Systems

This is a compilation of a range of different systems that are played in the society, please note that none of the links on this page are associated with the society, if there are any that lead to malicious or harmful content please let a member of committee know so it can be removed.

If you need some help finding the rules for a certain system, ask on the Discord and we will probably be able to help you out!

Each system has a few tags (to be used in a search feature if I can get it working) as well as an brief overview, possibly some links to useful resources, and ratings in three categories: Crunch - How many dice do you get to roll, Rule Quantity - How many rules does the game involve, and Resources - How much stuff is available on the internet to help you. Please not that apart from for resources more stars doesn't mean better, it's just personal taste.

If you would like a system added, or think an existing entry could do with some adjustments, please let me (Alex) know, there should also be a new entry form kicking around somewhere on the Discord but you might have to remind me to check it.

  • Animon Story

    Fantasy

    Monster Tamer

    Crunch ★★★☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★★☆☆☆

    Overview

    Animon Story is inspired by the likes of Digimon and Pokémon, the system involves player characters exploring a world filled with monsters. These monsters evolve and develop abilities with rules for endless interesting monsters.

    Resources

    • There is currently only a rule book and small add on story book with a few extra additions, and little fan made resources. But overall there is plenty to quickly pick it up and enjoy the world.
  • Blades in the Dark

    PbtA

    Gothic

    Supernatural

    Crunch ★★☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★★★☆☆

    Overview

    You and a group of fellow unsavoury fellows begin your venture in starting your underworld business in the Gothic city of Doskvol full of ghosts and cults. Gameplay takes place through a series of heists and plans to advance your own agendas in a formulaic gameplay loop which is narative and improv dirven.

    Resources

  • BREAK!!

    d20

    Fantasy

    Crunch ★★☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★☆☆☆☆

    Overview

    Break!! is inspired by anime, manga, classic role playing games and NES era video games. The game takes place in a world with a broken sun. Half the world is locked in eternal day (The Blazing Garden) and the other half in eternal night (The Wistful Dark), separated by an uncharted ocean that lies between dusk and dawn (The Twilight Meridian). Break!! has a fun, lean combat system, where health is instantly restored after a fight, combat is divided into 15-foot regions (possibly with terrain effects), and players are encouraged to be creative with Attack Stunts and Assists. This is where the player makes a gamble to add an extra effect to attacks, e.g., "I'm going to attack their legs with my sword, knocking them Prone if I hit, but if I miss they'll step on my sword and disarm me".

  • Definitely Wizards

    Oneshot

    Rules light

    Comedy

    Fantasy

    Crunch ★☆☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★☆☆☆☆

    Resources ★☆☆☆☆

    Overview

    In a world where only book and quill wizardry is allowed with a licence you are, definitely not wizards. Witchs, elementalists, or familiars in a trench coat, you are not wizards. But the examiners of the Wizard Certification Practical Exam don't need to know that, a series of rooms full of monsters and puzzles is all it is. Find a balance between using your non-wizard magic to pass without giving your sect away.

    Resources

  • Dungeons and Dragons

    Fantasy

    d20

    Crunch ★★★★☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★★☆

    Resources ★★★★★

    Overview

    D&D is the goblin of ttrpgs, you find them everywhere, and they come in all sorts of shapes and and colours: The classic fantasy game.

    Resources

    • Every piece of information you could ever need about the rules as well as every official prewritten module - 5e Tools
    • Fun way to start getting into character creation - A Crap Guide to D&D
    • For online character sheets most people use D&D Beyond which is good but costs money to use a lot of the content released later (unless your DM already owns that content and shares it with you), I personally use Dungeon Master's Vault which is more finicky and requires adding a lot of stuff yourself via creating or importing content (Premade stuff here) but if you can you're probably better off just printing off a standard paper character sheet.
  • Everyone is John

    Oneshot

    Rules light

    Comedy

    Crunch ★☆☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★☆☆☆☆

    Resources ★☆☆☆☆

    Overview

    Everyone is John is a humorous, competitive roleplaying game about playing the various personalities of John, an insane man from Minneapolis. One participant is the GM, or, in Everyone is John lingo, “Everyone Else.” All of the other players are Voices in John’s head. Each player has a list of obsessions, and fulfilling these is the goal while in control of John.

    Resources

  • Fate

    Genreless

    Fudge

    Crunch ★☆☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★★★★★

    Overview

    Fate is a system designed to slot into any setting, focusing on describing the narrative, then finding the rules to fit what's happening. Fate makes use of Aspects, short phrases that descibe pretty much everything, helping you to determine whether something needs to be rolled for, what would logically follow the previous point, and what isn't possible at all.

  • Monster of the Week

    PbtA

    Supernatural

    Crunch ★☆☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★★★★☆

    Overview

    Monster of the Week, as the name suggests focuses mostly of a monster of the week style of play, although that doesn't mean it doesn't allow for overarching stories or plots. This system is best suited to more of a low fantasy setting which characters taking on archetypes such as a criminal, a journalist, bound by an ancient prophecy, or able to draw on unstable dark powers.

    Resources

    • Downlaods for playbooks and reference sheet avaible halfway down this page
  • Pathfinder

    Fantasy

    d20

    Crunch ★★★★☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★★★

    Resources ★★★★★

    Overview

    Pathfinder 2nd edition is a well-balanced fantasy roleplaying system, with a focus on teamwork and composition. With rich character customisation, and easy directions to help Game Masters create their campaign, once you've gotten over the initial hurdle of the rules, you'll find that it's a breeze to play.

    Resources

    Comparison with D&D

    Pathfinder 2nd Edition often gets compared to Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Many may wonder why they should play Pathfinder 2e over D&D 5e.

    While both systems have their advantages, PF2e has better designed rules, requires less GM fiat to get things to work, and provides players with more options to make and play their character. Some players may find the amount of choices in character creation too confusing, in this case, you may opt to limit character choices to those from the Core rule books. This will reduce the amount of choices into a more manageable list, and is an option you can choose on the Pathbuilder2e character builder.

    Additionally, those versed in D&D 5e may be well used to player imbalances, that is certain character builds outshining other player characters or certain classes being far more powerful overall. Pathfinder 2e reduces these pain points but a huge margin in a variety of ways (e.g., multi-classing is far more restrictive in what benefits a player can gain when doing so, thus no coffeelocks, sorcadins, ect.).

    A core benefit of PF2e is the three action system. This system helps speed up encounters compared to 5e as there are less questions on whether someone's turn has ended (e.g., what will they use their bonus action for, will they use their movement). Once a player has used up their three actions (and they will), their turn is over. It may take a little bit to get used to, and players used to 5e may be initially upset at having to use an action to move, but once players understand their options, encounters move much faster.

  • Shinobigami

    PVP

    Oneshot

    Crunch ★★☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★★★☆☆

    Overview

    Shinobigami pitches the players as ninjas from rival clans fighting to complete their missions, forming alliances with other each, and protecting their secrets. It requires very little improv on the part of the DM as most of the work is in preparing each player's mission, secret, and possible secret mission. Although the game only supports oneshots, campaigns are very doable by chaining together a series of linked scenarios which is made possible by the leveling as well as the ease of changing your character's moves between games. It also features a large amount of roleplay despite being PVP.

    Resources

    • There are quite a few well made pre-written scenarios available for free on the internet, which makes running this system a breeze once you read the rules. I reccommend only reading them if you plan to run a session so you don't get spoiled for possible games.
  • Stack of Goblins

    Oneshot

    Rules light

    Comedy

    Fantasy

    Crunch ★★☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★☆☆☆☆

    Resources ★☆☆☆☆

    Overview

    THEIR STINKYNESS THEMSELVES THE GOBLIN KING NEEDS THE HUMAN'S TRINKETS AND DODADS. Unfortunately goblins aren't allowed in the human towns so you'll need a clever disguise, subtle and original, a trench coat. Work together to claim all Their Stinkyness needs while fighting over control of the stack to grab your personal goals, each goblin in the stack can talk, grab or walk but not all at once so positioning and teamwork is key (or just squable that works too) to swifty grab what you need before the humans catch on.

    Resources

  • Traveller

    Sci-fi

    d6

    Crunch ★★★★☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★★★★☆

    Overview

    Traveller is a space based sci-fi system with a life path character creation process that lets you control the career of your character and rewards player interaction even in session 0. All dice rolls are made with D6 and features a wide variety of skills a player can specialise in. Combat can take place in many forms with unique systems for ground, (space)ship and vehicle conflicts. Overall the system is relatively beginner friendly and offers an alternative to magic fantasy ttrpgs.

  • Vaesen

    d6

    Mystery

    Horror

    Supernatural

    Crunch ★★☆☆☆

    Rule Quantity ★★★☆☆

    Resources ★★☆☆☆

    Overview

    Description of the game

    Resources

    • The Core Rulebook has everything you need to play within it, including an introductory adventure and a map of the Mythic North. This link contains downloads for character sheets, maps, and handouts from prewritten adventures for the GM