If you’re hunting for the best tabletop RPGs 2025 has to offer, this guide gives you a clean, no-fuss starting point. We looked at what players love, what critics keep recommending, and what actually works at the table after the first rush of hype. You’ll see staples like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. You’ll also see focused systems that do one thing extremely well, like candlelit horror, heists, or grimdark investigations.
We grouped each recommendation by “what it does best,” then added quick tips so you can choose without reading a shelf of books. Keep it simple. Pick a game that matches your group, not the other way around.
If you like long-form breakdowns and card market deep dives, you might also enjoy a few of our recent posts on ProxyKing: Breakdown: Top 5 Best-Selling Cards in Lorcana’s ‘Archazia’s Island’ Set and Tom Bombadil’s Price Spike Explained: Building a Saga Deck on a Budget.
How we picked and tested
We scanned the big yearly guides and community roundups, checked popularity data from play platforms, and read official previews and rules explainers. Then we weighed three things: clarity at the table, support for new groups, and a strong point of view. In plain terms: can you play on night one, does the system deliver the experience it promises, and will people want to meet again next week.
There is no single winner for every group. There are best fits for specific nights. That’s the thread running through this list.
Dungeons & Dragons (5e, 2024 core books): the easy on-ramp
If your group is brand new, start here. D&D still has the largest community, the most how-to videos, and a deep library of beginner adventures. That matters when you’re learning. The revised 2024 Player’s Handbook and friends keep the 5e feel, clean up language, and offer clearer guidance for players and DMs.
Best for: first campaigns, mixed skill levels, open-ended fantasy
Why it works: free and paid starter content everywhere, fast group-finding, tons of third-party support
Watch for: rules bloat if you add too many supplements too soon
Try this first: run a one-shot, then a short three-session arc so everyone sees exploration, combat, and downtime
Pathfinder Second Edition (Remaster): deep, tactical build-craft
If you love crunch and hard tactical choices, this is your system. Pathfinder 2e Remaster tightened language, clarified terminology, and preserved strong encounter math. It rewards prep and clever turns. The curve is steeper than D&D; the payoff is control.
Best for: optimizer tables, tactical dungeon crawls, “character build” fans
Why it works: precise rules, rich options, consistent encounter balance
Watch for: longer turns if players read feats mid-combat
Try this first: run the Beginner Box or a short remaster-era one-shot before tackling a long Adventure Path
Blades in the Dark: heists and crew drama
Blades is a haunted-industrial heist game. You pick a plan, cut to the action, and use flashbacks to reveal prep when it matters. Position, effect, and stress keep momentum high. It’s not a grid tactics game; it’s about pacing, consequences, and smart gambits.
Best for: groups that want fast prep, cinematic capers, and shared narrative control
Why it works: flashbacks, downtime playbooks, and crew progression make stories snowball
Watch for: if your table wants strict tactical play, this may feel loose
Try this first: pick a crew type, name three rivals, and steal something loud in session one
Mörk Borg: simple, loud, and lethal
Mörk Borg is rules-light and vibe-heavy. Think doom metal, ink-soaked pages, and a prophecy-ticking world. Character sheets are tiny. Fights are quick. Death comes often and can be hilarious.
Best for: low-prep nights, zine-style play, pitch-black humor
Why it works: instant tone, lightning-fast character creation, freewheeling rulings
Watch for: minimal setting in the core; a short module helps
Try this first: use a free or zine adventure for a tight two-hour dungeon with a prophecy tick at the end
Ten Candles: candlelit tragic horror
Ten Candles is a one-night story that always ends in the dark. You literally play by the light of ten tea lights. As they go out, the story moves toward a final scene where everyone dies. It sounds bleak. It is. It’s also one of the most memorable ways to tell a story with friends.
Best for: Halloween, convention slots, groups that love pure storytelling
Why it works: zero prep, strong table ritual, automatic ending that lands
Watch for: some players dislike doomed stories—set expectations early
Try this first: pick a premade module from the book and play it straight
Call of Cthulhu (7e): investigations and creeping dread
Want 1920s mystery with slow-burn horror? This is the standard. You’ll do more clue-hunting than gun-fighting. Sanity pressure carries the night. The Starter Set is inexpensive and teaches as you go, great for first-time horror tables.
Best for: history fans, methodical groups, keeper-led mysteries
Why it works: clear investigative procedures, deep support library
Watch for: lethality and mental strain—tune tone with your group
Try this first: have one person play the solo tutorial, then run the first case for the group
Warhammer 40k: Imperium Maledictum: grimdark intrigue with teeth
This 40k RPG centers on a cell of operatives working under a powerful Patron. That Patron grants aid—and drags you into their messes. Investigations matter in combat, too: learn about enemies to gain an edge before the first shot. It feels right for 40k: brutal, political, and dangerous.
Best for: narrative intrigue with tactical payoffs, fans who want 40k flavor without a wargame
Why it works: Patron creation as a group, investigations that change how fights feel
Watch for: dense lore—manageable, but big
Try this first: pick an Inquisitorial Patron for heresy hunts, or a Rogue Trader for profit-driven travel
Star Wars Roleplaying (Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, Force and Destiny): galaxy-spanning pulp
These three lines interlock, so you can start anywhere and cross streams later. Custom dice are simple to teach and add little story beats to each roll. The Beginner Games get you playing fast and feel like the movies.
Best for: sci-fi adventure, mixed experience groups, cinematic play
Why it works: compatible lines, starter boxes, dice that tell micro-stories
Watch for: three core books can get pricey—start with one line
Try this first: run the Edge of the Empire Beginner Game and let the crew choose the next direction
Lancer: mechs that hit like trucks
Lancer is a tactical mecha RPG with crunchy builds and a bright, hopeful sci-fi setting. On the battle map it plays like a tight miniatures game; off the map you get clean, modern fiction and politics. If your table wants giant robot tactics with deep loadouts, this is your lane.
Best for: tactical groups, gearheads, anime and mech fans
Why it works: transparent math, strong build identity, robust free digital tools
Watch for: teach the combat loop early; it clicks after a few rounds
Try this first: use Comp/Con to build frames and run a three-mission learning arc
Shadowdark: classic crawl, modern clarity
If you want an OSR feel with modern polish, Shadowdark is a strong pick. Real-time torches, tight turns, short stat blocks, and hard choices bring back dungeon tension without heavy prep. Some folks run it for quick arcs; others for long campaigns—it depends on your table.
Best for: fast dungeon nights, low-prep sandboxes, players who like risk
Why it works: speed, tone, clear rulings
Watch for: fewer knobs for deep character build craft
Try this first: print a one-page dungeon and time the torches—it teaches itself
13th Age (Second Edition in 2025): smart fantasy with story hooks
13th Age mixes familiar d20 play with clever narrative nudges. The “one unique thing” makes every character stand out. Icon relationships throw interesting complications at the party. An escalation die makes fights speed up instead of bogging down. A compatible second edition lands in 2025, so your books won’t go stale.
Best for: groups that want a lighter d20 with clear story signals
Why it works: Icon ties, escalation die, a world that invites table buy-in
Watch for: some rules are explained loosely—table consensus helps
Try this first: tie every character to two Icons; watch the complications write themselves
Two more to slot in by mood
Alien if you want a tight, scary one-shot or a short campaign in a well-known universe with a strong Starter Set and ready-made “cinematic” scenarios.
Night Witches if you want a historical frame that blends day-to-day drama with deadly night missions. You play pilots of the Soviet 588th, fighting the war and the system.
Picking the right game for your table
Match game to group, not the other way around. If your friends want to learn together with lots of outside help, pick D&D. If your crew loves hard choices, go Pathfinder. For story-first nights with almost no prep, choose Blades, Mörk Borg, or Ten Candles. If you want a published setting to carry the table, look at Star Wars, Warhammer 40k, or Alien. For a modern d20 that nudges you toward narrative play, 13th Age is easy to love.
One more note on popularity. D&D and Pathfinder still dominate paid-GM platforms, which makes it easier to find a table for those games. Niche systems thrive because their play experience is focused and confident. That’s the real takeaway across this list: clear intent beats generic every time.
Final thoughts
There’s no single “best tabletop RPGs 2025” crown. There are better fits for your group and your week. Try one or two from this list for a short run. Keep the one that makes it easiest to schedule the next session. That’s the best signal of all.
