Shadowdark: tips for a new GM?

[thullgrim]

I just ran my 4tu session of Shadowdark last night. One of my goals this year is to explore more OSR style gaming. I’m running Tomb of the Serpent King as a test.

I haven’t used real time torches. It doesn’t feel right to me.

I’ve cribbed a lot of dungeon exploration process from OSE. It integrates just fine. A torch burns for 6 turns. I just call out ‘tick’ when a turn has been expended and make players track the torches. When an encounter happens I’ll roll a d6 and on a 1 the torch goes out.

We have not used a battle map so far at all. It’s all been theatre of the mind. Huge change for me, typically run Savage Worlds, PF1, and GURPS. Very grid oriented games generally. We are really accomplishing a lot each session, much more than I’m used to planning for honestly.

So far I like, but don’t love, Shadowdark. That could change though. It’s been a real change for me stylistically as I usually run more rules heavy games. Getting used to making rulings and not leaning on the rules themselves has been a real change. It’s something I’m getting used to.

 

[Bae'zel]

These two articles include my thoughts:

Delving Into Shadowdark

For the past few months, I've been running and enjoying the Shadowdark RPG by Kelsey Dionne of the Arcane Library. After a very successful Kickstarter, Kelsey delivered the book both digitally and phy...

slyflourish.com

Running I6 Ravenloft with Shadowdark RPG

Each year I like to run Castle Ravenloft, either through the original I6 Ravenloft adventure from 1983 or the updated Castle Ravenloft from Curse of Strahd. While I've typically run Ravenloft using 5e...

slyflourish.com

I tried two things at a recent Shadowdark one-shot game that I'd probably try again:

1. Let them start each session with a luck token and let them trade them. They can use them to reroll any roll on their side but they can't use it to change the roll of a bad guy.
2. Spellcasters only lose spells on a failed roll after their first successful cast. This way casters get one actual casting of a spell before it potentially disappears. This is pretty generous.
3. If a dying character takes damage, it loses one potential round as it gets closer to death. A monster can kill a downed character with a single good hit if they're not stopped.
4. There is no stabilizing at zero HP. If you are at zero HP, you're dying. You're only stable at 1 hit point. This prevents dragging your unconscious friend through a dungeon weekend-at-bernies style.
5. I roll a d12 and subtract that from the one-hour timer for the torch. Players aren't allowed to set timers to remind them about a torch.
6. If you try to light a torch in the dark, it's a DC 12 check at disadvantage. Keep those torches lit!

Other little tricks I used:

• Write out the names of the characters in front of you oriented around the table. Use a token or something to track whose turn it is and stay in turn as much as you can.
• Write out rounds and keep track as rounds tick past. Use this to determine random encounters or how soon things wear off.

I got sloppy with both of the two things above and the game never broke but it's worth doing.

Hope that helps!

Fantastic advice and resources (as always), thank you!

I watched those videos and they helped a lot. The Ravenloft one in particular was enlightening as it covered one of my main "concerns", which was adapting other content for use in this game. It's as easy as I thought (the "concern" was that I doubted that it could be THAT easy).

I've always wanted to run that Ravenloft module as a one-shot or shorter campaign. Now I know how

Cheers!

 

[Bae'zel]

With con games, I just hand out a Luck point any time a player rolls a 1 or 20.

That's a good idea. Simple and effective (and softens the blow when 1s come up).

I'll probably do that with my D&D 5e sessions for more regularly handing out Inspiration (I keep forgetting to, even after 10 years of running it).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Luck points

Did you use them? Did you have special criteria for handing them out?

I am trying to hand them out when people do cool stuff or have really clever ideas -- basically how 2014 inspiration points worked. And like inspiration points, I have trouble remembering to do it consistently.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I am trying to hand them out when people do cool stuff or have really clever ideas -- basically how 2014 inspiration points worked. And like inspiration points, I have trouble remembering to do it consistently.

FWIW, even before Shadowdark came out and I was mostly playing 5e, I house-ruled Inspiration to be a re-roll instead of rolling with advantage. Vast improvement, imo.

My general principle is:

• Bonuses that are earned situationally should grant a bonus to the roll (e.g. Advantage).
• Bonuses that cost a finite resource should apply after the roll (e.g. Re-Roll)

(If it's not obvious why then I can spell it out.)

 

[Bae'zel]

"Stunts"

Say a player wants to grapple, shove, trip an enemy?

How's the best way to handle that sort of thing? Strength check vs. AC? Opposed stat checks?

 

[Reynard]

"Stunts"

Say a player wants to grapple, shove, trip an enemy?

How's the best way to handle that sort of thing? Strength check vs. AC? Opposed stat checks?

Let them try using their action. I would do opposed checks (probably letting the defender choose between Str and Dex). Advantage or disadvantage for the "attacker" based on size differences.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"Stunts"

Say a player wants to grapple, shove, trip an enemy?

How's the best way to handle that sort of thing? Strength check vs. AC? Opposed stat checks?

Borrowing from 5E, I use opposed stat checks and, if the background would reasonably give an advantage ("my background is Greco-Roman Athlete"), I give them advantage.

 

[thullgrim]

Target AC+5 and then push, disarm, grapple, sunder, trip, or some other combat maneuver would be where I started.

Or some kind of 10+ victim relevant stat, say strength to not be grappled, or dex to not be tripped. Let the character make their non-damaging attack against that DC.

 

[Reynard]

Target AC+5 and then push, disarm, grapple, sunder, trip, or some other combat maneuver would be where I started.

Or some kind of 10+ victim relevant stat, say strength to not be grappled, or dex to not be tripped. Let the character make their non-damaging attack against that DC.

All making it 25% harder to do than attack does is ensure that no one bothers trying.