Top 13 Non-D&D Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Someone once said: "Pizza is good, but if you ate pizza every night for 5 years, you might be sick of it." -Matt Colville probably
This video is about a bunch of tabletop roleplaying games that aren't D&D or Pathfinder, that hold a special place in my heart. My picks may shock you, they may astound you, or they may just peak your interest.
Come see what papa goblin want's to play when his sleep deprived baby brain is functional enough to roll dice with the best of them.
CONTENT WARNING: This video contains opinions about TTRPGs that may be considered licentious to the average consumer. Be prepared to experience opinions that vastly differ from your own.
TIMESTAMPS
1:34 13. Savage Worlds
2:14 12. Crown & Skull
3:18 11. ShadowDark
4:26 10 and 9. Cairn and Knave
5:29 8. Blades in the Dark
6:37 7. Index Card RPG
8:12 6. Cypher System
9:57 5. Dungeon Crawl Classics
11:27 4. Burning Wheel
12:53 3. Mausritter
14:06 2. Mazes
15:25 1. Dragonbane
Thanks ‪@tomgartin‬ for doing these :)
Check out Mausritter here: losing-games.itch.io/mausritter
Got the link wrong in the Video, but Thanks ‪@MattWeber‬ for correcting me!
#ttrpg #dnd #indierpg #dungeonsanddragons #savageworlds #shadowdark #crownandskull #cairn #knave #knave2 #bladesinthedark #icrpg #indexcardrpg #cyphersystem #numenera #dcc #dungeoncrawlclassics #burningwheel #mouseguard #mausritter #mazes #9thlevelgaming #runehammer #arcanelibrary #montecookgames #freeleague #dragonbane #fantasy #dnd5e #pf2e #nsr #osr #goodmangames #pbta
Go give some love to these indie RPG creators:
‎‪@Runehammer1‬
‪@TheArcaneLibrary‬
‪@yochaigal‬
‪@QuestingBeast‬
‪@burningwheelrpg‬
‪@9thlevelgaming‬
and ‪@DUNGEONCRAFT1‬
for creating indie TTRPGs month

[@ElderGoblinGames]

If you enjoyed this video but felt like i was missing a few go check out @booksbricksandboards video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6XKn2aKqN6eiLMsi=L8-k091OPZiLpROj He probably covered the ones i missed 😂 And here's the correct link for Mausritter: losing-games.itch.io/mausritter

[@josephperry3700]

I mean, I like the old vampire the masquerade ttrpg.

[@macoppy6571]

😅😂🤣 Old School Essentials quietly cries on the shelf above right shoulder

[@ElderGoblinGames]

It's for sure the best retro clone. With actually usable layout. I just wish my brain liked THAC0 more..

[@NefariousKoel]

@@ElderGoblinGames - My Advanced OSE books include Increasing AC & Attack Bonuses in brackets, so it has both options. Did the original OSE releases not have that?

[@danielsommerlykke9475]

@@ElderGoblinGames OSE doesn't have THAC0. It gives the choice between 1e style attacks tables and modern attack rolls.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

@@danielsommerlykke9475 honestly I haven't looked at it hard enough to notice. There's so many new games I'm interested in at the moment, but that's good to know! I do like it from a layout and word count perspective though!

[@MarkGarringer]

OSE is a particular flavor and well done, that was immediately ‘outclassed’ by Shadowdark.

[@spike315]

LOVE A SAVAGE WORLDS SHOUT OUT !! yes dude! I'd love to see more SWADE content, I think there are tons of lessons to learn from the toolkit like Dramatic Tasks, Chases, Social Encounters, all the Vehicle rules, etc! Dramatic Tasks especially are applicable to any TTRPG game regardless of ruleset imo

[@ElderGoblinGames]

It seems super cool and definitely a good alternative if your group is stuck playing "the Big Two" RPGs. I really want to try it for a longer campaign.

[@Sage2d6]

@@ElderGoblinGames I've been running it with Eberron for over a year now. One of the best systems ever for pulpy action gameplay. I personally love Bennies with its various options as a player and GM.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

I need to try Dragonbane. I finally own it. I'm a huge Basic Roleplaying fan, and you can see BRP's DNA in Dragonbane's mechanics. Even though I'm not a big Fantasy guy, I like the vibes, and I think it would be a lot of fun, especially for younger players.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

It's got some really interesting mechanics for sure. What are your go to systems?

[@matthewconstantine5015]

@@ElderGoblinGames I'm a chronic dabbler. In my glory days of the late 80s through the early 2000s, I played more different games that I can even remember, from Ars Magica to Blue Planet to Fading Suns to Castle Falkenstein. My go-to has pretty much always been BRP generally and Call of Cthulhu in particular. It's the game I usually use to introduce folks to the hobby. I don't believe in a "universal" game mechanic, but BRP certainly has a very wide range of stuff that it works very well for. Of late, I've really enjoyed Year Zero, particularly as seen in Tales from the Loop and Alien. Dungeon Crawl Classics, which on paper I should hate as I never much liked Dungeons & Dragons or any of its various variants, has been one I've really enjoyed since getting back into the hobby in 2019 after a 15+ year break.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

@@matthewconstantine5015 I too am a dabbler. Funny, I saw an Ars Magica in my local used book store the other day and almost grabbed it because of the epic cover alone. I hear chaosium puts out quality games and apparently Call of Cthulhu is bigger than D&D in Japan. I also keep hearing good things about the Year Zero system and I've definitely had Forbidden Lands on my radar for a while. That's the problem haha, too many good games, not enough time.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

@@ElderGoblinGames Way too many games and nowhere near enough time, that's for sure. Ars Magica is, if I had to pick only one, my favorite Fantasy game. But it's hyper-specific and requires GM(s) and players that are ready to put in some time and effort. It's worth it. It's super rewarding. But it's not really a light game mechanically or otherwise. There's a "definitive" version of the 5th Ed coming out for its 20th anniversary, apparently. I think the 5th Ed is by far the most user-friendly edition, but it didn't have great art or layout. Chaosium, since they were rescued from the brink 10 or 15 years ago, has become an industry leader when it comes to product quality. They also have great starter sets for their three main games (Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest & Pendragon) that are a great value and an excellent introduction to each. Each one uses a variation of BRP, with RuneQuest probably being the most complex even before diving into its insanely deep lore, and Pendragon being the most streamlined (it's even turned the usual percentile roll into a D20 roll, like Dragonbane does). I have a copy of Forbidden Lands, which definitely has some cool stuff. I'm not totally sold on its specific variant of Year Zero, but I haven't played it to see how it works at the table. Tales from the Loop is probably the most streamlined version. Alien has a mechanic in it that I fell in love with, and I think could easily translate into any semi-near future, "blue collar" Science Fiction game where space is dangerous, even if it's not full of monsters. I was leaning toward Mothership for running some gritty, but non-Horror specific Science Fiction, until I read & played Alien and it really clicked for me.

[@LibrariesandLattes]

Great editing and sound effects! Especially when Juno punched you 😂 Anything with small mice is always fun and cute so Mausritter looks like a good one!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

She's got quite the left hook.

[@bluecarpettiles]

Love to see some non wizards content. Been running the One Ring starter set while I wait for Moria to arrive and digging out my old MERP content to run a one shot for some old friends.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I hear good things about One Ring, especially the travel mechanics.

[@booksbricksandboards783]

lol, upon your suggestion in my own comments section, I watched your video, and ICRPG and Cypher are other games I have enjoyed and created videos on. I have not done Burning Wheel content, but I did do a Mouse Guard video. Mazes and Mausritter were the only two I didn’t have experience with. Definitely a great list, and clearly we have very similar game taste, and apparently similar intuition about when to make a video on this subject! Cheers man, glad you introduced me to your channel and congrats on the new kiddo!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Kindred spirits. Yes it looks like we have a lot of similar tastes. I subbed you as well when I saw your video haha.

[@yourgmchandler]

Huge Free League fan here but also giving a shoutout to Ten Candles. Great narrative oriented game. Super lite. Super fun. GREAT video.

[@QuestingBeast]

Thanks for the shout out!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Absolutely! Thanks for making Knave 1 and 2, they are both excellent games!

[@Zotob1975]

Burning wheel is so difficult, I’ve been discouraged to continue reading it

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Yeah, admittedly the layout / overall design is not great... I've heard torchbearer is quite the upgrade readability wise. Also, you can probably learn everything you really need to know from a tutorial video. To be honest, when we played we just picked from the things that made the most sense to us / got us excited to play, and went with a simplified version of combat.

[@Zotob1975]

@@ElderGoblinGames I’ll give it another try. Thanks mate

[@kickassv8]

This was great. Nice to see new games. You definitely deserve more subs.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Appreciate it!

[@RoyHagan-jh1rp]

Call of Cthulhu is one of the best. Legends of the Five Rings, pre fantasy flight, is also amazing. Shadowrun is a good staple.

[@qarsiseer]

You should know about Torchbearer! It’s a streamlined Burning Wheel like Mouse Guard but built around dungeon survival. It’s my favorite game now since it’s got all the sauce of Burning Wheel without a lot of the cruft.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

That's good to know! I have seen that one floating around my FLGS but haven't taken the time to peek through it. Thanks for the recommendation! 🔥

[@dwsonye]

My group fell in love with Basic Fantasy.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I've heard nothing but good things about basic fantasy. Definitely on my list to check out.

[@positivelygeeky7680]

i confess i tuned out after you trolled me with my beloved WFRP4e being in the list before unveiling DCC

[@ElderGoblinGames]

😅😅😅 I love WFRP. I just can't get anyone to play it.

[@terrencemiltner1005]

Seeing your recommendation I am even happier I got the quick start for Dragonbane on Free RPG day

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Same, I grabbed done last year with no idea what it was!

[@Sage2d6]

Im loving Savage Worlds, another great mention for rules lite and easy to homebrew for is EZD6.

[@bluefalcon2099]

Savage Worlds is great. Very easy on the GM. It’s my goto system for…almost everything.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I'm eager to give it a try! There's so many cool ideas in that book.

[@juauke]

Awesome list! Instant subscribed, love Hankerin Ferinale as well! I'm currently looking forward to run at least one of Sword & Wizardry Complete Revised, Lamentations of the Flame Princess and Hyperborea 3E (the last which I'm getting for my birthday)

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Thanks! It's cool that there are so many good games out there. LotFP is the only one I recognize from the games you listed. Truly we have entered the greatest era of role-playing games.

[@juauke]

@@ElderGoblinGames you're welcome and I totally agree LotFP was my first love for a B/X-like game Swords & Wizardry Complete Revised is a rewrite of OD&D with all its supplements and it's very to the point and I love its class variety as well as the single saving throw Hyperborea is like a reimagination of AD&D (2e mostly) as a sword and sorcery with flavor and setting completely included

[@cybermerlyn2]

My top four are Cypher System, Outgunned (with Action Flicks Vol. 1, and World of Killers), Mazes and EZD6. What do they all have in common? NPC/Monsters are built with a simple system of, special abilities, Strikes (HP, etc.) and a Damage value. For those of us who do not have time for long stat blocks.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I really need to pick up EZD6. It's next on my list but my FLGS doesn't carry it.

[@multieyedmyr]

Savage worlds and savage pathfinder are great!

[@recreepy]

I'm sincerely impressed-fantastic job!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@alanrussette2819]

I've hoped to find a group for Symbaroum (also by Free League)

[@ElderGoblinGames]

That game has such cool lore! I need to pick it up some time.

[@randraug]

First time seeing your content. Instantly subscribed. Now I know that I need to get a physical copy of Mausritter. My six year old loves the item chits and character cards from Steve Jackson's Fantas Trip: Melee and Wizard! So it should be an easy sale. Thank you! Sleep deprivation is one heck of a poison. Two year old has a perpetual war on sleep. Nothing like going to bed at 4 to wake up at 7... Have had more health issues since going into this stage of his life than in my whole life leading up to now. Take care of yourself so you can be there for your family. Also, that outro song is awesome! Is there more?

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Thanks! The Mausitter box set is definitely worth it. And yes, I have a jingle for just about every style video that I do.

[@takanobaierun]

So, now that I had the time to actually watch the video... not promising that it makes more sense that the first one though: 1. I currently take a break from most of the 100 other RPG channels I subed to, because I'm a little heartbroken, that my DnD group just died on my. But not from this one. For the closing song alone. 2. I had tons of fun with Warhammer 1e what feels like 50 years ago... but it's only 30 years. Thanks for the memories. 3. I got DCC for 25 bucks on Amazon... best RPG value ever. 4. Mausritter has a German title, because Germans are small, cute, brave and a dangerous world wants to kill them. Got it. 5. Damit, I want to try out Dragonbane!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

1. Sad about your group, but glad to hear someone likes my jingles 😆 2. Warhammer looks really fun, but I haven't had a chance to give it an honest look through. I do really like the character creation in it though. 3. DCC is a great value and game! It's an entire system, including an adventure for half the price of any other game. I really enjoy it. 4. That makes sense. I'm pretty sure I have some German in my blood, probably why I like Mausritter so much. 😁 5. Try it! It's really easy to learn and I bet you can find plenty of folks interested in playing it.

[@somegenerichandle]

I was in a Savage Worlds Deadlands campaign it was pretty fun.

[@RiddledinRizz]

Fun video! You’ve got solid taste in ttrpgs

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Thank you! There are so many cool games out there, and of the ones I've tried these really stand out.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks for jumping on.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Absolutely. Love the idea of all these community driven themes. Especially Independent gaming!

[@mohnkern]

I love Cypher System and am running three campaigns (1 Numenera and 2 Old Gods Appalachia) plus there’s a huge demand for one offs I’ve been running(hooray for cypher shorts and Underground Oracle)

[@SeldonnHari]

I have wanted to play burning wheel for years

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

Very awesome list 😊. Thank you for taking time to watch my video. I had to come over & check your list out as well. You also put me onto some new ones to check out!!!!!!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Awesome! Seems like we like a few similar games 😁

[@tjduck85]

This is pretty close to my hypothetical list, though I would replace a handful of choices (Shadowdark, SWADE, DCC) with other choices: e.g., Stonetop (Iron Age Dungeon World), Fabula Ultima, and Fantasy AGE.

[@mrgunn2726]

Five Torches Deep, EZD6, ICRPG, The Black Sword Hack, The Black Hack.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

That's a solid lineup. I need to grab EZD6 and FTD.

[@macoppy6571]

Welcome back to the hobby 🎉

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Thanks! 🎲 🐉

[@BLynn]

Have you tried DM Scotty's EZD6? I need to find more videos of it so I can feel a bit more confident running it.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I really want to get it. My FLGS doesn't carry it so I'm going to have to get a copy from the old interwebs, but it's next on my list to buy.

[@brianwardman5804]

Definitely checking out your #1. Dragonbane

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Do it! It's really cool!

[@magnusbergqvist2123]

For other games with different genres, so not just the fantasy: Call of Cthulhu. It is a classic, with loits of good adventures. The Troubleshooters. Modern BRP, set in a fictitious 1960s, based on Franco-Belgian comics like Tinitn, Spioru, Yoko Tsuno. Add a dash of Lupin III... Good Sociaety: a Jane Austen rpg. Collaborative game that is very different from most anything. A bit expensive, and takes a while to get into. FATE (Either Core/Condensed or Adccelerated). A toolbox for handling any genre. There are a few worldbooks with a multitude of quick settings.

[@LaloMartins]

Bittersweet that nothing from Onyx Path makes the list. Happy because it's good to see that the scene has evolved and moved on. Sad because it's a pity that such a once-reliable source of innovation and fun, didn't keep up. (Yeah, Exalted is still at the top of *my* list. But my list is worthless, as I haven't played anything else written in the last 10-15 years or so. 🤷 Guess I need to look for a group. Again.)

[@PagrZero]

Not a bad list at all. But when mentioning games with world building baked it, I always have to shout out to Symbaroum! Can't get enough of that game. Love running it and simple to DM since all the rolls are player facing.

[@jasonOfTheHills]

I will post this every chance I get. Can someone explain to me how BitD's mechanics are so tightly coupled with the genre and setting? I have seen this enough that I am now at the point where I am starting to believe it is a thing, I just don't understand it. My position - we wanted to play a dark, spooky game set in an alternate 50's on the southside of Chicago. I took BitD and just renamed things. The only "change" I had to make was I added a "Wheelman" playbook. Other than that, I carried over 98% of everything else just rebranding it with terminology appropriate to my setting. And it has worked really, really well. We are 7 sessions in and there is nothing I have had to tweak. Everything from the crew to rep to everything else, I just picked it up, placed it over our game and pressed "Go" and it has hummed right along. I really don't get the critique that BitD is only cool in the context of Duskval and whatever genre it is. This has not been my experience.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

True, if there are spooky ghosties and vampires, you don't have to change much. It's mostly the idea of the heat / wanted mechanic to me more than anything. I think the combination of having a city you can't really leave because it's surrounded by a wasteland of ravenous undead along with the heat meter is why I feel it's tied to Duskvol, or at the very least an inescapable city filled with ghosties and a whole lot of corrupt folks. The crew / faction / influence system works well with rogish gangs, but I don't think works as well with other less sketchy factions. It's not that you can't change the names, but a lot of the feels are going to be similar.

[@marshall4439]

Having played and run Savage Worlds, I was glad to see it on here. It’s a pretty solid system and easier on the GM than many games are. Combat can get kinda bogged down at lower levels but there are so many ways to avoid or improve combat if your players work together that it’s hardly an issue

[@ElderGoblinGames]

It does some really interesting things, and I hear the Pathfinder version of it is good too.

[@marshall4439]

@@ElderGoblinGames I am very excited by Savage Pathfinder! I haven't gotten to play yet but it seems very solid.

[@swordsnstones]

ICRPG and Knave, very big influences on the creation of my own game, luv it cheers Keep 'em rollin'

[@swordsnstones]

just bought the rulebook and bestiary for dragonbane, very cool

[@ElderGoblinGames]

What's your game? Or do you mean like homebrew?

[@swordsnstones]

@@ElderGoblinGames tried to post an answer here but YT is a finiky biatch wont let me leave my link, pop by my channel to get to my web page, i have the game posted on itch as well.

[@TwinSteel]

When you’re in trouble, you Call D.W.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I can hear this comment. (Let's get dangerous🎶)

[@freddaniel5099]

Mausritter is the only game on this list that isn't on my shelf. I can't disagree with your choices or reasons for choosing these games. If I had to add one more suggested game, I would say The Fantasy Trip. TFT from Steve Jackson Games isn't overly complicated and would add a tactical choice to the selection of games on this list. Great list and I applaud all your choices. Guess I should look into adding Mausritter to my collection. Cheers!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Especially if you have kids/ Young folks you run games for. If you want a more serious version of the game check out Into the Odd.

[@DaVeO52]

Dragonbane! YES! Played my first intro game with a friend and two rando's and fell in love with the style and the system. With a MUCH better (skill based) and faster character creation system then D&D and combat that forces you to PAY ATTENTION because you may die in your first fight if you act like a D&D superhero. If you like DB then can I also Strongly recommend Vaesen, also by Free League. It has the same amazing art authentic (and artist) as DB but takes you to the 1800s as you investigate and banish disgruntled fey and folklore creatures who don't enjoy the industrial revolution so much (get outta mah forests!) Also, base building! That core box set for DB IS the best. But so are ALL of Free Leagues core or starter boxes.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Yeah, everything in seeing from Free League is really well done. I got a free Vaesen PDF on Halloween from Drive thru RPG,I need to give it a read.

[@AndrewKolb101]

Games you missed that are not just clones and knock-offs of some version of D&D are GURPS, Harn, Traveler (Mongoose), Call of Cthulhu Twilight 2000, Coyote and Crow and Genesys; also Basic Role Playing (CoC with out the CoC setting) and Cepheus Engine (Traveler without the Traveler setting). you did mention Savage worlds so you are way better than others who have made similar videos.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Those are all good systems, and also a lot of games I haven't played myself yet. Except Genesys. I have run that one, but it didn't make the list only because I personally felt that the resolution mechanics with all the different results were very taxing on a GM. There are things I really liked about it, but it felt better for pulp action like Star Wars than a universal system.

[@amhour42]

You get all the points for the Mausritter gag 🤡😚

[@ElderGoblinGames]

😅😆 thanks

[@michaelmullenfiddler]

Is that YOU playing and singing your theme song through the credits at the end?

[@ElderGoblinGames]

That is me. I have a jingle to go with just about every style of video I make.

[@TheJDough1]

I went into this video about TTRPGs and am still shocked with the amount of nerdom!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Glad to hear I'm as nerdy as I imagine I am 😆

[@devosiouscpv]

Having run Cypher system, it is definitely rules lite. I think I ever checked the book once or twice during a 3 month campaign. I can't play D&D and Pathfinder again after running a nice rules lite RPG.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

That's awesome! What a testament to the simplicity of the rules.

[@hoodieinfestation]

Cool list. Needs a Chris McDowall game but otherwise really solid. I’d love to have a group for Electric and/or Mythic Bastionland.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Same. That game looks so cool.

[@kevinsullivan3448]

If it has Classes. levels, and uses a d20 it is D&D.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

It is an eponym for sure. All Kleenex are tissues, but not all tissues are Kleenex.

[@ConlangKrishna]

You had me at "Non-D&D".

[@ElderGoblinGames]

There are plenty of dungeons without any dragons in them.

[@JohnnyBoy1982]

For dark fantasy nothing beats MorkBorg its ruleset is pretty light and most of the dice rolls are player facing... great system for a gritty dark souls like setting. There are a ton of resources for it online and at drive thru rpg

[@gendissaray]

Any way to get in on trying those games with you?

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I'll have to think on that one. I haven't done over the Internet RPGs since lockdown and to be honest I haven't missed it 😅

[@evanstonhost]

Plus the MCDM shirt as a bonus

[@ElderGoblinGames]

He is a river to his people.

[@bobsavage3317]

🔥Burning Wheel!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

🔥🛞🔥

[@nashtrojan]

One blade circles.

[@lucasterable]

The Dark Eye

[@David-su4is]

We've been playing Daggerheart beta for the past few months, as well as Shadowdark and the occasional Cypher System Shorts one offs. Happy gaming.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Awesome! Out of curiosity, what are your impressions of Daggerheart?

[@David-su4is]

@@ElderGoblinGames if you (for me anyway) can come up with a system to organize all your cards it's really smooth. After playing it and then going back to a system with an inisutive roll... we are unamused with inisutive. Honestly I like it a lot, and the person GMing it Luuuvz it. I experienced the only PC death in our gaming so far and chose to go out in a blaze of glory and that was cool and memorable.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

@@David-su4is yeah, initiative has always been a point of friction for me. I'm writing a game right now so I'm constantly trying to think of better ways to do initiative. I like Dragonbane's card system a lot. It's about as close to what I'm looking for without getting too clunky.

[@DeepSpaceSolo]

Burning Wheel in the top 5 is classy AF

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Haha thank you 🫡🔥🛞

[@benitopulatso6637]

Have you looked into Worlds Without Number? I run the sci-fi version, Stars Without Number, and it's a lot of fun. The full base version is free on drivethru.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Actually I have worlds without number and I'm kicking myself for not at least mentioning it for its amazing GM section and world building tools. It's a great game.

[@benitopulatso6637]

@@ElderGoblinGames My crew loved SWN, when I ended the campaign to take a break from DMing (my group rotates DM duties) they asked to play more when I get back in DM's chair, that is a first for them when trying something besides 5e.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

I’d be happy to come play shadowdark.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

If you're ever in western North Carolina, you've got a spot at my table 😅

[@WombatProphecy]

You mention Mouse Guard as a cleaner, lighter version of Burning Wheel. Torchbearer is also a good choice, and as a dungein crawler might be more appealing to some groups than a game about mice.

[@multieyedmyr]

Fabula Ultima is fantastic. Against the Darkmaster has a fantastic system and build your own world. Infinity has an amazing sci-fi world but rules are a bit too crunchy.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

All brand new to me! I will add them to the list of things to investigate when I find the time 😆

[@anthonyvolpato1005]

Cool list, but you should really try getting away from d20 fantasy combat games and explore more stuff. Blades in the dark and swade were great picks btw

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Agreed, but also, Mazes, Burning Wheel, Blade in the Dark and Savage Worlds are all non-d20 and Savage Worlds, Cypher System, Mazes, and Crown & Skull all have plenty of options for non-combat play and most of those aren't intrinsically tied to fantasy or have options for non-fantasy. I think I did more variety than most Top 10 type videos, especially since this is targeted for people who are probably just playing D&D / Pathfinder. Admittedly, a lot of these are combat oriented though. What would some of your suggestions be for games not centered around combat?

[@anthonyvolpato1005]

@@ElderGoblinGames vampire the masquerade and call of cthulu would be two games I would love to see get more love

[@ElderGoblinGames]

@@anthonyvolpato1005 I do need to pick up call of Cthulhu. I typically avoid the horror genre, but that one sounds more up my alley. To be honest I haven't had much interest in vampire the masquerade. But I wouldn't be opposed to someone selling me on it.

[@ravenwulfgar]

Wasted Lands: The Dreaming Age, Night Shift: Veterans of The Supernatural Wars and the upcoming Thirteen Parsecs by Elf Lair Games is more customizeable and a lot lighter on rules than Cypher System.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I don't know any of those, but I'll have to check them out! Thanks for the tip.

[@saschafeld5528]

What do you think about Tiny Dungeons?

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I picked up a PDF of it a while back and haven't given it an honest shakedown, but it seemed pretty simple and straightforward at a glance. Another contender for "my first RPG" from what I did read of it.

[@felixheitzer2262]

The counting county Countdown.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Not sure I get that one?

[@felixheitzer2262]

@@ElderGoblinGames just some random wordplay, sorry

[@jasonnewell7036]

Games that I would play right now if given the opportunity: Earthdawn (the crunchiest game I play, but such a rich and immersive world. I'm a big fan of mechanics that marry up to theme) The One Ring (Tolkienesque gaming at its finest) Root (had a blast running this. Who doesn't want a woodland version of the war of the roses?) Troika! (Weird, science-fantasy where you can really lean into the absurdism. It comes with some really fun modules) Pirate Borg (everything is better with pirates) Mutant: Year Zero (I loved running this and I learned a lot from it, which is impressive considering how far into my rpg career I was before finding this game) Worlds Without Number (the only real D&D clone style game I'm really interested in. It strips away so many of my issues with D&D and the GM section of the book is incredible. Even if you just want to play D&D, get this book as the location generation tools are invaluable.) Electric Bastionland (I really like the aesthetic of this game) Valley of Eternity (a fantasy/western style game, but you are all penguins in Antarctica) Lex Arcana (paranormal investigation, but in Ancient Rome) Panic at the Dojo (I'm intrigued by the systems of this game and have always wanted to run a Streetfighter/side-scrolling brawler type game but didn't want to be slowed down by clunky rules. This one seems much smoother)

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Those are some solid choices! I've heard the One Ring has really interesting travel mechanics. I want Troika, Electric Bastion Lands, and Mutant Year Zero I've got WWN and Root (both are great!) and I've not heard of the rest.

[@jasonnewell7036]

@@ElderGoblinGames One Ring's travel mechanics are a neat little mini game sort of experience. And they feel like they matter rather than just a movement from point a to point b.

[@jasonnewell7036]

@@ElderGoblinGames I've been playing Earthdawn across 4 editions since 1993. It is my go-to fantasy game because the world and lore are so rich. Pirate Borg is the same engine as Mörk Borg, but feels a lot more fun and less bleak than its predecessor. It also has a great, light ship combat system. A game that mechanically incorporates sea shanties and allows you to play a sentient, spell-slinging voodoo chicken is a winner in my book. Valley of Eternity was simply too unique a theme for me to pass up. Playing a grim heroic story with penguins, battling orcas and skuas and the horrible entities of the frozen north simply to save the penguin colonies that depend upon you but can never truly embrace you. Glorious. Panic at the Dojo was a very recent purchase. I saw a review and bought it almost immediately after. I even sprang for a hard copy off Drivethroughrpg. The mechanics are so interesting in how you design and implement your styles, the tactical choices and action management feel really engaging and thematic. It looks like it really captures the feel of a fighting game. I look forward to running it.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

@@jasonnewell7036 wow that is a long time and some dedication. I was 5 years old in 1993 so, TTRPGs weren't even on my radar haha. Pirate borg sounds cool. I've kept a healthy distance from Mork Borg because it sounded too bleak and brutal, even for my group.

[@Gopher86]

Great list but it is definitely missing Forbidden Lands imo.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

For sure. It was between Forbidden Lands and Dragonbane and I went with Dragonbane just for simplicity's sake. Plus it's probably closer to games like D&D for people who aren't familiar with games other than the big two.

[@Gopher86]

@@ElderGoblinGames I totally get that. :-) And thanks for even responding to this admittedly somewhat grumpy sounding comment of mine. Great channel you got there! Please keep it up. Greetings from Germany!

[@Runehammer1]

thanks elder!!!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

No, thank you! Love your stuff dude.

[@weirdguy564]

I'll name a few indie games that I like a lot. Just be aware my favorites are all rules-lite games, because I like rules lite more these days. 1. Mini-Six Bare Bones. This is an evolution of the Star Wars D6 game simplified, and improved in a few ways. First, rules are free to download. Second, the game is all generic/all genres. Rules improvements are for combat that was an opposed roll before, but now just pre-calculates your defense rolls to speed up combat by halving the dice rolls (but the original combat system is also included if you want). It also has improvements for the Wild Die (exploding dice mechanic), and how you can use Hero Points. It also includes basic settings for a few games based on Firefly/Serenity, Willow, 70's cops and robbers, and Star Wars. 2. Dungeons and Delvers Dice Pool Edition. This game was made to be simpler for kids, but I still like the dice mechanic. Every stat and skill starts as a D4, but your class improves a few stats and skills that make logical sense. It fixes things I dislike about D&D rules where characters gain gazillions of hit points, and Vancian Magic. Here, you start with single digit hit points, but max level is only about 50-75% more than that, i.e. 5 to start and 8 to end with. Magic is a skill check like everything else. Throwing a knife and throwing a fireball are the same, and do the same damage and range. The dice pool comes from your race and class skills giving you more dice, but the thing is your final roll of all your dice isn't added together, but instead you just pick the two biggest ones and those make your final roll. 3. Tiny D6 system. This isn't just one game, but a whole bunch, each one based on a genre like super heroes or mecha pilots. The game rules are VERY simple. A task roll is just 1D6 if its hard, 2D6 if its normal, or 3D6 if its easy. If any die rolls as a 5 or 6, you succeed. You don't roll stats. You just pick a class and that gives your starting hit points and a special class ability, and a couple of additional abilities you can pick from a list. It is very easy, and is also meant for kids as there is no math. For me the appeal is that the same rules are used for a bunch of genres, so you don't need to re-teach a kid new rules when you want to switch genres. The bad news is that each game is sold separately. 4. Kogarashi. This is medieval fantasy Japan. Samurai, Ninjas, martial artists, ect. The game uses six stats from D&D, but Constitution is gone, and Honor/Reputation replaces it. It is a roll equal or under, and only uses a 1D6. Your stats start as 1-4. Interestingly, rolling an attack, the number rolled is also your damage. A Strength of 3 means your character can do 1-3 damage per hit. Armor is a savings throw, and essentially is your 7th stat, reducing damage by how much you rolled. Magic is a skill roll, some of which can be used only once a day, or other spells can be used again until you fail, resetting the next day. All classes have 20 abilities and spells to pick from, but magicians get the more crazy & supernatural spells. It also includes a few rules for how to play solo, including random tables to generate dungeons and a basic "oracle" table to answer questions like, "Does this evil NPC have a sister? Is that sister the actual bad guy?"

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I have Tiny Dungeon, is that part of the tiny d6 system? The rest I've not heard of.

[@weirdguy564]

@@ElderGoblinGames Yes, Tiny Dungeon is one of the games they make in that series. I would argue it is actually the one game that isn't so great, however. Tiny Dungeon doesn't do body armor well, and has only a suggestion on how magic can work. The other games are all good, though.

[@DM_Bluddworth]

I’d recommend Castles & Crusades.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Cool I'll check it out!

[@HekylHyde]

Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Starforged need to be on this list. Designed as solo RPGs, they are also brilliant for co-op and guided play.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I've only recently become aware of Ironsworn / the idea of solo RPGs in general. I do need to check it out!

[@HekylHyde]

@@ElderGoblinGames Not gonna lie... I couldn't wrap my brain around the idea at first, but once I finally dove in, I had the most immersive role-playing experiences in my 44+ years of role-playing. And I've played Starforged co-op and it's incredible. The Sundered Isles expansion for Starforged is awesome, too!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

It will definitely be added to my ever growing list 😅

[@chrishall5440]

White Box OD&D is my go to, but here some things I’d like to run sometime this year: Lamentations of the Flame Princess Coriolis Symbaroum Call of Cthulhu Vaesen Forbidden Lands Advanced Fighting Fantasy Hyperborea

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Those are some excellent choices (IMHO)!

[@falconloverlover9729]

I personally love call of cthulhu. The rules seem very complicated but you really only need the basics and the horror/detective stories are great for one shots

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Horror is definitely a genre I haven't delved much into, but I hear great things about Call of Cthulhu. And I can definitely get behind a d100 roll under system. The mechanics are just so intrinsic to percentile.

[@voidsquirrel2395]

@@ElderGoblinGames I also reccomend you to look into -Trail of Cthulhu- by pelgrane press. It is using the gumshoe system. a system that is designed for investigation in mind. And the mechanics for sanity is just *Chefs kiss*

[@johnguidry6035]

What is your take on Worlds Without Number?

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I think Worlds Without Number has the best DMG (..GMG?) of any game out there. Honestly it probably deserved an honorable mention just for that. It's got so many tables and tips for world building details. I'm kind of beating myself up for not mentioning it.

[@tomgartin]

1:34 13. Savage Worlds 2:14 12. Crown & Skull 3:18 11. ShadowDark 4:26 10 and 9. Cairn and Knave 5:29 8. Blades in the Dark 6:37 7. Index Card RPG 8:12 6. Cypher System 9:57 5. Dungeon Crawl Classics 11:27 4. Burning Wheel 12:53 3. Mausritter 14:06 2. Mazes 15:25 1. Dragonbane

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I should really start doing these 😅 thanks for doing the legwork for me. I also put them in the description. Giga Chad right here!

[@Wolf359inc]

No love for GURPS? I was an AD&D player, and also a The Fantasy Trip player. But when GURPS first came out, I never looked back. GURPS has been in its fourth edition now for many years, because it doesn’t need a fifth edition (yet - the game design still holds up, but it still needs a decent vehicle creation system). As simple, or complex, as you like, where you can design your characters free-form, or using a template, both to a points total, that makes characters balanced, but not necessarily equal. Play in any genre, without needed to learn new rules for each. Play in a cinematic universe, or with gritty realism, or any combination of each. Multiple options for magic systems, how psionics work, divine magic, etc. GURPS can be whatever you want it to be, and played however you want to play. The name is an acronym. GURPS stand for Generic Universal Role Playing System. And it takes each of these words seriously. Originally designed as a placeholder, pending the creation of a “cool name”, the designer(s) eventually decided it was the perfect name for the game. You can download the “core” rules for free, from Steve Jackson Games, if you want to try before you buy. Take a look. You might just discover the game you have always been looking for. Cheers,

[@ElderGoblinGames]

​@@Wolf359incRight on! I need to give GURPS another look. Admittedly I haven't glanced at it in a long, LONG time because it used to be the crunchiest game on the block, but it sounds like it got some good updates. I like it's flexibility, but back in the day at least, I wasn't crazy about the amount of homework. 😂

[@tomgartin]

@@ElderGoblinGamesThey’re great summaries. Definitely worth coming back to when I want to remember what the selling points are for my group to try something new

[@czaere]

Mork Borg

[@takanobaierun]

[@ElderGoblinGames]

[@UlissesSampaio]

GURPS!

[@devourlordasmodeus]

I kinda love THAC0

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I'm glad there are some people out there who enjoy it, I am not among* them 😆

[@devourlordasmodeus]

@@ElderGoblinGames I think it's really one of those things where your brain either takes to the math or not

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Fair. I'm definitely the latter.

[@NefariousKoel]

I always thought the best way to do THAC0 was just subtract the target's AC from the THAC0 number. It gives you the target 'To Hit' number. No table look-ups required. I know I'm not the only one who did it this way, but it seems other old-timers just got used to the more .. involved.. method. That said, rising scale AC is just simpler by one step.

[@Grim119119]

Rolemaster Unified gets no love 😢.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I actually know nothing about that one

[@ArchmageArispen]

Hi there, is there any way to send you a private message? I tried all the links you have on yt and none worked, maybe I'm dumb :P

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Sorry mastodon and Twitter are the best ways to contact me at the moment. I may make a business email in the future. The links are working on my end though, that's strange..

[@ArchmageArispen]

@@ElderGoblinGames The thing is, I could not send you a direct message on any of these platforms. Or I am doing something wrong.

[@SergioLeRoux]

I guess not all the games in that pile made it into the list.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Just 13 of them. 😅

[@SergioLeRoux]

@@ElderGoblinGames Yeah I meant the 13 on the pile are not the same 13 in the video 😇 I just assumed they were the ones in the list but I think that's just your regular pile that's in every video, lol.

[@user-en9nw8jp7h]

No Mork Borg?????? Or any of the amazing games built on the borg system WTF Edit- P.S sorry for the WTF .....sorta

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I think Mork Borg looks cool, but I showed a few of my players LotFP and they thought that looked too bleak and gritty, so I'm guessing I would be the only one who wanted to run MB.

[@Soccer67]

Symbaroum?

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I do love Symbaroum! I think it has super interesting lore. My card got declined when I tried to buy it, so I'm going to have to find a vendor that sells it on the US side of things.

[@zombietotseater3894]

What!?! No Mutant Epoch!?! I Greta Thunberg you. “How dare you “. William MacAusland has the best non-OGL out there. (Fan Boy here) and has contributed tons to the art of many ‘O OSR games

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Never heard of it! What are its selling points?

[@TweaksDIRT]

Runequest

[@ElderGoblinGames]

One of your favorites, or the one you want to run next?

[@tommartin1223]

I like Champions

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Had to Google that one. I've not heard of it. Looks like a super hero RPG if I found the right one?

[@Iron_Wyvern]

No Hârnworld?!

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I actually know nothing about that one. Any good?

[@Iron_Wyvern]

@@ElderGoblinGames It's the most detailed fantasy setting ever. Very gritty, lower magic kind of thing. You can use the setting with any system but there's a system designed specifically for it called Hârnmaster.

[@strangebeer]

Comment comment like like comment...

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Reply reply, comment reply.

[@strangebeer]

@ElderGoblinGames algorithm traction traction like like comment. Have you ever played Land of Ugg rpg? Players are all cavemen and you are only allowed 7 words ..it makes for an interesting evening

[@devourlordasmodeus]

"JJ what am I doing here?"

[@ElderGoblinGames]

🤣🤣🤣 classic

[@Joshuazx]

0:55 "can't game; cognitive load diminished." shows baby. Oh yeah? I have ADHD and I'm a professional analyst and I'm writing another novel. Your move.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

Yeah, but do you have kids? 😅

[@Joshuazx]

@@ElderGoblinGames pshaw. I have pets. Same thing.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

@@Joshuazx yeah, I used to think having kids was a breeze, that's until I spent six consistent months with two to four hours of sleep a night. My brain truly has not been the same ever since. But to be honest it was barely holding on before that. 😅

[@Joshuazx]

@@ElderGoblinGames lol you win.

[@Joshuazx]

@@ElderGoblinGames you win and good on ya!

[@michaelmullenfiddler]

I doubt I am the first to point this out here in Commentia, yet point it out I shall!: Ahem, sir, you made a whole big "Top 13 non DnD rpgs" list, and yet you did not mention Matt Colville's game. Why is this significant enough to waste effort pointing it out? Cause you're wearing an MCDM shirt! Lol. But seriously, at least give a disclaimer why you are wearing that shirt and yet you make no mention of THAT game. Lol [Ed. The editors and staff of this comment are hereby taking this opportunity to acknowledge that this commentor does not own, has never seen, and has no affiliation with Matt Colville or his game (which game, btw, this commentor is too lazy and distracted to bother asking The Google what said game is called...). Commentor simply feels the need to be snarcky. 😁 ]

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I have high hopes for the MCDM RPG (they're being very cloak and dagger about the name), but I only review games I've either run myself, played in, or have read so thoroughly I'd be confident in running it. I did back the Kickstarter for that one though, and I look forward to reading through it. But as it stands I know very little about it, and it keeps fluctuating rules so frequently I can't really keep a bead on what the final product is going to look like. You're not wrong though, I have backed More than a few MCDM products and even have a couple of their shirts, I could have at least mentioned it haha.

[@richardallen6431]

TOTALLY feeling the "Diminished mental capacity" lol mine is five, so counting down the years till we play

[@Trevro450]

I've just got my 5yo rolling a d20 for hit v miss and roll damage die. He also rolls my enemy HP. Also 5 yo's are AMAZING at coming up with Goblin names (ex. Mly (pronounced m-lie), Gligl, Illit, Loap, Itrill)

[@lord_insany]

reddit personified

[@ElderGoblinGames]

?

[@jasonnewell7036]

Whenever a game mentions a character funnel, I tune out. I really don't like the concept.

[@NefariousKoel]

You don't have to do funnels. Just start at 1st level. If you're GM'ing anyway.

[@ElderGoblinGames]

It's definitely not for everyone, but that's a great suggestion. Some of those games, if you skip the funnel you might enjoy. Like DCCs leveling feels exponential to me!

[@jasonnewell7036]

Oh, yeah. I get that. It's just that psycho-somatic response sort of thing. I hear "character-funnel" and I react.

[@whiskeyvictor5703]

What?!?! No Traveller? No Advanced Fighting Fantasy? No Tunnels & Trolls? No Meadows & Megaliths?

[@ElderGoblinGames]

I was trying to stick to things I had physical copies of the show off 😅 Traveller is so cool though! It has my favorite character creation of anything. I haven't seen the others.