style mecha action framed as rebellion against oppressive authority, with equal emphasis on dramatic relationships and cockpit combat.
- **Highlights:** Splits playbooks into Channeler (mech pilot) and Support roles so non-pilots are mechanically distinct rather than sidelined. Conflict Turns provide a structured large-scale warfare system layered on top of individual scenes. Four optional campaign settings provide ready-made factions, mission hooks, and example Astirs as starting points. Confidence/desperation mechanic adds dramatic stakes beyond standard PbtA outcomes.
- **Considerations:** Groups must collaboratively define their Authority, Cause, and Carrier before play begins, though four optional settings are included as starting points. Channeler and support playbook split means the party must coordinate roles during character creation. Rules for Astir construction and Conflict Turns add mechanical weight beyond typical PbtA games.
- **Publisher:** Briar Sovereign
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/armour-astir-advent

---

## Flying Circus
- **Edition:** v1.3.2
- **Tagline:** Barnstorming aerial adventure with mercenary pilots in a post-war fantasy world
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Sandbox
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d10
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d10 + stat: 10 or less is a miss, 11–15 is a partial hit, 16+ is a full hit. Moves are triggered by fiction. Air combat uses energy management, altitude, and speed on instrument panels. Stress accumulated in missions is relieved between flights through vices and relationships.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a deeply detailed aerial combat game wrapped in a rich, character-driven story about mercenary pilots in a post-war fantasy world.
- **Highlights:** Highly detailed air combat, setting blends WWI aviation with Miyazaki-esque fantasy, character-driven downtime system, free aircraft builder tool, 10 diverse playbook backgrounds
- **Considerations:** Dense and intimidating to learn, very niche aerial-combat focus, requires printing instrument panels and component cards, limited to its specific setting
- **Publisher:** Newstand Press
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (PbtA)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/flying-circus

---

## Diaspora
- **Edition:** Corrected Version
- **Tagline:** Hard science-fiction across a cluster of slipstream-linked star systems the players build together
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Worldbuilding, Collaborative, Tactical, Simulation, Toolkit, Sandbox, Tag-Based
- **Family:** Fate
- **Dice:** 4dF (Fudge dice)
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 4dF (four Fudge dice, range -4 to +4) plus a Skill from the character's 15-skill pyramid, compared against a fixed difficulty or an opposed roll. Spend a fate point to invoke one of your Aspects for +2 or a reroll; the referee compels Aspects to push the story and pay fate points back.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to collaboratively build a six-to-ten-system star cluster at session zero, then play hard-SF interstellar campaigns where personal firefights, vector-based ship duels, social confrontations, and platoon-scale battles each run as their own dedicated mini-game.
- **Highlights:** Cluster generation rolls Technology, Environment, and Resources for each star system on a -4 to +4 scale, then the table maps slipstream links between systems before play: the setting is built collaboratively rather than handed to the players. Space combat collapses range and velocity onto a single -4 to +4 vector track, so a torpedo-heavy frigate trying to hold standoff range and a beam-armed cruiser trying to close create real positional tension without grids or hex maps. Personal, social, and platoon combat each run as separate mini-games sharing one fate-point economy, so debating a planetary council, leading marines into a city block, and a knife fight resolve in the same language while feeling mechanically distinct.
- **Considerations:** Built on the pre-Fate-Core 2009 version of the Fate engine: terminology, the aspect-invocation flow, and the older stunt design predate later refinements, so players coming from Fate Core or Fate Accelerated will need to relearn the conventions. Cluster creation, system linking, and the five-phase collaborative character generation are designed to fill a full first session before play begins, so the game does not support spontaneous one-shots or solo character prep. Vector-based space combat enforces momentum, fuel, and reaction-drive constraints, so ship scenes resolve as deliberate tactical exchanges rather than narrative-first cinematic dogfights.
- **Publisher:** VSCA Publishing
- **Year:** 2010
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** OGL v1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/diaspora

---

## M-SPACE
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook v1.2
- **Tagline:** Build alien worlds and crew your own starships
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Toolkit, Modular, Skill-Based, Classless, Ship-Based, Tactical, Social Combat, Character-Driven, Faction Play, Random Tables
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 56 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 78 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 without adding a modifier to the roll and succeed at or below the skill's percentage after difficulty adjusts that target. Critical successes fall within one tenth of the adjusted skill, rounded up. Opposed tests compare success levels and break successful ties with the higher roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to build a science-fiction campaign around a starship crew and competing organizations. Optional extended conflicts give negotiations and chases the same round-by-round attention as fights.
- **Highlights:** Modular ship construction connects crew space and equipment choices to handling and damage in combat. Extended Conflicts use depleting pools to make withdrawal a meaningful choice during negotiations and chases. Passions turn personal loyalties into skill bonuses and conflicts between competing commitments.
- **Considerations:** The core supplies creation tools rather than a ready-made campaign setting or playable adventure. Default combat tracks hit points by body location, and a Major Wound incapacitates immediately and can kill outright on a failed Endurance roll. Starship motion uses an abstract Speed value that mostly ignores conservation of momentum.
- **Publisher:** FrostByte Books
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-04; note: The rulebook credits a Design Mechanism permission to reference Mythras Imperative, and the storefront says M-SPACE is published under a Mythras Gateway license; both describe FrostByte Books' own permission, not a route for others to publish M-SPACE material. No M-SPACE-specific third-party route or explicit prohibition was found in the rulebook, frostbytebooks.com, or the DriveThruRPG listing.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/m-space

---

## Red Markets
- **Edition:** Quickstart Guide
- **Tagline:** Post-apocalyptic zombie economics: the dead are everywhere, but rent is still due
- **Genre:** Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Fear & Stress Mechanics, Gritty, Resource Management, Roleplay-Heavy, Character-Driven
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d10
- **Complexity:** 60 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 30 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d10: one black (skill), one red (threat). Black higher than red means success; doubles are critical results. Characters track economic resources via Bounty (currency), gear with limited charges and upkeep costs, and a negotiation system using a Sway Tracker. Humanity erodes through Trauma, Stress, and Detachment tracks.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a zombie RPG that's really about economic survival: negotiating contracts, managing resources, and deciding what you're willing to sacrifice to keep your dependents alive.
- **Highlights:** Economic focus makes every job feel high-stakes, negotiation mechanics add tension before combat even starts, humanity/trauma system creates character arcs, zombie threat serves a story about capitalism and survival
- **Considerations:** Heavy bookkeeping with multiple resource tracks, relentlessly bleak tone, steep learning curve for the Profit system, limited availability of the full rulebook
- **Publisher:** Hebanon Games
- **Year:** 2017
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/red-markets

---

## Epyllion
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** A dragon epic where young drakes discover the true value of friendship
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly, Rules-Light, Fiction-First, Character-Driven
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat (Courage, Charm, or Cunning): 10+ is a hit, 7–9 is a partial hit, 6− is a miss. Friendship Gems are passed between players to reward virtuous behavior and spent to power moon magic. A Shadow Track measures the Darkness's hold: fill it and you become your corrupted Shadowself until friends pull you back.
- **Best For:** Families and groups who want a heartfelt, friendship-driven adventure where everyone plays young dragons protecting their world from a creeping Darkness.
- **Highlights:** Accessible gateway RPG for families and new players, friendship gem economy makes cooperation mechanical, dragon setting with its own lore, six playbooks with distinct Shadowself arcs
- **Considerations:** Very niche: you must want to play young dragons, limited mechanical depth, tightly bound to its setting
- **Publisher:** Magpie Games
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (PbtA)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/epyllion

---

## Comrades
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Revolutionary underground RPG: fight a corrupt government, seize power, and change the world
- **Genre:** Historical
- **Tags:** Playbook-Driven, Narrative, Fiction-First, Collaborative, Character-Driven, Faction Play, Deadly, Worldbuilding, Drama
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat (Body, Mind, Spirit, Guile, or Bond, ranging from -3 to +3). On a 10+ it is a strong hit, on a 7–9 a weak hit with complications, on a 6- a miss and the GM makes a move. Basic moves cover combat (Get Rough), persuasion (Sway), infiltration (Sneak), mob incitement (Start Something), and interpersonal moments (Share a Quiet Moment). At the end of each session, the party rolls Pathway Moves to advance along five tracks toward revolution: Force, Organization, Zealotry, Mayhem, and Fellowship. Reaching level 5 on any pathway triggers the final attempt to seize power.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to tell stories of revolutionary struggle against an oppressive regime, exploring the costs of political violence and the bonds between comrades willing to die for their ideals.
- **Highlights:** Pathways to Revolution system gives campaigns built-in momentum and a definitive endgame, 10 playbooks embody distinct revolutionary archetypes from Artist to Soldier, first session includes collaborative worldbuilding where players choose the setting and define the oppressive regime, Bond stat mechanically reinforces relationships between comrades
- **Considerations:** Strongly political subject matter requires buy-in from the entire table, no included bestiary or detailed tactical combat rules, Khresht 1915 is the only fully developed setting: other included settings are brief outlines, GM receives principles but limited structured prep tools beyond fronts
- **Publisher:** Akers Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary (PbtA)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/comrades

---

## Cryptid Creeks
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Cozy horror mystery: River Scouts investigate curses, befriend cryptids, and protect their small town
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Cozy, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly, Investigation, Character-Driven, Atmospheric
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + ability modifier (Athletic, Smart, Cool, Smooth, or Attuned, ranging from -3 to +3). Results use four tiers: 6- is a miss with a Navigator reaction, 7–9 is a hit with complication, 10–11 is a clean hit, 12+ is a triumph with extra benefit. Advantage adds a third d6 (keep best two); disadvantage keeps worst two. Scouts gather Clues through Snoop Moves, then collaboratively Answer a Question by theorizing an answer and rolling dice plus Clues minus the Question's Complexity. Misfortunes replace hit points: accumulate four and you mark a Spirit's Sash, which can later be lifted to bump a roll up one success tier.
- **Best For:** Families and groups who want a coming-of-age mystery adventure with cozy horror tone: think Gravity Falls, The Goonies, or Stranger Things at the table, accessible to teens and newcomers.
- **Highlights:** Answer a Question mechanic means mysteries have no predetermined solution: players theorize answers from gathered Clues, Spirit's Sashes let players retroactively alter outcomes by channeling clubhouse ghosts, six playbooks with Watcher's Gifts that grant each Scout a unique supernatural edge, included Pilot Episode walks new groups through their first session step by step
- **Considerations:** Tightly bound to its Clawfoot setting and tone: not easily reskinned for other genres, collaborative mystery resolution requires comfort with improvised answers rather than pre-written solutions, no combat system: confrontations use the same general moves as other challenges, Misfit playbook starts without a Watcher's Gift which may feel limiting
- **Publisher:** Hatchlings Games
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (PbtA / Carved from Brindlewood)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cryptid-creeks

---

## Fellowship
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** Heroic fantasy adventure where one player runs the evil Overlord and each hero gives voice to a whole fantasy people
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Fiction-First, Playbook-Driven, High-Fantasy, Heroic, Collaborative, Worldbuilding, CC-Licensed Rules, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat (Blood, Courage, Sense, Grace, or Wisdom). 10+ full success, 7–9 success with a cost, 6− the Overlord makes a Cut against you. Playbook moves trigger from fictional actions. Hope (roll 3d6 keep best two) and Despair (roll 3d6 keep worst two) modify all rolls and cancel each other out when both are present.
- **Best For:** Groups who want LOTR-style co-operative epic fantasy where one player commits to playing the evil Overlord throughout the campaign and each hero treats themselves as the spokesperson for an entire fantasy people.
- **Highlights:** Dedicated Overlord playbook lets one player run the villain throughout the campaign with structured threat, plan, and Cut mechanics. Each hero playbook grants full authority over their fantasy people's lore, history, and culture: players are the canonical voice for their species. Over a dozen Destiny playbooks unlock at level 5 to transform heroes into greater figures (Chosen One, Cyborg, Witch, Lord of Beasts, and others). CC BY-SA 4.0 license permits free modification and redistribution.
- **Considerations:** Requires one player to commit to running the villain full-time with no hero of their own. Hero playbooks are tightly themed around six fantasy archetypes (Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Heir, Orc, Squire): groups wanting non-Tolkien-style species must reskin or hack the playbooks. Tracking Bonds, Companions, Hope, Despair, and tagged gear adds bookkeeping above the typical PbtA load. Whether a fictional Advantage exists for Finish Them often requires table interpretation.
- **Publisher:** Liberi Gothica Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/fellowship

---

## Chasing Adventure
- **Edition:** Free Version 1.6
- **Tagline:** Action-adventure fantasy forged from Dungeon World: fast moves, dramatic chases, and cinematic play
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Character-Driven, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat (STR, DEX, INT, WIS, CHA, -1 to +3). 10+ is a full success, 7–9 is a partial success with cost, 6- the GM makes a move. Advantage adds a d6 (keep best two); Disadvantage adds a d6 (keep worst two). Conditions replace HP: mark a stat with a condition for Disadvantage but gain XP. Push Yourself for Advantage at the cost of a condition. Chase Moves handle pursuit scenes. Favor tracks NPC relationships.
- **Best For:** Groups who want cinematic fantasy adventure with fast, narrative-driven moves: chase sequences, Favor relationships, and Conditions that make every roll matter.
- **Highlights:** Chase moves are distinctive, Conditions-as-damage creates meaningful consequences, Favor system drives NPC relationships, 10 playbooks with strong starting moves, free version is the complete game
- **Considerations:** The design is a close modification of Dungeon World, so groups who already play that will find little mechanically new. The core book covers fantasy only, with no support for other genres. The GM never rolls dice, so every mechanical outcome rests on a player roll.
- **Publisher:** Spencer Moore
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/chasing-adventure

---

## Impulse Drive
- **Edition:** Final Rules
- **Tagline:** A broke crew of flawed misfits takes risky contracts to keep their ship flying through a space opera galaxy
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Space Opera, Ship-Based, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Mission-Based, Strong GM Support, Improvisation, Hackable, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 52 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a Move tells you to roll, roll 2d6 and add the modifier it names, usually one of five Approaches (Volatile, Calculating, Slick, Stalwart, Alien) rated from -3 to +3. A 10+ is a full success, a 7–9 is usually a success with a cost or fewer choices, and a 6 or lower marks XP while the Space Master makes a Call. Advantage means rolling 3d6 and keeping the two highest dice, and Disadvantage keeps the two lowest. The two cancel each other out and never stack.
- **Best For:** Groups who want an episodic, TV-style space opera about a broke crew taking contracts aboard a ship they build together, where each character's flaws drive both trouble and advancement.
- **Highlights:** Applying a Hook when it complicates a scene gives Disadvantage, so playing to a character's flaws drives advancement. Money is never tracked literally: completing a Contract triggers the ship's Payment Move, and a standard result lets the crew pick only two spends such as maintenance or an upgrade. Harm can always be converted into Stress, and a full Stress track forces a permanent Calamity that changes the character for good.
- **Considerations:** There is no setting chapter, so the galaxy and its factions are invented by the group during character creation, ship creation and the first session. Money is abstracted and the crew is deliberately kept broke, so groups who enjoy tracking prices and trade margins get tiered gear lists and cargo categories instead. There is no separate ship-combat resolution engine: crews apply the personal Universal Moves through the ship at ship-scale ranges, dealing Damage instead of Harm.
- **Publisher:** Adrian Thoen
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Open license; Allowed with conditions; Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International; scope: All Impulse Drive rulebook text may be shared and adapted, including commercially, with attribution and ShareAlike; the illustrations and the layout and graphics are excluded.; terms: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; verified 2026-10-08; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/impulse-drive

---

## Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Diceless storytelling in a Ghibli-inspired world of wishes, friendship, and gentle wonder
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Cozy, Narrative, Diceless, Collaborative, Character-Driven, Worldbuilding, Drama, Fiction-First, Roleplay-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 60 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Diceless. Intention equals skill minus Obstacle; spend Will points to boost Intention above zero for success. Players drive play by selecting quests and earning XP through genre-specific actions (Pastoral, Gothic, Adventure Fantasy, etc.). Three XP types: Action XP (shared group pot), Emotion XP (earned by evoking specific emotions in other players), and Bonus XP (from quest tasks). Quests combine into eight color-coded Arcs. The GM is called the HG (Hollyhock God). Characters fade into the background after XP actions, rotating spotlight.
- **Best For:** Groups who want collaborative, slice-of-life storytelling in a whimsical Ghibli-inspired setting: where wishes, friendships, and personal growth drive play instead of combat.
- **Highlights:** Genre modes shape play through XP incentives: different genres reward different player behaviors, Emotion XP ties advancement to evoking specific reactions from other players, player-driven quests shift narrative agency from HG to group, eight Arc types support stories from pastoral slice-of-life to cosmic fantasy
- **Considerations:** Multiple overlapping XP and quest tracking systems require bookkeeping throughout play, Will resource and Intention math replace dice but add calculation per action, characters have Skills Connections Perks and Arc Traits that interact across multiple subsystems, fading mechanic forces characters out of the spotlight after XP actions
- **Publisher:** Eos Press (Jenna Katerin Moran)
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/chuubos-marvelous-wish-granting-engine

---

## Legend of the Elements
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Elemental bending and wuxia martial arts action inspired by Avatar
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Playbook-Driven, Beginner-Friendly, Cinematic
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat. On 10+ you succeed fully, on 7–9 you succeed with a cost or complication, on 6- the MC makes a move. Five stats (Natural, Hot, Solid, Keen, Fluid) map to elemental temperaments. Chi and Chakras fuel supernatural abilities; Oaths and Respect drive character relationships.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play Avatar: The Last Airbender-style supernatural martial arts stories with elemental bending, oaths, and chi.
- **Highlights:** Designed for Avatar-style elemental fantasy, wide playbook selection (15+ including sub-playbooks), Chi/Chakra economy adds depth beyond standard PbtA, accessible to new players
- **Considerations:** Very niche: requires buy-in to the wuxia/elemental genre, tightly coupled to its specific tone, MC section is dense for first-time PbtA GMs
- **Publisher:** The Logbook Project
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/legend-of-the-elements

---

## Barbarians of Lemuria
- **Edition:** Mythic Edition
- **Tagline:** Sword and sorcery adventure on the savage continent of Lemuria
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Pulp Action, Sword & Sorcery, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced
- **Family:** BoL
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + attribute + career (or combat ability), 9+ to succeed. Four attributes (Strength, Agility, Mind, Appeal) and four combat abilities (Initiative, Melee, Ranged, Defence) rated 0–5. Careers replace individual skills: if your career is relevant, add its rating. Boons roll 3d6 keep best two; flaws roll 3d6 keep worst two. Hero Points fuel dramatic escapes and heroic feats.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, pulpy sword and sorcery in the vein of Conan: career-based characters, boons and flaws, and combat that resolves in minutes.
- **Highlights:** Career system is intuitive and fast, combat resolves in minutes, Hero Points enable pulp heroics, simple to learn and teach, spawned the Everywhen universal toolkit
- **Considerations:** Tightly coupled to its Lemuria setting, limited character advancement, combat lacks tactical depth
- **Publisher:** Beyond Belief Games
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/barbarians-of-lemuria

---

## Everywhen
- **Edition:** v1.06
- **Tagline:** Pulp adventure in any setting, from weird westerns to space opera
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Pulp Action, Heroic, Fast-Paced, Sandbox, Low-Prep
- **Family:** BoL
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + attribute + career (or combat ability) vs. 9+ to succeed. Bonus/penalty dice add extra d6s, keeping the best or worst two. Hero Points let you bend the rules. Careers replace skill lists: your background defines what you can do. Mighty Successes and Calamitous Failures add dramatic swings.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a fast, career-based universal system with tons of optional rules switches: run weird westerns, cyberpunk, age of sail, high fantasy, or anything pulp and heroic.
- **Highlights:** Career system eliminates skill lists, fast-playing 2d6 core, large optional rules toolkit (resolve, psionics, arcana, vehicles, mass battles, investigations), two included settings with more published separately
- **Considerations:** Requires GM comfort with rulings over rules, BoL veterans may find overlap confusing, no free quickstart
- **Publisher:** Filigree Forge
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/everywhen

---

## Honor + Intrigue
- **Edition:** Revised Edition
- **Tagline:** Swashbuckling adventure in the 17th century that never was: musketeers, pirates, and courtly intrigue
- **Genre:** Historical
- **Tags:** Career-Based, Cinematic, Social Combat, Social Intrigue, Heroic, Fast-Paced, Martial Arts, Ship-Based, Pirates, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** BoL
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + Quality (Might, Daring, Savvy, or Flair) + Career rank vs. 9 to succeed. In combat, Combat Abilities (Brawl, Melee, Ranged, Defense) replace Careers. Bonus Dice roll 3d6 and keep the best two; Penalty Dice keep the worst two. Fortune Points let heroes escape death, add bonus dice, invoke dramatic license, or press the Advantage in duels. Advantage tracks momentum in melee: characters start at 3 and lose Advantage when hit, becoming Defeated at 0. Nine Dueling Styles (Spanish, Italian, French, and more) each grant unique maneuvers and a Final Secret at mastery. Social Combat uses the same framework, targeting Composure instead of Lifeblood.
- **Best For:** Groups who want cinematic swashbuckling in the style of The Three Musketeers and Captain Blood: dashing swordplay, court intrigue, and sea battles with a fast, career-based system.
- **Highlights:** Nine Dueling Styles with distinct maneuvers and masterable Final Secrets provide deep fencing differentiation. Social Combat and Repartee use the same mechanical framework as physical combat, targeting Composure. Over 30 period-specific Careers from Musketeer to Temptress replace skill lists. Includes ship-to-ship combat, battlefield rules, and a 17th-century gazetteer covering Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
- **Considerations:** No free quickstart or SRD available. Advantage tracking adds a subsystem on top of basic BoL resolution. The gazetteer and setting material assume 17th-century Europe as the default, limiting out-of-the-box use for other periods.
- **Publisher:** Basic Action Games
- **Year:** 2012
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/honor-intrigue

---

## Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Musketeers, sky-pirates, and mystics duel for honor among floating cloud-islands above an endless blue.
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tag-Based, Fiction-First, Cinematic, Pirates, Ship-Based, Heroic
- **Family:** PDQ
- **Dice:** 2d6 / 3d6
- **Complexity:** 43 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 and keep the best two, then add the Modifier of a relevant Forte, a descriptive Quality ranked from Poor (−2) to Master (+6), and compare the total to a Difficulty Rank's Target Number. Players narrate their own successes and failures, and may invoke Techniques to add dice or a flat +1 even after seeing the roll. Combat is resolved as a Duel, with each side splitting a 3d6 pool between attack and defense and the winning margin lowering the loser's Forte Ranks as damage.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a swashbuckling campaign of sky-pirates and musketeers in an original floating-island world, are comfortable with a light narrative meta-currency, and want skyship battles that give four to six players distinct crew roles.
- **Highlights:** Players earn Style Dice by narrating their actions with flair and by leaning into their character's Foibles, then spend them to add dice, recover from damage, or assert new facts, tying mechanical advantage directly to dramatic play. Character abilities are broad descriptive Fortes such as "Colronan Musketeer" or "Sha-Ku Ruqrider," so a single Forte covers every related action at the table instead of a skill list while rooting the character in the setting. Before play the group sets explicit dials for firearm lethality, level of magic, and tone, letting the same setting run as cape-and-sword intrigue or deadly piracy.
- **Considerations:** The Style Dice economy only drives play if the GM actively seeds and awards dice each session, and the genre-reward loop that powers the game stalls when it is left unmanaged. Starting koldun can take all seven Gifts cheaply and the magic stays deliberately open-ended, so it can overshadow other characters unless the GM sets the mysticism level beforehand. Skyship combat layers a multi-step crew sequence and a separate dice pool on top of personal combat, a sharp jump in table overhead from the otherwise light core.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2009
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/swashbucklers-of-the-7-skies

---

## OneDice Abney Park’s Airship Pirates
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Sky-pirate crews chase plunder and freedom through a post-apocalyptic steampunk future
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic, Scifi
- **Tags:** Pirates, Ship-Based, Licensed IP, Skill-Based, Cinematic, Pulp Action, Random Tables
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 42 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d6 plus one relevant ability and an applicable skill if any, then meet or beat the Gamekeeper’s target number. Opposed checks compare totals, while Doubloons can secure non-combat success, turn a hit into a miss, or power swashbuckling stunts.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, cinematic campaigns about a shared airship crew, with boarding actions and procedurally generated Skyloft destinations.
- **Highlights:** Doubloons refresh each session and turn danger into player choices by averting harm or enabling cinematic stunts. Airship combat uses abstract range bands to structure chases and boarding actions for the whole crew. Random Skyloft tables generate aerial settlements with distinct economies and local customs.
- **Considerations:** The Gamekeeper sets target numbers and many situational modifiers, so table consistency depends on shared expectations. Player pirates reduced to zero Health by lethal damage die unless Medicine succeeds within three combat rounds; a Doubloon instead leaves them unconscious. The setting includes authoritarian oppression and slavery.
- **Publisher:** Cakebread & Walton
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/onedice-abney-park-s-airship-pirates

---

## White Box: FMAG
- **Edition:** Second Printing
- **Tagline:** The original fantasy RPG distilled to its simplest form: four classes, compressed modifiers, and room to make it your own
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Deadly, Hackable, Beginner-Friendly, Random Character Creation, Vancian Casting, Descending AC, Hexcrawl
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + modifiers against a target number derived from the defender's Armor Class (descending AC by default, ascending AC optional). Attribute modifiers are compressed to −1, 0, or +1. Each class has a single saving throw number that improves with level. Side-based initiative is rolled each round on d6.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting the simplest possible version of original D&D: four classes, compressed modifiers, and intentional rules gaps that invite house rules and Referee creativity.
- **Highlights:** Attribute modifiers compressed to −1/0/+1 keeps math fast and reduces stat dependency. Complete game in 143 pages including monsters, treasure, spells, and wilderness/dungeon procedures. Free PDF and under $5 in print makes it one of the most accessible OSR games. Intentional rules gaps and a blank House Rules page explicitly invite customization.
- **Considerations:** Four classes (three without the optional Thief) limits character variety. No formal skill system: the Referee adjudicates all non-combat actions. Level tables cap at 10, requiring house rules for extended campaigns.
- **Publisher:** Seattle Hill Games
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/white-box-fmag

---

## Ashes Without Number
- **Edition:** Deluxe Edition
- **Tagline:** Post-apocalyptic survival in a world that's already ended: from the creator of Stars Without Number
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Deadly, Gritty, Exploration, Survival, Faction Play, Ascending AC
- **Family:** Without Number
- **Dice:** 2d6 / d20
- **Complexity:** 52 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** 2d6 + skill + attribute modifier ≥ target for skill checks; d20 + modifiers for combat. Edges and Foci customize survivors. Enclave turn manages settlement-level play. Mutation system for mutant wasteland campaigns.
- **Best For:** Sandbox post-apocalyptic campaigns (nuclear wastelands, zombie deadlands, or societal collapse) with the same incredible GM tools as Stars Without Number.
- **Highlights:** Three apocalypse flavors (mutant wasteland, zombie deadlands, after the fall), comprehensive sandbox GM tools with encounter site and enclave generators, mutations and cybernetics, compatible with other Without Number games
- **Considerations:** OSR combat can feel flat, dense 294-page rulebook, requires GM comfort with sandbox play
- **Publisher:** Sine Nomine Publishing
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ashes-without-number

---

## Rapscallion
- **Edition:** Quickstart v7.1
- **Tagline:** Pirate adventure on cursed seas: swear oaths, twist fate, and sail a ship that's a character too
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Pirates
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 35 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + trait (Blood, Vinegar, Polish, or Spitfire). On 10+ you succeed cleanly, 7–9 with a cost, 6– and things go wrong. Players choose from 6 character playbooks and 2 ship playbooks. Luck can be spent to Twist Fate (reroll), and the Ante system tracks escalating combat advantage. The Fates (GM) use worldbuilding moves to create a living fantasy pirate setting with magic rooted in Death, Demons, the Sea, and Books.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a narrative pirate RPG with dramatic character relationships: where your ship has its own playbook, magic comes from dark pacts, and the dice swing between daring success and messy complication.
- **Highlights:** Ship-as-character with its own playbook adds group dynamics, Ante system makes combat escalation feel cinematic, worldbuilding tools (World With Laws vs World Without Laws), Magpie Games pedigree, free quickstart to try before buying
- **Considerations:** Only a quickstart: full game not yet released, limited to 6 playbooks, pirate fantasy genre is narrow, requires buy-in from the whole table for PbtA-style play, light on crunch
- **Publisher:** Magpie Games
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/rapscallion

---

## OpenQuest
- **Edition:** 3rd Edition
- **Tagline:** D100 fantasy gaming made easy: deadly combat and three distinct magic systems
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Skill-Based, Classless, Beginner-Friendly, Deadly, Sword & Sorcery, Mana Points, Roll to Cast, Theater of the Mind, CC-Licensed Rules, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 40 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 equal to or under a skill percentage to succeed. Doubles on a success (11, 22, 33) are critical successes; doubles on a failure are fumbles. Modifiers apply in meaningful increments of ±20% or ±50% only. Opposed tests have both sides roll, with the highest successful roll winning. Fortune points allow rerolls and can prevent character death.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting a streamlined D100 fantasy system that retains the feel of classic BRP (deadly combat, three distinct magic systems, and percentile skills) without hit locations or fiddly modifiers.
- **Highlights:** Three magic systems (Personal Magic, Divine Magic, and Sorcery) each with distinct mechanics and progression. Simplified modifiers (±20% or ±50% only) reduce bookkeeping without sacrificing impact. Social combat subsystem handles fast talk, oratory, and intimidation with mechanical structure. Full SRD released under CC BY 4.0, which has spawned commercial derivatives like Jackals (Osprey Games).
- **Considerations:** No hit location system: groups wanting granular wound tracking should look to Mythras or RuneQuest. Low hit point totals make combat swingy from single lucky or unlucky rolls. Non-human character options (Ducks, Elves, Dwarves) are optional rules only.
- **Publisher:** D101 Games
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0 (SRD)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/openquest

---

## Against the Darkmaster
- **Edition:** Core Rules v1.5
- **Tagline:** Epic fantasy adventure and heavy metal combat inspired by classic d100 systems
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Deadly, High-Fantasy, Journey, Character-Driven, Roll to Cast
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 + skill bonus against a difficulty threshold for skill checks, or against an opponent's defensive bonus for attacks. Rolls of 01–05 are automatic failures (fumbles); rolls of 96–00 are open-ended, allowing a second d100 roll added to the first for explosive results. Attack rolls that exceed the target produce hits on weapon-specific attack tables, with high results triggering critical strikes that cause injuries, bleeding, and conditions beyond simple hit point loss.
- **Best For:** Groups who want an epic good-versus-evil campaign with deep character creation, detailed travel mechanics, and crunchy percentile combat with critical hit tables: especially fans of Rolemaster or MERP looking for a modernized take.
- **Highlights:** Character creation combines Kin, Culture, Vocation, and Background into highly differentiated characters with personal Passions that mechanically drive play. Detailed overland travel system with terrain-specific hazard tables, foraging, camping, and safe haven mechanics. Magic system with 30+ Spell Lores and over 300 spells, available to all Vocations at different costs. The Darkmaster creation system lets the GM build a campaign-defining antagonist with servants, artifacts, and a dark stronghold.
- **Considerations:** 574-page core book requires significant reading investment before first play. Open-ended d100 rolls and critical hit tables can produce extreme outcomes that swing encounters unpredictably. No published setting: the GM must build or adapt one, though the included introductory campaign provides a starting framework. Character creation involves multiple layered steps (Stats, Kin, Culture, Vocation, Skills, Backgrounds, Passions) that can take an entire session.
- **Publisher:** Open Ended Games
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (open00 SRD planned)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/against-the-darkmaster

---

## Scarlet Heroes
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** Sword and sorcery adventures for a lone hero: solo, duet, or classic play
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Solo-Friendly, Sandbox, Dungeon Crawl, Low-Prep, Random Tables, Heroic, Ascending AC
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** 2d8 / d20
- **Complexity:** 35 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Checks: roll 2d8 + attribute modifier + highest relevant trait vs. difficulty number. Attacks: roll d20 + attack bonus vs. AC 20. Unique damage conversion: each damage die reads individually (1 = 0, 2–5 = 1 point, 6–9 = 2 points, 10+ = 4 points), making a single hero viable against hordes. Heroes roll a Fray die each round to auto-damage lesser enemies.
- **Best For:** Solo players, duet groups (1 player + 1 GM), or anyone wanting to run classic old-school adventures without a full party: one hero can tackle any module.
- **Highlights:** Solo and duet scaling makes any old-school module playable with one hero, Fray die and damage conversion solve the action economy, solo oracle and adventure generators included, compatible with B/X and OSR modules, Red Tide setting included
- **Considerations:** Solo adventure tools require creative self-GMing, Red Tide setting is baked in (though easily reskinned), limited character options compared to full OSR games, older layout
- **Publisher:** Sine Nomine Publishing
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/scarlet-heroes

---

## Godbound
- **Edition:** Free Edition
- **Tagline:** Play a newborn demigod and reshape a broken world with the Words of Creation
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Sandbox, High-Power, Worldbuilding, Toolkit, Ascending AC, Mana Points
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Attribute checks: roll 1d20 equal to or above (21 minus attribute score). Attacks: roll 1d20 + attack bonus vs AC. Fray die deals automatic damage to lesser foes each round. Divine powers fueled by Effort (commit to activate gifts). Dominion points spent to reshape the world at large.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play divine heroes reshaping nations and battling gods: epic-scale OSR sandbox campaigns with world-building baked in.
- **Highlights:** Free edition is a complete game, Dominion/Faction system for world-shaping, Fray die handles demigod power level cleanly, detailed GM sandbox tools, compatible with OSR modules
- **Considerations:** High-power premise limits traditional dungeon crawling, Effort tracking across multiple Words gets complex, Arcem setting is deeply baked in
- **Publisher:** Sine Nomine Publishing
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** OGL (Free Edition available)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/godbound

---

## Wolves of God
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Anglo-Saxon adventure in Dark Ages England: OSR meets history
- **Genre:** Historical
- **Tags:** Sandbox, Exploration, Worldbuilding, Low-Prep, Ascending AC
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6 / d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** 2d6 + skill + attribute ≥ target for skill checks; d20 + modifiers vs. AC for combat. Same engine as Stars/Worlds Without Number adapted for a historical setting.
- **Best For:** Historical Dark Ages campaigns set in Anglo-Saxon England with dungeon-delving into Roman ruins, sandbox tools, and Kevin Crawford's signature GM aids.
- **Highlights:** Detailed historical setting with Crawford's sandbox tools, distinctive Anglo-Saxon flavor, Roman ruins as dungeons, compatible with other Sine Nomine products
- **Considerations:** Very niche historical setting, limited appeal outside Dark Ages fans, no free version
- **Publisher:** Sine Nomine Publishing
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/wolves-of-god

---

## Open Legend
- **Edition:** Core Rule Book
- **Tagline:** A genre-agnostic toolkit where exploding attribute dice drive heroes through any setting
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Toolkit, Classless, Hackable, Heroic, Modular, Character Building, Tactical, Crunchy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20 + d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 60 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 58 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d20 plus one or more attribute dice (d4 through d12 based on attribute score, scaling to multiple dice at higher scores) against a Challenge Rating. All dice explode on their maximum face and can keep exploding without limit. Characters have eighteen attributes split across Physical, Mental, Social, and Extraordinary categories; extraordinary attributes channel banes (negative effects) and boons (positive effects) instead of tracking a spell list. Advantage or disadvantage adds extra dice and drops the lowest or highest before summing.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a single classless engine to handle fantasy, science fiction, modern, or horror campaigns through eighteen attributes spanning physical, mental, social, and extraordinary domains, with magic and special effects folded into the same dice mechanic as combat.
- **Highlights:** All dice explode on maximum rolls with no cap, producing occasional dramatic result spikes through the same mechanic that handles ordinary rolls. Magic is folded into the attribute system through banes and boons, so extraordinary attributes like Energy or Entropy roll for fixed effects rather than tracking a spell list. Hits that exceed a defense by ten or more automatically apply a free bane on top of damage, so big roll-overs translate into status effects like knockdown or stunned rather than wasted overflow.
- **Considerations:** First-level character creation spends 40 attribute points across 18 attributes plus 6 feat points across a tiered feat list, producing heavy upfront decision load before play begins. Weapons have no damage dice (damage equals your action roll minus the target's defense), so weapon variety within a category is largely cosmetic, and the book itself notes that a longsword mechanically dominates a shortsword. Hit points come from Fortitude, Presence, and Will (HP = 2·(F+P+W) + 10) rather than from level, so a character who dumps all three stays near 10 HP regardless of how much XP they earn.
- **Publisher:** Seventh Sphere Publishing
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Open Legend Community License (SRD)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/open-legend

---

## Storypath Ultra
- **Edition:** Core Manual
- **Tagline:** Onyx Path's genre-agnostic d10 dice pool toolkit for building any world
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Investigation, Social Intrigue, Narrative, Classless
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 52 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d10s equal to Skill + Attribute. Each die showing 8+ is a hit; 10s count as two hits. Add Enhancement (bonus hits from gear, abilities, or circumstances). Spend hits to meet the difficulty, buy off Complications (side effects attached to the roll), or purchase Tricks (extra effects like knockdown or critical hits). Failed rolls generate Momentum, a shared pool players spend for bonus hits, to turn failures into successes, or to introduce story facts.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a genre-agnostic d10 dice pool engine with dedicated subsystems for action, investigation, and social intrigue: especially those building their own setting or adapting existing Storypath games.
- **Highlights:** Three distinct play modes (action-adventure, investigation, and influence) each with dedicated mechanics. Complications and Tricks give every successful roll narrative texture beyond pass/fail. Momentum turns failed rolls into a shared resource that keeps the story moving. Modular building-block systems (powers, heists, vehicles, crafting, large-scale combat) plug into any game.
- **Considerations:** No included setting beyond three short examples: groups must build or adapt their own world. No free quickstart or SRD available. Multiple interacting subsystems (Enhancement, Advantage, bonds, Complications) take several sessions to internalize.
- **Publisher:** Onyx Path Publishing
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (third-party license pending)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/storypath-ultra

---

## Vagabond
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Old-school dungeon crawling rebuilt from the ground up for modern heroes
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Fast-Paced, Character Building, Dungeon Crawl, Sandbox, Heroic, Pulp Action, Solo-Friendly, Player-Only Rolls, Mana Points
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 38 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 17 (Very Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 vs. Difficulty (20 − Stat, doubled if Trained). Crit on nat 20, fail below Difficulty. All rolls player-facing. Spend Luck for Advantage (Favor) or rerolls (Fluke). Three saves: Endure (MIT×2), Reflex (DEX+AWR), Will (RSN+PRS). Defend with Block or Dodge on off-turns. Mana-based magic scales one spell from cantrip to nuke. Enemy AI action gambits run monsters for the GM.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting modern character depth married to old-school speed: 20+ ancestries, 17 classes, non-Vancian mana magic, and built-in solo/co-op/guided play.
- **Highlights:** Mana-based magic scales a single spell from cantrip to high-powered effect, so casters shape output on the fly instead of tracking fixed spell slots. Enemy action gambits run monsters from decision tables, removing per-turn tactical choices from the GM's workload. A spendable Luck pool buys Advantage or rerolls, turning swing into a resource players ration across a session.
- **Considerations:** Dense class and ancestry options can overwhelm new players. Pulp-fantasy tone limits grimdark play. All rolls are player-facing, so the GM never rolls dice and every check rests on the players.
- **Publisher:** Land of the Blind
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Open Compatibility
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/vagabond

---

## Those Who Wander
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Heroic fantasy where characters mix any two parentages and walk a 20-step path shaped by an awakening heirloom
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Heroic, High-Fantasy, Character Building, Classless, Tactical, Worldbuilding, Vancian Casting, Crunchy
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 60 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + ability bonus + proficiency bonus against a Difficulty Score. Abilities use direct modifiers (−1 to +5) instead of base scores, removing a calculation step from every roll. Character progression replaces classes and levels with a 20-step path: at each step you choose between two or more diverging features, and prerequisites gate later options.
- **Best For:** Groups familiar with d20 fantasy who want deeper character customization, inclusive design covering any parentage pairing and accessibility for disabled characters, and long campaigns where each hero's 20-step path diverges from the rest of the party.
- **Highlights:** Parentage system inherits traits from any two birth parents across 15 peoples (dwarven, elven, human, halfling, avian, celestial, draconic, genie, gnoll, gnomish, goblin, kobold, infernal, orc, plus Complex Parentage) for hundreds of pairing combinations. Accessibility rules treat Blind and Deaf characters as mechanically viable heroes and integrate prosthetics and wheelchairs as part of the character. The 20-step branching progression replaces classes and levels: each step is a choice between two or more features that gate further specializations. Awakening heirlooms (weapons, armor, trinkets) gain new properties as characters take steps, growing in power and personality alongside their owner.
- **Considerations:** 477-page rulebook with substantial mechanical innovation in character creation requires significant reading before a first session. No adventures are included in the core rules: GMs must design their own scenarios or source from d20-compatible content. The steps system departs from familiar level/class structure, so players coming from d20 fantasy must learn a new progression model. No native rolled initiative: the storyteller chooses one of four ability-based turn-order methods at the start of each combat.
- **Publisher:** Gnome Made Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (free Essential Rules quickstart)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/those-who-wander

---

## Superpowered
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** 2d6 superhero action from the creators of the Cepheus Engine
- **Genre:** Modern, Superhero
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Superpowers, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Theater of the Mind, Character-Driven
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 20 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + skill level vs. a difficulty number (4+ easy to 10+ formidable). Characters have 7 broad skills, Endurance (stamina), and Lifeblood (health). Superpowers are defined by a Power source (from 36 options like Fire, Cosmic, or Speed) that grants themed Abilities. Weaknesses grant bonus Abilities. D66 tables generate random powers and origins.
- **Best For:** Quick superhero campaigns with a simple 2d6 engine: build any hero from 36 power sources, take a weakness, and leap into four-color action without heavy rules.
- **Highlights:** Simple 2d6 rules, 36 diverse power sources with unique ability lists, quick character creation, OGL-compatible with Cepheus Engine material, includes heroes, villains, and creatures ready to play
- **Considerations:** Very niche, limited advancement system, superhero genre only, lacks the depth of crunchier supers games
- **Publisher:** Stellagama Publishing
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/superpowered

---

## Aether Nexus
- **Edition:** Core Rules v1.5
- **Tagline:** Fantasy mecha RPG: forge your knight, helm a towering Apparatus, and fight as one through a shattered world
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Mecha, Tactical, Collaborative
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20 + d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 under an aspect (Stone, Flux, Aether, or Hearth) to succeed on tests. Favor and hindrance work like advantage/disadvantage (roll 2d20, pick better or worse). Knights pilot Apparatus (mechs) with resource dice: Armor Die reduces damage, Damage Die deals it, and Nexus Die represents the bond with allies: rolling max on the Nexus Die triggers a powerful Nexus Surge but downgrades the die. Battles play out on a span-based battlefield with tactical positioning.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a fantasy mecha experience: knight pilots bonded to towering Apparatus through a shared Nexus, battling Oghdra horrors across the floating Fragments of a shattered world called Eskhara.
- **Highlights:** Fills a fantasy-mecha niche with detailed lore, 10 playable kin and 16 Apparatus frames offer character variety, Nexus Die creates risk-reward tension, span-based combat is tactical without requiring a grid, built on The Black Hack's proven core
- **Considerations:** Tightly bound to the Eskhara setting: hard to use outside it, moderate complexity with many subsystems (conditions, augments, boons, arsenal points), requires investment to learn unique terminology, combat-focused sessions may overshadow exploration and social play
- **Publisher:** Absolute Tabletop
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/aether-nexus

---

## NewEdo
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Neon samurai cyberpunk-fantasy set in a Japanese-inspired future empire where public belief literally shapes reality
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Cinematic, Character Building, Crunchy, Classless, Faction Play, Heroic, High-Power, Urban Fantasy, Tactical
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 72 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Contests use a dice pool combining Core Trait d10s plus Skill dice (d4, d6, d8, or d12 depending on Focus) against a Target Number, with d10s exploding on 10s. Before each contest, the player Rolls their Fate on a d100 and resolves any matching lines on their personal Fate Card, which fills up with triggered effects as the character develops through Path abilities and in-game choices. Legend is the character's reputation and acts as a resource pool: spending up to 5 points of Temporary Legend per Round adds that total to a dice pool for cinematic stunts, and Legend is regained by doing memorable things.
- **Best For:** Groups who want deep character customization across magic, cybernetics, and skills in a near-future city drawn from Japanese folklore and samurai fiction, with heavy factional politics and larger-than-life heroes fueled by their growing reputation.
- **Highlights:** Priority Buy character creation distributes uneven resources across Backgrounds, Magic, Augmentations, Skills, and Core Traits so that no two builds share the same shape. Ten playable Lineages are drawn from Japanese folklore (bakeneko, kappa, karasu, kitsune, oni, saru, tanuki, usagi, human, and the cybernetic half-machine hisanaka), each with two Cultures. Seven Factions and their Paths tie every character to a political stance in the Empire. Magic is built around Shinpi and Rotes granted by tiers of kami: casters negotiate with spirits rather than memorizing spell slots.
- **Considerations:** Dense interlocking subsystems (Legend, Fate Card, Trait Noise, Shinpi, Priority Buy, Derived Traits, Wound tiers, and four Soak types) take significant time to internalize before first play. Core rulebook runs over 300 pages and is paid only, with no free quickstart or SRD. The setting mixes cyberpunk, samurai fiction, and yokai folklore in a single package, which may not suit groups looking for a pure take on any one genre.
- **Publisher:** Salty Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/newedo

---

## Skies Above
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** JRPG-inspired fantasy of Skyfolk heroes, elemental goddesses, and airship adventure across the floating remnants of a shattered world
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** JRPG, Cinematic, Tactical, High-Fantasy, Heroic, Character Building, Mana Points, Theater of the Mind, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d8
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d8 + two Attributes + modifiers against a Target Number (typically 10, increasing in steps of 4 for harder tasks). Natural 8s explode, rolling and adding again; every additional 8 raises the Critical Level, scaling damage and effects. A natural 1 is an Epic Fail that halves the character's Defences until their next turn. Critical hits dealt and taken generate Overdrive: once eight stacks accumulate, characters spend them to take an additional action that round, modeling the limit-break payoff of classic JRPGs.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a JRPG-inspired tabletop adventure: picking from twelve jobs like Dragoon, Dark Mage, or Engineer, channeling elemental magic blessed by eight goddesses, and journeying by airship across floating sky-islands in the aftermath of a magical cataclysm.
- **Highlights:** Exploding d8 with stacking Critical Levels: multiple natural 8s in a row cascade into larger crits and bigger effects, so heroic moments scale rather than cap. Overdrive accumulates from critical hits dealt and received, and spending eight stacks grants an additional action that round, giving combat a JRPG limit-break rhythm. Twelve job roles span melee, magic, ranged, and support archetypes, and characters add a second job at level 12 to cross-pollinate abilities and weapon ranks. Eight elemental goddesses anchor both magic and the bestiary: every Skyfolk lineage is blessed with resistance to one element, and creatures carry specific elemental weaknesses that double incoming damage.
- **Considerations:** Combat is the most heavily detailed pillar of the rules, with conditions, elemental damage, front/back row positioning, and an optional battlefield grid: investigation, intrigue, and downtime get coverage but less mechanical depth. Light and Dark Mages cannot learn from the opposing path, locking each spellcaster out of half the elemental spell list and pushing magical variety into multi-job characters. The exploding-d8 swing is wide: consecutive 8s can demolish encounters while a natural 1 halves a character's Defences and opens them to brutal counters. Setting and mechanics are tightly woven: Skyfolk lineages, the eight Goddesses, and post-Breaking lore are baked into character options rather than presented as swappable flavor.
- **Publisher:** Lost Haven Studio
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/skies-above

---

## Black Star
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Fast space opera where dual archetypes define your hero and Resolve fuels the action
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Pulp Action, Space Opera, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Mana Points
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + ability, 9+ to succeed. Ten abilities rated 0–5. Pick two archetypes from ten options (Commander, Engineer, Mystic, Scoundrel, etc.) to define your character's strengths. Resolve serves as both HP and hero points: spend it to boost rolls or fuel special abilities, but run out and you're down. Advantages and disadvantages modify the roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, pulpy space opera with simple rules: pick two archetypes, grab some d6s, and blast off into adventure.
- **Highlights:** Simple to learn, dual archetype system creates unique combinations, Resolve as HP-and-hero-points is a clean design, fast character creation, suited for one-shots and pickup games
- **Considerations:** Limited advancement options, narrow space opera focus, lacks deep tactical combat
- **Publisher:** Lakeside Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/black-star

---

## Grizzled Adventurers
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** Lightweight OSR dungeon crawling for a band of grizzled old heroes
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Dungeon Crawl, One-Shot Friendly, Rules-Light, Low-Prep, Beginner-Friendly, Character-Driven, Theater of the Mind, Ascending AC
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** OSR rules: roll d20 under ability score for checks, d20 + attack bonus vs. AC for combat. Shared character creation via pass-around worksheets builds backstory and party bonds. Fortune Points grant rerolls and cheat death. Three classes (Warrior, Rogue, Mage) with familiar saving throws and hit dice.
- **Best For:** One-shot dungeon crawls with experienced mid-level heroes: perfect for pickup games or nights when a player or two are missing.
- **Highlights:** Shared character creation instantly builds party history and bonds, plays a full dungeon in one evening, OSR-compatible with existing modules and monsters, includes dungeon-building tools for the GM, handout-driven setup requires only dice and friends
- **Considerations:** Fantasy dungeon crawl only: no overland or campaign play, very niche premise (old adventurers), three classes limit build variety
- **Publisher:** Flatland Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** OGL 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/grizzled-adventurers

---

## Bunnies & Burrows
- **Edition:** 3rd Edition
- **Tagline:** Play as rabbits surviving in a dangerous natural world
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Career-Based, Deadly, Exploration, Grid-Based, Gritty, Hexcrawl, Random Character Creation, Resource Management, Survival
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d6 + Trait Rating against a Difficulty Value (DV) for skill checks. Eight traits (Strength, Speed, Intelligence, Agility, Constitution, Mysticism, Smell, Charisma) each have a genetic base value set at character creation via 3d6, plus a Level that increases through Advancement Points. Combat uses hex-based battleboards with Attack and Defend dice, comparing Attack Score (attack die plus modifiers) to Defense Score (SPD Rating plus defend die), with tactical choices selected secretly each round via Combat Tactics Cards.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a survival-focused campaign from a non-human perspective, solving problems as small prey animals in a realistically dangerous ecosystem.
- **Highlights:** Fully realized herbalism system serves as the game's analog to magic, with herb searching, recognition, preparation, and remodeling mechanics. Pursuit phase models predator chases as a distinct tactical minigame before combat begins. Extensive bestiary details real-world predators and prey with ecologically grounded behavior. Nine playable species (rabbit plus eight others) each with a unique profession and trait distribution.
- **Considerations:** No free quickstart or SRD: the $1 B&B Light folio is the cheapest entry point. Battleboard combat with tokens and tactics cards requires physical components or digital substitutes. Rules are spread across multiple subsystems (pursuit, combat, herbalism, diseases, pests) that take time to internalize.
- **Publisher:** Frog God Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (licensed from Steve Jackson Games)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/bunnies-burrows

---

## 10,000 Swords Against Heaven
- **Edition:** Version 2.0.3
- **Tagline:** Cultivators confront gods and capital in a ruined science-fantasy archipelago
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Scifi, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Cyberpunk
- **Tags:** Martial Arts, Tactical, Character Building, Classless, Fiction-First, Survival, Resource Management, Sandbox, Dark Fantasy, Weird
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to the relevant Cultivation rating, adjusted for the circumstances. Each die showing 4–6 counts as a Strike. Meet or exceed the action's Demand to succeed; opposed checks compare Strike totals.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking cultivation campaigns with reactive tactical combat and open-ended exploration. The setting centers communist revolution against divine and capitalist rule.
- **Highlights:** Two-stage Interrupt cascades let combatants spend Actions to respond before an opponent's declared action resolves. Licenses from fifteen Sects combine with limited Meridian slots to support changeable martial and magical loadouts. Magnetite is both currency and a source of XP, making cultivation compete with equipment purchases.
- **Considerations:** Characters start fragile by design; the book expects many to die at Stage 0 before cultivation takes hold. Casting Magick prevents Defense Checks, making positioning and allied protection important. The premise centers communist revolution, and the book warns of sexual violence and body horror.
- **Publisher:** JK Saavedra
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Core rulebook Third Party License; Allowed with conditions; Third Party License; scope: Reproduction and reuse of the game's text; terms: https://makapatag.itch.io/10000-swords-against-heaven; verified 2026-09-08; note: The license on page 4 of the 2.0.3 core excludes bigoted, fascist, and anticommunist products and requires the attribution THIS IS 1 SWORD AGAINST HEAVEN. Its text-reuse grant does not cover artwork.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/10-000-swords-against-heaven

---

## NUKED!
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Post-apocalyptic scavenging RPG where classless Skrappers raid irradiated ruins for one more big score
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Survival, Classless, Resource Management, Deadly, Random Character Creation, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 22 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 equal to or under the relevant ability score to succeed. Six abilities (Muscle, Agility, Guts, Brains, Sense, Weird) range from 8 to 18. In opposed tests, both sides roll and the highest successful result wins. Advantage and disadvantage modify rolls based on situational factors. Combat uses an action economy of one move and one action per turn; defenders choose to counter-attack or dodge. Damage dice explode on their maximum value. Usage dice (Ud4 to Ud12) track item durability, rations, water, and gasoline: roll after use, and on a 1 or 2 the die steps down one size until the item breaks.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a fast, streamlined post-apocalyptic game with OSR sensibilities where classless scavengers explore irradiated ruins, manage dwindling supplies, and customize characters through perks and mutations rather than class levels.
- **Highlights:** Classless system where character identity comes from carried equipment, perks, and mutations rather than predetermined roles. Usage dice track item durability, rations, water, and gasoline, making resource management central without complex bookkeeping. 50 level-less perks and mutations allow character customization at any stage of advancement. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license allows free modification and redistribution.
- **Considerations:** 40-page core book means limited depth in any individual subsystem. No structured social encounter mechanics beyond ability tests. Vehicle rules are brief and cover basic chases and ramming but lack detailed options.
- **Publisher:** Harsh Realm Press
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/nuked

---

## Atomic Highway
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Post-apocalyptic road warrior RPG of vehicular combat, scavenging, and mutant survival in the wasteland
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Survival, Career-Based, Sandbox, Gritty, Resource Management, Classless
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** V6 Engine: roll a number of d6 equal to the relevant attribute (rated 1–5). Each natural 6 is a success and is rerolled for a chance at additional successes. Skill points (rated 1–5) can then be spent to boost individual die results up to 6, generating further successes. Most tasks require one success; harder tasks require two or more. When all dice show 1, something goes wrong regardless of skill. Fortune points allow players to add successes, reduce opponent successes, or introduce narrative twists.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a lightweight Mad Max–style post-apocalyptic game with fast-resolving vehicular combat, quick character creation via background templates, and a setting that supports road warriors, mutants, and wasteland scavengers without heavy rules overhead.
- **Highlights:** Core PDF is permanently free with no barriers to entry. Character creation uses Rearing and Pursuit templates that provide skills and starting gear in minutes. Detailed vehicle customization and chase rules support the road warrior fantasy as a core gameplay loop. Scavenging system with random tables generates loot from categorized ruin types.
- **Considerations:** No structured social encounter mechanics beyond opposed skill rolls. Mutations and psychic powers are brief appendix options rather than fully developed subsystems. The publisher has not actively developed new content for the line since acquiring it in 2018. Setting material is deliberately generic, requiring GM effort to build specific locations and factions.
- **Publisher:** Gallant Knight Games
- **Year:** 2009
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary (Free PDF)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/atomic-highway

---

## Belly of the Beast
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Cruel scavengers picking through the digestive guts of a world-eating monster that swallowed civilization
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic, Horror
- **Tags:** Survival, Weird, Player-Only Rolls, Grimdark, Resource Management, Faction Play
- **Family:** Ethos Engine
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1 base d6 plus up to 5 Instinct Dice spent from a refillable pool plus any Advantage Dice, capped at 10 total. Each die is a success on a face value set by your relevant Skill Rank: Rotten (6), Acceptable (5+), Capable (4+), Brilliant (3+). Tasks have a Difficulty (successes needed), Severity (how much failure hurts), and optional Threshold (successes removed before counting). Players roll for everything; the GM never rolls. Spent Instinct Dice are gone until earned back by acting in line with your two Instincts.
- **Best For:** Groups who want grim survival horror in a confined weird-fiction setting where character Instincts and a scavenging mission cycle (not heroic combat) drive every session, and who are comfortable with a GM who never rolls and tunes threats by feel.
- **Highlights:** Instinct Dice tie character drives directly to dice pool depth: acting on your two Instincts earns dice you spend to survive future rolls, so leaning into your character's flaws is how you stay mechanically competent. Tasks have three independent dials (Difficulty, Severity, and Threshold), letting the GM build a D1/S4/T0 assassin or a D5/S1/T2 vault door that feel mechanically distinct without an enemy stat block. Succumb and Transcend let any player auto-resolve a Task or Scene by embracing or permanently renouncing an Instinct: Succumb leaves the character Ashamed and unable to Advance until they atone, while Transcend removes that Instinct and its dice income from the sheet forever.
- **Considerations:** Players roll for everything and the GM never rolls, so every Enemy, Hazard, and Sickness is a Difficulty, Severity, and Threshold the GM sets by feel during play rather than reading from a stat block. Combat uses abstract Hand/Arm/Reach/Near/Far ranges with no grid, no movement tracking, and no initiative: the GM calls turn order from the fiction. Setting material includes normalized slavery, frenzy-mad cannibals, and an in-fiction gender framing where women are treated as more 'precious' than men due to reproduction: the book flags the last point in a sidebar and suggests GMs skip it if uncomfortable.
- **Publisher:** Sigil Stone Publishing
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/belly-of-the-beast

---

## Iron Valley
- **Edition:** v1.2
- **Tagline:** A cozy solo RPG of farming, friendships, and small-town life: Stardew Valley meets Ironsworn
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Cozy, Solo-Friendly, Rules-Light, Narrative, Beginner-Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules, Random Tables
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 + 2d10
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 61 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d6 (action die) + stat against 2d10 (challenge dice). Beat both challenge dice for a strong hit, beat one for a weak hit, beat neither for a miss. A simplified hack of Ironsworn with only 10 moves. Promises replace vows, satisfaction replaces XP, and a favor economy drives gift-giving and relationships. Extensive oracle tables (50+ pages) generate characters, events, locations, and heart events for solo play.
- **Best For:** Solo players who want a cozy, low-stakes RPG about building a life in a small town: farming, crafting, making friends, and maybe falling in love, with no combat or death mechanics.
- **Highlights:** Fills a cozy niche in TTRPGs: no combat, no death, just wholesome small-town life, extensive oracle tables support solo replayability, simple rules accessible to complete beginners, CC BY 4.0 license encourages sharing and hacking
- **Considerations:** Oracle tables can produce repetitive prompts over multiple sessions. Minimal mechanical depth limits replay variety. There is no structured campaign or arc progression.
- **Publisher:** M. Kirin
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/iron-valley

---

## Inspirisles
- **Edition:** Core
- **Tagline:** Celtic fae fantasy that teaches sign language through play
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Collaborative, Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly, Narrative, Rules-Light, Low-Prep
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 3d6
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Leader rolls 3d6 against target 11. Party members assist by describing how they use elemental Shaping (sign language-based magic), adding bonuses. Roll 17–18 is automatic success; 3–4 is automatic failure.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting a family-friendly cooperative fantasy RPG that introduces sign language (ASL/BSL) and Deaf awareness through an enchanting Celtic-inspired setting.
- **Highlights:** Teaches real sign language (ASL and BSL) through play, strong safety tools and consent framework, inclusive and family-friendly, unique cooperative focus where every player contributes to tests
- **Considerations:** Very narrow appeal, minimal mechanical depth beyond the core roll, tightly bound to its specific setting, sign language component may not suit all groups
- **Publisher:** Hatchlings Games
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/inspirisles

---

## Hero Kids
- **Edition:** v3.1
- **Tagline:** Fantasy RPG designed for kids aged 4 to 10
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, One-Shot Friendly, Grid-Based, Family-Friendly, Low-Prep, Heroic
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 8 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d6 dice pool (pool size from hero card stats). Attacker's highest die vs. defender's highest die: equal or higher hits. Ability tests roll pool vs. target number (4/5/6).
- **Best For:** Parents introducing kids aged 4–10 to tabletop RPGs. Simple enough for young children, with grid combat and pre-made hero cards.
- **Highlights:** Genuinely playable by young children, print-and-play hero cards and stand-ups, included introductory adventure, lots of expansion adventures available
- **Considerations:** Too simple for older players, no character progression system, fantasy-only, requires printing materials
- **Publisher:** Hero Forge Games
- **Year:** 2012
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/hero-kids

---

## Amazing Tales
- **Edition:** Revised Edition
- **Tagline:** The RPG for kids aged 4 and up: tell any story with one simple rule
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Narrative, Family-Friendly, Fiction-First, Low-Prep, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6–d12
- **Complexity:** 5 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Each character has 4 skills the child invents. Each skill is assigned a die (d12, d10, d8, d6): bigger die = better skill. Roll 3+ to succeed. That's the entire system.
- **Best For:** Parents playing with kids aged 4+ who want collaborative storytelling with the simplest possible rules: one die roll, no math, any setting.
- **Highlights:** Genuinely playable by 4-year-olds, genre-agnostic (pirates, space, fairy tales, anything), child creates their own character skills, four ready-to-play settings included, encourages collaborative storytelling
- **Considerations:** Far too simple for older kids or adults, no combat system or advancement, GM (parent) does all the heavy lifting narratively, extremely limited mechanical depth
- **Publisher:** Martin Lloyd
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/amazing-tales

---

## Amazing Heroes
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Family-friendly superhero adventures inspired by shows like The Flash, Young Justice, and Daredevil
- **Genre:** Superhero, Modern
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, Rules-Light, Family-Friendly, Superpowers, Narrative, Fiction-First, Cinematic, Theater of the Mind, One-Shot Friendly, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6–d12
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Each hero has four traits (an occupation, a body attribute, a personality attribute, and a superpower) assigned a d6, d6, d8, and d10 at creation. When the outcome is uncertain, the player rolls the relevant trait die against a difficulty of 3 (easy), 4 (normal), or 5 (hard), adding +1 if a body or personality attribute fits. Rolls of 1 or 2 on a normal or hard test inflict a condition like 'tired' or 'hurt'; a repeated condition becomes 'really [X]' and imposes a –1 penalty, and a third hurt condition defeats the hero. Defeating a villain requires successes equal to the villain's level times the number of heroes.
- **Best For:** Mixed-age tables wanting a fast, narrative superhero RPG that genuinely works for kids aged 7+ alongside adults: sessions are designed to cram an hour of TV-style action into a single sitting.
- **Highlights:** Trait dice carry transparent in-fiction meaning at each step (d6 is 'best in your country,' d12 is 'best in the world'), so players and GMs negotiate power level by description rather than parsing stat blocks. Conditions like 'tired' or 'shaken' replace HP entirely and stack into 'really [X]' with a –1 penalty before a third instance defeats the hero, keeping damage in fiction while still tracking toward a losing point. The GM receives plot points equal to the number of players each session and spends them on cinematic moves (villain ambushes, escapes with a planted clue, perfect disguises, 'missing body' recurring foes), encoding superhero-TV pacing as a budgeted resource.
- **Considerations:** Superpowers have no defined list or mechanical effects beyond a die size, so the GM must adjudicate what each novel use of a power can do on the fly. Advancement caps at d12+1 and amounts to larger dice plus secondary powers branched from a parent power, so long-running heroes don't gain meaningfully different mechanical options from starting ones. Villain fights accumulate flat successes equal to villain level × number of heroes with no incremental damage per hit, which can grind against tougher foes when most attack rolls only mark a single tick of progress.
- **Publisher:** Amazing Tales
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/amazing-heroes

---

## Nimble
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** A fast, tactical TTRPG built to maximize the cool, memorable moments on game night
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Heroic, Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 35 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + stat for skill checks/saves vs. DC; attacks roll weapon dice directly for damage (1 on Primary Die = miss). Initiative roll determines starting actions (1-3). Heroes get 3 actions per turn with exploding critical hits.
- **Best For:** Groups who love tactical grid combat but want faster sessions, less prep, and more teamwork: a streamlined alternative to D&D that keeps the crunch where it matters.
- **Highlights:** Attacks roll weapon dice straight for damage with no separate to-hit step, so each attack resolves in a single roll. A three-action turn economy gives every character multiple meaningful choices each round rather than one move-and-attack. Heroic Reactions let players spend resources to act on allies' turns, rewarding coordinated team play.
- **Considerations:** Fantasy-only with no genre flexibility, limited class options in basic rules (4 classes), grid play strongly encouraged
- **Publisher:** Nimble Co.
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/nimble

---

## Land of Eem
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** A whimsical fantasy RPG of colorful adventurers exploring a world of wonder and weirdness
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Narrative, Exploration, Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Hexcrawl, Theater of the Mind, Fiction-First
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d12
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 52 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 1d12 + skill modifier. Results on a 5-tier scale: Complete Failure (1–2), Failure with a Plus (3–5), Success with a Twist (6–8), Success (9–11), Complete Success (12+). Advantage/disadvantage rolls 2d12 take best/worst.
- **Best For:** Groups who want lighthearted, story-driven fantasy adventure with whimsical tone, hex crawl exploration, and meaningful roleplay: where talking to monsters is often better than fighting them.
- **Highlights:** Whimsical tone encourages creativity, graduated success/failure keeps things interesting, detailed hex crawl and exploration rules, combat designed to be avoidable through parley, character story mechanics with relationships and personal quests
- **Considerations:** Whimsical tone won't suit every group, combat is intentionally simple and abstract, tightly tied to its own setting
- **Publisher:** Exalted Funeral Press
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/land-of-eem

---

## WARDEN
- **Edition:** 1.0
- **Tagline:** A genre-agnostic cinematic d20 RPG for tactical campaigns in any setting
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Cinematic, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, Exploration, Sandbox, Character-Driven, Grid-Based, Toolkit, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 52 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 55 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d20 plus a relevant Proficiency and modifiers against a Difficulty Value. Natural 20s and 1s shift the result tier, while a result at least 10 above or below the difficulty is critical. In Conflict, characters have three Action Points and one Reaction each round.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a tactical, classless engine for genre-spanning sandbox campaigns. It suits Game Wardens who want campaign maps, setting alterations, and procedures for custom material.
- **Highlights:** Classless characters combine Proficiencies, Abilities, and Feats across their paths, letting builds develop without fixed classes. Campaign Maps use places, secrets, threats, and clocks to structure an open-ended campaign around player choices. Setting Alterations and Game Warden creation rules provide procedures for adapting the game to a chosen genre.
- **Considerations:** Character customization spreads choices through multiple chapters, so players compare a large catalogue of Proficiencies, Abilities, and Feats. Conflict procedure is dense: action costs, reactions, conditions, attack penalties, and effect rolls all matter during a turn. Game Wardens make choices about campaign maps and setting alterations when preparing a campaign.
- **Publisher:** Ghost Spark
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** ORC License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — ORC License; Allowed with conditions; ORC License; scope: WARDEN licensed material and expressly designated written setting, character, item, and location material; excludes Reserved Material including trademarks, proper nouns, artwork, characters, dialogue, locations, plots, and trade dress. ORC notices and attribution apply; the book also disclaims rights for projects using LLMs or made with bigoted or fascistic intent.; terms: https://paizo.com/orclicense; verified 2026-08-29; note: Ghost Spark product pages and the book cite ORC; Lulu metadata labels print editions All Rights Reserved.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/warden

---

## Pathwarden
- **Edition:** Version 1.02
- **Tagline:** Classless fantasy heroes combine tactical battles with exploration, projects, and story threads
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Classless, Character Building, Exploration, Sandbox, Character-Driven, Mana Points, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** d20 System
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 61 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + the relevant Proficiency and modifiers and meet or beat a difficulty. Beating or missing it by 10 produces a critical result, while a natural 20 or 1 shifts the degree one step. Benefit and Detriment change the difficulty by 5.
- **Best For:** Groups who want classless tactical fantasy with grid combat, build experimentation, and campaigns that alternate between exploration, conflicts, and long-term projects. It suits a Lorewarden comfortable preparing a regional sandbox.
- **Highlights:** Fast and Slow Turns let players trade one action for acting before enemies, turning initiative into a round-by-round tactical choice. Three classless Paths open Boons and Feats that let characters combine martial, magical, and skill-focused abilities. Exploration and Horizon procedures connect regional travel, threat clocks, and long-term Projects to the consequences of each adventure.
- **Considerations:** Grid combat asks players to track action costs, positioning, conditions, and multiple-attack penalties each round. Character advancement spreads options across Boons, Feats, Skills, and magical Disciplines, so players compare abilities drawn from several chapters. The campaign structure expects the Lorewarden to prepare an Adventure Map of regions and threats before play.
- **Publisher:** Ghost Spark
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** ORC License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/pathwarden

---

## We Can Be Heroes
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Fast-paced superhero action in a grounded modern world where public merit defines your legacy
- **Genre:** Superhero, Modern
- **Tags:** Heroic, Superpowers, Combat-Heavy, Cinematic, Character Building, Faction Play
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 55 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 30 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + Talent Modifier vs. GM-set threshold for Talent Checks. Superpowers use Target Die (d12 at levels 1–9, d20 at levels 10–20) + Superpower Die + Moxie. Superpower Attacks always hit: damage is the variable. Hero's Favor points fuel superpowers and creative power use. Action Points govern turns with Primary (3 AP) and Secondary (2 AP) actions. Public Merit tracks faction reputation for favors, intel, and gear upgrades. Hero's Moment rewards critical failures with one-per-level power-ups.
- **Best For:** Groups who want crunchy superhero campaigns with detailed character builds, tiered superpowers, and a reputation system that ties heroism to community relationships.
- **Highlights:** Public Merit system ties heroism to community impact through faction reputation, six superpower archetypes with five-tier progression and Auxiliary Powers for build variety, Hero's Moment turns critical failures into one-per-level power-ups, Hero's Favor points enable out-of-combat power use (freezing locks, creating barriers, boosting checks)
- **Considerations:** Character creation requires multiple derived calculations (Moxie, DT, HP, Vigilance, Initiative), 20-level progression has many repetitive incremental steps, combat-heavy with limited non-combat mechanical support
- **Publisher:** BudStuff Games
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/we-can-be-heroes

---

## Hogwarts: An RPG
- **Edition:** v1.2
- **Tagline:** Play out original student stories at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Magic School, Licensed IP, Family-Friendly, Mystery, Rules-Light, Roll to Cast, One-Shot Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 35 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + trait (Bravery, Cunning, Intellect, Loyalty, or Magic). On 10+, full success. On 7–9, success with a cost or complication. On 6 or less, fail but mark Experience. Moves are triggered by the fiction: Basic Moves cover danger, stealth, persuasion, and knowledge; Magic Moves handle spellcasting, potions, dueling, and magical creatures; Quidditch Moves resolve matches.
- **Best For:** Harry Potter fans who want a rules-light, narrative RPG for playing out original stories at Hogwarts: especially groups with younger or first-time players
- **Highlights:** Complete 16-page game with character sheets, spell lists organized by school year, Quidditch match rules, and setting reference: all free. Mysteries mechanic drives story forward with player-generated questions. Friends & Rivals system creates immediate inter-character drama. Conditions track both emotional and physical harm with distinct recovery paths.
- **Considerations:** Unlicensed fan game with no official support from the IP holders. No structured character classes or playbooks: characters differ mainly by trait scores and House. Advancement is slow, tied to accumulating four Experience. No rules for combat beyond the Duel magic move: physical conflicts use the same basic moves as everything else.
- **Publisher:** David Brunell-Brutman
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (original non-Harry Potter content and rules only; Harry Potter IP/trademarks excluded)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Czech, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Ukrainian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/hogwarts-an-rpg

---

## Let's Go to Magic School
- **Edition:** v1.1
- **Tagline:** Collaboratively build a magic school and play out the drama of student life as young mages
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Collaborative, Worldbuilding, Playbook-Driven, Fiction-First, Character-Driven, Freeform Magic, Drama, Magic School
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 25 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat. On a 10+, full hit. On a 7-9, partial hit with complications or limited choices. On a 6-, miss: the GM makes a Reaction. Five stats: Virtue, Ambition, Learning, Heart, and Worldliness. Inspiration is gained on missed rolls; five Inspiration unlocks an advancement from the playbook.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to collaboratively build a magic school setting and play out the social drama of student life (friendships, rivalries, classes, and mastering spells) in a flexible, setting-agnostic fantasy framework.
- **Highlights:** Collaborative worldbuilding during setup defines the school, its magic system, principles, limits, and laws. 17 magic subjects organized into five tiers (Basic, Elective, Advanced, Forbidden, Lost) shape the school's curriculum. Spells are defined collaboratively during play rather than from a fixed list. Scrutiny system tracks institutional consequences for rule-breaking students.
- **Considerations:** Requires investment in collaborative worldbuilding during setup; sample settings are provided but no full pre-built setting.
- **Publisher:** Holothuroid
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/lets-go-to-magic-school

---

## Inevitable
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Doomed cowboy knights defy prophecy in a dying kingdom's final days
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Deadly, Fiction-First, Grimdark, Lore-Heavy, Mission-Based, Narrative, Rules-Light
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Build a dice pool of d6s from Reputations, equipment, and risk-taking. Roll and take the highest: 1–3 fails with a Consequence, 4–5 succeeds but with a Consequence and earns a Showdown Token, 6 succeeds cleanly. In climactic Showdowns, one character faces the Threat alone: roll d6 plus bonuses from negotiated Costs against a target equal to Threat minus accumulated Showdown Tokens.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a narrative, play-to-lose fantasy RPG where doomed cowboy knights sacrifice everything to defy prophecy in a richly detailed kingdom on the brink of destruction.
- **Highlights:** Play-to-lose structure makes failure and sacrifice mechanically meaningful rather than punishing. Six classes (Errant, Mystic, Godsman, Taleweaver, Roamer, Shadowjack) each with unique abilities and Reputation suggestions. Nested quest structure (World Quests, Stepwise Quests, Doom Quests, and the Fall Quest) creates escalating campaign arcs. Showdown mechanic focuses climactic confrontations on a single character negotiating personal Costs against the Threat.
- **Considerations:** Tightly bound to the Kingdom of Myth setting with no toolkit for other campaigns. Play-to-lose premise requires buy-in from all players. GM must manage interconnected Doom timelines and escalating Threat levels across multiple quest types. No tactical combat system: conflicts resolve through the same Challenge and Showdown mechanics as everything else.
- **Publisher:** SoulMuppet Publishing
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/inevitable

---

## Arrhenius
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Survival in the frozen ruins of Earth's far future
- **Genre:** Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Tactical, Survival, Resource Management, Inventory Management, Character Building, Classless, Crunchy, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 75 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** For skill checks, roll a d20 and add the two relevant Talents plus the applicable Education score. A total of 21 or higher succeeds. Before a non-damage d20 roll, Luck Points can add +1 each to its bonus.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a survival-focused science-fiction campaign where characters cross frozen ruins, manage limited equipment, and resolve fights on a tactical grid.
- **Highlights:** Frost Points turn prolonged exposure to subzero conditions into resilience checks, so shelter and protective gear shape expeditions. The optional Tuning Session assigns Talent scores through a short character-memory scenario, tying early choices to the resulting build. Combat uses a 2-meter grid with optional Perks that award attack bonuses for flanking or high ground.
- **Considerations:** Exposure to subzero temperatures triggers a Resilience check every 20 minutes of real table time and failure costs one Frost Point. Broad equipment archetypes rely on the Dungeonteller to define the specific items characters encounter. Combat resolves each attack through opposed rolls before damage is rolled.
- **Publisher:** Dungeonteller, LLC
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/arrhenius

---

## Aurora
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook 1.1
- **Tagline:** Dimension-hopping sci-fi action: join the Aurora Alliance and battle interdimensional Intruders across infinite realities
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Base-Building, Deadly, Random Character Creation, Superpowers
- **Family:** BRP
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 68 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 equal to or under skill value for a standard success. Degrees of success scale with the margin: standard (full value), difficult (half value), very difficult (quarter value), legendary (01 only). Misfortune triggers on rolls of 96+ (99+ for skilled characters). Combat uses initiative based on Dexterity, with major actions, minor actions, and reactions (number limited by Dexterity / 30). Defenders choose to dodge, parry, counterattack, or maneuver as reactions. Superpowers cost energy points and risk destabilizing the dimension when used in front of witnesses.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a crunchy BRP-based sci-fi game where superpowered agents travel to other dimensions on tactical missions, build up a shared base between operations, and face detailed combat with location-based wounds.
- **Highlights:** Dimension-hopping premise supports any genre or historical period within a single campaign. 16 superpowers with leveled upgrades and a risk-reward discretion system. Base-building expands Facility 13 with modules like the Isomer Forge (iconic weapons) and Nanite Workshop. 120+ weapons spanning primitive, modern, and futuristic eras. Detailed wound tables by body location and weapon type.
- **Considerations:** 11-step character creation process is detailed but lengthy. Translated from Polish: occasional language inconsistencies. No free rules or SRD available.
- **Publisher:** GrubyBang
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/aurora

---

## Oceania 2084
- **Edition:** Austere Edition (2nd)
- **Tagline:** Resistance and intimacy under the gaze of an Orwellian corporate state
- **Genre:** Scifi, Cyberpunk
- **Tags:** GM-Less, Narrative, Collaborative, Drama, Roleplay-Heavy, Solo-Friendly, Crunchy, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Resistance characters' Acts normally succeed as narrated within a six-phase Day in Dystopia. When a Value is challenged, roll d6 against the linked Emotion: Good Values succeed on a roll above it and Bad Values on a roll below it.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a politically explicit dystopian campaign about preserving private bonds under state surveillance. It suits tables comfortable sharing narrative authority with an adversarial Big Brother player, character turnover, and post-session debriefs.
- **Highlights:** Acts normally resolve through narration rather than task rolls, keeping attention on what resistance costs instead of whether a character can perform it. Value Tests turn public loyalty and private belief into emotional pressure: success shifts a shadow emotion, and failure causes an outburst or Stress. Physical Notes written by dead characters grant 2 Hope when another dissident finds them; a Note carried into interrogation can be confiscated as evidence.
- **Considerations:** The campaign assumes the regime eventually breaks or vaporizes its dissidents, so it does not support a conventional revolution or heroic victory arc. The Big Brother player tracks a concealed surveillance economy and interprets its Reaction tables, making that role more demanding than a neutral facilitator. The game requires a shared willingness to portray propaganda, betrayal, and emotional distress, even though it includes safety and debrief procedures.
- **Publisher:** Jocher Symbolic Systems
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/oceania-2084

---

## Action Movie World
- **Edition:** First Blood
- **Tagline:** Play action movie stars making cheesy VHS-era films: kung fu, buddy cop, barbarian epics, and more
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** Playbook-Driven, Cinematic, Fiction-First, Short Sessions, Comedy, Martial Arts, Player-Only Rolls, Pulp Action
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + stat. On a 10+ the move succeeds completely, on 7–9 it succeeds with a catch, on 6 or less it fails and the Director makes a move. Players choose an Actor Playbook (their star persona across all films) and a temporary Script Playbook (the genre of the current movie), gaining moves from both. Only players roll dice: the Director never rolls.
- **Best For:** Groups who want short, high-energy sessions that celebrate the cheesy action movies of the 1970s through 1990s, playing actors whose careers span multiple genres of film.
- **Highlights:** Dual-layer playbook system: Actor Playbooks define a star's brand while Script Playbooks define the genre of each movie, so campaigns shift between kung fu, cop, barbarian, and other action subgenres. Lead actor mechanic grants one character plot immunity per movie, mirroring action film conventions. Star Power and experience track an actor's career across multiple films. Movies run in 2–4 sessions, making each one a self-contained arc within a longer campaign.
- **Considerations:** Meta-narrative framing (playing actors playing characters) requires buy-in and may confuse groups expecting straightforward genre play. No free rules or quickstart available. Script Playbooks in the core book cover six subgenres: groups wanting genres outside those six must create custom scripts.
- **Publisher:** Flatland Games
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Powered by the Apocalypse
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/action-movie-world

---

## Art of Wuxia
- **Edition:** Original
- **Tagline:** Wandering heroes, kung fu schools, and qi-powered combat in a wuxia fantasy inspired by classic martial arts cinema
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Historical
- **Tags:** Martial Arts, Heroic, Cinematic, Skill-Based, Character-Driven, Hackable, Random Tables, Strong GM Support, Fast-Paced
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 40 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 equal to or under a skill or ability score. Skills are calculated from a base ability score plus 10 per skill level, with bonuses for primary and secondary skill designations. Doubles (11, 22, 33, etc.) are critical: a critical success if under the target, a critical failure if over. Rolls of 00–05 always succeed and 96–99 always fail. Characters can take multiple actions per turn at a cumulative −20% penalty each, creating a press-your-luck dynamic. Qi points fuel kung fu techniques and mystic abilities.
- **Best For:** Groups who want cinematic wuxia adventures with fast percentile-based mechanics, 25 distinct kung fu styles, and adjustable sliders for how fantastical the martial arts become.
- **Highlights:** 25 kung fu styles each with unique techniques, weapon proficiencies, and internal/external classifications. Cinematic Sliders let the GM adjust how fantastical combat and movement are: from grounded martial arts to high-flying xianxia. Moral code system ties character virtues to cultivation point rewards, reinforcing wuxia genre conventions. Built-in adventure and random dungeon generators with extensive creature bestiary.
- **Considerations:** Setting is tightly focused on wuxia: groups wanting other martial arts subgenres (samurai, muay thai) would need adaptation. There is no free quickstart or SRD, and the stated Creative Commons grant applies only to DwD Studios trademarks rather than the core rules text. d00Lite system's skill score calculation (half ability + 10 per level + primary/secondary bonus) requires cross-referencing several values during character creation.
- **Publisher:** DwD Studios
- **Year:** 2020
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 applies to DwD Studios trademarks only; noncommercial printing of this document permitted)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/art-of-wuxia

---

## Modos 2
- **Edition:** Deluxe Edition, version 1.0
- **Tagline:** Genre-flexible heroes pursue personal goals in campaigns built from interchangeable rules modules
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** When an outcome is uncertain, roll a d20 and add the relevant Physical, Mental, or Metaphysical attribute bonus, any applicable skill points, and difficulty. The Guide rolls for an opponent or the difficulty. The higher total earns a Pro result, and the lower earns a Con. A tie may be neutral or rerolled. A player can take half instead of rolling or spend a hero point for an extra d6 when their character concept applies.
- **Best For:** Groups wanting a genre-flexible, classless campaign toolkit that can scale from simple contests to structured action scenes. It suits a Guide comfortable choosing campaign assumptions and assembling rules modules rather than running a fixed setting.
- **Highlights:** The same opposed d20 contest resolves physical, mental, and metaphysical uncertainty, letting a campaign change genres without replacing its basic procedure. Acting on a character's flaw against their goal can earn hero points, turning complications into bonuses for later contests. Numbered rule dependencies and interchangeable modules give groups an explicit process for changing the game instead of relying on unsupported house rules.
- **Considerations:** Building a campaign asks the Guide to select its theme, curate option lists, set difficulties, and decide which modules apply. Default positioning uses abstract postures and range, so exact measured tactics require the optional Combat Crunch module. Broad skills, custom perks, and reskinnable powers rely on table agreement to keep character options comparable.
- **Publisher:** Michael Terlisner
- **Year:** 2018
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0 (Rules Catalog only); all other material all rights reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/modos-2

---

## Heartbeats in Perfect Sync
- **Edition:** Pulse-Pounding Edition
- **Tagline:** Ordinary people wield outlandish weapons against monsters born from negative emotion
- **Genre:** Modern, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Anime, Character-Driven, Cinematic, Collaborative, Drama, Fast-Paced, Rules-Light, Superpowers, Tag-Based, Urban Fantasy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 28 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** When an outcome is uncertain, the GM sets a target number of hits. Roll a d6 pool equal to your current Heart Rate; each 5 or 6 is a hit, and meeting or exceeding the target succeeds. Results can shift Heart Rate, changing the size of later pools.
- **Best For:** Groups who want episodic urban-fantasy action centered on emotional escalation, relationship drama, and coordinated anime-style set pieces.
- **Highlights:** Heart Rate serves as both the dice pool and an emotional track, so roll outcomes alter the odds of later actions. Perfect Sync lets characters with matching Heart Rates combine their pools for a shared roll at the cost of later spotlight turns. While Heartbroken, the altered-state aspect does not expire, and later thresholds lead to recovery or loss of player control.
- **Considerations:** The default City is deliberately sparse, so groups build most setting detail themselves or begin from the included scenario. The GM decides uncertainty, target hits, and failed-roll consequences case by case. Under the base rules, Perfect Sync requires matching Heart Rates, though an optional Heartstring move can bypass that limit.
- **Publisher:** Nathan Blades
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-08-27; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/heartbeats-in-perfect-sync

---

## We Are But Worms
- **Edition:** Original
- **Tagline:** A one-word RPG about worms
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, GM-Less, Freeform Magic, Experimental
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 1 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 50 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** The entire game is one word. No dice, no stats, no GM. Playable as a tabletop RPG or LARP. Explores physical embodiment and perspective through the act of play itself.
- **Best For:** Anyone curious about the absolute boundary of what an RPG can be: a single-word game about embodiment, physicality, and being a worm.
- **Highlights:** Entire game is a single word, playable as tabletop or LARP, zero barrier to entry
- **Considerations:** No mechanical structure: no dice, no stats, no resolution system, one word of rules text with no GM guidance or scenario framework, single session only, no character creation or advancement
- **Publisher:** Riverhouse Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/we-are-but-worms

---

## DayTrippers
- **Edition:** Version 1.4.2
- **Tagline:** Surreal science fiction reality-hopping in SlipShips that punch through to other dimensions
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Skill-Based, Exploration, Weird, Collaborative, Ship-Based, Character-Driven, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a number of d6s equal to the relevant Stat score (1–6), keep the highest, and add any Skill and Item bonuses. Compare to a Difficulty Level (1–10) or an opposed roll. Results are interpreted narratively on a five-tier table: miss by more than 1 (No, And), miss by 1 (No, But), hit exactly (Yes, But), exceed by 1 (Yes), exceed by more than 1 (Yes, And). Progressive Character Generation lets players spend character points during play rather than all at creation.
- **Best For:** Groups who want episodic surreal sci-fi adventures exploring dream worlds, alternate Earths, and pocket universes, with a fiction-first resolution system that rewards creative narration.
- **Highlights:** Five slip types (Cartesian, Paraterran, Temporal, Subjective, Compound) create wildly different mission structures from space travel to dream worlds. Progressive Character Generation reveals character details through play rather than front-loading backstory. LifeShaping system ties character motivations (beliefs, goals, relationships) directly into mechanical bonuses. SlipShip construction rules let players design their own interdimensional vehicles.
- **Considerations:** 44-page core rulebook covers the essentials but leaves significant rulings to GM interpretation. Combat system is lightweight with limited tactical options. Surreal tone assumes GM comfort with improvising bizarre interdimensional encounters on the fly. GameMasters Guide sold separately for expanded tools and adventure generation.
- **Publisher:** As If Productions
- **Year:** 2015
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-NC 3.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/daytrippers

---

## A.C.E. — The Awfully Cheerful Engine!
- **Edition:** Issue 1
- **Tagline:** Cinematic action-comedy where talking dinosaurs, ghost hunters, time-traveling ninjas, and cartoon cowboys save the day in a single session
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Comedy, Cinematic, Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, One-Shot Friendly, Theater of the Mind, Pulp Action, Fast-Paced
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 18 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 44 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to one of four Stats (Smarts, Moves, Style, Brawn) rated 1–5, add two extra dice if you have a matching Focus, and sum the total against a Target Number (10 normal, 20 hard, 30 herculean, 40 impossible). Sixes explode and reroll. One die in every pool is the Calamity Die: if the roll fails and the Calamity Die shows a 1, the Director invokes a comedic complication.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a fast, comedic action movie at the table with minimal prep and the freedom to swap genres between adventures: ghost hunters one night, talking-animal vigilantes the next.
- **Highlights:** Character creation runs through six steps on a comic-book ID Card, so a new Hero is table-ready in minutes: a Role (talking ape, druid astronaut, vigilante), four Stats split across 12 points, a Focus per Stat, and a single-word Trait. Karma is one shared currency that buys extra dice, damage reduction, or Flashbacks where the player retroactively establishes a useful item or prepared action, and Karma is refunded when the player leans into their Trait. Heroes never die: at zero Health you are Knocked Out for five minutes and stand back up at 1 Health, keeping the tone slapstick rather than tragic.
- **Considerations:** The whole rulebook is thirty comic-book-format pages with no advancement track beyond +1 Stat or +1 Focus per adventure, so long campaigns need imported structure. Genre, setting, and bestiary are intentionally a grab bag of one-paragraph Roles and Extras with no published world: published Issues (Spirits of Manhattan, Below Decks, Accidental Anthropomorphic Heroes) carry the setting work. Combat resolves quickly but is mostly damage exchange against flat Defence numbers with no maneuvers, conditions, or positioning rules beyond optional zone-based ranges.
- **Publisher:** EN Publishing
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Standard commercial
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/a-c-e-the-awfully-cheerful-engine

---

## Porkin' the Void
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Gonzo grimdark sci-fi where doomed pig-scum explore a dying universe
- **Genre:** Scifi, Horror
- **Tags:** Gonzo, Comedy, Grimdark, Ship-Based, Space Opera, Deadly
- **Family:** Borg
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 +/- ability score against a Difficulty Rating (DR 6–18). Equal to or greater than the DR succeeds. Five abilities (Agility, Strength, Toughness, Presence, and Technology) each range from -3 to +3. Players roll all dice: attacks (Strength for melee, Presence for ranged) and defense (Agility), all against DR 12 by default. Enemies never roll. Natural 20 is a crit; natural 1 is a fumble. Omens (luck points) can deal max damage, reroll dice, reduce incoming damage, or neutralize crits and fumbles.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a gonzo, darkly comedic sci-fi game where anthropomorphic pig-scum explore a doomed universe in styships, with Mork Borg's lethal simplicity expanded by cybernetics, psionics, and full spaceship creation and combat rules.
- **Highlights:** Full spaceship creation and combat system spanning 50+ pages, from hull design and modules to weapons and salvage. Ten optional character classes with randomized specialties, plus a classless option. Three subsystems layered onto the Mork Borg chassis: pigskins (techno-scrolls), hackable cybernetic implants, and six psionic disciplines. Extensive setting with multiple galactic empires, rival megacorporations, heretical cults, and an apocalyptic countdown.
- **Considerations:** 278-page rulebook is dense for a Mork Borg derivative, requiring substantially more reading than the base system. Content warning for pervasive profanity, crude humor, and deliberately vulgar themes that may not suit all groups. No free rules or quickstart: $15 PDF is the minimum entry point, though a free character generator (SwineBerther) exists online. Spaceship rules add significant complexity beyond what Mork Borg players may expect.
- **Publisher:** Yog'du Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** MÖRK BORG Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/porkin-the-void

---

## Dice & Glory
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** Rules for building your own spells and monsters rather than reading someone else's
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Universal
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Toolkit, Character Building, Simulation, Tactical, Freeform Magic, Superpowers
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 85 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Dice Check: roll d20 plus a skill modifier (skill rank + attribute + miscellaneous) and meet or beat a difficulty the GM sets. Standard difficulties run from 10 for easy to 35 for impossible. Attack rolls and saving throws use the same d20, though an attack must also beat the target's Agility Class. A natural 20 is a critical success and a natural 1 a critical failure.
- **Best For:** Rules-comfortable groups building a long campaign from scratch, who would rather engineer a spell or a fighting style than choose one from a list.
- **Highlights:** Experience points work as a currency rather than a level track, so an attribute increase and an extra attack come off the same price list. The core book contains no spell list, so a spell is built from its method and effect and then developed with money and time. Knockout points absorb nonlethal damage while weapons bypass them for hit points, so beating an opponent unconscious and killing them are different outcomes.
- **Considerations:** Task resolution switches between high-roll d20 checks and roll-under percentile proficiencies, so two scales run side by side. Spells and superhuman powers are built rather than chosen from a list, so two characters of the same level can differ widely in practical capability. Power scale needs policing: fantasy, superheroic, divine, and modern technology all run on one framework.
- **Publisher:** Ranger Games Publishing
- **Year:** 2014
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dice-glory

---

## BLACK SEVEN
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Near-future stealth-action espionage where covert agents infiltrate facilities using abstract positioning and quick 2d6 rolls
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** Espionage, Mission-Based, Rules-Light, Theater of the Mind, Fast-Paced, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Cinematic, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 18 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 22 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 + Trait, 11+ succeeds. Characters have 12 Traits organized into three categories, each with four Traits linked to Body, Speed, Mind, or Communication: Infiltrate (stealth and access), Force (open combat), and Mob (silent takedowns). An abstract positioning system tracks agent status through Exposed and Noticed states rather than using maps. Threat escalates from 3 to 5 as agents are detected, with guards only returning fire at Threat 5.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast, low-prep espionage one-shots inspired by stealth video games like Deus Ex and Splinter Cell, with abstract facility infiltration and no maps required.
- **Highlights:** Abstract facility infiltration system replaces maps with positioning actions and escalating Threat levels. Three tactical approaches to every encounter: sneak past, ambush silently, or go loud. Character creation fits on an index card and takes minutes. Optional cybernetics and psionics modules expand the near-future setting.
- **Considerations:** 47-page rulebook with limited content beyond the core loop of facility infiltration. No advancement or campaign mechanics: designed for one-shots and short arcs. No bestiary or NPC variety beyond guards and researchers. Sample adventure is the only published scenario.
- **Publisher:** Zero Point Information
- **Year:** 2011
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/black-seven

---

## SAKE
- **Edition:** Full Rules
- **Tagline:** A crunchy, modular d20 point-buy game set in an early-modern fantasy world with domain management, overseas trading, and warfare
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Modular, Domain Management, Sandbox, Ship-Based, Faction Play, Roll to Cast, Skill-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 85 (Very High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + Skill Ranks + attribute modifier against a Difficulty Level. Characters are built with a point-buy system using Experience Points to purchase Skill Ranks, abilities, Health Points, and spells. In combat, the attacker rolls d20 + Attack against the defender's d20 + Parrying, with weapon damage reduced by armour's Damage Reduction. Sorcery uses Spellpoints and is divided into six schools, each with its own risks: failed casting rolls can trigger consequences from exhaustion to madness to summoning hostile spirits.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a comprehensive sandbox toolkit that seamlessly blends traditional adventuring with domain-level strategy: managing kingdoms, trading across oceans, waging wars, and navigating a detailed early-modern caste society.
- **Highlights:** Four modular systems (Adventuring, Sorcery/Otherworld, Domain/Warfare, and Trade/Seafaring) each function independently and integrate with the others. Domain management operates through quarterly Domain Turns with taxes, construction, random events, espionage, and faction politics. Overseas trade system models supply, demand, and piracy across a mapped world with named trade regions and goods. Magic carries real consequences: learning spells risks madness, and failed castings can summon hostile spirits or damage the caster's soul.
- **Considerations:** 590-page rulebook requires significant reading investment before play, even with modular adoption. Character creation can take several hours for first-time players. The default setting (Asteanic World) is deeply integrated into many rules: the caste system, trade routes, and political factions assume that setting.
- **Publisher:** Seventh Son Publishing
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All rights reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/sake

---

## Everspark
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Swing fictional swords and cast imaginary spells in an epic fantasy world you build together as you play
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Solo-Friendly, GM-Less, High-Fantasy, Improvisation, Player-Only Rolls, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20, d6
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Skill Checks roll a single d20 with no modifiers and read the result in five tiers: 20 is Very Good (success plus an Opportunity), around 15 is Good, around 10 is OK (success with a Complication), around 5 is Bad, and 1 is Very Bad (failure plus serious Complication). Leverage and Drawback shift the interpretation rather than the roll. Sparks track progress on anything in the fiction (combat, projects, threats, conditions) by drawing rays of a 5-point star on a sticky note; after each advance, roll a d6, and if it lands at or under the rays drawn, the Spark resolves. A 6 on the final check of a closed 5-ray Spark Overturns it, flipping the expected outcome.
- **Best For:** Solo players or groups who want zero-prep fantasy adventures with maximum narrative flexibility: especially anyone drawn to GM-less or solo play, brand-new players, or experienced groups looking for a relaxed alternative to crunchy fantasy systems.
- **Highlights:** Sparks abstract every progress system (combat damage, long-term projects, looming threats, resources, lasting conditions) into one shared mechanic, so the rules stay tiny while still tracking long-arc events. Skill checks are player-facing only: monsters, traps, and NPCs act fictionally and the player rolls a d20 to react, removing GM-side rolls entirely. Four built-in modes (solo, GM-less coop, parallel where each player runs their own protagonist, and hosted) let the same game work whether one person sits down alone or six gather at a table. Character sheets carry no numbers: Ancestry, Background, and Class drawn from 20 entries each yield 8,000 baseline combinations and can be rolled randomly in seconds or written out over fifteen minutes through question prompts.
- **Considerations:** No combat mechanics, hit points, or numerical traits: players who want tactical positioning, action economy, or character build optimization won't find any of it. Sparks are freeform: when to create one, when to advance, and what counts as resolution are constant judgment calls rather than rules questions. No published setting: every world, faction, and pantheon must be created on the spot or imported from another game's material. Without DCs or modifiers, two characters with very different fictional competence still roll the same; mechanical differentiation is replaced entirely by Leverage/Drawback rulings and narrative description.
- **Publisher:** Cezar Capacle
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/everspark

---

## R'lyehwatch
- **Edition:** Core Zine
- **Tagline:** Lifeguards battle eldritch horrors threatening their sunny California beach town
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Comedy, One-Shot Friendly, Short Sessions, Player-Only Rolls, Weird
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 12 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Players roll a pool of 1–3 d6s against a target difficulty (4 for easy, 5 for average, 6 for hard). Every challenge starts with 1 die: add a second if the challenge matches the character's stat (Agile, Brawny, or Crafty), and a third if their role applies (The Veteran, Rookie, Medic, Gizmo, Detective, or Weirdo). Success means at least one die meets or beats the difficulty. Players spend luck tokens to invoke a perk and lower the difficulty by 1, and recover luck by letting their quirk cause a problem (raising the difficulty by 1). Grit tokens absorb failure consequences; a character who runs out of grit is removed from the scene. The referee never rolls dice during a challenge: they choose the stat and difficulty, then narrate the outcome. Extended challenges (chases, fights, infiltration) deplete a shared pool of effort tokens, one per success.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a quick, comedic cosmic-horror RPG that pairs Baywatch-style melodrama with the Cthulhu Mythos. Tuned for pickup play and 2-4 hour sessions, with three tonal modes (Casual, Standard, Horror) that retune lethality without changing the core rules.
- **Highlights:** Three difficulty targets and a 1–3 d6 dice pool make up the entire resolution system. Three tonal modes (Casual, Standard, Horror) adjust grit recovery rate, retuning the same rules from sitcom-style play to deadly survival horror without changing any mechanics. All heroes share a universal Slow Motion quirk: narrating a slow-motion moment recovers a luck token but raises the current challenge's difficulty. Adventure generator combines random Objective, Location, and Complication tables for pickup scenarios; also includes an Elder Gods & Cults table, a Monster Maker, and a mapped Sunset Hills setting.
- **Considerations:** Mechanically minimal: no advancement track beyond optional luck and grit cap increases, no gear lists, no tactical combat structure. Pacing assumes 2–4 hour sessions rather than multi-arc campaigns. Setting is anchored to Sunset Hills, California; running the game elsewhere requires reskinning the included cult, NPC, and location tables. Three difficulty values and a maximum 3-die pool give coarse resolution: granular skill differentiation is not the design.
- **Publisher:** Hedgemaze Press / Third Chair Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary; third-party license and SRD permit derivative works
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/rlyehwatch

---

## See You, Space Cowboy...
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Bounty hunters chase paydays across 12 planets of retropunk space noir
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Anime, Noir, Player-Only Rolls, One-Shot Friendly, Mission-Based, Character-Driven
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 18 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** When attempting a Break (a discrete action like a fistfight, hack, persuasion, or repair), the player rolls a single Trait die (a d6, d8, d10, or d12 assigned to that Trait at character creation) against fixed thresholds: 4 or below fails, 5–9 partially succeeds, 10 or above fully succeeds. If the player has a relevant Talent (an open-ended specialty written by the player, like 'Picking Pockets' or 'Plays Drums'), they add a d4 to the roll. Failing a Break grants Juice, a token that can be spent to reroll all dice on a future Break (partial successes become failures on rerolls); rolling the maximum on the unmodified Trait die also grants Juice. The Bandleader (GM) never rolls dice: they choose the stat and thresholds, then narrate outcomes.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a fast, cinematic bounty-hunter game in the vein of Cowboy Bebop or Outlaw Star, tuned for one-shots and short 'season-length' campaigns. Best for tables that enjoy improvising scenes and sharing director-style narrative authority with the GM.
- **Highlights:** The Bandleader (GM) never rolls dice: players' Trait rolls resolve every contested moment while the GM chooses the stat, sets thresholds, and narrates outcomes. Talents are open-ended specialties players invent at character creation (e.g., 'Yeet', 'Picking Pockets', 'Plays Drums'), each adding a d4 to relevant Breaks for one of the four Traits. Required Bonds, Debts, and Regrets at character creation give every Outlaw a personal arc: clearing a Debt permanently upgrades the Talent die from d4 to d6, and resolving a Regret grants a once-per-session auto-success on a chosen Break. Procedural bounty generation pulls from tables for Threat Level, Charges, Demeanour, Modus Operandi, Specialized Gear, Appearance, Hideout, and Complications, supporting pickup play and improvised scenarios.
- **Considerations:** Mechanically minimal: no character classes, no skill list, no advancement track beyond clearing a Debt or resolving a Regret. Pacing assumes one-shots or short season-length campaigns; long-term progression is not structured by the rules. The Bandleader-rolls-nothing approach puts improvisational load on the GM to interpret narrative outcomes for every Break, since opposed-roll resolution does not apply. Setting is anchored to a specific 23rd-century solar system with 1990s-era consumer technology and no alien species; using a different backdrop requires reskinning the planet writeups, bounty charges table, and name tables.
- **Publisher:** Tidal Wave Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/see-you-space-cowboy

---

## Horse Majeure
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** A comedy RPG where two players share one horse costume and hunt for a hidden apple
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** Comedy, Beginner-Friendly, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Short Sessions, Collaborative, Fast-Paced, Low-Prep
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 8 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 50 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Two players form one horse: Player 1 (front) and Player 2 (back). Each player rolls one d6 simultaneously. The dice must be within one value of each other to succeed. Matching dice is a perfect result. Increasing differences produce mixed success, failure, or critical failure. A 5-off result is a catastrophic failure that rips the costume in half. A Horse Tolerance Meter tracks how suspicious NPCs are: reaching level 5 loses the game. A bonus racing mode uses the same dice mechanic on a track board for up to 4 teams.
- **Best For:** Groups looking for a quick, absurd party game where two players physically coordinate as the front and back halves of a horse costume, hunting for an apple in places horses should not be.
- **Highlights:** Unique two-player-per-character mechanic forces coordination between the front and back of a horse costume. Horse Tolerance Meter creates escalating tension as NPCs grow suspicious. Includes three detailed color-coded maps with story hooks: a hospital, a space station, and a haunted house. Includes a separate racing board game mode for even player counts. Print-and-play zine format with standee cutouts included.
- **Considerations:** Single-page ruleset with no character advancement, inventory, or campaign structure. Requires exactly even player counts plus a GM. One expansion zine (Stable Conditions) adds items and a bingo board. Humor depends heavily on the group's willingness to commit to the premise.
- **Publisher:** Tom Lavery
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Standard commercial
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/horse-majeure

---

## METTLE Core
- **Edition:** Version 1.88
- **Tagline:** Pulp adventure across detective stories, daring rescues, wild-west gunfights, post-apocalyptic survival, and grounded sci-fi
- **Genre:** Universal, Modern
- **Tags:** Pulp Action, Toolkit, Hackable, Rules-Light, Classless, Fast-Paced, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to the Attribute being used. Dice showing 1, 2, or 3 are summed as the Score; dice showing 4, 5, or 6 are counted as Edge. The Check succeeds if Score meets or exceeds the Difficulty (Routine 1 to Nigh Impossible 15), and Edge measures how well it went. On a failure with Edge, the player may call for a Twist: accept a complication proposed by the rest of the table, then reroll the Edge dice for a second chance. Initiative passes from the acting character to the target of their Action, who becomes the next to act. Mettle (Motive + Nature) acts as a combined morale and damage track, and characters may Surge by spending Mettle for bonus dice on critical Checks.
- **Best For:** Groups who want fast pulp action-adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones, James Bond, or Tales of the Gold Monkey, with a hackable toolkit they can bend toward detective stories, wild-west gunfights, post-apocalyptic survival, or grounded science fiction.
- **Highlights:** Score-and-Edge dice pool reads two outcomes from the same roll: whether the action succeeds (Score meets Difficulty) and how well it went (count of 4–6 dice). Player-invoked Twists let a failed roll be reframed as a messy success in exchange for a fictional complication chosen by the rest of the table. Six-attribute character sheet (Calling, Culture, Frame, Motive, Nature, Poise) replaces classes and skills with player-written Descriptors that justify which Attribute applies to a given task. Initiative passes from the acting character to the target of their Action, eliminating turn-tracking and tying combat order to who is acting on whom.
- **Considerations:** Toolkit framing means the book provides scaffolding (factions, NPC seeds, sample castaway adventure) rather than a fleshed-out setting: groups expecting a defined world will need to build or borrow one. Mettle does triple duty as morale, hit points, and a spendable resource for bonus dice, which can take a session to internalize. Twist resolution depends on the rest of the table proposing complications, which slows play if the group is hesitant to add fiction.
- **Publisher:** Planarian Games
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mettle-core

---

## Kill Him Faster
- **Edition:** Digital Edition, Second Printing
- **Tagline:** Time-traveling athletes speedrun killing Hitler in a 2080s pro sports league
- **Genre:** Scifi, Historical
- **Tags:** Comedy, Gonzo, Tactical, Cinematic, Mission-Based, Pulp Action, Fast-Paced
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 52 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Two parallel resolution systems. In match combat, every weapon has an associated set of dice and a Kill Roll value: roll under the Kill Roll on any rolled die to kill a nazi (e.g. a combat knife rolls a d4 and kills on a 1–3). For everything else, roll the polyhedral die assigned to one of four stats (Fightin', Hustle, Lookin' Good, Talkin' Nice, d6 through d12) and succeed on a 4 or higher. Each athlete spends Action Points equal to their current Durability per round on attacks or zone shifts, positioning enemies across Melee, Near, Far, and Distant zones tuned to specific weapon ranges.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a gonzo, comedic co-op RPG that splits its focus between fast tactical FPS-style firefights and team-management drama: pre-game rap battles, post-game press conferences, trade days, and off-season scandals. Designed for a GM and four players each managing a roster of time-traveling sports stars.
- **Highlights:** Two distinct resolution systems split match combat (roll low under a weapon's Kill Roll) from non-combat actions (roll a stat die, 4+ succeeds). Zone-based combat (Melee, Near, Far, Distant, Ambush) tunes each weapon to a specific range and is designed to feel like a first-person shooter at the table. Twenty Quirk archetypes, each with three escalating drawback tiers, gained through play and off-season vignettes that double as quirk-granting roleplay scenes. Full league simulation wraps the matches: pre-game rap-battle weigh-ins, post-game journalist interviews, trade days, season championships, and off-season scandals.
- **Considerations:** Premise is intentionally gonzo: killing Hitler is the central conceit and the rulebook leans into the joke throughout. Built specifically for five (one GM plus four players each managing a roster of four athletes); other group sizes need adjustment. Match combat is co-op against the GM-controlled enemies by default; head-to-head PvP requires the optional scoring system in which both teams play the same scenario in turn. Heavy framing as a futuristic sports league means tables uninterested in the team-management layer (rosters, hype meters, trade days) will lose a substantial portion of the design.
- **Publisher:** Korvidae Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Standard commercial
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/kill-him-faster

---

## Deep Sky Ballad
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Space Western adventures of a wandering posse chasing fortune across a frontier galaxy still rebuilding from a rogue-AI apocalypse
- **Genre:** Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Ship-Based, Tactical, Character-Driven, Drama, Pulp Action, Diceless
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 68 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Blackjack System: each player and the GM draw from their own poker deck (cards 1–10 in each suit, no face cards). On a Challenge, draw two cards, then up to (Attribute) more, then remove up to (Skill) cards from the table. The remaining hand must reach the difficulty (Easy 16, Medium 18, Hard 19, Very Hard 20, Extreme 21) without exceeding 21. Hitting exactly 21 before the elimination phase is a Critical Success; busting over 21 is automatic failure regardless of the target. Aces count as 1 or 11. Emotional Bonds with crewmates can be spent during play to fuel near-superhuman cinematic abilities.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a Space Western centered on cinematic crew drama and modular spaceship combat, with a card-based resolution that turns every challenge into a poker hand. Designed for a Posse of adventurers who share ownership of an interstellar ship and chase wealth across the wreckage of a fallen galaxy.
- **Highlights:** Card-based resolution gives players visible information about their hand before committing to a Challenge, turning each roll into a press-your-luck decision. Six-axis Hardboiled System tracks Loyalty/Rivalry, Affection/Hatred, and Trust/Grudge between Posse members at multiple stages, granting bond-fueled cinematic abilities tied to those relationships. Spaceship combat uses a hex-grid module map with simultaneous six-phase turns (Maneuvers, Movement, Shield, Mine Release, Fire, Resolution), requiring each crewmember to act from their assigned station. Modular ship construction lets the Posse design custom hulls under Energy and Charge limits and upgrade modules over the campaign.
- **Considerations:** Heavy mechanical load: separate subsystems track Vigor, Resources, Fatigue, Mental Fatigue, Emotional Bond stages and tokens, Wear, and Spaceship Conflict each with their own rules. Card-based resolution requires a full poker deck per player plus a separate GM deck (an official Discord bot exists as a substitute). Spaceship combat's simultaneous-phase structure expects every player to participate from a different ship module and slows considerably with larger crews. Designed specifically for Space Western themes within the New Frontier setting: not a generic engine for other genres.
- **Publisher:** Winged Lion Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/deep-sky-ballad

---

## When the Moon Hangs Low
- **Edition:** Second (Kickstarter) Edition
- **Tagline:** Cursed hunters stalk monsters through Harrowmire, a decaying gothic city sealed off by plague
- **Genre:** Horror, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Fear & Stress Mechanics, Dark Fantasy, Corruption, Investigation, Faction Play, Tactical, Solo-Friendly, Mission-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6 equal to the stat tied to the skill and count successes, with each die succeeding on 5–6 when Untrained, 4–6 when Trained, and 3–6 when Mastered. The number of successes must meet or beat a Difficulty Value set by the Gamemaster. Bonus and penalty dice adjust the pool. A penalty die that rolls 5–6 cancels a success. Opposed checks compare success counts instead of a fixed Difficulty Value.
- **Best For:** Groups who want gothic-horror monster-hunting and investigation on a contract-driven mission structure, where characters carry a permanent curse that escalates as they lean on their powers. Also supports solo or GM-less play through the built-in Lone Hunter rules.
- **Highlights:** Each of the twelve Marks grants a supernatural Boon paired with a Curse that advances a stage every time the hunter runs out of Resolve, so power comes bundled with an escalating personal cost. Influence earned by bluffing, charming, or intimidating a faction accumulates as a spendable resource that buys concrete favors from four rival powers, turning social play into a persistent currency. A full Lone Hunter mode replaces the Gamemaster's difficulties with a success-tier table and twist tables, letting the same character and dice run solo without a separate ruleset.
- **Considerations:** A hunter's Mark is chosen at creation and can never be changed, locking in both its Boon and the eventual monstrous transformation the character is fated toward. The setting leaves its central mysteries, including the nature of the Bitter Sacrament and the buried ympir, deliberately unanswered for each Gamemaster to resolve or not. Most antagonists are Minions that never roll to Parry, Dodge, or Counterattack, so rank-and-file fights reduce to attackers rolling against a fixed number instead of opposed checks.
- **Publisher:** Isolation Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/when-the-moon-hangs-low

---

## Fear of the Unknown
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Build a small town together, then play through the horror movie that tears it apart
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Tag-Based, Fiction-First, Collaborative, Investigation, Mystery, Fear & Stress Mechanics, One-Shot Friendly, Rules-Light
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 33 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 and add tags: invoke up to three of your character's tags for +1 each, while the Oracle invokes up to two against you for -1 each. On 10+ you fully succeed, on 7-9 you succeed at a cost, and on 6 or less the Oracle chooses a consequence. The Encounter True Horror move instead adds your accumulated Horror to the roll, where a higher total is worse, so encounters grow more dangerous as dread builds.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a rules-light collaborative horror mystery that plays to completion in a single session, especially fans of horror films who want to investigate a mystery and face escalating dread without any GM prep. Works well for convention one-shots and players new to narrative RPGs.
- **Highlights:** Every successful Investigate roll hands the player a clue tied to the question they asked, so the mystery advances from what characters do at the table rather than from clues the Oracle hid in advance. The tags a player invokes on a roll become the fictional elements of the resulting scene, so each character's specific traits, not just the dice result, shape what happens in play. Each supernatural encounter permanently raises a character's Horror, which is added to future horror rolls, building escalating dread without a separate countdown.
- **Considerations:** A single Face Peril roll resolves every dangerous situation, from a fistfight to a fall, with no initiative or enemy stats, so groups wanting tactical combat must build it themselves. The Oracle prepares no clues and improvises every answer to investigation questions live, which demands real on-the-spot creativity rather than prepared structure. The three-act structure and epilogue are built for self-contained one-shots, with no advancement loop for ongoing characters beyond gaining and losing tags.
- **Publisher:** Sixpence Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/fear-of-the-unknown

---

## Thrive to Survive
- **Edition:** Second Edition
- **Tagline:** Modern zombie survival with targeted combat, detailed crafting, and fortified settlements
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Survival, Tactical, Crunchy, Resource Management, Base-Building, Character Building, Simulation, Skill-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 74 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 45 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + skill ranks + the related attribute and meet or beat a difficulty set by the Apocalypse Master. An untrained skill adds half its attribute, while opposed checks compare totals.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a long-form modern zombie-survival campaign built around tactical grid combat, body-location injuries, detailed crafting, and turning scavenged materials into a defended settlement. It suits an Apocalypse Master who wants tools for custom infections, encounters, and campaign goals.
- **Highlights:** Attacks pair maneuver-specific hit numbers with 2d10 location rolls, so armor, crippling injuries, and targeted strikes make each body part matter. Crafting links designs, material types, construction, generators, and storage, turning scavenged supplies into weapons and a working refuge. The Apocalypse Master chooses an infection model and modifies zombie templates, allowing campaigns to shift from base defense to a cure hunt without changing the core rules.
- **Considerations:** Combat resolves attacks through hit checks, location rolls, armor reduction, location health, and injury effects, creating multiple steps for every successful strike. Characters track food, water, sleep, fatigue, carry weight, ammunition, and ten crafting materials, making resource bookkeeping a central part of play. The system assumes a modern zombie apocalypse, so adapting it to other settings requires replacing much of its equipment, infection, and campaign material.
- **Publisher:** Caden Humpherys
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/thrive-to-survive

---

## City of Amber
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Urban fantasy noir in a 1948 New York City frozen in time, where the awakened see the hidden world beneath the gray
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Horror
- **Tags:** Urban Fantasy, Rules-Light, Career-Based, Investigation, Mystery, Noir, Atmospheric, Roll to Cast, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 (2d10: one die chosen as the tens, the other as the ones) and try to roll under one of four Stats: Vitality, Willpower, Agility, or Cunning. Skills, situational advantages, or assists let the player roll twice and take the better result; disadvantages take the worse. Three Saves (Fear, Magic, Body) resolve the same way. Failed rolls, entering combat, and casting spells each add Stress; reaching 10+ Stress drains Vitality or Willpower and adds a Consequence, and a critical Save failure forces a Panic check against current Stress.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a 1940s urban fantasy with horror undertones, where ordinary New Yorkers awaken to a hidden city of orcs, fey, and shades and pierce the illusion that keeps everyone else asleep. Built for one-shots and short campaigns driven by investigation, magical awakening, and dread.
- **Highlights:** Amber level (1–10) is a double-edged progression: rising levels unlock new perceptions and career abilities (eventually including the power to command Grays), but falling to 0 reverts a character to a mindless Gray and hitting 10 retires them from play permanently. The Stress/Panic/Consequence cascade is the mechanical heart of the horror: failed rolls and entering combat each add Stress, hitting 10+ drains Stats and locks in a long-term Consequence (Haunted, Catatonic, Amber Dread, and nine others), and a critical Save failure forces a Panic check against current Stress. Career-gated magic means the same 20-spell list works differently across Careers: Street Wizards cast directly from randomly rolled spells, Artists bake spell effects into physical objects anyone can trigger, and Vagabonds redistribute Amber at personal cost. The Anchor (a mundane personal object worth two starting Amber points) makes every character's connection to the ordinary world a mechanical vulnerability.
- **Considerations:** Setting is locked to the City: characters cannot leave, and the GM improvises everything beyond its borders. Career and Kindred lists are fixed with no guidance for homebrew options. Magic is heavily gated to Street Wizards; other Careers receive one or two minor spell-like abilities at most. The 49-page rulebook is rules-light by design and leaves substantial setting detail, adventure structure, and faction development to the GM.
- **Publisher:** Chrome Dog Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All rights reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/city-of-amber

---

## Mercs, Mages, and Monsters
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Comedic fantasy where adventuring guilds take contracts in a kingdom ruled by a clueless boy king while a shadowy consortium plots his fall
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Classic Fantasy, Skill-Based, Tactical, Comedy, High-Fantasy, Roll to Cast, Character Building, Mission-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 3d8
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 44 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** G.U.T.S. (General Understanding of The System): sum 3d8 and try to roll equal to or under your Trait Level (starts 8, capped at 17). The margin of success or failure is called the Success Level or Failure Level and scales the effectiveness of the action. Knack Mastery shifts the effective trait by −4 (Untrained) to +2 (Master). Difficulty adjustments (Very Easy to Very Hard) add or subtract 4 to 2 from the trait.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a comedic high-fantasy adventure with mechanical breadth (mastery-tiered skills, three magic schools, twin crafting paths) paired with a simple roll-under core. Characters are sworn Members of a Guild taking hired contracts in the kingdom of Yogath, often unknowingly working for the Crown or a shadowy Consortium plotting against it.
- **Highlights:** Rolling doubles on an attack triggers weapon-typed Status Effects (swords impale, blunts stun, axes amputate), so weapon choice shapes battlefield complications, not just damage. Mages can attempt spells above their Mastery tier, but a failed overcast rolls on a Miscast table that can escalate to a Wild Magic explosion damaging the caster and nearby allies. Elixirs grant a temporary trait buff offset by a matching Withdraw penalty once combat ends, making potion timing a tactical trade-off rather than free power.
- **Considerations:** Weapon-typed Status Effects, weather penalties, and per-weapon damage tables add table-reference overhead during combat. The comedy-grim tone (Goblin Piss Paste as a crafting ingredient, an Iron Pan spell cast by yelling 'I cast iron pan!', a Mad Child King on the throne) will not fit groups expecting straight high-stakes fantasy. Adventures are built around Guild Contracts in the kingdom of Yogath, so dropping into a homebrew setting means reworking the Crown and Consortium hooks that drive published material.
- **Publisher:** Bad Toad Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mercs-mages-and-monsters

---

## Carbon Grey RPG
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Dieselpunk alt-WWI Great War where soldiers, spies, and reality-warping adepts contest the secret of the Gottfaust Stone
- **Genre:** Historical, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Tactical, Corruption, Roll to Cast, Licensed IP, Pulp Action
- **Family:** D6 System
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 60 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s equal to attribute + skill, sum the dice, and beat a Difficulty Number from 5 (Very Easy) to 30 (Extremely Difficult). One die in every pool is the Wild Die: a 6 grants an Advantage (Hero Point gain, success upgrade, or aid to an ally) and a 1 hands the GM a Complication that can deepen a failure. Margins above and below the DN scale results from Partial Success up to Exceptional Success and from Ordinary Failure down to Catastrophic Failure. Hero Points (start at 6) fuel doubled die codes, rerolls, and injury-level reductions.
- **Best For:** Groups who want dieselpunk WWI-flavored heroics (trench fighting, airship dogfights, espionage, and court intrigue) with an opt-in reality-warping subsystem that physically and mentally scars characters who lean on it.
- **Highlights:** Wild Die mechanic builds tier-based outcomes into every roll: a 6 grants an Advantage the player can spend on extra Hero Points, an upgraded success, or aid to an ally; a 1 hands the GM a Complication that can turn an ordinary failure into a Catastrophic one. Continuity Flux skills (Manipulate, Divine, Transmogrify) let characters bend reality but each use raises a tracked Surge Count, and a roll-low check at session end against accumulated Corruption Points can permanently strip an attribute, transform the character into an enemy-controlled stone demon, or erase them from existence. Character Persona stack (Quirks rolled on a d66 table, Obligations to factions or ideals, and Remarkable Abilities) pays out Skill Points at the end of any session the player honored their Obligation, and a session in which the character switches allegiance grants no Skill Points at all.
- **Considerations:** Combat layers multi-action penalties, scale rules between personal, vehicle, and grand-scale targets, weapon properties like Bypass ARM and Continuous, and dedicated subsystems for grenades, artillery bombardment, flak, hail of bullets, and minefields: each with its own DN, reaction options, and damage table. Continuity Flux powers are gated behind the Latent Flux Talent ability or GM-granted shard exposure, so a party without one is shut out of the reality-bending side of the setting unless the GM hands out access. Setting is tightly tied to the Carbon Grey graphic novel (eight named nations with specific factions, mythologies, and political alignments), so adapting the system to a homebrew dieselpunk world means cutting the lore that anchors most published episodes.
- **Publisher:** Magnetic Press Play
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/carbon-grey-rpg

---

## Zombicide: Chronicles
- **Edition:** Core Book
- **Tagline:** Tough, gun-toting Survivors clear a zombie-overrun city district by district, alternating dangerous missions with shelter downtime
- **Genre:** Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Survival, Tactical, Mission-Based, Base-Building, Licensed IP
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a dice pool of d6s equal to Attribute (Muscle, Brains, or Grit) + Proficiency (Athletics, Attitude, Background, Combat, Perception, or Survival): the cross-product forms an 18-Action matrix (Fight, Shoot, Sneak, Scavenge, Tinker, Heal, etc.). Each die shows Molotov (success), Zombie Head (failure), or a number (failure forceable to success by gaining Stress during Mission Phase). One success is ordinary, two is superior, three or more is outstanding. Difficulty Levels subtract 1 or 2 dice; pools beyond six convert the excess into Mastery dice that may reroll a Zombie Head once. Rolling more Zombie Heads than successes triggers Trouble: a GM-determined complication on top of whatever the roll resolved.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a tactical zombie-apocalypse RPG with structured Mission and Shelter phases: leaving the safehouse to scavenge, fight hordes, and clear districts of the dead, then returning to manage supplies, plan the next run, and fortify the shelter. Designed to drop in alongside the Zombicide board game's tiles, miniatures, and Equipment cards if the group already owns them.
- **Highlights:** Mission Phase and Shelter Phase run on different rules: Mission Phase activates Stress, Adrenaline, and Trouble for high-tension play, while Shelter Phase resets HP/Stress/Adrenaline to zero and uses simpler resolution for downtime activities like Supply Checks, Shelter Actions, and planning the next run. Stress-to-force-successes drives a tight feedback loop: Mission Phase players can convert numerical dice results above the weapon's Accuracy into successes by gaining Stress, each forced success also feeds the Adrenaline track, and Adrenaline thresholds unlock additional Skill slots (Yellow at Level 1, Orange at Level 3, two Red at Levels 5 and 7). Native board-game compatibility: combat uses the same Zombie types (Walker, Runner, Brute, Abomination), Targeting Priority Order, and Weapon stats as the Zombicide board game, so groups who own it can swap in physical tiles, miniatures, and Equipment cards as table aids.
- **Considerations:** Setting is locked to one unnamed American city with nine fixed districts (Downtown, Old Town, Fun Zone, University District, Heart of the City, Slums, Suburbia, Uptown, Industrial Park) plus the Undercity: adapting to other locations or rural campaigns means rebuilding the district map, Travel Rolls, and Threat Level scaffolding. Combat dominates the rules: Survivor Phase, Zombie Phase, Targeting Priority, Major Injury table, weapon traits, and the Zombipedia bestiary occupy most of the page count, while investigation, social intrigue, and faction politics get comparatively light mechanical support. The Mission/Shelter alternation imposes a session-level rhythm: Stress, Adrenaline, and Trouble exist only in Mission Phase and Shelter Phase wipes them clean, so improvised open-ended campaigns outside this structure need GM adjustment.
- **Publisher:** CMON / Need Games
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Italian, French
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/zombicide-chronicles

---

## Age of Adventure RPG
- **Edition:** Deluxe Edition
- **Tagline:** Heroic fantasy adventures of dwarves, elves, halflings, and goblins distilled into a twelve-page zine
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Classic Fantasy, Heroic, Player-Only Rolls, Roll to Cast, Low-Prep, Random Tables, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Each Hero picks a single Proficiency number from 2 to 5. MIGHT actions (physical, martial) count d6 results equal to or under that number as Successes; MIND actions (mental, complex) count results equal to or over it. Roll 1d6 by default and add bonus dice for being Skilled, Prepared, Helped, or carrying the right Item. Rolling the Proficiency number exactly on a successful check earns a Hero Point, spendable for extra dice, rerolls, +1 damage, or a true in-world answer from the GM. Only players ever roll: enemy attacks resolve as automatic player Reaction Checks against the same Proficiency, with Block (1 less damage) or Dodge (no damage) chosen by the defender.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a complete heroic fantasy game they can start playing the same night: everything from character creation to campaign play fits in a twelve-page zine, with classic fantasy races and class archetypes already built in.
- **Highlights:** A single Proficiency number from 2 to 5 defines a character's physical-versus-mental lean in one decision, so building a Hero is a thirty-second commitment rather than a stat-by-stat exercise: high favors MIGHT (roll under), low favors MIND (roll over). Only players roll dice, even on defense: every enemy attack triggers an automatic Reaction Check from the targeted Hero, so the GM is free to narrate threats while every die at the table belongs to a player. Encounter Levels are calculated as Size × Actions × Challenge plus armor and shield bonuses, then summed across the party, giving the GM an at-a-glance balance number to scale opposition without writing statblocks.
- **Considerations:** Magic is limited to six Arcane and six Holy spells that Wizards and Clerics know in full from creation, with no spell progression, new spells, or list customization across a campaign. Damage caps at 2 points per hit and Stamina maxes at the Proficiency number plus armor, so combats resolve in a few rounds without granular HP attrition or extended tactical play. Character advancement between adventures is limited to gold rewards and a +1 starting Hero Points carryover: there are no levels, experience tracks, or stat increases that meaningfully change a Hero over the course of a campaign.
- **Publisher:** Adrian Young Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/age-of-adventure-rpg

---

## Wyld
- **Edition:** Version 7
- **Tagline:** Anthropomorphic Wyld Folk hold the line as their cozy world of Sunder gradually darkens
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Classless, Dark Fantasy, One-Shot Friendly, Roll to Cast, Inventory Management, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 plus the relevant ability point (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Empathy, each rated 0–4) for any risky action: 10+ is a Success, 7–9 a Partial Success that lands with a complication, 6 or less a Failure. Double 6 is a Critical Success that grants the player a Fortune Point (spendable to boost any later roll, max 3); double 1 is a Critical Failure that hands the GM a Misfortune Point (spendable for out-of-turn foe actions, max 5). Physical attacks bypass the test: the attacker rolls the weapon's damage die, adds STR (melee) or DEX (ranged), subtracts the target's Armour Protection, and applies the remainder to Hit Points. Spellcasting reuses the 2d6 test against INT (Primordial utility) or EMP (Elemental damage), with a partial success triggering a d20 Wyld Flare table for unintended magical chaos.
- **Best For:** Small groups who want a short, classless fantasy zine for anthropomorphic animal-folk in a pastoral world that gradually darkens: built for the tonal slide from cozy Wyld Folk daily life into encounters with corrupted Ravenous, Carrion undead, and ascending Mythics.
- **Highlights:** Weapons strike without a roll: physical attacks resolve as damage die plus STR or DEX minus Armour Protection, removing the to-hit layer that slows similar 2d6 systems and reserving the test mechanic for risky non-attack actions, spellcasting, and contests. Magic splits into Elemental spells (EMP: damage with element-specific riders such as Air pushing the target, Earth knocking them prone, Fire bypassing armour, Light blinding, Dark dropping Strength) and Primordial spells (INT: non-damage utility from 25 paired opposites like Repel/Attract, Heat/Cool, Shrink/Grow, Slick/Friction), with a partial success on either rolling on a d20 Wyld Flare table for chaotic side-effects instead of a wasted turn. Hitting exactly 0 HP triggers the Scars table: rather than wound penalties, every entry pairs a permanent cosmetic mark (a limp, coloured-vein blood poisoning, lingering green spots, an inner-child episode) with a chance to raise an ability score or add to maximum HP, so near-death consistently bends toward leaving the Wyld Folk marked and more capable.
- **Considerations:** Combat is one-way damage (attackers roll, defenders don't, with no dodge, parry, or active defensive reaction beyond Armour Protection), so player agency in defense is limited to wearing or removing armour rather than mid-combat maneuvering. The world of Sunder is sketched in broad strokes: its history, factions, geography, and the nature of the encroaching darkness are conveyed across a few paragraphs and bestiary entries, leaving the GM to fill in most lore at the table. Character growth caps at level 10 with a hard ceiling of 4 in any ability score: numerical advancement runs out quickly, with later gains limited to extra Martial Foci or additional spells slotted within those existing caps.
- **Publisher:** Quest Giver Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/wyld

---

## Dungeons & Dustbunnies
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Thumb-sized survivors carve out kingdoms in the ruins of a giant human world, where a sewing needle is a greatsword and a cockroach is a monster
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Comedy, Gonzo, Beginner-Friendly, One-Shot Friendly, Theater of the Mind, Improvisation, Survival
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 12 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 62 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Decrease Dice: each character has one die, starting at d20, that serves as both their health and their resolution roll. To attempt a risky action, roll the die against the Difficulty your class assigns that skill; meeting or beating it succeeds, while a normal failure costs only the attempt. The die steps down a size (d20 → d12 → d10 → d8 → d6 → d4) whenever you roll a 1, take major damage, or voluntarily force the scale to convert a failure into an automatic success. A character whose die would drop below d4 falls Exhausted or dies; sleeping in a safe shelter resets it to d20 and consuming a sugar ration steps it back up one size.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a quick, comedic one-shot or short campaign as thumb-sized survivors scavenging a household that has become a hostile wilderness, with a ruleset light enough to read in a few minutes before the first session.
- **Highlights:** The Decrease Dice mechanic collapses health and resolution into a single die, so every roll both tests the action and visibly wears the character down as the die shrinks toward d4. Forcing the scale lets a player turn any failure into a guaranteed success by stepping their die down a size, making each clutch moment a deliberate trade of long-term stamina for an immediate result. Monsters are rated by a Threat Die that attacks and spells whittle down, and several (the chitin-armored cockroach, the static-charged dustbunny) shrug off ordinary weapons until players expose a weak spot or switch to fire, water, or magic.
- **Considerations:** Combat has no initiative or turn order (the GM narrates enemy intent and players react with defensive rolls), so there is little structure for tactical positioning. Rolling a 1 on any skill check (including routine Stealth, Alertness, or social rolls) steps the die down the same as taking a hit in combat, so avoiding unnecessary rolls becomes a survival strategy rather than a purely narrative choice. There is no advancement system: skills are fixed at character creation and the Decrease Die only ever recovers to its starting size, so characters do not grow mechanically over a campaign.
- **Publisher:** Castamar RPG Studio
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dungeons-dustbunnies

---

## Brachyr System
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** A harsh medieval-fantasy world where the tools in your hands and the allies at your side are your only real advantage
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Classless, Skill-Based, Tactical, Crunchy, Deadly, Social Combat
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d10
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 22 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d8 'base die' plus a skill modifier equal to the number of abilities you possess in that skill, and meet or exceed a difficulty class assembled from +5 'complications' counted up for the task. You may add one tool die (sized d4 for a basic object up to d10 for a quality magical one) and one aid die supplied by a helping ally, all added together, though a check is hard-capped at those three dice (plus the modifier) so the totals never balloon. Attacks and debate arguments are resolved against a defence check the target rolls with a skill of their own, and the margin between the two rolls becomes the damage dealt to health or to a position.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a crunchy, classless fantasy game where teamwork is mechanically central: coordinating tools and aid raises the whole party's odds, combat on a hex grid is deadly enough to demand cooperation, and social conflict gets the same tactical depth as a fight.
- **Highlights:** Most usable objects grant a tool die and an adjacent ally can lend an aid die, both added to your d8 base roll, while a hard cap of one tool die and one aid die per check keeps a coordinated, well-equipped party ahead of a lone expert without letting the totals balloon. Debates run as a full parallel to combat with their own initiative, rounds, and 'damage' dealt to a position, where gathered evidence acts as tool dice and named fallacies like Straw Man and Beg the Question function as special attacks. Weapons are assembled from a point-buy list of traits (Damage, Reach, Range, Parry, Aiding) rather than picked from a fixed list, so an improvised rope dart, torch, or household tool can be statted as readily as a sword.
- **Considerations:** Player options in the core rulebook reach only the lowest three of nine ability tiers, so the most powerful character abilities are defined but not accessible from this book alone. Resolution rests on a single d8 base die that tools and ally aid can supplement but never replace, so even high-skill characters see swingy results from roll to roll. There is no money or tracked coin: gear is acquired through an abstract Trade check against an item's difficulty scaled to social status, abstracting economic play away entirely.
- **Publisher:** David Gower
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/brachyr-system

---

## Ishanekon: World Shapers
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Build any character you can picture, for any setting, from a catalogue of over a thousand abilities
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Character Building, Crunchy, Tactical, Toolkit, Hackable, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 70 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 70 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Skill Check: roll d10, add your level in the relevant Skill plus half the matching Stat Bonus (a stat's value minus 10), and meet or beat a difficulty from 1 (Very Easy) to 19 (Nearly Impossible). Attacks instead roll d20 plus a weapon's hit bonus against the target's Evasion. Combat runs in rounds where each character spends three Action Points per turn, with an attack costing two and a natural 20 adding bonus damage. The GM awards Narrative Momentum for inventive roleplay, which players spend together with Action Points on Cinematic Actions: freeform stunts resolved at the GM's discretion.
- **Best For:** Groups who want maximal character customization in a free, setting-agnostic system: players who enjoy assembling a bespoke concept from a huge option pool and a GM willing to supply the world the rules deliberately leave blank.
- **Highlights:** Characters are assembled from ten Archetypes, more than 210 Sub-Archetypes, over a thousand Abilities, plus Paths, Talents, and Traits, giving a single concept many independent axes of mechanical customization. Abilities draw on a Willpower pool, and spending extra Willpower upcasts them on the fly (scaling effects like damage, area, targets, or duration up to a per-tier limit), so one ability flexes to the moment instead of being a fixed effect. Every feature carries a complexity rating from 1 to 4, and Beginner Traits, a Cinematic Rules mode, and thirteen alternative-rule modules let a group run the same engine as a rules-light game or a dense tactical one.
- **Considerations:** Character creation draws from over a thousand abilities plus hundreds of talents and traits, so building a character means selecting from a very large catalogue rather than a curated short list. The system is setting-agnostic and ships with no default world, so a group must supply or adapt a setting before the customization options mean anything in play. Skill checks and attacks resolve on separate scales (d10 plus half a Stat Bonus for skills, d20 plus full bonuses against Evasion for attacks), so the two halves of the system use different math players must keep straight.
- **Publisher:** Blaze Reason
- **Year:** 2022
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ishanekon-world-shapers

---

## Outrunners
- **Edition:** Version 7
- **Tagline:** Outrun the death you've foreseen before the Harbinger collects
- **Genre:** Horror, Cyberpunk, Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Narrative, Fiction-First, Collaborative, Survival, Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Worldbuilding, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Each character assigns one die from a d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, and d4 set across six stats, then rolls the relevant stat's die against a difficulty number; if half that die's maximum already meets the DC, the action succeeds without a roll. Rolling a die's maximum value without beating the DC triggers a Twist of Fate, exploding up to the next larger die. Fate Points, earned mainly by failing rolls, are spent to reroll, sway outcomes, or invoke the Hands of Fate at a narrative cost.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a rules-light, emotionally charged one-shot or short campaign about doomed characters racing to outrun a foreseen death, and GMs who want a portable fate-and-survival horror premise they can drop into almost any setting with little prep.
- **Highlights:** Every character begins with a prophesied glimpse of their own death, which seeds concrete clues into the story and ties each session's tension to a deadline the player already knows is coming. Rolling a stat die's maximum without meeting the difficulty explodes it up to the next larger die, turning desperate long shots into escalating last-second reversals rather than flat failures. Fate Points are earned mainly by failing rolls and then spent to reroll, sway outcomes, or invoke the Hands of Fate, so setbacks bankroll later comebacks and every intervention carries a narrative cost.
- **Considerations:** The default Adamah setting is sketched in only a few pages and the game expects the table to invent most of the world at session zero, so groups wanting a prepared, detailed setting must supply it themselves. Equipment grants only narrative permission rather than mechanical bonuses, so players who enjoy itemization or tactical loadouts will find nothing to optimize. The foreseen-death premise is built to resolve at the Vision's deadline, making the game strongest as a one-shot or short arc and harder to sustain across a long, open-ended campaign.
- **Publisher:** Einsol's Razor
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** ORC 1.0 (free SRD)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/outrunners

---

## GunCraze
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Survivor bands fight to stay alive in the ruins of a collapsed near-future world
- **Genre:** Post-Apocalyptic, Modern
- **Tags:** Tactical, Crunchy, Classless, Skill-Based, Deadly, Gritty, Miniatures
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10, d6
- **Complexity:** 72 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Statistic Test: roll 1d10, add the relevant Attribute or Skill rank plus modifiers, and meet or beat a target number; contested actions are Opposed Rolls where the higher total wins and ties favor the defender. A natural 9 or 10 on a combat test banks a Craze! Point, and up to three Craze! Points can be spent after a roll to add +1d6 each. Attacks roll a d10 for hit location and deal damage in d6s against per-location hit points.
- **Best For:** Groups who want crunchy, grid-based tactical gunfights with genuine lethality in a post-apocalyptic setting and don't mind learning a dense rulebook before the first session.
- **Highlights:** A natural 9 or 10 on a combat roll banks a Craze! Point, and up to three can be spent afterward for +1d6 each or to dive for cover mid-attack, but never to boost damage, keeping firefights swingy without softening lethality. Damage tracks per body location, so a destroyed limb is disabled and spills further hits into the torso past armor, turning partial wounds into mounting handicaps rather than one shared health bar. Characters are built from specializations, tiered talent trees, ranked skills, and jobs rather than classes, letting any blend of gunplay, melee, and noncombat skill live in one survivor.
- **Considerations:** Social conflict resolves through single skill tests, with no structured subsystem for extended negotiation, interrogation, or social maneuvering. The rules cover realistic firearms, melee, and cybernetics only, with no rules for magic, psychic powers, or other fantastical abilities. Installing cybernetics requires both Surgery and Engineering (Robotics) skill ranks plus high target-number tests, gating the augmentation catalog behind dedicated character investment.
- **Publisher:** Action Tactics Roleplay Gaming LLC
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary (GunCraze OGL v1.1)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/guncraze

---

## VI·VIII·X
- **Edition:** Hackssential Edition
- **Tagline:** Fantasy where your character's morality is tracked in secret and shapes every roll
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Skill-Based, Career-Based, Freeform Magic, Roll to Cast, Deadly, Gritty, Experimental
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 56 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 38 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Action Resolution Check (ARC): roll the die set by your Exclusive Skill score (d4 at skill 1–2 up to d12 at skill 9–10); rolling at or under the skill adds that result while rolling over subtracts the difference. Add the governing Character Stat and your Morality Index, then beat a hidden GM threshold (ARCT) or an opponent's roll (ARCO), with ties going to the defender. Because the Morality Index feeds every check, how closely a character follows their chosen moral Path constantly raises or lowers all their rolls.
- **Best For:** Experienced GMs running morally grounded fantasy who want player choices to carry hidden mechanical weight, and tables that prefer immersion and information asymmetry over full rules transparency.
- **Highlights:** A character's Morality Index adds to every check, so holding to a chosen moral Path lifts all rolls while drifting from it imposes a growing penalty until the character returns, and the GM tracks the grid position in secret so players feel the swing without seeing its cause. Secret Sorcery, the arcane tradition, pairs one element word with one principle word from twelve Magic Circles to declare any effect the GM prices by scope, removing spell lists and preparation and pushing magic toward improvised problem-solving. Characters have no hit points, so damage lowers the relevant Character Stat, and a stat reduced to zero starts a countdown of stat-plus-level turns during which healing can still reverse it before death locks in.
- **Considerations:** The Keep Uneducated Paradigm places the morality grid, hidden thresholds, growth points, and State of Mind tracking entirely on the GM, a parallel bookkeeping load that grows with the party. Resting recovers only one or two stat points per day and any real activity reverses healing, while magical healing ages the character a week per point restored, forcing long downtime between fights. Social interaction has no mechanical subsystem and defaults to the player's own roleplaying, so persuasion, intimidation, and negotiation rely on the generic check rather than any dedicated social rules.
- **Publisher:** Knight of the Lake Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** VI·VIII·X Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/vi-viii-x

---

## Odd Hours
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Clock in for the night shift at a haunted gas station where the horror is real and so is the absurdity
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Fear & Stress Mechanics, Comedy, Gonzo, Weird, Rules-Light, Random Tables, One-Shot Friendly
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 26 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6 plus one of three attributes (Wit, Grit, Strangeness) plus a relevant skill and try to meet or beat a Target Number. Combat is an opposed roll. Beat the defender by 5 or more for a critical hit and double damage. Two resources then shadow every shift: Sanity drops when the supernatural presses on your mind, and Absurdity climbs as you lean into it. You spend Absurdity to reroll a failure, shrug off a point of Sanity loss, or take the higher of two rolls.
- **Best For:** Groups who want low-barrier horror with a comedic streak for one-shots or short campaigns at a single weird location. It suits players who improvise from atmospheric prompts and lean into absurd moments instead of optimizing their characters.
- **Highlights:** Sanity and Absurdity move in opposite directions, so the dark humor that raises Absurdity becomes a resource you spend to reroll failures or cancel Sanity loss. The Overnight Manager plays the gas station itself as the lead character, voicing its moods and the cryptic calls from its unseen Owners as a presence the table improvises around. Reaching 5 Absurdity unlocks Strange Abilities bought with advancement, once-per-session quirks the station leaves on you rather than powers you earn.
- **Considerations:** The Overnight Manager sets every Target Number outside a few fixed tables and decides each Absurdity award, so difficulty and pacing rest on table judgment. Combat is deliberately thin: flat weapon damage, one primary and one minor action per turn, and only basic move-and-cover positioning rather than a tactical grid. Rituals, Strange Abilities, and backgrounds come as a handful of examples the book openly tells you to expand on yourself.
- **Publisher:** Route 9 Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/odd-hours

---

## Shifters
- **Edition:** Ashcan
- **Tagline:** Step sideways into a fog-choked otherworld to hunt the objects that poison ordinary streets
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Corruption, Deadly, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Gritty, Superpowers, Survival, Urban Fantasy, Weird
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d20
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll an attribute die and usually a skill die, each sized from d4 to d20 by the character's rating. Read each die separately: 5–9 gives one success, 10–14 two, 15–19 three, and 20 four. A 1 adds a complication even when the other die succeeds. Meet the Referee's required success count or beat an opponent's successes, with extra successes adding Harm or other effects. Each player gets one Nudge per session to shift a single die by one point after the roll.
- **Best For:** Groups who want modern occult horror where hunting haunted objects risks eroding their characters' identities.
- **Highlights:** Harm steps attribute dice down directly, so damage weakens the dice used for later actions. The otherworld called the Gloom drains an attribute step at each scene's start and end unless resisted through sacrifice, weakening the dice needed to escape. Haunted objects called Residues have destruction conditions tied to their emotional origins, turning hunts toward memorials or exposing abuse rather than combat alone.
- **Considerations:** The core provides no advancement procedure, leaving the group to decide how skills or abilities improve over a campaign. The colossal beings called Infadha take no Harm from attacks, so ordinary combat cannot defeat them. Several sample Residues are built on suicide, child abuse, and domestic abuse, with safety guidance limited to brief advice during character creation.
- **Publisher:** Late Gaming Company
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-01; note: The rulebook reserves all rights, and no Shifters-specific publishing route was found. The separate AME SRD License v1.0 permits commercial use of the underlying engine mechanics but excludes setting material and AME branding.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/shifters

---

## When Sky & Sea Were Not Named
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Bronze-age heroes defend a realm of floating islands as the forces of chaos and death close in
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Theater of the Mind, Resource Management, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Base-Building, Exploration
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d4–d12
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 44 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Each hero has four action dice, one for each action type (Attack, Brace, Compel, Maneuver), with the die size set from d4 to d12 by the relevant attributes. To act, roll the matching die and read it against two thresholds. Against an obstacle, the Guide sets a failure threshold and a struggle threshold. Against a foe, the target's attribute is the failure threshold and its defense is the struggle threshold. Beating the higher number is a Success, beating only the lower is a Struggle that costs something, and beating neither is a Failure. Attacks deal damage equal to the roll minus the target's Guard and Armor, so one roll settles both the hit and its severity.
- **Best For:** Groups settling in for a multi-session campaign who want combat built on resource trade-offs, spellcasters that each play differently, and a Guide comfortable improvising rulings. The island-hopping rescue-and-rebuild structure rewards tables that enjoy both tactical fights and settlement-scale stakes.
- **Highlights:** Each of the four defenses both resists incoming actions and doubles as the resource a hero spends to power abilities, so every turn weighs guarding against acting. A hero rolls a different die size for each of the four action types, so strengths and weaknesses live in which die they pick up rather than in numeric modifiers. Invoking an Ideal after a roll spends Spirit for an advantage die the Guide sizes to how dramatic the moment is, linking vivid roleplay to a mechanical boost.
- **Considerations:** The three spellcasting callings each run a separate resource economy, creating a real skill gap between players who take a magical calling and those who do not. The Shinarian origin locks Agility at 0, which bars the Wanderer calling and leaves those heroes unable to evade, outflank, or hide effectively. Sizing invoked Ideal dice, setting challenge thresholds, and reading the Dreamshape table all rest on Guide judgment rather than fixed numbers, which favors improvisational Guides over those who want firm procedures.
- **Publisher:** Purple People Games
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/when-sky-sea-were-not-named

---

## Children With Wands
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Newly magical children who cannot control how powerful their spells are
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Family-Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Cozy, Collaborative, Comedy, One-Shot Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 12 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 66 (High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** To cast a spell, the player says what they want it to do, and the Narrator sets a Spell Range from two values. Effectiveness rates how well the spell suits the task from 0 to 3, and Strength rates how much magic the goal needs from 1 to 20. The range runs from Strength minus Effectiveness up to Strength plus Effectiveness. The player then rolls a d20, and a result inside the range casts the spell cleanly. A roll outside the range still fires the spell, but mis-scaled into a complication. High rolls overshoot with too much power and low rolls fall short.
- **Best For:** Families introducing younger players to tabletop roleplaying, and convention one-shots where everyone needs to be making characters and playing within minutes. The cooperative, low-stakes structure suits mixed-age tables more than groups after tactical depth or character builds.
- **Highlights:** Players roll to determine a spell's power rather than its success, so a high roll overshoots the intended band just as badly as a low one. The Narrator announces each spell's range before the roll, letting the table weigh a clever but risky idea against a safe one as an open choice instead of a blind gamble. Spells that miss their range still go off and spawn fresh problems, turning failure into the engine that drives the session rather than a dead end.
- **Considerations:** Setting each Spell Range is a real-time Narrator judgment of a spell's fit and power, so the game leans heavily on a confident improviser to run well. Casting a spell is the only way to resolve a real challenge, leaving groups who want to settle problems through mundane skill or social play without a subsystem for it. Every child shares the same resolve pool, single die, and short perk list, so characters distinguish themselves mainly by which spells they know.
- **Publisher:** Dinosaur Pirate Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0 (core rules text)
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/children-with-wands

---

## Questgiver
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Fantasy adventurers compete as contestants in an absurd comedy game show, scoring points for ridiculous challenges
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Comedy, Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, One-Shot Friendly, Improvisation, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 13 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Describe an action and roll a pool of d6s equal to your level in a relevant skill, then compare the total against an opposing roll. Opposition is either another character's roll or a difficulty pool the GM rolls, from 1d6 for easy up to 4d6 for nearly impossible. Rolling all sixes earns a new, more specific skill one level higher than the one just used. Every failed roll grants 1 XP. Spent XP turns a die into a six to raise a skill, but never rewrites the roll that earned it.
- **Best For:** Comedy-focused groups who want a low-prep competitive party game built around performing absurd challenges for points, rather than a traditional fantasy campaign with combat and character progression. It works well for one-shots or short runs, and even for dropping a familiar character from another game into a single guest episode.
- **Highlights:** Rolling all sixes on an attempt grants a brand-new skill one level higher than the one used, so characters grow directly out of the actions players choose to try. Every failed roll banks a point of experience toward upgrading a skill, so failing at the table always feeds progress instead of stalling it. During the solo Endeavors, each contestant's attempt is submitted in secret and then played out in an order the host chooses, building game-show reveal tension into every round.
- **Considerations:** Character creation carries no mechanical weight, since the creature type, quirk, and personality options are roleplay flavor that never affects a roll. Most quests are scored however the host decides unless the quest states its own criteria, which can frustrate players who want transparent win conditions. There are no rules for combat, injury, or death, so groups wanting a mechanically consequential fantasy adventure will not find one here.
- **Publisher:** Kent Malosh
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** ORC License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/questgiver

---

## The Last Book
- **Edition:** First Edition
- **Tagline:** Sword and sorcery in the Sands of Qir, a brutal desert world of warring empires and dark mysticism
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Crunchy, Tactical, Simulation, Character Building, Classless, Deadly, Sword & Sorcery
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100, 2d6
- **Complexity:** 78 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 44 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** The Last Book uses two resolution systems. Skill and attribute checks roll d100 under a calculated success chance, and how far under the number sets the success margin. Combat is an opposed contest where each side rolls 2d6 and adds a maneuver rating, and the higher total wins the exchange. The margin of victory, called Strike Severity, is added as bonus damage.
- **Best For:** Groups who enjoy 1980s-style point-buy character building and granular, location-based tactical combat, and want that level of crunch set in a violent sword and sorcery desert world.
- **Highlights:** The margin by which a 2d6 attack contest beats the defense becomes Strike Severity and is added to damage, so cleanly won exchanges hit harder rather than only landing. Attackers can aim for a specific body location such as the head or vitals, trading an accuracy penalty for effects like multiplied damage or a chance to cripple a limb. Esoteric Alchemy builds potions from five reagent types that each carry their own laws and effects, letting an alchemist mix custom concoctions instead of drawing from a fixed list.
- **Considerations:** The game runs on two separate resolution engines, a d100 roll-under for skills and a 2d6 opposed contest for combat, so players learn and switch between two different systems. Resolving one attack can involve wound level, strike location, vulnerability and status, encumbrance, and lighting at the same time, which keeps combat deliberate and slow. Character death is largely permanent and crippling injuries can persist well beyond a fight, so losing a heavily built character is a real risk.
- **Publisher:** Patrick White
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-last-book

---

## The Elf Game
- **Edition:** 2nd Edition
- **Tagline:** A math-light, single-page RPG built to adapt to any setting or story
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Hackable, Descending AC, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 12 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 92 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 55 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Assign six ability scores rolled on 3d6, then resolve any uncertain action by rolling a D20 and subtracting your adjustments. A result at or under the relevant Ability Score succeeds, and a higher result fails. A natural 1 always succeeds and a natural 20 always fails. Attacks use the same roll-under method, subtracting a Melee or Ranged score and comparing the total to the target's Armor Class.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a free, pick-up-and-play system for a first RPG or a one-shot, especially tables happy to supply their own spells or borrow rules from other old-school games.
- **Highlights:** Ability tests and attacks both roll a D20 under a target number, so players learn a single resolution method and apply it to skills, combat, and saving throws alike. A character picks a class and a stance independently, so Fighter or Tradesman combined with Magical or Mundane yields several distinct builds from a tiny ruleset. Characters advance only from Level 0 to Level 3 by Referee fiat, so there is no experience economy to track.
- **Considerations:** Advancement caps at Level 3, so extended campaigns quickly run out of mechanical growth. Spells are named but never detailed on the rules sheet, so magical characters draw their actual spell effects from the Referee or compatible outside material. Every uncertain action is a single Ability Test with no fixed difficulty tiers, so how hard a task is depends on which ability the Referee calls for rather than a set target number.
- **Publisher:** S&A Baudelaire
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Public Domain
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-elf-game

---

## Regular Volk
- **Edition:** Version 1.6.5
- **Tagline:** Cursed folk heroes who shapeshift into beasts in a world of German fairy tales
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Narrative, Character-Driven, Theater of the Mind, One-Shot Friendly, Low-Prep, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 44 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll 2d6, add the relevant stat plus small bonuses for a fitting item or trait, and meet or beat the Difficulty Score the GM sets. The same check resolves every action, attack, and beast action. Edge and Trouble add a third d6 and drop the lowest or highest die. Rolling double sixes on an attack lands a critical hit.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a short, low-prep fairy-tale one-shot or brief campaign centered on a controlled shapeshifting risk, where a character's powerful beast form can consume them if they lean on it too often. It suits tables new to tabletop RPGs who still want some build texture from ancestry and curse choices.
- **Highlights:** Failing a roll while in Beast Form builds Beast Points, which escalate through animalistic compulsions and stacking debuffs to permanently trapping the character in beast form. Folding the character sheet along a marked line physically hides the volk abilities and reveals the beast ones, so the sheet itself shows which form a character is in. The GM builds any fairytale creature by picking one of five power tiers and an archetype such as Glass Cannon or Heavy Hitter, each carrying preset Difficulty Score, HP, and modifiers.
- **Considerations:** Combat uses no maps, grid, or positioning rules, so groups who want tactical movement or terrain play get no mechanical support for it. Entering Beast Form fully replaces a character's volk abilities, items, and weapons, so beast powers can never be combined with human-form gear in the same moment. A character who reaches 0 Health Points rolls on the Fate table, where a result of 6 or lower on the unmodified 2d6 means an immediate death that no bonus can prevent.
- **Publisher:** Timo Acker
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/regular-volk

---

## DABaM
- **Edition:** Version 2
- **Tagline:** A lightweight generic system for any setting, built to get newcomers playing fast
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Classless, Skill-Based, Narrative, Toolkit, CC-Licensed Rules, One-Shot Friendly
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 14 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 88 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 55 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** When an action calls for a Roll, it resolves on a d20 roll-under. The GM names the two Attributes that best fit the action and adds them for the Limit. If only one Attribute applies, its score is doubled instead. A relevant Background adds its score to the Limit, and situational Modifiers raise or lower it. The roll succeeds when the d20 lands at or under the Limit, and missing by three or less can still succeed at a cost.
- **Best For:** Groups running convention demos, one-shots, or a first session for players new to tabletop RPGs. It also suits GMs who want a genre-neutral base to adapt to any setting.
- **Highlights:** When a check is needed, one d20 roll-under resolves it by summing the two Attributes that best fit the action, so combat, social, and mental tasks share a single path. Backgrounds replace a fixed skill list with freeform descriptors the player defines, each adding its score to the rolls it applies to. The wound track escalates through named statuses from Beaten to Dying, each cutting the Body score used to resist the next injury.
- **Considerations:** Special abilities such as magic or superpowers are left entirely to the GM to design, as the core rules provide no framework for them. Advancement has no automatic progression, leaving the GM to decide when and what each character improves. The GM must pick which two Attributes and which Modifiers apply to every roll, placing resolution difficulty on GM judgment rather than fixed rules.
- **Publisher:** La Torre de Dimirag
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dabam

---

## Railgun XXVI
- **Edition:** Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Troopers combat-drop onto an occupied planet and shoot their way through its flesh-and-metal defenders
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Tactical, Player-Only Rolls, Deadly, Gritty, Mission-Based, Random Character Creation, Beginner-Friendly
- **Family:** Borg
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 28 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 and add one of four stats (STR, CRD, AGI, or MND) against a standard difficulty of 12. Every roll is player-facing: players roll to attack and also roll to dodge incoming attacks, so the GM never needs to roll dice. Rolling a natural 20 banks an adrenaline point, which buys an extra action on top of the two each character gets per turn.
- **Best For:** Groups who want short, lethal firefights on a grid and a GM who narrates enemies rather than rolling for them. Suits a few-session campaign or a drop-in mission night more than a long character-driven arc.
- **Highlights:** Every roll is player-facing, including dodges against incoming attacks, so the GM runs enemies without touching the dice. Dropping to 0 HP forces a critical injury roll that permanently reduces a stat, so downed characters degrade instead of bouncing back up. Several weapons chain into a free attack when they drop an enemy, making target order a tactical decision rather than a formality.
- **Considerations:** Social scenes have no dedicated stat or subsystem, so persuasion is settled by player argument rather than mechanics. Play assumes a gridded map with movement and line of sight measured in squares, leaving theater-of-the-mind groups to convert those rules themselves. Out-of-combat scenes lean on ad hoc GM rulings and a single falling-forward technique rather than a dedicated exploration or investigation subsystem.
- **Publisher:** Nathan Freeman
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** MÖRK BORG Third Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/railgun-xxvi

---

## Spore Friends
- **Edition:** Version 1.0.0
- **Tagline:** Tiny mushroom people on cozy cooperative adventures
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Cozy, Collaborative, GM-Less, Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Family-Friendly, Experimental
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 75 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Players drop 10 confetti spores onto a printed target; at least one spore inside or touching the circle succeeds. Being Good At or Really Good At the task adds four or eight spores, while a complication halves the pool. The group agrees on the pool before the drop and chooses a fictional setback after failure.
- **Best For:** Mixed-age groups seeking gentle collaborative adventures built around a tactile resolution ritual.
- **Highlights:** Spore Challenges turn resolution into a physical target drop, making uncertain actions a shared table event. Open-ended Good At traits reward players for explaining how an unusual strength applies to the current problem. Adventure prompt sheets convert scattered spores into scene ingredients, allowing play to continue without a prepared scenario.
- **Considerations:** Physical setup is required: confetti, a target, and enough room to drop spores from 50 centimeters. Core judgments depend on consensus, and the rules give no numerical fallback for unresolved disagreements. Setbacks can remove a Good At trait, but the rules provide no advancement procedure for gaining new abilities during a campaign.
- **Publisher:** Ultimate Hyper Games
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/spore-friends

---

## Loot and Scoot Incorporated
- **Edition:** Version 1.0.1
- **Tagline:** Corporate salvage crews race through surreal industrial deathtraps
- **Genre:** Scifi, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Beginner-Friendly, Comedy, Deadly, Dungeon Crawl, Inventory Management, Mission-Based, Resource Management, Tactical
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 45 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** When an action is uncertain, roll 1d6: a 5–6 fully succeeds, a 2–4 succeeds with a minor complication, and a 1 fails with a major complication. Advantage or disadvantage adds dice and keeps the highest or lowest result.
- **Best For:** Groups that want cooperative extraction missions built around real-time pressure, hazardous grid movement, and campaign bookkeeping.
- **Highlights:** Timed Mode uses a real countdown for salvage shifts, then converts the final escape into a 30-turn countdown. Encumbrance ties each recovered item's size and carrying method to movement, forcing the crew to balance profit against escape speed. Death triggers automated cloning that consumes organic material and CloneChips, keeping lethal hazards in play without ending the campaign.
- **Considerations:** The salvage phase is designed around mapped grid movement, and Timed Mode requires active timer management. Characters begin without mechanical build choices or an advancement track, so equipment and optional cloning mishaps carry most long-term differentiation. Campaign play centers on debt and hauling logistics, making economic bookkeeping part of every cycle.
- **Publisher:** Ultimate Hyper Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/loot-and-scoot-incorporated

---

## The Derelict Speaks
- **Edition:** Version 3
- **Tagline:** A rescue crew faces a predatory derelict that recruits its victims
- **Genre:** Scifi, Horror
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Character-Driven, Deadly, Low-Prep, Theater of the Mind, CC-Licensed Rules
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 15 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 92 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 62 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a Speaker opposes a Responder, the player rolls 2d6 and assigns one die to Survival and the other to Sanity. Each die is read separately: 5–6 avoids the consequence, 3–4 causes a lesser consequence and transfers one Blood to the GM, and 1–2 causes a severe consequence and transfers two Blood. Aiding adds a third die and keeps the best two, but every participant suffers the final results.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking a semi-competitive science-fiction horror one-shot where player elimination becomes active antagonist play.
- **Highlights:** Assigning one die to Survival and one to Sanity makes each opposed roll threaten body and mind independently. A defeated Responder becomes a Speaker who spends Blood on manifestations, keeping eliminated players active as antagonists. Four Acts raise the Speakers' manifestation limits and Blood supply, producing a complete escalation arc from briefing to escape.
- **Considerations:** The rules support one hostile-derelict scenario and contain no advancement or campaign procedure. Minor harm, serious harm, cracking under pressure, and meltdowns have no additional mechanical definitions, leaving their consequences to the table. The semi-competitive structure turns defeated characters into antagonists, changing play from cooperative survival to active opposition.
- **Publisher:** Precision Chaos Machine
- **Year:** 2021
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-derelict-speaks

---

## Bite the Hand
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook V1.0
- **Tagline:** Cyberpunk rebels fight ruthless cities with dangerous cybernetics, mounting stress, and lethal consequences
- **Genre:** Cyberpunk, Scifi, Horror
- **Tags:** Character Building, Deadly, Fast-Paced, Gritty, Hackable, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Resource Management, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d100
- **Complexity:** 42 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 60 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d100 under a relevant stat or save. Equal or higher makes a check fail or succeed with a consequence, while an equal-or-higher save fails and incurs harm. Doubles trigger critical results based on success or failure. Advantage or Disadvantage rolls twice and keeps the better or worse result; uncomplicated actions usually work without a roll.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking lethal cyberpunk missions about vulnerable rebels, with room for hacking, social maneuvering, and direct action.
- **Highlights:** Tiered cybernetics raise Minimum Stress as they expand a character's capabilities, linking augmentation directly to emotional resilience. Completing a mission against a corporation, harming law enforcement, corporate assets, or government officials, and every $2,000 of debt each raise Heat; after a day of noticeable crime, a secret d20 roll at or under the highest-Heat character's score produces a Heat consequence. Uncomplicated attacks hit automatically, reserving checks for dangerous complications and keeping firefights moving.
- **Considerations:** Random stats and unequal starting loadouts deliberately create uneven characters. Wounds and failed Death saves can remove characters abruptly. Several procedures rely on Warden judgment: hacking, social checks, cover, and carrying capacity.
- **Publisher:** Spellbook Gaming LLC
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Not yet researched
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/bite-the-hand

---

## Canes Belli
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Renegade elite soldiers battle alien swarms and a fanatical regime at the edge of the universe
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** CC-Licensed Rules, Cinematic, Combat-Heavy, Fast-Paced, Mission-Based, Resource Management, Rules-Light, Strong GM Support, Tactical, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 95 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d6 pool equal to one attribute plus one skill. Each 5 or 6 is a success, and the GM sets difficulty by the successes required. In combat, matching Armor Value scores a hit, and each excess success adds to the weapon's base damage.
- **Best For:** Groups who want focused military-science-fiction missions where cinematic one-liners and mission generators extend play beyond the included starter scenario.
- **Highlights:** Archetype abilities spend the same Energy that absorbs damage, so every use reduces the reserve against later attacks. One-liners grant once-per-session effects such as full-party healing or extra actions, reinforcing the game's action-movie tone. Mission and sidequest generators pair goals with complications to frame assignments beyond the included starter scenario.
- **Considerations:** All four archetypes are fixed military roles with preset abilities and equipment, so character concepts stay within the elite-soldier premise. Each combat round permits either an action or movement, so crossing from Long range to Close range takes two rounds. Advancement grants one attribute point and three skill points at GM-chosen intervals, keeping progression to numerical increases.
- **Publisher:** Sebastian Hahn
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** CC BY-SA 4.0
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — CC BY-SA 4.0; Allowed with conditions; Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International; scope: Material covered by the rulebook's CC BY-SA 4.0 notice may be shared and adapted commercially with attribution and ShareAlike; trademarks and third-party rights are not licensed.; terms: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode.en; verified 2026-09-02; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, German
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/canes-belli

---

## Super Space Knights
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Companies of space knights fight extinction across a galaxy of desperate wars and spreading corruption
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** CC-Licensed Rules, Combat-Heavy, Corruption, Fiction-First, Grimdark, Mission-Based, Playbook-Driven, Resource Management, Strong GM Support, Tag-Based
- **Family:** PbtA
- **Dice:** 2d6
- **Complexity:** 58 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** When a move's fictional trigger occurs, a player rolls 2d6 plus War, Faith, or Logistics. A 10 or higher succeeds, a 7 to 9 succeeds with a complication or price, and a 6 or lower fails with trouble to follow.
- **Best For:** Groups who want military science-fiction campaigns at company scale, with shared worldbuilding and a corruption spiral that can turn victories into the Order's downfall.
- **Highlights:** Players define the Order and its galactic context together, making the military empire and its enemies specific to their campaign. Damnation can produce powerful Darkness Taints or corrupt the Order itself, turning ruthless victories into a path toward collapse. Linked rules for companies, individual knights, and spaceships let missions shift scale while retaining the same fictional framework.
- **Considerations:** Players usually control companies of dozens or hundreds of warriors, so individual characters receive less attention than the military unit. The premise centers an authoritarian human empire locked in perpetual war, and play repeatedly pressures companies toward violence and compromise. Conflicts between opponents at different scales resolve quickly in favor of the larger force, removing an underdog roll from those confrontations.
- **Publisher:** Gabriel Ciprés
- **Year:** 2023
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — CC BY 4.0; Allowed with conditions; Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International; scope: The rulebook may be shared and adapted, including commercially, with attribution and the other CC BY 4.0 conditions; trademark and third-party rights are outside the license.; terms: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode; verified 2026-09-09; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/super-space-knights

---

## TALES From the Loom
- **Edition:** Group Play Core Rules
- **Tagline:** Collaborative fantasy adventures built from player-created magic, discoveries, and tales
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Character Building, Collaborative, Crunchy, Deadly, Exploration, Freeform Magic, Journaling, Narrative, Tactical, Worldbuilding
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 64 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 84 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Players roll a pool of d6s and count dice that meet or exceed a success threshold, usually 4+. They compare the successes with a GM-set difficulty rating. Three or more matching results create a WARP on a hit or a WEFT on a miss. The player then describes an extra benefit or a costly success, subject to GM approval.
- **Best For:** Groups that want deep character customization, collaborative worldbuilding, and a GM comfortable adjudicating player-created magic.
- **Highlights:** The Weaving system prices player-created spells by tier and effect, giving each caster a distinct magical toolkit. WARPS and WEFTS turn matching dice into player-described benefits or complications, distributing narrative authority when matching results trigger. Reflections reward between-session character journaling with a bonus die on a later non-combat skill roll.
- **Considerations:** Freeform spell creation requires players and the GM to negotiate effects, costs, and scope. Combat uses abstract range and speed bands, so it does not provide grid-based positioning. Characters die at 0 Wounds by default, although an optional rule permits survival with a permanent reduction.
- **Publisher:** Jarren Magnell
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-10; note: No license, OGL, fan-content, or community-use policy was found in the rulebook credits, the DriveThruRPG listing, or the creator's itch.io pages; the bounded review found neither an authorized route nor an explicit prohibition.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/tales-from-the-loom

---

## Rock & Stone
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Dwarven mercenaries awaken from a thousand-year curse to reclaim monster-filled ancestral halls
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Classic Fantasy, Comedy, Dungeon Crawl, Fast-Paced, Heroic, High-Power, Random Tables, Rules-Light, Strong GM Support, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 22 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 82 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** For a test, roll a d20 and add the relevant skill; a total above the GM-set difficulty succeeds, while an exact match succeeds with a complication. Natural 20s and 1s produce especially heroic successes and fatal failures.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a fast, rules-light dungeon crawl about unusually capable dwarven mercenaries, with a compact setting and a ready-to-run starting adventure.
- **Highlights:** Gold committed to the dwarven hoard pays for levels, tying treasure recovery directly to advancement. Archetypes grant selectable active and passive abilities, giving each dwarf a distinct role within the shared skill system. Carousing turns a between-adventure roll into complications and opportunities that can seed later expeditions.
- **Considerations:** Characters are built around the last-dwarves premise, although the rules permit other heroes. Advancement grants its largest skill and ability gains through level four, after which levels add only hit points and one skill point. Spells are fixed archetype abilities with limited daily uses, so groups seeking open-ended magic will not find it here.
- **Publisher:** Sebastian Hahn
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** AELF Open License Version 1.0a
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — AELF Open License Version 1.0a; Allowed with conditions; AELF Open License Version 1.0a; scope: The rulebook designates the entire work except artwork and illustrations as AELF Open Gaming Content, with no Product Identity; use requires the license, notices, and required attributions.; terms: https://kritischerfehlschlag.de/rock-stone/; verified 2026-09-11; note: The operative terms and game-specific scope are embedded in the official rulebook linked from this creator-controlled page; no separate Rock & Stone publishing-policy page was found.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/rock-stone

---

## Playing God
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Play a god shaping worlds, mortals, and mythology across the ages
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Collaborative, Diceless, GM-Less, High-Power, One-Shot Friendly, Roleplay-Heavy, Sandbox, Solo-Friendly, Superpowers, Worldbuilding
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 42 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 28 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Playing God uses no dice for its core resolution: players choose from the minor and major wonders allowed by their divine rank, and each wonder takes effect without a success roll. Devotion plus History determines divine rank, which expands the number and scale of wonders available each age. The optional Deck of Fate adds uncontrollable mortal events, while avatar battles use a separate card-hand procedure or another system chosen by the table.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to create a shared mythology across ages, either as a standalone campaign or as a foundation for another RPG setting. It also suits solo players and GM-less tables that enjoy negotiating divine alliances and rivalries.
- **Highlights:** Each of the 23 domains grants a distinct wonder and modifier, making a god's portfolio mechanically consequential. Wonders permanently alter the shared multiverse, producing a usable mythic setting as play advances. Lower-ranked deities can pool their allotments to perform major wonders they could not enact alone.
- **Considerations:** Play centers on choosing and narrating godly wonders, with little direct support for character-scale action. Avatar battles use a brief card-hand procedure or another game chosen by the table, so the core book does not model positional combat. The optional Deck of Fate can impose Devotion losses or dictate a deity's next wonder, trading player control for unpredictable mortal events.
- **Publisher:** Gnome Made Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** ORC License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — ORC License; Allowed with conditions; ORC License; scope: The book's non-Product Identity content, subject to ORC notice, attribution, and reciprocal licensing; its artwork and trade dress are excluded.; terms: https://paizo.com/orclicense; verified 2026-09-12; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/playing-god

---

## Mischief
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Classless miscreants stir up magical mayhem on a far-future Earth remade by magic
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Classless, Gonzo, Comedy, Fast-Paced, Fiction-First, Low-Prep, Improvisation, Character-Driven, Hackable
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d12
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 84 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d12 and add BODY, MIND, or WILL, then read the total on a five-tier scale: 12+ is a Critical Success, 9–11 a Success, 5–8 a Mixed Success, 2–4 a Failure, and 1 or less a Critical Failure. Natural 12s and 1s are always critical. Each instance of Good or Bad Luck adds a d12 and keeps the highest or lowest result.
- **Best For:** Groups who want quick, swingy fantasy sessions with comedic magic, freeform character concepts, and advancement tied to each character's personal goals.
- **Highlights:** Opponents use a single Power score as roll modifier, damage track, and persuasion threshold, so one number runs a creature in both combat and conversation. Characters level up by checking off items on a player-written Bucket List, tying advancement to personal goals rather than experience points. Abilities and spells share one list and are normally Exhausted by a failed roll, so magic needs no spell slots or mana.
- **Considerations:** A failed roll exhausts the Ability used until a Rest or Healing restores it, so a character starting with three Abilities can lose most of their tricks within one Conflict. Base attack damage is usually 1, or 2 on a critical, so weapons mostly differ in accuracy, critical range, and Luck conditions. Wounds add a -1 penalty and then Bad Luck on every roll, so injured characters get steadily worse at escaping danger.
- **Publisher:** Drimbus
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Made for Mischief Third-Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Made for Mischief Third-Party License; Allowed with conditions; Made for Mischief Third-Party License; scope: Hacks, supplements, adventures, bestiaries, and new games based on Mischief's rules and mechanics may be sold or given away. Official art and graphic design, the primary Mischief logo, and presenting a product as an official release are excluded. The Made for Mischief logo and the required legal text are mandatory, and products promoting hate speech or bigotry immediately lose the license.; terms: https://mischiefrpg.com/license; verified 2026-10-07; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/mischief

---

## City of Jerry
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Immune agents solve microscopic noir mysteries inside the body of Jerry
- **Genre:** Modern
- **Tags:** Comedy, Fiction-First, Gonzo, Improvisation, Low-Prep, Mystery, Noir, Playbook-Driven, Random Tables, Rules-Light
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d12
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 42 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 70 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** When an outcome is uncertain, roll a d12 plus Heal or Harm and read the result on a five-tier scale: 12+ is a Critical Success, 9–11 a Success, 5–8 a Mixed Success, 2–4 a Failure, and 1 or less a Critical Failure. Natural 12s and 1s are always critical. Good or Bad Luck adds d12s and keeps the highest or lowest result.
- **Best For:** Groups who want low-prep noir mysteries with body-pun humor, player-created connections, and fast conflicts inside a human body.
- **Highlights:** Challenges, combats, and conversations share a Conflict framework, so one procedure supports objectives, fights, and persuasion. Matching results on multiple Luck dice trigger the Twist table, turning stacked advantages or disadvantages into an unexpected complication or benefit. Five biological Roles provide curated Abilities and Traumas, giving each Agent a distinct way to help or harm Jerry.
- **Considerations:** Agents choose from five biological Roles, so concepts outside the Immunization Task Force require reskinning. Each Wound adds a penalty, and a third Wound triggers a Death Roll, making dangerous conflicts costly. Investigations use general Challenge Counters rather than a clue or deduction subsystem, leaving evidence details to the Jerry Master.
- **Publisher:** Drimbus
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Made for Mischief Third-Party License
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Made for Mischief Third-Party License; Allowed with conditions; Made for Mischief Third-Party License; scope: Hacks, supplements, adventures, bestiaries, and new games based on Mischief's rules and mechanics may be sold or given away; official art is excluded, and attribution plus the Made for Mischief logo are required.; terms: https://mischiefrpg.com/license; verified 2026-09-14; note: City of Jerry identifies itself as a Mischief-engine game and directs readers to mischiefrpg.com for licensing; the terms do not separately authorize reuse of City of Jerry setting names, Roles, or pathogen material.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/city-of-jerry

---

## Asilo
- **Edition:** v5 English Version
- **Tagline:** Single-session clinical horror where asylum patients lose themselves to the Behaviors their trauma unlocks
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Deadly, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Improvisation, One-Shot Friendly, Random Tables, Roleplay-Heavy, Rules-Light, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 22 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** When an action warrants it, a Patient rolls a d6 and succeeds by equaling or exceeding the difficulty the Caretaker sets. Traumatic events add a d6 result to the Sanity Clock, and completed stress sectors reveal new Behaviors.
- **Best For:** Groups prepared to establish firm safety boundaries before a one-shot clinical-horror descent driven by character-specific stress. It suits Caretakers who want prewritten scenarios and prompts for tailoring Asilo to a table's chosen limits.
- **Highlights:** Stress Rolls fill each Sanity Clock until new Behaviors alter how that Patient is played. Goals and discovered Secrets can remove or add Stress Dots, making personal history affect whether a Patient deteriorates. Destroying a signed Liability Waiver sacrifices one Patient to clear another's Behavior, turning a physical table ritual into a final rescue.
- **Considerations:** The game centers clinical abuse, trauma, and other extreme material, requiring explicit group boundaries and active comfort tools. Each Patient's stress mitigations become Manias after three uses, making the downward pressure difficult to reverse. Asilo is designed for individual sessions, so it does not provide campaign advancement for recurring Patients.
- **Publisher:** Newborn Games
- **Year:** 2025
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-17; note: A bounded review found no official third-party publishing program, open license, or fan-content policy for Asilo. The rulebook credits no reuse license, and the Newborn Games Terms of Use permit content use for personal non-commercial purposes only while requiring explicit approval for any reproduction, modification, or commercial use.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/asilo

---

## ESSER
- **Edition:** Version 2.0
- **Tagline:** Genre-agnostic adventures you can explain in five minutes and finish in two hours
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Rules-Light, Theater of the Mind, One-Shot Friendly, Short Sessions, Fast-Paced, Low-Prep, Freeform Magic, Cinematic, Classless, Roll to Cast
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 18 (Very Low)
- **Accessibility:** 90 (Very High)
- **Runnability:** 60 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + skill bonus + attribute bonus. A result of 1–9 fails with a complication, 10–14 succeeds at a cost, 15–19 fully succeeds, and 20+ succeeds with an epic effect.
- **Best For:** Groups seeking a two-hour, genre-flexible one-shot where the same d20 engine handles action and conversation.
- **Highlights:** The same d20 roll handles standard checks and direct contests, making transitions between scene types quick. Interface scales open-ended supernatural or technical effects by skill tier, letting one procedure cover magic and hacking. NPCs need a core bonus, Strikes, and an optional trait, so a GM can prepare threats with few statistics.
- **Considerations:** No default setting is provided, so groups must supply a world for their adventure. Gear grants fictional permission rather than numeric bonuses, limiting equipment-based builds. Strikes reset after each adventure, so the track does not preserve mechanical attrition between adventures.
- **Publisher:** Espen Erlandsen
- **Year:** 2026
- **Cost:** Free
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-09-25; note: A bounded review of the complete official web rules found no stated third-party publishing route or explicit prohibition.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/esser

---

## CAIN
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook v1.1
- **Tagline:** Psychic exorcists of a clandestine agency hunt monsters born from human trauma
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Anime, Character-Driven, Corruption, Deadly, Fiction-First, Investigation, Mission-Based, Strong GM Support, Superpowers, Theater of the Mind
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 55 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d6s from a skill rated 0–3 plus up to +3D of ordinary advantages; each 4+ is a success, and one success achieves the goal. The Admin judges difficulty and risk separately, so a roll can be both hard and risky. A hard roll scores successes only on 6s. A risky roll adds the Admin's risk die, which sets how much better or worse the outcome goes. A straight roll omits that die. Complex tasks use talismans, segmented trackers that take one slash per success.
- **Best For:** Groups who want short monster-of-the-week campaigns where uncovering a sin's traumas makes the final confrontation easier. It suits tables ready to handle abuse, self-harm, and trauma themes with characters treated as expendable weapons.
- **Highlights:** Each trauma question answered during investigation can be invoked once in the final fight to reduce stress and slash the sin's execution talisman. Exorcists can pay for powers with 1d3 sin instead of scarce psyche bursts, a shortcut that builds toward overflow, mutation, or becoming an enemy Imago. Every rest raises pressure, and each pressure tick lengthens the sin's execution talisman, making recovery a direct trade against the final fight.
- **Considerations:** Investigations engage with abuse, self-harm, trauma, and mental health crises, so the book directs the Admin to discuss intentions and boundaries with players beforehand. Harm taken with three injuries, or 7 or more stress from one event after reductions, causes instant death unless the exorcist defies fate and suffers sin overflow instead. The author expects campaigns of about ten sessions or fewer, and Category advancement reaches its normal cap after seven missions survived.
- **Publisher:** CHASM
- **Year:** 2024
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Creator-published permission for original supplementary content; Allowed with conditions; Creator permission (no named license); scope: Original modules, blasphemies, sins, and supplementary material, paid or unpaid; excludes reproducing text or art from the main book; terms: https://itch.io/post/11274047; verified 2026-10-03; note: The creator permits paid and unpaid supplementary material in a public storefront reply. This is not an open license to reproduce or adapt the core book text or art.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/cain

---

## Aces & Eights: Shattered Frontier
- **Edition:** 1st Edition, Second Printing
- **Tagline:** Alternate-history Wild West where careers, reputations, and split-second gunfights shape a frontier life
- **Genre:** Historical
- **Tags:** Simulation, Crunchy, Deadly, Gritty, Sandbox, Classless, Career-Based, Tactical, Lore-Heavy, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d20, d100
- **Complexity:** 78 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 50 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Gunfights run on a Count Up measured in tenths of a second instead of turns or rounds. Each character rolls d10 and adds Speed for a Starting Initiative, where lower is better, then adds each action's Count cost to find when it happens. To shoot, place the Shot Clock overlay on the aimed point of a Target Silhouette and roll d20 plus Accuracy modifiers. A 25 or higher hits the exact spot and 14 or less misses. Totals in between draw a poker card whose suit sets the direction the shot drifts from the aim point. Skill checks roll d100 and succeed at or above a mastery number that falls as the skill improves, while ability checks roll d20 at or under the score.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a long-running, town-centered Western campaign where characters build careers and reputations, and where gunfights are rare, precise, and often fatal.
- **Highlights:** Shots target specific locations rather than an abstract opponent, so a near miss can still strike nearby and hit location feeds a detailed wound and healing system. Profession Paths award Building Points for career objectives such as opening a business or winning an election, so a banker or rancher advances as surely as a gunfighter. Cattle drives and jury trials run as complete mini-games with their own daily checks or juror track, so frontier work generates play outside combat.
- **Considerations:** Running the full game takes the Player's Guidebook plus its separate GM Addendum PDF, along with a poker deck, the Shot Clock overlay, and Target Silhouettes for gunfights. Characters die at 0 hit points with no recovery from death, and slow healing, infection, and incurable disease can sideline a character for weeks of game time. The alternate-history setting presents slavery and period racial attitudes as setting facts with mechanical effects, such as a higher literacy cost for freed-slave characters.
- **Publisher:** Kenzer & Company
- **Year:** 2007
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-03; note: The rulebook permits reproduction for personal use only and states All Rights Reserved; no official third-party publishing route was found on Kenzer & Company or DriveThruRPG pages.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/aces-eights-shattered-frontier

---

## TimeWatch
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Time-traveling agents investigate sabotage and repair history
- **Genre:** Scifi, Historical
- **Tags:** Investigation, Mystery, Mission-Based, Cinematic, Narrative, Resource Management, Tactical, Gonzo, Hackable, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 55 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** A relevant Investigative ability reveals necessary clues without a roll or point spend. For General ability tests, roll a d6 and add points spent from that ability's pool before rolling to meet or exceed the difficulty.
- **Best For:** Groups who want investigative missions across historical eras with action-movie combat and opportunities to solve problems through time travel.
- **Highlights:** Investigative abilities guarantee necessary clues, keeping mysteries focused on interpreting evidence rather than failed searches. Paradox Prevention spends let agents arrange helpful circumstances through time travel, including assistance from their future selves. Campaign frames change the premise and rules for alternatives such as body-hopping missions or time-traveling heists.
- **Considerations:** Spending General ability points commits limited resources before the die result is known. Paradox can reduce Chronal Stability far enough to rewrite an agent's identity or erase them from existence. The GM can refuse time-travel tactics that contradict established events or make the game less workable.
- **Publisher:** Pelgrane Press
- **Year:** 2016
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — Community content program; Allowed with conditions; GUMSHOE Community Content Agreement; scope: TimeWatch adventures, characters, locations, gear and rules additions using material from the program's listed books, published through GUMSHOE Community on DriveThruRPG.; terms: https://help.drivethrurpg.com/hc/en-us/articles/12723257925399-Pelgrane-Press-GUMSHOE-Community-Content-Guidelines; verified 2026-10-06; note: Required program logo and credits apply; copying official book text outright is not permitted. The program excludes software, standalone fiction and crowdfunding.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/timewatch

---

## Ashen Stars
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Freelance law enforcers solving mysteries on a war-scarred space frontier
- **Genre:** Scifi
- **Tags:** Investigation, Mystery, Mission-Based, Ship-Based, Space Opera, Resource Management, Character-Driven, Strong GM Support, Skill-Based, Crunchy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6
- **Complexity:** 65 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Ordinary tests roll a d6 plus ability-pool points spent before rolling, succeeding by meeting or beating the difficulty. Investigative abilities work differently: a core clue is simply given when the right ability is used, no roll needed, with point spends buying extra benefits.
- **Best For:** Groups who want episodic space mysteries with a shared ship and recurring personal subplots. Cases put the crew's pursuit of justice in tension with its need to earn a living.
- **Highlights:** Automatic core clues keep missed information rolls from blocking a case. Reputation changes the wait between contracts, connecting ethical choices to the crew's upkeep bill. Ship combat assigns different attack modes to crew stations, spreading decisive actions across specialists.
- **Considerations:** Investigative pools normally refresh only when a case ends, making extra benefits a case-long budget. The rules assume a working Laser crew; fugitive campaigns require changes to that framework. Ship battles use abstract goal-point races rather than positional movement on a tactical map.
- **Publisher:** Pelgrane Press
- **Year:** 2011
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — GUMSHOE Community on DriveThruRPG; Allowed with conditions; Community Content Agreement for the GUMSHOE Community program; scope: Original Ashen Stars supplements may use rules and setting material from the program's listed books. Publish through GUMSHOE Community on DriveThruRPG only; reference official text rather than copying it outright. Pelgrane art is limited to the program's released assets; commissioned or otherwise licensed art is allowed. Comics, standalone fiction, software, conversions of other copyrighted works, and crowdfunded content are excluded.; terms: https://help.drivethrurpg.com/hc/en-us/articles/12723257925399-Pelgrane-Press-GUMSHOE-Community-Content-Guidelines; verified 2026-10-03; note: Required program branding, credits, and a linked core-book requirement apply; creators receive 50% of sales. The separate Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported GUMSHOE SRD license does not open the Ashen Stars core book or setting. Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ashen-stars

---

## Ultraviolet Grasslands and the Black City
- **Edition:** 1st Edition
- **Tagline:** Caravan journeys across a far-future psychedelic steppe
- **Genre:** Fantasy, Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic
- **Tags:** Journey, Exploration, Sandbox, Resource Management, Inventory Management, Random Tables, Improvisation, Strong GM Support, Gonzo, Weird
- **Family:** OSR
- **Dice:** d20
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 70 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll d20 + the relevant stat + a trained skill bonus to exceed a target number. A natural 1 fails and a natural 20 succeeds. Advantage adds a die and keeps the better result; disadvantage keeps the worse result, and the two cancel. Some tests instead read the total on an outcome table.
- **Best For:** Groups who want a long science-fantasy caravan campaign centered on exploration, trade, and survival across an open-ended world.
- **Highlights:** Weekly travel procedures connect supplies and setbacks to the time available for exploration. Discoveries award experience for reaching and investigating unfamiliar places. Market research and trade-route investments let a caravan turn geographical knowledge into income.
- **Considerations:** The included SEACAT rules are an excerpt rather than the complete engine, and most spells are omitted. A week of rest normally restores only one damaged attribute or condition. The setting includes slavery, drug addiction, and body horror.
- **Publisher:** Exalted Funeral Press
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $$
- **License:** Proprietary
- **Third-Party Publishing:** Commercial publishing allowed — When Time Fades compatibility license; Allowed with conditions; When Time Fades Third Party License; scope: Original free or commercial WTF-compatible RPG books and supplements; names of entities from Luka Rejec's game worlds may be used with source acknowledgment. Art and text reuse or translation requires explicit permission, except attributed quotations. Publisher and game logos require permission.; terms: https://wizardthieffighter.itch.io/vlg-vastlands-guidebook; verified 2026-10-04; note: Official terms are in the downloadable Vastlands Guidebook, page 166. This route covers WTF-compatible works and acknowledged UVG entity names; it does not establish a reuse license for the original SEACAT rules. Required independent-production and copyright notices apply. Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, Portuguese
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/ultraviolet-grasslands-and-the-black-city

---

## Don't Rest Your Head
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Insomniacs hunted by Nightmares in a hidden city where sleep is the enemy
- **Genre:** Horror, Modern
- **Tags:** Urban Fantasy, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Superpowers, Corruption, Resource Management, Weird, Narrative, Character-Driven, Rules-Light, Atmospheric
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 30 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 65 (High)
- **Runnability:** 89 (Very High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Players roll their current discipline and exhaustion dice, any permanent madness dice, and up to six optional temporary madness dice against the GM's pain dice. They may voluntarily add one exhaustion die before rolling. Each d6 showing 1–3 is a success, and the protagonist wins ties in total successes. Separately, the pool with the highest die dominates regardless of success; tied pools compare their remaining dice from highest to lowest, with exact ties favoring discipline, then madness, exhaustion, and pain. Discipline dominance can reduce exhaustion or clear a response, exhaustion dominance raises exhaustion, madness dominance triggers a fight or flight response, and pain dominance adds a despair coin to the GM's coffer.
- **Best For:** Groups who want short, personal urban-horror campaigns driven by each protagonist's insomnia, secrets, and goals, with powers that risk exhaustion and psychological breakdown.
- **Highlights:** Dominance is decided separately from success, so a protagonist can win a conflict while exhaustion, madness, or pain still exacts a cost. Despair spent to alter dominance becomes shared hope after the conflict, funding recovery or extra successes. The five-question questionnaire structures personal scenes and gives players authority over their opening scene and the resolution of their path.
- **Considerations:** Helping offers limited benefit: assistants contribute only discipline successes, cannot use talents, and remain vulnerable to dominance effects. Injury and equipment have no separate statistics and are handled through conflict outcomes. There is no XP-point or skill-growth system; advancement uses scars for rerolls or consumable transformations, including temporary or permanent talent changes.
- **Publisher:** Evil Hat Productions
- **Year:** 2006
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-05; note: The core rulebook states All Rights Reserved. A bounded review of the rulebook credits, Evil Hat's official product page, and publisher-targeted searches found no third-party publishing route or explicit prohibition for Don't Rest Your Head.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/dont-rest-your-head

---

## LIFTS
- **Edition:** Ultimate Pump Edition Vol. 1 (First Printing) and Powered by Your ABpocalypse Vol. 2 (Second Printing)
- **Tagline:** Workout-powered genre parodies where push-ups, planks, and sprints replace dice
- **Genre:** Universal
- **Tags:** Experimental, Diceless, Comedy, Gonzo, Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Narrative, GM-Less, Collaborative, Mission-Based
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** Diceless
- **Complexity:** 25 (Low)
- **Accessibility:** 57 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Resolution is diceless and varies by the included game. In Roboflex, a disagreement with the Muscle Master becomes an exercise challenge. Minor conflicts set an easy, moderate, or hard target (5, 10, or 20 sit-ups in a social conflict), multiplied by the player's self-chosen fitness level of one to three. Major conflicts pit the player directly against the Muscle Master, such as a sprint to the end of the block and back. A relevant skill or profession grants a small edge, such as crunches instead of sit-ups or a head start. The winner is right about the disputed outcome. Several Volume 2 games instead attach an exercise to each move, with a 0 Flex failure and a list of selectable Flex effects. The Moon game grades success against both the Muscle Master and the player's previous rep count. Vegetables: The Recommended has each move spend a day from the player's logged meal planner, and that day's Flex rating sets the result.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to turn game night into a workout, playing short comedic parodies of familiar RPG genres where push-ups, planks, and runs decide outcomes instead of dice.
- **Highlights:** Roboflex lets each player pick a fitness level from one to three that multiplies minor-conflict targets, so mixed-fitness groups face individually scaled exercise counts. Several games tie in-game power to real habits between sessions, such as vampire Vitae earned from gym visits and healthy meals. Eliminated Muscle of the Week players can still change a survivor's conflict outcome by holding a wall sit, though they cannot defeat the monster this way.
- **Considerations:** Most games require real exertion and open space: ShadowRunning missions are group runs of 30 to 90 minutes, and The Forest Gymn & Picnic recommends a two to four mile hike. For players who cannot perform an exercise, the exercise-based games say only to find an alternative and give no structured adaptation list. Some games draw on players' real lives: the Moon game invites each player to share a personal problem for group advice, and Vegetables expects a week of logged meals, with a preset Flex fallback for players who cannot log.
- **Publisher:** Korvidae Games
- **Year:** 2019
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-05; note: Both volumes state All rights reserved. A bounded review of the rulebook credits, korvidae.com, and the official DriveThruRPG and itch.io listings found no third-party publishing route or explicit prohibition for LIFTS.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/lifts

---

## The Riddle of Steel
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Lethal historical swordplay and costly sorcery in Weyrth, where personal convictions earn extra dice
- **Genre:** Fantasy
- **Tags:** Tactical, Combat-Heavy, Deadly, Gritty, Simulation, Crunchy, Character-Driven, Freeform Magic, Classless, Lore-Heavy
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d10 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 72 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Runnability:** 72 (High)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a pool of d10s against a Target Number. Each die that meets or beats it is a success. Skill Tests roll an attribute's dice against the Skill Rating, where lower is better. Melee draws dice from a Combat Pool (Reflex plus Proficiency) that must cover attack and defense across a round's two exchanges. Spiritual Attributes add dice when a roll serves their stated focus.
- **Best For:** Groups who want deadly, historically grounded melee decided by how fighters split their dice. It suits campaigns the Seneschal builds around each character's passions, drives, and destinies.
- **Highlights:** Secret red-or-white die declarations and Combat Pool splits make each exchange a contest of reading the opponent. Points earned by acting on Spiritual Attributes add dice in play and also pay for advancement, rewarding characters who pursue their convictions. Sorcerers build spells on the fly from nine Vagaries, and each casting risks months of aging.
- **Considerations:** There are no hit points, and one solid hit can kill a character outright. Sorcery is deliberately unbalanced against fighters, leaving the Seneschal to rein in sorcerer characters. Mass combat gets only an abstract contested Strategy roll, with no dedicated procedures for naval battles or sieges.
- **Publisher:** Driftwood Publishing
- **Year:** 2002
- **Cost:** Unavailable
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-06; note: The reviewed core credits Driftwood Publishing and Jacob Norwood and reserves all rights, permitting copies of the character sheets and appendix tables. In a 2024 interview, Norwood said he sold Driftwood in 2004 and that the rights were sold again in 2013 to Tavish Campbell of Red Lion Publishing. The book's printed .com domain no longer hosts an official site, and no current official site was located. A bounded review found no current official publishing route or explicit third-party publication prohibition.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-riddle-of-steel

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## Smallville Roleplaying Game
- **Edition:** Corebook
- **Tagline:** Superhero drama in Smallville, driven by convictions and complicated relationships
- **Genre:** Superhero, Modern
- **Tags:** Licensed IP, Superpowers, Character-Driven, Drama, Narrative, Collaborative, Worldbuilding, Roleplay-Heavy, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Cortex
- **Dice:** d4–d12 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 50 (Medium)
- **Accessibility:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Runnability:** 56 (Medium)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a d4–d12 pool built from one Value and one Relationship, with an Asset die if applicable. Add the two highest dice. Dice showing 1 are Complications and never count. Plot Points can add dice to the pool before the roll or include more rolled dice in the total afterward. Tests normally pit your roll against the GM's Trouble pool. Ties go to the GM. Contests exchange action and reaction rolls until someone Gives In or fails to beat the previous total and takes Stress. Giving In concedes the opponent's demand but avoids Stress.
- **Best For:** Groups who want superhero stories driven by relationship drama, where the player characters' convictions and loyalties clash with each other as often as they face villains.
- **Highlights:** Challenging a Drive triples its die for one roll but steps it back for the episode, turning a crisis of conviction into Growth. Group character creation builds a shared map of people and places that supplies material for later episodes. When an opponent fails to beat your action result, they take Stress rather than concede your demand, making Giving In a separate choice.
- **Considerations:** Creating an original cast through Pathways takes a few hours of group work before the first episode. Episode preparation centers on conflicts between player characters rather than a unified party's shared objective. Winning a Contest cannot kill a character by itself, because killing in a Contest requires that character's player to Give In and accept death.
- **Publisher:** Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd.
- **Year:** 2010
- **Cost:** Unavailable
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-06; note: The corebook identifies Smallville names, characters, and elements as DC Comics trademarks with all rights reserved and permits copying the Lead sheet for personal use. A bounded review of the corebook and current official publisher site found no verified Smallville third-party publishing route or explicit publishing prohibition.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/smallville-roleplaying-game

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## The Whispering Vault
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook (Ronin Arts PDF)
- **Tagline:** Immortal hunters pursue renegade spirits across history and mend wounds in reality
- **Genre:** Horror
- **Tags:** Mission-Based, Mystery, Investigation, Superpowers, High-Power, Character-Driven, Atmospheric, Weird, One-Shot Friendly, Strong GM Support
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** d6 dice pool
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 58 (Medium)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Roll a number of d6s equal to the relevant Attribute. Take the highest single die or the largest sum of matching dice, then add the applicable Skill Bonus. Meet or exceed the GM's Difficulty to succeed. Spend one Karma to reroll any chosen dice while keeping the others.
- **Best For:** Groups who want supernatural horror investigations with powerful, inhuman protagonists. It suits episodic hunts across different eras or campaigns protecting one recurring location.
- **Highlights:** Each Hunt gives the group a concrete objective of investigating and repairing a breach in reality. Mastered powers allow improvised effects paid for with Karma. Consistent portrayal of the Keys that preserve a Stalker's human identity earns one part of the Experience award.
- **Considerations:** The Forbiddance punishes interference with unrelated mortals or major historical events. Supernatural abilities can consume the same Vitality used to withstand injury. Power interpretations and unusual combat situations depend on GM judgment rather than detailed rules for every case.
- **Publisher:** Philip Reed Games
- **Year:** 2003
- **Cost:** $
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-06; note: No official third-party publishing route was found in the rulebook credits or current publisher listings.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/the-whispering-vault

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## Batman Role-Playing Game
- **Edition:** Core Rulebook
- **Tagline:** Play the Batman and his allies against the Joker and Gotham City's rogues gallery
- **Genre:** Superhero, Modern
- **Tags:** Licensed IP, Heroic, Investigation, Crunchy, Tactical, Character Building, Martial Arts, High-Power, Strong GM Support, Beginner-Friendly
- **Family:** Standalone
- **Dice:** 2d10
- **Complexity:** 62 (High)
- **Accessibility:** 10 (Very Low)
- **Runnability:** 39 (Low)
- **Core Mechanic:** Abilities and quantities such as weight, distance, and time are rated in Attribute Points (APs), a scale on which each AP doubles the last. A Dice Action rolls 2d10 against a Success Number found by crossing the Acting Value with the Opposing Value on the Action Table. Doubles add and may roll again, while double 1s always fail. When a roll of 11 or more beats the Success Number, it earns a Column Shift for each entry counted rightward past the Success Number that is at least 11 and no higher than the roll. The Effect Value is then crossed with the Resistance Value on the Result Table, moved left by the Column Shifts, to give Result APs (RAPs) of damage or effect. Before the roll, both sides may bid Hero Points, each adding 1 AP to one value without more than doubling it.
- **Best For:** Groups who want to play the Batman, his allies, or original Gotham heroes in detective and street-crime adventures against his rogues gallery.
- **Highlights:** Hero Points serve as both the bonus for rolls and the currency for advancement, so every point spent to win a scene is a point not banked toward growth. Starting Killing Combat forfeits all of a hero's Hero Point awards for the adventure, building the Batman's code against killing into the reward system. Interrogation and Clue Analysis turn Result APs into graded information, so a stronger roll reveals more of what a suspect or clue can tell.
- **Considerations:** A Dice Action reads its Success Number from the Action Table and, only when the roll succeeds, takes a second lookup on the Result Table for its effect, so each successful attack or other rolled action needs two table references. Designing a Gadget runs a multi-step Hero Point cost formula with Reliability Number modifiers, Drawback discounts, and a final halving. Only one player can be the Batman, so everyone else plays another listed hero or one built with the creation rules.
- **Publisher:** Mayfair Games Inc.
- **Year:** 1989
- **Cost:** Unavailable
- **License:** All Rights Reserved
- **Third-Party Publishing:** No verified publishing route found; reviewed 2026-10-08; note: The rulebook is marked All Rights Reserved by DC Comics, and its legal page permits purchasers to copy the maps and histories for personal use. A bounded review of the rulebook and Cryptozoic's current licensed reissue channels found no verified third-party publishing route or explicit publishing prohibition.; Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
- **Languages:** English
- **URL:** https://ttrpgwiki.com/systems/batman-role-playing-game

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