Four non-D&D games that show the breadth of TTRPGs

[Thomas Shey]

Any system which has a GM setting challenges for players to overcome but rolling dice, and thereby achieve some sort of reward seems pretty close to D&D to me in basic ethos. The above are examples of ones that do not.

There are, however games that do the first part of this, but the only reward is the success of the task itself, which seems at least non-trivially different from games driven by money and advancement. Even the traditional types of superhero games come to mind here.

 

[Aldarc]

Pathfinder 1e
Pathfinder 2e
Starfinder 1e
Starfinder 2e

 

[CleverNickName]

To demonstrate you don't need dice or math to play: Dread

To demonstrate that RPGs can be more than just Hobbits and rings: GURPS

To demonstrate that you don't need to spend money to play: Free5E

To demonstrate that the future of the hobby is bright: Daggerheart

 

[dragoner]

Traveller (my Kosmic is Cepheus Engine) Shows lifepath character generation, and elegant 2d6 mechanics; without, class and leveling.

Basic Role Playing, such as Call of Cthulhu, d100 skill based characters. Mythras, and M-Space get honorable mention here.

GURPS, for the breadth of supplements "it can do anything."

This is sort of catch all, like CP2020 or Red, EABA, Mutant Future, Other Dust/SWN, Shadowdark (where we begin circling back).

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Slaps down Necronautilus on the counter

 

[Ulfgeir]

I think my choices would be the following:

FATE - It is rules-light, and gives a bit of pulpy adventure. It is also a genereric system.

Call of Cthulhu - Investigation, and horror.

Good Society: a Jane Austen rpg - Romance and relationhips. Lots of different hacks for making thematically different things. No stats.

Paranoia (One of the older versions) - Absurd Humour

 

[Eyes of Nine]

You have the wrong version of Traveller!; but get a thumbs up for Torchbearer.

I picked it for the crunchiest version I could find to show the breadth of the hobby. Not the one I would play (notwithstanding that I own like 12 books for it)