10 EPIC Fantasy RPGs Beyond DnD (Including 1 that Crushes 5e)

I'm a DnD fan, but there are more adventures to be had. From grim dark to low fantasy, from high fantasy to Arthurian mythology, I've chosen 10 amazing fantasy tabletop role playing games that I think stand above the rest. I rank games from publishers like Chaosium and Free League Publishing as well as indie TTRPGs.

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00:00 Intro
00:44 Number 10
01:39 Number 9
02:31 Number 8
03:28 Number 7
04:26 Number 6
05:56 Number 5
06:40 Number 4
07:33 Number 3
08:31 Number 2
09:26 Number 1

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[TheDelver]

Kickass video! I've been getting into Dungeon World myself, and I'm glad to see it getting some love.

[MemphiStig]

I'm a game mechanics nerd. I love when games have unique approaches and use the mechanics to facilitate them. All the ones you mention are great examples of this. I played WHFRP long ago, and the first thing I fell in love with was that career system. It's brilliant and I've never seen anything else like it. Same with the Flashback from BITD. It's perfect for the heist concept and as far as I know totally original to that game.

[negatron]

Hyperborea is a fun marriage of system and setting. Powerful spells; powerful fighters; over 20 flavorful classes. A humano-centric pulp setting with a lot of influence from HP Lovecraft. Robert E Howard, Clark Ashton Smith all based on 1eAd&d.

The system has a neat melee critical rules it give chunkier crits to fighters and similar classes, but more forgiving critical fails. While weaker crits for mages and their similar classes and less forgiving critical fails.

[NomNom]

Have you had a chance to try Crown and Skull from Runehammer?

[shallendor]

My favorite TTRPG's and systems: 1-Cypher(generic), 2-Teenagers From Outer Space(anime), 3-Gamma World 4E(not based on D&D 4E)(post apocalyptic), 4-All Flesh Must be Eaten(zombie), 5-Battlelords of the 23rd Century(sci-fi), 6-Pathfinder 1E(fantasy), 7-5E(fantasy), 8-Palladium system(generic), 9-AD&D(fantasy), 10-Shadow of the Demon Lord(sci-fantasy/horror) and 11-Star Frontiers(sci-fi)

[dylanhyatt]

Shadowdark and DCC two of my faves. For a modern challenger, PF2e is solid - cool mechanics - every +1 counts because Crits occur on 10+ over DC (and of course the streamlined three Action Economy saves all that - is this a 'Bonus Action, an Action or can I do it as part of my Move' sloppiness.

[DMTalesTTRPG]

All good, and a number of which I have yet to play! I love Numenera as well, everything is simple. Low Fantasy Gaming handles luck in a way that builds dread the longer an adventure continues.

[golderstett]

SHADOW OF THE DEMON LORD should definitely be on your list. It's (mulit-)class system is brilliant.

CROWN AND SKULL is great too. There is no 'to hit' roll, damage is rolled immediately. And instead of hit points characters do lose skills and/or equipment. Very interesting mechanic.

[SmileyTrilobite]

I already play Shadowdark and a PbtA game, but now I want to also experimentally add some of these praised traits to my 5e game, like some rolls being PbtA "benefit-or-complication" rather than "success-or-failure", Dragonbane's rallying, and exploding damage dice.

[Vaerceagoth]

I have two great games that didn’t get mentioned. Conan: Adventures in an Age Untold by Modiphius is a great sword and sorcery game that delves deep into Hyborea with every book and was made in conjunction with the group that manages the canon for Conan. The downside is that it’s no longer in publication because Modiphius unfortunately lost the license. The other is The Dark Eye by Ulisses Spiel. The Dark Eye (Das Schwarze Auge in Germany) is a dark and gritty game that appears bright and hopeful. The great thing about it is the sheer customization of complexity that you can get. Surface level the game seems a lot more complex than it actually is, but runs smoother than silk when you get used to it. You can then add levels of focus rules here and there to increase granularity and complexity as you feel like it.

[f.a.santiago]

Dragonbane and Shadowdark are two of my favorite RPGs.

[nutherefurlong]

As much as I'm a bit apprehensive about PbtA, the idea that you can just start up a session and create the rules for a world is compelling, especially if you have the right group.

I guess Zweihander tries to use the mechanisms of WHFRP, but not sure which version it uses the most. The damage system seems similar? They had a new edition 'started a few years ago, it seems

Lot of interesting things about One Ring from what I've read.

I can't get past DCC's dice. I think the crazy level of detail for spell rolls and the maneuver system for fighters make it really compelling and I want to find a way to get around that dice system.

Also, liked that you had the flub edited into the middle of where it popped up, rather than piling it on at the end like so many do. Dig your editing style generally.

Fan of Knave, Maze Rats, and Mausritter. Also like Cairn, which seems to be pretty popular now, DURF, and Emiel Boven's other RPG, Electrum Archive. I guess that outs my tastes right now

[Skimmer]

I really like how you highlight a cool mechanic of each game, very hepful.

[DaVeO]

I run three campaigns an am play testing a 4th. That 4th is Shadowdark and it's a breath of fresh air for this veteran DM. The creation of dungeons, towns, overland, NPCs is a joy with all of their many, many random tables. Combat is quick and brutal but easily moddable if you want to bring some outside rules in like I did. I'm having a blast running it and my friends are getting a kick from it too.

The other campaign I've really been impressed by is Vassen by Free League. Gorgeous art, unique setting, emphasis on investigation and roleplaying. My one group has fallen head over heels with it. Unique mechanic, base building. You have inherited a manor to work out from as you solve the challenges of these Vaesen (dark fey creatures) and between adventures use your XP to help reconstruct this manor which in turn helps to give you resources and boons in your investigations.

[Demoncy]

Wayward Souls, on Drivethrurpg. It has a skill system with dice pools, and when you assist your team, you loan them dice from your pool, so everyone's stealth skill matters in a stealth check. Also, it's kind of eastern fantasy, but the Valiance class let's you be a WWE wrestler for some amazing reason.

[gddion]

I'd add !3th Age with its escalation mechanic and Fantasy AGE with its stunt mechanic to the list.

[TheGladGolem]

Crown & Skull: No hit points. Instead, you cross-off a random skill or piece of equipment from your limited inventory. Hardcore as it gets.

[johnevans]

Palladium Fantasy. Their combat system is amazing!

[deusvault]

All great choices, I love all of these games however my list looks more like.
1. Shadow of the demon lord
2. Symbaroum
3.zweihander
4.shadow dark
5. Forbidden lands
Etc I don't wanna fill up a comment with my whole collection XD Needles to say I like ttrpgs.