What Kind of RPG Player Are You, Really?

By Emma Recher, May 10th 2025

So, you love RPGs. Or maybe you’re just RPG-curious, standing at the edge of the tabletop pool wondering if you should dip a toe in. Either way—welcome, friend. The world of role playing games is a big, glittery, emotional, sometimes-explosive mess of awesome. But with so many systems out there, how do you choose the right one?

Simple: figure out what kind of RPG player you are deep down in your dice-loving soul. To help, we’ve paired five brilliantly unique RPGs with the types of players who’ll love them—and peeked under the hood at what makes their game mechanics tick.

The Hopeful Hero in a Broken World: Cloudbreaker Alliance

If your dream RPG session involves less looting and more rebuilding the world with your bare hands and a good attitude, Cloudbreaker Alliance is calling. This post-apocalyptic game runs on a custom-built 2d6 system that's smooth, accessible, and perfect for big-picture storytelling. Instead of min-maxing a dungeon crawler, you’re out there restoring civilizations and brokering peace. Yes, there are monsters. Yes, you might cry while forming a cross-tribe council. That’s just how it goes.

Draw Your Destiny (and Maybe a Fire Dragon): Perfect Draw!

You live for the drama. The flash. The moment your anime eyes glint as you slam your signature card onto the table and yell, “I activate my final move!” Built on the flexible and collaborative Powered by the Apocalypse system, Perfect Draw! merges deck-building chaos with story-driven flair. Your cards don’t just deal damage—they reveal who you are. If Yu-Gi-Oh! and a group therapy session had a lovechild, this would be it.

Transform Empathy into Power: Queerz!

You don’t just defeat the villain—you understand them. Queerz! is here for players whose weapons are empathy, glitter, and maybe a well-timed monologue. Powered by the Mist Engine (from City of Mist), this game trades number-crunching for vivid descriptions and emotional depth. Every transformation, every bond, and every enemy turned ally feels earned and oh-so-extra. Expect rainbows. Expect feelings. Expect to win with kindness—and also possibly lasers.

Sparkles, Secrets, and School Nights: Glitter Hearts

 

Homework? Check. Secret identity? Check. Battle-ready transformation sequence complete with sparkles and emotional growth? Double check. Glitter Hearts runs on the ever-dramatic Powered by the Apocalypse system, which means your character arc matters just as much as your monster-fighting skills. Whether you're late for class or late to save the city, your biggest power isn’t your magic—it’s your connections, your heart, and your ability to cry and punch at the same time.

Bebop and Bounties: Cowboy Bebop RPG

Cool, stylish, and a little bit tragic—sound like someone you know? (It’s you.) The Cowboy Bebop RPG uses a custom system crafted specifically to echo the rhythm and jazz of its namesake anime. It's built for episodic storytelling and character-driven drama, where what happens between the action scenes is just as juicy. You'll chase bounties, confront your past, and possibly spend half the session arguing over ramen. All in a day's work, space cowboy.

So… Who Are You?

Are you the strategist with a deck full of dreams? The sparkle warrior juggling algebra and destiny? The diplomatic world-healer who just wants to talk it out with a dragon?

Whatever your style, there’s an RPG waiting to be your perfect match. So shuffle your deck, roll your dice, and dive into a world where you can be anyone—even yourself, but a little more fabulous.