Shadowdark Finally Played Shadowdark

[kermit4karate]

It's active right now.

I don't know.... I don't back things on Kickstarter very often. Last game I backed was Shadow of the Demon Lord, which turned out even better than I'd hoped, but this isn't setting my world on fire.

$85 for the first tier that includes first 3 books, and the covers and artwork are different? Is that right? That's a bummer because the artwork in the original books was fantastic, very retro but edgier than anything from official D&D at the time, and I don't see examples of the new art or typography on the KS page.

I'm still thinking about backing it anyway, but I'm decidedly on the fence....

 

[Mannahnin]

I didn't even know anyone actually played the Arduin Grimoire. That's bonkers! We simply used it as a resource for AD&D. Whenever we wanted help thinking outside the traditional D&D boxes, especially back in the day, Arduin was so far outside the box is was heretical, but also totally helpful! SO many great ideas for rules, monsters, magic items. Especially back in the day, there'd been nothing else like it -- nothing else that dense with outrageous D&D-compatible (within reason) ideas.

I think it probably had the most actual players in California, less so outside that region.

 

[Fenris-77]

I think it probably had the most actual players in California, less so outside that region.

I blame psychadelic drugs and over-consumption of granola products.

 

[kermit4karate]

I blame psychadelic drugs and over-consumption of granola products.

That and all the sunshine, good infrastructure and lack of tornados, gators and hurricanes can't help.

 

[hoffrg86]

EmpCho owns the rights to Arduin, and they are working on a new version, "Arduin Bloody Arduin" - https://empcho.com/free-stuff/
They have a free pdf of the "Compleat Arduin book 1" at the link. I've met the two owners Dave and George multiple times, great guys - said they got my back and gave me a free back scratcher branded with co. info and "We have your back!" lol On my desk right now, use all the time, pretty sturdy if can get your hands on one..

I joined the "Borrows and Borderlands" discord a few weeks back, they run online games there often of their "Game of Games", meaning using the "portal", they interoperate all these different systems together (somehow-not sure how it works), and have updated recently to include Shadowdark.

I didn't back, but Matt of B&B hand makes all those - boxes, prints and binding, they are pretty solid quality which intrigues me.. but don't have the cash, time or energy for another game currently.. as much as my buddy keeps trying to get me into it. (I don't know if he would do all of them, or continue to do so.. but has in the past. should say in the KS.)

I read Shadowdark rules, two in our group did the KS, neither wants to run; I was so-so, nothing really stood out or appealed to me.. if I only played and knew 5e, I can see that as a jumping off game, but so many other games out there that scratch the same itch that I own. I don't particularly care for the spell system, but I like the reimage of SD over DCC which annoyed the F out of me. Give me Vancian or give me another system!

 

[Retreater]

It was interesting that in a recent episode of Questing Beast that Ben mentioned that he doesn't like rolling to cast because he wants a guarantee that the tools his character prepares can be used. He likens it to have to roll to see if your crowbar works. This is my exact issue with spellcasting in Shadowdark.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It was interesting that in a recent episode of Questing Beast that Ben mentioned that he doesn't like rolling to cast because he wants a guarantee that the tools his character prepares can be used. He likens it to have to roll to see if your crowbar works. This is my exact issue with spellcasting in Shadowdark.

There is a roll to see if your crowbar works in some systems. In 5e it provides advantage, not a guarantee. And if you were to try to hit someone with it, that's a roll too.

 

[Arilyn]

I really enjoy "roll to cast," even if it can get frustrating at times! On the other hand, there are sessions where the caster can't fail and that's fun. My seer went many sessions never failing her spellcast rolls, and then the other shoe dropped. Story wise, it really felt like she got cocky and was being reminded not to take her power for granted. I have a clear memory staring at my die, thinking "but I don't fail spell rolls." It was the end of a glorious hot streak.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It was interesting that in a recent episode of Questing Beast that Ben mentioned that he doesn't like rolling to cast because he wants a guarantee that the tools his character prepares can be used. He likens it to have to roll to see if your crowbar works. This is my exact issue with spellcasting in Shadowdark.

That's a weird take from him, given how weird and untoollike magic is in Knave.

 

[Fenris-77]

That's a weird take from him, given how weird and untoollike magic is in Knave.

I'll take SDs roll to cast over the limited sots of, say, BX, every time.