Here's a collection of tabletop rpg's i feel are statistically meaningful. The page is broadly a WIP but is now at least stable enough to show off.
These are games i've heard played on podcasts or have played myself. Some are critical for my design reference for my own games.
I could list dungeons and dragons and pathfinder as i've played them and reference them sometimes, but honestly I do my damndest to neither play nor reference their rules and I would suggest no one else should either.
When I can, I will add: Paranoia, Vampire the masquerade, all out of bubblegum,
Also consider playing games I've made, as listed on my homepage.
Also for your consideration: open source ttrpg resources
I love urban fantasy shit. I love the harm stacking. I fell in love with this rpg because of a podcast but so much of it clicks with me design-wise. Especially harm levels and luck, and it's completely changed how i watch x-files and buffy and everything.
Purchase | Preview
I have been referencing this one extensively. I like the design direction of shifting labels, influence, and general playbook design.
Purchase | Preview
everyone knows this one. I'm obsessed with how clean the 4 stat system layout is. Hot and Cold. Volatile and Dark. There's no way to change it to put it in a different environment. Teen drama is of course ruled by attraction and fallout, and the only way to DnD port it is literally the same system but you're all knights.
Purchase | Preview
It's fine. It's really cool for making Spout Lore and using ammo pips for ranged weapons but dice stepping is stupid.
Purchase | Preview
The end of days is coming to your planet. Your Blades trauma is a hellstone mutation, you roll Delving Too Deep when you go in a mineshaft, and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse are soon to show. What a vibe.
Purchase | Preview
Yet to play, but very fun sounding
Purchase | Preview
Seemed complex initially but I just really get it now. Super dope between clocks, stress, resistences, positioning, the whole shebang. I really want to make a Forgotten Realms setting using Blades. I started putting one together with a half flooded city but I just haven't finished it
Purchase | Preview
It's like THE lasers & feelings hack in my mind. Played by McElroys and Unexplored Places pod
Purchase | Preview
You play as superheroes trying to disguise themselves. Low rolls are good, but use more D6's when you're trying to do something subtle.
I think they played this on Dungeons and Daddies but whatever. Be cute. Reference memes. Bork.
Play as weak familiars trying to revive your witch. Also i think on D and Daddies
You solve a mystery by rolling a d6 and if you get a 6 you're a vampire (secretly). I played once when i was less than sober.
Purchase | Preview
You roll light and dark dice to resolve, but dark dice increase your Ruin, and if your Ruin maxes you get possessed by the malevolent location you're graverobbing.
Purchase | Preview
This one i've never been able to sit people down to play. There's a prompt set for like every movie ever, you roll to see if your beloved character learns absolutely nothing or perhaps experiences a fate worse than death. I made like a hack of it here for ease of use, and the use of dice as tokens still rattles around my brain for design.
Purchase | Preview
On the one hand, attributes are like THE way to indicate something about a character/situation is resolution relevant. Where systems will be like well, the character sheet does say strong so I guess you can lift a heavy item - Fate will be like "SUPER MUSCLES - 3 USES". It uses the -1, 0, +1 dice for an extreme bell curve that I don't care for.
Purchase | Preview
dice are used together to match opposing dice values. Number of dice used is how good the outcome goes
One shared jenga tower. You're in a highly dangerous and tense environment and you have to pull blocks to survive. A benchmark of good design.
Purchase | Preview
So this is like a self-run Dread. I read through Wretched and Alone: Echoes which is pretty directly a ttrpg version of silent hill. Really cool system to journal how you resolve a challenge, which many also requiring dread's tower pull, with some card stacking for specific bad ends.
Purchase | Preview
So i've only looked at this one via Ride For... as it seems like a straightforward dice version of Wretched and Alone
Purchase | Preview
Rock Paper Scissors dueling game. Used in the Unexplored Places podcast.
Purchase | Preview
A solo journaling game about regaining your memory. Used in the Unexplored Places podcast.
Purchase | Preview