The Greatest Tabletop RPGs Ever

Most of my recent posts have been about roleplaying, and some recent events have got me really thinking about the greatest RPGs ever. “Greatest” meaning a combination of historical influence, innovation, sales, and critical and user acclaim. Sales are somewhat important, but this is not a popularity contest. I will include each system as a whole, so there will be no separate entries for each edition of a game.

I will not do a ranked list, as that would be even more subjective than a top 10 list. I’ve decided to proceed in the most useful order, which is chronological. I will also include links to where you can buy the core rulebook for each system, as well as stand-out adventure and campaign recommendations. It’s just something I would want if I was reading this.

Finally, heads up—I earn a small commission if you buy anything through my links. No extra cost to you, and it helps support the site! With that said, first we have:

Dungeons and Dragons (1974)

Created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. If it weren’t for D&D there would be no TTRPGs, it’s as simple as that. This is the grandaddy of them all and it bestrides all other RPG systems like a colossus. It’s no exaggeration to say Gary and Dave invented role-playing games as we know them today, creating an entirely new industry. Classes and levels, XP-advancement, saving throws, dungeon masters and dungeon crawls, it all starts as a coherent system here. They also inadvertently opened the door for the OSR movement with their Open Game License (OGL) in 2000. Love it or hate it, and now in edition 5.5, D&D is THE benchmark for roleplaying games. Here’s where to get the excellent Player’s Handbook. If you want a great starter kit instead, here you go. When you’re ready for a campaign, go for Curse of Strahd. Everyone knows about D&D, and it is one of the best tabletop RPGs for beginners.

Traveller (1977)

Designed by Marc Miller. This game is to sci-fi RPGs what the previous entry was to fantasy. This is a pioneering game that defined a genre, and has shaped decades of tabletop roleplaying design and philosophy. It had a radically different approach, removing leveling and introducing skill-based character creation. The “lifepath” system meant players guided their character through career paths before they played them. It was revolutionary and has influenced a huge amount of RPG’s. The way Traveller treated starship creation, space combat and interstellar trade is influential to sci-fi RPGs today, including video and board games. The detailed universe of Traveller and the Third Imperium is alive and well, a new core rulebook was just released in 2022 (the PDF version now has hyperlinks). A great place to start is Core Adventure 1. If you just want to try it out, the Starter Pack is free.

RuneQuest (1978)

Designed by Steve Perrin, Greg Stafford and others. The most important thing to know is that RQ is not a D&D clone. It is one of the cornerstone fantasy RPGs, and it started not with a system but with a setting. Stafford created Glorantha from which the core mechanics derived, such as the d100 percentile system which is used for all actions and skills. They prioritized flexibility and removed character classes, using skills which anyone could take, which resulted in a modular ruleset called the Basic Role-Playing (BRP) system. Criticals and fumbles, sandbox and mythic campaigns, it all started here. RQ’s engine became the template for dozens of other games. In fact, RQ’s impact on the industry is so multifaceted it simply can’t fit into a single paragraph. It too is alive and well, with a new core rulebook in 2018. Go with the Starter Set if you just want to dip your toe.

Call of Cthulhu (1981)

Designed by Sandy Petersen. Most RPGs at the time focused on combat and treasure, but Sandy had other ideas. Using HP Lovecraft’s cosmic horror mythos, he shifted the focus to investigation, research and deduction. This is one of the most influential tabletop RPGs ever. Using the BRP as its core horror became a mechanic, not just a flavor. Sanity points, psychological breakdown, it’s all here. In CoC players start vulnerable and they stay vulnerable. Combat itself is usually either lethal or pointless (the luck system helps). In CoC you aren’t the chosen one, you’re just another guy, but you might–possibly–survive. Begin with the free quick-start rules and adventure, or the full handbook. Masks of Nyarlathotep is one of the great campaigns ever. UPDATE: If you want to play a more action-oriented flavor try Pulp Cthulhu, my personal favorite. It’s like injecting Indiana Jones, and you’ll live longer.

GURPS (1986)

Designed by Steve Jackson. In 1986 Steve did what was thought impossible: he developed a game system that could be everything to everyone. The first book of his Generic Universal Role Playing System introduced possibly the most flexible system ever created, and has influenced many RPGs since. GURPS has a reputation for complexity, but the core mechanic is simply 3d6–roll under to succeed. Its clean separation of core mechanics from genre was brilliant, and it showed you could have deep customization without unbalancing the game. His goal was to play anything you wanted: fantasy, scifi, western, superhero, horror, martial arts, cyberpunk, psionics, mass combat, you name it and you can do it. With over 400 supplements–some of which are so well-researched even those who don’t play GURPS use them–he’s proven his point. The 4th edition is widely used. If you think players will be overwhelmed by character creation start with the free GURPS Lite rules and one supplement; I recommend Action or Horror.

Star Wars RPG (1987, 2000, 2012)

Originally designed by Greg Costikyan. This is a unique entry, because Star Wars has switched publishers and systems three different times: first West End Games, then Wizards of the Coast, and now Fantasy Flight Games/Edge. What makes the Star Wars RPGs significant is their ability to capture the essence of the source material across totally different game systems and eras. Star Wars proved that a licensed RPG could be more than a cash grab, it could meaningfully expand a beloved universe while providing unique gameplay experiences. WEG also popularized the dice pool mechanic. Dice pools weren’t just a new way to roll; they reimagined player interaction with mechanics, the way systems convey character skill, and how rules could adapt to play without sacrificing clarity or speed. Not to be outdone, FFG introduced narrative dice—special dice that show symbols instead of numbers. These symbols help tell the story by showing if you succeed, fail, or get extra twists like surprises or problems. You can get the influential WEG rulebooks and the supplements here for free. Try Tatooine Manhunt and the DarkStryder Campaign. For WotC (the Saga Edition) get the Dawn of Defiance campaign for free. Fantasy Flight’s Core Rulebook is great, try their Beginner Game if you just want a taste.

Cyberpunk (1988)

Designed by Mike Pondsmith. This is the cyberpunk RPG that defined the genre. Cyberpunk’s dystopian setting is focused on desperation, violence and the existential struggles of a society dominated by tech and corporations. It helped introduce moral ambiguity which paved the way for games like Shadowrun and Vampire the Masquerade. Its ideology is: “Style over substance. Attitude is everything. Always take it to the Edge. Break the rules.” Cyberpunk’s core mechanic is the Interlock system, which are opposed d10 rolls using a combination of attributes and skills, and it started the concept of difficulty values (target numbers), which has been adopted by a ton of RPGs. It’s a hot commodity these days with a Netflix series, a hit video game, novels and comics. The current rulebook has a great reputation. There’s a free Easy Mode starter kit that most like. If you’re diving in, Street Stories and Hope Reborn is great stuff.

Vampire: The Masquerade (1991)

Designed by Mark Rein-Hagen. This is the first game in the World of Darkness setting, which has a gothic-punk tone. What’s innovative about the WoD games is that you are the monster, and it’s a struggle to be good. Unlike games which focused on ‘heroic’ power, Vampire showed you can build a mechanics-first system around powerlessness, moral decay and social/political intrigue and sell millions. The Storyteller System’s dice pool mechanics–rolling multiple d10s against target numbers–influenced a slew of games that followed. This game is marketed toward adults, with very mature themes. WoD mainstreamed LARPing and popularized the concept of metaplot: an overarching story for the setting that advances as new game books are released. The rulebook you want is in this link. Same with Werewolf, Mage and Changeling (W20, M20, C20). For vamps, start with Alien Hunger, then the Giovanni or Transylvania Chronicles. Werewolves, start with Rite of Passage, then The Apocalypse. Mages, start with Initiates of the Art, then the Horizon War trilogy.

Fudge/Fate (1994, 2013)

Designed by Steffan O’Sullivan. Fudge was originally intended as a toolkit for creating customizable RPGs. Instead of numbers, attributes used a word system ranging from Terrible to Superb. Instead of many-sided dice it used 6-sided Fudge dice. It proved its mechanics could compete with systems like GURPS, influencing a generation of indie games (like PbtA) as well as its next iteration, Fate. Fate Core came out in 2013 along with the simplified Fate Accelerated. Fate introduced aspects and fate points, with a stronger focus on storytelling. Fate Core handles character growth in a unique way: instead of earning points to level up, your character grows when important story moments happen, called milestones. If your PC goes through something life-changing you can change their abilities to match their new outlook or experiences. This system is the foundation of narrative gaming. Whether you’re looking for mecha battles in Camelot Trigger, heists in Crimeworld or magical cats in The Secret of Cats, Fate’s ecosystem offers something for every table. To start, try Dresden Files Accelerated or Spirit of the Century.

Pathfinder (2009)

Designed by Jason Bulmahn. Check out my post talking about how Pathfinder came about if interested. Paizo shook up both how RPGs were developed and how they were sold. They offered a regular Adventure Path subscription which garnered a loyal fanbase. They took the d20 rules, added more character options and richer mechanics, and kept it compatible with every D&D 3.5 book. Paizo built a community by inviting the public to playtest it while it was being developed, and as a result Paizo outsold D&D for a while—something nobody had ever done. The 2e Remaster’s well-designed Core Rulebook came out in 2023 and has stepped out from under the WotC shadow. Pathfinder broadens character options rather than just increasing power-often called “horizontal progression.” Its many feat options ensure players make meaningful choices at every level, and 2e’s tight balancing maintains game integrity over long campaigns, a common weakness in level-based progression.. Try the Beginner Box for a great starter kit.

Honorable Mentions

There were a lot of games I wanted to include on this list. A lot. Thank you Dragonsfoot, and especially OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord and Swords & Wizardry for launching the OSR (Old School Revival) movement. I went with these:

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (1986). It started as a spinoff of the Warhammer Fantasy wargame and is the original ‘grimdark’ RPG, with themes of corruption, class divide, and moral ambiguity. Career-based advancement (say from a ratcatcher to a noble) ties progression directly to in-world roles and life paths. Combat is deadly and realistic (the 4th edition’s Advantage System increases survivability), and the mechanics are seamlessly tied into its gritty world. WFRP reinvented how character growth, world tone and mechanics can intertwine. Try the starter kit. If you like it try the 4th edition rulebook and the monumental Enemy Within, one of the greatest campaigns ever written. If you’re a 40k fan don’t worry, Wrath and Glory and Imperium Maledictum exist.

Shadowrun (1989). I went back and forth on this or Cyberpunk. Shadowrun introduced great new mechanics and was the first to marry cyberpunk with urban fantasy. It didn’t just succeed but showed designers how to support both tech and mythic elements. It not only has a great tabletop line but video games, novels and comics as well. It’s currently in its 6th edition, but the 5th is the most widely played. Try Splintered State for 5th; the Beginner’s Box is the best place to start for 6th. My personal favorite is the 4th Anniversary Edition, the most mechanically solid.

Savage Worlds (2003). SW sits in the exact sweet spot between heavier crunch systems (like Pathfinder) and minimal crunch (PbtA). It is a generic system and their philosophy is Fast! Furious! Fun! There are no classes, characters are defined by their attributes, skills and some Edges and Hindrances which allows flexible builds. They have the “Wild Die” which comes into play as an extra d6 whenever a check is made, keeping the higher result. The system also has exploding dice, first popularized by the WEG Star Wars RPG: if you roll the highest number on a die you roll it again, adding the result–and keep rolling if you can keep it up. It’s generic-oriented engine has been used to adopt other complete systems, such as Deadlands, Shadowrun, Pathfinder, even Rifts! You’ll need the SWADE core rulebook. My advice: try the Deadlands book, which has lots of adventures and a whole campaign in the Weird West.

Apocalypse World; Powered by the Apocalypse (2010). AW the game is great, but the focus is PbtA, whose design philosophy has been an evolutionary force in TTRPGs over the last 15 years. Its influence is probably greater than Fate Core’s, but it stood on the shoulders of Fudge–that’s the only reason I included it on my list instead of PbtA. One of the top narrative-driven RPG systems, it’s a framework for building RPGs emphasizing improvisational, collaborative storytelling and player choice. It’s rooted in “moves”, which are mechanics triggered by player action. The player just rolls a 2d6+ a stat to determine success, partial success, or failure. Different character archetypes have “playbooks” which have unique moves, progress options, and narrative hooks. Known for its low lethality, it’s also an easy system to GM. Apocalpyse World and PbtA has led to multiple acclaimed games such as Blades in the Dark, Dungeon World, Monsterhearts, Monster of the Week, Masks, the list goes on. Try any of them.

Mörk Borg (2020). An apocalyptic OSR-style RPG, it’s lethal, fast, and encourages player improvisation and creativity. Pick one of six archetypes, gain one of 20 occult powers, then resolve actions with a single d20 + stat roll. Characters are randomly generated, progression is minimal, and death is expected. Truly the end is nigh, this is a grimdark setting at the end of a planet’s life. The book itself is a piece of art, and pushes the world onto you. An introductory adventure is included. MB is a modern classic, one of the best indie tabletop rpgs of all time and its approach has influenced a new wave of minimalist, art-forward RPGs that lean into the extreme such as Ronin and Troika.

Think I missed some? You may want to read my post on the top 4 well-rounded systems or the top 9 “full-spectrum” RPGs.

If you’re looking backward in time to find some classics you never knew about, wanting to branch out and try new TTRPGs in general or are seeking what the future of RPGs look like, this list likely has it. For over 50 years now this hobby has grown and grown, and at this point there is something for everybody. Happy gaming!

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