Spooky Staff Picks | Roleplaying Games

Bats flutter, stairs creak, cobwebs gather... The spirits that haunt these halls are demanding satisfaction. Ghostly voices call out to you… “Roll for initiative.” 

As October unfolds and the weather continues to invite us to stay indoors, we are taking advantage of the chilly ambiance and playing our favorite spooky roleplaying games! Check out some of our favorite roleplaying games below and try to keep your wits about you.

We have also unveiled a Used RPG section in our expanded retail space! So come pay us a visit, pick up one of our featured games, and check out some used games!

Baldur’s Gate

Avernus may only be the first layer of the Nine Hells of Baator… but Avernus is not exactly a paradise. Embrace fear and evil when you pick up the newest Dungeons and Dragons setting guide, Baldur’s Gate : Descent into Avernus.

It has been a blast running Baldur’s Gate D&D campaigns and one-shots at Twenty Sided –  who knew hell could be so fun? This new setting guide not only presents the locations of Baldur’s Gate and Avernus (and the hellscape that lies between) but offers information for Dungeon Masters to challenge characters from level 1 to 13 on their journey to hell. One of the most exciting elements of this new book is the introduction of Infernal War Machines, complete with rules and mechanics for using them in vehicle combat. Come try out these new mechanics for yourself at one of our action-packed D&D one shots and live out your Mad Max fantasies and pick up a copy for some spooky reading.

Dread

Your heart is pounding, your palms sweating, as your friends hold their breath. It is no longer a game, not just your fate – the fate of you all depend on this next move. This is no ordinary game of Jenga.

In Dread, you and your friends will create a cold, hostile world that is constantly trying to kill you. Decisions in this RPG are not made by dice or cards, but through “pulling” blocks from a tower of blocks. You craft a character (a victim, really) and slowly reveal their secrets and fears throughout the twists and turns of the game. You will resolve problems and obstacles by pulling blocks from a teetering tower of Jenga blocks, and if you fail, the results are disastrous. 

This game is a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween experience! The Jenga mechanic perfectly creates a sense of tension and (dare we say it) dread, inviting you to really dive into the world and the ambiance. 

Dead Friend a Game of Necromancy

The moon aligns as you turn over the last tarot card and recite the incantation. Lightning flashes and what you see before you is impossible. Frank, your best friend. The last time you saw him was his funeral. But here he is. Alive and sitting in front of you. “Frank.. I have summoned you so that you may have peace. Do you have any unfinished business?”

He nods. Your breath catches but you nod, tears gathering in your eyes. “Please… tell me what must be done.”

Frank lifts a ghostly finger… “You still owe me ten dollars.”

“Dude, that was like twelve years ago!”

Dead Friend, A Game of Necromancy, is one of our absolute favorite games. The rare two-player roleplay game, Dead Friend centers around a necromancy ritual and a reunion between friends, one living and one dead. The book leads you carefully through the ritual, each step exploring a different aspect of your relationship, death, life, and everything in between. At the end, you and your friend will resolve any final complications and look forward into the afterlife and all the lives that follow.

Every game of Dead Friend is different. Some games are somber, others are silly, but each tell a beautiful story of life and friendship. So grab a friend and celebrate Halloween with a necromantic ritual and a story.

Check out the designer Lucian Kahn’s newest game on Kickstarter!

Kids on Bikes Strange Adventures 

Explore a haunted house from the safety of your own home when you play one of the adventures in Strange Adventures Volume 1 and Volume 2 for Kids on Bikes.

Kids on Bikes is another Twenty Sided favorite, where players take on the role of tenacious kids, moody teenagers, and shrewd adults, trying to solve mysteries in their small hometown. It uses a d20 system but assigns each die to a skill, so if your character is bad at something, they are very bad at it. But adversity tokens, earned through failed actions, encourage your characters to learn from their mistakes to save the day! The Strange Adventures Volume 1 introduces new characters, questions, and locations, such as a haunted house with mysteries just waiting to be uncovered...

Kids on Bikes does an excellent job of capturing the nostalgia of childhood, and emulates media such as Stranger Things and The Goonies. Games can range from the funny to the fatal, campy to complex - it is up to you, your friends, and the speed of your bike. 

Vampire the Masquerade

Immortality isn’t everything you thought it would be. You can only work the night shift, there aren’t any Blood Addicts Anonymous groups, and the politics! The bloody politics!

In Vampire the Masquerade, you will play as a vampire, torn between a need for blood and the desire for a normal, prosperous life. You have to carry yourself with discipline and strength, or lose your mind to the hunger inside. What is worse, the undead are not quiet. Bitter enemies lie around every corner and carefully maneuvering these relationships may have you yearning for relief. 

Vampire the Masquerade gained fame as a Live Action Roleplay (LARP) and became a cult classic within the roleplaying community! This new edition features streamlined rules for playing the game as a tabletop game while maintaining the vision of the original game. 

Dinosaur Princesses

And last, but not least, Halloween isn’t complete without a costume. Whether you are dressing as a Disney Princess or a dinosaur, Dinosaur Princesses is a great, light roleplaying game for families and adults who want to get a little silly.

Choose what dinosaur you are and what kind of princess (maybe you are a chef, or a zookeeper!) and then draw and color your character. You will all work together to compile the largest dice pool you can so as to defeat obstacles as a clan. This game of cooperation inspires a sense of carefree fun, like the Halloweens of your childhood!

Stay Scary!

Written by Johnni Medina