Shadowdark looks so good!

[mach1.9pants]

Can anyone explain to me how spellcasting is worthwhile? With a maybe + 1 or 2 (if you're lucky with 3d6 in order) Vs DC 11, you're basically going to fail fifty percent of the time. The extra bonus you may (once again, if lucky) get as you level up is balanced by DC 15 for your fifth level spell. And one in twenty times you cast a spell you ruin yourself and/or your party. Am I missing something? The spells are suitably low powered but far too unreliable for limited use IMO

 

[JohnF]

Can anyone explain to me how spellcasting is worthwhile?

I can only explain why it's fun.

Shadowdark isn't about resource management. It's about risk management. Along with that, character creation is randomized, not optimized. So, much of the spirit of playing the game is knowing that every dice roll is going to matter, and you might have to live with some tough consequences. Rolling to cast spells (as opposed to allocating the usage of spell slots between rests, etc.) fits within that spirit nicely.

In a game where PCs do not have darkvision, rolling that light spell is now utterly suspenseful, and I find that fun! (Others may not.)

 

[Bill Zebub]

Can anyone explain to me how spellcasting is worthwhile? With a maybe + 1 or 2 (if you're lucky with 3d6 in order) Vs DC 11, you're basically going to fail fifty percent of the time. The extra bonus you may (once again, if lucky) get as you level up is balanced by DC 15 for your fifth level spell. And one in twenty times you cast a spell you ruin yourself and/or your party. Am I missing something? The spells are suitably low powered but far too unreliable for limited use IMO

Do the math. Some days the Wizard sucks, some days the Wizard rocks, and on average they get more spells per day than a D&D wizard.

Or just play it and see for yourself.

Edit: oh, and as for the ability modifier, if you don’t have at least +1 or 2, you choose a different class.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I'm still hesitating about buying it.

My go-to system for my OSR needs is Beyond the Wall, and I have been eyeing OSE (advanced) for some time now.

Sure I could mix and match all of them, but since I'm not rolling in cash right now, I wonder which of them would fit my table the best.

Shadowdark is close-ish to 5e, which is always good. Beyond the Wall's playbooks are really awesome and a lot of fun. OSE is maybe a little too old-school, but the adventures are pretty great.

And I'm also waiting for Shadow of the Weird Wizard....

choices, choices

 

[deganawida]

I'm still hesitating about buying it.

My go-to system for my OSR needs is Beyond the Wall, and I have been eyeing OSE (advanced) for some time now.

Sure I could mix and match all of them, but since I'm not rolling in cash right now, I wonder which of them would fit my table the best.

Shadowdark is close-ish to 5e, which is always good. Beyond the Wall's playbooks are really awesome and a lot of fun. OSE is maybe a little too old-school, but the adventures are pretty great.

And I'm also waiting for Shadow of the Weird Wizard....

choices, choices

If it helps, I am approaching it as a toolset. I will steal class design and roll-to-cast from it, add in some DCC, sprinkle some Companion and possibly Master rules, and plop in Karameikos (thanks for the suggestion, @Whizbang Dustyboots!).

 

[kenada]

I can only explain why it's fun.

Shadowdark isn't about resource management. It's about risk management. Along with that, character creation is randomized, not optimized. So, much of the spirit of playing the game is knowing that every dice roll is going to matter, and you might have to live with some tough consequences. Rolling to cast spells (as opposed to allocating the usage of spell slots between rests, etc.) fits within that spirit nicely.

In a game where PCs do not have darkvision, rolling that light spell is now utterly suspenseful, and I find that fun! (Others may not.)

I would add that it also neatly avoids the problem of spells that duplicate what non-magical characters can do but usually better. There’s always a risk of failure, so players have to decide the right approach based on the situation.

 

[Cruentus]

I'm still hesitating about buying it.

My go-to system for my OSR needs is Beyond the Wall, and I have been eyeing OSE (advanced) for some time now.

Sure I could mix and match all of them, but since I'm not rolling in cash right now, I wonder which of them would fit my table the best.

Shadowdark is close-ish to 5e, which is always good. Beyond the Wall's playbooks are really awesome and a lot of fun. OSE is maybe a little too old-school, but the adventures are pretty great.

And I'm also waiting for Shadow of the Weird Wizard....

choices, choices

I use Beyond’s spell system and their playbooks (modified and made a little more generic) in OSE Advanced. We’re playing it now and it’s working well. Happy to discuss in PM.

I have the Shadowdark free rules pdf, and like others have mentioned, this would be a toolbox for me to poke around in and apply as needed to another game. Though I have a friend who wants to run Shadowdark. I think it could be fun for a one shot, not sure about an entire campaign.

 

[Krachek]

I use Beyond’s spell system and their playbooks (modified and made a little more generic) in OSE Advanced. We’re playing it now and it’s working well. Happy to discuss in PM.

I have the Shadowdark free rules pdf, and like others have mentioned, this would be a toolbox for me to poke around in and apply as needed to another game. Though I have a friend who wants to run Shadowdark. I think it could be fun for a one shot, not sure about an entire campaign.

It is my own questions these days, is it enough?

for session with most role play, talking, and social interaction, SD can do quite the job. Ability check are easy, PC are more skilled in some task with their class and background. Even some spells can be used in such session like charm person, detect thought.

overland travelling can be handle the same way.

Some players will be able to add fluff and meat around their PC without that much small ability or other bonus.
A fighter is skilled in combat, weapon, armor. We can consider him as a trained athlete. A background like noble or wanted can add some unexpected skills. For me is quite enough to fill any role play social oriented session.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I use Beyond’s spell system and their playbooks (modified and made a little more generic) in OSE Advanced. We’re playing it now and it’s working well. Happy to discuss in PM.

I have the Shadowdark free rules pdf, and like others have mentioned, this would be a toolbox for me to poke around in and apply as needed to another game. Though I have a friend who wants to run Shadowdark. I think it could be fun for a one shot, not sure about an entire campaign.

My huge hesitation, as always with OSR systems, is the PC's fragility at low-ish level.

My players are not expert gamers nor people with any knowledge of pre-2014 D&D, so notions of Skilled Play, Combat as War and such things are not something they understand. But they do love the simplicity of those systems.

I have a OSR-ish 5e version as a work-in-(not)-progress somewhere on my PC, I should really go back to it and try to make something out of it.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Can anyone explain to me how spellcasting is worthwhile? With a maybe + 1 or 2 (if you're lucky with 3d6 in order) Vs DC 11, you're basically going to fail fifty percent of the time. The extra bonus you may (once again, if lucky) get as you level up is balanced by DC 15 for your fifth level spell. And one in twenty times you cast a spell you ruin yourself and/or your party. Am I missing something? The spells are suitably low powered but far too unreliable for limited use IMO

Don’t forget that scrolls and wands and magic rings etc exist to give the Wizard (and Cleric) a boost.