The independent roleplaying game scene is broader and more vibrant than it has ever been, with thousands of designers from all over the globe creating games, supplements, and other materials that truly plumb the depths of what is possible in tabletop gaming. It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to getting into independent RPGs, especially for anyone who hasn't had much experience playing new games.
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The good news is that there's something in the scene for everyone, and indie games tend to be easier to pick up and play than traditional crunchy ones. Regardless of genre, style, or complexity, independent tabletop games have something for everyone, with incredible individuals making new games all the time.
10 Briar Sovereign Shows Fans The Whole Design Process
Briar Sovereign is a game designer who works primarily in video games, but their tabletop games are incredible as well. They wrote and continue to develop the fantasy mecha gameArmour Astir: Advent, a Powered by the Apocalypse game about giant magic robots.
Sovereign has also written playbooks for a number of other games, including Jay Dragon'sWanderhome, John Harper'sBlades in the Dark, and Austin Ramsay'sBeam Saber. They often release a game in the playtest stages, allowing new fans to get on board early and watch the design process happen in real-time.
9 Riley Rethal Innovates On Narrative Games Endlessly
The games Rethal makes tend to engage with themes of community and revolution, often in the science fiction genre. In 2021, she released the second edition of her gameGalactic, a narrative game inspired by space operas likeStar Wars that tells the story of revolutionaries against an oppressive empire.
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Rethal's design often incorporates unique and innovative ways of using very light, but very specific mechanical frameworks to produce stories that feel impactful without players feeling too restricted.
8 Makapatag Makes Games Inspired By Filipino Folklore
In both their games and their fiction, Makapatag draws on the folklore and history of his native country the Philippines.His tactical fantasy RPGGubat Banwa is currently in beta, fully playable but still lacking art and full balancing. It's the perfect time to get on board a game that promises to be incredible.
They also contributed toThe Islands of Sina Una, a campaign setting for 5th edition D&D that draws on the precolonial mythology and culture of the Philippines. Available in hardcover or PDF from Hitpoint Press, this book features new classes, subclasses, spells, and monsters for D&D.
7 Cezar Capacle Puts Out Great Games Every Other Week
With a mix of group and solo games, Capacle publishes a new piece of content every other week. He often incorporates cards into his games, with his latest endeavor beingStarlight Riders. This space western RPG features custom artwork with a fantastic retro style, and is designed to be played in a single session.
Rather than each player controlling a single character, the characters are instead shared between the players, making for a uniquely cooperative experience. Capacle's variety and ingenuity make him a must-watch designer.
6 Rae Nedjadi Has Something For Everyone
With their BALIKBAYAN nominated for the IGDN Indie Groundbreaker Award for best setting and the Kickstarter for Our Haunt raising six times its goal at the time of writing, Nedjadi is a force to be reckoned with in indie publishing.
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Nedjadi also runs the Sword Queen Games YouTube channel, featuring actual plays of their own games and others. With games spanning genres fromgalactic sci-fi to urban fantasy, their games are everything from full books to short experiences that fit on a business card.
5 Alessandro Piroddi Is Redefining Powered By The Apocalypse Fantasy
The designer behind unPlayable Games has a number of fantastic games, but Piroddi's crown jewel isFantasy World. This game takes onthe steep challenge of being the definitive Powered by the Apocalypse epic fantasy game, and it does a commendable job.
Other games have had this title before, most notablyDungeon World, butFantasy World brings a modern design sensibility and unique flair that reinvigorates a design space that has been static for some time. Fantasy World was successfully funded on Kickstarter in 2021, and is expected to ship mid 2022.
4 Jay Dragon Makes Some Of The Most Beautiful Games In Print
Jay Dragon's hit gameWanderhome found immense success upon publication in 2020, with phenomenal artwork and alovely premise of pastoral fantasy. Other games from Dragon's company Possum Creek Games include the summer camp horror gameSleepaway and Jamila R. Nedjani'sOur Haunt. Dragon talks extensively about games on Twitter & Tiktok and is an endless source of insight into game design.
3 Lapis Lunaris Is Uplifting The Whole Community
Anyone looking for biting insight and commentary on exactly what's going on in the TTRPG scene needs to look no further than Lunaris. She is a contributing member of the upcoming LATAMBreakout Kickstarter publication from SoulMuppet Publishing, a collection of games by Latin American game designers. Lunaris is also in the process of designing an awards event to highlight the contributions of TTRPG designers from the global south.
2 Kavita Poduri Makes Games About Humanity
Poduri is one half of the team behind the post-apocalyptic science-fantasy RPGSongs for the Dusk.Songs for the Dusk entered a new beta in October 2021 and is an incredible iteration on the Forged in the Dark mechanical framework.
Poduri has another FitD game,Brushfire, currently under development as well. Brushfire tackles themilitary sci-fi genre, with manufactured soldiers made to fight for a cause they don't believe in.Brushfire will continue to develop through 2022, and it's a perfect time to get on board early.
1 Monkey's Paw Games Publishes Great Games Online And In Print
Monkey's Paw Games puts out some of the coolest games available today, and they go the extra step to make sure these games are available inhard copy, not just digitally. One of their flagship titles is the sci-fi horror gameMothership (which was written by Sean McCoy) along with its various supplements such as the western-themedDesert Moon of Karth (which was written by Joel Hines) or the haunted monastery adventureNirvana on Fire (which was written by D. Kenney.) Monkey's Paw Games is a reliable source for great games both on paper and digitally, and they show no signs of slowing down.
