The world of tabletop RPGs, or TTRPGs, is as fascinating and eclectic as it is complex. They can serve as exemplary cre🍌ative outlets capable of inspiring players to reach into the depths of their imaginations. That said, as creatively fulfilling as immersing yourself in a Tabletop RPG campaign can be, it can also be rather intimidating and confusing for new players. Many of these games have very complex rule sets that can be difficult for beginners to follow and internalize.

Thankfully, not all TTPRGs are super complex and involved. And many are easy to pick up, play, and finish in a single session, mak🌟ing for great entry points i🐼nto the genre.

Updated July 6, 2024 by Kenny Kimberly: Tabletops continue to grow in popularity, fueled by countless factors from our favorite shows to everyone wanting to try new things. We've come back to this piece to brush off the dust and recommend a new title for newcomers. Enjoy!

Best TTRPGs For Newcomers

Best Spooky Tabletop Game
Image of Vaesen Nordic Horror Roleplaying Game

Are you a horror fan looking to embrace Northern mythology? Vaesen is a great beginner-friendly game that's suitable for up to half a doze🌱n players as you travel into the Mythic North.

Pros & Cons
  • Suitable for ages 14 and up
  • Horror game, but not THAT scary
  • Suits 2-6 players

Are you a fan of Nordic mythology and the horror that's often involved in such myths? You'd likely love spending your time in the Mythic North with this spooky title suitable for beginners. This game is ideal for 2-6 players, and while it's got some horror elements, it's more than suitable for players 14 and up. Come see what lurks in the dark, cold forests.

Most Popular
Dungeons & Dragons dnd 5th Edition Player's Handbook Cover
Title
ꦉ 🍸 Dungeons & Dragon's Player's Handbook
Genre
Games
Publication Date
ﷺ 𝓡 August 20, 2019
Age Range
🧔 Recommended 22+ 𒈔
Number of Pages
320

Dungeons & Dragons requires no introduction. It’s the most popular💛 TTRPG of all time. While older editions were quite complicated, the fifth edition of꧃ the game is designed specifically to be approachable for people new to the hobby.

Pros & Cons
  • World famous
  • Decades of intricate lore to work with
  • Easy to understand rules

You might have come to this list because you think that Dungeons & Dragons, with its long campaigns and robust rules, is too complicated for new players, but this is probably untrue. The current edition of D&D is specifically designed with approachability in mind. Character creation isn’t as simple as it is in some games, but you only have to make a handful of choice🔴s and once you’ve mad𝐆e them, the process of play is easy to understand. The world’s most popular TTRPG is a perfectly good place for new players to start exploring the hobby.

Most Flexible
Fate Core System

Designed to be both incrediblಌy simple and incredibly flexible, Fate uses easy-to-understand and easy-to-use mechanics to create a game you can use for any campaign you can imagi♐ne.

Pros & Cons
  • Amazingly simple
  • Amazingly flexible?run any campaign you can imagine

While finding an RPG simple enough for beginners can be hard at the best of times, it’s all the more difficult if you’re looking to play or run a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:non-fantasy game. The precedent set by D&D ensures that most TTRPGs are magical in nature, and it can be difficult to find a good system if you want🀅 to run something very different.

Fortunately, Fate is here to help. This incredibly simple system uses custom dice and simple character creation to make play as easy ✃as possible, and its rules are broad enough that it can easily be used to run a campaign in any setting you can imagine. If you’re looking to start with an unconventional campaign and can’t find any system that works with what you want, this game is for you.

Best Monster Hunting
Monster of The Week - Hardcover Edition

Deve🅺loped by Evil Hat, the same company that made Fate, this game is slightly more complex, but from that slight increase in complexity springs an amazingly well-developed and still very simple system that will allow you to be any kind of monster hunter you want to be.

Pros & Cons
  • Amazing character creation
  • Flexibility and simplicity married in a way few games can match
  • Designed for one specific genre

Monster of the Week is a simple TTRPG modele🌞d after the television genre of the same name. We’re talking shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, and the X-Files. If you’re looking to run a game following that formula, where a group of monster hunters works to put down threat after threat, this is one of the best systems you can use.

Despite th🙈e character creation being extremely flexible, allowing you to create just about any monster hunter you can imagine, it’s also incredibly simple൩ and approachable, easy to pick up and use, even for someone completely new to TTRPGs.

If you’d like to see more options for running a monster hunting campaign, check out this list of the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:best monster-hunting TTRPGs.

Editor's Choice
Goblin Quest Cover Art
Original Release Date
2015-00-00
Player Count
2-6
Length per Game
2-3 hours
Publishing Co
Rowa🅠n, Rook & Decard 🃏

Goblin Quest is a quirky, light-hearted, and fun tabletop RPG. It has low-stakes and simplౠe gameplay that anyone 14 years and older will enjoy.

Pros & Cons
  • Simple rules
  • Light-hearted and humorous campaigns
  • Inexpensive
  • Your character is destined to die

Goblin Quest makes for a great introduction into the🔯 tabletop RPG genre. It’s lighthearted, quirky and can be easily completed in one play session. It only takes two players to begin a campaign and around two hours to finish.

In the game, you play as a goblin that must complete a series of ridiculous, outlandish, and fun little quests. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously and your goblins are expected to die repeatedly-which is a nice low-stakes 🐽addition that will make newer players more comfortable. If you are looking for a silly, fun, and simple tabletop RPG that is sure to make you laugh out loud, you should give Goblin Quest a go.

Premium Pick
Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game Box Set
Original Release Date
2008-00-00
Player Count
2+
Age Recommendation
ꦰ 12 years and up
Length per Game
2-4 hours
Publishing Co
ꦿ Archaia Studios Press

Are you a fan of the Mouse Guard comic series? Then this is the TTRPG for you. It has simple, but satisfying gameplay set in an immersive world that you'll want to visit again and agaꦬin.

Pros & Cons
  • Can be played with six-sided die
  • Gameplay isn't overly complex
  • Great for fans of the comic series
  • On the pricier side

The Mouse Guard RPG is actually inspired by the much-acclaimed comic book series by the saꦍme name. And it makes for a great tabletop RPG jumping-on point for this and a few other reasons. If you are already a fan of the comics, then you’re ahead of the game because, even before starting the RPG, you’ll already have a good understanding of the lore, the world, and the potential characters you can create.

Even if you're not, you won't have much trouble. The rule set for Mouse Guard is relatively simple and easy to understand, as well. And, unlike many other tabletop RPGs, you only need a six-sided die to play instead of the typical 20-sided die. This is ideal for beginners, because you probably already have six-sided dice lying around somewhere—even if you have to borrow them from a board game.

Best Horror Game
Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu is a classic TTRPG with decades of cultural stayi🅷ng power. It serves as a great tabletop starting point for horror fans, H.P. Lovecraft fans, or for anyone wanting to play a classic game.

Pros & Cons
  • Iconic setting with iconic monsters
  • Not overly complex
  • Great for horror and H.P. Lovecraft fans
  • Not ideal for very young players
  • Won't appeal to those who don't like horror

If you’re looking for a classic 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:horror experience, this game is for you. Call of Cthu😼lhu is one of the greats. Originally introduced i𝓡n 1981 and based upon the lauded works of H.P. Lovecraft, it still endures in the world of TTRPGs to this day.

This tabletop RPG's continued popularity has a lot to do with its approachability. Though the adventures this game will lead you through are horrifying, this game’s core rules are easy to understand and work with, while still having all the functionality they need to create the horror experience that makes this game a treasure. If you’re looking for a horror game, this is a great point of entry for you.

Best Value
Fiasco Tabletop Game
Original Release Date
2009-00-00
Player Count
2-6
Age Recommendation
14 years and up 🐟 ൩
Length per Game
~2-3 hours ▨ 🌺
Publishing Co
Bully Pulpit Games 🦹

A unique tabletop RPG inspired by Cohen Brothers' films, Fiasco is a system for creating outragous comedies of errors that will appeal to both new and veteran players alik⭕e.

Pros & Cons
  • Inexpensive
  • Quick and easy to learn
  • No game master needed
  • Not for young kids

Another simple, quick, and brief TTRPG that’s easy to understand and immerse yourself in is Fiasco. This game takes a lot of inspiration from Cohen Brot💛her’s films like Fargo. Every session is a complete, self-contained story that begins with your characters laying down intricate plans, and then introduces complications to ensure those plans go horribly awry!

A single playthrough takes around two hours to finish. The rules are simple, and there's no need for a game master, meaning it's okay if everyone in your group is just as inexperienced as you are.

Best Story Elements
the lord of the rings rpg book

Another hurdle of getting into TTRPGs is the story element. Newer players will take time to understand how story beats work in a tabletop RPG. However, if you use one of the great🍌est stories ever told as a backdrop, newbies will surely be able to pick it🌞 up faster and keep track of it better.

Pros & Cons
  • Great for fans of The Lord of the Rings.
  • Acts as a good backdrop for newer players.
  • Features places and characters that most people know and love.

The Lord of the Rings is a story almost everyone knows, especially if they're a fan of fantasy literature. The Lord of the Rings RPG Book acts as a great canvas for newer TTRPG players, as they'll be able to understand the format better when it's applied to a story they already know.

This book uses🍌 the same basic rules as D&D 5e, but applies them to a popular and well-known setting that will be comfortably familiar to fantasy fans.

Best Superhero Game
marvel multiverse rpg core rulebook

This superhero RPG gives you everything you need to play out a superhero campaign in the Marvel Multiverse🦹 or a setting of your own creation. You can use it to play out your favorite comic book arcs as well.

Pros & Cons
  • Great for introducing younger audiences to TTRPGs
  • You can play out four favourite comic or movie arcs.
  • Features many expansions.

Some players might be intimidated by the concept of character creation. Though most gamers would agree that robust character customization is ultimately a good thing, some might like to test the RPG waters with familiar, pre-made characters first. This is far from the only game to have pregenerated characters come with its starter material. (Indeed, the majority of them do), but this is absolutely the one where you'll find the most familiar and iconic stock of pre-made heroes to play as.

FAQ

Which Games Are Suitable For Kids?

Most of the games on this list are suitable for children, and with those that aren’t (Call of Cthulhu and Fiasco) the problem is more with their adult themes than their꧂ complexity. Fate is the simplest game on this list, so it’s your go-to if you’re worried about your children being able to follow a complex game, but most of the games on this list should be fine for children regardless.

What Titles Can Help Me Get Used To Roleplaying?

Not all tabletop games are roleplaying titles, so don't worry! A comfortable, relaxed D&D group is our favorite way to get used to roleplaying. You may also prefer games like Pathfinder, which focuses heavily on number-crunching without skirting away from the RP aspects.

What's A Good Tabletop To Introduce New Players To The Genre?

Goblin Quest, Mouse Guard, Monster of the Wee✱k, Call of Cthulhu and Fiasco can be equally enjoyed by newcomers and old pros alike.

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