5 tabletop RPGs with the most complex rules

Tabletop RPGs represent one of the earliest forms of gaming, predating today's video games. In an era without computers or cell phones, players relied solely on their imagination and intellect. This led to the development of a wide range of games, from simple card and board games to complex pen-and-paper role-playing titles like Dungeons and Dragons.

The significance of tabletop RPGs extends beyond entertainment. They offer a means to gain insight into the perspectives of others and encourage players to be creative, sharing their unique ideas. While the rules can sometimes be challenging, the enjoyment of complexity remains a core aspect.

It's worth noting that such games can also enhance problem-solving skills. So, those seemingly insignificant game pieces on your tabletop might hold valuable lessons for the future.

With that being said, let's look at five tabletop RPGs with the most complex rules.

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Lancer, Honey Heist, and other tabletop RPGs with complex rules

1) Mörk Borg

Mörk Borg is a dark tabletop game (Image via The Guardian)

Mörk Borg is set in a gloomy world where characters are desperate to survive. Unlike most fantasy tabletop RPGs, it is a dark game that attempts to choose between those deemed to be ‘deserving’ of life. Players try to seek resolution or redemption for their choices as they cling to the chosen ones. Since every turn that becomes a mistake creates the worst consequences, it isn’t for the faint of heart.

The tabletop game tackles a sense of depression and guilt for the choices we make, helping us understand that sometimes, such things happen in real life. Certain decisions could have severe consequences, which is where the complexity comes in.

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2) Lancer

Lancer is a mech-themed tabletop RPG (Image via Kickstarter)

For a tabletop RPG with a mech theme, try out Lancer. It is a game inspired by the famous Evangelion and Gundam. Set in a much ‘lighter’ future, players control the Lancer as pilots of their own mechs. They are also able to customize their machines for better battle strategy.

Since the world is set in a semi-utopia, the complex rules are emphasized when these robots need to take on missions. It requires vision to think about a brighter future for humanity, taking into consideration that the world isn’t as broken as people usually think it would be in the future.

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3) Trail of Cthulhu

Trail of Cthulhu is a horror RPG (Image via Pelgrane Press)

Drawing inspiration from Cthulhu mythology, this game poses various challenges for players. Its intricacy arises from its investigative nature, where combat strategies take a back seat to detective work. After all, there's not much you can do against a god. Various clues provided are your guide to the impending perils of the game.

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4) Honey Heist

Honey Heist is a one-page RPG (Image via Grant Howitt)

Being a bear is fun and cute, but in Honey Heist, you're the master criminal bear. The rules are written on an A4 paper and are easy to learn. All of the characters will have two stats to focus on: the bear and the crime. A player can use either of the two when dealing with situations. For example, they can use their criminal side when stealing and their bear side to not raise suspicion.

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5) Fiasco

Fiasco is a complicated tabletop RPG (Image via Bully Pulpit)

Fiasco is a fast-paced tabletop RPG that combines crime and problems. Literally, nothing goes your way, making it highly complex. Set in a debt story of criminals, the characters will need to build relationships with each other that might lead to success but mostly comedy and a tragic ending.

There’s no game master needed, just each player’s imagination of what will happen next. The flow of the story will take a different turn for each player with the tilt or the aftermath.