Fantasy has always held a special place in the vast world of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs). It’s a genre that let’s us explore enchanting worlds, battle fearsome creatures, master arcane arts, and generally, embark on extraordinary adventures in the company of our friends. There is a plethora of incredible fantasy TTRPGs out there, but have you ever read a book or watched something on TV and then wished you could join your favorite characters, or just want to switch things up and go on quests in a different world?
In this blog post, we’ll go through the fantasy worlds we loved in book and movie form, but want to experience firsthand around a gaming table. Here are the Top 5 Fantasy Franchises We Need To Have in TTRPG Form, so let’s get started!
Disclaimer: At the time that this article was written, there was no official, licensed TTRPG for any of these fantasy franchises, but we don’t know if some are currently in the works. Hopefully they are, for more role-playing enjoyment!
5. Earthsea
To kick off this list, we have the Earthsea book series written by Ursula K. Le Guin and published from 1968 to 2018. This renowned fantasy series is set in the archipelago of Earthsea which is composed of numerous islands across a huge ocean. Magic is also omnipresent and dragons aren’t mere beasts, but intelligent and wise creatures with their own languages and societies. This world has very intricate lore and mythology, as well as its own history, legends and belief system. Also, there are many shadow monsters, and mythical creatures like elemental spirits or magical birds and the ever-present main antagonist – the Shadow.
I don’t know about you, but I would love to play a character in this fantasy setting and live out my pirate dreams! Unfortunately, Ursula K. Le Guin seems to be against further interpretations of her work because some of her characters were whitewashed in the Sci Fi miniseries, so I don’t think we can expect a green light for a TTRPG anytime soon either. Until we have a proper, licensed version, we can play a homebrew one like Earthsea: The Old Powers.
4. His Dark Materials
Phillip Pulman’s book series His Dark Materials has been adapted twice – once into The Golden Compass movie, and the second time, a bit more successfully into a BBC series. It takes place in a world where everyone’s souls have a physical representation in the form of an animal companion, there are armored polar bears who excel in craftsmanship, and witches, who can fly, live a long time and have supernatural abilities. The books also describe multiple parallel universes, each with their own history and culture, that you can travel between.
I believe that this franchise would make an interesting and immersive TTRPG setting where parties could go ride polar bears, jump into combat with their animal buddies by their side, or wage battle against the Magisterium.
3. Harry Potter
Believe it or not, even though there are multiple video games set in the Harry Potter franchise, there isn’t a officially licensed TTRPG. There are some fangames with small-ish communities like Hogwarts:An RPG, Wizarding World RPG, Harry Potter and the Tabletop RPG, Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Kids on Brooms ( the last one isn’t necessarily tied to HP, even though it takes a lot of inspiration from it, but is an amazing alternative).
I think most fans would agree that this franchise desperately need an official TTRPG. It would be an amazing experience to play as a young witch/wizard – you could choose a house to be sorted in which will determine the type of magic you use and your motivations or alignment. Then go out in the world, slay fantastical beast (if you find them), defeat evil Death Eaters and fight for the good in the world!
2. Percy Jackson
When I was a kid, Percy Jackson & the Olympians was my favorite book series. It’s witty, action-packed and chock full of Greek gods and mythical creatures.
If you haven’t heard of these books, or watched the (universally hated) movies – In the beginning of the book series, Percy Jackson is a twelve year old boy who learns that he is Poseidon’s son and a demigod. He then goes to the Half-Blood camp where he meets other demigod children, learns how to control his water-based powers, meets some gods, and slays a ton of monsters sent to take him out. The books follow him and his best friends as they grow up, learn more about their parents and powers, and go on epic quests.
Even though there are a couple fangames (Demigod simulator, World of Olympians, CHB game) available and ready to play online, there isn’t a official TTRPG set in the Percy Jackson universe. But, I would love to see one! Characters could be descendants of different gods with unique powers connected to them, just like in the books, and there is a plethora of monsters from Greek mythology to serve as cannon fodder. You could even use a mad deity trope and involve a god/goddess in the plot, or have them give you quests.
1. Grishaverse
Finally, our pick for the fantasy franchise that needs to get a TTRPG as soon as possible is – the Grishaverse!
Leigh Bardugo’s book series: Grisha trilogy and the Six of Crows duology are massively popular and have recently been adapted into a TV show by Netflix. The Grishaverse is an intricate fantasy world which consists of multiple different countries, each of which has a unique culture. The magical beings in this universe are called Grisha, and they are separated into three different orders (Etherealki, Materialki, Corporalki) based on which powers they have. Some examples are healingl, controling the elements, manipulating different materials, and summoning the sun or shadows. If you don’t want to play a classic fantasy DnD style campaign, why not take a stab at playing a criminal in a steampunk-like Ketterdam and pull a heist with the Dregs crew, or a Grisha hunter (drüskelle) in the freezing land of Fjerda?
This fantasy world seem like an ideal setting for a TTRPG, but until one is created, you can enjoy a few fanmade RPGs available online – Grishaverse and World of the Grishaverse.
