How To Make A TTRPG System

Jonathan Garcia

How To Make A TTRPG System

Tabletop roleplaying games, or TRRPGs, are loved by gamers all around the world. If you’re someone who has enjoyed playing various TTRPGs over the years, you may now be curious to step into the world of game design to try creating your own system. And while you may have thought there was no way to actually get people to buy and play your TTRPG, crowdfunding is the answer for that problem.

From card games, to board games, to TTRPGs, crowdfunding is a hotbed of creativity and entrepreneurship where creators are gathering to share their gaming creations with the crowdfunding community. In this post, we’ll look at how to make a TTRPG system of your own so that you can make a product polished enough for launch on Kickstarter or BackerKit. And if you’re relatively new to game design, it all starts with understanding gameplay systems and how they work.

Key Takeaways

  • Knowing the core design components for TTRPG systems
  • Understanding essential steps for successful design
  • Becoming familiar with the basic steps for launching a tabletop game on crowdfunding

Understanding TTRPG systems

TTRPGs have been around since the mid 70s, introduced to the masses through the release of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). And though this game became synonymous with the genre, the TTRPG medium has become a more diverse playing field in recent years with a number of different systems emerging as desirable alternatives to the D&D megalith.

How it works is there is a base game, or system, that serves as the structure for the player’s roleplaying adventures. The system contains all of the rules and guidelines required for game masters to set up the world the players will inhabit, as well as all of the gameplay mechanics players need to proceed through the game. Let’s break the typical TTRPG system down into its various components.

  • The game: TTRPG games themselves are typically a combination of system and narrative. These things work together to create the world of the game that users will play through.
  • Core mechanics: Core mechanics are the set of rules that govern actions and occurrences in the game. From character creation, to character interaction, to combat, TTRPGs usually have a strong foundation of mechanics that keep the roleplaying gameplay in check. This is largely what will make your system unique in terms of its gameplay.
  • Setting: Setting is the fictional world players will inhabit throughout the game. All systems will have their own rules dictating how players can interact with their settings. This includes everything from geography, to society, to history, and even tone. Designers can get as detailed with this as they want.
  • Narrative: Narrative is the continuously evolving story component that connects game masters and players. Since TTRPGs rely on imaginative gameplay, narrative is foundational to making games dynamic and engaging.
  • Alternatives: Diceless, card-based, token-based, or narrative-driven systems exist and are used in various TTRPGs to create different types of gaming experiences. In essence, while dice are ubiquitous in TTRPGs, they are by no means mandatory. The choice of whether to use dice, cards, or other mechanics depends on the game’s design and the type of experience it aims to provide.

TTRPG systems also have varying degrees of “realness” they can adhere to, often referred to as “Simulation.” The more the game wants to reflect the real world, the higher the degree of Simulation, and subsequently the higher the degree of mathematical complexity that needs to be built into the system. Less adherence to real-world rules, however, allows for more looseness in mechanics. This typically results in more seamless gameplay, so it’s up to you depending on the direction you want to take your system.

Now that you understand the core concepts that comprise TTRPG systems, we can now dive into the fundamental steps for how to make a TTRPG system.

Can I use existing systems?

While creating your own TTRPG system from scratch can be rewarding, you might wonder if it’s possible to build on existing frameworks. The answer is yes – and it’s a popular approach for many game designers.

TTRPGs consist of two main parts: the game itself (the world, story, and characters) and the system (the rules and mechanics that make it all work). Instead of reinventing the wheel, creators can use existing systems as a foundation for their own supplements or modules. This approach is made possible through licensing agreements like the Open Gaming License (OGL), most famously used for Dungeons & Dragons.

The OGL: Opening doors for creativity

The OGL is a legal framework that allows creators to use certain elements from an existing RPG system in their own works. It’s designed to foster creativity while protecting the original creators’ intellectual property. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can and can’t use under the OGL:

What’s fair game?

  • Game mechanics and rules outlined in the System Reference Document (SRD)
  • Basic elements like combat systems, spells, classes, and monsters

What’s off-limits?

  • Specific settings, characters, or stories unique to the official game material
  • Trademarked names (e.g., “Forgotten Realms” or “Drizzt Do’Urden”)
  • Product Identity (protected elements like specific setting names, character names, artwork, and logos)
  • Trademarks, logos, or branded names owned by the original creator

Creating supplements and modules

Using the OGL, you can create two main types of content:

Supplements

These expand on the core game, adding new classes, spells, races, equipment, or rules for specific elements like crafting or exploration. When creating a supplement, you can use the game mechanics and rules covered by the license, but must avoid any protected Product Identity.

Modules

These are pre-written adventures or campaigns, complete with storylines, encounters, NPCs, and maps. When writing a module, you can use the mechanics and creatures from the SRD, but any original content (characters, locations, plotlines) must be your own creation.

Examples in action

To see how creators are using existing systems and the OGL, check out these Kickstarter projects:

For modules and supplements, 80s Adventures brings a nostalgic twist to tabletop gaming, and The Crooked Moon: Folk Horror in 5e blends folk horror elements with the familiar 5e system.

If you’re interested in standalone systems, Pericle: Gathering Darkness offers a glimpse into how designers are crafting entirely new game worlds and mechanics. These projects showcase the diverse ways creators are leveraging existing frameworks or building their own unique systems to bring fresh experiences to the TTRPG community.

By leveraging existing systems, you can focus on creating unique content while building on a solid, proven foundation. It’s a great way to dive into game design without starting entirely from scratch.

Approaches to TTRPG system design

When it comes to creating your TTRPG system, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Designers often use different methods to bring their games to life. Let’s explore some common strategies:

Sequential Development

Mechanics First

Some creators start by nailing down the nuts and bolts of their game. They focus on developing core mechanics like combat rules, skill checks, and character progression. Once these are solid, they craft a narrative that fits snugly within this mechanical framework. For instance, a game with intricate tactical combat mechanics might naturally lend itself to a narrative centered around warfare and strategy.

Narrative First

Other designers begin with a compelling story or setting. They might have a vivid post-apocalyptic world or a whimsical fairy tale realm in mind. From there, they develop mechanics that enhance and support this narrative. A game set in a harsh wilderness might feature mechanics focused on resource management and survival skills.

Parallel Development

Simultaneous Creation

Many creators find that developing mechanics and narrative side-by-side works best. As they flesh out their game world, they simultaneously consider how the mechanics can support and enhance the story. Imagine designing a game about deep-sea exploration – you might develop mechanics for underwater navigation and encounter resolution that directly tie into the mysterious ocean setting.

Iterative Process

This approach involves a back-and-forth between narrative and mechanics. You might start with a basic story concept, develop some initial mechanics, and then refine the narrative based on how well those mechanics work in play. As the story evolves, you might tweak the mechanics to ensure a cohesive and immersive experience.

Real-world examples

Dungeons & Dragons

D&D is a prime example of how mechanics and narrative can evolve together. The core mechanics were designed to support a wide range of fantasy adventures, from dungeon crawls to epic quests. As the game’s narrative elements expanded over time (think of the richly detailed Forgotten Realms setting), the mechanics also evolved to support these new storytelling possibilities.

Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA)

Games using the PbtA system often start with a strong narrative focus. The mechanics are then tailored to fit the specific genre or story the game aims to emulate. Take Apocalypse World, for example. Its post-apocalyptic setting drove the development of mechanics that emphasize player-driven storytelling and the gritty nature of survival in a harsh world.

Remember, there’s no “right” way to design your TTRPG system. The approach you choose should align with your strengths as a designer and the unique vision you have for your game. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find the method that works best for you!

Steps to create a TTRPG system

As discussed, TTRPGs can be relatively dense games full of intertwining mechanics to keep the game balanced and fun for players. The first thing to understand about creating your own system is that there isn’t one right answer for doing so. There are many competing opinions, theories, and design philosophies for creating the most optimal design for TTRPGs.

Regardless of the many schools of thought, this guide is meant to help you move in the right general direction towards getting your game design off the ground. TTRPG system design is a naturally iterative process, and you can expect to go through many versions on your quest for game balance. Every TTRPG must start somewhere, and that starting point is always conceptualizing your game.

Step 1: Conceptualizing your game

Whether it’s the tentpole names in TTRPG gaming or the best tabletop games launched on Kickstarter, each one initially started as a simple concept. This initial stage is important because it serves as the compass that will guide your game design process until the end. As you playtest and iterate in later stages, it’s easy to drift farther and farther away from your initial concept. It’s vital to try and stay the course with your concept compass.

What are some ways you can begin to effectively conceptualize your game? You can start by addressing three key questions:

  • What experience do you want your players to have? In short: the core concept and theme. What is your game about? Is it an adventure of good vs. evil? Is it a horror-themed survival game? You don’t have to flesh it out in too great of detail yet — just focus on nailing the overall premise and structure of the game.
  • How will the players be able to experience your vision? The whole point of a game is to give players an enjoyable and immersive experience. Answering this question involves brainstorming what mechanics and setting you will need to enforce your vision. For example, if you’re making a survival game, you’ll need mechanics like resource management, health and fatigue tracking systems, and encounters and threats that challenge the players to make tough choices.
  • What are the reward and punishment structures that propel gameplay? Mechanics make the concept work, but reward and punishment systems ensure that players make progress. Without these, it can sometimes be hard to keep players from veering off course leading to gameplay falling apart.

If you find that you’re having trouble finalizing your concept, it’s helpful to turn to well-known TTPRGs for inspiration. Analyze major titles like D&D Once you’ve answered these questions, you should have a strong compass to keep you on course as you move to the next phase of TTRPG system design.

Step 2: Designing game mechanics

The most important concept to understand in this step is that conflict resolution is at the core of TTRPG game mechanic design. If the game isn’t designed in such a way that players can actually finish what they started — whether it’s resolving a simple interaction or resolving the story — it’s likely the fault of the game mechanics.

One example of a popular core mechanic creators can draw inspiration from is the D20 system from D&D. Plenty of other TTRPG systems use D20 rolls to resolve game events, but D&D exemplifies how it works cleanly within the game. Numbers that are rolled by players receive modifiers from things like character stats, buffs and debuffs, and are then compared to an opposing number to determine victory. This compliments the game’s design around characters and their stats, incentivizing players to build their characters in advantageous ways for the best chance at good outcomes from dice rolls.

Another trap you’ll want to avoid is the urge to add mechanics for the sake of it. If you’re drawing inspiration from multiple games, it’s natural to want to sprinkle in aspects of the ones you really like. Just remember: Everything needs a reason to be in the game. Is the mechanic operating in service of your concept? Or is the mechanic just complicating things for no reason? It’s important to not be too attached to any one idea.

It’s also helpful to think of how certain mechanics could complement various in-world elements of the game. For example, strong character traits could be represented as +X to the stat, luck could be represented as a re-rolling mechanic, etc. Having a variety in these trait-specific mechanics can help players feel more immersed in their characters — and the game overall.

One popular mechanic that perfectly compliments the horror elements of its game is the sanity system in Call of Cthulhu. In this game, players encounter eldritch horrors from beyond time, space, and reality — a setting that greatly differs from something like D&D. Because of these horrific elements, the game’s creators added sanity, which is a hit-point-style resource that measures a character’s mental condition. This unique mechanic forces players to have to adapt, and it adds more tension to the game fitting with its theme. Depending on your system’s setting, you could look to add a creative mechanic like this that not only fits your theme but also serves to set your game apart from others.

In the end, designing game mechanics largely comes down to playtesting for balance. Perfect balance is almost impossible to achieve, so don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. As you get more playtime with real players playing your game, you’ll naturally see where the sticking points are. Keep iterating, and use player feedback to tune mechanics so that they are the right balance of fun and playable.

Step 3: Building the narrative

In TTRPG systems, narrative is the place where game design and storytelling intersect. It’s what drives character encounters, motivates players to move forward, and gets people emotionally invested in the game they are playing. Mastering narrative is essential for creating an immersive and memorable experience.

The most important thing is to build a rich and detailed world for game masters to be able to adapt their stories into. This involves many aspects:

  • Settings
  • Plot
  • Scenes and encounters
  • Non-playable characters
  • Enemies
  • Weapons
  • Lore
  • Loot
  • And so much more!

The world needs to feel alive and dynamic, and has to be easy for players to picture in their imaginations. Not only that, the world needs to feel tangible for players so that they can more easily interact with it for a fully immersive experience.

Step 4: Developing supporting materials

In video games, supporting materials are already built in for players so they don’t have to keep track of too much as they engage with the game. TTRPG systems are different because they require a lot of supporting materials to let players keep track of everything.

There are two basic types of supporting materials: essential and cosmetic. Essential materials are things like instruction manuals, game master guides, character sheets, item cards and templates. The need for these comes later in the design process, but it’s helpful to keep them in mind early. From the start, you can compile a list of what you think you will need onto an excel list, and then continue to add as you get deeper into the design process.

Cosmetic supporting materials include things like maps, miniatures, picture books, etc. They aren’t make-or-break for the game to function, but they are a nice bonus to include for players. Since the goal is to launch your TTRPG system on crowdfunding, you can even leverage these cosmetic supporting materials as upsells in your game marketing strategy.

Step 5: Preparing for launch

Once you’ve finished the long design process, you’re ready to prepare for your crowdfunding launch. There are three main steps to the pre-campaign phase that will help you validate your game’s place in the market, indicating the likelihood of a successful outcome:

  • Identifying your target audience: Marketing your TTRPG starts with knowing your ideal audience. Who did you make this game for? What kind of games do they usually play? What demographics do they belong to? These are all key questions you need to answer when identifying your target audience.
  • Crafting your core message and brand identity: Once you know your audience, you can craft your core message and brand identity. Your game has qualities that will resonate with certain people. The key is harnessing those unique value propositions to communicate why potential backers would want to fund your game.
  • Choosing the right channels for promotion: With the right audience and product positioning, it’s time to start advertising. Meta is the best bet when it comes to crowdfunding advertising. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are also an option, but we recommend dedicating at least 90% of your advertising budget on Meta.

All of this preparation culminates in trying to build your audience through pre-launch email list for Kickstarter, which is 30x more likely to convert. The leads most likely to convert are the ones who reserve their spot for launch day by putting down a $1 reservation. This guarantees that they get the earliest access to your best discounts on the first day of launch, giving you a LaunchBoom and driving more organic traffic to your campaign for an even bigger raise.

TTRPG system inspiring ideas

If you’d like to get some inspiration for your own TTRPG system, the best places to look are the many well-established games already being played by millions of people. These games are time-tested, full of proven mechanics, and varied enough that you can glean different things from each to try inputting into your own tabletop game. First, we’ll look at the most successful TTRGP of all time: D&D.

Dungeons & Dragons

D&D is a TTRPG played and loved by many, and it has many awesome ideas you can draw from. It is practically synonymous with the fantasy roleplaying genre and has inspired everything from fantasy novels, to television shows, to other TTRPGs that followed it.

Because of how much it has inspired stories in other mediums, it’s safe to say that one of the biggest things you can draw from is D&D’s worldbuilding. Its manuals are packed full of detailed descriptions of monsters, races, classes, magic spells, weapons, and so much more.

The result of having such deep worldbuilding is the game’s replayability. It would take players many playthroughs to actually experience every bit of lore that the game has to offer, and the vastness of the material to work with is a dream for game masters who love designing fresh campaigns for their players to experience.

There are also many D&D-based Kickstarter TTRPGs that have been launched that you can use for inspiration to see what other independent creators are doing with this classic system.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder is another fantasy TTRPG like D&D, and its system offers its own unique take on the classic genre — especially when it comes to playable characters. Pathfinder takes a more engaging approach to both character creation and character leveling by giving players more customization and control.

This can be an important lesson when designing a TTPRG system of your own, because so much of the enjoyment factor stems from players feeling like they are connected to the characters they are playing. Campaigns can sometimes last many weeks and can grow stale if players aren’t feeling like they are making progress in the way they want to.

If you want something that is a bit more character-focused, try playing a few Pathfinder campaigns of your own to see what elements work so well in their game.

Powered by the Apocalypse

Powered by the Apocalypse, or PBTA, is a less mainstream TTRPG system compared to other titles. In fact, it can be argued that it isn’t a system at all, and more a design philosophy for TTRPGs. The game’s philosophy is simple — literally. By relying primarily on two D6 dice rolls, it drives the outcomes of the game in a much cleaner and straightforward way.

The simplicity of the game’s mechanics and character creation lends itself to better shared storytelling since players don’t have to get bogged down by too many rules restricting what they want to do. Due to the speed of the game, however, it can require a higher skill cap for game masters because of how quickly they need to improvise with the quickness of the dice rolls.

For those who would like to create TTRPG systems with stripped down mechanics, this is the game to check out.

Final thoughts on making a TTRPG system

The hardest thing about game design is feeling like you don’t know enough about it to even get started. This limiting belief is often true for many creators in crowdfunding, and it’s one we understand very well. Ultimately, creating a new product is all about commitment and embracing your passion. This is what leads to some of the best games and products being launched on crowdfunding.

No matter where you might be in your game design journey, we’re here to help. And if you’re still not sure how to make a TTRPG system, we can help steer you in the right direction. Just fill out a simple survey, and we’ll get in touch soon.

How to make a TTRPG system: Frequently asked questions

What software can I use to design a TTRPG system?

TTRPG game design has many different elements, each requiring specific software to get them done. Here are some examples you can use for various tasks:

  • Affinity Publisher for making layouts
  • Affinity Photo, Affinity Designer, and ArtRage Studio for asset creation
  • Google Drive for hosting pdfs and backups
  • Anydice website for dice mechanics
  • PDFEscape for form-fillable pdfs

How do I balance game mechanics for a TTRPG?

The number one secret to balancing a new TTRPG system is to accept that perfect balance will not be achieved. The only way to get close is by doing a lot of playtesting. Use the outcomes that you want to achieve as your guiding principle, and tweak the mechanics in such a way that they increase the possibility of those outcomes.

How do I prepare my TTRPG system for publishing?

After designing your TTRPG system, it’s time to figure out how to get it published in the lead up to your crowdfunding campaign. Since you’ll likely be publishing independently, you’ll need to find a printing service to get your physical assets done for you. Use software like Affinity Publisher for making all of your layouts, which you can then take to the printer to have put on nice paper with the finish you want. Just be sure to know the costs involved to publish your game before you get started.

Lauchboom Logo

LEARN FROM THE BEST IN THE INDUSTRY

Subscribe to our Newsletter

READY TO LAUNCH?

Talk To An Expert