Summary
The modern game ofDungeons & Dragonshas evolved to include a multitude of adventures with different classes, quests, and spinoff materials, many of which are tailored specifically for new players.Dungeons & Dragonsalso has crossover adventures with other media brands, and the success of the IP has prompted many companies to create their own TTRPGs or compatible game modules.
Dungeons & Dragonshas influenced many aspects of the gaming universe, including numerous existing TTRPGs and video games, along with inspiring new ones. Even now, new games are being released to introduce even more players to these exciting and expansive worlds.
Updated July 14, 2025 by Kristy Ambrose:For players who still love their classic D&D but want a different setting, another variety of races and classes, or to experience another gaming system, there are plenty of options that step out of the medieval fantasy aesthetic.
Other choices include Lovecraftian horror, space opera, dark fantasy, and science fiction, along with various fanservice crossovers that play off popular media. It’s a unique and fun way to spend time with friends in a way that doesn’t involve an internet connection, which continues to ensure TTRPGs stay popular and relevant.
1Kids On Bikes
A Small Town With D&D Rules
A Kickstarter project inspiredby the setting ofStranger Things,Kids on Bikesmakes the adventures of a mysterious small town the focus of role-playing adventures, governed byD&Drules with the 1980s movie aesthetic. Dungeon Masters and players can build the story and world as they go as part of the game’s cooperative progression.
The game isn’t set in the same place as the popular television show, but it has several fun modules and variations along with a compelling main storyline that comes with the starter set. There’s a Christmas edition along with variations that includeTeens In Space, a science fiction RPG, and theKids On Brooms, a module set in a magical school.
2Pathfinder 2E
The Second Most Popular TTRPG
Pathfinder, the game inspired byD&D 3.5, has launched its second edition. The new version of the hit TTRPG changes quite a few things to help make it run smoother. Some say that the combat of this version is a little more monotonous, but it still offers more than the original ever did and is still the first choice for games likeDungeons & Dragons.
The video games based on this TTRPG are also impressive, holding their own with theBaldur’s Gateseries when it comes to character creation and storylines. Other aspects of the game that were changed are the XP system, multiclassing, feats, and races.Pathfinder2E is a great addition for players looking to increase their number of TTRPGs.
3Star Wars: Edge Of The Empire
D&D Combined With A Popular Space Opera
The first in a series of three games that are part of a tabletop trilogy,Star Wars: Edge of the Empiretakes place exactly where the title says. The setting is the Outer Rim, where the rule of law and the Empire’s presence can barely touch. As a result, the location is home to a lot of smugglers, shady dealings, and the locals and residents just trying to get by on their moisture farms.
The Core Worlds of the galaxy far, far awayalso appear in this game, since there’s organized crime everywhere, and some of the materials designed for this game can also be used with other games in the same series. Species in the game include Wookiee, Bothan, or even a Droid, along with many others from various expansions and related modules. Before running to the Smuggler class, also consider choices like Colonist, Explorer, or Bounty Hunter.
4Mice And Mystics
Simple But Brilliant Concept Adventure
When it comes to creative settings, this game likeDungeons & Dragonsuses a simple, even mundane concept and makes it a perilous adventure. The quest is to make it through the castle, which sounds easy enough since it’s not a haunted or abandoned castle but the seat of their benevolent King. The twist here is that the players have to make this journey as mice.
The evil Vanestra is stirring up rebellion against the good King and has turned his loyal Knights, including Prince Collin, into humble mice. They have to survive all manner of perils, such as insects and the resident cat while uncovering the secret of Vanestra’s power and taking the realm back from her evil clutches.
5Lords Of Waterdeep
Set In The Famous City Of Wizards
The recent popularity ofBaldur’s Gate 3has revived interest in notable locations throughout the lands of Faerun. One of those locations is the bustling metropolis of Waterdeep,where the Origin character Galemakes his home. InLords of Waterdeep,players use cards to place their various characters in different locations. They can also explore and trade to collect resources and information, with equal parts role-play and character-building as the story progresses.
The strategy and scoring system of the tabletop game is based on the “Euro-style” model, which means the winner is the one with the most points at the end. There are various ways to score, the most obvious one being completing quests. After eight rounds, the game is over and the winner is determined.
6Shadowrun
A Dark And Dystopian Adventure
Shadowrunis one of the many science-fiction games likeDungeons & Dragonson the market. It was published back in 1989 and introduced players to the world of cybernetics and crime. Todaythis genre is called cyberpunkand it has its thriving corner of the market.
In this game, players can choose to upgrade their character with cybernetic implants.Shadowrunstill offers magic for those who want to play with a more fantasy style. Either way, this game is a must for any lover of roleplaying games.
7Call Of Cthulhu
A TTRPG From The Realm Of Madness
For fans of theLovecraftian style of horror, there’s the ever-popularCall of Cthulhu.This game is based on the Lovecraft book of the same name and brings roleplaying fans into the realm of madness as investigators to solve crimes and discover mysteries.
One player takes on the role of the Keeper of Arcane Lore and acts as the guide through the story. This game has become popular enough to spawn multiple versions and is currently in its seventh edition.
8MÖRK BORG
A Swedish Heavy Metal TTRPG
The title means “Dark Castle” in Swedish, and much of the art is inspired by heavy metal music. The game is unapologetically rough, intended for adults who don’t mind playing through a dark, gritty type of story.
Sometimes it’s good to be bad, and MÖRK BORG encourages the best of the worst. MÖRK BORG is part of a genre called Old School Revival, which means it’s more like the vintage TTRPGs from the 1970s than modern versions of games likeDungeons & Dragons,keeping the gameplay rules flexible and based on D20 rolls. The website has most of the resources players need, including a character generator and creation sheets, in both digital and printable forms.
9Blades In The Dark
An Urban Crime Fantasy In A 19th-Century Setting
It’s not just a change from D&D for the setting and gameplay, it also focuses on stealth and intrigue as opposed to combat, tasking players with working their way up through a virulent criminal underworld. Players can choose between a variety of shady professions as a class, such as a smuggler or a thief, to build their gangs and destroy what belongs to their enemies.
The title of this game is a reference to the dystopian, sunless world in which it’s set. The atmosphere was damaged or destroyed in some cataclysm lost to time and history, and the city and everything else has been cast into total, permanent darkness. It’s set in a fictional city called Doskvol with distinct parallels to Victorian England, giving this a touch of the steampunk genre.
10Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion
Ideal For Movie Buffs That Also Like TTRPGs
Age of Rebellionis the second in theStar Warsroleplaying series afterEdge Of The Empire. Both games share a few common modules,character creation sheets, and other materials along with having the same settings and rules, but in this case, it’s closer to the action players will remember from the movies.
Take on the role of a member of the Rebel Alliance with species like Mon Calamari, Bothans, and Humans, among many others, in the fight against the Empire. The game added more adventures, races, and professions in a veritable library of modules and supplementary materials.
