Customizing Your TTRPG: Homebrew Rules and When to Use Them

Creating the game your table actually wants to play Homebrewing is the great frontier of tabletop RPGs. It’s the moment a GM says, “What if falling damage didn’t suck?”Or a player asks, “Can I play a talking sword that also brews coffee?”Or someone at the table—casually, inevitably—adds a rule about cheese-based sorcery and suddenly it’s canon. Custom rules are part of what makes tabletop RPGs so powerful. Unlike video games or board games, TTRPGs are inherently flexible, ready to be retooled, hacked, or completely rebuilt to fit the vibe of your table. But with great power comes… well, occasional chaos. […]

Why Pathfinder 2e Might Be the Best System for Tactical Combat Enthusiasts

Precision, positioning, and more crunchy satisfaction than a bag of enchanted walnuts. If you’re the kind of TTRPG player who loves a good battlefield map, keeps initiative order color-coded, and dreams of clever combos that flip the tide of combat in a single round—Pathfinder Second Edition may just be your new favorite system. Where some RPGs lean toward the cinematic or the narrative-first approach, Pathfinder 2e gives you tools, structure, and layered decision-making that rewards tactical brilliance. And it does all of this without becoming a spreadsheet simulator—thanks largely to the elegantly refined Player Core book. 👉 Grab your copy […]

Dice Mechanics Explained: Understanding Probability in TTRPGs

Demystifying the math behind your dice rolls—so you can game smarter, not just harder Dice are the lifeblood of tabletop RPGs. From the tense roll of a d20 before a dragon strike to the satisfying tumble of percentile dice when looting the vaults of a forgotten lich, dice make magic—and misfortune—real. But beyond the clatter and chaos lies something much deeper: probability. Understanding how your dice really work can change how you build characters, approach challenges, and tell stories. Whether you’re a strategic player, a math-curious game master, or someone who just wants to know why you keep missing, this […]

Low-Level Combat Doesn’t Have to Be Boring: Spice It Up Without Overkilling the Party

Creative tactics, terrain tricks, and enemy behaviors to make early-game encounters unforgettable Level 1. Hit points like wet paper. Spells like sputtering candles. Damage rolls that feel more like polite pokes than actual threats. For new players, this is their first taste of combat. For seasoned GMs, it’s the struggle of making kobolds and goblins feel exciting for the fifth campaign in a row—without accidentally TPKing the party with a housecat. But here’s the truth: low-level combat doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it’s a golden opportunity for creativity, drama, and fun—if you know how to juice it. Today […]

Forest Nymph Files Harassment Suit Against Local Bard

“You cannot seduce everything with a lute,” she says. “Sometimes we’re just trees.” By Claribelle Spindlehook, Investigative Reporter (and Certified Dryad Liaison) THE SYLVAN COURT – In what legal experts are already calling “a landmark case for sentient flora,” a forest nymph has filed formal charges of enchanted harassment, unwanted wooing, and aggressive serenading against a traveling bard known only by his stage name: Strumbold the Suggestive. The case—Nerilei v. Strumbold—was formally opened at dawn in the Grand Grove of Arbitration, where a panel of awakened shrubs and at least one visibly disgruntled willow presided over initial proceedings. The plaintiff, […]

Wormhole Opens Over Village, Spilling Time-Displaced Tourists

Confused ancient elves ask if tavern accepts mithril coins and interpretive poetry. By Able Quink, Senior Chrono-Disruption Correspondent BINDLEBURROW — Residents of this sleepy hamlet were enjoying a pleasantly mundane festival of cheese folding when a swirling, violet-silver vortex appeared in the sky and promptly dumped seventeen time-displaced elves, three woolly cattle, and one large obsidian sundial onto the village green. Witnesses describe the event as “loud, glowy, and full of screaming in rhymed couplets.” “We thought it was part of the entertainment,” said innkeeper Willa Tannibrook. “But then one of the tourists tried to pay for cider with a […]

Mayor of Greenspire Resigns After Town Hall Turns Into Literal Mimic

“I just wanted to upgrade the acoustics,” he says, digesting his resignation speech. By Thistle Grumplequill, Senior Correspondent for Civic Mishaps GREENSPIRE — In a shocking turn of events—followed immediately by several literal turns, gnashing teeth, and a regrettable belch—the Mayor of Greenspire officially resigned today after the town hall was revealed to be, in fact, a colossal mimic. The revelation came during the mid-week Council of Lanterns, when the south wing unexpectedly grew a tongue and attempted to consume Alderman Feltwick. “It had been humming for weeks,” said local librarian Betzy Fernwinder. “We just thought the acoustics were improving. […]

World-Building 101: Crafting Immersive TTRPG Settings

step-by-step guide to building vibrant, playable worlds for any tabletop campaign Whether you’re preparing your first homebrew map or fleshing out your tenth continent, world-building is one of the most rewarding—and occasionally overwhelming—parts of running a tabletop RPG. It’s where maps meet myth, where politics and geography shape gameplay, and where your players realize they’re in a world that breathes, not just one that waits for their next action. But how do you create a setting that feels alive, believable, and fun to play in—without writing a ten-volume lore bible no one reads? Welcome to World-Building 101, where we break […]

How to Create Memorable NPCs: Tips for Game Masters

Because the barkeep shouldn’t be forgettable—and neither should the world you build Non-player characters, or NPCs, are the lifeblood of any good tabletop campaign. They guide the players. Annoy them. Betray them. Heal them. Haunt them. And if you do it right? They live rent-free in your players’ heads forever. But let’s be honest—sometimes it’s hard to keep those characters from blending together into a gray, generic slurry of shopkeepers and quest-givers. How many gruff dwarves and mysterious cloaked strangers can one party meet before it all starts to blur? Today on RPGInquisitor, we’re diving into practical, creative, and repeatable […]

Top 10 Free TTRPG Systems You Can Start Playing Today

A gateway to incredible roleplaying experiences—without spending a single gold piece Tabletop role-playing games have never been more accessible, creative, or wildly diverse. But let’s be honest: cracking open a hardcover rulebook and realizing it costs more than your monthly spell component budget can be discouraging. What if we told you that some of the best, weirdest, and most imaginative TTRPGs out there are absolutely free? Whether you’re a curious newcomer, a game master on a budget, or a veteran player looking for your next favorite system, these free-to-play TTRPGs deliver depth, variety, and narrative power—no paywall required. So grab […]