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This post will stay stickied for (at least) the week-end. Please enjoy this space where you can talk about anything: your last game, your current project, your patreon, etc. You can even talk about video games, ask for a group, or post a survey or share a new meme you've just found. This is the place for small talk on r/rpg.

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I recently made the jump from running D&D 5e for a few years to trying out a new system with my group, and the experience has been way more jarring than I expected. Not in a bad way necessarily, but there were so many habits baked into both me and my players that we had to consciously unlearn.

Things like expecting a certain action economy, assuming every problem has a mechanical solution built into a character sheet, or even just how combat is paced. Players kept reaching for their character sheets looking for abilities that simply didn't exist in the new system.

What surprised me most was how much the system itself shapes the stories you tell. Moving away from D&D forced us to think about scenes and conflicts in a completely different way, and honestly it's made me a better GM overall.

For those of you who have made a big system jump, I'm curious about a few things. What was the hardest habit to break, for you or your players? Did the new system eventually feel natural, or does it always feel a little foreign? And do you think the growing conversation around alternatives to D&D has made it easier to convince groups to try something new?

Would love to hear what systems people landed on and whether you ever went back.

Here are the 2026 ENNIE Award nominees. Voting begins July 10th and ends July 19th. Winners will be announced live at Gen Con and streaming on July 31st at 8pm Eastern.

It's also not too late to run for judge, and to nominate your favorite publisher!

https://ennie-awards.com/judge-application/

https://ennie-awards.com/publisher-nomination-form/

Judges’ Spotlight Winners

• William Beeson – Girl Frame, Anxious Mimic RPGs
  • Author: Isabelle M. Ruebsatt
• Hans Cummings – Trash to Treasure, Bright Bard Games
  • Authors: Jon Boyle and Bri De Danann
• Christopher Gath – RPG Zine Club: Year 2, Plus One Exp/Alchemical Ink
• Fiona Katherine Taylor Howat – Tacklebox, Possible Worlds Games
  • Authors: J. Walton and James Tadd Adcox
• Tom King – Draconis: The Call of Adventure, Studio Agate
  • Authors: Justine Niogret and Alexandre Mula

Best Adventure - Long Form

• Historica Arcanum: Serenade for the Damned, Metis Creative
  • Authors: Tyler Denison, Sarp Duyar, Doğa Can Sayılkan, Alp Arslan
• Terra Antarctica, Edge Studio
  • Authors: Leah Hawthorne, Keith Ryan Kappel, Brandon Perdue, Sam Stewart
• The Spark Devil, H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society
  • Author: Sean Branney
• Tomb of a Thousand Doors, ManaDawn Tabletop Games and Plus One Exp
  • Authors: Matthew Morris, Lux Taggert, Sky Svard, Antonio Buch, FriggingFrogs, Derek Mayne, Yar0d, Pulpee, Phybe, Kelly Bean, Kapithan, William Lambert, Owen McGauley, and Isaac Williams, Ellohir, Hugh Lashbrooke, Lancraft, Liam McCrickard, TabletobRPG, BohemiaSpielkunst, Relic913, Flindermouse, Rat's Nest Games, Lesueur Benoit, Xenio, tim zee, Tumultous Tabletop, and Marcos_BM
• Vaesen - City of My Nightmares, Free League Publishing
  • Authors: Kiku Pukk Harenstam, Tomas Harenstam

Best Adventure - Short Form

• Camp Snallygaster, Pandion Games
• The Bride of Pendle, Miskatonic Repository
  • Author: Jayson Green
• The White Horse of Lowvale
  • Author: Tania Herrero
• Tragedy at Zaya's Theatre
  • Author: Munkao
• Whispers of the Woods, Heltung Storytelling
  • Author: Paweł Kicman

Best Aid/Accessory - Digital

• Castle of the Vampire Lord, Axolote Gaming
• Pathfinder 2e and Starfinder 2e on Foundry VTT
• Pocket Bard, Pocket Bard Inc.
• The Crooked Moon Alchemy VTT, Avantris Entertainment
• WestMarches.games, Grimoire AB

Best Aid/Accessory - Non - Digital

• Game Master Screen, Peter Pauper Press
• Handouts - Ryoko's lost notes, Loot Tavern Publishing
• Making Enemies: Monster Design Inspiration for Tabletop Roleplaying Games, Gallery Books
• The Crooked Moon Tarot Card Set, Avantris Entertainment
• The Field Guide To Floral Dragons: Dragon Miniature Sets - Botanist, Florist and Gardener, Hit Point Press

Best Art, Cover

• Click here to see the nominees collage
• Book of Spirits, Beyond the Screen
  • Artists: Aldo Domínguez, Fen Inkwright
• Historica Arcanum: Echoes of Renaissance, Metis Creative
  • Artists: Belgin Kaya, Yağmur Kıyak, Beliz Baytok, Usame Bakar, Alper Bıçaklar, Taha Hakan Arslan, İshak Can Altun, Celia Tang, İlker Serdar Yıldız, Ege Satırcı
• Mappa Mundi - An Exploration + Ecology RPG, Three Sails Studios
  • Artist: Joel Kilpatrick
• The Crooked Moon Standard Edition Hardcover, Avantris Entertainment
  • Artist: Xavier Collette
• Totem - The Spirits' RPG, Officina Meningi
  • Artists: Francesco Biagini & Voidface

Best Art, Interior

• Click here to see the nominees collage
• Ecryme: Player’s Guide, Open Sesame Games, LLC
  • Artists: Camille Durand-Kriegel, Émile Denis, Nicolas Fructus, Remton, Francois Schuiten, Sabrina Tobal
• Household Volume II, Two Little Mice
  • Artists: Daniela Giubellini, Antonia De Luca, Federica Costantini, Alessandro Paviolo, Ivana Abbate, Alessandro Cancian, Andrea Tentori Montalto, Arrigo Verderosa
• Legend In The Mist - Core Book, Son of Oak Game Studio
  • Artists: Alejan Drapinal, Marius Zszulc, Mark Hretskyi, Zach Causey
• Mappa Mundi - An Exploration + Ecology RPG, Three Sails Studios
  • Artist: Joel Kilpatrick
• The Field Guide to Floral Dragons Box Set, Hit Point Press
  • Artist: Kin Wald

Best Cartography

• Collection of Fantasy Maps II, Open Sesame Games
  • Guillaume Tavernier
• Dolmenwood Maps Book, Exalted Funeral Press
  • Jonathan Newell, Glynn Seal, Arlin Ortiz
• Pendragon Gamemaster Screen Pack, Chaosium Inc.
  • Francesca Baerald
• Pilgrims of the Murk Dome, Hollow Press
  • Plastiboo
• Tomb of a Thousand Doors, ManaDawn Tabletop Games and Plus One Exp
  • Fernando Salvaterra, Felipe de Faria, Bruno Prosaiko, Alex Damaceno, Josiah Moore, QBR, Lux, and Sky Svard, Oddgob Games

Best Community Content

• A Patch of Unfurled Green, West Coast Adventurers Guild
  • Author: Marc “DM Mythall” Kassouf
• Sprigs & Kindling Volumes 4:1
  • Author: Amanda Mullins
• The Bride of Pendle, Miskatonic Repository
  • Author: Jayson Green
• The Severed Vault
  • Author: Jeremy Cheong
• Triangle Agency Fan Zine

Best Family Game / Product

• Crescent 2e, Mythworks
  • Authors: Ema Acosta
• Dragon Town and the Darkness Below
  • Author: JP Coovert
• Dungeons & Kittens Starter Set, Edge Studio
  • Authors: Clement de Ruyter, Trickytophe, Francois Cedelle, and John Grumph
• Mushie Missions, Bright Bard Games
  • Author: Jon Boyle
• PiCO, Mythworks
  • Author: Felix Isaacs

Best Free Game / Product

• Daggerheart Quickstart Adventure: The Sablewood Messengers, Darrington Press
  • Authors: Spenser Starke, Rowan Hall and Mike Underwood
• Legend In the Mist Learn-To-Play Comic Book Adventure, Son of Oak Game Studio LLC
  • Author: Amit Moshe, Eran Aviram, Itamar Karbian, Kelly Black
• SHIFT: Roleplaying Game Basic Rules (FREE RPG DAY), Hit Point Press
  • Author: Graeme Fotheringham, Jordan Richer, and Carlos Cisco
• Sprigs & Kindling Volumes 3-5
  • Authors: Arrianna Abraham, Russell Anderson, Bjorn Ove Asprem (Boa), Hank Belanger, Irving Benitez, Justen Bennett, Ben Bisogno, Scott C. Bourgeois, Brendan (Khatyra), Devin R Bruce, J Carter, Tess Chappell, Alexander Thomas Guy Coursolle, Jim Crocker, Kirk Damato, Peter DeCraene, dión // isle in the heavens, Michael Dürr, Leigh Eldridge, Charlie Etheridge-Nunn, Pat Eyler, Mike Ferdinando, Rob Fletcher, Tess Fowler, Wes Franks, Jeremy Gaines, G F Greco, Cassidy Hadlock, Rebecca Hall, Jack Hargreaves, Sydney Hawkins, Lisa Imbryk, Chaotic Jamgochian, Rachael Jamison, Rhyme Jansen, Jazy, Igor Juraszewski, Andrea Klassen, Lukas Kristjanson, MW Lindberg, Billy Lingar, Kevin Macku, Mags Maenad, Marc Majcher, Ben Mansky, Gabe McCormick, Brian Miranda, Amanda Mullins, Scout Munroe, Dori Murdock, Bartosz N (bartosso), J Evan Parks, Levi Phipps, Daniel Qualls, Mike Raichelson, Raymond Rich, Kim Riek, Gabriel Robinson, Nicolas Ronvel, Jesse Ross, Blake Ryan, Alex Rybitski, Brian Sago, salty, shaed, Aaron Sinner, James Smith, Clint Smith, Arkadiusz Stefański, Steph Infection, AJ Summers, Cameron L. Summers, Thwalee, Sean Tibbitts, Mads C Turley, Michael Van Vleet, Alton W, Arthur Wells, Nova Wurmson
• Triangle Agency Fan Zine
  • Authors: Kodasea, Corinna "Jude" Maria Liptáková, MarimoSelkie, Haasio, Sporadic Dialogue, L.S. Moon, fizzyware, DelcanRiven (Onion), Nathan Joseph, Pan, Me_ikko, VoiceoftheOoze, natanco, Nitroserum, Ro_drawzzz, Ash Yggdrasill, MegasomaMars, Wyllora, Ghost of Inks, Doomslug, the_pencil_head, Sleipnir, mntacuyan, iris lemony, Rhodocros, Zoe Traub, Yiu113, AlchemicalClown, SylkWeaver, Pidgeothy, Jack?, Koopstrooper, MGM_101, Robobuilder, Simon da Silva, Copper_KaBell, Boc, iCodeghost, Carbsta, Cinnabar, Totodile, Jazz Fox-Canning

Best Game

• Coriolis: The Great Dark Core Rulebook, Free League Publishing
  • Author: Kosta Kostulas, Nils Karlén, Martin Grip, Svante Landgraf, Shawn Tomkin, Matt Click
  • Art: Martin Grip
  • Editing: Tomas Harenstam, Mattiaas Johnsson Haake
  • Layout/Design: Dan Algstrand
• Daggerheart Core Set, Darrington Press
  • Author: Spenser Starke, Carlos Cisco, Rowan Hall, John Harper, Matthew Mercer, Alex Uboldi, Mike Underwood, Layla Adelman, Meguey Baker, Banana Chan, Chris Davidson, Rue Dickey, Felix Isaacs, Erin Roberts, Deven Rue, Rogan Shannon, Mark Thompson, Eugenio Vargas, Chris Willett
  • Art: Nick Acuna, Juan Salvador Almencion, Mauro Alocci, Ana Amaral, Anthony Avon, Mike Azevedo, Zoe Badini, Diana Bakieva, Adam Barker, Eliot Baum, Paul Scott Canavan, Carlos Cardona, Edgar Cardona, Kristina Carroll, Stephanie Cost, Luísa Costa, Katya Cyan, Cybercatbug, Daarken, Nikki Dawes, Carlos C. Díaz, Benjamin Ee, Geoffrey Ernault, Letícia Freitas, Bear Frymire, Gaboleps, Laura Galli, Kristina Gehrmann, James Green, Grant Griffin, Arturo Gutiérrez González, Juan Gutierrez, Leesha Hannigan, Rick Hefner, Suzanne Helmigh, Hendry Iwanaga, Jessketchin, Anthony Jones, Jack Jones, KarrahE, Sam Key, Ivan Koltovich, Alex Konstad, Samantha Kung, Linda Lithén, Samantha B. Lucas, Danil Luzin, Dominik Mayer, Julia Metzger, Maxime Minard, Andrea Tentori Montalto, José Muñoz, Reiko Murakami, Laura Marie Neal, Irina Nordsol, Tamara Osborn, Mike Pape, Jen Estirdalin Pattison, Mila Pesic, Henry Peters, Rafater, Andreas Rocha, Ryan Christian Rodero, Joshua Rodriguez, Henrik Rosenborg, Ilya Royz, Allan Santos, Stanislav Sherbakov, Ernanda Souza, Fernanda Suarez, Jenny Tan, Mat Wilma, Maciej Wojtala
  • Editing: Laura Hirsbrunner, Amber Litke, Sadie Lowry, Ashley Michaela “Navigator” Lawson, Scott Gray, Sebastian Yūe
  • Layout/Design: Matt Paquette & Co., John Harper, Vee Hendro
• Legend In The Mist - Core Book, Son of Oak Game Studio
  • Author: Amit Moshe, Eran Aviram, Itamar Karbian, Kelly Black
  • Art: Alejan Drapinal, Marius Zszulc, Mark Hretskyi, Zach Causey
  • Editing: Eran Aviram
  • Layout/Design: Manuel Serrasáez
• Sickest Witch Core Rulebook, Severed Books
  • Author: Justin Sirois
  • Art: Justin Sirois
  • Editing: Spencer Ellsworth, Michael Hughes
  • Layout/Design: Justin Sirois
• Thieves of the Tome, First Pancake Studios
  • Author: George Philbrick
  • Art: George Philbrick
  • Layout/Design: George Philbrick

Best Layout and Design

• Berserkr, Slightly Reckless Games
• Deadline: A Clockwork Press, The Wanderer's Tome
• Midnight Muscadines, Pandion Games
• Voidheart Symphony (Revised Edition), Rowan Rook & Decard
• Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game, Player's Guide, Cubicle 7 Entertainment

Best Monster/Adversary

• Dolmenwood Monster Book, Exalted Funeral Press
  • Authors: Gavin Norman with Kyle Hettinger, Amelia Luke, James Spahn, Brian Yaksha
  • Art: Bianca Canoza, Pauliina Hannuniemi, Jana Heidersdorf, Aaron Howdle, Chris Huth, Tom Kilian, Jethro Lentle, Ellie Livingston, Kyle Patterson, Mish Scott, Ulla Thynell, Andrew Walter, Letty Wilson
• Monsters of Drakkenheim, Ghostfire Gaming
  • Authors: Monty Martin, Kelly McLaughlin
  • Art: Maria Arteta, Mauro Alocci, Andreea Barbu, Clément Blum, Cristina Birtea, Isabell Bartnicki, Marius Bota, Augusto Costa, Alberto dal Lago, Andrei Dragoș Poițelea, Giuseppe De iure, Rafael Dantanna, Sorina Dana Ştefan, Anastassia Grigorieva, Andre Garcia, Isabela Homitchi, Suzanne Helmigh, Will Hallett, Andrei Iacob, Kurt Jakobi, Ona Kristensen, Cristiana Leone, Danil Luzin, Alina Magherusan, Derek Murphy, Fajri Muhammad, Giovana Marion, Guilherme Motta, Laura Marie Neal, Renan Maurilio, Toni Munteanu, Marzena Nereida Piwowar, Olha Nykytiuk, Elizabeth Peiró, Felipe Pérez, Vincenzo Pratticò, Mihai Radu, Oana Roxana Birtea, Renan Ribeiro, George Stratulat, Stephen Sykes, Gaga Turmanishvili, Andreia Ugrai, Rebeca Ungurean, Bianca Vrinceanu, Karin Wittig
• Starfinder Alien Core, Paizo Inc.
  • Author: Kate Baker, Lau Bannenberg, Rigby Bendele, Vishesh Bhartiya, Joseph Blomquist, Jeremy Blum, Tineke Bolleman, Brent Bowser, Michael Bramnik, Patrick Brennan, Charlie Brooks, Jessica Catalan, Brite Cheney, Jeremy Corff, Caryn DiMarco, Anthony Dollinger, Steve Fidler, Kim Frandsen, Andrew D. Geels, Basheer Ghouse, Sen H.H.S., Katrina Hennessy, Thurston Hillman, Joan Hong, Jenny Jarzabski, Sara Jeffers, Mikko Kallio, Lysle Kapp, Mike Kimmel, Dustin Knight, Cole Kronewitter, Mahpiya, Letterio Mammoliti, Randal Meyer, Jacob W. Michaels, Matt Morris, Dennis Muldoon, Quinn Murphy, Elizabeth V Nold, Chesley Oxendine, Emily Parks, Glen Parnell, Randy Price, Kyle T. Raes, Jessica Redekop, Erin Roberts, James Rodehaver, David N. Ross, Pidj Sorensen, Joel Southall, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Drew Taylor, Sam W Tennyson, Jalen Todd, Ruvaid Virk, Viditya Voleti, Christopher Wasko, Nicholas Wasko, Jackson Wery, Shan Wolf, and Basil Wright
  • Art: János Brumár, Sol Devia, Daniele DiParma, Anna Duma-Baranowska, Miguel Regodón Harkness, Ivan Koritarev, Renan Maurilio, Sophie Medvedeva, Guilherme Motta, Guilherme Olivieri, Nikolai Ostertag, Pixoloid Studios (Mark Molnar, Gaspar Gombos, Zsolt “Mike” Szabados, Janos Gardos, Peter Lerner, and Almos Balogh), Jino Rufino, Alberto Saraiva, Arthur Enrique Olivera Silva, Melissa Spandri, and Veto Zomer
• The Field Guide to Floral Dragons Box Set, Hit Point Press
  • Author: Verity Lane, Chris Pinch, Jordan Richer, Sebastian Yue
  • Art: Kin Wald
• Wrath of the Kaiju, Loot Tavern Publishing
  • Authors: Joao Araujo, William Earl, Dai Jia Rong He, Max Wartelle
  • Art: Mohammed Bellafquih, Kwanpo "Ari" Cheng, Phan Tuan Dat, Aleksa Drageljevic, Tyler Grayson, Martin Kirby-Jackson, Roman Kuzmin, Rastislav Le, Michelle Mueller, Richard Nguyen, Mukhlis "Sinlaire" Nur, Ognjen Sporin, Rajaa Al-Subairi, Chaouki "Ciao" Titouhi, Souhaib Zekri

Best Online Content

• Designing Dungeons Course: Or, How to Kill a Party in 30 Rooms or Less, Joshua McCrowell & Warren D
• Explorers Design
• Golarion Mapping Project, Tabletop RPG Historical Society
• Molten Sulfur Blog, Molten Sulfur Press
• Solo RPG List

Best Production Values

• Legend In the Mist - Ravenhome Slipcase, Son of Oak Game Studio LLC
• Mappa Mundi - An Exploration + Ecology RPG, Three Sails Studios
• Terra Antarctica, Edge Studio
• The Crooked Moon Ultimate Edition, Avantris Entertainment
• The Spark Devil, H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society

Best RPG Related Product

• Advent-ure Calendar 20: The Lost Labyrinth, Only Games, Black Oak Workshop
• Beyond the Witching Ring: Dolmenwood Soundtrack Album — 12" Vinyl LP, Exalted Funeral Press
  • Music: Tales Under The Oak
• Dolmenwood Noble House Enamel Pins Set, Exalted Funeral Press
• Menagerie of Unbearable Things, Tania Herrero
• Sickest Witch Belt Buckle, Severed Books

Best Rules

• A Land Once Magic, moreblueberries
  • Author: Viditya Voleti
• Daggerheart, Darrington Press
  • Authors: Spenser Starke, Carlos Cisco, Rowan Hall, John Harper, Matthew Mercer, Alex Uboldi, Mike Underwood, Layla Adelman, Meguey Baker, Banana Chan, Chris Davidson, Rue Dickey, Felix Isaacs, Erin Roberts, Deven Rue, Rogan Shannon, Mark Thompson, Eugenio Vargas, Chris Willett
• Legend In The Mist - Core Book, Son of Oak Game Studio
  • Authors: Amit Moshe, Eran Aviram, Itamar Karbian, Kelly Black
• Sickest Witch Core Rulebook, Severed Books
  • Author: Justin Sirois
• Thieves of the Tome, First Pancake Studios
  • Author: George Philbrick

Best Setting

• Dolmenwood Campaign Book, Exalted Funeral Press
  • Authors: Gavin Norman, Chance Dudinack, Luke Gearing, Yves Geens, Noah Green, Greg Gorgonmilk, Kyle Hettinger, Clint Krause, Amelia Luke, Scott Malthouse, Jonathan Newell, Frances Northcutt Green, Amanda P., Doyle Wayne Ramos-Tavener, Glynn Seal, James Spahn, Andrew Walter, Brian Yaksha.
• Ecryme: Player’s Guide, Open Sesame Games, LLC
  • Authors: Alexandre Clavvel, Mathieu Gaborit, Samuel Metzener
• Grim Hollow: Campaign Guide, Ghostfire Gaming
  • Authors: Ben Byrne, Shawn Merwin, Jenn E. Adams, Andrew Bishkinskyi, Jacob Davis, Jackson DiCarlo, Benjamin Evans, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Benjamin Huffman, Chris Lindsay, Ginny Loveday, Pan Lyons, Greg Marks, Elliott Randall, Joe Raso, Kienna Shaw, Anne Smith, Marcello De Velazquez, Christopher Walz, Graham Ward, Ethan Yen
• Household Volume II, Two Little Mice
  • Authors: Ricardo "Rico" Sirignano and Simone Formicola
• Ryokos Guide to the Yokai Realms, Loot Tavern Publishing
  • Authors: Joao Araujo, William Earl, Dai Jia Rong He, Max Wartelle

Best Solo Game

• Odyssey of the Giant, Heltung Storytelling
• Pirouette, InnocentGoblin TTRPGs
  • Author: Michael Sweeney
• Song of the Scryptwyrm
  • Authors: Dan Bronson-Lowe
• SPINE: A Dark Solo TTRPG About Losing Yourself in a Book, Backwards Tabletop
  • Author: Asa Donald
• The Bonsai Diary, Gene Koo
  • Authors: Sticky Doodler

Best Streaming Content

• Cozy RPG Reviews
• Get Your Sheet Together, Darrington Press
• How's My Driving?, DNGN CLUB GAMES
• One Shot: Last Train to Bremen, One Shot
• The Good Friends of Jackson Elias podcast, Blasphemous Tomes

Best Supplement

• Legend In The Mist - Action Grimoire, Son of Oak Game Studio
  • Authors: Amit Moshe, Eran Aviram, Itamar Karbian, Kelly Black
• Mystified!, The Wanderer's Tome
  • Authors: Chelsea Sciortino and Fleur Sciortino
• No Place Like Homebrew, Roll & Play Press
  • Authors: Sam Barlett, Beth Davies
• The Creative Game Master's Guide to Extraordinary Locations (& How To Design Them), Bluestone Books
  • Author: Duncan Rhodes
• The Painted Wastelands Player's Guide, Agamemnon Press
  • Authors: Tim Molloy, Christopher Willet

Best Writing

• Making Enemies: Monster Design Inspiration for Tabletop Roleplaying Games, Gallery Books
  • Author: Keith Ammann
• Piaga 1348, NEED GAMES!
  • Author: Helios Pu
• Pirouette, InnocentGoblin TTRPGs
  • Author: Michael Sweeney
• Rapscallion, Magpie Games
  • Authors: Whistler, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Brendan G. Conway, Mark Diaz Truman
• StoryBake, Tiny Ghost Chef Games
  • Author: Dan Walter

Product of the Year

• Coriolis: The Great Dark Core Rulebook, Free League Publishing
• Daggerheart, Darrington Press
• Dolmenwood Campaign Book, Exalted Funeral Press
• Legend In The Mist - Core Book, Son of Oak Game Studio
• Menagerie of Unbearable Things, Tania Herrero
• The Bonsai Diary, Gene Koo
• The Crooked Moon Ultimate Edition, Avantris Entertainment
• The Field Guide to Floral Dragons Box Set, Hit Point Press
• The Spark Devil, H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society
• The White Horse of Lowvale, Tania Herrero

Howdy, folks! I've been a big fan of Mothership since the 0e days, and figured I'd actually start collecting my recommendations in one place instead of just constantly repeating myself in replies on various websites. If you're not sure where to start, need an adventure to drop into your campaign, or want the next two years of play planned out for you, I've got tips on what to buy for each!

Notably absent from this post: my Prospero's Dream-adjacent recommendations, as we're still in the early days of Mothership Month 2025's deluge of support for the best space station in TTRPGs. There's a ton of good stuff out there... but I want a more comprehensive view of that sub-scene before I cover it!

I always wanted to play Root. The boardgame I mean. I always found it quite alluring, I always loved strategy games and the art and concept always seemed right on my alley. Unfortunately, I did not get the occasion to play it yet. However, I learned that the boardgame also received a TTRPG adaptation, made by none others then Magpie Games. For those who are not aware, Magpie are the reigning kings of PbtA RPGs, with titles such as Masks, Avatar Legends, Cartel and many many others. So when we approached them for a partnership, Root was at the top of my wishlist. They were gracious enough to send a review copy our way and with the occasion of Playcon, an amazing local con which held its first edition back at the end of May I got the chance to run a couple of public sessions there.

Needless to say, I had a blast, I adored the art, the setting and the implementation of PbtA (between us, I actually enjoyed this one way better than Avatar Legends). And it wasn't just me who had a blast with the system, but also my groups of players! So I knew that I had to make a review and explain at large why you might enjoy this little gem. Unfortunately, life is sometimes a bitch and some personal stuff delayed said review, but I am proud to tell you that it is now ready and published!

So if any of you have even the smallest amounts of interest towards lite-political games, fun low fantasy adventure, a nostalgia for series such as Redwall or Guardians of Ga'Hoole I think you should give this game a try! My thoughts at large are found in the review, I hope you will enjoy it and I hope you will give this game a try, I assure you, it will be a fun time!

doesn’t have to be fantasy. npc collections count too

I’m planning a campaign of medium length for two players, though there’s potential for them to be joined by another player or two later.

Contemporary real world setting. They play as investigators hunting a criminal who stays at RV parks across the country, attempting to gather more information on his activities by posing as vacationers in their own RV. No supernatural or sf content.

Mostly social/investigatory roleplaying, a small amount of vehicular action, probably some recreational sports.

Other than my go-to choice of 4e GURPS, which system do you think would best serve this style of game?

TL;DR: Long time DM who took a long break after a strange "burn out" and is completely lost on how to return

Hey there. I've been playing ttrpgs for around 20 years now, starting in D&D 2e, moving to 5e then branching into about a dozen other games as I've experimented. Most of this time has been DMing, a forever DM if you will.

I still play in games as a player, I think it's healthy for a DM to also be a player to remind yourself what it's like on that end of the table. I've run and played in several games that have fully completed (D&D going 1-20 for example).

I've worked hard on improving my skill. Going from poorly hand sketched maps to using programs and making some more polished and maybe somewhat professional looking maps. I've always had my players fill out surveys to learn my strengths and weaknesses, trying to improve what I'm bad at with practice and change my thought processes and take my strengths and expand upon them. To me, DMing has been my art, my one thing I felt I was very good at. People I knew often turned to me and asked me to run games. I was the DM of all my friend groups and I loved doing it for them. Many people have said I should do paid DMing, but I could never bring myself to do it.

Moving forward...

Months ago when it release, learned a new system, Draw Steel. I fell DEEPLY in love with the game. It's everything I've ever wanted in a game and more. I ran a bunch of one shots, joined games, ran some short adventures and some false starts to games of course. So I was ready to run a real FULL campaign.

I put my heart and soul into writing it up. Cool systems, tons of maps. LOTS of lore, which is what I struggled with in the past, my lore and story writing was my weakest points. This time I tried VERY hard to get it good and the players who signed up ACTUALLY read things and were loving it, creating characters based on the lore and the world and getting lost in it before the game even started. I found a great group, ran a one shot with them. It was perfect.

Then it happened...

My head blew. I don't know if it was panic or I overdid it and burned out or what. But I could not bring myself to actually start the game despite it being ready to go. I had several adventures like..ready. Not necessarily railroaded, but just the first quest and then all the regional information jotted down so I can pivot according to what they decided. Deep story lines they could follow, but didn't necessarily have to. I always run openworld/sandbox games.

Anyway. I started getting head spins, like physical reactions. I freaked out and called it off. Told the players the truth, exactly what was happening and we went on an indefinite hiatus. I stopped working on games, stopped running games, stopped playing games.

This was about 5 months ago. I've never gone this long without ttrpgs in my life.

But I recently got back into it. I joined a Draw Steel game about 2 weeks ago. I'm having fun. I wanna run again but I just don't know what to do. I have ideas for campaigns, I can find players, but I'm scared of repeating all this. Letting people down with another false start. Also I feel very lost with setting up a new game. I'm wanting to run Draw Steel again, but my VTT options, for me personally aren't great. Roll20 is not good for Draw Steel, not enough tools to help. Foundry I just don't like on the DM side, I ran into so many issues when it came to importing maps all the time, it stressed me out. But now there's Codex, Draw Steel's specific VTT which is great, but very intimidating to learn how to use on the DM side.

I thought about running something else. But something I kinda learned with myself, my cognitive load is quite high. Running like a pbta game, such as one of my favorite games of all time, Apocalypse World, is too simple mechanically and I get very bored and disinterested fast despite how much I love the game as a player.

I know some people might suggest one shots, and I plan on doing that for sure. But I'm just trying to figure out what to do campaign wise for the future. Anyone have this issue? How did you come back after a very long hiatus?

I'm looking for games that depict a truly miserable existence. Settings are fine, but I'm really interested in mechanics that model things being awful. I'm looking at things like the burden system from Hard Wired Island, or how the colonizers work in Dog Eat Dog. Systems that put stress on the players and maybe feels antithetical to a power fantasy.

No need to recommend Warhammer as in familiar with it .

I’m running a combat focused game based on the fire emblem franchise. I want suggestions on how to approach making interesting and fun battlemaps. I’m aiming more for a video game feel rather than realism

This movie has been living rent free behind my eyes for decades. So, I wonder what Tron inspired RPGs there are.

I'm aware of:

* Deathnet

* Virtual

* Gridwalker

* Code Warriors

* Universal Serial Blades

* Rezz

Edit: resources by the commenters:

* Voices of the Datasphere for Numenera

* Neon City Overdrive: The Grid

* Otherspace: Neuro

* Light Cycles at Wargames Vault

* Fan supplement for Genesys RPG

What am I missing? Any fan created works?

Recently I've been doing some worldbuilding and enjoy the setting a lot, but I have no idea what I could run it in. Very much doubt a fitting game exists, but why not ask the hivemind first before I design my own system.

It is a post-apocalyptic setting in which nature has reclaimed most of the planet. Humans are (almost?) extinct and fairies have reappeared, tending to plants and animals alike. There are still mindless factories churning out toxic smoke and sludge, protected by brutish, robotic guardians, sometimes huge and hulking, sometimes agile and cunning.

Playing as fairies means multiple things: Aerial maneuvers, relying on magic and small size, also no real ability to 'tank', though maybe their light weight makes smacking them around cause them to be stunned more often than smushed. Don't need a ton of crunch but would love combat to be somewhat tactical.