Top 7 Alternatives to Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons has had a huge resurgence in recent years. Wizards and the Coast and Hasbro are intent on capitalizing on this, pushing out films, games, and even reworking Dungeons & Dragons 5e with its 2024 and 2025 series. However, this has alienated some fans, finding themselves stuck in a place where they want to use legacy content instead of new material. Some players have jumped ship altogether after some of Hasbro’s choices, even after these were backtracked. Fortunately, there are so many options for tabletop role-playing, and we’ve listed out some of the best alternatives to Dungeons and Dragons below.

Here are fantastic alternatives for those looking for a new TTRPG.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder by Paizo is the classic alternative to Dungeons and Dragons, having many similar features. Both games feature a similar fantasy setting and share similar gameplay. Pathfinder got its start being designed after Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition before it turned into the 4th edition. It shares the crunchiness of the former system and unrestrictive character building. Pathfinder was even called D&D 3.75 because of how similar it was to D&D 3.5. Since then, Pathfinder has found its footing, standing out on its own but offering D&D players a familiar alternative.

Pathfinder 2e features 23 playable base classes with many more prestige options and there are over 30 ancestries, or races. Many of these are similar to what players would find in D&D, but new options as well. Players will find the systems similar as well, with questing, story-telling, miniatures, dice, and maps. Paizo also releases new material and adventures regularly, giving players and game masters plenty to enjoy. Transitioning from Dungeons and Dragons to Pathfinder may take a little bit of work, but gives a less restrictive alternative to the classic TTRPG.

Daggerheart

Retaining a similar feel to D&D is Daggerheart, the upcoming TTRPG by Critical Role. Critical Role is probably the most successful D&D campaign, having found its roots in Pathfinder and then D&D before ultimately deciding to create its own TTRPG. Daggerheart shares the theme of a fantasy world, and considering it stemmed from the creative minds at Critical Role and Darrington Press, fans will find comfort in its familiarity. However, Daggerheart implements a unique world and unique features that will engage players both new to tabletop roleplaying games and veterans.

One of the main features of Daggerheart is how it incorporates the game master in a player role. This is done through its two dice system, Hope and Fear, creating a system defined as yes, yes and, no, and no and. When players roll good or bad with Hope, they can a bonus, however, if players roll with fear, success, or failure, the GM gains a bonus. The GM can then use these Fear points to further interact with the party, giving them a pseudo-player status. At launch, Daggerheart will feature eight classes and 18 ancestries or races. As Daggerheart launches in Spring of 2025, players will get to experience this TTRPG for the first time and help shape its future.

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BREAK!! RPG

BREAK!! RPG is yet another fantasy tabletop role-playing game but carries a different aesthetic than Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and Daggerheart. Fans will spot its anime style, inspired by Studio Ghibli, The Legend of Zelda, and more. It smashed through its Kickstarter goal, showing the promise and love behind this project. It is designed to be simple and quick to learn, provide a clean and modern rule set for fantasy fans, and has all the hallmarks of old-school gaming. From problem-solving to combat, hero progression, and loot gathering, BREAK!! RPG has many of the fan-favorite features of D&D, SNES games, and anime. It also features a unique setting that is post-apocalyptic but not grimdark, hitting a sweet spot that allows for darker and lighter moments.

Players have the choice of eight callings or classes, including the likes of Battle Princess and Murder Princess, and eleven species if you count Native Humans to Dimensional Stray Humans (that’s right, you can be an isekai human). BREAK!! RPG leans heavily into its anime influences, and this is clear in the world and gameplay mechanics. The BREAK!! RPG store is currently not open yet, likely because the team is still fulfilling Kickstarters and getting itself up and running, but players can expect engaging and entertaining adventures with BREAK!! RPG.

Dark Heresy

The Warhammer 40,000 universe is grim and dark, without much hope, but its games are a blast. For tabletop role-playing, there are numerous options for exploring this world, but Dark Heresy is one of the best. Players take on the role of acolytes serving an Inquisitor of the Imperium of Man, hunting and eradicating the heretic and the alien. It features fast character creation to get you into the game quickly and dynamic rules featuring combat, stealth, and social play.

With the core rules of Dark Heresy, there are seven classes to choose from, but this has been expanded with expansion books. Players will largely be from the Imperium of Man, but there are options for playing as Xeno races. While there have been successors to Games Workshops’s Dark Heresy, it remains one of the best and has the most content. Newer additions add and remove features, but Dark Heresy gives an excellent glimpse into the brutal reality of living in the Warhammer 40,000 world, especially compared to a Space Marine like in Warhammer 40,000K: Space Marine 2.

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Mutants and Masterminds

For superhero fans, Mutants and Masterminds is a great system to live out your power fantasy in a modern world. Whether you are a DC or Marvel fan, you can recreate your favorite heroes and villains, or make one completely unique. Where Mutants and Masterminds excels the most is in creating narratives and wish fulfillment, especially with how popular superheroes have become in the media. Mutants and Masterminds has numerous editions and books, providing content for just about every player.

Mutant and Masterminds differs from some TTRPGs in that it does not use a traditional class system. Instead, it relies on a power level system where players choose various powers and increase how strong these are. Mutant and Masterminds does require more work in the character creation phase and requires the game master to more finely tune villains and encounters, but is well worth the work. There are numerous pre-written games players can use to get their feet wet and learn the system before eventually diving into making their own characters and adventures.

Liminal Horror

For those who want a more grounded and realistic TTRPG, Liminal Horror is a great place to look. It focuses on everyday characters who encounter something out of the ordinary, typically in a horror setting. Think Alan Wake meets True Detective and you’ll quickly see where Liminal Horror can take you. One of the best parts of Liminal Horror is how accessible it is. PDFs of the basic rules are available online, and the system is incredibly easy to use to create custom homebrew content.

One of the main reasons Liminal Horror is so easy to get into is its rules-lite and adaptable systems. Players take on the role of investigators, whether by trade or circumstance, typically uncovering some dark or eldritch horror. Survival is the main goal, and not one every player will succeed at. It describes itself as “not a game about solving mysteries, but rather surviving them.” Again, Liminal Horror is incredibly flexible, with players creating various modules inspired by Control, The Last of Us meets Twin Peaks, and obviously the Cthulu mythos. Liminal Horror is simple and offers the ability to create complex narratives and compelling interactions, and provides a great gateway into more complicated systems.

Cyberpunk Red

Cyberpunk RED serves as a TTRPG version of Cyberpunk 2077 and serves as a prequel to the game, taking place between the original Cyberpunk TTRPG and Cyberpunk 2077. The story is set somewhere around 2045 after the end of the 4th Corporate War. While the major corporations are taking their time to lick their wounds, players take on the roles of those left behind trying to survive and live off the scraps. Cyberpunk RED’s books offer huge amounts of lore and worldbuilding, filling in gaps for game masters while allowing them to come up with their own narratives.

Cyberpunk RED features 8 roles or classes, players can choose from when making their character. Those familiar with Cyberpunk 2077 will find similar archetypes to what V can be made into in-game. The game master has the freedom to create the narrative, but as Cyberpunk 2077 players know, anything can happen in Night City, leaving the players with multiple paths to take. Cyberpunk RED offers streamlined gameplay that sacrifices none of its depth, particularly with the change to Netrunning. Groups can partake in pre-written modules to learn the game, or jump right in and live life in Night City their way.

Tabletop role-playing has never been in a better place than it has been now. Dungeons and Dragons has pushed the boundaries and brought this experience to even more people. While D&D is the iconic system and will likely remain king for quite some time, new TTRPGs are being written and published every year, so feel free to experience something new like one of the TTRPGs above.