Shadowdark Shadowdark General Thread [+]

[Retros_x]

IVF is crazy expensive. I know a couple who are wealthy by ordinary people's standards who eventually had to give up on it as it was burning through cash, and exhausting the would-be mother with all the treatments, with nothing to show for it.

I just looked it up, around 4-5k € per cycle. I thought, yeah, that is money, but doesn't seem like it would burn through cash even for rich couples. Then I saw that sometimes our statutory health insurance covers up to 50% of the costs for 3 cycles, depending on several conditions and what state you live in. Than I remembered, uh, shucks they are of course talking about the USA. Than I looked that up, well its around 15-25k $ per cycle, medication and other costs excluded. Than I thanked the universe for living in a country with actual health care.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I just looked it up, around 4-5k € per cycle. I thought, yeah, that is money, but doesn't seem like it would burn through cash even for rich couples. Then I saw that sometimes our statutory health insurance covers up to 50% of the costs for 3 cycles, depending on several conditions and what state you live in. Than I remembered, uh, shucks they are of course talking about the USA. Than I looked that up, well its around 15-25k $ per cycle, medication and other costs excluded. Than I thanked the universe for living in a country with actual health care.

The physical and emotional tolls don't show up in those numbers, but are significant as well.

 

[aiouh]

best wishes to them!

Regarding Shadowdark, does anyone have any thoughts on the Warlock? It seems to be missing something. Reddit seems to think that the GM is supposed to give more Boons, and the "your patron can choose to grant" language could imply that.
The core classes and the other two in CS1 get something on even levels and the bard and ranger don't but they get skill perks and a couple of decent base features.

Not saying it needs to be powerful. But Shadowdark is hard enough .

Do they need a little something?

I think it is very clear from the way it is written that boons can be given out at the GM's discretion when they feel like they have served their patron enough.

 

[Reynard]

Apropos of nothing: I am always a little amused when I see folks trying to tie down Shadowdark to D&D and Pathfinder levels of rules specificity and balance. It is pretty clear (to me anyway) that those things aren't part of SD's vibe.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Apropos of nothing: I am always a little amused when I see folks trying to tie down Shadowdark to D&D and Pathfinder levels of rules specificity and balance. It is pretty clear (to me anyway) that those things aren't part of SD's vibe.

Some folks definitely get the shakes when they realize that some elements of the game are just going to have to be winged.

 

[BryonD]

Apropos of nothing: I am always a little amused when I see folks trying to tie down Shadowdark to D&D and Pathfinder levels of rules specificity and balance. It is pretty clear (to me anyway) that those things aren't part of SD's vibe.

100% agree
I don't think "balance" is remotely important here.
I just don't see a "fun" thing inside the mechanics. I'd like the Warlock player to be able to do something that is special there.
Like a warlock of Shune has advantage on checks involving history or translations. Not really a power up, Just special and fitting.

A Shadowdark Ranger without Wayfinder is going to be just as fine as a functional character. But with Wayfinder it feels more Ranger and is fun.

 

[BryonD]

Some folks definitely get the shakes when they realize that some elements of the game are just going to have to be winged.

I think if someone proposed a cool idea to replace Grit for their fighter concept, you should say yes unless there is a good reason to say no.

 

[BryonD]

I think it is very clear from the way it is written that boons can be given out at the GM's discretion when they feel like they have served their patron enough.

View attachment 420157

Yeah, I agree. Thanks

 

[Reynard]

100% agree
I don't think "balance" is remotely important here.
I just don't see a "fun" thing inside the mechanics. I'd like the Warlock player to be able to do something that is special there.
Like a warlock of Shune has advantage on checks involving history or translations. Not really a power up, Just special and fitting.

A Shadowdark Ranger without Wayfinder is going to be just as fine as a functional character. But with Wayfinder it feels more Ranger and is fun.

I think it is important to remember that SD expects players to beg advantage on things their race, class and background suggest they should be good at. Since there are no skills per se, those character elements are the skill system, with advantage serving as stand in for proficiency.

 

[BryonD]

I think it is important to remember that SD expects players to beg advantage on things their race, class and background suggest they should be good at. Since there are no skills per se, those character elements are the skill system, with advantage serving as stand in for proficiency.

And that works!
But by that reasoning on its own the Thief shouldn't have Thievery and the Ranger should have Wayfinder, they should just beg advantage. There is merit to a minimal baseline. And Thievery and Wayfinder don't grind against the spirit of Shadowdark.