Brandon Sanderson said the words “we’ve talked about it” for a Cytoverse tabletop game on his stream this week, and the Cosmere Discord servers instantly turned into a table-prep race. There’s already an official Stormlight tabletop system on the way from Brotherwise Games, a Mistborn Adventure Game from Crafty Games, and enough homebrew to fill a Warcamp. The apps below are the ones we install to run a Cosmere-scale tabletop session on desktop right now, whether the system is Stormlight, Mistborn, or homebrew Cytoverse.
What to look for
- Custom character sheets that survive a system nobody has heard of yet
- A dice roller that supports non-d20 systems (Mistborn uses pools of d6s)
- Fog of war and battle maps with hand-drawn support
- A worldbuilding vault that scales to a Cosmere-sized setting
- Sync across GM and players without a proprietary account per person
- Session recording, either as text logs or transcript-friendly audio
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free tier | Starting price | Deployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundry VTT | Rules-flexible custom systems | 30-day demo | Around $50 one-time | Windows, macOS, Linux, self-hosted |
| Roll20 | Async games with a broad player base | Free tier | Around $10/month Plus | Web |
| Fantasy Grounds VTT | Rules-heavy licensed content | Demo | Around $10/month or $150 one-time | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| D&D Beyond | 5e-shaped Cosmere hacks | Free character | Around $6/month Master Tier | Web |
| Tabletop Simulator | Board games and skirmish maps | Demo | Around $20 base | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Obsidian | Lore and worldbuilding vault | Free | Around $50/year Sync | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Owlbear Rodeo | Lightweight web VTT | Free tier | Around $8/month Pro | Web |
The apps
1. Foundry VTT, best for rules-flexible custom systems
Foundry VTT is the tool the Cosmere GMs we know are already running. It’s a one-time $50 purchase that installs a self-hosted VTT server on your desktop, and its module system carries full custom rulesets, so a homebrew Stormlight or Mistborn conversion is a JSON edit rather than an act of faith. Third-party Cosmere character sheet modules already exist, and the Dice So Nice module makes the d6 pools of the Mistborn system readable across the table.
Where it falls short: DIY setup, and self-hosting on a home network needs a bit of port-forwarding or a hosted Foundry service.
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day demo
- Paid: Around $50 one-time GM license
Available: Foundry VTT site
Bottom line: the pick for the GM who plans to run a custom Cosmere system.
2. Roll20, best for async games with a broad player base
Roll20 is the biggest VTT on the web and where a lot of the Sanderson fandom will find each other. The Mistborn Adventure Game character sheet already ships on Roll20’s marketplace, and its API sandbox handles custom rollers. Async play works, and the free tier is generous enough for a group of five to run a full campaign.
Where it falls short: the free tier caps asset storage, and the API sandbox is a paid tier.
Pricing:
- Free: Full base access with storage cap
- Paid: Around $10/month Plus
Available: Roll20 site
Bottom line: the easiest way to start a Cosmere game with players scattered across time zones.
3. Fantasy Grounds VTT, best for rules-heavy licensed content
Fantasy Grounds VTT is where a Cosmere session lands when the group cares about automating the rules. The engine enforces character sheet math, tracks status effects across combatants, and rolls with the ruleset’s specific quirks. The Mistborn Adventure Game community port and the fan-made Stormlight rulesets both run inside Fantasy Grounds today.
Where it falls short: the UI has a strong late-2000s Windows feel, and licensed content is priced per module.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo
- Paid: Around $10/month or $150 one-time
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Available: Fantasy Grounds VTT on Steam
Bottom line: pick this if the group wants the software to do the bookkeeping.
4. D&D Beyond, best for 5e-shaped Cosmere hacks
D&D Beyond is here because a lot of new Cosmere groups start with a 5e reflavor before they graduate to a system built for Sanderson’s magic. The character builder and encounter tools work with homebrew content, and the mobile companion app carries the sheet on a phone during in-person sessions. It’s the fastest way to sit down at a table with Cosmere-shaped characters when nobody wants to learn a new ruleset yet.
Where it falls short: doesn’t natively handle non-d20 systems, and homebrew management scales awkwardly for large parties.
Pricing:
- Free: One character
- Paid: Around $6/month Master Tier
Available: D&D Beyond site
Bottom line: the on-ramp when the group is coming from 5e.
5. Tabletop Simulator, best for board games and skirmish maps
Tabletop Simulator is what the Cosmere reading groups pull out for the Stormlight Archive board game once it lands, and where the Mistborn House War remakes already live in the Steam Workshop. Physics-based pieces make skirmish maps and card games feel right, and the scripting layer lets a GM automate turn order or combat resolution the way Fantasy Grounds does, only with more table-feel.
Where it falls short: not a great fit for a full narrative RPG, and mods depend on their creator staying active.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo
- Paid: Around $20 base
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Available: Tabletop Simulator on Steam
Bottom line: the pick when the session is Cosmere board or card content rather than an RPG.
6. Obsidian, best for lore and worldbuilding vault
Obsidian is a local Markdown wiki that scales to a Cosmere-sized setting without complaint. Roshar, Scadrial, and Nalthis fit in the same vault, tags connect worldhoppers across pages, and the Graph View makes fifteen sessions worth of political intrigue navigable. Plugins add dice rollers, initiative trackers, session-note templates, and an Excalidraw canvas for maps you don’t want to leave a licensed VTT to draw.
Where it falls short: setup is DIY, and Sync is a paid tier.
Pricing:
- Free: Local vault, all plugins
- Paid: Around $50/year Sync
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Available: Obsidian site
Bottom line: the pick for the group that treats worldbuilding as half the game.
7. Owlbear Rodeo, best for lightweight web VTT
Owlbear Rodeo is the app to point at when the group is tired of Roll20’s weight. It’s a browser-based VTT with fog of war, tokens, dice, and a very fast learning curve. For a Cosmere-flavored one-shot or a light six-session campaign, it’s often the right answer over the heavier tools.
Where it falls short: no built-in character sheets, and the free tier caps rooms.
Pricing:
- Free: Full base access with room caps
- Paid: Around $8/month Pro
- Platforms: Web
Available: Owlbear Rodeo site
Bottom line: the app for a Cosmere one-shot on a Tuesday night.
How to pick the right one
Buy Foundry VTT if your group is going to build a custom system. Start with Roll20 if the group is spread across time zones and wants the marketplace catalogue. Move to Fantasy Grounds VTT if the group’s happiness depends on the software enforcing the rules. Use D&D Beyond for the 5e-reflavor on-ramp when the group isn’t ready to learn a new ruleset. Bring Tabletop Simulator out for the board-game side of the Cosmere shelf. Every group should run Obsidian as the shared lore vault, no matter which VTT is at the table. Owlbear Rodeo is the pick for a one-shot.
Wait for Brotherwise Games’ Stormlight tabletop before you commit to a system if you can. In the meantime, Mistborn Adventure Game plus a Foundry or Roll20 sheet is the closest to canon you can play right now.
FAQ
Is there an official Cosmere tabletop RPG?
Not yet across the whole Cosmere. There is an official Mistborn Adventure Game (Crafty Games), an official Stormlight tabletop RPG in development at Brotherwise Games, and Sanderson has publicly said his team has “talked about” a Cytoverse tabletop game.
What’s the best VTT for a homebrew Cosmere system?
Foundry VTT. Its module system carries full custom rulesets, and the community has published Cosmere character sheet templates already.
Can I run a Cosmere game on D&D Beyond?
Yes, with a reflavor. D&D Beyond doesn’t natively support non-d20 systems, but a 5e reflavor of a Cosmere world is a common on-ramp.
Which Cosmere tabletop app is free?
Owlbear Rodeo and Obsidian both have full free tiers that carry an entire campaign. Roll20’s free tier is also generous.
What worldbuilding app do most Cosmere GMs use?
Obsidian. The Cosmere is dense enough that a wiki with backlinks and a Graph View pays for itself by session three.
