How would YOU change Shadowdark?

[TiQuinn]

I have to agree that for me (YMMV) rolling stats in order is intrinsic to my enjoyment of SD. It has been very freeing for me.

One reason it works particularly well in SD is that ability scores are used in fewer places than in some other games. No bonuses to damage, Con bonus to HP only at first level, etc.

Heck, a Fighter with 10 Str is perfectly viable.

The one bone I throw to choice when rolling stats is that I allow "inversion": you may replace all 6 stats, in order, with (21 - N). So 3's become 18's, and 18's become 3's, etc. It's a pretty interesting option.

I guess my point is if ability scores are de-emphasized, what does it matter if they come from standard array?

 

[wicked cool]

The thief has a backstab attack that is pretty explicit about how it works. What would you update?

So how does it work? You’re in a dungeon room thief and say a fighter vs 3 goblins. How’s does the thief get the sneak off . It’s not very clear

 

[aiouh]

I guess my point is if ability scores are de-emphasized, what does it matter if they come from standard array?

It lets you pick a class you're working towards rather than just rolling a person and seeing what job fits them best

 

[DarkCrisis]

The only rules that I modify or ignore are:

I don't use initiative out of combat. I can see how it might be good for some groups, but I never did it that way in 45ish years of playing D&D and I'm not keen to start now.

I give casters a free luck token to minimize the chance they completely whiff on spells. Or, in the same vein, give a free luck token to any player who accepts 3d6 in order as rolled.

When playing online, I use standard order of initiative because that's actually easier than going clockwise on a VTT.

Oh yeah the initiative order. The players would put the person with the hugest dex next to me so they more than likely all went before the monsters.

While not totally different I ended up using B/Xs version of players v DM just one D6 roll. Highest got their whole side to go that turn.

 

[Reynard]

So how does it work? You’re in a dungeon room thief and say a fighter vs 3 goblins. How’s does the thief get the sneak off . It’s not very clear

Are the goblins aware of the thief? If so, he cannot backstab them. That's it. It really is that simple.

 

[DarkCrisis]

I might have an answer, as someone who was unimpressed by Shadowdark for the last year, who wondered the whole time "What's the big deal when this is basically OSE, Labyrinth Lord, Castles & Crusades, Swords & Wizardry, etc, with a torch timer gimmick?" "Why did this one game matter when it's basically just a collection of rules that we already know, kinda don't need to even look at the book to run it because it's second nature to any GM who's run D&D from 1974-1999?"
And I think I've finally come to the answer I've been struggling with since Shadowdark's release: we don't need it ... it is nothing special. It's D&D stripped down to the most basic it can be. There's no matrices. There's not a list of class features you get every level. There's not a list of ability score/alignment/race restrictions to qualify for a class. There's not percentile skills for thieves or THAC0.
It's what I would have in my brain if I had to recreate D&D from memory. It is the fundamental core that is left when all b.s. is stripped away.
And let me assure you, I was a critic of this game. I was with Castles & Crusades since the White Box. I wrote for Swords & Wizardry. I have backed several OSE Kickstarters. All those have orders of magnitude of junk in them compared to Shadowdark - I just didn't realize it until I decided to write this post at this very moment.

I old what OSE brought to the table but it’s still got a lot of different systems. Roll low for this,
Roll high for that. Etc. Shadowdark is just easier. More or less.

 

[aiouh]

So how does it work? You’re in a dungeon room thief and say a fighter vs 3 goblins. How’s does the thief get the sneak off . It’s not very clear

In a white room fight without improvisation, the goblins are aware of the Thief. The Thief doesn't get to sneak off or backstab.

 

[TiQuinn]

It lets you pick a class you're working towards rather than just rolling a person and seeing what job fits them best

Which seems fine to me too.

 

[wicked cool]

In a white room fight without improvisation, the goblins are aware of the Thief. The Thief doesn't get to sneak off or backstab.

See I don’t think k it works that way. So if f the thief is a halfling they can turn invisible and then backstab. Thief has a smoke bomb and turn after they sneak attack. It is somewhat vague and Kelsey has had to clarify it as the book is vague

 

[Aldarc]

It lets you pick a class you're working towards rather than just rolling a person and seeing what job fits them best

Wow. Being able to choose what you want to play with your limited game time sounds horrible.