When most people think of pen and paper (or “tabletop”) RPGs, they immediately think of Dungeons & Dragons. While this may be the most popular, there are hundreds of tabletop games, with at least a dozen new games coming out each year.
While D&D might not be for everyone, there is bound to be at least one tabletop game that catches your interest. Here are some of the best alternatives to look into.
Best D&D alternatives for tabletop gaming fans
Shadowrun
While most high fantasy games like D&D are set in the past, Shadowrun is set in the distant future . It retains many magical elements of standard high fantasy games, such as varying races and magical abilities.
The game’s backdrop is cyberpunk rather than a mythical landscape. The game also uses a freeform skill system instead of actual classes. This makes character abilities incredibly customizable . This is a perfect game for anyone who enjoys futuristic settings.
Pathfinder
The main competitor to D&D, Pathfinder is another high fantasy tabletop game that uses the same engine as Dungeons and Dragons . In fact, Pathfinder was actually created as an extension of D&D 3.5 editions.
As such, the gameplay between the two is very similar. Pathfinder is typically a good choice for anyone who wants more options. D&D only creates a finite amount of content per edition. Certain races and classes have to be homebrewed if you want to play them in a D&D campaign.
Pathfinder has continued to build on the same content, giving you dozens of options to choose from. This makes it a particularly good alternative to 3.5 fans, as it’s basically the same game but with more content.
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Call of Cthulhu
Like D&D, Call of Cthulhu is a tabletop RPG from the ’80s that remains popular decades after its release . This is one of the oldest survival horror games, and it has created many spinoffs throughout the years.
The story follows the same adventures of the original H.P. Lovecraft’s “Call of Cthulhu” story. Players are regular people dropped into a mysterious world . The classes are based on normal professions, and give unique abilities to the players based on their past.
Players have to worry about both their physical and mental health in order to survive. The game is well known for major player deaths throughout an entire campaign.
All Flesh Must Be Eaten
Have you ever wanted to live out an episode of “The Walking Dead?” Well, this is the perfect RPG to live out your zombie apocalypse nightmares with your friends .
All Flesh Must Be Eaten’s expansions have made it possible to experience almost any version of “zombie” and “zombie fighters.” This gives GMs and players a lot of choices in how they envision the zombie apocalypse will go down.
Apocalypse World
As one of the most successful Kickstarter RPGs, Apocalypse World is the first game to use the Powered by the Apocalypse engine . The game has one of the most unique GM roles ever developed, as there is no prior planning for the MC.
The MC, along with the players, develop the backstory and settings of their post-apocalyptic world. Players each follow a player book based on their class and develop a shared history together . This game has been the inspiration for other popular RPGs like Dungeon World and Monster of the Week.
Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
If you’re new to roleplaying games, then there is no better campaign to play then Beyond the Wall. This game features a simple and easy-to-learn system . The scenarios and character sheets are pre-built , so there is no need to take the time in coming up with new characters or situations. It requires no planning and low maintenance to keep the game going. This is the easiest RPG to get into when you want to have a small and fast campaign.
In conclusion
One of the best things that non-D&D tabletop games tend to have in common is how easy it is to be a GM . While D&D can require hours of planning before a game even begins, many of these games have preestablished settings and situations, making it a much easier adjustment. So, if you’re looking to GM for the first time, you may want to try one of these games before going to D&D.
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