Grab 45 sci-fi books from the The Numenera RPG Collection for 95% off!
As a perpetual shill for Planescape: Torment, I am in love with any of the works that follow its example, and Numenera is arguably the best spiritual successor. Humble Bundle is giving tabletop RPG fans a chance to grab 45 of Numenera’s best rulebooks, campaigns, and maps for only $25, a massive 95% off from $475!
Set in an extremely distant future, Numenera explores what civilization would be like in a setting where it has ended eight times over. The “Ninth World” is medieval on the surface. However, countless technological remnants, known as numenera, are scattered throughout the world. From the mundane to the apocalyptic, the numenera are seen by the fledgling new civilization as magic.
I’m sure those who have the Adeptus Mechanicus among their favorite Warhammer 40k factions got super excited by that premise, but that’s not all. In addition to the fascinating setting, Numenera’s lore and storytelling truly capture the wonder of discovery in Planescape: Torment. At every turn, there’s some weird new thing to get excited about, or possibly run away from.
Mechanically, the game is deceptively complex, but ultimately quite traditional. The infamous Cypher system goes as such: “I am a (adjective) (class) who (verb).” An adjective should be their most prominent trait, be it stubborn, strong, or smart. Classes are either Glaive (Warrior), Nano (Tech Adept), or Jack (generalist). Finally, a verb is essentially their special talent or purpose.
If I were to roleplay as the Nameless One, I would go “I am Nameless, a Glaive who cannot die.” That’s just an example, of course, because an undying character to start with would be quite broken. Or maybe not, because Numenera is rules-lite and easy to adapt for any GM, who, by the way, never has to roll any dice.
The nitty-gritty of the game is best explored through the Numenera Discovery and Destiny Corebooks, which feature all the basics of the setting. Players also have their guide through the Numenera Player’s Guide, as they will have more mechanics to worry about than their GMs.
Once the rules are set, I would highly recommend The Glimmering Valley. This adventure showcases the best and brightest that the Numenera setting has to offer. The sandbox world is full of compelling quests and creatures, all tailor-made for beginners in the Numenera setting.
Here are some other noteworthy books from the Numenera RPG Collection on Humble Bundle.
- Jade Colossus
- Voices of the Datasphere
- Liminal Shore
- Break the Horizon
- Edge of the Sun
The Numenera RPG Collection sale ends on July 19, 2025. All proceeds go to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organization dedicated to preserving the rights and liberties of every United States citizen, regardless of their background.
If you’re looking for some new folks to play the Numenera RPG with, the Wargamer Discord may have some interested folks. For more tabletop games in the stars, check out the best space board games of 2024. If you want those stars exploding, see what the best Warhammer 40k games are currently.
