If the industrial, supernatural world of Blades in the Dark was the backdrop for anything other than a tabletop role-playing game, I'd have written daily letters to its creator begging them to make it into one. Blades in the Dark's world is so full of noir curiosities that it begs players to insert themselves in, and fortunately, its narrative-based ruleset accommodates that in any way you want to try it.

Rare are the opportunities for Dungeons & Dragons fans to geek out about their favourite character. It's like explaining your dream to someone. A few seconds in, your poor non-D&D-playing friend's eyes glaze over in a bored daze.

Escaping into a fantasy world, surrounded by like-minded nerds, is just the best thing ever. Except when it isn't, because someone is deciding to be a total Gelatinous Cube. Here are some US reader worst RPG horror stories.

Not every game is about winning. Amidst the rise in tabletop gaming, dozens of storytelling games have emerged that challenge you or your teammates to create entertaining stories instead of beating each other. If you want to hone your skills as a creative writer, these are an excellent way to start.

Wizards are the most powerful characters in Dungeons & Dragons, as the hundreds of spells available to Magic-Users, IIllusionists, Necromancers, Clerics, Druids, will attest. But for every Meteor Swarm, Time Stop and Resurrection there are a dozen spells that are utterly worthless. Here are 20 D&D spells almost no one has ever needed to cast.

When Saturnina Alers was being honest with herself she'd begrudgingly admit she didn't particularly like Jacqui Green, but in the middle of a war she never got much time for self reflection. Under the service of Aria Joie, most of her days were in meetings, oiling the joints of old mechs, making sure people were exactly where they should be, when they needed to be there.

Besides the latest Star Trek movies, the franchise has recently received a new lease on life, with news that CBS is cooking up a TV series. It appears that's not the only item on the cards -- we're getting a pen-and-paper RPG too.

In Dungeons & Dragons, every character has certain strengths and weaknesses, determined by their ability scores: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Your real-life self is made up of those abilities too, and you can level them up just like you do in-game.

Video: There's now a d120 out there, made by the folks over at The Dice Lab, and while it'd be interesting to see what it could be used for during an RPG session, it certainly looks like a fun gimmick.

Not only are tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and FATE a blast to play, they can actually improve your life. Whether you're new to tabletop RPGs, or you're a goblin-slaying veteran, there are plenty of tricks to make your games even more immersive and fun.

Last night, while wandering in Fallout 4, I heard something strange in the distance. A man on a megaphone was enthusiastically commentating a race. I'd never heard something like it before, so I had to take a closer look. To my surprise, I didn't find a horse race, I found a robot race. A robot race! People were cheering them on from the sidelines, possibly even laying down bets.

It was one of the coolest things I've found while playing Fallout 4...and then Fallout 4 ruined it.