Shadowdark Shadowdark General Thread [+]

[BryonD]

Doesn't the game-within-a-game of trying to please your patron (with the metagame of trying to earn more boons) make them unique and interesting?

It could.
But what prevents one of my players from running a Fighter dedicated to The Willowman? I get that the fighter wouldn't get extra rolls. But that's pretty thin. Clearly a fully subjective "what is fun" difference there.
To me I'd still rather the reward be more aligned with the idea of the Willowman rather than "I rolled a 7, the Willowman gives me +1 to melee".

 

[NN]

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[NN]

?? please explain

do you really want to have schroedinger’s patron popup periodically to power up the PC?

 

[BryonD]

do you really want to have schroedinger’s patron popup periodically to power up the PC?

ok I dont think you were replying to what I thought you were replying to.

 

[renbot]

This might be a silly question, but I do have a question about carousing. Several options on the carousing outcome table inflict a penalty of "__% of your total wealth." Now is that before or after the gold spent on carousing is subtracted? It might seem obvious that it is after since the carousing already took place, but my party has been spending the bulk of their gold on carousing to level faster and thus a % of what is left is pretty insignificant. Would it be too mean to make it a % of pre-carousing expenses which would often leave the party with more XP, a potential ally/enemy, and a debt that requires them to plunder another treasure hoard?

 

[Retros_x]

Warlocks are not interesting. They would be more fun to play if they were more interesting.

I think they are interesting, because they have pacts with otherwordly beings that grant them boons. Thats what make them interesting. But Shadowdark is easy to homebrew and I think granting them some little ability depending on their patron like you did makes sense, why not.

 

[Retros_x]

Would it be too mean to make it a % of pre-carousing expenses which would often leave the party with more XP, a potential ally/enemy, and a debt that requires them to plunder another treasure hoard?

I think that sounds like a fun incentive for the next adventure, pay the bills for the party that went out of control.

 

[aiouh]

This might be a silly question, but I do have a question about carousing. Several options on the carousing outcome table inflict a penalty of "__% of your total wealth." Now is that before or after the gold spent on carousing is subtracted? It might seem obvious that it is after since the carousing already took place, but my party has been spending the bulk of their gold on carousing to level faster and thus a % of what is left is pretty insignificant. Would it be too mean to make it a % of pre-carousing expenses which would often leave the party with more XP, a potential ally/enemy, and a debt that requires them to plunder another treasure hoard?

As it is written, it's post-carousing. If your house-rule is appropriate for your house-game just use it. Just be mindful that some players enjoy getting sidetracked from "stuff they wanna do" and some don't.

 

[BryonD]

I think they are interesting, because they have pacts with otherwordly beings that grant them boons. Thats what make them interesting. But Shadowdark is easy to homebrew and I think granting them some little ability depending on their patron like you did makes sense, why not.

The concept is interesting. Agreed. The mechanics are not.

But yes, it is simple and clean enough. The trick is, as other have referenced, not making it a power thing.