Suggestions for good role-playing game books to read (and not play)?

May 14, 2018 10:56 AM

I have always liked to read well-written RPG game books, the ones laying out systems, encounters and adventures. I am much less interested in tables than I am in the prose - fascinating settings, interesting backstories, and cool systems of any genre. Think Nobilis or the stuff discussed in this recent thread. Does anyone have any suggestions? Bonus points for e-books or things that don't cost crazy amounts of money...
posted by blahblahblah to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (13 answers total)

The various World of Darkness books seem like they would fit the bill - even the sections detailing rules are very flavor text heavy. I got a lot out of them even in high school when I couldn't get anyone to play with me, just pouring over the art and background NPCs.

some books are spendier than others, but I've found plenty at resale shops for under $15.
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 11:23 AM on May 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

Might I suggest stuff for Reign, a delightful fantasy RPG with an intriguing, unconventional fantasy setting? One of the things I really love about this presentation is that the emphasis is less on maps and other visual aids, but more on interesting cultural descriptions. On a similar note, material associated with Glorantha might also scratch a similar itch, at least if mythological fantasy is your bag.
posted by Alensin at 11:33 AM on May 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

HōL and it's supplemement, Buttery Wholsomeness.

I enjoyed reading the books to both Paranoia and Illuminati.
posted by ApathyGirl at 11:37 AM on May 14, 2018 [3 favorites]

I second World of Darkness. Also, hit your library!
posted by bile and syntax at 12:36 PM on May 14, 2018

Seconding HōL enthusiastically.

Call of Cthulhu is some interesting reading, too.
posted by porpoise at 12:47 PM on May 14, 2018

I've read at least 3 times the number of sourcebooks as systems I've actually played. I love this question.

I really did enjoy the flavor of the RPG In Nomine by Steve Jackson Games. I never got around to playing it in any serious way, but I wore it down anyhow. It's out of print and abandoned--if you can find a core book you can probably get it for pennies.

I bought almost all of the Exalted by White Wolf 1st ed line just to own them. It's by far my favorite RPG setting I've ever seen, and the lore is super rich. It's a beautiful primordial fantasy world with no trace of Tolkienisms.
posted by TypographicalError at 2:40 PM on May 14, 2018

Thirding HoL, and GURPs has put out a ton of various source books (for historical periods, fan worlds like Discworld, etc) which are usually fairly well written and researched.
posted by The otter lady at 2:57 PM on May 14, 2018 [1 favorite]

If queer anarchist anticolonial dystopian stuff interests you at all, Avery Alder's games are amazing, and beautifully written.
posted by ITheCosmos at 4:06 PM on May 14, 2018

apocalypse world, dogs in the vineyard. anything by garth ryder-hanrahan.
posted by Sebmojo at 4:55 PM on May 14, 2018

I was all excited to mention Nobilis as a game I really enjoy thinking about and have very little interest in playing with anybody, then I noticed you mentioned it as the example case.

Numenera may scratch this itch as well.

Also, only slightly ironically, I got a kick out of World of Synnibarr due to the tremendous magnitude its weirdness. More of a curio than a piece of satisfying game design, but it's unique and bonkers and I'm glad I read it.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 5:38 PM on May 14, 2018

Sagas of the Icelanders
posted by eruonna at 9:01 PM on May 14, 2018

13th Age or Blue Rose?
Both have a strong narrative structure and interesting back stories.
posted by fiercekitten at 9:51 PM on May 14, 2018

I think a lot of stuff from Pelgrane Press would fit the bill, but specifically Night's Black Agents would be a good one to check out. Not only is the sourcebook good, but the Dracula Dossier actually includes a full copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula in it's "unabridged" form (in this world, Dracula isn't a novel, but a very detailed case file on a highly public vampire threat which had to be neutralized.)

Drive Thru RPG has a lot of sourcebooks available as free or low-cost PDFs.
posted by helloimjennsco at 7:44 AM on May 15, 2018