Lists of Free RPG's
| John Kim's Free RPG's on the Web | Comprehensive index of free RPG's, updated monthly. Currently the most comprehensive listing we've found so far. |
Our Favorites
| Alternity | A stripped-down "quick start" version of TSR's new sci-fi RPG. PDF format only. There's supposed to be an HTML version here, but we can't find it. |
| Ars Mechanica | by Jared Sorensen. A science-fantasy setting of living robots on a faraway planet where even machines can work magic. For use with Ars Magica rules. |
| Azad | A fantasy world for GURPS. Interesting magical system. |
| Dominion Rules | Fantasy RPG with "Open Source" license; you are encouraged to design and contribute material such as settings, adventures, etc. Includes a shared world under development (Kingdom of Gwenil) |
| Dragon Net | Generic fantasy RPG being built by committee. Skill-based, 2d10 system, very flexible and quite fast to run. |
| Fantasized Adventures | by W. Ty Dobson & Great River Games. Roleplaying in the fantasy world of Bakara. Detailed character creation rules per race. |
| Forgotten Futures | by Marcus Rowland. Steampunk RPG set in the Victorian Age. Plenty of background material provided. |
| FUDGE | by Steffan O'Sullivan. Very simple but flexible rules for handling any kind of character in any genre. One of the best, if not the best, free RPG's you can find. |
| Fuzion | R. Talsorian's game engine, used in Bubblegum Crisis, Dragonball, Mekton Z, and other anime adaptations; now offered online for free. Site also includes "plugins" for various settings and campaigns. PDF and HTML. |
| Game Engine Manual | by Neale Davidson. Die pool based generic system, with supplements. PDF format only. |
| GURPS Lite | Steve Jackson Games' free online version of their bestselling GURPS system. PDF format only. |
| Metalstorm | a campaign for use with Fuzion: Mekton Zeta. |
| Octane | by Jared Sorensen. Action-oriented, post-apocalyptic fantasy in a Mad Max-ish setting, but with magic and psionics. Uses Styles instead of physical and mental ability descriptors; e.g. Crafty characters use their Crafty stat to perform tasks involving deceit and quick thinking. |
| Outlaws of the Water Margin | by Paul Mason. Fantasy RPG set in 12th century China; characters are among the 108 fated heroes who must eventually defeat an oppressive tyrant. Easy but detailed character creation, blends very well with the Chinese setting. |
| Plain English Roleplaying Rules | by Michael Mearles. Uses freeform Traits that the player defines himself (e.g. Honorable, Sneaky, etc etc) |
| Risus: the Anything RPG | by S. John Ross. Very rules-light, dice-pool based RPG that uses "cliches" to describe what a character is and what the character can do. |
| Shadow Bindings | by Joseph Teller and Kiralee McCauley. Generic RPG that uses the character's personality Aspects to determine his actual abilities. Site includes background material for several campaigns. |
| Shakhan | by Telostic Corporation. AD&Dish system, highly detailed setting of a mighty civilization in decline; reminiscent of MAR Barker's Tekumel. Word docs, zipped. |
| Sorceror | by Ron Edwards. Stripped-down version of a dark RPG of summoner mages in the modern world. Contains material for mature audiences. |
| Sovereign Stone | Quickstart rules for roleplaying in Larry Elmore's world of Loerem. |
| Stella Cognitae | by Mike Collins. A sprawling science fantasy universe of psionic Knights, sentient planetary computers, magic and an invading horde of demons. Uses the simple and fast URSWASA (Unnamed Roleplaying System With A Silly Acronym) game engine; cute name, no? |
| System DL | by Christopher Casey. Diceless system based on spending of luck points to add to skill rating. For those who want to try diceless RP but can't find a copy of Amber. |
| Tipop's Talislanta Page | The Talislanta
3rd ed. system and a very comprehensive backgrounder on the world
of Talislanta, including races, magic, history, and more.
One of the richest fantasy milieus we've ever seen.
Talislanta is by Stephan M. Secchi. |
| The Guide to Adventure | by Michael Ball. Skill-based fantasy RPG, with supplements for modern and sci-fi settings. |
| Thrash | by Ewen Cluney. Martial arts RPG based on various video fighting games and martial arts anime. Offers a wide list of martial arts styles to choose for your characters, and detailed rules for resolving their use in combat. |
| Transcendence | by George Chatzipetros. Dark fantasy RPG where your characters are "Awakened" spirits returned to mortal flesh by the power of the gods and wielding a wide array of magic and dream powers. |
| Transformers RPG | one of the coolest animations of the 80's transformed into a campaign for Fuzion: Mekton Zeta. |
| Two-Fisted Tales | by Matt Stevens. Nice and simple RPG for emulating the "pulp" stories of the 1920's and 30's; think back to such classics and classic characters as The Shadow, The Phantom, Flash Gordon, Indiana Jones, Dick Tracy, Sam Spade, and others. |