rpgpolls

[rpgpolls]

who let biologists play dnd

[rpgpolls]

Just learned about Bull Press, a tabletop publisher that focuses on games that are prison compliant (no hardcover, no dice, no maps), and their catalogue seems sick as hell. Def gonna pick smth up when I get paid next

[rpgpolls]

Being into indie ttrpgs on Tumblr is a very funny experience because while you're ambiently considering designing a little game about idk, gremlins growing cabbages or whatever there are people who built this hobby from the ground up with 15 award winning published games and three podcasts and a knighthood from a small European monarchy just doing their thing on the same platform. Imagine this was the case for any other hobby. You go to shoot some hoops behind your house and LeBron James is just there

[rpgpolls]

I say a lot of stuff on this blog about "play another game" and I really want people to understand what I mean about that. monopolies are bad. DnD has, through marketing and business decisions and luck and capital, dominated the entire hobby in a way that no other creative genre has ever seen before.

[rpgpolls]

[rpgpolls]

"You can run any setting or game in 5e, the DM just has to do a rules overhaul!" This is why your friend goes on social media and complains about being a forever DM.

[rpgpolls]

ask game for ttrpg projects

Send an emoji and I’ll answer!

🌀Post the pitch for a game you’re working on.

❄️Share a piece of flavour text from a game you’re working on.

🌤️Share your favorite mechanic from a game you’re working on.

🌈 Share your favourite class/playbook from one of your games (name the game, or let me choose).

🌧️Share something melancholy from one of your games (name the game, or let me choose).

🌼Share something beautiful from one of your games (name the game, or let me choose).

🌩️ Share something spooky from one of your games (name the game, or let me choose).

☔Is there a game idea you have that you’re not sure you’ll ever write? If so, what is it?

[rpgpolls]

[rpgpolls]

Do you like food? Do you like street food? DO YOU LIKE FANTASY STREET FOOD?! DO YOU LIKE FANTASY STREET FOOD TTRPGS?! DO YOU LIKE FREE FANTASY STREET FOOD TTRPGS?!? DO YOU LIKE TO LEAVE TIPS FOR CREATORS WHO MADE FREE FANTASY STREET FOOD TTRPGS?!

[rpgpolls]

Happy Independent TTRPG Month!

July is Independent TTRPG Month and RPGPolls is joining in on the fun in celebrating small press games that are just as if not more fun than the famed Seattle game.

This is a little overdue but I have been exhausted between work, my GM-ly duties, and some projects I have going.

Non D&D focused polls to come but for now enjoy a list of small press games I enjoy under the read more. Happy Indie RPG Month and happy rolling!

Dungeon Crawl Classics (and its variants) - An absolutely gonzo OSR fantasy game and what I currently run at my table. Cannot recommend it enough.

Shadowdark RPG - A wonderful bridge between the OSR school of play and 5e. Don't know how available it is since the kickstarter just finished but I ran Andrew Kolb's Neverland using it and had a blast.

13th Age - A super simple d20 system made by some of the devs who worked on 3.5 and 4e. Plays like a wonderful blend of the two and makes natural rolls more important beyond the usual 1s and 20s. Super fun.

Fantasy AGE (and its variants) - A 3d6 system that's a lot of fun. Popularized by Wil Wheaton's Titansgrave setting/game. I feel like it's magic system is a little lacking but overall its a fast paced and creativity focused game.

The Apocalypse Engine - For the sake of simplicity and brevity, all PbtA games will be counted under here. Requires a lot of player creativity and buy in but overall super fun and versatile. An indie darling to be sure.a

Swords and Wizardry - One of the big three systems that basically started the OSR movement (the other two being OSRIC and Labyrinth Lord). Unfortunately I only played this system briefly and without understanding what it stood for. 5e came out like a month after I started to the campaign was quickly converted. Would love to revisit it.

The Cortex System - Mostly used this to play the Serenity RPG. It's a decent system and good for what it is but the combined die types as stats doesn't work with me.

GURPS - What Fallout was originally going to be based off of, GURPS is a monster of a generic system. If you can think of it, it's probably got a rule for it. Works best when you narrow it down and can be a little complicated. You may have better luck with

Savage Worlds - A more streamlined generic roleplaying game with tons of pre-made settings. The card initiative mechanic is a refreshing take on the mechanic and the bennie system is so much fun. Full props.

Crash Pandas, Honey Heist, Goblin Quest and anything by Grant Howitt - Solid gold, great, light, comedic games that are guaranteed to make for a night of fun. No notes. Goblin Quest in particular is heavily underrated imo.

We Are But Worms - Meets the bare definition of a roleplaying game. Play it constantly with my friends. All we have to do is look at each other, say one word, and the game gets going.

I could go on. There's a metric ton of RPGs that I've played and even more that I haven't but would love to. Fiasco (I can never get anyone to play with), Blades in the Dark, Candela Obscura, Mork Borg, the Black Sword Hack and so many others with more catching my eye every day. So take the remainder of this month (and beyond) to explore the community and play something you haven't - or maybe even never planned to. This hobby has so much more to offer than WotC and Paizo and so much more to offer than just roll high on a d20 in a fantasy game. Get out there and start rolling the bones (or not in some cases!) And have fun!