Games

The Compendium of Free Tabletop Role Playing Games

This is a collection of games, and links to games, that I’ve collected since 1993. I’m always looking for more games, so if you have one to donate, please fill out this form. I prefer to just link to games, so that the author has complete control over the content. There’s always WordPress or Google Drive for hosting documents.

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If you are looking for computer or online games, this is not the place for you. These are all just pencil-and-paper roleplaying game rules.

• Crossroads A sandbox fantasy RPG with elemental bending-like magic, quick and intuitive tactical combat and character progression driven by the character’s personal goals. All this with a word count of a D&D quick guide.
• Bitpunk NEO RPG A cyberpunk/cosmic horror tabletop JRPG
• Chassis Universal and Multisystem Role Playing Game (Spanish language)
• Abide Asteria Sci-Fi adventure with Fantasy elements like magic, elves & dragons. Plays with cards instead of dice.  
• A one in a million chance at adventure – a Discworld tribute a D10 Roleplaying system for adventures set in the Discworld Universe  
• Animal Crossing RPG A wonderful Lasers & Feelings hack, set in the world of Animal Crossing!  
• Vector! Attack of the Metapirates BETA An NPC aware of their fictional nature launches a series of daring plans to enter the real world.  
• SuperDuel A completely ridiculous, hopefully hilarious, superhero PVP 4-sheet battler  
• Final Fantasy RPG 4th Edition A modern-er take on Final Fantasy TTRPG
• Cascade Failure Sci fi RPG where everything has gone wrong.
• Reclaim the Wild  A Legend of Zelda tabletop RPG system, inspired by Breath of the Wild.
• Aleph RPG provides a complete classless and spell-less tabletop RPG rule set, released under Creative Commons license. Currently it fully supports Fantasy settings.
• Lawmen v Outlaws Wild West, Fudge-based rpg designed with pick-up games in mind.  
• Shepherd’s Crossing This game takes place in the Shepherd’s Crossing School for Magic where players explore, solve mysteries, cast spells, battle monsters, and make new friends.
• Free Engle Matrix Game MG’s are used by various armies for military planning.
• GATEWAY RPG Rules-Lite Homebrew version using D&D5e mechanics that can be used for ANY theme or setting.
• M20 Fifth Adamantine Edition A microlite take on the fifth edition of the world’s most popular rpg.

• Saving People / Hunting Things A tiny monster-hunting RPG based on Buffy and Supernatural. by E. Chris Garrison  
• Archives of the Sky (Basic Rules) A collaborative tabletop story game where million-year-old galactic wanderers face threats to their long-held values. 
• M20 Fifth Adamantine Edition A microlite take on the fifth edition of the world’s most popular rpg. 
• Fluffy pony rpg: Tales of Sh*t and Skettis A (very) niche, tongue in cheek, black humor, RPG about sentient equine biotoys. (adult content warning)  
• Babes in the Wood Kids lost in endless magical woods on halloween night just trying to get home, PBTA. 
• Ambrosia is a dark fantasy, storytelling-centric RPG inspired by the history and the folklore of the Low Countries.
• GATEWAY RPG Rules-Light system that uses some of D&D5e’s basic mechanics and can be used for ANY theme or setting.
• Magic And Steel An innovative RPG mixing “old” and “new” rpg styles.
• Krendel A modular, universal table top role-playing game system that provides a toolbox to customize your game to any world you can imagine.
• Willpower A die, one stat RPG 
• 90 Minutes of Mayhem! Re-create the glory of 80s action movies, with a 90 minute deadline!
• Drama & Dice Rules-lite, universal RPG with a focus on storytelling and a distinctive approach to character stats. 
• MYSTOS: The Role Playing Game Dark mythological RPG that uses Rock-Paper-Scissors dice mechanics.
• Bounty Hunters of the Atomic Wastelands Post-apocalyptic western (Fate) 
• Cyberblues City Cyberblues is a bit like cyberpunk, only more mellow (Fudge)
• Ops and Tactics Modular Modern RPG with tons of content
• Final Fantasy RPG (in Spanish)
• Red Rock is a post-apocalyptic game about survivors exploring their memories as they try to rebuild society.
• Awesome VHS Adventures Celebrate the B movies of the 1980s with campiness, fan-pleasing trademarks, and sloppy editing.
• FREE-FORM A D6 system free-form RPG.
• Zombieworld A zombie/horror-survival themed cannibalization of Dungeon World/Apocalypse World.
• Mod Basic Modular universal system easily adaptable to custom settings.
• Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons The latest edition of the world’s most popular RPG is free to download.
• Brutal: Big Bad Ball Busting Bloody Battles A D6 fast paced fantasy roleplaying game, Brutal is exactly that…brutal.
• Pandora London Modern myth comes to London in this dynamic take on contemporary supernatural drama.
• D12 RPG  An easy to learn tabletop RPG for any world.
• Newsies & Bootblacks The adventures of a bunch of kids earning their pluck on their own in an Edwardian world filled with crazed inventors, fagins, strange conspiracies and exotic foreigners.
• DENIABLE A Game of Unwitting Spies Tempted by Easy Money
• Grognards & Goblins: The Fantasy Roleplaying Game of the Napoleonic Wars A set of conversion rules for all versions of D&D, from zero ed to 3.5, to fantasy Napoleonics.
• World of Metal Gear Solid Unique system for a Metal Gear Solid themed game.
• Soul Eater RPG A fan made tabletop game for the manga/anime Soul Eater.
• Tiny d10 A flexible miniaturized RPG growing bigger by the day. 
• Flyerbooks: Pirate Party Free One-Page ruleset with a pirate-themed campaign starter. English version of the 1w6 flyerbooks.
• The Red Gods of Babylon Aaron Zawadi’s innovative Bronze Age FRPG
• ESPER Horror role playing game where players take on the role of a member of the society for Extraordinary Supernatural Phenomena Explored and Revealed.
• The Rnodaj System
• Celestial Sword Choose one of the classes throughout time and battle monsters with the powers from that class.
• Mech Tech Assault Pilot a mech suit throughout quests that the gamemaster creates.
• Terra-Xeno: This Alien Earth Simple free-wheeling science-ficton RPG.  9 page core rules book.  Plenty of expansion packs in the works!
• Sea of Stars Peace is relative. Conflict is constant. Your course will be choppy in this Sea of Stars.
• Five by Five An original game system and RPG Toolkit by Jeff Moore.
• Simplicity Simple fantasy roleplaying game.
• Super Hero Fun 
• Claustrophobia the game about crazy gnome explorers on board the doomed Nuclear Subterrine.
• Rule of Cool The Legend system offers cinematic combat and versatility. All donations go to Child’s Play Charity.
• The Frontier Inspired by the action RPG genre of video games.
• Sticks & Stones – The Free RPG
• D6Pool Prep Fast. Play Fast.
• Shotguns & Zombies B-movie/horror|survival zombie RPG.
• Disparity A paper and pen RPG based around the idea of various rogues, thieves, pirates and others with flexible morals.
• The Game Simplified d6 based game set in the ancient Arabian trading city of Irem.
• Heroes Against Darkness Heroes Against Darkness is a d20-based fantasy RPG system that combines modern mechanics with the simplicity of early RPG editions.
• Heroes of Feonora A Free ‘print and play’ RPG Board Game
• Unbelievably Simple Role-playing (USR) A super-streamlined game for any genre
• Rage, Precognition, Grace (RPG) OSR Fantasy RPG based on Steve Jackson’s “The Fantasy Trip” with updated rules and original races (no elves, dwarves, or halflings).
• Challenger RPG Free Kindle downloadable d20 system with 36 classes and multi-class rules.
• The Artifact RPG Earth is trashed; save humankind.
• Steampunkfitters Steampunk your way.
• F-Zero RPG Futuristic space racing RPG.
• Amalgam RPS Homebrewed Fantasy RPG.
• Dungeon Squad A role-playing game designed expressly for young players with short attention spans who demand action and fun.
• CZFT CZFT is a D100 system for any genre. (Some are included in the link).
• PAX BRITANNICA A pen & paper steampunk RPG.
• ENCOUNTER A free, narrative-driven pen-and-paper role-playing system.
• 2d6 An elegantly simple RPG system.
• Hodge RPG a Universal Open Source Role-Playing Game
• Knights of Valor RPG Dark Fantasy themed game written in High Gygaxian
• Inception: The Unofficial Role Playing Game Roleplaying in the world of the movie Inception.
• Simple System Generic fantasy RPG using a Risk/Yatzee-like rolling system.
• HexenGame A d100 P&P version of the games Heretic and Hexen.
• ParaSpace Role Playing System Whether it’s swashbuckling on the high seas, investigating a murder on Mars, or attending the court of King Arthur, the ParaSpace is a generic set of rules that can be used in a multitude of settings and styles.
• 1w6-System German language universal RPG system using 1d6.
• Zombie d6-lite A one-page RPG system.
• The System Old-school roleplaying.
• MetaScape Roleplaying Game by Jodar
• Pars Fortuna A spin-off of Swords & Wizardry that throws in new races, spells, monsters and magic items.
• Golden Age RPG Steampunk fantasy RPG.
• Engine Heart Engine Heart is a role-playing game set in the aftermath of human extinction. (Free PDF download).
• Cartomancer RPG System A card-based RPG system.
• The Alternative Gaming System (AGS) Dynamic, web-based rules.
• Five by Five (v2) Generic “choose your trait” RPG system, easy and flexible that uses the d6 in a unique new way.
• Gulliver’s Trading Company Explore the world of Gulliver‚Äôs Travels! Complete beta version full size RPG derived from FATE 2e. Lilliputians, flying island, sorcerers, ghosts, cursed immortals, etc.
• Systeme D Four page RPG (French language).
• Pith A Generic Role-Playing Game.
• The Cursed RPG A low powered urban fantasy game.
• Dvreem RPG A diceless storytelling game for two.
• Hi/Lo Heroes Rules Lite Superhero RPG with Random Hero Creation that really works!
• Sky Ace A Superhero miniatures war game that uses cards to form the game board and resolve tasks.
• A+ Fantasy Rules Lite generic Fantasy RPG – Easy and adaptable – uses an original d6 system.
• LINK Role-playing System Multi-genre system.
• Altars and Archetypes Extremely rules-light sword and sorcery RPG.
• 6X – The One Page Role Playing System Story trumps reality everytime.
• YAGS Yags is Another Game System. Designed for cinematic realism.
• Returner’s Final Fantasy (FFRPG) Now in its 3rd edition.
• The Aftermath A German language post-apocalyptic rollenspiel.
• X6 System A universal roleplaying system.
• Welcome to Guilddom Adventures Made Easy (GAME) A simple yet delightful “paper and pencil” fantasy role-playing game.
• MetaScape MedievalA living system in the middle of design and development.
• The Game With No Name (TGWNN) A Role Playing Game by Lee Saborio.
• Adventure Forge RPG A rules lite fantasy RPG system.
• Radience A game which takes you to the primitive roots of storytelling.
• R.A.W.E. (Red Ash World Engine)
• SANTIAGO JOE and the treasures of oblivion. A play-anywhere adventure B-Movie RPG.
• The French Invade Texas An alternate history RPG.
• 3GRP GriffonsGate Studios RPG of Body, Mind and Spirit.
• Wordplay A rules light, multigenre roleplaying game.
• SegnalationItalian language role-playing game.
• The Nameless Kingdom.
• Microlite20 The smallest thing in d20 gaming.
• Kalarsys
• Zodiac A Final Fantasy RPG
• Battles: Win or Lose A RPG that uses dice and trading card mechanics. 
• The Alchemy SystemA d20esque System
• Dragonwizards RPGAn independant system with pencil, paper, dice and cards.
• Dragoon D10Storyteller-based game set in the World of Dragoon
• Vox Draconis Dinosaurs, Dragons, Monsters & Men
• The Blade & the Will The Blade & the Will is an old school skill based role-playing game built on the Twenty Explodes Engine.
• PORTAL Player Oriented Roleplaying: Timing, Action & Lucidity
• Chronicles System A skill based dice-and paper RPG with an emphasis on steampunk campaign settings and optional rules for modern campaigns.
• Shattered Earth The Shattered Earth setting, along with D10/0 system.
• Nucleus Roleplay Extendable Game System
• Arcane Saga A fantasy RPG for as few as two players.
• Dominion Rules Fantasy and historical roleplaying based on the 12-sided die.
• Crimes People Play Players solve mysteries with a diverse group of colorful detectives.
• JAGS – (not) Just Another Gaming System 
• 2d6 Quick & Dirty RPG rules for off-the cuff adventures.
• PDQ Core Rules The game engine used for Dead Inside and Monkey, Ninja, Pirate, Robot: The Roleplaying Game.
• Faunae Roleplaying of fabulous – even bestial – nature
• Legendary Lives and Lost Souls Two free RPGs from Marquee Press
• Digiworld A Digimon RPG.
• RyF English translation of a Spanish rules-light system.
• Cosmic Synchronicity A multi-genre game engine
• Zamani Pulp Adventure Game System & Setting presented in Wiki Format
• MetaScape II Guild Space 400 pages of professional-grade core rules!
• Basic Fantasy RPG A rules-light game system based on the d20 SRD v3.5, but heavily rewritten with inspiration from early RPG game systems. 
• OSRIC A compilation of rules for old school-style fantasy gaming. 
• Wushu Open The Ancient Art of Action Roleplaying.
• GWing GWing is a Free Form RPG that’s constantly evolving.
• Love the Bomb Love the Bomb is a free narrative role-playing game (RPG) about surviving the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. 
• AGRPG Anything Goes Role Playing Game.
• Myriad RPG System Myriad is a rules-light modular role-playing system that can be adapted to any genre and setting.
• Tales of Adventure (ToAd) a Model Reality Kit 
• S.A.V.A.G.E. Essentials Survival And Victory After Global Extinction… a post-apocalyptic role-playing game. 
• URPG URPG is a generic “Conflict Simulation and Roleplaying Game”.
• Creeks and Crawdads The revised “Impact System” version of the classic. 
• Legendary Quest LQ is based entirely on actual European and Mediterranean folklore and mythology. 
• Wandering Monsters High School What if monsters went to high school? 
• Shinigami Chronicles This is a game about what happens after death, when a character doesn’t want to cross over yet. They can get jobs as Shinigami – the Guardians of Death.
• Rob Bot and his Robotic Buds This new roleplaying game (RPG), created by series creator Philip Reed, lets you take on the role of Rob and his friends as they delve deep into mystery, suspense, destruction, and the quest for the perfect afternoon snack.
• Proletariat: The Uprising Vaguely satirical RPG/strategy game based on Russian nihilism and communism. Avenge yourselves upon the bourgeoisie!
• Ronin Story What is it that your samurai did? Why do they drift aimlessly back and forth across the Empire like a wave upon the sands?
• Epic Dice System An open roleplaying system and Phenomena: The Unseen.
• Zarrakan Zarrakan is a Fantasy Role-Playing Game set on the distant planet Cyphron where war and high adventure are everyday things. 
• Freestyle Freestyle is a diceless system created for online rpg’s.
• The Rule of 5 RPG The Rule of 5 is a role playing game set in a dystopic world.
• Piledrivers and Powerbombs Join the savage world of pro-wrestling!
• Tavern and Tales
• PLUS Player’s Labor-Saving Utility System
• Myth A game of heroes battling evil in the lands of mythic roleplaying.
• vs Monsters Players take the roles of 19th century monster hunters living in the America of the time
• Dice Chucker A simple and fun system designed for the gamer looking for something different. It can be used in any genre from fantasy to sci-fi.
• Earth of the 4th Sun
• Babewatch the RPG
• Dreamscape the role playing game of dreams and nightmares
• Have-A-Go-Heroes The role-playing game of Marvel City’s not-so-super superheroes, in the style of The Mystery Men. 
• Tales from the Wood The Woodland Creatures RPG
• Barbarians of Lemuria RPG Heroic Swords & Sorcery!
• Legendary Tales High fantasy RPG.
• AIF Many years from now, in the vastness of space…
• Dark Spell By Jeffrey Schecter
• FEAR RPG a Flexible, Easy And Realistic fantasy RolePlaying Game
• Dragonfly By Jeffrey Schecter
• Red Raven RPG Contains a playable module with a basic version of the rules.
• Athala by Tristan Collet 
• StickGuy, the Roleplaying Game By Chris Gunning. 
• CJ Carella’s WitchCraft corebook Using the Unisystem rules. 
• Lila “…an historical setting in the Vedic times of ancient India.”
• BrutalRPG It is both a fast-and-furious wargame and a hack-and-slash role-playing game. 
• Alternacy and Mnemonic Two games on one page, brought to you by Alpha-Zulu Games.
• Apathy
• Base113 Home of the free sci-fi/fantasy roleplaying game PROTEUS and the upcoming roleplaying game Enigma.
• Poor Fellows RPG Jolly Roleplaying game in Polish and English.
• UNIVERSAL Simple Reality RPG Rules
• Entalis RPG Free SciFi? RPG.
• Project Evo
• Force 9 Sci-Fi Combat Roleplaying. Based on the FUDGE system.
• FATE: Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment Based on the FUDGE system. 
• Ars Magica 4th Edition Free with registration. 
• FaLoR (Fast and Loose Role-playing)
• General Roleplaying System / Faerie Fire
• Tri-Stat dX As seen in Big Eyes, Small Mouth and Silver Age Sentinels and others. Free PDF version with registration. buy Tri-Stat dX on Amazon 
• The World of Gaianar
• Dark Dungeon fantasy roleplaying game
• Alternative Roleplaying System (ARS)
• FreeformRPG
• Darkness Dark future fantasy roleplaying 
• Risus The Anything RPG 
• Brikwars Wargaming with interchangable plastic parts. 
• DragonGrace Infinity System (Diceless)
• The Window
• Icar The Free Science Fiction RPG
• The PG-13 B-Movie Game System By Guildhall Press
• FAST RPG Covers everything from super-heroes to hobbits, and does it with simple mechanics.
• deadEarth Post-apocalyptic Earth. “Brutal and fun”
• GURPS Lite Steve Jackson Games classic RPG trimmed down and given away free! 
• ZIGZAG 
• Sorcerer
• Avalonnia (French RPG)
• Battlestorm Basic Simplified free version of Ral Partha’s miniature battle game.
• Fantasized Adventures
• Lego Fantasy War Game
• Questfrom Computer Concepts
• INJU v1.0 Using the Storyteller rules by White Wolf Games, Inc.
• Fuzion— R. Talsorian Games 
• Runebearerby Chris Magoun — Magic and Religion clash in a ruined world
• Evolution: The First Step…
• Transcendence
• Outlaws of the Water Margin— A Chinese Role-playing Game
• Mutant Bikers of the Atomic Wastelands 
• Lucky 13 / Universe 13by Simon Richardson
• RIP Roleplaying the Infinite Possibilities
• TUGS by Aina Rasolomalala
• THE GUIDE TO ADVENTURE
• SYNDICATE (roleplaying the dark future)
• Heavy Ordnance by Christopher Blankley
• Powergame by Mikko Kauppinen
• OPIGS Supers: by Andrew Arensburger – RMS
• OPIGS: One Page GamIng? System by David Mar 1987https://ecgarrison.wordpress.com/2013/07/cool.gif
• SAGA: Simple And Generic Adventures by E. Chris Garrison
• GAME: Greatly Abbreviated Mechanics, Etc. by E. Chris Garrison
• SLUG (Simple, Laid-back Universal Game) By Steffan O’Sullivan
• FUDGE:(zipped text files) or (pdf): Freeform, Universal, Donated Gaming Engine By Steffan O’Sullivan
  buy Fudge Expanded Edition on Amazon

Since someone asked… means an item has been added at the last update.
means I think this game is particularly cool for some reason known only to me. 🙂
Est. 1994