Draw Steel (2025)

Pathfinder 2nd Edition is a tactical, crunchy and highly customizable heroic fantasy roleplaying game system published by Paizo. Originally released in 2019 as the evolution of the Pathfinder system (which grew out of the D&D 3.5 system, as a reaction to the release of the simplified and more video game-like D&D 4E). The system recently received a comprehensive "Remaster" overhaul, which decoupled the game from the legacy Open Game License (OGL), moving it to the system-agnostic ORC License. The Remaster version has updated various terminology and streamlined different conflicting mechanics, the core engine of PF2E remains exactly the same as before. Description Like other d20-based fantasy games, players are an adventuring party that go on adventures, defeat enemies and uncover various mysteries while the Game Master (GM) is in charge of running the world around the characters and is in control of managing any enemies and non-player characters they might encounter. However, where D&D 5E leans heavily on "rulings over rules" and simplicity, Pathfinder 2E has shifted its focus on customization and making sure that with every system balance is maintained. Pathfinder 2E is ideal for players who are more into tactical combat, clear rules for exploration, and the ability to build unique character concepts with a reasonable amount of customization without accidentally breaking the game or worry too much about maintaining balance. The system comes with great tools for the GMs as the system provides clear guidelines and mechanics for most situations, meaning the GM rarely has to invent or interpret rules on the fly to keep the game moving. System Overview & Key Features The 3-Action Economy Pathfinder 2E is famous for their action system. Instead of pre-defined action types, the player can perform creatively distribute their actions how they see fit. Instead of always having a "move action" that the character can utilize or leave unused, the system allows a character to instead use that action as an extra attack. Or instead of attacking, the adventurer can move twice (or thrice, if using all actions). Degrees of Success Instead of approaching "1" or "20" on the d20 die as a critical result, The system considers "oversucceeding" as a critical success. Succeeding a roll by 10 or more points it is automatically a Critical Success. If you miss the DC by 10 or more, it is a Critical Failure. Because of this, every single +1 or -1 improvement feels more impactful and important. Feat-Based Character Customization There are no "useless level-ups" Every single level-up players make meaningful choices by selecting from an extensive assortment of Ancestry Feats, Class Feats, Skill Feats, and General Feats. This creates a situation, where even two characters of the same class can be played completely differently. Reliable Encounter Building The game's underlying math is rigorous and highly functional. An encounter mathematically classified as "Severe" will actually push the party to their limits. GMs can trust the system's encounter building rules completely. Keyword and Trait System Spells, weapons, and abilities have specific traits (like "Incapacitation" or "Fire"). If a rule has a trait, it consistently interacts with the rest of the game's mechanics in the exact same way, removing ambiguity. Edicts and Anathema PF2e has abandoned the traditional moral alignment system. Deities and classes are governed by Edicts (things your character must strive to do) and Anathema (things you must avoid), creating a more nuanced approach to roleplaying.

SAKE is a traditional tabletop roleplaying game with a touch of strategy game. It is a crunchy, modular, d20 point-buy game set in an early-modern fantasy world, with detailed systems for domain-building and overseas trading. Description In SAKE, you play the ruler of a domain, a merchant prince, a pirate lord or start as an adventurer with the goal of rising to power. You delve into dungeons, explore pockets of the Otherworld to find treasures, make pacts with fickle gods, study dangerous magic, scheme to assassinate rivals, trade to gather resources and raise an army to fight wars. SAKE is a full point buy system, which means all character development happens by buying skills and abilities using EXP gained from your character's personality traits and events during gameplay. SAKE is designed to take place in an early modern (fantasy) world, with muskets and plate armour, cannons and galleys, rising capitalism and waning feudalism. With magic and gods mixed in. The game's rules support more serious types of campaigns, like balancing between different political interest groups when playing domain ruler, or deciding how far one is ready to go when meddling with gods or magic for power that could save their party and/or domain. SAKE comes with its own world – the Asteanic World – but it is by no means exclusive to it. It can be used to play in other early modern fantasy worlds, or even in Earth's similar historical period. Additional links sake.ee - Official website drivethrurpg.com - Full book

Novissa Spola is a tabletop tactical RPG being developed for VR, mixed reality, and PC. Inspired by classic tactical RPGs and the physical experience of playing around a tabletop, Novissa Spola combines strategic turn-based combat, character building, exploration, and a fantasy campaign designed to be played solo or with friends. The game is currently in development, but a playable demo is already available. The demo gives you a chance to experience the tabletop-style gameplay and tactical combat that form the foundation of Novissa Spola. Visit the official website www.honestcabbage.com to play the demo, view the trailer, and stay up to date on development. Development is ongoing, with the full game planned to expand the campaign, characters, world, combat systems, and cooperative experience.

Vaesen - Nordic Horror Roleplaying is written by Nils Hintze, built on the folklore research and artwork of Swedish illustrator and author Johan Egerkrans, and published by Free League Publishing in 2020. It runs on an adapted version of Free League's house Year Zero Engine, the same lineage powering Tales from the Loop, Forbidden Lands, and the official ALIEN RPG, but reworked here around investigation and dread rather than survival or combat.  The game earned three ENNIE Awards in 2021 (Best Art and Cover, Best Interior Art, Best Monster/Adversary), and its Mythic Britain & Ireland expansion went on to win Gold for Best Interior Art, Best Setting, and Product of the Year in 2023.

We’re a bi-weekly magazine of tools, advice, homebrew, and inspiration for Daggerheart GMs, players, and creators. Our mission is simple: to help you play better, create smarter, and stay connected to the wider Daggerheart community. Each edition cuts through the noise—subs, blogs, podcasts, Discords, and socials—to surface what’s most useful, inventive, and inspiring, so you can keep up without feeling overwhelmed. The Daggerheart community is full of clever people sharing sharp insights and creative work; our job is to bring it all together in one place so you can learn from it, build on it, and get better at the game you love. The Dispatch is ad and sponsor-free. If something's included here, it’s because we genuinely think it’s worth your time. Links daggerheartdispatch.com - Official website

A Protospiel is a convention where tabletop game designers present and demo games which are in some stage of development. The idea is that players get to test out a game's mechanics and rules, provide feedback to the developer, and help the developer to complete a game that people will want to play.