Read on Twitter
TTRPG Typography Pairing/Selection 
So, you need typefaces/fonts for your pen & paper rpg?
Good news. Here's how you decide what to use (in steps).
1. Start with the body copy (the words that will make up 90% of your manuscript). This will be the spine of your design.
So, you need typefaces/fonts for your pen & paper rpg?
Good news. Here's how you decide what to use (in steps).
1. Start with the body copy (the words that will make up 90% of your manuscript). This will be the spine of your design.
2. A checklist for choosing your body copy's type
Is it legible? Does it feature all symbols and glyphs? Does it have bold, italic, light, medium, and other styles?
Make sure it does. You need something accessible to other languages with flexibility for terms, tables, etc.
Is it legible? Does it feature all symbols and glyphs? Does it have bold, italic, light, medium, and other styles?
Make sure it does. You need something accessible to other languages with flexibility for terms, tables, etc.
3. Tips for choosing your body copy type
a. Pick a mainstream original typeface or one of its derivatives. (Avoid Times New Roman, Helvetica, Arial, Calibri.)
b. Let the headers and titles be your outlet for expression.
c. Replicate someone else. Seriously, books, web, etc.
a. Pick a mainstream original typeface or one of its derivatives. (Avoid Times New Roman, Helvetica, Arial, Calibri.)
b. Let the headers and titles be your outlet for expression.
c. Replicate someone else. Seriously, books, web, etc.
4. A checklist for pairing your typefaces
Make your typefaces either "harmonize" or "contrast." Harmonize means to share a lot in common, like their origins. Contrast means to contrast completely.
Never pair too similar typefaces together.
Usually pair san serifs with serifs.
Make your typefaces either "harmonize" or "contrast." Harmonize means to share a lot in common, like their origins. Contrast means to contrast completely.
Never pair too similar typefaces together.
Usually pair san serifs with serifs.
5. Tips for pairing typefaces
a. Is the typeface humanist or geometric? (Humanist is descended from handwork. Geometric is done mathematically. Look at the o's. Perfect circle? Geometric.) Mix these two with caution.
b. Typefaces made by the same person? Sick. Pair 'em.
a. Is the typeface humanist or geometric? (Humanist is descended from handwork. Geometric is done mathematically. Look at the o's. Perfect circle? Geometric.) Mix these two with caution.
b. Typefaces made by the same person? Sick. Pair 'em.
6. A couple caveats:
a. I'm still learning. None of this is 100% set in stone or 100% a rule. There's always an exception.
b. You can use more than 2 typefaces. 3 is hard. 4 is harder. 7 is the upper limit. And then there's Mörk Borg. Use enough type, and "chaos" *is* harmony.
a. I'm still learning. None of this is 100% set in stone or 100% a rule. There's always an exception.
b. You can use more than 2 typefaces. 3 is hard. 4 is harder. 7 is the upper limit. And then there's Mörk Borg. Use enough type, and "chaos" *is* harmony.
