Dragonbane is a modern revival of Sweden’s classic fantasy RPG Drakar och Demoner, designed as a fast-paced, flexible system that emphasizes fun and heroic adventure. Featuring a streamlined d20-based mechanic with push-your-luck dice rolls and cinematic combat, the game supports both tense dungeon crawls and lighthearted exploration. Characters range from warriors and mages to anthropomorphic ducks and wolfkin, making it a quirky but immersive fantasy experience. It’s perfect for groups seeking a rules-light, story-driven RPG with Nordic flair.

Dragonbane is probably my favorite overall TTRPG. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Dungeons & Dragons, but there is just something about Dragonbane that appeals to me. Maybe because it's the only one I've had a character live all the way through. Ok, maybe my character, Macleod "Mac" MacQuackin (a Mallard) made it all the way to the end of the next to last session, but he sacrificed his life for the party. But my replacement character for the end of that session and the final session, Oberon Nightprowler (a Wolfkin) was pretty funny. He had a habit of over-exagerating his previous adventures and making up some fantastic stories with great detail to back them up!

Either way, I digress - Dragonbane is a fantastic game that you should definitely try if you're a fan of D&D, Pathfinder, or any of those types of TTRPGs.

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is the most iconic and widely played tabletop role-playing game in the world, originally created in the 1970s and now in its 5th Edition. Players create unique fantasy characters and embark on adventures filled with combat, exploration, and role-playing, guided by a Dungeon Master who narrates the world and its challenges. With an emphasis on creativity, character growth, and group storytelling, D&D provides endless possibilities across medieval fantasy settings filled with dragons, magic, and heroic quests.

I had wanted to play D&D since high school. The problem was, I didn't know anyone that actually played the game at the time. It wasn't until sometime near November 2021 I actually got to play. I was trying to get into Warhammer 40k (long story short - that game was just too complicated for me) and had gone into the local game store (shoutout to Heroes Corner) to pick up a set of Ultramarine Intercessors and paint as a birthday present to myself. I happened to look into the back part of the store and noticed some people setting up to play some TTRPGs. I asked the cashier if they ever have people playing D&D and explained that I'd wanted to play for the past 20 years but never knew of anyone who played. She let me know that's what the few groups in the back were about to do, and she was certain they would let me at least sit and watch to see if I like it.

So, I went back and talked to a random group. They invited to me to sit and watch the session, so I did. What followed was about 2.5 hours of non-stop laughter. I was hooked already. The DM - Kyle - invited me to come back the next Tuesday (they played weekly on Tuesdays at the time), which was awesome for me. I was given some basic info on what level to make my character at and invited to the group's discord server. I mean, in the end, my character ended up causing a TPK (total party kill) for the party by accident, but at least no one was mad at me for it haha! Kyle and I became friends out of the time, and have continued playing games, like Burrows & Badger, Alien RPG, all of it.

Pathfinder is a deep, tactical fantasy RPG that evolved from the 3.5 Edition rules of Dungeons & Dragons, offering a complex but rewarding system with vast character customization. Whether using the original Pathfinder 1st Edition or the streamlined 2nd Edition, players engage in detailed combat, rich storytelling, and sprawling campaigns. Known for its crunchy mechanics, robust bestiary, and epic adventure paths, Pathfinder is ideal for players who enjoy strategic depth and immersive world-building in a classic fantasy setting.

We're currently in the middle of a campaign right now, and I've branched out from playing my typical Rogue type character and I'm playing a War Priest Cleric. So far - and we are quite a bit into this campaign - I've been able to keep all characters but one alive - but there was really nothing any of us could have done for him at that point, if we're all being honest amongst the party.

The Alien RPG is a cinematic and survival-horror tabletop role-playing game set in the terrifying universe of the Alien film franchise. Players take on roles such as space truckers, marines, or scientists in a gritty, futuristic setting where deadly Xenomorphs, corporate greed, and cosmic dread await around every corner. With a stress-and-panic dice mechanic, limited resources, and high stakes, the game captures the tension and fragility of life in deep space. It supports both one-shot “cinematic” scenarios and longer “campaign” play, perfect for fans of sci-fi horror and suspenseful storytelling.

Let me preface this game by saying this - You wouldn't think a TTRPG could give you a sense of fear and dread, but Alien RPG does just that. Here's the crazy part - for 90% of our campaign, we didn't even come across a Xenomorph, it was all being kind of sneaking and worrying about humans, including the Colonial Marines! It wasn't until about the 3rd or 4th to last session that we actually encountered one of the Aliens.

One of the best mechanics of this game is the stress and panic dice system. You could push your rolls, but if you failed, you could gain a stress dice, making it harder to succeed on subsequent turns. Also, if you gained panic dice, your character gained different types of panic conditions making successful dice rolls even harder! I had a lot of fun playing this game - my character was an adrenaline seeking vacuum jockey (pilot) who liked to push things to the limit, which often ended up with him pulling of some awesome space flight moves!