Beyond D&D: Curating Accessible One-Shots for Young Players
When planning my New Game + sessions this summer, I set myself a deceptively tricky challenge: introduce a group of enthusiastic young roleplayers (aged 11–18) to systems beyond Dungeons & Dragons. That might sound simple enough. After all, there’s never been more variety in the tabletop RPG space; from elegant indie storytelling games to crunchier tactical affairs. But selecting just four systems to showcase over short two-hour sessions meant thinking carefully about what these games needed to do, and how they needed to do it.
And perhaps more importantly, why Dungeons & Dragons — despite its popularity — wasn't the right tool for the job.
Why Not Just Stick with D&D?
This isn’t a hit piece. I’ve run D&D for years. I’ve seen the joy it can bring, the deep connections it can foster, and the incredible creativity it can unlock in young people. But if we’re being honest, the experience of playing D&D — especially for newcomers — rarely matches what players expect going in.
D&D is everywhere: in shows, streams, and podcasts. But those games are edited, guided by professional GMs, and often feature experienced improvisers who know the rules inside out. The average first-time session? Not quite so cinematic.
Worse still, the system itself can get in the way. D&D is often lauded as beginner-friendly, but in reality, it demands quite a lot of system mastery. Players are expected to learn a character creation process full of nested choices, manage detailed abilities, and internalise dozens of rules interactions, all before they can comfortably sit down and just play. For neurodivergent players or those new to gaming altogether, that complexity can quickly become a barrier.
And then there’s the bigger question: does the D&D engine even support the types of stories new players want to tell?
In my experience, not always.
Choosing the Right Games for the Format
So, with all that in mind, my goal became clear: curate a set of short, accessible TTRPG sessions that showcase the diversity and potential of the hobby. Each game needed to stand on its own, teach quickly, play smoothly, and leave players excited for more.
Here’s what I prioritised:
1. Ease of Learning
Two hours isn’t long. I needed games where we could onboard players, explain core mechanics, and jump straight into meaningful play without a 45-minute tutorial. This meant systems with:
Simple, intuitive mechanics
Clear resolution methods
Pre-generated characters or fast character creation
Minimal referencing of rulebooks mid-game
2. Range of Styles and Tones
One of my main hopes for New Game + was to show that TTRPGs aren’t just swords and spells. So I deliberately picked games with different genres, moods, and approaches — from science fiction horror to teen superheroes. This variety helps players identify what kinds of stories they enjoy telling, and not just what D&D has taught them to expect.
3. Range of Systems and Mechanics
I wanted each session to feel distinct. That meant avoiding games that were mechanically too similar. Including different dice systems, resolution mechanics, and narrative structures helped make each experience memorable — and showed how rules can shape story in wildly different ways.
4. Complete (or Satisfying) One-Shot Play
Not every system is built for short-form play. Some really shine over long campaigns, where progression and downtime matter. I filtered out those games early on. Each game I selected needed to offer a beginning, middle, and end (or at least an emotionally satisfying stopping point) within the time available.
5. Age Appropriateness
This one’s easy to overlook, especially in the indie scene where so many incredible games explore dark or mature themes. But when working with players as young as 11, content matters. That meant steering clear of systems like Call of Cthulhu or Blades in the Dark, where horror, trauma, or criminality are central themes — even if those games are brilliant in their own right.
6. Accessibility and Therapeutic Value
Finally, I considered how well each system supported the kinds of positive, pro-social outcomes that TTRPGs can facilitate. I wanted games where rules would support collaboration, empathy, problem-solving and creativity — not become another obstacle to overcome. This is where rules-light systems with strong narrative hooks really shine.
What Didn’t Make the Cut — and Why
Some omissions were easy. Pathfinder 2e was ruled out quickly — not because it’s a bad system (far from it), but because it shares many of the same accessibility issues as D&D, and then some. Even powered-down for a one-shot, it demands too much investment to be newcomer-friendly in a short session.
Other games were more difficult to cut. I’d love to run Blades in the Dark for the right group someday — it’s elegant, thematic, and does some incredibly clever things with player agency and narrative structure. But its core themes and mechanics just weren’t right for this series. However, Slugblaster, a “hack” of Blades, offered those same mechanics but with the instantly relatable themes of teenagers with hoverboards. Likewise, Cthulhu and its many variants are incredibly compelling, but hard to adapt meaningfully for younger players without gutting what makes them special.
Sometimes, great games just aren’t a good fit.
Lessons Learned from the Curation Process
The biggest realisation was this: if you want players to fall in love with TTRPGs, the system matters more than you think.
You can be the most dynamic GM in the world, but if the rules are getting in the way of the kind of fun your players are reaching for, it’ll always feel a little uphill. The right system acts like scaffolding — it supports, enhances, and amplifies the play experience, rather than dictating or restricting it.
And that means the best system for the job might not be the biggest or most popular one.
Final Thoughts (and gentle encouragement)
If you’re someone who usually runs D&D and is thinking about branching out, either for your players or for yourself: do it. Even just running a few one-shots in different systems will expand your toolkit in ways you might not expect. You’ll start noticing the ways rules guide play, the assumptions baked into mechanics, and how even a simple shift (say, from hit points to narrative conditions) can change the entire tone of a game.
And if you’re running games for young people, new players, or neurodivergent participants — or using TTRPGs for educational or therapeutic purposes — it’s worth seriously considering which systems make that work easier, not harder.
There’s a whole world beyond D&D. Go explore it. Or better yet, bring others with you.
