Ker Nethalas | A solo fantasy survival game playthrough | Part 2

In Ker Nethalas: Into the Midnight Throne, a single player dungeon crawler set in an endless necropolis, your character must fight their way through the dark tunnels of the necropolis Ker Nethalas!
Join me as I continue playing this solo dark fantasy survival game from Alex T at Blackoath Entertainment.
Playthrough part 1 - • Ker Nethalas | A solo ...
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Disclaimer - I make these videos for fun. Whilst I welcome constructive and engaged discussion on the rules and tactics of a game, be aware that I might make mistakes and I might not make the most logical choices all of the time. I hope you can enjoy anyway!
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[@blackoathentertainment5617]

Thanks for the video! Just a couple of notes: you forgot that your Tracker gives you Advantage on Perception checks, and when doing an opposed check you compare results with the winner being the one that rolls highest, but still below their own score. According to your video notes you realized during combat, but not during Initiative, haha. Also, when rolling for damage you don't add up the result shown in the dice, you compare the value of each die with the table, as explained on page 70. All persistent damage (like Burning) is checked for at the beginning of each round. I really like the play aids you made, the turn tracker is pretty clever!

[@lone_adventurer]

Thanks for the notes Alex - I'll pin this comment so people can read it! Regarding Advantage on Percentation checks - yeah, I suspect I'll be forgotting this again, despite you reminding me! It is probably the main reason I went for Tracker though, so I'll try to remember! Yes - the rules on opposed checks totally make sense and I really like how this mechanic works. It was only towards the end of this video that the subtleties of opposed checks was starting to properly sink in to my brain. I reckon I've got it now so will be more confident with this aspect in the next video. Regarding persistent damage - so are you saying that I should be checking at the start of each round of combat, or the start of each wider 'round of play'? Or both?

[@blackoathentertainment5617]

@@lone_adventurer no worries, I forget my own rules all the time, haha. As for persistent damage (all conditions, actually) all checks for damage, or to see if you get rid of it (for the conditions when this takes place automatically) you should check it at the start of the general round, as opposed to the start (or end) of your own turn. I suppose you can track it on a per-turn basis instead, but that might change how some things affect you. It also easier to remember doing so this way, especially when you have several conditions to keep track across several enemies. You just do it all at once at the start of the round, and you're done. Unless, like I said, it's a condition that you can actively try to remove yourself that requires spending a Standard Action, in which case you would have to do that in your turn. So for the Burning condition, you would start the round, suffer the damage, and then in your turn, attempt to remove it (if you so choose, of course).

[@lone_adventurer]

@@blackoathentertainment5617 Ok - I think :) I reckon this is gonna be an area I find tricky - but that definitely clarifies things, thanks!

[@blackoathentertainment5617]

@@lone_adventurer don't worry too much about the minutiae, ultimately it's your game and the important thing is that it moves forward and you don't get stuck in the details. I just point it out here but really, the joy of playing alone is that you don't need to justify to others why you're doing things one way or another. One last thing: when doing opposed checks (like in combat) what I do is roll both sets of dice (so 4x D10s) simultaneously to speed up things, it's one roll less!

[@Hybban]

@@lone_adventurer I suppose you need to ammend your little combat help sheet to include that step :) Great video anyway.

[@goodgriefwhatarelief8899]

Wonderful English, such a pleasure listening to you.

[@Rich_H_1972]

Great video! Really looking forward to my copy landing now!

[@benjoe1993]

Love that KZbin is trying to suggest less frequented videos to everyone now. I love D&D but never thought I'd see a solo play playthrough of a game like this. Also didn't know that they existed to such depths. The only one I've every seen was an old book RPG with preset stats for a single character and only using a single d6 and didn't find it very captivating. But this looks like some fun time :) Also as a wannabe game designer it's nice to see the decisions made on the system reflect progression very well and keep the numbers low and the encounters fair. Well made game so far! Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@lone_adventurer]

Glad you found your way here! As you say - this is definitely one that'll appear to people who are used to stats-heavy RPGs anyway. There's plenty here to keep the brain engaged! And you're right about the progression too - looks really promising.

[@blackoathentertainment5617]

Progression is always a big part of what I do, it's actually one of the main reasons why I play RPGs. Glad you like my work!

[@jay_cadiramen]

Phew... Just had my first combat encounter with three Blightfang Rats and the first two rounds along took over half an hour, with lots of flipping back and forth through the book and checking tables and rules.... Wow, crunchy. So watching this video again to make sure I'm doing things right!

[@lone_adventurer]

Yeah I haven't come across groups of multiple enemies yet - the prospect of managing such an encounter is a little intimidating...hope the videos help - make sure you read the comments (especially the designer, Alex's) to find out what I did wrong!

[@tombraider862]

Had my eye on this game and after 10 minutes of your part 1 video, i went ahead and ordered it. Can't wait to get the hardback, reading through the pdf a little.

[@lone_adventurer]

Greast - hope you enjoy it!

[@gryffn8860]

Great video. Made me want the game which I know own!!

[@shazamxxx]

Im for shure playing this .... i was playing 4ad and 2d6 dungeon ... scalling on difficulty i guess and playing that one ... more complex and obviously more harder hehehe . Ty again to introduce me to another great game ... im following your tracks mate , keep going !!!

[@lone_adventurer]

You're very welcome! Like you say, definitely a step up in terms of complexity, but whilst I'm always gonna go back to 4AD and 2D6 Dungeon, I was kind of craving a bit more complex....I'll be keeping on going with one, don't worry!

[@shazamxxx]

@@lone_adventurer thanks mate , as you go ill follow hehehe loving this kinda games ... i play when i can no dates to be marked , no one missing ... no real prep needed hehehe so nice play solo !!!

[@johnramirez1704]

Purchased the book per your recommendation and video game play! Finally created my character and will delve into the game during the week. Keep up the great work!

[@lone_adventurer]

Very best of luck with your playthrough - I hope that the denizens of Ker Nethalas aren't your downfall!

[@LegendsDiceCafe]

1st that hardcover book 📕 looks amazing 😊!!!! Very awesome & helpful videos!!!

[@lone_adventurer]

It's a good-looking book! Glad the videos were helpful!

[@JarethDuLac]

Thanks for the video. I'm convinced Ker Nethalas will be a good fit for me. Kind of gave me Dark Soul vibes, which is always good. Might have to check out some of the other Blackoath titles as well.

[@lone_adventurer]

Blackoath has a lot of games worthy of a look! Broken Shores is a good place to start, I reckon.

[@joelcole161]

Nice system! I'm going to order this. It seems to have some similarities to Call of Cthulhu, which is one of my favorite systems.

[@lone_adventurer]

Hope you enjoy it! Interesting to hear you think it's similar to Call of Cthulhu - I hear good things about that one but know next to nothing about it.

[@joelcole161]

@@lone_adventurer It also is percentile based, and uses skill checks (and skill improvements) in much the same way. Sadly, CoC is not overly "solo-able," though there are some published solo adventures.

[@blackoathentertainment5617]

Yes, BRP (the ruleset CoC uses) is a big influence!

[@JarethDuLac]

So combat seems pretty straight forward. Looks like something that should be pretty easy to pick up after a few encounters. Especially if you are somewhat familiar with RPGs.

[@lone_adventurer]

Yeah it is complex in that the different rolls can be modified by various things and the enemies are all unique and come with different mechanics, but at its core, the combat is pretty straight-forward!

[@Mind_of_MATT]

Looks like a pretty cool game. When rolling one the damage dealt table, don't you read the result of each die separately?

[@blackoathentertainment5617]

Yes, each damage die is read separately. Glad you like the game!

[@giannismixail8955]

At 09:58 you marked down that you started with 18 Crafting Supplies when the rules say that it's D10+5

[@alessandroandrico100]

Hi Lone adventurer, thank you for your walkthrough of this beautiful game. Your printouts and tables seem cool and useful, do you mind to share them with us? Thanks!

[@lone_adventurer]

You're very welcome! I shall look at getting them into a better format (they are in a word doc at the moment, I think), plus they need a bit of tweaking; then I'll share them (probably when I release the next video in the series)!

[@alessandroandrico100]

@@lone_adventurerthanks!!!

[@deanm375]

Great video. Any chance you could share your cheat sheets and monster cards with us?

[@lone_adventurer]

Glad you enjoyed it! Monster cards are literally the pages of the book printed on to card; the cheat sheets are linked in the description of parts 3 and 4 of this series!

[@mitchell8273]

I just wanted to point out, and this may have already been pointed out in a future video, but if I'm properly reading the way initiative works, you don't get +20 on your 1st attack for winning initiative, you only get +10 for acting first in the combat round. You only get the +20 if you surprise the opponent, which uses your Stealth vs. their Awareness. Or if either side rolls a critical fumble during the initiative check, then they are considered surprised.

[@lone_adventurer]

Indeed it has been pointed out later in the series, but no harm clarify here too :)

[@giannismixail8955]

31:32 The Oversheer's influence is the Frenzy with the +2 damage. I didn't see you counting it on the die roll for the damage. I can see though that the Fenzy +2 does not specify type of attack or anything else so I guess it goes to whatever the enemies are doing right?

[@lone_adventurer]

Yup I forget about this for the majority of the playthrough, I think 🙂

[@DDCRExposed]

Wow, with all these tables, if I ever decide to pick this up, I may be asking you for a copy of your printouts and such to save me some time!

[@DDCRExposed]

This may have also been covered by another commentor but shouldn't the battle with the Netherfied have ended after hitting the critical spot on the head? I heard that portion really briefly but since this is the only experience with this game, I doubt it's correct.

[@lone_adventurer]

I'm not convinced combat ends when the creature's weak spot is hit. It says this is an 'automatic critical hit', and that human's also have a weak spot - our heads. So if hitting a creature's critical spot ended the battle (presumably with that creature's death) then the same would be true of the player character being hit. And I'm not conviced that the designer would have intended there to be a one-shot kill for the character :) That said, I am confused about this area. On p68 it says 'A critical strike automatically wins the confontation'. Surely that doesn't mean that if the enemy gets a critical strike, its lights out for the player character? On p72, it talks about 'critical hits' doubling damage. I'm not sure if a 'critical hit' is the same as a 'critical strike', but I'm choosing to have that mean doing more damage. You don't have to respond to this - I'm basically just thinking out loud :D Regarding my printouts - of course - just shout if you want them!

[@blackoathentertainment5617]

@@DDCRExposed no, a hit to a creature's weak spot means you've scored a critical hit, doubling the damage done. As for the amount of tables, there's a cheat sheet with all the tables, as well as a rules reference, both included with the PDF download.

[@blackoathentertainment5617]

@@lone_adventurer Regarding the reference to critical strike on page 68, it means only when you're rolling a combat opposed check. Imagine an opponent with an attack skill of 60, and they roll 58. Let's say your attack skill is 40 and you roll a 33. Usually, since your opponent rolled both below their skill score and higher than you, they would win the confrontation, but since you rolled a critical hit, you win instead.

[@DDCRExposed]

@@blackoathentertainment5617 Thanks so much for clarifying. I'm sure it would make a lot more sense having the rules in front of me.

[@RedwoodRhiadra]

You don't really need to roll for the hexmancer passive benefit (the magic resistance roll at the start of combat) because you can't do any damage with your hexmancer abilities yet. (in fact, as nearly as I can tell it only affects the Tier 4 ability.)

[@oxylepy2]

Eh, give it to Enfeeble too. But, yeah, those are the only 2 it could function for.

[@kostasspinos3084]

Thank you for the series! It's Very helpful!Don't you add your weapon's speed to the skill stat when you attack?

[@lone_adventurer]

You're welcome! Yup, that sounds like something you should do 🙂

[@xradio19x]

Any link to that combat printout? Love the playthrough and ordered my copy! Thanks for all you do!

[@lone_adventurer]

You're welcome. And I've popped a link to the player aids in the description!

[@tbatrics]

On to part 2. My character is made and I am ready to start my adventure. Your first video helped me catch a couple of errors on my part.

[@lone_adventurer]

Glad the videos helped and thanks for watching!

[@mijoxlx]

Great play through! Do you have the mini encounter sheets you made available to share?

[@lone_adventurer]

Glad you're enjoying it! The sheets are shared in the description of parts 3 and 4.

[@divac7777]

You dont get +20 on your first attack. You only do if you successfully attempted to surprise the enemy beforehand.

[@lone_adventurer]

I think this has already been pointed out in another comment, but it bears repeating 🙂

[@giannismixail8955]

At 19:42 when you generate the ever first room. OK I can see the logic in wanting to have a room and not a corridor so let's get past that. But even for the first room don't you have to 1. Tension Check 2. Lair/Exit Check 3. -1 Light Source and THEN roll for an encounter? This is by the official Exploration table on their site. Also to be even more accurate before that we need to see if the doors are closed or not and check for traps. Forget it I saw that you corrected it at the end

[@lilianempls]

Huh, makes complete sense to me now but never knew there were papers that don't take kindly to erasing.

[@anteeantee8144]

can i use mastery abilities outside of combat for example to heal myself?

[@lone_adventurer]

I'm not 100% sure, but I suspect not. That would make healing too easy. Really, if you want to regain some of your health, making camp is your best bet!

[@ParadigmShifter-zx5fq]

I thought you are supposed to roll for frightening every combat round?

[@lone_adventurer]

Probably, there's a lot to remember in this game and I definitely forget a whole bunch of stuff!

[@MsGorteck]

So at 34:49(??) you received the Burning condition, yet at 36:35 you did not roll to see if you took damage from that after the claw attack, shouldn't you have? The condition lasts until you take a action to end it or you spend endurance after combat. This implies that the condition lasts even after the creature is vanquished. I used to play Role Master, (RPG) and it was called Chart Master because of all the rolling on charts one did, one can see the game designer was greatly influenced by that game. One can also see that the game creator is organizationly challenged.

[@lone_adventurer]

Yeah I've gotten better at remembering conditions - I think I've added a step to my combat tracker for it now.

[@purpled4864]

how did you make the enemy cards?

[@lone_adventurer]

Just printed the enemy pages of the book onto card and cut them out :) I used a corner-cutter (can get them on ebay or Amazon) to do the rounded corners, but nothing too complicated was involved in the process!

[@thepardoner2059]

Ker Nethalas has a lot of intriguing elements but appears (for my tastes) a bit too unwieldy to run.

[@roger9685]

Then, what would you recommend for a first timer trying out solo ttrpgs? This or something else, thanks.

[@the5thmusketeer215]

@@roger9685​​⁠ Hi Roger. “Four Against Darkness” & “2D6 Dungeon” have a lot going for them. Although I own them both, I have yet to actually play either of them (in fact, the latter just got delivered this Morning! 😊) but I have watched reviews & play examples of both. I suggest that you check them both out on a decent KZbin channel that covers such material, so that you can gauge whether the style of play & the balance of rules simplicity vs complexity is to your liking… Everyone has their own criteria that causes them to lean towards or dislike some game systems over others… People who are really into *supposedly* “realistic” Role Playing “simulations”, are drawn towards complicated rules that allow them to experience every possible occurrence that could possibly befall their Player Character, so that they could practically write a small novella that documents their exploration & adventures of the “Dungeon.” 😅 Conversely, some of us prefer an experience that takes the form of a rules-light *game* - that has a loose RPG framework, that provides a sufficient level of immersion - so that we can imagine where we are & sufficiently experience what is happening there - but doesn’t burden us with endless tables to check, interminable dice rolls for umpteen possible eventualities & so forth… That way, we can make decent & enjoyable progress with our character(s) & not feel overly **burdened & hindered** by the rules, rather than have the rules facilitate a fun gaming experience for us. Perhaps the best analogy I can give, is one related to Computer or Console Gaming. Anyone interested in a game that allows them to pilot an aircraft, has choices that vary drastically between an ARCADE game, where they can pilot a Fighter Aircraft that responds effortlessly to their joystick movements (but largely ignores the complexities of aerodynamics, gravity, momentum, G-forces & so forth…), or they can choose the other extreme of Microsoft Flight Simulator, that models & replicates all of those factors & can include & model very complicated Cockpit Instrumentation, realistic ground handling & Radio procedure, accurate Navigation plotting, realistic weather effects & so forth… & there are choices that lie somewhere in between such ARCADE & SIMULATION extremes, on a sliding spectrum that places them in the middle or further towards one side or the other. You would need to decide what level of detail or simplicity you are really looking for in a Solo TTRPG, then seek out something that provides that experience for you… There are also numerous KZbin Channels that exhaustively cover & compare multiple games in a single video (such as “The Dungeon Dive” & “Geek Gamers”) which might help you to choose? Hope that helps & hope you find what you’re looking for. LOUIS C. 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@mt.nowhere]

@@roger9685Mörk Borg with solitary defilement is super accessible. You can get it all online free too.