Best TTRPGs That Aren't DnD 5e (2024)

Looking to expand your tabletop RPG horizons beyond DnD 5e? In this video, Coach Key delves into the best non-D&D games for 2024 that offer a diverse and exciting gaming experience. Whether you're seeking fresh RPG recommendations or exploring the tabletop diversity scene, this list has something for every player looking to try new adventures. Let's dive into a world of TTRPGs that will ignite your imagination and keep you entertained for hours on end!
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(This video featuring Coach Key is about cairn, blades in the dark, d&d alternatives, dragon bane, dungeon crawl classics, non-d&d games, osr games, roleplaying diversity, reg recommendations, tabletop diversity, white box)
#ttrpg #bladesinthedark #cairn #d&dalternatives #dragonbane #dungeoncrawlclassics #non-&dgames #osrgames #roleplayingdiversity #rpgrecommendations #tabletopdiversity #whitebox #tabletopadventures

[@morganpetros9635]

Blades in the Dark is possibly my favorite RPG since I quit buying WotC products after the Pinkerton Incident. But I'm *ALSO* a *HUGE* fan of Savage Worlds, and am currently busy rebuilding the Fading Suns game using its rules. 😁

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

I’m looking forward to playing in a game soon. I have heard of Savage worlds but have not checked it out yet.

[@jaykaye594]

Happy Birthday Coach. Hope you had a good one.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️. It was a very cool Birthday 🥳!!!!!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for featuring independent games. I have and love all of those. Keep rockin' it! --Professor DM, Dungeoncraft

[@Scorpious187]

Professor DM! Love your channel!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Absolutely 💯. Thank you ☺️!!!

[@ds0929]

Love the list! Recommendation: Troika. It's excellent, weird, and you can play as a Sphinx or a professional Poisoner of Wells or a person with the front of their brain removed and more. It also has incredible surreal adventures for it, my favorite being The Big Squirm.

[@douglashorton1368]

I second this!

[@seanfsmith]

yesss!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Awesome 😎 thank you for the suggestions. I have Troika down and have added the others ☺️.

[@tonygonzales726]

Just found your channel! Very nice and very friendly. I like how you talk to your audience like friends and not teaching to students. I've been playing on and off since 1983 ( more off than on 😢) and I love your selection of non-D&D games. Thank you so much and you have a new subscriber!!!

[@mart8675309]

Grab one of those solo games like Cairn. The PDF version is available for free. That way you can play even when you can't get your group together

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Aww thank you so much for the super kind words and the support ☺️. It’s really really means a lot ☺️!!!!!

[@sonoftherighthand]

Hurray for a new video! Glad you're feeling better. I'm interested in playing a lot of those. I think I'm most interested in Cairn from that list. I want to run a game with that. I'm most interested in running Mörk Borg and Liminal Horror right now, but those spots change regularly for me 😅

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much friend 😊!!! I would absolutely love to try out Mork Borg as a player!!!!!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Whoa, we must be on the same wave length! Just made a video with almost the exact same title and covering some of the same games! Maybe it's a July birthday thing 😂 Anyway great video and great choices and Happy Birthday!!!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!! You have a SUPER COOL list. Awesome channel!!! I’m looking forward to checking out more of your videos!!!!!

[@malk4803]

Nice picks, I'm totally team Cairn for the minimalism

[@ds0929]

Me too. Cairn has quickly become my go-to game. I am running the free scifi Cairn hack Monolith and it's excellent too.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!! Cairn is an awesome game for solo or for a group 😃. I’m looking forward to delving into Cairn 2e!!!!!!!

[@michaelsheppard8939]

This was great! Looking forward to more from you!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️ 😊!!!

[@janallenneuendorfjr4784]

Just found your channel and will add you to the Fel-Dark Entertainment listing because again- we support indie content and creators like you that stretch out peoples awareness of Indie TTRPGs. Thank you for helping out the little guys!!!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Absolutely 💯!!!!! I appreciate that!!! & Thank you so much for taking time to watch ☺️.

[@janallenneuendorfjr4784]

I’ll be listing you in my upcoming product Zero-G Era2-as a recognized Indie KZbinr with the class to go against the general content makers following the golden goose of ttrpg’s. I recognized only 5. I’ll be watching you often and we are subscribed. All Fel-Dark Entertainment products have 0 youtubers currently making it an open market and unlike other company’s whatever content you make to support us is absolutely your content. We only want the best for our supporters and will offer only those supporters inside knowledge on new products. This is how we lift the love of what we do up and bring along those that love it with us. It’s time for a new way of gaming. All we ask of you-> #1- Love your art as we love ours. #2- Don’t let the walls stop you from building your dreams #3- Recognize others as you inspire to reach your goals- their encouragement is your force forward C u soon Legends

[@therealshelula]

You are pretty super freakin' cool!!! I'm so glad I found your page. :)

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Awww thank you so much ☺️ ☺️😃☺️!!!!!!!

[@Zr0din]

Cool vid and happy birthday!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you for the compliment ☺️ & the Happy birthday!!!!! 🎈

[@ellabcool247]

Happy birthday 🎂. I'm glad you are feeling much better 😀, Thank you for another great video, playing Cairn at the minute and loving it. Thanks for introducing Cairn it to me 👍

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️ 😃!!! I’m happy to hear you’re playing Cairn. Thank you for supporting & watching 😊😊😊!!!!

[@Moodman002]

Great Video! and Happy Birthday!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️!!!!

[@Jay-ql4gp]

Happy birthday! If you've ever read the Jhereg series by Steven Brust, there's a Blades In The Dark supplement just for that world! And if you haven't read any of them, they're excellent. Thank you for the video!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️!! I have not read that series but I will check it out 😃. I think Blades in the Dark is a pretty interesting system. Thank you so much for watching & supporting!!!!!

[@rob7953]

I know you're likely speaking to an audience that's into heroic fantasy, and many would want a setting that's somewhat similar to D&D, but I believe that if you want something different, you may as well take a peek beyond into other genres. There are some very solid and entertaining games out there in genres of science fiction, horror, super heroes, and others, along with all the sub-genres.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you. Blades in the dark was apart of my list & is definitely a different setting than your usual “D&D fantasy setting”. I also agree. This is just part one of my favorites that are still not 5e.

[@martinouellet3540]

A bit late but HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Thank you for your refreshing energy and the great content you put in the world. I really appreciate it!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️ and thank you for such an AWESOME compliment!!!! I really really appreciate the kind words & support!!!!

[@Cornbreab]

Happy belated birthday!!! great video ^-^

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!! Thank you so much for watching!!!!!!!

[@wforge]

Looking forward to your Blades in the Dark review. I own the game, but have yet to go too deep into it. Keep up the great work. Your following is growing.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much friend ☺️!!!!

[@sionaprhys]

Glad you're feeling better. Happy belated birthday!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️!!!!!

[@rangleme]

Great list - thanks!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!!

[@jahmaicherry]

Happy Birthday Coach Key!!!!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️ 😃☺️!!!!!

[@YouTubdotCub]

Great selection!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!! I’ve got more. This was just part 1!!!!

[@paavohirn3728]

Happy late birthday coach! Great topic for the Indie RPG Month! Let's go!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Aww thank you Friend ☺️☺️!! Thank you!!!!

[@paavohirn3728]

@@LegendsDiceCafe 🥰

[@dustincoopermusic]

Yes, Dragonbane is freak’n awesome! I need to try DCC some day. Thanks for the video!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!!

[@davidmoseley1082]

I love your style and vibe I ran into your channel and I love it

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you sooooooo much ☺️☺️!!!! That means a-lot 😊☺️😊!!!!

[@among01]

Hey! I'm a 4th of a July baby as well. Happy belated birthday, coach! And thank you for this gift of a video. Love hearing about your DCC experience. You should definitely try out a funnel one of these days... It is a refreshing rpg exercise.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️!!! Wow that’s so cool!!! Happy Belated birthday 🥳!!!! I hope it was an awesome one!!! I’m looking forward to playing again & making some funnel characters.

[@fourtrees44]

Thanks!! That was cool!! :-)

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!

[@swordsnstones]

Cool list Cool channel Glad i found you Im an indie game designer totally amateur compared to your list but we have fun, and that is the goal. Cheers Keep em rollin

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️ & thank you so much for the support ☺️. That’s all it’s about, having fun times 😃.

[@danielmartinontiverosvizca7325]

I have played Cairn, the simple rules breed creativity.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Agreed 👍🏾 💯!!!! I absolutely love the simplicity!!!!

[@jason916]

First-time viewer . Your content is great ! Thanks for uploading

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you sooooo much ☺️!!!!

[@PetesDracolich]

Happy Birthday! All great pics by the way. Gonna run DCC “Queen of Elflands Son” next, it’s a level 1. Out of my last 3 modules, 1 was a TPK. I think it’s gonna be rough if I get another! I remember in “Knock! 4”, a blog collection, there was an article on how to articulate a TPK. One suggestion was that the party is surrounded & offered a choice to surrender & battle against each other, the losers become prisoners & the winner joins the enemy army. I might use that to make things interesting, my players are gonna sht themselves, again! lol.

[@among01]

Whoa! That is an intriguing alternative to a tpk.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!!”Queen of Elflands Son” sounds really fun!!!! 🤩 Lol let me know how your players do 😂.

[@PangoriaFallstar]

Happy belated birthday!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️!!!!!

[@pridethesaint]

Looking forward to the cairn kickstarter being fulfilled.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Me too!!! I can’t wait to read 2e ☺️!!!!!

[@mikehallaron]

HBD Coach Key!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!!!!

[@KnightOfGenX]

Great video! I have all but 1 of those games, but haven't played them all yet. If you are into 80's stuff at all like Stranger Things, Dark Places and Demogorgons looks really cool too.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️. I’m open to newer & older games so thank you ☺️ for the suggestions!!!

[@AlexanderOsias]

Happy birthday 🎉 coach

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!!!

[@praxistallyogarro]

Another wonderfully enthusiastic presentation Coach! ❤

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Awww thank you so much ☺️!!!!!!

[@PrivRyan]

Awesome picks! I haven't read through DCC yet, but the art I've seen flipping through it is awesome.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️. I have read thru it 😃. I’m looking forward to running a game some time soon 🤞🏾 .

[@tednovy7762]

Some great choices there--I've only played Zweihander once, but really, really liked it.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you!!! Zweihander is a favorite of mine and will probably be in my top games part 2 😃. I was going to add it in this one but I didn’t want to make the video too long.

[@retiredonabike9644]

Happy Belated Birthday 🎉

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️!!!!!

[@Imhal13]

So many great picks here. Blades in the Dark is awesome. Dragonbane is so much fun and an incredible value on the box set. ICRPG is one of the BEST guides on GM theory in addition to a cool rule set. DCC is bonkers in the best of ways. I hope you will also cover Shadowdark. That kicks ass. Happy Birthday!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

I’m thinking of Shadowdark being my next grab 😃!! That and Knave 2e because I bet it has some really awesome tables. Thank you so much for the Happy Birthday 🎈!!!!

[@JorgeUribe]

Waiting for part 2. Regards from Chile.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you so much ☺️!!!!

[@robmellesh1530]

New sub. Happy birthday. I'd love to hear your pics for non fantasy rpgs. I left 5e for Shadowdark

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Absolutely 💯. I will be doing a part 2 soon with other options ☺️. Thank you for the support!!!!! ☺️☺️

[@robmellesh1530]

@@LegendsDiceCafe Absolutely, your channel discusses games & play. Feels like a lot of others are just pitching a bitch. Happy I found you.

[@jcraigwilliams70]

Happy late birthday! I probably have too many games already, since I have trouble deciding which to play, but I am tempted to get Dragonbane for the art alone... Of the games mentioned here, I only really have experience with ICRPG, which I like, but if I play a D&D-style game it will probably be SahdowDark, or possibly OSE. I may use ICRPG for a different genre, though.. Something that I find a bit strange is that every time I see a video about alternatives to D&D, they tend to list games that are very similar *TO* D&D. There are a ton of great games out there that I wish would pick up new players, such as Fate, Savage Worlds, Freeform Universal, and others.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!! There are a lot of great games. I’m still learning & finding things I like. I’m absolutely open to new games in any genre. So far these are just the ones I’ve grabbed. I’m thinking about grabbing The Walking dead & Masks.

[@vidgrip8622]

Some great games on this list. FMAG is maybe the best choice for people who want to experience how we played D&D in the 70's. Cairn is a wonderful modern-minimalist game.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you 😊!!!!

[@becmiberserker]

Have to admit, I am massively into Call of Cthulhu of late. As I say to anyone who will listen: it's the game I didn't know I needed. Everything feels like it's on a knife edge and you can feel the story developing beyond what's going on in any one session.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

I’ve recently picked it back up to read ☺️.

[@razorboy251]

Great picks (other than DCC - I really did not click with it personally)! ICRPG especially has been one of my favorite RPGs for a long while now and Dragonbane is such a cool rpg! I wonder if you tried Forbidden Lands from the same company and with a somewhat similar vibe and similar game system (though a different setting)? I both ran it for a group and played it solo and had a blast both times.

[@osvaldoprado9906]

There's no need to stop playing DnD! Nothing stops you to play 4e, 3.5e, 3.0e, 2nd e or even 1st e. The problem is 5e, not DnD. Great vid :)

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Agreed 💯!!! Thank you ☺️!!

[@Magia_Baiser]

I suggest Mörk Borg because it's awesome. (:

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️. It’s on my list 😃.

[@Lusk1993]

Thanks

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

☺️☺️☺️!!!

[@f.a.santiago1053]

I really like Shadowdark!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

I’m definitely grabbing that soon ☺️.

[@szegediadam8793]

+1 for Dragonbane! That's an awesome beer and pretzel darker fantasy game :) And it is sooo beautiful!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

lol absolutely agree!!! I love relaxing and looking/reading thru Dragonbane!!!!! 😃😃

[@szegediadam8793]

@@LegendsDiceCafe yesterday I was sleepy and I forget to recommend you something: if you like fiction first but chance for little tactics games I hiiiiiighly recommend Fabula Ultima. It's a JRPG simulator rpg. It's easy to read, realy fun to run, and grants you the opportunity to build realy unique characters. Check it out, if you got the chance! I think you would love it! :)

[@marshallclowers1242]

Very nice list :) Have you tried Death Bringer RPG, or Eldritch Hack? Both of those look interesting (and they are pretty cheap)

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

I have not but I will add them to my list, thank you ☺️!!!!

[@colinflanigan9153]

I haven’t played Blades in the Dark but have heard good things about it. I should pick it up.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Definitely give it a try 😊!!

[@firetouched5629]

Tasteful selection of great games. I particularly like Dragonbane because it is very game master friendly.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!!

[@scottmckay9049]

Nice I love BID requires a different midset though if you can Id suggest playing with folk on that one mega fan of nearly all of these not played DCC though.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

It’s definitely a different flavor kind of game than I’m use to.

[@bmosley45]

Hell yeah, sistah! Just discovered your channel, love seeing more Black voices in nerd gaming.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Absolutely 💯 👊🏾!!!!!

[@D3vious113]

I love the concept of Blades but I don't think I have the right mindset to run it. Would love to play it and get more used to things, though. Cairn's on my list of games that I want to rope my friends in to play since it's so ulralight. My personal recommendation: Savage Worlds. I'm convinced one can do quite literally anything in Savage Worlds and I've done some wild stuff with it. My buddy hacked in some 40k flavor with the Rifts supplement and we played an investigation into a potential chaos cult. Our party consisted of a Grey Knight, a Rogue Trader with unholy combat stats, and myself the rogue psyker gang leader who could brute force through daemon possession. Many liberties were taken for flavor but everything was within the purview of the base rules. SWADE is currently my favorite TTRPG outside of maybe Lancer, but I'm a sucker for mechs and scifi XD

[@alexdoerofthings]

Fun!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️!!!

[@xavierdevenoges4610]

Blades In The Dark's amazing, but requires all at the table to have the same mindset about it. It needs to be seen as a way to play a TV show or a series of short novels, with flashbacks, side events, and flawed characters. Sadly, most of the players i found for this game were under the impression they were in, to 'beat the game".

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

I would agree being on the same mindset when going into playing Blades in the Dark. Very cool game. ☺️

[@bopaintsminis]

So... none of those are D&D 5E, but how many of them are still based on D&D? What do you recommend that is not fantasy? Any sci-fi? Supers? Horror? Modern? Thanks.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

I have a part 2 I’ll be doing soon that will offer more options. I’m still fairly new to TTRPGS other than 5e so I’m also just learning what I like along the way. Thanks for watching.

[@bopaintsminis]

@@LegendsDiceCafe Wait until you really get into games that are not only not 5E, but not OGL/SRD/d20-based. There is a great wide world of games out there, and especially games that aren't more generic fantasy. Have fun.

[@TwinSteel]

🥳❤️👍🏿

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

☺️😊☺️😊!!!!

[@glennmglazer]

How you could not mention RuneQuest is beyond me. In addition to being the creator of "skill use based" character advancement, it's canon world, Glorantha is in my opinion the best fantasy TTRPG world ever created. 'RuneQuest was chosen for inclusion in the 2007 book Hobby Games: The 100 Best. Jennell Jaquays commented, "After RuneQuest and Glorantha, detailed fantasy worlds would become the norm, not the exception. Dragon Pass paved the way for TSR's Faerûn, better known as the Forgotten Realms, and Krynn, setting for the Dragonlance saga. But few would ever achieve the elegant but approachable rules complexity of the original RuneQuest or instill a fervent loyalty in fans that would span decades."' en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuneQuest

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thanks for the info. I’m still fairly new but open to trying out new games. I just have purchased it yet but it’s on my list ☺️.

[@Halfling.Paladin]

Ugh. DragonballZ. Ugh.

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

lol 😂

[@DocFlamingo]

New sub! Just came across your channel. Good stuff. Oh, and happy belated B'day!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Thank you ☺️ & thank you sooo much for the support ☺️!!!!