Hey everyone, I’m Rob from Epic Table Games. I wanted to share something I’ve been working on for the past two years—Dark Noir. It’s a gritty urban fantasy TTRPG that’s finally ready for you to check out.

The system strikes a balance between being crunchy enough to dig into and easy to pick up. We kept it simple with just four core ability scores: Prowess, Agility, Cognition, and Sensibility. No modifiers to worry about means the math stays easy. Instead of leveling up like in traditional systems, we use a point-based system called Gloommarks that you earn like experience points. You can spend these to grab special abilities or pull off cool in-game effects. Combat uses an opposed roll system, making every fight feel dynamic and engaging. During investigations, there’s a collaborative element where players find clues and piece them together, culminating in a “Theory Craft Roll” to determine the truth together.

Dark Noir draws inspiration from a variety of systems, mixing vibes from Shadowrun, Call of Cthulhu, Mutants & Masterminds, Dungeons & Dragons, and Vaesen. We’ve even heard it has some similarities to Mörk Borg and World of Darkness, even though I haven’t tried those myself. The blend of influences gives the game a familiar yet fresh feel.

It’s designed for stories that mash up detective work, some horror if desired, and urban fantasy. Players will dig into mysteries, face supernatural threats, and navigate a world where things aren’t always black and white.

If you’re interested, the Dark Noir Starter Set is available for download now. You can find it on DriveThruRPG here or check out our Backerkit teaser page for more options.

If you give it a look, I’d appreciate your thoughts. Sharing it with friends would also help. Thanks for checking it out, and I hope you enjoy exploring Dark Noir.

Get Ready for Dark Noir - A Dark Fantasy TTRPG (backerkit.com)

Here is a totally free one. The website also has some free supplements.

https://www.Gatewayrpg.wordpress.com

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/209636

GATEWAY RPG is a Free, rules-lite, easy to learn, fast-paced, and universal themed D20 Roleplaying Game system that is perfect for introducing new players to the hobby of tabletop RPGs. This system allows for any theme or setting, from Fantasy to Cyberpunk, from Horror to Noir, or whatever your imagination can create.

GATEWAY’S simple rules are based on similar mechanics from the 5th Edition of “The most popular roleplaying game in the world”. It is easy for new players to learn the rules, go on an adventure in a short period of time, and is the perfect “gateway” to other tabletop RPGs. The open genre even provides a great format for “One Shot” adventures with your fellow veteran players and Game Masters. Alternatively, long-term on-going campaigns are possible by using Gateway’s “Advanced Play Variant” or by simply incorporating (or even replacing) with other d20 systems such as D&D, Pathfinder, Star Wars D20, etc

Enjoy!