Come check out my new Substack! Hello dungeon crawlers! I’ve got a bit of news I’m both happy and a bit nervous to share. I have started a new Substack called Insight Check and it is going to be a place where I take a very deep dive into various topics on tabletop roleplaying games. My first piece there is all about why I think 2025 was a landmark year for TTRPGs and could prove to be even more consequential than 2014 when D&D 5th edition released.
If you love this blog, no need to worry, I’ll still be posting here about all kinds of things, including TTRPGs. I just wanted to give Substack a try and see how it goes. Just so you have an idea what is coming up on Insight Check, here is what is coming in the next couple of posts. First, as I said I break down why 2025 was a landmark year for the industry. Next, I’ll be taking a good, deep dive into the Satanic Panic and how that still has an effect on TTRPGs. Then, I will be providing an in depth list of new player tips to help you get your games going with advantage.
There’s no pressure to join and I’m not charging anything for access. But if you have enjoyed my TTRPG work at any point it would mean the world to me if you’d come check out my new Substack.
If you are still hesitant and just want to read the first post I’ve provided a button where you can do that as well.
If you’re still not sold on it, no worries, just keep reading this here blog and we can still be friends. And if you just want to read something TTRPG related right on this blog check out my handy dandy list of Top 5 Call of Cthulhu campaigns here!
As always, thank you for reading. I hope you all have a great start to 2026 and expect more from me soon!
The Enclave TTRPG only requires an understanding of the rules and a bit of paper and pencils to play
Enclave is a tabletop roleplaying game with an ambitious goal. Allow players to play without the use of random number generators like dice or any other assistance outside of pen, paper, and imagination. It’s one of the more interesting games I have played lately and I’m here to tell you who it’s for, who should avoid it, and what’s coming next for the game. I was given a complimentary edition so I could review the game but I have no other affiliation with the makers of the game. My opinions here are all my own. So, let’s dive right in!
What is Enclave?
As I said above this game is diceless. But don’t be fooled, there are rules to the game. And, in fact, playing the game feels a lot more intense than tons of games which do use dice. I’ll get into why that is later in this review but first let’s talk about the concept of the game.
The setting of the game is called Manifold. This is an infinite realm with the locations, events, and inhabitants all determined by the players. Inside of the world of Manifold, there is a group called the Enclave. Each mission starts with a briefing from the members of this entity to the PCs. From there, the players carry out actions, the GM (in this case called a Conduit) narrates NPCs, setting, etc. However, in this game there is a little extra buy in from the players as they can influence parts of the setting.
The structure of the game, in my opinion, is excellent for one-shot adventures, although no doubt, long campaigns are run in this system. Once the mission briefing is done, the action is intense and the game flows very well. Surprisingly so without dice. But there is a caution here. The setup to get to the mission takes more time than many other games. We’ll get more into why that is in a bit.
What do you need to play?
I love a TTRPG that has a low bar of entry to play. Meaning, you don’t need to spend tons of money on things like dice, battle maps, minfigures, core books, etc. And as far as I can tell, this game has the lowest bar of entry of almost any TTRPG I have played. All you need is 2-5 friends, the ruleset, character sheets and something to write with. That’s literally it. No need to invest heavily into lots of extraneous stuff here.
How do you play?
The game is set up with a GM and players. The GM is called the Conduit. The Conduit acts as the moderator of gameplay and narrates the non-player characters and world as in most games. However, there are a few differences. First, there is buy in from the players right at the outset. They give the GM keywords for the Conduit to work with when designing the world. This challenges the GM to incorporate those words into the adventure in some way.
The players and Conduit then talk a little bit about the type of setting they are about to play in. The Conduit generally has final say but the players are encouraged to make suggestions.
Players come equipped with character sheets or make them there prior to the session. The game uses 12 stats that function much like in any roleplaying game with dice, there is just less math involved. There are 6 Classes which each use different Abilities. Again, there is less math involved than in something like Dungeons & Dragons but it would be a mistake to say there are no mechanics here.
While the 6 Classes do represent enough types of characters to slot into most types of scenarios, if I had one complaint about the game, it would be that I would like a few more Classes to choose from. But for your early sessions in Enclave, 6 is probably plenty.
Session time is about 2-3 hours
To run a successful session of Enclave it took my group roughly 3 hours. There are four of us, just to give you a picture of how long it might take. With more people, it will take longer. But one thing to note here, is that the time of actual “in-game” play was probably closer to 45 minutes. We did our character creation, set up the kind of world we wanted to be in (sort of a high-tech fantasy style of setting with a bit of bioweaponry happening alongside magic), and then gave the Conduit time to create the setting.
At the start of the mission, Enclave gives a briefing and then basically teleports the characters to wherever they need to be. There’s no long travel time or mapping things out hex by hex in this game.
We did our mission and then at the end, the Conduit asks for feedback about the session. Players and Conduit all contribute to the discussion, pointing out what they liked and didn’t like and how things could be improved or what they want to see more of.
Who is this game for?
If you’ve been reading this review so far and thought, that sounds like a lot of improvising and character acting all around the table, you are absolutely right! The game is very immersive which I think is a huge strength. Unlike games with dice, there’s no real break from your turn as you need to be paying close attention to what all of the people are doing at any given moment. The Conduit also has to be on their toes to make sure everyone is getting an equal amount of stage time. It’s definitely a balancing act.
My group plays D&D most of the time. Parts of this game felt natural and some of it took more effort. Even having my character sheet in front of me (I played a Gunsligner because, well, Gunslinger) when the Conduit asked me what my Sensory stat was, I found myself almost reaching for imaginary dice. And there were a couple of times where the Conduit started to say “make a check” rather than just asking what the stat was. All this is just to say, it does take some getting used to.
People who love really focusing on the character narrative will absolutely fall in love with this game. People who can really pay attention and want to support other players will also fall in love with this game. If immersion is your thing, this should be your go to game, hands down, bar none.
Who is this game not for?
Big number crunchers, min-maxers, and rules lawyers should all sit this one out. If you want to memorize creature statistics, know exactly what weapon to use to just nuke your opponent, and love the idea of rolling handfuls of dice and adding up the total, this ain’t the game for you.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to play TTRPGs that way. Everyone has their own preferred style. I tend to lean more towards narrative than mathematics myself but crunchy games are their own kind of fun. Enclave has mechanics, there are numbers, and equipment and all that too. But there is not a lot of math.
Do you hate the part of roleplaying where you have to narrate what your character is doing? If you would rather be the person who just says, “I hit it with my longsword” over and over, this game isn’t for you.
A Gunslinger in Enclave
How I recommend using Enclave
I’ve only played one session of this game so far but I do have some advice on how to make the most use out of it. Because there are so few materials needed, and because it only takes a few players, my recommendation here is to use this as your go to one shot game. If you have a regular group but people can’t all make it? This is perfect. Hardly any setup (although definitely recommended for the Conduit to prepare beforehand and for everyone to read the rules) means you can pull this out pretty quick and not lose a whole night of gaming.
I suspect doing this often enough could lead you to a sort of secondary fill in campaign for those days when people have to miss a regular session. The premise is basically get in, do the mission, get out. It’s not as important the exact same people are there every session. But whoever is there needs to be ready to roleplay.
How do I get Enclave? And what’s next?
If you like what you are hearing here, I have some good news. The original game was funded through Kickstarter. And there is going to be an updated version with more classes, different items, and all sorts of bells and whistles called the Enclave: Aspirant edition launching on Kickstarter soon! I recommend following it if you are interested in potentially backing. It’s an independent game by independent creators and supporters of TTRPGs should show it some love.
Almost forgot the art
You didn’t think I would post a TTRPG review without mentioning the artwork did you? Of course not! The game is only about 60 pages long so there is not a ton of art here. But what there is really pops. Greg Taylor is the artist and there’s some standout work. I do wish there was more of it, so I’m hoping in the next edition he gets a little more page space. It all works quite well as far as the narrative of the rules goes. But it’s clearly a big challenge because one of the core concepts of Enclave is that it can take place in almost any setting. It’s tough to cover all those bases.
Want to learn more about Enclave?
I know it’s hard to get a sense of how a game plays just by reading a review. So, I have some ways for you to see the game in action.
Buy the game! (I mean yeah that’s obvious right?)
There is a YouTube channel where Robby Howell, the creator of the game, explains what it is and has actual plays on there. They are a lot of fun to watch. I’ve embedded the first video below so check it out!
You can join their Discord where they discuss al things Enclave and it’s an active community always looking to get a game going.
Some shameless self promotion here. I’ll be doing deeper dives on rules and gameplay experience, not only for this first edition, but also for the second edition once it is out, so keep an eye out for your ol’ pal Slick Dungeon to tell you more!
In Conclusion
Want a fun, fast paced game, where the focus is entirely on the roleplay and not what the dice have to say? Enclave is for you! Not a lot of prep work, not a lot of math, but a ton of narrative focus.
If you truly do love crunchy games (nothing at all wrong with that either btw) then pass this one by, there are other games for you.
If you’ve played this game before I’d love to hear what you thought in the comments below. Did it take you a minute to get used to having nothing to roll like it did me?
Hello everyone, Slick Dungeon here. I’m finally back to do the next entry in my How to play Call of Cthulhu series. This time we’re talking Skills. I’ll go over what they are and how they are used in the game. If you’re new to this game or haven’t seen my earlier posts, start here.
There is an extensive list of skills in the Keeper Rulebook so I won’t be talking about each one individually here. Rather we’re going to talk about the idea of what skills are, some ways they come up in game play, and some things to keep in mind when choosing skills for your investigator.
Skills defined
This will probably sound obvious but a skill is something your character can do. They will have some skills they excel at and others they are very limited in. A taxi driver in New York City might have excellent skill at Drive Auto but would be unlikely to have great skill in Pharmacy. It could happen but it’s just not likely. And it will depend on the background of your character and the circumstances of your campaign.
The skills in the game are represented by a percentage. The higher your investigator’s percentage is in a certain skill, the more likely they are to succeed at any checks made involving that skill. You are limited by the game rules as to how many skills and to what percentage your investigator can have. And you will want to think carefully about what skills would be best to cultivate not only for your investigator but for the era, location, and circumstances of the scenario you are playing in.
Below I will give you the example from the book so you know what skill points mean.
Skill points
On page 54 of the Keeper Rulebook they have a handy chart you can reference if you are not sure how skilled your character is.
Skill points reference chart from page 54 of the Keeper Rulebook by Chaosium
As you can see, it’s advantageous to be higher in any skill you might want to use in the game. But it’s very difficult to be higher than 89% in any particular skill. This wouldn’t be just someone who spent a lifetime honing a skill, they would also be someone who is more of an expert than almost anyone else.
On the opposite end, anyone with 01%-05% has no skill to speak of. When you have a skill this low, you are sometimes able to increase the skill during the game but you have low odds of succeeding on a skill check involving this skill.
The majority of your skills are going to fall somewhere in the middle of this range. There are differing degrees to which you can be successful with these skills. If your skill is above 50% you could make a living at it but you’re not considered a true expert here.
One thing to keep in mind as you are looking at your skills (and that I tended to forget when I first started playing) is that you typically want to roll under your skill percentage to succeed. This is beneficial because the higher percentage you have, the easier it is to succeed. However, progressing in that skill becomes more difficult the higher your percentage is. For example, if you are learning to skateboard and you have never done this before, it’s easy to go from novice to neophyte. But once you become a well known and skilled skateboarder it is much more difficult to go from amateur to professional. And even harder to go from professional to expert.
Skill specializations
Within certain skills there are specializations. For example your investigator might be great at a particular kind of science. Maybe they are a physicist. While a physicist understands science broadly, she isn’t necessarily an expert in biology. The rule book will tell you which group of skills have a specialization. Another example is fighting. You can specialize in certain types of fighting. But if the skill group is specialized you can’t be an expert in that general skill. Our physicist can be an expert in physics but she can’t be an expert in just science in general.
Opposing Skill
For many of the skills listed in the book, there is a section giving guidance about opposing skills and what the difficulty of success is. Let’s go back to our example of the physicist. She wants to conduct an experiment in her lab. She has all of the proper equipment and a hypothesis. She’s up to date on the latest academic research. And she’s got plenty of time to complete the task.
In this situation, the Keeper will likely call for an opposing skill check with a regular difficulty. This means to succeed at her experiment, the player would need to roll equal to or below the skill value of the investigator.
This is a normal experiment where things go well.
Now, let’s take that same example and add some complications. Instead of doing the experiment in her lab, our scientist has found a strange substance in the woods. It’s an area where people have been disappearing and there is no explanation for it. She goes back to her lab but it has burned down. She has some equipment at home and can use her small kitchen for the experiment. This is going to be far more difficult than the first example. This will likely be considered a Hard check by the Keeper. In this case, our investigator has to roll equal to or below half of her skill value. If her skill is 80%, instead of rolling equal to or under 80, she must roll equal to or under 40 to succeed.
Finally, there is an Extreme difficulty. For this, let’s use our example above but add more complications. Now, she’s in her house conducting her experiment but someone set a fire to her house and she has to work fast. In this case the player must roll under one-fifth of her skill value. She has to roll a 16 or less to succeed. Not impossible but very difficult.
Pushing and combining Skills
We’ll get more into this as I dive deeper into game mechanics in a future post but there are sometimes chances to “push” a roll. Basically what it gets down to is when you fail a check there may be circumstances which allow you to roll again. However, as nice as that sounds, there are risks. If you push a roll and then fail again, something even worse than your first failure is likely to happen. It’s a balance knowing when you should push a roll and when you should take the loss. And it’s one of the things that makes the game fun!
Another type of roll you might be asked to make is a combined skill roll. There are two ways this can happen. In the first situation you will roll once but compare your result against two skills. For this result to succeed you have to roll under both skills. If you have a skill with an 80% and one with a 60% and you roll 70 you do not succeed. The second way this can happen is the Keeper may allow you to use one roll and compare the result to either skill. In this example, if you have an 80% in one and a 60% in the other and you roll a 70 you do succeed because you rolled under 80.
This can feel a little awkward at first but as you play it will start to come naturally. And we’ll talk about it more in a later post.
Optional rules
There are some optional rules in the end of chapter on skills in the Keeper Rulebook. These have to do with transferable skills in the specializations and languages. I’m not really going to go into those here. These rules are optional so it’s up to the discretion of the Keeper. What they boil down to is when you become more of an expert in one particular part of your specialization, this might transfer into the skills in the rest of that skill group. It does make sense that someone who already speaks three languages might have less difficulty in understanding a fourth than someone who is monolingual learning a second language. But we’ll leave that up to your Keeper.
In conclusion
Skills in Call of Cthulhu are a huge part of the game and integral to how an investigator operates in the game world. The chapter on skills has a ton of options so it does help to know what the background of your investigator is before even looking in that part of the book. We’ll get more into how they are used as I continue this series.
In the next post I’ll get into some specifics about game play rules, not including combat, chases, sanity, or magic. I’ll touch on each of those subjects with later posts. For now, I hope this helps you to understand skills a bit and I’ll see you next time!
Listen up choombas! Do you want to find a table top role playing game that puts you in a dark future full of bold action, evil corporations, advanced weaponry, cybernetic implants, and a whole bunch of fun? If so, good news, you’re in the right place. I’m not going to waste any more time because you never know when the megacorps are listening so let’s get right to the list!
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
5. Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon Core Rule book
Do you like your dystopian future mixed with a little neo-noir? Altered Carbon the Role Playing Game takes you into the world first created by Richard K. Morgan and then seen on the Netflix series of the same name. If you have enough wealth and influence you can re-sleeve your consciousness into any body you can afford. There are several Archetypes (classes in D&D terms) to choose from, a great setting in Bay City and a decent tech system going here. While it’s definitely got similarities to Cyberpunk Red and Cyberpunk 2020, there are enough differences here to make it a fun game with some new twists. You’ll especially enjoy it if you have watched the series or read the books.
It’s not a perfect role playing game and you don’t have to be too familiar with the source material in order to have a good time. There is a good mix of storytelling and combat action. If you love the books or the show this is a great one to pick up. Right now you can get it on drivethrurpg here for around $25.
4. Cyberpunk 2020
Cyberpunk 2.02.0 2nd Edition Core Rule Book
Without this game, there would be no Cyberpunk TTRPG’s. If you like an OG style to your gaming but still want to feel the edginess of lurking around a dark future, fighting megacorps and hacking your own biology with cyber tech, you can’t go wrong with this one. This game is a bit more crunchy than the latest version of Cyberpunk and it has the feel of something made in the 1980’s thinking about the future (because it was) but it’s still one of the best out there. The combat is fast paced and deadly and while you find advantages for altering yourself, if you go too far it will bring you to the edge and you may find yourself in cyberpsychosis, unable to control yourself.
This is an out and out classic and there’s good reason people still play this one today. You can get this a few ways on drivethrurpg, including getting the PDF, a softcover, or a PDF + softcover. They all have varying prices but right now the best deal for this game is to grab the Cyberpunk Essentials bundle which gets you the PDF plus five other supplemental titles to help you amp up your action in Night City. The bundle is on sale here for $40.85. Or you can just grab the core stuff you want here for between $15-$45 depending on what version you buy.
3. ShadowRun Sixth World
Shadowrun Sixth World Core Rule Book
Unlike most other Cyberpunk style TTRPG’s, Shadowrun has always had magic as part of its core premise. What if you took Lord of the Rings and mashed it up with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? You’d get something like Shadowrun Sixth World. There was magic at one time. The world changed and looked a lot like ours until megacorporations took over everything. And suddenly, magic returned. Now, there are a select few people, orcs, dwarves, etc. who resist the pull of the megacorps. These folks are called Shadowrunners and you can join their ranks.
This game is a good fun blend of fantasy and far future dystopian sci-fi. It’s definitely not for everyone and there are plenty of arguments over which edition is the best one. For plenty of players older editions may be better but I recommend Sixth simply because it is the most current and probably the easiest one to access if you have never played Shadowrun before.
if you just want to dip your toes in to this one and see if it is for you, they have a decent starter set here for $10. Or, if you are willing to pay just a bit more you can grab the core book here for $20. (On sale for $16 as of this writing)
2. Cities Without Number
Cities Without Number Core Rulebook by Kevin Crawford
From the absolute game design genius that is Kevin Crawford comes Cities Without Number. He has designed a space game called Stars Without Number, a fantasy game called Worlds Without Number and has now given us the kind of cyberpunk TTRPG you can expect from him. The first line of the description perfectly sets the mood here. “The world is neon and dust.”
This is a sandbox style game with lots of interesting old school mechanics and plenty of guidance on how to create missions for players. If you like to mix and match things and brew up your own kind of adventure this gives you a ton of tools to do so. Not to mention, this game is fully compatible with the other games in the Without Number series.
The best part? You can actually get almost all of this game for free! In the free version you get 227 pages of jam packed rules, setting and advice. You can grab the free version here.
But, for this game and any others that Kevin Crawford puts out, I highly recommend purchasing the books. Why? Because Crawford puts a ton of work into these books, they have great art, and you get even more goodies with the paid version. You can get the full version here for $25-$90 depending on if you want PDFs or physical hardcover versions. At any price, this game is a steal. And if you have all three of the Without Number books, you can homebrew one heck of an amazing campaign that takes you from the stars, to the world to the city and generates memories that will last a lifetime.
1. Cyberpunk Red
Cyberpunk Red Core Rule Book
The video game Cyberpunk 2077 had an absolute disaster of a launch, although I hear it’s pretty decent now. Cyberpunk Red, however, had no such trouble and delivers an excellent immersive experience if you want to get your hands dirty in a world where huge megacorporations have been shattered and everyone is scrambling to live their lives, make a living, seize opportunities, or plot some revenge. It’s a fun and fast paced game and if you like movies like Blade Runner or The Matrix series this one should be right up your neon lit alley.
With this one I recommend starting with the Cyberpunk Red Jumpstart Kit. This comes with a book of lore and adventures that take place in the setting and a book of rules to use for gameplay. You also get six pregenerated characters making getting started much faster. There are also some maps and standees here to use. Fair warning you may need to read the rules a couple of times to get the full feel for it as not everything is 100% clear on the first read.
The Jumpstart Kit retails for $30 on drivethrurpg but right at this moment you can get it for $10 which is a steal. To get the Jumpstart Kit click here.
If you’re convinced and want to just go all in on Cyberpunk Red you can get the core book for $30.
This version is just as bombastic and full of attitude as the original was but with a more streamlined rule system and some interesting moral questions. It’s a super fun game and without doubt one of the best Cyberpunk games you can get.
In Conclusion
A dark dystopian future with lots of cool tech is a great setting for a table top role playing game. I’m sure there are tons of others out there that I haven’t mentioned. Do you have a favorite? If so, feel free to shout it out in the comments below!
Hello everyone! Do you love to play Call of Cthulhu 7th edition? Want a scenario set on the world’s most notorious prison? If so, I have something in store for you soon! In May, I will be releasing the second of my “On the Rock” series of scenarios set on Alcatraz in the 1930’s.
You and your friends will play inmates who have to confront mundane routines, harsh punishments, and cosmic horrors from the depths of the Pacific Ocean! If that sounds cool to you, let me know in the comments.
Keep an eye on this blog to find out how you can get the scenario at a discounted price and how you can bundle it with my first “On the Rock” scenario!
This won’t be for everyone, but if you are interested stay tuned! Also, let me know in the comments what you think of the cover design so far! It’s not final yet, but I’m hoping it clicks with some of you TTRPG players! Let me know if you like the black and white or think something in color would look better!
Hey everyone, Slick Dungeon here. There has been a lot of activity in the TTRPG space this year. We’ve had everything from the OGL debacle at the beginning of the year to the launch of Candela Obscura by the people over at Critical Role and the launch of the new Marvel TTRPG. But, if I had to choose the one single thing I am most excited about in the TTRPG space right now, it’s the upcoming RPG from MCDM productions. And just today they have launched their fundraiser for the game on Backerkit. I just wanted to share with you all why I think this one is worth backing.
Let me start by saying, I almost never recommend backing a game that isn’t already released. There are so many problems with it from both the consumer and game developer side. But with MCDM I am making an exception. Why? Because they have a proven track record of delivering extremely high quality products reliably. And they are honest about their communication when things go wrong. On top of that, Matt Colville who runs MCDM has made a significant point of treating his people ethically and paying them a living wage. If any independent creator in TTRPG’s deserves to be funded, it’s them.
One might assume I am being paid to say this but I am not. I gladly recommend everything MCDM makes in the TTRPG space with confidence, no need for anyone to pay me to say that. Okay, maybe I don’t recommend the t-shirts and stuff like that but if you want ’em buy ’em. I have purchased their books, the Arcadia magazines and watched a lot of the MCDM videos. All of them have been fantastic at making the game I love to play better.
So, when it was announced MCDM would be making their own game I was intrigued. Of course, I could end up wrong and this whole thing might not be a good game but the first four words they came up with for the game seem to have just about everything I want in a TTRPG. Tactical heroic cinematic fantasy ticks all my boxes for a D&D like game which is not D&D. I’ll stick to other games for horror but for fantasy, I could see myself switching to this one on a regular basis.
I could go off on a huge blog post here about why this game is a good idea but I’m going to keep it short and give you a link where you can see Matt Colville give the long pitch. For me, there are three reasons to back this game.
It’s an alternate to D&D that is going through a vigorous testing process and I think it will only improve because of that.
The creators of the game are being treated fairly and ethically, not just as profit machines who can be replaced by AI.
It sounds as fun as hell and MCDM is going to have an open license for the game which will allow people to make stuff for it which will make it even better.
But, here’s the thing. We’ll only get the game if it gets backed. If you can’t afford it, I implore you not to spend any money on it because that helps no one. If, on the other hand, you are thinking about buying yet another supplemental D&D book, maybe back this game instead. You can get in for as low as $40 if you just want the game rules. You get more stuff the higher up you go on the tier levels so obviously spend what you think is right for you.
If this is backed, I’m certain we’ll be playing it by the end of the year in 2024. (albeit with playtest packets and not the full game)
If I have sold you on it, click this link to check it out and back it. If you still aren’t sold on it, maybe check out the video that goes with it and decide if it’s right for you.
Hello Halloween friends! It’s spooky season and if you’re like me, you may be looking for a good and spooky TTRPG to play this month. There are literally thousands out there in about any genre you can imagine which makes it tough to choose. But sometimes you just want to fight (or become) a monster. Whether it’s creeping cosmic horror barely held at bay, a big hairy werewolf, or space survival horror, I’ve got you covered. These are my favorite monster TTRPGs but by no means the only ones out there. These are not in any particular order. Whether any of these suit your table is up to you but I’ll give you a brief run down of what kind of game it is, how you can get started with it, and give you handy links where you can buy the game.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
Honorable Mentions
Dungeons & Dragons
Say what you will about Dungeons & Dragons (everyone does) but at its core, D&D is about fighting monsters. Which edition is best and how adaptable to horror the game is happens to be a matter of opinion. But they have an entire book dedicated to monsters so, yeah it’s a good monster game. My personal recommendation if you are just getting into TTRPG’s is to go ahead and start with the 5th edition, as it’s the current and easiest to obtain edition.
You’ve definitely heard of it and there are tons of different ways to get this game. In order to play the full game, you’ll need the three core books – Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master’s Guide. These all retail for different prices but they generally run from $30-50. The best way to get these books is at your local friendly game store. You can get them on Amazon for a bit less as well. If you want to do that, all you need to do is click the hyperlinked text above. Also, if you want to play exclusively online, I recommend clicking on the image above where you can get Roll20 compatible content.
A free way to get started is to just use the basic rules but there’s a lot more work upfront for that and you’ll be limited in the amount of monsters you can find. Still, if that’s more your speed click here.
Pathfinder
This game is a lot like D&D but there are a few differences. It’s a little crunchier so if you like that, this game is great. One nice thing is that you really can just start with one book. It’s got some cool monsters, great art, and is fun to play. You can also buy this game on Amazon or at your local friendly game store. If you want to get it through Amazon, do me a favor and buy through the image above or by clicking here. This book generally sells for around $45 but a lot of times you can find a good sale.
Now on to the top 5 Monster TTRPGs!
5. Call of Cthulhu – Cosmic HOrror TTRPG
Call of Cthulhu Keeper Rulebook
It can’t be overstated how much I enjoy Call of Cthulhu. It’s a game of cosmic horror where you are faced with a bleak world where you are not likely to survive. The universe not only does not care about you, it actively despises you. But you and your friends can try to be a small shining light in the dark, fight the cosmic evil, or go mad in the attempt. (You’ll probably go mad but it’s a ton of fun).
For this game you can go for the main book known as the Call of Cthulhu Keeper Rulebook but there are also great entry points. If you want solo adventures go for Alone Against the Flames. If you want a starter set, that’s a fantastic way to begin and Chaosium, the publisher of the books does an amazing job putting together a starter set.
The prices run from $10 – $50 depending on what you want. If you just want PDF’s use my links above. But if you want hard cover books then your best bet here is actually going to the Chaosium website. (By the way all their games are fantastic and worth the money in my opinion)
4. Vampire the Masquerade – Blood Sucking TTRPG
Vampire the Masquerade
And now we enter the World of Darkness. Vampire the Masquerade 5th edition is a game where you are the monster. You are a vampire in a world much like our own. But you are most decidedly an undead creature of the night. You need to do all the things you think vampires need to do. You need to drink blood, avoid sunlight, and you get some really interesting powers. But, there is a world out there ready to destroy you in any way you can imagine. You’ll have to navigate a world of intrigue, secrecy, stealth, power, politics, violence, despair and every single vice you can imagine. And you’ll want to try to suppress the constant hunger you feel which could reveal to the world just what you are at any time.
Vampire the Masquerade is definitely on the mature side of gaming and it makes absolutely no apologies for that. But you and your group will want to be sure to make exceedingly clear lines on how to safely role play in this game so you only traumatize characters, not players. It’s a bit of a fine line but good game masters (in this case called Storytellers) can handle this no problem.
This is a great game full of narrative possibility and I highly recommend it. You can get this book on Amazon or at your local game store. A less expensive option here is to get the PDF version by clicking one of the links above. The PDF will run you around $30 while the Amazon book is often priced closer to $50. I just use the PDF and I find it just fine.
3. Monster of the Week – Monster TTRPG
Monster of the Week
I mean, the title kind of says it all here. You know the shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, and Supernatural where there is a monster every week and the good guys fight them? Yeah, this is that. It’s a heck of a lot of fun and it’s pretty quick to learn too. It’s great to use both as just a one off game night or for a bit of a longer campaign, but of course, you’ll still want to have a monster to fight each week.
You can get Monster of the Week on drivethrurpg and it’s currently on sale for just $12. This is just the PDF version but it’s a great deal and gives you perfect Halloween month vibes.
2. Werewolf the Apocalypse – Wolf TTRPG
Werewolf the Apocalypse
If you have a list of monster games and you have vampires in it, well, you’ve got to have werewolves too. Werewolf the Apocalypse is the newest title on this list although there have been several versions of this game already. This also takes place in the World of Darkness so it sits adjacent to Vampire the Masquerade and chances are if you like that game you will like this one. However, there are definitely some differences.
As the name implies, things are getting dire for werewolves, not to mention the rest of the world. There tends to be a bit more action and a little less intrigue than VTM but the players are definitely shape changers who have a big battle to fight. This is a newer edition so I have not fully played it and can’t tell you how it compares to older editions. But so far, the rules seem fairly clean and the gameplay is easy to pick up if you have played any Storyteller system game before. Also, like VTM this is for mature audiences so be forewarned.
The PDF sells for $38 and you can get that by clicking the hyperlinks or image in this post. If you want the hardcover book it’ll cost you closer to $55. For this one, I recommend going to your closest gaming store for the hard copy.
1. Alien – Space Horror TTRPG
Alien Starter Set
In space no one can hear you scream. I mean, unless you are playing a TTRPG with your friends on earth and then you can all hear one another scream. Alien the Role Playing Game is a fantastic game of space survival horror. And if you think you know all the bad things you can find in a game like this, well, you are underestimating what is in store for you here.
In my opinion the best way to get started here is with the starter set. This set gives you a rulebook, a scenario, five ready made characters, a big ol’ map, a bunch of game markers and custom cards to use in the game.
There are two good ways to get the starter set. First, you can grab it on Amazon for around $40 here. This will give you all the stuff mentioned above in a neat, slick box. If you don’t mind printing stuff on your own, you can save a good bit of money to get the starter set as a PDF on drivethrurpg for $20 right here.
Well, that’s my list. Now, go out and get yourself something to play for a good old spooky time and have fun!
Hello TTRPG fans! It’s Slick Dungeon here. You know how it’s awesome to have a group of friends to game with? Well, it is! But, do you also know how it can be nearly impossible to get a whole group of people together because of scheduling, work, family obligations and the fact that no one can even agree on a game to play sometimes? I’ve got a solution for you. Try one of my favorite solo TTRPGs! These are all available on Drivethrurpg and are worth checking out. Some are games in and of themselves and others are ways to adapt a great game. These are in no particular order and they are just my favorites. Let’s get right into it!
5. Alone in the Dark, Solo Rules for Blades in the Dark
Alone in the Dark
Blades in the Dark is a game where everyone basically plays a rogue. It’s full of heists and scoundrels and infiltrating cults and all the awesome sneaky stuff you love if you love rogues. But did you know you can play this one without a Game Master? All you need is this rulebook for going it alone. It’s $3.99 if you want just the PDF (probably all you need really) but if you want to pay a little more you can get a softcover or a hardcover for $10.99 Check it out here.
4. Dungeons & Dragons
The Wolves of Langston
There are a bunch of different 5E adventures I could put here but The Wolves of Langston is one I have played and enjoyed. It doesn’t take a ton of work upfront as long as you know 5E rules. You basically just make a character and off you go on this adventure. You can get it for $19.99. Check it out here.
3. Call of Cthulhu
Alone Against the Flames
I really can’t recommend this one enough. I love Alone Against the Flames and I’ve played it several times, usually coming to a rather tragic end. It’s fun and it teaches you the rules of Call of Cthulhu so it is perfect for beginners. You can grab this for $12. Check it out here. Plus, if you love this, there are a whole bunch more of the Alone Against series which are really fun to play.
2. Stars Without Number
Stars Without Number Solo
Feeling spacey and want to play in the vast expanse of the universe? Stars Without Number is a great game with a solid rule set but it’s tough to play without a group. Unless, you have the Solo Adventures ruleset for the game. This one is a bargain at $5 for the PDF (probably all you need) or you can splurge and get a hard or soft copy for around double the price. Check it out here.
1. Ironsworn
Ironsworn
There’s a reason Ironsworn is at the top of everyone’s solo rpg list. First, it’s got that full fantasy flavor you want. Second. it’s nice and gritty if you want it to be, or you can scale it back a little to give your hero a bit more of a chance to succeed. Third, it has everything you need to play on your own right there, including rules, setting, character creation and advice on how to play the game in a few different ways. And last but not least, you can get this for the fantastic price of nothing. That’s right! If you get the digital version it won’t cost you a penny. You can, of course, pay more for the print versions if you wish but the entry point here is free. Check it out here.
Well, that’s my list. Now, go out and get yourself something to play when your group falls through and have fun!
Hello fellow tabletop role play gamers! It’s Slick Dungeon here and I wanted to talk about the new play test material Kobold Press has put out for its upcoming fantasy role playing game.
What is Project Black Flag?
Project Black Flag is the super cool name Kobold Press is using for a new 5th edition compatible tabletop game they are working on. This project was in the works well before the whole OGL debacle with Wizards of the Coast but this project got a lot more attention during that time. It’s still early days but this new game has the potential to take TTRPG’s in new and interesting directions. While Kobold has consistently been posting information, including some artwork, and blog posts on Fridays, and telling us the play test material would release in February, they threw us a curveball by releasing their first packet on Monday the 13th of February. The packet is a quick read at only 12 pages and while there is a lot of good information in it, this packet doesn’t quite give us enough to build a full character. However, it does give us some key insights into what to expect. Read on to find out what it is about and how you can get your hands on a copy.
What’s in the Packet?
The packet is a set of rules Kobold would like TTRPG enthusiasts to play test, and then give feedback on. In the packet we get some basic information about what a TTRPG is, what a fantasy role playing game is, what materials you need and who does what at the table. If you’ve ever played a TTRPG, especially Dungeons & Dragons, you’ll have no trouble understanding this section of the packet.
They do give us a few things to let us know what kind of game we have to look forward to. It’s going to be a fantasy world full of heroes going through unique locations fighting against villains and organizations that oppose them. In other words, it’s a fantasy game for heroes. Some people might think this is unoriginal but it does happen to be the kind of game a lot of folks love playing most so I can’t really complain.
Next they give a step by step guide on character creation. If you’re familiar with 5th edition, a lot of this is going to look extremely familiar. You’re guided through coming up with a character concept, choosing a class, proficiencies, levels, hit points, and the standard array of ability scores. The packet does mention that creating a character using their method makes these characters a bit stronger than a 5th edition character but it’s not so out of range you can’t use them in your 5e games. They also go over a few different ways of getting your character stats including rolling for stats, point buy, and standard array. This is where some of the rules start to differ from 5e and start to build a potentially stronger character.
They then go on to introduce Lineages and Heritages. Lineage essentially replaces what was originally termed as Race in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons. This is a pretty minimal packet for the moment so we only get Humans, Elves, and Dwarves. Heritages are more about the environment where your character grew up or what groups they associate with. Personally, I think this is great because it allows for a lot of customization so you could have an Elf character who grew up with Dwarves or vice versa and any number of combinations. While you could go with the usual fantasy tropes for each Lineage, you don’t have to.
You also choose a background for your character and the packet gives a couple options to choose from including Scholar and Soldier. This is basically a way to help shape the backstory of your character and gives you some increased abilities and what Kobold terms Talents. Talents seem to be similar to Feats in 5e. I love using Feats so I like that Talents are available right off at 1st level for this system.
I’m not going to go over all the specifics of what is listed in the packet because I haven’t used these in a game yet. I’d like to see a little more of what makes a character so I can build something that works for me at this point but it’s worth reading through the packet and if you can build a character with this, go for it. I feel like there is a good amount of stuff for magic characters here but a bit less for martial classes so far.
While I do see a lot of similarities here with D&D, we haven’t seen much of the overall project yet so there is still room for a lot to be different. I love that it’s easy to pick up if you are familiar with 5th edition because that’s going to make starting the game much easier for a ton of folks.
How Can I get in on the Playtest?
If you want the playtest packet you can get it right from Kobold Press here. You may have to sign up to do it but it won’t cost you anything. Once you have the packet, give it a read, make a character and play a game and then fill out their survey.
If you have the packet, what do you think of it? Have you used any of these rules yet and if so how did it go? Let me know in the comments.
Well, it’s February and love is in the air. Or maybe not. Either way if you love TTRPG’s here are 14 gifts you can give to your favorite Game Master, whether you have romantic feelings toward them or you just want to hang out on the weekend.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
Fire-Breathing Dragon Coffee Cup
If you want your GM’s coffee cup to stay as hot as dragon’s breath, try this cup out. It’s $17 but well worth the extra XP you are sure to get in appreciation.
DND Cat T-Shirt
I mean, I feel like this every single day. I bet your GM does too. Or anyone at your table. The shirt costs $20 but it’s really cute so probably worth it?
A Bag to HOld Stuff with
To be a good Game Master you have to have a lot of stuff. If you like your stuff to be physical, it’s really nice to have a bag with which to hold your stuff. (I bet there is probably a good name for a bag like that.) This one is pretty nice and your GM will be over the moon for it. It costs $60 so make sure you really do like your GM before you give it to them. Or, maybe get one for yourself.
Let Your GM Be Lazy
The title of this can be misleading. The Lazy DM is one of the best books about running a great game without burning out you can find anywhere. Let’s just say I’ve had some campaigns I would never have survived without the help of Michael E. Shea and his great advice (Looking at you Storm King’s Thunder). It’s a great deal at $12. And if your GM already has this, there is a sequel called Return of the Lazy Dungeon Masterwhich you can get for $20. Worth it’s weight in gold in time saved and headaches avoided for any GM.
Spell Area of Effect Template
It can be tough to judge actual distance of spell effects and depending on the dice roll this can be absolutely critical. Let your GM take the guess work away with this fine template that is transparent and will help everyone at the table see just how many in your party are about to bear the brunt of your wizard’s fireball spell. It’s a good deal at $14.
Keep your GM’s table nice with these coasters
These coasters are great for keeping a gaming table free from rings and water stains. There are 14 of them all with different class symbols so players know exactly where to set their mug of ale. It even comes with a pretty sweet holder to match. It costs $30.
Dice Jail!
Okay this is more of a time out chair than an actual prison. But we all know dice can behave badly and sometimes shaming them is the only way to get them back to rolling those critical successes we all need. Your GM would love one of these. Although, you may want to keep it for yourself because you don’t want Tiamat rolling a 20. The little chair and dunce cap will cost you $20.
Bronze Dragon Journal
Game masters are constantly thinking of, or seeing, things they know would be great to use in their campaigns. But the bad part about that is if you don’t have a place to organize your ideas, they just kind of go poof and disappear. So, give your GM a great place to write this stuff down. Just ask them to make sure it’s not going to be a TPK kind of idea. This journal will cost you $25.
Condition Markers
Another thing that can be very difficult to track during game is who is in what condition. Which player was poisoned again? Is that spell one that uses concentration? If you use minis in your games, these rings are super helpful and will make your Game Master’s life so much easier. These will cost you $40.
Cool Socks
Cool socks. Everyone likes cools socks. Get your GM some cool socks! Or, get some for yourself, assuming you want your feet to feel good and look great. These are $16 right now.
Roll up Dice Mat
Nothing is worse than accidentally scratching up a gaming table. This roll up dice mat does a great job of preventing those scratches. Plus it comes with dice! How could you go wrong? This neat little set costs $16.
Dragon Flame Goblet
It’s a wine goblet and it has a dragon on it. A dragon wine goblet! I mean, you don’t have to drink wine out of it but your GM will sure look like they know what they are doing when they set this thing on the table. This libation holder will run you $22.
A Great GM Screen
Your Game Master may already have a good screen but this one has pockets where they can stuff all there notes and all that good stuff which is super helpful when running a game. It’s good for nearly any kind of fantasy TTRPG. And it looks amazing. You can get this one for $50.
A Whole Bunch of Dice
What’s one thing every Game Master can always use more of? Dice. Lots and lots of dice. Why not just give them a big old pile of math rocks? This set gets you 140 dice for $23 but you can buy smaller sets if that price is too high for you.
In Conclusion
Well, that’s my list of 14 cool things to give to your favorite Game Master (or TTRPG enthusiast) on 2/14 or any other day really. I’m not trying to make the hard sell on any of this stuff. Do you need anything here to be a great Game Master? Not at all. Well, it does help to hav dice. But if you were thinking of giving someone a cool gift and you buy through this post, it really helps the blog out and allows me to keep doing what I do. Whether you buy anything or not, thanks for reading and I hope all your rolls are critical successes!
