/awesome-tabletop-rpgs

Awesome list of free and/or open source tabletop RPGs

Awesome Free Tabletop RPGs

A curated list of Awesome free and/or open source tabletop RPGs.

Emoji Symbols used in this list

  • 💰 :moneybag: = commercial
  • ✅ :white_check_mark: = recommended
  • 🆓 :free: = commercial but with free license (possibly limited)

Table of Contents

Tabletop RPGs

Games

  • 1w6 - a system based on d6 (GPL)
  • 24xx - a small system that has spawned several hacks (CC)
  • 6d6 - an awesome d6 system. their wiki, unfortunately, seems to be down (CC)
  • Adventurers! - an awesome 2d6 system that is free but does NOT have a license specified - i.e. take a look but you can't really remix it
  • Aurora Engine - a d6 dicepool system that uses half dice (public domain)
  • Bivius - simple awesome solo game (CC)
  • Commonsense - an awesome solo oracle, not to mention a list of all the simple ways to achieve weird dice (CC)
  • Crypts and Castles - an awesome simple 2d6 based game (CC)
  • d6 Pool - what it says on the tin (CC)
  • Dominion Rules - Fantasy and historical based on d12
  • Eclipse Phase - a d100 sci-fi system (CC)
  • FATE - a rules-lite system that has spawned a ton of hacks. Has an SRD (OGL or CC)
  • FivexFive - a system where you roll two d5 and multiply the results
  • Forge Engine Universal Roleplaying System - an awesome universal system that uses various dice (CC)
  • Freeform Universal - the third big freeform system that has also spawned some derivatives. link to beta for v2 down the page, too (CC)
  • FreeRPG - an interesting system that has four variants for the core mechanic
  • FUDGE - the other rules-lite system that has a ton of hacks (their own license, but it's pretty much "credit the original author")
  • Fuzion - the system that evolved from the one CP 2020 was based on. warnings, it's pretty much an attempt to marry CP with Hero System that... didn't really work. If you want an OGL version, look at Action! below
  • G.A.M.E - step dice system that uses separate dice from heritage, trade, stats (alternate link requires boardgamegeek login to download) (CC)
  • Ironsworn - an awesome solo system (CC)
  • JAGS - (not) Just Another Gaming System (has a FDL licensed version)
  • Jovian Despair - an awesome d6 minisystem (CC)
  • Knights of the Black Lily - an awesome d100 system with degrees of success
  • Lady Blackbird - a small system that spawned several hacks (CC)
  • Microlite20 - d20 distilled down to the basics (OGL)
  • minimald6 - a simple d6 based game that spawned many hacks (CC)
  • null.hack - awesome game based on Mothership RPG (Panic! Engine) - d100 based
  • One Roll Engine - an awesome system that is based on a pool of d10 (or d6) and finding sets of matching dice (CC)
  • Opend6 - SRD for a system that sums up a pool of d6s (OGL)
  • Open Adventure - an open system that uses a d6-d6 as core (CC)
  • Open Core Roleplaying System - an d20 system that allows swapping the d20 out for some other dice (OGL)
  • Open Legend - a free system online
  • Ops and Tactics - an awesome modern combat system (CC)
  • Risus: The Anything RPG - an extremely simple d6 based system that spawned a number of home rules
  • Stars without Number - has a Traveller feel. Has a paid version, too.
  • Worlds without Number - vastly expanded compared to Stars.
  • Siren RPG - an open source 3d6 system (CC)
  • So1um Role Playing Game designed & written by Matt Jackson. Can be played solo.
  • Talislanta - an awesome d20 system that has nothing to do with "the world's most popular rpg" (CC)
  • Ten Thousand Worlds - an awesome system if you need a height/weight/speed logarithmic table (CC)
  • The Simple Game System - an awesome simple system (it uses only d6) but surprisingly deep (CC)
  • Tiny d6 - a small d6 system
  • Tiny d10 a small d10 system (CC)
  • TriStat dX - a system that only uses three stats, AFAICT the author's current intention is for it to be freely distributable (GNU?)
  • Tunnel Goons - a lightweight 2d6 game that has spawned some hacks (CC)
  • Turbo Dice - an awesome system that uses various kinds of dice (CC)
  • Ugis - a mix of Risus and Microlite d20, with a bit of Fate (CC)
  • YAGS Yet Another Game System - a generic system (GNU)
  • The Window - awesome minimalist reverse step die system
  • x6 - d6 based system (CC)

Retroclones

  • Basic Fantasy - an D&D retroclone available for free
  • Cepheus Engine - a Traveller retroclone that has a SRD (linked) (OGL)
  • Codename Spandex - a retroclone of Golden Heroes (public domain)
  • Delving Deeper - another OD&D retroclone with an SRD (OGL)
  • Dark Dungeons - a Cyclopedia retroclone (OGL)
  • Darker Dungeons - (archived page) a mashup of the above with some Rolemaster-inspired stuff (OGL)
  • For Gold & Glory - a retroclone of AD&D, available for free from several sources (OGL)
  • Forerunner - a retroclone of 4e (OGL)
  • Four Color - FASERIP retroclone (public domain)
  • GLOG - a small retroclone that spawned a lot of hacks (CC)
  • GORE - a retroclone mashup under OGL, also has their own license which allows using their IP (OGL)
  • Fantastic Heroes & Witchery - AD&D retroclone with somewhat goofy classes (OGL)
  • Hyperspace d6 - a streamlining of the old SW d6 systems (CC)
  • Lavender Hack - OSR system that mixes PbtA moves with the B/X feel (OGL)
  • Legends of Emerald Republic - effectively a retroclone of L5R - uses their own resolution system, a pool of d6 and d10 (CC)
  • Lightmaster - a retroclone of Rolemaster (OGL)
  • Orcus - 4e retroclone (OGL)
  • Organic Rules Components (ORC) - a system that while not a retroclone looks and feels like many old-school systems (CC)
  • OSE - Old School Essentials SRD (OGL)
  • OSRIC also available on DriveThru for free (OGL)
  • Spellcraft & Swordplay - a retroclone of OD&D using only d6 (OGL)
  • The Big Brown Book - another D&D retroclone using only d6, hosted on Box by Fossil Bank
  • ZeFRS - a retroclone of TSR's Conan (the one using a Marvel-like lookup chart) (public domain)

Quickstarts

Many systems that are otherwise paid have free quickstarts. NOTE: unless explicitly indicated, those are NOT under open licenses! You can read and play them, but NOT use the content in your own ttrpg!

  • Alternity - a free demo of a new version of Alternity, an rpg with an interesting dice mechanic (roll d20 and add or substract a second die)
  • Beta Red - an awesome cyberpunkish system using a d6 dice pool
  • Burning Wheel
  • Carbon Grey - a derivative of Opend6 that is available for free, and the setting primer is PWYW
  • Coriolis - an awesome Arabian-themed space setting that runs on d6 dicepools
  • Dungeon Crawl Classics - quickstart and intro adventure for an awesome system that uses a reverse step die system, with imaginary dice such as d3, d5 or d7 (OGL) (note: the quickstart on drivethru is paid)
  • EABA Lite - a free version of EABA, an awesome generic system (the full system does have their own license allowing supplements)
  • Electric Bastionland - an awesome system, an evolution of Into the Odd
  • ELEMENTAL Discovery Guide - a quickstart for ELEMENTAL, a d6 system that has quite a lot of free adventures
  • Elite Dangerous RPG - an awesome system based on Elite: Dangerous, the space game
  • First Five Fantasy Roleplaying Player's Guide - a retroclone of OD&D, this does not contain monsters or treasure
  • GURPS Lite - a free starter for GURPS
  • HackMaster Basic
  • Index Card RPG
  • Lancer - all the player facing rules (which are a majority of them) are free
  • Lex Arcana - an awesome system set in alternate history Rome with an interesting system that allows for linear, pyramid or bell curves
  • Mistborn - based on a book series of the same name, a d6 dice pool based system where you attempt to match any dice showing less than 6
  • Mythic d6 - a derivative of Opend6->Legend d6
  • Perstoria - a 2d6 based system
  • Pip System - another Opend6 derivative that went in a different direction
  • Shadow of the Demon Lord - a d20 derivative that has some awesome ideas (e.g. boons and banes)
  • Tunnels and Trolls - free version of one of the first roleplaying games, that can also be played solo

System Reference Documents

  • ACKS SRD Adventurer Conqueror King System SRD (OGL)
  • Action! System - an archived copy of the publisher's downloads section, YMMV when trying to download (some links are 404) / online version converted from the originals (OGL)
  • Blades in the Dark - has an online SRD (CC)
  • Cairn - itself a descendant of Knave and Into the Odd, it has its own SRD (CC)
  • Charge RPG - a free and open generic RPG by Fari Games (CC)
  • CORE Micro - a dice pool based system with bonuses on top (CC)
  • DoubleZero SRD - a modernized version of the old James Bond RPG (OGL)
  • d20/D&D 3.5 - "the world's best known Role-Playing Game" aka Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 (OGL)
  • d20 Modern/Future/Arcana - three more derivatives of d20 have been partially made available (OGL)
  • Pathfinder 1,2/Starfinder - a d20 derivative that has a lot of content available - not just the core rulebooks, but pretty much all 1st party content (OGL)
  • D&D 5e - 5e also has an SRD, too! (OGL)
  • Drama System - the system that powers Pelgrane Press Hillfolk (OGL or CC)
  • Entropic Gaming System - a step dice system which has separate dice for skills and attributes (OGL)
  • Fortune System - (archived page) a 2d6 system with wagers (CC)
  • GUMSHOE - a system for running investigative scenarios from Pelgrane Press (CC or OGL)
  • Iridium System - an awesome system that has a Core Reference (OGL)
  • Mark of the Odd - an SRD for the core system behind Into the Odd (the system itself also has a free edition)
  • OpenQuest - SRD for a modern version of HeroQuest (a d20 system with "masteries") (OGL)
  • Runic SRD - looks to be an SRD of a Runequest adaptation (OGL)
  • D100II SRD - another Runequest-like SRD (OGL)
  • WaRP - the system used in Over the Edge (OGL)
  • WOIN - a dice pool based game where the size of the pool is determined by several factors; has optional rules converting to other resolution systems (OGL)
  • vsM Engine - if you played vs Monsters, vs Outlaws or any other in the series, this is the basic SRD. all original sites are down so the link is to somebody's copy on Dropbox (OGL)
  • Year Zero Engine - an SRD for YZE (OGL)
  • Traveller - an SRD for original (non-d20) Traveller (OGL)
  • Troika! - scroll down past the download button to see the download link for the SRD

Card-based games

  • Capers - awesome game about superpowered gangsters in the 1920s, has an SRD (CC)
  • Enchanted Realms - "free for anyone to take an use as they wish"
  • Carta SRD - a solitaire-based game

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