"The torch is guttering. The food is running out. The treasure is still below."
Torchbearer is a harsh dungeon crawler from the makers of Burning Wheel and Mouse Guard, Thor Olavsrud and Luke Crane. The real enemy is not the dragon but hunger, darkness and fatigue: every turn drags the party toward a new condition, torches burn out, and your pack has room only for what truly matters. Tests use a pool of d6s where every 4–6 is a success, yet even failure pushes the story forward. The 2020 second edition is a two-book set: the Dungeoneer's Handbook and the Scholar's Guide.
Grim classic fantasy: forgotten tombs, ruined towers and dungeons packed with monsters and traps. The heroes are not chosen ones but desperate drifters who go underground because there is no other way to make a living. Between delves the party returns to town to spend its loot on lodging, food and gear, then heads back into the dark.
Light as a resource
Torches, lanterns and candles burn for a limited number of turns and light only a few characters. Whoever is left in the dark acts worse and risks more.
The grind
Every action in the dungeon is a turn. Every few turns the party takes a new condition, starting with Hungry and Thirsty and getting worse from there, all the way to Injured and Afraid. Time is the cruellest opponent.
Slot-based inventory
Pack, belt and hands each hold a fixed number of slots. Carry an extra sack and you can't carry your sword. Every piece of loot is a choice about what to leave behind.
Adventure, camp, town
Traits played against yourself earn checks. You spend them in camp to rest and recover, and in town on lodging and shopping. Without checks you can't even catch your breath.
Open in Session Zero to let every player vote and see the results.