How to Design Your Own Tabletop RPG (Tabletop Role Playing Game)

Interested in designing your own board game (RPG)? This is a great game for you to express your creativity in a very fun and imaginative way. Tabletop RPGs come in many genres, so it can be confusing how and where to start. Don’t worry – before you embark on your game design journey, check out the FAQs we’ve gathered here to get you started.

Table of Contents

How would I design my own role-playing game?

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Build a basic story for your RPG. Unlike traditional board games like chess or checkers, role-playing games revolve around a distinct premise or plot. When designing your own game, you first need to outline the theme of the game and the experience you want to bring to the player. Then choose the mechanics of the game, i.e. how the game will be played – be it with traditional dice, a special deck of cards or something completely different. To tie everything together, you would put in place a reward/penalty system to motivate players throughout the story/campaign. ^{[1] X Research Source}

The premise of the game doesn’t have to be that complicated! In the game Dungeons and Dragon , the basic plot is fighting monsters and gaining loot or treasure.

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Research successful games and unsuccessful games as well. Find some classics like Dungeons and Dragons and Call of Cthulhu —both of which have been reprinted at least 5 times and are loved by many players. ^{[2] X Research Resources} On the other hand, you should also look into failed and forgotten role-playing games like FATAL or HYBRID . Many unsuccessful games have confusing rules and premise, and understanding these games will help you know what to avoid when designing games. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

How do I come up with a good premise for my game?

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Choose a genre for your game. Board role-playing games cover many genres. While Dungeons and Dragons is the most trending game right now, your game doesn’t necessarily fall into the fantasy fantasy genre. You can choose classic Gothic crime games like Blades in the Dark or based on westerns like Deadlands . Pick a genre you find inspiring and grow from there. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Decide on the number of players. Think about how many people you want to have in your game. Do you want your game to focus more on individuals or do you want to create more opportunities for your characters to interact? Narrowing the range of players can help you tailor your game accordingly. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

What do I have to do to make the game attractive?

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Outline a basic plot and goal for the game. Choose one main goal for the players – what will they strive to achieve and what will they face in the adventure? Build different wars and enemies to challenge players along their way. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

For example, in the game Paranoia , you must try to avoid being killed by other players.
The main goal can also be in the character itself! In the game Nicotine Girls , the characters must try to escape from a dull town.

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Choose an interesting setting for the game. Design a map for your new world, outlining any key locations that players may run into during the journey. You can also create a more customizable map and let each group of players decide the setting for their adventure. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

For example, a fantasy role-playing game will need a detailed map of fictional lands or kingdoms.
Realistic settings are also great options! Call of Cthulhu , Vampire: The Masquerade and Shadowrun are very popular RPGs with realistic settings.

How to choose effective mechanics for the game?

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Choose a game system that you are familiar with and comfortable with. Game systems like rolling the dice will help you and your players get from point A to point B in the game. Get inspired by popular game systems and bring some concepts and tutorials into your game. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

For example, you can refer to the game Dungeons and Dragons and create your own game system, which uses dice to decide the character’s stats.
You don’t have to use dice to make game mechanics! Dragonlance: Fifth Age uses a special deck of cards, while Dread uses a tower of wooden blocks. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Develop a class and level system for your game. Many tabletop RPGs place characters into different classes with different abilities. Design classes to suit your game world so that players have more options. Also, decide on how to level up your characters – they can either gain experience over time or level up after each battle/challenge. ^{[10] X Research Source}

In Dungeons and Dragons , several classes of characters are knights, thieves, priests, and pastors.

How does my game progress?

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Create mechanics that blend seamlessly with the game’s premise. The mechanics will help players feel really immersed and action while playing. It could be a weapon control feature or a health bar, depending on what the premise of the game is. ^{[11] X Research Source}

If it’s a survival RPG, you can design your character’s health bar to fluctuate based on current weather conditions.
You can create an auction or betting system in the game where players can bet in their own currency.
You can also give players a turn on rock-paper-scissors to compete for resources.

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Create a conflict resolution mechanism. The conflict resolution system takes the player on a journey through various episodes in the game. A conflict resolution system might include setting a goal at the start of a new event or rolling the dice to decide how a conflict will unfold. ^{[12] X Research Source}

For example, you could have players roll the dice during the game and have them “duels” or roll the dice in the final conflict at the end of the game.

How will I design the reward system?

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Identify the main motives of the player. Think about what your characters are trying to achieve throughout the game’s campaign. Are they trying to become stronger or are there other motives? Try creating a simple system that matches the mechanics of the game. ^{[13] X Research Source}

In Dungeons and Dragons , a reward/penalty system based on experience or points allows players to level up. As players accumulate more experience, they can level up their characters and gain better weapons. If they don’t succeed in the battle, they won’t have much experience and won’t be able to advance quickly.

Are there different types of game rules?

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Yes, there are different types of rules. The rules of the table role-playing games are usually divided into 3 levels: simple, medium and complex. Games with simple rules do not have many rules, while complex rules must follow strict guidelines. There is no right or wrong way to build a game – it depends on how complex you want the game structure to be. The progression of the story and the instructions of the game are not mutually exclusive; in other words, you can still create a compelling plot and plot and still have many rules and guidelines for the game. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Wushu is a great example of a simple role-playing game. The rule system is extremely flexible and there are not many rules in the fight.
Dungeons and Dragons is considered a role-playing game with average rules. While there are some pretty strict guidelines on characters and battles, the game also gives the player a lot of freedom to build on the progression of the story.
HERO System is a role-playing game with complex rules. The game has a very wide spread of rules and character designs, but these guidelines create a balanced point system.

How do I write effective rules for my game?

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Create a unique rule system for the game. The rules make up the structure of the game and tell players what they can or can’t do. If your game has complex or medium rules, outline a lot of the details of the gameplay. ^{[15] X Research Source}

For example, you could create a system in which players can say or do anything, unless vetoed by another player.
You can set the rules of the game where the players can only take 2 actions each time it is their turn.

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Discuss every possible situation in the rules of the game. Think of every possible scenario in your game, even the most unlikely ones. Incomplete or incomplete rules can confuse and upset players. This step can take a long time, but the meticulous and elaborate rules will help take your game to the next level! ^{[16] X Research Source}

How to create excitement for players?

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Balance the skill level of the game. Don’t make enemies or challenges too overwhelming – if players don’t win a simple match, they may get frustrated or frustrated with the game. Instead, you need to create challenges that are proportionate to the experience levels of the characters. ^{[17] X Research Source}

For example, if all players are level 1, don’t let them take on level 20 enemies in the first match.
Likewise, don’t make challenges too easy! A risky opportunity and the risk of failure will make your game much more attractive.

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Let players design and build their own characters. Provide players with a character sheet where they record character details such as bio, stats, weapons, skills, health status, and any other important information. Try not to force the player into a certain image or type of character. Give them the creative freedom to build their own character. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

The Dungeons and Dragons character sheets are a great resource if you’re designing your own role-playing game.

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Give enough freedom to the player. After all, board games are a balancing act. You need to find a compromise between the mechanics of the game and the players themselves. While rolling the dice is a fun and unexpected element to the game’s mechanics, you should also give the player a lot of freedom to make decisions. ^{[19] X Research Source}

For example, you could have a player roll a d20 (20-sided dice) to see how much damage their weapon takes. When there is a specific number, the player will make a decision and contribute to the development of the story.

What accessories do I need for the game?

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You may need a special set of dice. Many role-playing games use multi-sided dice to play. The d stands for dice and the number after that indicates the face of the dice. ^{[20] X Research Source} Many games use a set of 7 dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d10, d12, and d20, but this is up to you. ^{[21] X Research Source}

An affordable dice set costs less than $15, while a high-quality custom dice set is usually more expensive.
The accessories you will need will depend on the mechanics of the game, for example you will use the dice set for the game with the dice rolling mechanism, or use wooden blocks, cards or other accessories. for games with other mechanics! ^{[22] X Research Source}

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Find a whiteboard for additional information. Your imagination is the fuel for board role-playing games – but simple visualizations still play a role in making gameplay clear! Get a small whiteboard and a whiteboard pen. Draw a scene or location on the whiteboard during play so that players know where their characters are. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

How much does it cost to publish a tabletop RPG?

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Publishing a tabletop RPG can cost thousands of dollars. When you publish your game, you’ll be distributing the detailed manual and the rules of the game, not just the board and items and accessories. A professional-looking guidebook needs a logo and signature design, as well as high-quality illustrations and drawings. Generally, this can cost up to $10,000. ^{[24] X Research Source}

Prepare for additional costs if you plan to advertise the game through the entire website.

Advice

If your game is similar to an existing game, that’s okay! It’s better to develop a uniquely enjoyable game with a game system you understand well than to build a whole new set of mechanics that are elusive and hard to play properly. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

Steps