Five Friendship and Relationship Focused RPGs to Play With Your Bestie
If you’re looking for an RPG system that’s more role-playing than monster-slaying, we have some narrative and story driven games for you.
Not all of tabletop role playing has to be combat based. Sure, a lot of it is. We spend a lot of time in those dungeons, fighting those dragons. But some games and players are much more focused on the social aspect of the game. We’re talking, we’re working through things, and we’re making connections. The treasure is the friends we make along the way, right? If that style of gameplay sounds appealing to you, these are some RPGs to check out.
1. Ryuutama
If studio Ghibli produced a tabletop RPG, it would be Ryuutama. This is a world where the villages NPCs live full lives and set out on their own little adventures. If you’re picturing that Kiki’s Delivery Service vibe, you’ve got the general feel of this game. This is a travel focused game where conversation is just as (if not more) important than combat and the journey is much more than the monsters you fight.
2. MASKS: A New Generation
A personal favorite of mine, MASKS is a great medium if you want a game with a lot of social aspects and fight scenes. Players take on the roles of teenage super heroes and do their best to keep Halcyon City safe. Of course, everything is difficult and embarrassing when you’re a teenager, so things like social hierarchy and the opinions of your peers have a real mechanic that can have real effects on the game.
3. Thirsty Sword Lesbians
Okay, but what if you want a game with fighting, friendship, and maybe a little kissing, too? Thirsty sword Lesbians is the kind of game where a sword fight might (will) end with a smooch and interpersonal connections are one of the most important things in the world. The power of love; you know that anime trope. If you’re a fan of Revolutionary Girl Utena or Steven Universe, this is a game to check out right away.
4. Monster of the Week
Remember Buffy? Sure, there are monsters to fight… roughly one every week or so. But there is also a ton of that teenage drama? That’s exactly the theme Monster of the Week is aiming for. Is this a lot like MASKS with a different flavor? Yeah, honestly. They’re both ‘Powered by the Apocalypse’ games. But they’re also very different and very individually worth checking out. And honestly, who doesn’t want super hero and monster hunter friends?
5. Kids on Brooms
This system is taking us to magic school where we learn to fly on brooms, cast spells, meet mythical beasts, and maybe even make some friends. Based on the Kids on Bikes system, this is a rules-light narrative-first game. But it’s also a game where danger, adventure, and mystery is around every corner. What kind of trouble could your teenage self get up to in a magic school?
Just so you know BoLS may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.
