What is a tabletop role-playing game?
Tabletop role-playing games (also called pen & paper role-playing games) are a form of collective storytelling. The players immerse themselves in character roles that they have created themselves. Depending on the game, this can be an honourable and fearless dwarven fighter, a grumpy – but powerful – wizard or a merciless android mercenary.
Typically, the game is moderated by one person who takes the role of Game Master. Whoever takes this role prepares an adventure for the others’ characters, breathes life into the fictional world, describes settings, inhabitants – and confronts the fellow players with situations in which they can act with their characters and make decisions.
The Game Master then reacts to these decisions and actions and considers what the consequences will be and describes the resulting outcome. This interplay between the Game Master and the rest of the group forms the basis from which fantastic stories and adventures gradually come together.
However, tabletop role-playing games are not only playgrounds for hobby improvisers, but also games. The basis for shared fantasy is often provided by one of the hundreds of rulebooks that exist nowadays. These rulebooks offer decision-making aids when the outcome of an action is unclear, for example, whether the high wall can be climbed, the guard drone can be escaped or the distant treasure island can be spotted.
Many rulebooks make use of a game mechanic that was already known in ancient times: the dice roll. The roll of the dice usually integrates the attributes and abilities of the character, which, along with his or her background story and name, are noted down on with a pen a piece of paper (or now often with a pen on a tablet) at the beginning of the game and played on a table. This element of chance results in game situations that neither the players nor the Game Master could have foreseen. In this way, the stories take surprising and exciting turns.
This is what tabletop role-playing games are all about. We tell stories together and play a game at the same time. Or the other way round. All fictional, all real.
What do I need to play tabletop role-playing game?
Writing utensils, dice and the rulebook for your favourite game system of choice – and the corresponding character sheet to write down your characters’ stats. (Many games now have electronic character sheets, but we won’t go into that in this FAQ article). And, of course, a few people who want to play along. With a few exceptions, tabletop role-playing games are co-operative multi-player games.
Depending on the game system, the classic role-playing dice are used (which are usually available as a set of one four-, one six-, one eight-, two ten-, one twelve- and one twenty-sided dice, for example in one of these shops in Bern) or a handful of specific dice, such as the familiar six-sided dice.
Depending on the game system, the rules are divided into several books, some of which are only intended for the game master and therefore do not need to be read by all players. Some game systems also offer starter sets, which sometimes contain simplified rules and do not require additional rulebooks. These starter sets usually also include the first adventures. Let’s take a look at a few well-known role-playing games.
Dungeons & Dragons
Players need the Player’s Handbook. The game master also needs the two books Dungeon Master’s Guide and the Monster Manual. The classic role-playing dice are used.
A starter set is available.
The basic rules are also available online for free as a PDF. These basic rules have been shortened compared to those in the Player’s Handbook, but are sufficient for playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Pathfinder
Players need the Player’s Core (German: Kernregeln – Spieler). The game master also needs the two books GM Core (German: Kernregeln – Spielleitung) and Monster Core (German: Kernregeln – Monster). The classic role-playing dice are used.
A starter set (called ‘Beginner Box’ or ‘Beginner Box’) is available.
All rules of the game are also available online for free in the Archives of Nethys.
Shadowrun
Both players and the game master need the Core Rulebook. Approximately twelve six-sided dice are required.
The Dark Eye
Both players and the game master require the Regelwerk (English: Core Rules). The rulebook contains many references to the world in which the game is set. It is therefore an advantage if at least the game master has read the Aventurischer Almanach (English: Aventuria Almanac). The publisher also considers this book to be part of the core rulebooks. Three twenty-sided and two six-sided dice are required. The twenty-sided dice should ideally be of different colours.
Several starter sets are available but currently only in German («Die Hexe vom Schattenwasser – Einsteigerbox» or «Das Geheimnis des Drachenritters – Einsteigerbox»).
Most role-playing games offer additional expansion volumes that provide supplementary character options or additional detailed rules, for example. There are also ready-made adventures or campaign volumes to support the game master. However, these products are not absolutely necessary. Adventures can be written by the players themselves, as can the world in which the characters experience their adventures.
The Kornhaus Library in Bern has a number of core rulebooks for various role-playing systems that can be borrowed.