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View Full Version : Dark and Gritty Tabletop RPG's



GladiusVCreed
2016-12-19, 12:20 AM
Hey guys, so like the title suggests, I'm looking for some good ole dark and gritty RPG's.
I understand that pretty much any RPG can be made dark and gritty, but in games like Dark Heresy, there is an intended darkness built into the system. This is what I'm after. I'm studying systems to implement things into my own Homebrew System I'm attempting to create. So far, I like the fact that losing limbs in Dark Heresy is a thing that happens, and a similar mechanic is making its way into my Homebrew game.

Thanks!

comk59
2016-12-19, 02:39 AM
I would take a look at the numerous Cthulu RPGs. Plenty of insanity and maiming.

Psikerlord
2016-12-19, 04:03 AM
You might check out Low Fantasy Gaming RPG. Plenty of danger/grit (death save at zero hp, injuries). It also has dark, semi-unpredictable magic

Knaight
2016-12-19, 04:06 AM
Nemesis fits. There's the psychological horror aspect, and then there's the way it does things like nonchalantly includes human shields on the shooting through cover table. It's the small touches like that which really sell how bleak the target games are.

CrazyCrab
2016-12-19, 04:57 AM
At some point I was doing the same, when looking for inspiration for my horror campaign.
KULT is most likely the darkest one I've seen so far, though it is extremely hard to get. There is a PDF online somewhere. It's so dark and controversial ''the Kult core rules was quoted in a motion in the Parliament of Sweden. The motion was to stop taxpayer funding of youth groups that were active with role playing.'' You know you're hardcore when the government gets out their rulebooks.

The game is quite clunky with countless skills for everything, but some mechanics are excellent - I love the 'Dark Secret' traits and their advantages and disadvantages are extremely well done. Magic and monsters are absolutely terrifying there, too.

Frozen_Feet
2016-12-19, 05:50 AM
Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

Try Death Frost Doom, Death Love Doom, Vornheim, Better Than Any Man, God That Crawls etc.

You don't necessarily need the game system, just buy the adventure modules and use your D&D retroclone of choice. Or Call of Cthulhu. That works too.

RazorChain
2016-12-19, 08:42 AM
Hey guys, so like the title suggests, I'm looking for some good ole dark and gritty RPG's.
I understand that pretty much any RPG can be made dark and gritty, but in games like Dark Heresy, there is an intended darkness built into the system. This is what I'm after. I'm studying systems to implement things into my own Homebrew System I'm attempting to create. So far, I like the fact that losing limbs in Dark Heresy is a thing that happens, and a similar mechanic is making its way into my Homebrew game.

Thanks!

If you are trying to incorporate things into your system I suggest.

Little Power inflation
Crippling and Decapitations
Dangerous combat
Fright Checks
Limited Healing or Healing as a resource (not just long rest and I'm fine)
Chance of spell failures and critical fails.


This is just from the top of my head.

thedanster7000
2016-12-19, 09:49 AM
GURPS can be very gritty, and there's a free PDF called GURPS Lite for your inspection on their website.

Aran nu tasar
2016-12-19, 12:58 PM
Blades in the Dark is about gangs of criminals in an industrial fantasy city. It doesn't have to be dark and gritty - I've been in games with characters who tried to be at least a little moral - but by default, the PCs are bad people doing bad things, usually to other bad people. (The other game I played in, the characters were cultists trying to end the world, and had a habit of systematically destroying the lives of people who they disliked for really any reason.) It's full of all kinds of sketchy occult weirdness and brutal gang violence. Good times.

Anderlith
2016-12-19, 01:38 PM
Why not Warhammer FRPG? I recommend second edition, its the one i played, ive heard third edition is lack luster but i dont know.

lunaticfringe
2016-12-19, 02:18 PM
Dark Heresy & Dark Heresy 2. Any Warhammer & W40k should work but DH is generally a small group of relatively human investigators.

Dark Sun! Play AD&D though I dislike the reboots. Official or otherwise.

Most if not all cyberpunk RPGs.

tensai_oni
2016-12-19, 02:48 PM
I second Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. At least older editions, I have no experience with the newest ones. While Warhammer Fantasy Battle tends to be large scale, grandiose, and full of magic and mythical beasts, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is very down to earth and gritty. And darkness is built into the very theme of the system, of course.

Berenger
2016-12-20, 04:16 AM
A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying (SIFRP) works okay for me. Specifically, you might want to look into the way Health/Injury/Wounds and Healing are portrayed. Serious injuries can take weeks to heal; the consultation of a surgeon and staying in bed are highly beneficial as recovering on your own over time is not a given; being wounded is a major hindrance in most endeavours, especially combat; there is a decent poison and disease system without any magic cure-all antidote... There are no random mutilations in combat, but when you would normally die, you can burn a "Destiny Point" to avoid death. You can gain another Destiny Point by accepting a Drawback, which can simulate either physical or mental scars [e.g. losing a hand, an eye, your private parts or a bit of an attribute score; or becoming a craven in combat or an alcoholic].