Do you want to level up your DMing game? Weirdly enough, one of the best things you can do is play something that isn’t D&D.
D&D might be the most popular RPG in the world, but it is by no means the only one. And if you want to level up your game, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to step outside of D&D’s walled garden and experience the wild wonder that other RPGs have to offer. I’m not saying you need to convince your friend group to play something else – we all know the struggle of “hey, now you all learn these new rules.”
But there are plenty of opportunities to play RPGs these days, be it in solo campaigns or joining one online. Or even running a game for people that you find elsewhere – you don’t have to go all in on a months-long campaign to learn something new. But pick up one of these RPGs and try it on, and I guarantee you’ll find something that will surprise your regular players.
Blades in the Dark
Blades in the Dark is a popular one these days. And really, this should probably be any game Forged-in-the-Dark, because even if you don’t like the pseudo 1800s-ish world of Doskvol where gaslamps and gangs mingle with supernatural threats, you can find a lot to love from titles like Scum & Villainy or Beam Saber or the like.
This game has so much to teach someone who’s only ever been in the D&D dynamic. For one, it teaches you how mechanics can reinforce the themes of the world. In FitD games, there’s often a component of “base-building” with mechanical benefits. But also, the factions of the world exist, and you, as the GM, know them and have to account for them. Player characters just can’t take on higher tier enemies without special care. It’s also a great way to learn about the fun of consequences, danger, and risking it all.
Exalted
This is the RPG that leveled up my GMing. In a nutshell, Exalted is a game of anime-inspired fantasy that really blows the walls off of what “high fantasy” can mean. A “starting” character feels like a high-level D&D character, and then you only go up from there, because in Exalted you play as different types of Exalted, people not only chosen by but empowered by the nigh-absent gods of the world to govern in their stead.
You quickly ascend into feeling like a demigod, and it is a great way to learn that “hey if someone wants to try something busted, let ’em.” There’s nothing wrong with being strong. Or good at combat. Or anything else. And I think this game helps knock loose the blocks that some DMs get when they look at how much damage a 3rd level Rogue is doing with a critical hit on a Sneak Attack (or heaven forbid, an off-turn Sneak Attack) and think “I gotta nerf that.”
Mythic Bastionland
Mythic Bastionland is a rules-light take on hexcrawling and exploration in a fantasy world that feels like an acid trip almost. And it’s fun and easy to play. You can get going with very little time spent learning the rules.
If you want a game that will spark your creativity and encourages you to use more of your imagination rather than relying on the rules to tell you that “oh you should fight X number of skeletons” then something like Mythic Bastionland is exactly the game to break off those shackles..
Lancer
On the other end of the spectrum, if you want to see what good crunch can be like. If you want to get a feel for making tactical challenges and running the kinds of encounters that keep people engaged and thinking about what they’re going to do, even when it’s not their turn, Lancer is the game for you.
It’s a game of sci-fi mechs that often presses into the weird, esoteric side of things. But it is also a tactical-focused game, where each combat is a mission rather than a random encounter. It’s great for teaching both what a complex fight can feel like, and the importance of having objectives. Also it is a great tool for players and GMs alike who want to learn the absolute thrill of mastering a system and figuring out busted combos of abilities. That’s not only expected, it’s encouraged by the rules.
Legacy: Free From The Yoke
And then there’s the Legacy series. I mean, any of them is good, but I would recommend Free from the Yoke especially. It’s a game about what happens after you overthrow your oppressors. It’s a story that is told about a people and a place as much as it is about the individual characters. There are mechanics here for “generational storytelling” where you can move from one era to the next and reflect real change happening in your world.
It is one of the best times I’ve ever had. And the co-operative worldbuilding involved in the game would make it worth it alone. But then beyond that, it really will open your eyes to a new style of play.
What RPGs would you recommend for DMs looking to branch out or level up?
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