DriveThruRPG has kicked off 2024 in style with its ‘New Year, New Game’ sale, discounting a range of digital RPG books and starter sets. For a limited time, thousands of tabletop RPG titles are discounted by 40%, with some starter sets up to 60% cheaper. There are plenty of PDFs worth perusing, but we’ve gathered some of the best deals here to save you some time.
Our first recommendations are tabletop RPG rulebooks instead of starter sets. These will set you back a little more cash, but we think the investment is well worth it.
Rivers of London: The Roleplaying Game
Publisher: Chaosium
This is the first time we’ve seen this title on sale, and if our Rivers of London review is anything to go by, it’s a solid play. Rivers of London is a magic-heavy detective story set in the heart of London, and it’s based on the series of novels of the same name. You don’t need to be familiar with the series to play the game, and it offers a lighthearted fantasy take on the police drama genre.
Dark Heresy
Publisher: Cubicle 7
Dark Heresy is a grim, investigative RPG set in the Warhammer 40k universe. It may hail from the Dark Ages of 2008, and it may have been spiritually succeeded by a new game (which made our tabletop games of the year list, no less), but it’s still an excellent deep dive into the grimdark world of 40k. If Rivers of London was too happy-go-lucky, Dark Heresy is here to beat the levity out of your mystery-solving antics.
The Walking Dead Universe
Publisher: Free League Publishing
Released in 2023, this is another brand-new TTRPG with an early discount. This Free League RPG adapts the iconic TV show and comic series, presenting a storytelling-focused, uber-serious zombie apocalypse game that’s as much about surviving each other as the undead. The starter set is also available in the sale, but after our Walking Dead RPG review, we’d say the core rulebook has the most value of the two.
Now, for quick-start bargain-hunters, here are some of the best starter sets to grab in the sale:
The One Ring
Publisher: Free League Publishing
Free League are known for making gorgeous, quality starter sets, and we think The One Ring is one of their best. It’s a box-sized summary of the Lord of the Rings universe, complete with rules, lore, and a multi-session beginner adventure where you play as a gaggle of tricksy Hobbits. There’s a lot of value for money here – especially with that discount.
Call of Cthulhu
Publisher: Chaosium
If you haven’t played the H.P. Lovecraft inspired Call of Cthulhu RPG yet, there’s literally no excuse not to – the PDF of the starter set is four dollars. A harsh historical RPG that’s heavy on mysteries and hits hard in combat, this game has earned its reputation as one of the best horror RPGs the hobby has ever known.
You can see the full list of deals on the DriveThruRPG website. For more tabletop RPG recommendations, here are the best DnD books for those obsessed with DnD classes and DnD campaigns.