The best D&D alternatives that focus on combat, not role-play

James D’AmatoHe is a game developer, podcaster of actual plays, and the author of The Ultimate RPG GuideAdams Media publishes a number of series. Since 2010, he has recorded sessions. There are hundreds of RPGs to choose fromYou can also find out more about the following: You can also find out more about the following: One Shot podcast.

If you love Dungeons & Dragons, but you’re curious about the many thousands of other tabletop role-playing games on the market, it can be difficult to know where to start. Especially if you enjoy a really crunchy, technically demanding rules system, picking up a new game is a big commitment — especially if you enjoy Back to the Future. That’s why we’re exploring alternatives that cater to different tastes!

In my first piece for Polygon, I addressed the needs of those who want more role-play — storytelling and narrative design — in their TTRPG. But another one of the biggest draws for the D&D player base is its combat system. For many, it’s just not worth picking up another game unless they know their characters can kick ass. They are still good roleplaying games, but these ones pay more attention to action. You might discover a game that is perfect for you if you like to play games of initiative.

Stats

In order to help you better understand the game, we have provided stats.

The average session lasts:Average length of one session.

Difficulty: This tells you how hard it might be to pick up this game for the first time if you have only ever played D&D.

Crunch:It tells you the complexity of a game’s mechanics. For reference, D&D 5e would be a ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚪ on this list.

XP:Learning one RPG will make learning others easier. The XP of a game can lead to the mastery of dozens and hundreds more.

Wushu: The Ancient Art of Action Roleplaying

Image: Daniel Bayn

Created by Daniel Bayn

The average session lasts:Within 1-2 hours

Difficulty: ⚫⚫⚪⚪⚪

Crunch: ⚫⚪⚪⚪⚪

XP: ⚫⚫⚪⚪⚪

The inspiration for this film comes from martial arts movies. Wushu: The Ancient Art of Action RoleplayingIt’s about action. This game is about detailed action. All die rolls take place with d6 dice pools. This means that the more you describe how you want your character to strike, the more you can roll.

The following are some of the ways to get in touch with us WushuAlthough it lacks some of the depth in terms of character customization or mechanical complexity that most RPGs have, its action sequences encourage creative thinking. It remains a bit of a unicorn, however, since this game won’t help you pick up any other systems, but you might learn a lot of new narrative skills you can apply to other games.

Feng Shui 2: Action Movie Roleplaying

Image: Atlas Games

Created by Robin D. Laws,Published by Atlas Games

Session duration: 2 to 4 hours

Difficulty: ⚫⚫⚪⚪⚪

Crunch: ⚫⚫⚫⚪⚪

XP: ⚫⚪⚪⚪⚪

Feng Shui 2: Action Movie RoleplayingThis is a love-letter to Hong Kong action and martial arts movies. Its mechanics encourages genre emulation and guides players to emulate films likeSupercop, Drunken Master” Yes, Madam.This fast-paced game teaches players how to think and act like action heroes.

Players choose from dozens of “character archetypes” like The Karate Cop, The Everyman Hero, or The Scrappy Kid and customize them with a long list of “shticks.” These abilities are what guide the players to honor the genre and make their games memorable. For example, “improvised weapon mastery” grants bonuses every time a character uses an everyday object as a weapon, but only for a few attacks. Players must keep finding new items in their environment to continue receiving the bonus. What began as an isolated joke, becomes a joke that is repeated to keep scenes fun and fresh session after session.

Core book Feng Shui 2There are many options for players. There are many options for players. Wushu above, learning this system won’t open many doors to other games, but playing it even once will make you look at combat in a whole new way.

Sentinel Comics The Roleplaying Game

Created by Christopher Badell, Dave Chalker, Cam Banks, Philippe-Antoine Ménard; published by Greater Than Games

The average session lasts:2 to 4 hours

Difficulty: ⚫⚫⚫⚪⚪

Crunch: ⚫⚫⚫⚪⚪

XP: ⚫⚫⚪⚪⚪

Sentinel Comics The Roleplaying GameThis game gives the players exactly what they want in a RPG superhero: customisation. This starts with the powers themselves. These range from the usual enhanced flight and speed to the bizarre, like being able to turn precipitation into a spider. Abilities in this game are designed to be customized and reskinned to fit a player’s vision. Simple meta tags describe each mechanic. After you learn them, you are able to customize them for any theme.

Sentinel also controls the pace and excitement of combat through the “scene tracker” system. As initiative advances, the tension steadily increases — unlocking stronger character abilities and interesting twists. The battles are more thrilling as they near their climax.

This game is primarily a fighting game. The game barely supports anything other than combat. You can expect a lot if your entire group is focused on fighting. Sentinel ComicsIt will fit in perfectly. It’s loosely based on the Cortex System, so learning it will help you branch out to other Cortex-powered games.

Phoenix Dawn Command

Published by Keith Baker. Designed by Keith Baker. TwoGether Studios

The average session lasts:Three to four hours

Difficulty: ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚪

Crunch: ⚫⚫⚫⚪⚪

XP: ⚫⚪⚪⚪⚪

If you used the Eberron setting for D&D, you already know and probably love Keith Baker’s work. Phoenix Dawn CommandThis is one of his lesser-known projects. But if you like the idea of combining strategy and creativity in a role-play, it could be a hidden treasure for you.

The Characters of the Movie PDCPhoenixes are warriors that can die and then reborn, stronger up to seven time. In fact, that death mechanic is so integral to the lore of the game that it’s the only way to level up. It’s not a question of IfYou will lose your character, but You can also find out more about they’ll kick the bucket and How to Get ThereThis sacrifice is a sign of love.

PDC’s other major departure from traditional D&D tropes is that it Players can choose to use custom cards decks to represent their characters. Some players find the transition from polyhedral die to cards a big leap. PDC hasn’t had any major expansions or imitators for you to build off of the experience. Boxed Starter Set has all you need to launch an amazing campaign. You will enjoy games that require you to work together as a group and make strategic decisions. PDCFits your group as if it were a glove worn out.

Lancer

Massif Press

Created by Tom Parkinson-MorganYou can also find out more about the following: Miguel LopezThe newest edition of the bestselling book Massif Press

The average session lasts:Three to four hours

Difficulty: ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚪

Crunch: ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚪

XP: ⚫⚪⚪⚪⚪

LancerThis is my personal favorite mecha-based RPG. I think it sets the bar for this subgenre. The game offers players a staggering level of customization that allows them to create truly unique machines, each with their own abilities. Combat system is very rich with many layers that allow players to maneuver and fight in the way they want.

LancerThe game is split between a combat system that’s ultra-crunchy and a narrative-focused mechanic for downtime. So even groups with a mix of “roll players” and role-players will find there is something here for everyone. The app also offers character creation, campaign support and other features. Lancer website.

Presently, nothing is quite as good. Lancer. It will be a big adjustment coming from D&D. It’s a relatively new and popular game, though, so there is a good chance that you’ll see many new games under the Powered by Lancer license in the coming years. Download the free version to get going.

Lancer

The prices are taken at the time of publication.

Pathfinder Second Edition

Paizo Publishing Image

Created by Logan Bonner, Jason BulmahnStephen Radney MacFarland Mark Seifter;Published by Paizo

The average session lasts:Three to four hours

Difficulty: ⚫⚫⚪⚪⚪

Crunch: ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫

XP: ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚪

The original Pathfinder was literally based on D&D. Pathfinder’s second edition, released in 2019, updates the core concept with mechanical innovations, but it’s still fantasy heroes battling monsters for treasure. This game has a huge number of options for characters, and it’s mechanical depth is rewarding.

When you’re looking for something new, but that doesn’t feel too far from your usual, Pathfinder Second EditionThis is an excellent choice. Paizo has a wide range of products that you can explore, including Starfinder.

Gubat Banwa

Created by Joaquin Kyle “Makapatag” Saavedra

The average session lasts:Three to four hours

Difficulty: ⚫⚫⚪⚪⚪

Crunch: ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫

XP: ⚫⚪⚪⚪⚪

You can make a larger change if you wish. Gubat Banwa What is it?. This game is described as a “tactical martial arts war drama” RPG inspired by the culture and mythology of the Philippines. The game looks totally different and is based on dramatic and heroic characters.

When creating a Kadungganan, the heroes players control in this game, you’ll find options on par with the rich and rewarding mechanics of D&D. However, Gubat Banwa has mechanics to emphasize the “war drama” part of the pitch, grounding characters with Convictions, Conjectures, and Complications to esure action scenes are dripping with pathos. The game is brutal both in terms of physical damage and emotional impact. You can also find out more about the following:By design, emotional by nature.

Gubat Banwa It is designed for grid-based battles with specific rules regarding terrain and area of effect. The Kadungganan system allows players to choose between over 25 martial art disciplines. It is best played with an intelligent group. You will love this game if you’ve ever felt proud when you could place a fireball perfectly.

GMs (or Umalagads) will appreciate the fact that this system offers a variety of statblocks for enemies. They are easy to reference and have slick designs. There are a variety of basic enemies, each with a subtype. This gives you countless options for challenging your Kadungganan. There is a lot to learn, but it’s all presented in a way that is easy to pick up.