Shadow of the Demon Lord - your analysis?

[cavetroll]

I played in an extended campaign of this.

Some observations:

Absolutely do not play this game longer than 10-12 sessions, the author doesn't recommend it either, it simply isn't built for this.

Magic users are generally weaker than martial characters. Mainly because alot of spells require saves. Saves are always a static difficulty, so as you level and you fight correspondingly more powerful enemies their ability to make this save increases.

If you are playing a caster, use a type that can inflict banes to decrease the opponent's ability to make that save.

Can you explain what issues came up after 10-12 sessions, class imbalance or too strong for monsters or what?

 

[CubicsRube]

I've run a 2 year campaign in it, so I don't know what the issues of more than 12 sessions is being quoted above.

System is designed for a level each adventure, but you don't have to. And you can have roleplay between adventures. I had locations interesting enough that PCs wanted to explore and NPCs to interact with, so they took their time and had a ball.

 

[CubicsRube]

Also @eyeheartawk can you give me the quote where the author doesn't recommend you play more than 12 sessions? He designed the game to be finished in 11 sessions for people strapped for time (to make a finishable campaign arc), but I don't remember him ever saying he doesn't recommend playing more than that and slowing it down.

It doesn't make sense.

 

[Mezuka]

Also @eyeheartawk can you give me the quote where the author doesn't recommend you play more than 12 sessions? He designed the game to be finished in 11 sessions for people strapped for time (to make a finishable campaign arc), but I don't remember him ever saying he doesn't recommend playing more than that and slowing it down.

It doesn't make sense.

It doesn't. The game is designed for 10-12 adventures. Lasting one session or more each. It's up to the GM.

 

[CubicsRube]

It doesn't. The game is designed for 10-12 adventures. Lasting one session or more each. It's up to the GM.

That's what I thought also. I run 2 hour sessions and most adventures are 2-3 2 hour sessions. And then there's roleplaying downtime between adventures. So we've gotten a fair few sessions out of a campaign

 

[Jd Smith1]

That's what I thought also. I run 2 hour sessions and most adventures are 2-3 2 hour sessions. And then there's roleplaying downtime between adventures. So we've gotten a fair few sessions out of a campaign

Two hour sessions? Why so short?

 

[CubicsRube]

Two hour sessions? Why so short?

Easier to get people together. Would like 4 hours, but with middle aged professionals with kids, 2 hours is about the limit that we can negotiate.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Easier to get people together. Would like 4 hours, but with middle aged professionals with kids, 2 hours is about the limit that we can negotiate.

You gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[BrokenTwin]

Yeah, my weekly game is only about 2-3 hours long right now, and a good portion of that is trying to keep the other players on track, because, you know, I actually want to play. But for a number of them it's their only real reoccurring social event, so they want to chat and catch up, which I can't blame them for.

I mean, I can, it just won't do any good.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Yeah, my weekly game is only about 2-3 hours long right now, and a good portion of that is trying to keep the other players on track, because, you know, I actually want to play. But for a number of them it's their only real reoccurring social event, so they want to chat and catch up, which I can't blame them for.

I mean, I can, it just won't do any good.

I understand.

That's why I love playing online: the volume of players means that no one joins expecting to play less than four hours, and they are all strangers to each other, so even after weeks of gaming together the focus is on the game.