Arc Dream Publishing, who is behind hit tabletop RPGs like Delta Green, has begun public playtesting of its next project, The Black Company Roleplaying Game. This new system adapts Glen Cook's esteemed Dark Fantasy series of the same name. An official Black Company RPG website offers playtesters a 10-page rulebook, six pre-generated Soldier characters, and a starter scenario to test. This first phase of playtesting runs until February 1, 2026, with fans able to feed back to Arc Dream by filling in forms.
The original Black Company books were published between 1984 and 2000, though fresh entries began expanding the series from 2018. These tales follow an elite mercenary unit in a gritty fantasy setting, with a major emphasis on the company's personal lives and roles in the military.
The series was first adapted into a tabletop RPG in 2004 by Green Ronin Publishing. This was a D20-based system, while Arc Dream's playtest is based around the D100. As you can imagine, most of the 10-page rulebook focuses on combat, damage, and stress. There are rules for ambushes, stress from trauma, and even infected wounds.
You can find all the playtest materials on The Black Company website. Plus, if you'd like to chat about your favorite tabletop RPGs, you can join us in the Wargamer Discord.