The Daggerheart Dispatch

In the world of tabletop gaming, there is one system that towers above all others. Whether you are a veteran of the hobby or just getting into it, you are aware of the elephant in the room. As the hobby evolves with new rulesets and indie titles, we dived deep into the numbers we are seeing on Groupfinder. Based on the currently active posts on Groupfinder, which comes down to 1560 active players and 688 active groups, here are some numbers that better describe the current landscape. /images/general-media/1775486691_3CWZADDB.pngThe current active posts on Groupfinder, as of April 6, 2026. You can see the live numbers here. The dominance of D&D It will come as no surprise to most of us, that Dungeons & Dragons remains as the dominant force in the hobby space. And while some of us (generally veterans who have played for a long period of time) feel like D&D has outlived itself and is losing to the newer titles. The numbers tell another story: Groups: ~60% of all the groups currently looking for players are for Dungeons and Dragons, either 5.5E, 5E or some previous edition. Players: If groups are over half, then the player side is even steeper. As 90% of all player posts on Groupfinder are looking for a D&D game. While many players are also open to playing other game systems, the vast majority still treats D&D as their go-to system. Looking to start your TTRPG hobby journey? It seems like you should find a dungeons and dragons group first. Beyond just D&D An encouraging trend we can see from our data, is the players' willingness to experiment and also try something else. While 90% of the players are looking to play D&D, they aren't only looking for a D&D group. When we exclude Dungeons & Dragons from the statistics, we can draw a clear "Top 5" of adjacent systems. Based on the currently active posts in April 2026, these are the most popular systems on Groupfinder right now: Pathfinder 1 & Pathfinder 2 combined Daggerheart Call of Cthulhu Vampire: The Masquerade Cyberpunk RED /images/general-media/1775485987_rve3K01J.pngCurrently popular systems (players and groups combined) The Groupfinder Library We believe that exposing players to alternative systems will keep the hobby-space fresh and thriving. This is why we have created the Groupfinder Library - an all-encompassing collection of various resources: Tools, Platforms, Creators, Communities and Game systems. We are hoping that players looking for a D&D game, might stumble upon some other game system in the library and discover that the hobby isn't just Dungeons & Dragons. Perhaps their journey won't have a traditional start and their first game is something else entirely. By lowering the barrier to entry for non-D&D systems, we hope to make the hobby more diverse and vibrant for everyone. 10.04.2026 Edit: The library is now live - read more about it in our Update log. Are you already part of the data? Whether you are a DM looking for a party or a player looking for a home, your voice helps us understand where the hobby is going. Looking for a game? Browse the player profiles and let DMs find you. Looking for players? Take a look at all the groups looking for players and start your next adventure. What is Groupfinder? Groupfinder is a free global tabletop gaming "looking for group/players" matchmaking platform. The platform's growing userbase is a clear indication of a need for such an unifying place.  Read more about the platform here.

Shadowrun is a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in an alternate future in which cybernetics, magic and fantasy creatures co-exist. The game has gone through multiple variations and versions, since its first release in 1989, the latest "Sixth World" game system was published in 2019, by Catalyst Game Labs. It combines genres of cyberpunk, urban fantasy, and crime, with occasional elements of conspiracy, horror, and detective fiction. The system it directly evolved from is Shadowrun 5th Edition Description Shadowrun takes place several decades in the future (2050 in the first edition, currently 2088). The end of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar ushered in the "Sixth World" with once-mythological beings (e.g. dragons) appearing and forms of magic suddenly emerging. Large numbers of humans have "Goblinized" into orks and trolls, while many human children are born as elves, dwarves, and even more exotic creatures. The Shadowrun world is cross-genre, incorporating elements of both cyberpunk and urban fantasy. Unlike in a purely cyberpunk game, in the Shadowrun world, magic exists and has "worked" since 2011. System Overview & Key Features The d6 Dice Pool The core resolution engine uses a massive pool of six sided dice. To attempt a test, a player adds their relevant Attribute and Skill together, then rolls that many dice. Every 5 or 6 rolled counts as a "hit" and players need to roll a certain number of hits to succeed. The Edge System In the Sixth World edition, Edge is a fluid tactical resource. Instead of tracking dozens of tiny situational modifiers, characters earn Edge points during a fight by having a superior position, better gear, or catching the enemy off guard. These points are spent immediately for rerolls or special combat actions. The Three Worlds The game takes place across three distinct layers of reality. Physical combat happens in meatspace, hackers project their consciousness into the virtual reality of the Matrix, and mages project their spirits into the magical Astral Plane. A well balanced team must handle threats from all three directions at once. Magic and Drain Spellcasters do not use spell slots. Instead, they can cast spells as often as they like, but channeling arcane energy takes a physical toll. Every time a spell is cast, the mage must resist "Drain" which can cause severe stun or physical damage if they are not careful. Additional links shadowrunsixthworld.com - Official Shadowrun website catalystgamelabs.com - Official Catalyst Game Labs website

Blades in the Dark is a heist-themed tabletop roleplaying game system about a crew of daring misfits  on the streets of an industrial fantasy city. Published by Evil Hat Productions in 2017 and designed by John Harper, it introduced the highly influential Forged in the Dark rules engine. BitD revolutionized the heist genre in tabletop gaming by pushing players straight into the act, eliminating the "planning phase". The system it loosely evolved from is Apocalypse World Description In Blades in the Dark, players are part of a criminal organization in Doskvol, a grim Victorian era city. The city is protected by a wall of lightning, to keep any threat on the outside. Players create their characters as either smugglers, thieves, assassins or cultists and explore the criminal underworld, perform dangerous heists, manage gang warfare and grow their criminal organization. The game focuses heavily on narrative momentum and failing forward. Characters are competent but flawed, constantly accumulating stress, trauma, and heat from the law as their gang rises to power. System Overview & Key Features Action Roll (d6 Dice Pool) The core mechanic uses a pool of six-sided dice(d6) based on a character's action rating. The highest die result will determine the outcome of the action. 6 is considered a full success, 4-5 is a partial success with a consequence, and 1-3 is a failure. Rolling multiple full successes is considered a critical success. Position and Effect Before every roll, the Game Master explicitly states the character's Position (Controlled, Risky, or Desperate) and Effect (Limited, Standard, or Great). This transparently communicates the exact stakes and potential fallout of the action before the dice hit the table. Stress and Resistance Characters have a Stress track. Players can spend Stress to give themselves for extra dice when rolling. They can also use it to assist an ally, or fuel their special abilities. Players can also spend Stress when facing any situation or consequence the GM throws at them, this makes the characters very skilled, but forces them to consider when to spend it. The Flashback Mechanic Instead of spending hours planning a heist, the crew simply chooses a target, picks a detail, and jumps right into the action. Later, they can use Stress, to envoke a flashback moment, where they explain how they had already planned for such a situation, or had "solved" it beforehand. Progress Clocks The game uses circular progress tracks called Clocks to visually represent approaching danger or the progress of a complex task. A clock might represent the alert level of the city watch, the structural integrity of a safe vault, or the patience of a rival gang leader. The Crew as a Character The criminal organization the players run has its own character sheet. The organization gains experience, levels up, claims territory, and unlocks special abilities, ensuring that the gang's rise to power is just as mechanically significant as the characters' Additional links evilhat.com - Official Evil Hat Productions website bladesinthedark.com - Official System Reference Document and rules database