Ten New/Upcoming RPGs Worthy of Your Attention in Late 2016

Cryptomancer – Land of NOP LLC (Available Now)

Another RPG which is getting great word of mouth is Cryptomancer. The setting is an usual mash up of traditional fantasy, information technology, and hacking. Yes, it does sound a bit odd but people are raving about the Land of NOP game which is being billed as “a tabletop role-playing game made for hackers, by hackers.” Also of note is the fact you can grab the full 432 page core book – in PDF – at the amazing low price of ten dollars. You read that right! Loads of RPG goodness for ten bones!

From Land of NOP:

Cryptomancer is a tabletop role-playing game made for hackers, by hackers. It features an original  fantasy setting and gameplay informed by diverse security disciplines: information security, physical security, intelligence analysis, clandestine tradecraft, and risk management. Players assume the role of characters on the run from a shadowy organization that rules the world through mass surveillance, propaganda, and political coercion.

• Explore a rich fantasy setting connected by the Shardscape, the magical equivalent of the Internet 

• Attack and defend fantasy networks built upon real networking and cryptography principles

• Build up your safehouse and manage covert cells of spies, scouts, political agitators, and assassins

• Customize your character with dozens of talents and spells emphasizing stealth, deception, and creative problem-solving

Kill all the orcs, hack all the things!

Cryptomancer takes place in a fantasy setting very similar to most fantasy settings you are accustomed to. This was by design. We kept things simple so gamers both seasoned and new can jump right in and start hacking things. We have made some subtle tweaks to fantasy norms, based on what we think fantasy races would look like in a connected fantasy world.

Cryptomancer is a full role-playing game, complete with its own unique game mechanics using six-sided and ten-sided dice. Characters in the game are composed of skills, spells, and talents that emphasize the realms of stealth, espionage, and creative problem solving (as well as creative problem creating). Don’t worry, we also got the traditional fantasy stuff covered, like killing orcs and chucking fireballs.

Same Roll, No Matter What

When a player has her character do something that is dramatic (that is, the outcome matters to the story), that player will probably have to chuck some dice, the results of which will determine the severity of that the character’s success or failure. We call this a skill-check. Of course, skill-checks manifest in many ways:

• Unopposed skill-check (Alice jumps over obstacle)
• Opposed skill-check (Alice hits Bob in the face)
• Opposed skill-check versus a group (Alice chucks a fireball at multiple orcs)
• Simultaneous opposed skill checks (Alice and Bob arm-wrestle)
• Simultaneous unopposed skill checks (Alice and Bob are in a race).

Luckily, we keep things simple… no matter the circumstances, an action is Trivial, Challenging, or Tough. That is all that matters.

Blue RoseThe Dark Eye

• Author
• Recent Posts

Jeff McAleer

Founder/Editor-in-chief of The Gaming Gang website and host of The Gaming Gang Dispatch and other TGG media for fifteen years, Jeff takes on any and all sorts of games but is especially ready to tackle roleplaying games and strategy games. He's been involved with the hobby since he was just a wee grade school lad, over four decades ago.

Latest posts by Jeff McAleer (see all)

• Space 1999: The Roleplaying Game Receives a Free Quickstart - Apr 4, 2025
• PWYW for the Temple of the Beggar-King Adventure for OSE Advanced Fantasy - Apr 4, 2025
• Score Savings with the Feng Shui Ammo Pack - Apr 4, 2025