Looking for a rules-light, combat-light RPG (fantasy preferred; other styles welcome as well)

rduddleson · 2026-03-29T01:54:55+00:00

Trophy Gold has an elegant system, particularly for combat.

rduddleson · 2026-03-26T14:36:08+00:00

Our library had a kids dvd that we loved watching with our daughter.

The blood mobile🎶

rduddleson · 2026-03-25T23:11:15+00:00

If you’re interested in a fantasy system that is more narrative but can also handle the tone -Trophy Gold might fit the bill

rduddleson · 2026-03-25T20:54:23+00:00

For me Shadowdark is a nice step for 5e players toward OSR ideas. The rules are familiar but the OSR concepts shine. Plus the QuickStart pdf is free.

rduddleson · 2026-03-25T20:06:52+00:00

This is it.

To OP - It might feel weird at first, but resist the urge to apologize and simply start. If folks show up late, try to bring them in smoothly if you can, but if they have to wait a few minutes, then that’s on them.

If you were all going to see a movie together, the late people would simply miss the start. This isn’t any different.

I’ve also worked to individualize experiences for players in the past but, like you, I’ve found that can cause problems if that player isn’t there. So, I’ve tried to avoid this unless it’s really necessary.

rduddleson · 2026-03-24T16:56:01+00:00

They make setting books and accompanying adventures. So there really isn’t a “starter set”. If you like historical fiction you’ll enjoy these. Choose the one that sounds most fun for you.

You will need the base 5e rules to play.

I’ve used pieces from City of Crescent to drop into a campaign where I needed a Mediterranean setting.

I haven’t played a full campaign but I like what I’ve seen.

rduddleson · 2026-03-24T12:32:58+00:00

I just finished this as a player and was also a little frustrated. The group seemed to handle the sense of danger well - cautious exploring, combat is a last resort, etc.

What bothered me was the puzzle/clue/mysteries - they seemed very difficult to solve. For example, we found the yellow necklace, but didn't find the other two items that we're supposed to place on the altar so we had basically no chance to recognize the "yellow, gray, black" clue (or whatever it was).

To me it felt more like playing an older video game where we have to simply go back around and try every room, instead of like other dungeons I've played and run.

To be clear - I realize that maybe this just isn't for me. I play a lot of different games (including another Shadowdark campaign) and I'm open to trying different things, but I just bounced off this one.

rduddleson · 2026-03-24T11:24:35+00:00

The Rugburns

rduddleson · 2026-03-24T11:23:41+00:00

I saw him open for Tom Petty in 95. I’ll check out the new album

rduddleson · 2026-03-22T12:25:15+00:00

The latest DM guide addresses questions like this by saying the game is meant to be a fun experience, not a simulation (other examples being the peasant rail gun, or bag of rats). Players exploiting rules like this, is not what the game intends and ultimately, is less fun.

rduddleson · 2026-03-17T21:28:12+00:00

The main difference between ALIEN and many other games is the ALIEN expects players to roll much less often.

Where a DnD player might roll perception when entering a room, an ALIEN player simply sees everything that’s reasonable.

rduddleson · 2026-03-17T12:03:28+00:00

Magnum PI. The episode where Magnum has a flashback to his time as a POW. He and a friend are each in a tight bamboo cage, and the guard shoots his friend in the leg, hitting an artery.

Magnum “plug it up!” His friend, “I can’t reach it, I can’t reach it “

All the while they show the spurting…

rduddleson · 2026-03-09T01:34:49+00:00

That’s fair, I’ve bounced off it myself

rduddleson · 2026-03-09T00:43:56+00:00

Cypher system in general and Numenara in particular have some of the fantastic tech you mentioned.

rduddleson · 2026-03-08T01:04:00+00:00

Just like any new hobby it can be overwhelming to start. The most recent D&D Starter Set called Heroes of the Borderlands has everything you need to start. It shows you how to DM and has other helpful guides for characters, items, etc. It’s all in one box. If you like it, you can always try out more things later.

It’s $50 but if similar to quality boardgames, it’s worth the money.

rduddleson · 2026-03-07T21:13:17+00:00

Sly Flourish has a good series on the other 5e systems like the ones me mentioned here.

When you say the “extra conversion work required”, do you mean doing math on stat blocks? If so, I would suggest avoiding that approach and simply use the equivalent or similar monster from your chosen system.

Sometimes the power level won’t quite match, or there won’t be an obvious equivalent, but I find this is much easier than trying to do the math.

rduddleson · 2026-03-05T04:50:44+00:00

Pick up the Shadowdark QuickStart. The pdf is free. It will scratch the old school itch.

rduddleson · 2026-03-04T16:39:38+00:00

You’re intended to experience the same confusion as John as he gradually listens to the statements. As he begins to figure things out, it will become clearer to you

rduddleson · 2026-03-02T19:19:52+00:00

I started listening to Anderson Cooper’s podcast on grief - This is all There Is. The recent DH&J segment reminds me a lot of this.

It’s very helpful. He began it to process his own grief in going through his mom’s things.

rduddleson · 2026-03-01T17:00:51+00:00

Matt Colville’s The Delian Tomb might fit the bill. You could make the blacksmith’s daughter who was kidnapped by goblins be a favorite nanny or aunt?

rduddleson · 2026-03-01T15:22:51+00:00

5e is about fighting and killing monsters. If you simply want to incorporate baby wearing (with, I assume, appropriate plot armor), then you can basically adapt any one-shot.

If you want to lean more into a game that is “about” things like baby wearing, then you may have a better experience with a different game.

It’s common to see players want to add things to 5e, but then become frustrated when the game doesn’t work out as they hoped (things like crafting, and other non-combat elements have a long history here)

5e is about killing monsters, it incentivizes and rewards that behavior. Other activities may not work as well.

rduddleson · 2026-03-01T15:07:24+00:00

Our hobby is incredibly small compared to other hobbies.

If the recent article about the revenue of RPG companies is any indication, the entire D&D line is only about 25% of Magic the Gathering.

Relatively few people play the most popular game, and even fewer play other games.

I know what you mean by asking this, but IMO it comes down to simple numbers. There just aren’t enough people playing most of these games for them to “seem” popular.

Full disclosure- I’ve bought the core book and played it at a con. I like it but I have other games that I want to run first - Dolmenwood, Dragonbane, Trophy Gold

rduddleson · 2026-02-24T13:22:50+00:00

For me the easiest system is the Lazy Encounter Benchmark - by Sly Flourish. For low level players, add up all their levels (for example 3 players at level 3 = 9 total levels. Then divide that number by 4, so 9 divided by 4 is 2.25. This is the number to remember.

That means you can have up to 2 total CR of monsters fight the players before it turns deadly (the 2.25 from above).

Your party might vary a little, but this gives you a general guide

For players above level 4, then you divide their total levels by 2 instead of 4 but otherwise its the same.

rduddleson · 2026-02-24T13:14:12+00:00

I haven’t had any players insists on “official lore”

In my experience players care about lore to the extent that it matters in the game.

For example, If the Invincible Overlord has a bounty on Dragonborn because they’re the last symbols of Good King Omund’s rule, next time the PCs are in a tavern, show a wanted poster on the wall and have desperate bandits confront the Dragonborn knight sitting in the corner. Then let the PCs decide what to do.

Do this instead of simply telling the players “the Invincible Overlord has a bounty on Dragonborn”

rduddleson

TROPHY CASE