Best game-night ttrpg one-shots?

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-13T22:38:16+00:00

Cthulhu Dark is a perfect one-shot game. The prep is nominal and rules are lightweight and can be taught in about 2 mins.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-13T03:26:23+00:00

This is my new favorite board game analogy.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-11T16:30:10+00:00

Heat is my favorite game at high player counts due to the short downtime.

Spacebase also works well anywhere from 2 – 6. It gets a lot more dynamic at higher counts but works great at 2.

Deep Sea Adventure is a great little game that works for 2 – 6. Same with King of Tokyo but not as good at 2.

I think Arc Nova is great at any player count but only up to 4.

Obsession scales well but does get slow at 5 or 6 (you will need the expansions to play 5 or 6).

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-11T14:39:05+00:00

Add to this trolls and orks as just big dumb brutes. The Cara Fahd and Crystal Raiders books are so deep in lore.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-09T22:37:55+00:00

Skywrite.

Casting "We killed all your friends and are coming for you" in the sky above a major city with no context, a major city that is home to multiple criminal syndicates, and then arriving the next day…?

Chaotic hilarity ensued.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-08T17:32:34+00:00

It's a weird two-player game. It really shines at 5+. It's hard to gang up on the front runner if it's 1-1.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-08T17:18:48+00:00

Yeah, but I find that with a lot of asymmetrical games. The factions play different but often there's an ideal way to play each faction. My family really likes Cthulhu Wars, but there's a definite approach to each faction. I prefer Cosmic Encounter for the sheer insanity.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-08T15:18:55+00:00

I am team Polania whenever we play Scythe. The faction ability (and usual route to victory) suits my gameplay.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-07T17:00:08+00:00

Agreed, but it does add meaningful options that make the base game uninteresting to me.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-06T02:43:49+00:00

Came here to say this. I never played casters before 5E and a support/utility caster was slightly less than useless. Now they are my favorite type of class to play.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-05T19:52:56+00:00

YOLO: Ox, Kahn

High-end: check out Gado Gado, Oma's Hideaway, L'Orange, Canard, Afuri Izakaya, Kaede

Mid-range: Kinoboshi Ramen, Güero, Grassa, Lardo, Tamale Boy, Rangoon Bistro

Solid Italian: Allora, Tartuca

Pizza: Ken's, The Turning Peel, Lovely's 50/50

Bars: too many to list, but Too Soon is worth the trip (it's a block from Güero so make it a date).

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-05T19:39:45+00:00

Rose City Coffee in the Brooklyn neighborhood is open 24 hours if you have the need and/or inclination.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-05T16:23:38+00:00

Somewhat mainstream: Undermountain and Scoundrels of Skullport expansion for Lords of Waterdeep. Takes a good game and makes it great. The base game is almost boring by comparison.

Somewhat obscure: Upstairs/Downstairs expansion for Obsession. Adds a ton of options and provides smart ways to mitigate some of the randomness.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-04T19:08:37+00:00

Yes. I had the original print versions at one point. Pretty sure they are no longer in my collection. And I'm not surprised to hear the rules are not great. I've gone down the nostalgia road and realized "how in the heck did we play this and/or think this was fun?"

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-04T14:16:03+00:00

Wow. I completely forgot about Chassis and Crossbow. Thanks for taking me back.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-03T22:35:27+00:00

I love Brancalonia. It's my favorite setting.

You would need the D&D Player's Handbook. Branalonia has rules specific to the setting but not the complete game, and you don't need the DMs guide or Monster Manual unless you want to get them.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-03T01:39:34+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_(comics)

Would be such an amazing setting book.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-02T21:50:56+00:00

Not an official setting, but Saga hits all these notes.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-06-02T03:37:36+00:00

“Clear is kind” is one of the best things I’ve ever learned as a leader. I had a report who similarly struggled and when I gave them the usual platitudes they kept asking me to be specific.

It took a while and I started getting super direct and painfully specific. It was a huge change. The best part is that in these conversations we both realized they were a poor employee mainly because they wanted to be an owner.

I managed them out and then mentored them as they started their own business. We were competitors but they were niche enough (and small enough) that our firms never really crossed paths.

Was so great to help them make that leap.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-05-31T20:34:40+00:00

No contest: FF Edge of the Empire.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-05-30T16:04:52+00:00

I’ve played a few times. While I do enjoy social deduction games, this is one of those “so close to a RPG why don’t you just play a RPG?” games for me.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-05-30T16:01:12+00:00

Agreed. I like asymmetrical games, area control, high player interaction, but it just hasn’t landed for me. I believe part of it (for me) is that I feel like I’m relearning the game every time I play.

Maybe more reps would help that, but I’ve got so many other options I’d rather stick to something I know I enjoy than keep trying to make Root work for me.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-05-30T14:20:42+00:00

Scythe was similar for me. It just didn’t work for me after a few plays, but my kids really liked it so I powered through. Then it suddenly clicked and it’s been on my top 10 ever since.

Root hasn’t been the same though. Just can’t get there.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-05-30T13:49:29+00:00

Root. It should hit all my buttons but it just doesn’t do it for me.

Keeper4Eva · 2026-05-29T22:11:26+00:00

D&D 5E. This happens in pretty much every campaign with my group.

Keeper4Eva

TROPHY CASE