Shadowdark: How Essential is the Dungeon?

[Reynard]

This thread is based on a recent post by @Quickleaf in the "Let's Make Shadowdark Classes" thread, creating a mountebank class. @Whizbang Dustyboots pointed out that it would make a good class for an urban campaign.

This got me thinking: Sahdowdark is usually equated with dungeon crawling, being a version of B/X built with 5E sensibilities (or vice versa, depending on who you ask) focused particularly on the dungeon exploration part of the game. That said, I have had plenty of fun running Shadowdark in styles other than crawls, and have even mostly dispenses with the torch timer when doing so (though I still keep light as very important; I just don't do the real time torch thing).

So, what do you think as a Shadowdark fan (you ARE a Shadowdark fan, aren't you?) How versatile do you feel it is outside of dungeon crawl focused campaigns? What sorts of adventures have you played in Sahdowdark? What kind do you plan to? Do you employ additional rules, either designed for Shadowdark or cribbed from other games, to make it better for non-dungeon focused play?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This thread is based on a recent post by @Quickleaf in the "Let's Make Shadowdark Classes" thread, creating a mountebank class. @Whizbang Dustyboots pointed out that it would make a good class for an urban campaign.

Technically, I said it was a great class. (It's really good!)

I've done a lot of five room dungeons in Shadowdark and run two games set in a megadungeon I've made. That said, I bought Into the Wyrd & Wild (forest sourcebook) to use with Shadowdark and may well pick up Into the Cess & Citadel (urban sourcebook) to use with it as well.

While the torch timer is iconic, it isn't as important as it's sometimes made out to be. I played with a bunch of Shadowdark newbies in the past week and they never let their torches go out, once they knew 1) real time torches are a thing and 2) getting jumped in the dark will be extremely bad for them. (I rule that monsters get advantage on attacks and PCs get disadvantage, going off of 5E invisibility rules -- it's been a bloodbath whenever it's happened in the past.)

I think Shadowdark, like many RPGs, works well with some sort of time pressure, but that can be all sorts of things. I've seen people who run sci-fi games with an hour of breathable air, for instance, but in an urban game, there could be a Grand Theft Auto-style heat level from authorities or something else.

At this point, I view Shadowdark as an extremely flexible ruleset for running OSR games and my preferred dungeon crawler, but it's not limited to either of those things, by any means.

 

[Reynard]

I used it for a closer to BitD style heist game for a convention series I ran and it worked well for that, too.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I used it for a closer to BitD style heist game for a convention series I ran and it worked well for that, too.

The Shadowdark thief is well done. I actually considered picking up Swyvers just to use the random tables from it with Shadowdark for urban thievery campaigns.

 

[Reynard]

Swyvers

The what now?

::googles::

Oh, hell yeah.

 

[Quickleaf]

Technically, I said it was a great class. (It's really good!)

I've done a lot of five room dungeons in Shadowdark and run two games set in a megadungeon I've made. That said, I bought Into the Wyrd & Wild (forest sourcebook) to use with Shadowdark and may well pick up Into the Cess & Citadel (urban sourcebook) to use with it as well.

Hah, between Swyvers and Into the Cess & Citadel, we're definitely looking at similar stuff.

Were you able to find a print copy of either Into the Wyrd & Wild or Into the Cess and Citadel? I've only been able to find the PDF versions for sale, so I'm wondering if print was a kickstarter exclusive.

 

[Arilyn]

We're doing a wide variety of adventures with Shadowdark. Not everything has to be dungeon crawling. The torch timer is not essential to play! And we roleplay a lot with interesting characters. With careful play, and not fighting everything in sight, it's not as lethal as its reputation either.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Hah, between Swyvers and Into the Cess & Citadel, we're definitely looking at similar stuff.

Were you able to find a print copy of either Into the Wyrd & Wild or Into the Cess and Citadel? I've only been able to find the PDF versions for sale, so I'm wondering if print was a kickstarter exclusive.

I got Wyrd & The Wild from Indie Press Revolution, but I had to wait for a restock. I believe they have the hardcover of Cess & Citadel, although it does go out of stock periodically.

 

[Reynard]

I'm starting a new SD campaign tonight, using The Gloaming from Cursed Scroll 1. I think I am going to give folks max level 1 HP and use Dragonbane style ability score rolls, but otherwise play by the book.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm starting a new SD campaign tonight, using The Gloaming from Cursed Scroll 1. I think I am going to give folks max level 1 HP and use Dragonbane style ability score rolls, but otherwise play by the book.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Sly Flourish's version of that campaign is not at all how I imagine it would go for my players.