Here gather the children of the abyss as tabletop RPG enthusiasts who wish for one thing, and one thing only: to paint the hexes with the blood of our enemies. February is apparently a great time for we metalheads, alternative kids, and followers of ancient evils to come crawling out of the cracks of whatever obelisk holds onto our souls, because there are some heavy metal themed wonders the TRPG community is coughing up right now.
Thanks to events like Kickstarters Zine Quest, Zine Month is becoming an ever more popular time of year for indie publishers to launch their obscure tabletop ideas that would potentially be overlooked otherwise. This year ZiMo has brought to my attention a bunch of fanciful queer TRPG resources, and now I'm letting my alt side win out. Looking around, I've spotted everything from heavy metal monster manuals to full-blown metal tabletop roleplaying games, and a whole host of metal-infused tabletop sourcebooks.
I'm honestly wondering where they're all coming from. Is this an alt revolution or is there some kind of hostile takeover being executed in the tabletop space that I wasn't aware of?
Either way I wanted to take some time to highlight the best metal tabletop games I've spotted this month, because we eldritch horrors don't get enough coverage in the tabletop space. And with impeccable TRPGs like Viking Death Squad and Mork Borg taking the limelight in recent years, I think it's about time we let our guitars wail out all the clearer.
In Thrall to the Everhungering Ghoul Sword
This is an A5 zine-style tabletop game from Cubicle 7 Games, the same team who worked on Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound, The One Ring Adventures in Middle-earth and loads of other great systems. In it players may uncover sinister shrines, wield cursed artifacts, or even "unleash the devouring will of a Bound God".
It's meant to be compatible with any old-school system, and is full to the brim with "dark and chaotic adventures" that really seem to evoke that sense of hopeless wonderment you want from Grimdark game settings. While the game is fully funded, backers have yet to unlock a collection of Forbidden Spells and custom character sheets from the stretch goals, which could make the zine all the more horrifically delightful. The digital copy is only $15, but if you want a "tome that corrupts your shelves with its unholy presence", it'll cost you around $28 on Kickstarter.
Heavy Metal Monster Manual
This mosh pit of a 5e compatible monster manual comes from Greedy Gorgon Press, and the references in the preview almost made me spit out my drink. Just to note, it doesn't just focus on bringing you heavy metal icons like Black Sabbath or Iron Maiden for you to pull out in monster form during your D&D campaigns, you might also encounter the Talking Heads or a Red Hot Chili Pepper. There's no gatekeeping here – we're children of the damned here.
There are some fantastic weapons and items to litter through your campaign, such as the Lateralus, a "set square (tool)" that lets players swap their perception and investigation checks at will because they KNOW the pieces fit. You might find yourself fighting with Van Halen's Axe of Shredding, a legendary weapon that requires attunement and can cast Thunderwave at second level, three times a day. It can also be used as a lute during a performance check.
This is a great one for those who've been left – by the official D&D Monster Manual – on your own, like a Rainbow in the Dark (which is, coincidentally, one of the feats you'll be able to take to light up your foes in a magical haze of rainbows). The Kickstarter campaign is yet to launch, but you can register your interest now.
Glumdark
Glumdark is a new tabletop sourcebook from the same publisher as Dolmenwood, Exalted Funeral Press, which concentrates on the dark and twisted chaos that lurks in the magic of random numbers. In the book you get heaps of messed up roll tables, with thousands of items and ideas to whet your appetite for desolation. The best part is that it's system agnostic, so you should be able to use it to infuse any old tabletop game with the greusome deathcore vibes you're looking for.
The campaign is live now, with the basic PDF package costing $24. Otherwise it's $36 for the physical copy, and you can even grab a gloriously creepy limited edition for $60.
Blood and Tears
Designed around a Blades in the Dark style system players roll pools of D6 dice to take on their enemies, though Blood and Tears comes with an esoteric and deeply unsettling twist. Working with the recent Deep Cuts modules Michael Elliott brings us a hack with heaps of passion and delightfully dark themes.
In it you play as either a Melancholic vampire, artistic and full of regret; a Sanguine vampire with enthusiasm and sociability at their heart; a Choleric vampire who seeks to dominate and have the final say; or a supportive Phlegmatic vampire whose ambitions lie in solving occult problems.
The Blood and Tears zine is currently on Kickstarter, going for £17/$21 or for a print version, or £9/$10 for the digital PDF.
The Doomed Stronghold
Currently Kickstarting, this little zine from The Church of Doom that gives you the tools to have "endless adventures in the acquisition, rebuilding and operation of a stronghold". Not only is the book filled with Mork Borg inspired artwork and accursed roll tables with impeccable flavor text, it's also system agnostic. That means while you could easily use it to supplement the new Bastion rules in D&D's 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide, you could also use it in whatever other settings you're running campaigns in at the moment.
Inside are roll tables for strongholds of all shapes and sizes, from desert and jungle strongholds, to mobile homesteads that you can bring along with you on your adventures. Each comes with its own quirks, magical chambers previous inhabitants, and much more. There are even tables for besieging forces that players might need to defend their stronghold from, including a necromancer's cabal or a red dragon who wants only to "watch the heroes squirm and cower in their doomed home."
Funded day one The Doomed Stronghold is a perfect way to give your players something to hold onto in your campaigns, and it's only $8 for the PDF, or $12 for the physical copy.
Isle of the Ancients (Shadowdark)
Coming from Iowa based Twin Magi Games, this is a one shot tabletop adventure designed for use with Dungeon Crawl Classics and Shadowdark in particular. Meant to test four to six level-two characters with deeply disturbing volcanic encounters, this dinosaur-delving dungeon adventure includes a table of rumours, an invoke patron table, and two new patron spells, as well as a patron taint table for the ancient patron that lives inside the volcano. If that isn't metal I don't know what is.
The PDF is only $9, while the physical copy's $15 price tag isn't even that much more expensive.
For more recommendations, why not check out the best D&D books.
