A list of British gaming and rpg-themed resources, including random creators.
This is an ongoing list so it will get periodically updated.
Sections that need adding include What is British Fantasy, Communities, British Random Creators, Podcasts.
Sept 2023: Added more RPGs and resources and split out sections.
British RPG Resources
I'm from the UK and grew up amidst Games Workshop and other British games that contrasted with D&D and other games. Now I'm exploring the British gaming heritage with a list of some resources.
Newer British RPGs (2000ish+)
- Troika! is an experience of a lifetime. A colourful and wonderful one. A rules-light space fantasy game. The rules are innovative and use only d6s, with a free rules text version available.
- Warlock! RPG is a relatively new RPG, which is rules light an emulates the feeling of old-school British rpgs. Heavy influences from Troika, Fighting Fanatasy and WFRP
- Advanced Fighting Fantasy (2E) is a newer version of the RPG based on the adventure gamebooks with the green covers.
- Doctor Who from Cubicle 7, with the 2nd edition using the 13th (?) doctor.
- All the Variants of Warhammer 40K. Dark Heresy, Black Crusade, Deathwatch, Rogue Trader, Only War. And the more recent Wrath and Glory.
- What's Old is New (WOIN) which consists of O.L.D. (fantasy), N.E.W. (sci-fi) and N.O.W. (modern action).
- Into the Odd (link to remastered version) is set in the Bastion, an industrial city where your "expeditions touch the bizarre, wondors and horrific."
- Electric Bastionland is a science fantasy rpg which expands on Into the Odd and pushes the boundaries of Bastion, the Electric Hub of Mankind. You start with colossal debt, a failed career and treasure as the only way out. There is a Free Edition too.
- Soulbound from Cubicle 7 for the Age of Sigmar
Older British RPGs
- Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is probably the most important of the British RPGs, providing exploration of the Empire and the Old World in a dark, gritty and humorous setting. Random character generation is a feature. 1st Edition was delightful and atmospheric, but a mess of rules. 2nd Edition WFRP used only the d10 and was a great mix of atmosphere and consistent rules. 3rd Edition was weird. 4th Edition from Cubicle Seven is rules-heavy, true to it's roots with many character options.
- Maelstrom is a game I looked at in the school library but never played. Set in 16th century England with a fast and simple system.
- The Fighting Fantasy series of RPG Games Books were a kind of solo rpg with over 50 books published in a variety of genres. There was also Advanced Fighting Fantasy RPG, of which I have played using the Dungeoneer version in solo play.
- Dragon Warriors was my first proper RPG experience as a player. The original version was a simple RPG with 4 character classes, fast play and atmospheric adventures. It was relaunched in 2008 (link is to Pay What You Want pdf)
- SLA Industries is an RPG from Scottish publisher Nightfall Games. An urban RPG set in cyberpunky horror dystopia. I think (on list to play!). There's also a 2nd Edition (which should be in newer games)
- List of British RPGs on Wikipedia.
British Style Adventures
- There was a series of D&D (1E) modules written by UK authors (the UK series) that have a different feel to other D&D adventures of the time. These include UK1: Beyond the Crystal Cave, UK2: The Sentinel, UK3: the Gauntlet, UK4: When a Star Falls, UK5 Eyes of the Serpent, UK6: All That Glitters and UK7: ark Clouds Gather.
- The Enemy Within Campaign for WFRP
- Dolmenwood adventures. And an RPG + setting to be published in 2024
- White Dwarf D&D adventures
British Generators and Random Tables Titles
(section needs expanding!)
- Untold Encounters of the Random Kind from Loke BattleMats is a system-neutral series of encounters for City, Wilds and Dungeons with many terrains for each.
- The fantasy generators of Chaos Gen (me) are British-made!
Other Resources
- UK Games Expo, an annual gaming event in Birmingham which is among the largest in the world.
- Cubicle 7, the games company who have published WFRP 4E, Doctor Who and many other RPGs.
- SLA Industries
- Modiphius Entertainment
Finishing Up
I'll see if I can make room for more in the next update. Springing to mind include...
Talisman. Heroquest. Advanced Heroquest, Space Crusade, the Fighting Fantasy Books, Lone Wolf Gamebooks.
