Get that Session Zero scheduled, because I’m about to show you some of the best grim TTRPGS out there. Grim has several definitions – so for the purpose of these recommendations I’m focusing on games with dire subject matter, gloomy settings, brutal consequences, and opportunities for serious roleplay. I also tried to go for a mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and modern settings. So cue your cinematic playlist and grab a cup of black coffee, because we’re getting grim.
Symbaroum
Your kingdom has long fallen, and what’s left of your people rebuilt in a new land. But what you have now are dirty cities and a starving populace. Not to mention that the same dark threat that drove you away is still out there. The only hope of a future is to venture into the nearby mysterious forest for treasures left behind by a past civilization. But creatures lurk in every shadow and the elves of the forest don’t take kindly to outsiders. Symbaroum melds dark fantasy with gritty survival to create a foreboding setting of mystery and risk.
Inevitable: A Doomed Arthurian Western
Imagine the shining kingdom of King Arthur after a few hundred years pass. Now knights and cowboys coexist in a realm of myth. Unfortunately for you, you won’t get to be a kickass cowboy knight for too long because prophets say the end is nigh. It’s… Inevitable, get it? So your quest is to gather allies, traverse the lands, and accrue what power you can. When the finale comes, a unique Doom arrives. You will fight bravely, commit your deeds to legend, and have a memorable experience. But you will die.
Warhammer TTRPG
Warhammer is one of the most well-known names in gaming when it comes to grim. The Warhammer 40k universe is known for its extremely dark lore and bloody battles. While the most famous way to play 40k is the miniatures wargame, there is a Warhammer 40k TTRPG. If the sci-fi setting isn’t your thing, there’s also Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. True to the setting, your Warhammer TTRPG die rolls can carry brutal consequences such as losing limbs or being corrupted by the forces of chaos.
Die RPG
Isekai, or stories about modern people transported to fantasy worlds, is typically seen as a power fantasy. You get to do life over again but with previous knowledge and the power to influence the world as you see fit. In Die RPG, however, getting isekai’d can be a nightmare. The premise is that you end up in a TTRPG game where the consequences of your chaos come back to bite you. The classes even represent TTRPG tropes gone wrong like a mind-controlling bard or a rogue who literally needs gold to function.
Ten Candles
Ten Candles is a modern classic in the “what do you do at the end of the world” subgenre. Like others on this list, there is no stopping your inevitable demise. The encroaching end is represented by ten candles lit at the start of the session. You burn your character sheet to mark your final act. All you can do is find out how your character copes through roleplay as each candle is snuffed out one by one. When played with the right group, Ten Candles is unmatched in atmosphere and narrative opportunity.
Shadowdark
If you were hoping to find something closer to Dungeons & Dragons but with more danger, Shadowdark is here to fill that niche. Its haunting black-and-white aesthetic calls back to fantasy games of decades ago, as does its emphasis on perilous dungeon crawls. There is no darkvision, forcing you to strategically ration torches and only venture as far as you think you can handle. The combat is streamlined to run quickly but still requires strategy if you want to make it out alive. Overall, Shadowdark is very good at being a grim fantasy game.
Mothership
Taking the grim TTRPG into space is Mothership, an award winner praised for its presentation of horror and general book layout. A GM will have little trouble setting up a game of Mothership, getting players right to the lonely horror of exploring among the stars. Settings include derelict spaceships and hostile alien planets. While this seems more horror than grim, the crossover happens in just how starkly it’s all presented. The game’s art depicts the many ways in which your character can meet a grisly end, immediately stoking your imagination and setting the tone.
Vampire The Masquerade
Grim doesn’t have to come from the GM’s world or manner of speaking. Some of the most serious moments I’ve witnessed in TTRPGs came from a player’s sudden roleplay choice. Vampire: The Masquerade puts difficult choices in front of players constantly thanks to its setting. How far will you go to protect your secret? To accrue power? To simply feed? Likewise, its fellow games Werewolf: The Apocalypse and Symbaroum test your character’s resolve in how they balance the supernatural with existing in the modern world.
Sergio Solórzano is the best Dungeon Master in the USA (according to a Wizards of the Coast competition, anyway). He loves minis and terrain but also goes all-in on improv!
