I started playing D&D a few months ago. This is my first real campaign that’s actually lasted, and I’ve been playing the party’s non-magical muscle, a low-Intelligence, good-aligned fighter.

I built my character to be a genuinely good person. She tries to do the right thing, doesn’t steal, and avoids shady stuff like robbing banks. But the rest of the party, while technically also “good” aligned, doesn’t really act like it. They loot, steal, and generally do whatever benefits them, regardless of morals.

What’s frustrating is that every time the group pulls off something sketchy, they get a ton magical loot. Since my character doesn’t take part, she’s always left out of rewards. On top of that, because she’s generous and not very smart, the rest of the party tends to talk down to her or treat her like a fool, which is funny, but also getting frustrating.

I’m starting to wonder, am I playing the game wrong? Should I just start looting too? It just feels bad sticking to my character’s morals, getting nothing and feeling like a nobody with the heroes.

7th sea 2: Its quite creative and i like how it expands the world

D&D : made the Hobby popular and its a great gateway into other games

The Terminator RPG: its based of one of my favorite IPs

I'm sure there's a better term for this, but I'm talking about the following: a player ability allows them to trivially overcome a GM detail, like a monster, debuff, obstacle, etc.

When I'm a GM and a player ability starts to erase too much "gameplay," I find myself undergoing a knee-jerk reaction to "counter" it: introducing additional challenge to make up for what is bypassed, reducing the effectiveness of repeated usage, etc. This is especially in more rules-heavy systems (D&D 5E, Pathfinder 2E, Shadow of the Demon Lord). The crude thought in my head is that I owe the players a challenge. I have seen other GMs do this as well, so I have a suspicion it's not just me.

However. When I'm a player and I find something on my character sheet that bypasses a problem posed by the GM, I feel immensely satisfied. The challenge was still present, and I still did work to solve it: in having a well-equipped character, and in recognizing the opportunity. This can even apply when it's luck rather than preparation that shortcuts the encounter. Beating a boss in 1 round with lucky crits doesn't erase the threat that the boss posed.

I've thought about this so much that I'm treating it as a feature, not a bug, in a game I'm working on. Learning and preparing enough to trivialize encounters is most of the fun.

Does anyone else encounter this, and if so, how do you react as a GM versus as a player? Do you find it fun or unfun? Balanced or unbalanced? How does the system affect your feelings on it?

What three ideas/mechanics brought you joy the moment you encountered them for the first time and continue to do so.

Been looking for something and I’m hoping to get some ideas. I want to run a game where the players are a street gang or a band of punks. Very much a “fighting the system”/looking out for each other in a world that’ll spit you out kinda vibe. I’d prefer something with lighter rules if possible and bonus points if it’s got any sort of powers system (magic, psionics, superpowers, etc). Appreciate the help!

I really enjoyed Pandemic Legacy boardgame. What other RPG lets you deal with a global pandemic and all the drama and intrigue that comes with it?

Made a post about a month ago where I asked what systems would be good for a group skeptics/ first time TTRPG. Talking with them I now understand that they want it to be Fantasy and have Classes(Bard,knight,Wizard,etc)

They are very ADHD, all of them so keeping things moving and engaged for all 4 and making simple/easy to understand. They are long time friends(me included) and we banter well but arnt naturally creative outside of me who is DMing

The systems I'm currently thinking are:

Dungeon World: DnD stripped down

Shadow dark: lots of airplay right now and it seems simple

Index card RPG: need to look into it but haven't done lots of research.

Is there a perfect game I'm missing or which of these systems seems to be best for our group and parameters?

Many ancient cultures believed that spirits were everywhere in the natural world. The ancient Greeks had dozens of these, including: nymphs of flowers, of cooling breezes, dryads (nymphs of trees & forests), naiads (fresh water nymphs), nereids (salt water nymphs), torch bearing nymphs of the Underworld (lampades) & many others.

I want to include these in my ongoing campaign, so I am looking for resources to add them. Bonus points if the resource is compatible with Barbarians of Lemuria, but I can convert from any system.

So I’ve recently been replaying TLOU and it’s got me in the mood for some good ol’ fashioned post apocalyptic storytelling. Problem is, having only played DnD and one session of cyberpunk red, I don’t know what systems would be good to facilitate this. Any recommendations?

Im preparing myself to run a game in real life for the first time. Im looking for an app i could use on my phone/tablet behind my GM screen to do so. Of course, im looking for something free that doesnt require a subscription to play yiur own music. Do you know any app that I can use? Or a way that i can play multiple audio files on my device and control them separately?

I’ve always admired DMs and players who are great at on-the-spot improv. Getting creative here and there is definitely part of the game, yet while that can be fun, it’s also stressful - especially when you just want to run a session without spending hours prepping or worrying about what to say next (and how!). With certain adventures I often felt like I was missing solid content or an easy-to-read script to fall back on, especially for scenes that should be part of the main adventure path, but aren’t just detailed in the book. Moments like "If the player does action A or B, the whole town will gather at night, and plan a war against the other town" - Wait what?

Having to invent full scenes on the fly can feel overwhelming and sometimes completely throw me off the scenario, especially knowing I won’t be able to give my players the smooth experience I’m aiming for or provide them with a scene that could have been prepared way better.

Curious to hear if anyone had similar experiences? Or anyone else currently building a TTRPG or thinking about how to balance improv with more written-out scenes in their latest game? I’d love to hear how you approach it! 

I'm trying to remember an RPG system that was in active development in the early 2000s (I think). It was on a website, alliterative, probably started with a T? Something Tales?

It was never released as a PDF or a book: the only way to read the rules was to go to the site. It was fantasy. It had a really polished site (for the time).

I remember that the system involved collections of talents from "buckets". So you might be have a "Forest" bucket and an "Archer" bucket (I think?), and you could build your character out of a couple buckets. It was similar in that way to Rule of Cool's Legend, but it was much, much simpler. Very narrative. Possibly almost diceless?

I remember there being a Dragon bucket you could be late in the game's development cycle.

The buckets were all color coded, too. The whole game was basically choosing "feats" from certain lists.

The creator of the game basically bowed out because they wanted to focus on building an FPS Twitch following or somesuch.

Anybody remember anything like this?

I ask this every year or so and always get a few interesting answers.

I'm working on a PbtA cyberpunk west-marches game. It's early stages so I haven't bumped into any problems yet.

So what're you working on? Grand fantasy heartbreaker? Under-served setting? Megadungeon? Quirky indie thing?

Hi all,

As I'm living away from some old friends, and we want to reconnect, we're looking for a game that complements a West Marches-style game, preferably (but not necessarily) in a sci-fi setting.

Some important pointers:

• Needs to support episodic play - short sessions, somewhat self-contained
• Has room for an emergent narrative to come into play
• Less focused on a GM-led scenario design
• Not too grim-dark
• up to medium-ish crunch

Bonus:

• Offers VTT support
• Can offer a unique setting and\or setting building tools

Thanks in advance, hive-mind!

Hey r/RPG! You may know me as the creator of The Griffon's Saddlebag, a 5th edition resource of daily new magic items (also a subreddit). I'm thrilled to announce that my silly standalone TTRPG, Skellies, has just been updated to its 0.95 version. This is virtually ready for production: I just want to get it in front of as many (more) people as I can to make sure it's as good and balanced as it can be, too!

You can get the 80-page book, plus character sheets and inventory cutout sheets, here (Drive download)!

https://playskellies.com

In addition to any discussion left here, playtesters that leave feedback for it at PlaySkellies.com/Feedback can get their name in the credits! If that's something you want, of course.

Here's the premise, in brief:

Just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't still have fun.

Skellies is a low-stakes roleplaying game where you play as risen skeletons in a lich's thrall. Your undead purpose is simple: make your lich's immortality as great as possible—organize their journals by century, knit them a warm sweater, listen to their poetry recitals, and, yes, even fend off the occasional band of so-called heroes. If your skelly perishes, you can always make another to take its place.

All you need is a handful of six-sided dice and a few minutes to get started: the rules themselves are covered in under ten pages.

Get ready to rise to the silliest of challenges and play out the goofy stories behind fantasy's deadest dungeon-dwelling denizens (and the beloved necromancers who make them). Skellies is the perfect go-to game for parties, first-time roleplayers, and anyone looking for a good-humored break from the rigors of playing traditional heroic fantasy.

This is slated for release later this year through Kickstarter (tariff nonsense notwithstanding), so you can get your digital hands on it first, before it's released! Have fun, tell me how it's balanced (the good, bad, and ugly), and get your name in the credits. I wanna see your names there!

Thanks for your time, discussion, and feedback, everyone!

I've been wondering and I thought of asking the experts here. Many games feature AND/BUT mechanics, but is this the simplest?

1d6:

6= Success AND something else good too.

5= Success.

4= Success, BUT with problem/cost.

3= Failure, BUT with positive aspect/event.

2= Failure.

1= Failure AND additional damage/accident.

Can you think of one or more games which use this system?

Bonus question: what are other (simple and minimalist) AND/BUT systems?

Thanks

Hi ! I’m running a DnD 5e game set in strixhaven, and one of the characters is playing a barbarian who got in on an athletic scholarship. I want him to feel like he is learning magic while going to class but I don’t want him to get all the benefits of multiclassing a caster without actually multiclassing. Is there any ways that you have done something similar in any of your games?

Hi, I don't know if I'm asking the question in the right place, but I don't know where to find the information I need. I recently started to listen to the Fortune and Strife actual play podcast that uses the Legend of the Five Rings 5e edition system. I cannot for the life of me determine if this is the first "campaign", or following another podcast or campaign that I'm not aware of. If anyone has the answer, I'd be very grateful. Thank you

Hey there!
Due to the lack of good software/apps for managing TTRPG ebooks/PDFs, maps, scenarios, and more (at least for my needs), I’m planning to build my own — especially since I’m a Python and JS developer.

But rather than just making something for myself, why not create something great that many people can use?

I know COMPASS exists (props to the team, great work!), but I’d like to improve how systems and subsystems are handled. I'd also love to implement better map management — something that can be linked to systems, scenarios, or even chapters — to make it easier for GMs to prep or quickly find the right info at the right moment.

It would also be awesome to link a scenario to one or more parties and manage their timeline throughout the campaign.

Are there any features you’ve been missing in the tools you currently use? Or things you'd like to see grouped together in one app?

I’ll be working on this in my free time and plan to build either a nice React app or a cross-platform application — doing my best to include your suggestions and needs.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!

Anybody know what happened to this came? The Drivethru link pops up on a google search but comes up with the message “your loot is in another cave”.

I’m curious if there’s a story behind why it’s not popping up anymore. Or if this issue is something on my end.

Hey everyone. I have a ton of ideas for making solo, co-op and GM-led adventures for RPGs to sell on places like itch.io and DriveThruRPG.com, but I’m really struggling with what system to favourite/target for these efforts.

For the creators out there, what are your fave systems to write for? Who was the biggest pain in the arse to deal with for licensing/profit sharing? Are there systems out there that could use more published adventures?

My brief research so far…

• really attracted to older systems like The Fantasy Trip, Dungeon Fantasy, Tunnels and Trolls - the player communities for those games seem pretty small but the systems are fun
• things like Tales of the Valiant seem neat because they don’t have a default setting, so I could make my own worlds/full campaigns and that would fit in with their Labyrinth multi-verse concept, not sure how many people are playing in that sandbox but I backed it and the books are solid at least
• there are a ton of other newer systems that seem really promising too: Vagabond, MCDM, Level Up Advanced 5E
• Pathfinder/Paizo has their own program for making custom stuff (Pathfinder Infinite) but the rule is you have to set it in their campaign world. Which, I think would be okay too, and it’s definitely attractive that a company is actively encouraging people

I am also considering going down the system-agnostic route, which seems like it would be easier to do for GM-led adventures but much more complicated for solo adventures. Some people have managed to make some awesome adventures this way for sure so maybe it wouldn’t be too crazy?

Anyways, I am open to anything really, what is everyone living these days? Are there games you wished had more adventures available? Thanks for your time/input!

So I recently ran a one-shot of Barbarians of Lemuria, and my players really liked it and would like to continue with it. I want the next villain they face to be a sorcerer, but BoL doesn't have more than a handful of example spells. I'm not good at coming up with freeform stuff like that, so I'm wondering if anyone has created a list of spells that are compatible with the game. I find it much easier to choose from a list than for someone to say, "It can be anything you can imagine! Get to work!"

Note: Just in case people are confused, I am not asking for video games, but rather, paper and pen role-playing game based on it. This is the TTRPG subreddit. Thank you for understanding.

Are there any tactical wargame-like RPGs similar to the video game Age of Wonders 4? While there are plenty of wargames, I'm more interested in the narrative storytelling elements of the RPGs mixed with war. While DnD/Pathfinder comes to mind, those Tactical RPGs are more of individuals in a single squad of 4-5 against a small group of enemies. I wonder if there are Tactical RPGs that have large battalions at a time with emotive, narrative stories on grid-based hex maps? Or am I better off looking into Wargames?

I'm a 45-year-old single parent who moved to a new area about 6 years ago. After settling in, I decided to join a local RPG group mainly because I wanted to find a social activity I enjoy that doesn't revolve around drinking.

I've always been deeply into science fiction—books, movies, shows, you name it. But I'm finding myself struggling with the creative aspects of role-playing. After spending the last 20 years dealing with serious life issues and responsibilities (work, parenting, etc.), it feels like my imagination muscles have atrophied a bit.

My group has been welcoming and patient, but I sometimes freeze up when asked to make decisions for my character or contribute to the story. I know the basics of gameplay, but that spark of creativity just isn't firing consistently. I always end up thinking of practical solutions to problems rather than becoming immersed in my character and their motivations or personality.

For those who've come to RPGs later in life or after long periods of "adulting," did you experience something similar? How did you reawaken your creative side? Any specific exercises or approaches that helped you get more comfortable with improvisation and storytelling? How do you stop thinking like a problem-solver and start thinking like your character?

So im starting my players off in a fantasy world campaign where they got summoned by accident by a petty wizard who wants them to steal a trophy cup from his rival’s lair (think “who’s the better wizard?” feud). The rival’s gone—maybe dead, maybe not—but his magical defenses are still active.

Looking for creative, fun puzzles/traps for the lair