When making an epic adventure for your friends, it may be difficult to decide on a TTRPG system to base it on. If you don’t want to make your own and want a great system to use, then look no further than these amazing TTRPG systems.
Table of contents
Blades in the Dark
Blades in the Dark is an incredibly freeing and fun TTRPG system that provides players with gritty freedom that is seldom seen elsewhere. Although the theme of Blades in the Dark is of heists and criminal syndicates, a GM is free to take the systems and integrate them into any other themed adventure.
What makes Blades in the Dark’s system stand out is the brilliant approach to planning and contingencies. Players get to jump into the action, and upon coming across obstacles or problems, they can either roleplay a flashback that explains why there’s actually no problem at all (at the cost of stress) or they get to pretend they were prepared with an item for this exact occasion (at the cost of a checkmark).
The players are scarcely unprepared in the Blades in the Dark system, allowing for the real meat of the game to be in the problem-solving and web of preparations and creativity that goes with it. Naturally, players can only do this so much, meaning actual planning and caution is necessary. If you’re hosting TTRPG where your players are professionals, Blades in the Dark will complement that perfectly.
Cyberpunk 2020
Cyberpunk 2020 is currently the best Cyberpunk RPG system going. It’s gritty, harsh, lethal, and makes you really feel like you’re fighting for your life in every scenario. If you want to craft a more realistic game without much power fantasy, then you’ll find it here.
In true Cyberpunk fashion, Netrunning and cybernetic enhancements are par for the course here, allowing players to become noticeably stronger with each upgrade. Every improvement will be relished thanks to the harsh realities of street combat.
If this is the vibe you’re after, you won’t get better than Cyberpunk 2020. You can take the core tenets of this TTRPG system without the Cyberpunk aesthetic, although that will be pretty difficult.
Pathfinder 2e
Pathfinder is commonly regarded as the trickier cousin to Dungeons & Dragons, and for good reason. Although it’s an offshoot of a previous D&D system, Pathfinder has found its own identity. It can be pretty difficult to create your own adventure in Pathfinder due to how many rules there are, but if you’re playing with an advanced group, this may not be an issue.
For a fantasy adventure with lots of rules and stipulations, Pathfinder is what you want. The rules here can allow for a more grounded and less wobbly experience if you want to make a serious fantasy world for your players to explore.
Due to how rigorous Pathfinder is, it can be hard to make it your own, but that may be exactly what you’re after if you don’t want to spend much time calibrating an existing TTRPG.
Call of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhu deviates from the typical TTRPG mantra by providing a system that’s not intended for action or dungeon crawling but for investigating and discovery. H.P. Lovecraft’s horrors have always been perfect inspirations for Call of Cthulhu games, naturally, but you can totally make your own existential horror.
Players in Call of Cthulhu will be less concerned with battle and action but with staying far away from whatever Eldritch horror is waiting around the corner. It is up to the players to try and banish or destroy whatever evil is lurking, but success is never guaranteed.
If you want a TTRPG system that allows you to make a game where your players are fish out of water and the prey instead of the predator, then Call of Cthulhu is a great pick.
D&D 5e
Who doesn’t know about Dungeons and Dragons? It’s the most popular TTRPG system out there, and although it may be common to dunk on this system because of how mainstream it is, it’s mainstream for a reason.
D&D is easy to work with and allows you to create an original fantasy world pretty easily. If you want to make a grand, fantastical adventure, you’ll easily be able to do so. The systems are just complex enough to provide satisfying depth without getting too in the weeds. The freedom here also allows you to make games with varying emphasis on rules and other systems.
I’ve had plenty of experience with D&D and yet none of the games I’ve made have stuck strictly to the D&D formula. For beginner GMs wanting to make their own elaborate worlds, starting with the D&D TTRPG system is a solid choice.
Warhammer 40K Wrath and Glory
Wrath and Glory is a controversial TTRPG with as many pros as cons. It’s a system that allows for extreme power fantasy and can be broken and exploited to no end. However, if you’re in the market purely for a TTRPG system and you’re a beginner GM, then you may find some strange value here.
It’s simple and easy to learn, making it great for casual and beginner groups. You can take the TTRPG system and leave the Warhammer 40K dressings behind. This is a little extra work, but for a one-shot or casual grand adventure, the system here may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Due to the potential exploits players may come across, you will want to work with a group that enjoys roleplaying more than the min-maxing.
Delta Green
Similar to Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green is a darker TTRPG system where the players will always feel vulnerable and powerful in the face of whatever urban horror mess is waiting for them. The mechanics employed in Delta Green allow for tense and dramatic engagements and satisfying progress.
The modern setting allows roleplay to be much more accessible to everyone, although you can take the brilliant mechanics found in Delta Green and assign them to a setting of your choice.
You’ll want to look into Delta Green if you want your players to navigate a world with very little hope yet just enough gusto to see it through or delay the inevitable.
Stars Without Number
Stars Without Number is one of the greatest sci-fi TTRPGs out there, thanks to the detailed and incredibly helpful generators it uses. As a GM creating the universe your players are embarking into, it can be incredibly useful to have these generators on standby to create full planets and civilizations at the drop of a hat.
If you’re an experienced GM wanting to create a large-scale sci-fi adventure for your group, then Stars Without Number is the system you’ll want to use. This isn’t so beginner-friendly as this system was developed with sandbox games in mind.
For an adventure where your players can explore any world or star they wish and you don’t have to individually sculpt thousands of worlds, Stars Without Number is what you need.
Scum and Villainy
For a plucky space adventure, Scum and Villainy (from the same creators as Blades in the Dark) presents everything a GM would need. If you’ve used Blades in the Dark before and are up for a change of theme, then Scum and Villainy is worth a try.
There are differences between the systems, however, for the savvy GM just looking for a great TTRPG system. However, you won’t be able to use this system for anything else other than a space adventure because of how curated it is. It can be adapted to existing space sci-fi franchises and settings, however, thanks to it being malleable.
A power fantasy in space, Scum and Villainy has all the tools a GM needs to build up a space opera for their players. It’s great fun and allows for high-stakes adventures.
Slayers
Slayers is a fantastic TTRPG system that gives both the GM and players a lot of freedom. Set in a city cursed to expand forever, players take on the roles of Slayers to wander the streets and purge them of the beasts that lurk.
What makes Slayers special is the asymmetric combat and the constantly shifting setting. This system allows the GM extreme freedom, as you can play off the different combat mechanics employed by different classes to create dynamic and unique encounters. Also, the shifting setting allows you literally change your mind mid-campaign.
You can take the many systems of Slayers and remove them from the urban setting to create a very strange and exciting adventure. It may be tricky to pull off, but it will result in some truly unforgettable campaigns and encounters.
Published: Sep 21, 2024 10:05 am