What RPGs Should Every Collection Have?

[ichabod]

I'm working on expanding my game collection, and I was wondering what people thought every RPG collection should have. So give me your lists (ranked please). Top 5, top 10, top 20, whatever. In a week or so, I will combine them to get one list. Here's my list:

1. AD&D 1E
2. Toon
3. The Fantasy Trip
4. D&D 5E
5. Basic Roleplaying
6. Over the Edge
7. Feng Shui
8. GURPS 4E
9. Shadowrun
10. Castle Falkenstein

 

[Bagpuss]

No particular order... every RPG collection should have

1. Pendragon
2. Some version of Traveller (although 2300 is better IMHO).
3. Some version of the cyberpunk genre.
4. Call of Cthulhu any edition but ideally 6th Edition
5. A Solo RPG, Ironsworn, Starforged or Star Trek Captains log for example. (as they are also good for inspiring normal games)
6. Feng Shui - Because realistic combat isn't everything
7. Fate Core - learning about zones and aspects can really help with any RPG.
8. A version of Star Wars or Star Trek RPG.
9. Something Powered by the Apocalypse engine
10. Some obscure indie game that you bought on a whim, because you liked the cover, art, genre or a mechanic or played at a convention.

(At least one version of D&D, is a freebie, like the Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare on Desert Island discs).

 

[Muad'dib Pendragon]

1. Pendragon 4E
2. The One Ring
3. D&D Cyclopedia
4. Legend of the Five Rings 4E
5. Dune Adventures in the Imperium
6. Star Wars (WEG)
7. Talislanta 1E
8. D&D 5E
9. Traveller (Mongoose 2E)
10. Ars Magica 4E
11. Star Trek Adventures
12. GURPS 3E
13. Fate Core
14. Call of Cthulhu 5E
15. Feng Shui 2E
16. Cyberpunk
17. Powered by the Apocalypse
18. Freeform Universal (FU)
19. Ironsworn (Solo)
20. Rifts

 

[soviet]

Ten copies of Other Worlds

 

[aramis erak]

Pendragon
Traveller (classic)
Traveller: 2300
T2K
Tunnels and Trolls
The Fantasy Trip
Burning Wheel
Teenagers from Outer Space
at least one cyberpunk game

 

[overgeeked]

1. Over the Edge 3E.
2. X-Treme Dungeon Mastery 2E.
3. Doctor Who RPG.
4. Paranoia (XP or Perfect).
5. Star Wars WEG d6 Reprints.
6. Cthulhu Dark.
7. EZD6.
8. The Extraordinary Adventures Of Baron Munchausen 3E.
9. Dread.
10. Classic Traveller (1977 is the best version).
11. Shock: Social Science Fiction.
12. Masks: A New Generation.
13. Monster of the Week.
14. Blades in the Dark.
15. Spirit of 77.
16. Labyrinth Adventure Game.
17. Dungeon Crawl Classics.
18. Mutant Crawl Classics.
19. Worlds Without Number.
20. Wushu.
21. Risus.
22. Toon.
23. Pirate Borg.
24. Pulp HERO.
25. Fate Condensed.
26. Fiasco.

 

[Scottius]

1. AD&D 1e
2. B/X D&D (or OSE)
3. DCC RPG
4. Cyberpunk 2020
5. Call of Cthulhu
6. MCC RPG
7. Champions 4th Ed
8. Black Sword Hack
9. Mutants & Masterminds (2e and/or 3e)
10. Icons
11. Shadow of the Demon Lord
12. Warpland
13. Hell Night
14. Mothership
15. Stormbringer
16. EZD6
17. Ghostbusters RPG (or Spooktacular since its long OOP)
18. GURPS (3rd Ed)
19. Traveller (1977 version)
20. Index Card RPG
21. Mutants In The Now
22. A.C.E.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

1. AD&D 1e
2. D&D 3e/3.5e
3. Call of Cthulhu
4. Traveller (1977)
5. Burning Wheel Gold Revised
6. Dogs in the Vineyard
7. Lacuna Part 1
8. Warhammer Fantasy 2e
9. Ars Magica 5e
10. Pendragon 1e

 

[Spectral Anomaly]

Some version of TSR D&D
Some version of WotC D&D
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Traveller/Cepheus (pick a version)
Call of Cthulhu (pick a version)
Savage Worlds (SWEX or SWADE)
Fate Core
Something PbtA
Something FitD

 

[hawkeyefan]

I'm working on expanding my game collection, and I was wondering what people thought every RPG collection should have. So give me your lists (ranked please). Top 5, top 10, top 20, whatever. In a week or so, I will combine them to get one list. Here's my list:

1. AD&D 1E
2. Toon
3. The Fantasy Trip
4. D&D 5E
5. Basic Roleplaying
6. Over the Edge
7. Feng Shui
8. GURPS 4E
9. Shadowrun
10. Castle Falkenstein

Considering what you shared and already have covered, I would suggest the following.

1) Apocalypse World- even if you never get a chance to play this (though you should) I think this is an important game that begat a whole subsection of RPGs- there are many Powered by the Apocalypse games, some are excellent, many are not, but this is the one that started it all
2) Blades in the Dark- takes the PbtA ethos and takes it in a new direction; a masterclass in establishing just enough setting to inspire the participants to engage with the game world
3) Spire: The City Must Fall- also inspired partially by Apocalypse World, this game about clandestine insurrection uses a really great system to see the toll that insurrection takes on people- the setting is also really evocative, and although it's very detailed, so much is left up to the participants to decide in play
4) Mothership- I like this OSR inspired sci-fi game- just a simple system designed for usability at the table, with an old school mindset focusing on skilled play
5) Delta Green- As a more trad approach to gaming, this is a really good example- it gives the players a little more agency than the game that spawned it (Call of Cthulhu) and also works better as an ongoing campaign

I think those games offer some stuff not already represented on your list, and each delivers its own experience.