Lost Citadel 1, Playing Shadowdark Lost Citadel of the Scarlet Minotaur by Kelsey Dionne

[@williamobraidislee3433]

This is one of the most “clean” play throughs. Great GM to be sure but I appreciate how they players play instead of slowing things down.

[@d20play]

Thanks! Yes, had some great players in this one!

[@CoreySwordGuy]

Suuuuuper clean. Nice!

[@convicsik]

Thank you for this video. So many play throughs these days get too bogged down in people trying to be voice actors and general side conversations. It’s a breath of fresh air to get a play through the just gets straight to point.

[@d20play]

Thank you! We had a blast playing this one. Look for part 2 this weekend.

[@ellery0909]

Seconded. I haven't finished a live play before this one in maybe 10 years

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@ianfrazier9896]

Agreed, this is such a buttery smooth session. Great stuff!

[@RyanWBL]

Kudos to you starting right off the bat. So refreshing to hear you get going versus hearing everyone talk about themselves for 30 minutes before the session even starts

[@d20play]

We aim to please!

[@JoeVaughan-ib3cj]

As someone just getting back into the hobby after 30 years this hits ALL the buttons. And as a new DM your style is such a great model to help temper the influence of Mercer et al. Another commenter used the word ‘efficient’ and that’s my biggest takeaway. Thanks! I learned a lot

[@d20play]

Thank you Joe! I agree, ShadowDark does hit all the buttons!

[@alantarreuel3813]

Solid play. Great old-school DMing (procedures, turn taking, etc.) combined with a good narrative and descriptions. Subscribed.

[@d20play]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@soloramblings]

I pulled up a chair eager to see a solid Shadowdark session and you folks delivered. I started playing D&D around 1977 and this took me back to that era of play. The groups analysis of the game and events was also enjoyable. Thanks for the pleasant stay. Hope to see some more Shadowdark from y'all.

[@d20play]

Thank you. I plan to run and share more!

[@BradDaeda]

Thanks for posting this session! It was informative as well as fun to watch. You're a very efficient and skillful DM.

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@CrimsonCreed-ct5dk]

Excellent! One of the best live plays I’ve ever had the privilege to listen to and watch. This was fun! Well done everyone!

[@d20play]

Thank you!!

[@Kunstdesfechtens]

Outstanding play from all involved, GM and players alike. It really highlights the clean game design and the fast-paced play it generates. Well done!

[@d20play]

Thank you! I really love the design of ShadowDark!

[@mcsuck1]

Holy crap, how did you guys achieve such efficient and fast style of play. I've never listened or watched a playthrough past the 10 minute mark, but this type of play is so easy to listen to. It's like my dream session 😅 Great job giys!

[@d20play]

Wow! Thank you for the great complement! I have to confess that I do auto-edit out some of the silence. And, the adventure is so good it makes us look good!

[@TTubbs42]

I came looking to see Shadowdark in action. Being new to OSR stuff, I've also been looking and asking for something I can watch to see the stuff (10' pole, role, pitons, etc) that I keep reading about being so important in OSR (or at least doesn't come up in my 5e games). And this has use of rope, grappling hooks and spikes/pitons happening at the game table. Thanks for this.

[@d20play]

I know, right!? Credit to the players. They came up with many creative solutions in this part and part 2!

[@hazelmayn2465]

Super enjoyable live play! Great job!

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@paintmattpaint8487]

Excellent play through, I really enjoyed the consideration of each player and the DM. Very clear as to what was going on and an enjoyable dungeon crawl.

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@SheppiTSRodriguez]

awesome play. Clean, fast, orderly, good quick side conversations. And no fooling around in town and taverns accomplishing nothing xD

[@d20play]

Thanks!

[@patrickk8018]

Just ran this for my friends last night. Such a fun and fast game. They both died in the second room but we had fun haha

[@d20play]

Hahaha, sounds like ShadowDark!

[@Daniel40freeman]

Hey, thanks for this post! Not only did I get to see some awesome play mechanics but also some roll20 techniques that I am not using correctly. I miss the real danger for characters (as a DM and as a player).

[@d20play]

You're welcome! Agreed!

[@Owl_of_Omens]

😮 this is about the cleanest most efficient playthrough I have ever seen it's amazing really. I've actually played this module several times and it never played out as well as this!

[@d20play]

Wow, thanks!

[@windmark8040]

1:24:00 I had my doubts, but the "real-time" torch mechanic seems really fun! (And it seems much easier to track) Great job, everyone!

[@d20play]

Thanks! The time pressure of light and wandering monsters is great!

[@ldl1477]

This looked fun. In the time it takes my group to get over their RPing phase, you guys ran a whole dungeon. I liked the slim mechanics; it looks really good for "bolting on" homebrew. The light rules both keep the party moving and under tension. Inventory is elegant, requiring players to consider tradeoffs. XP system rewards talking over just stabbing/burning/exploding everything that moves. I've played a few games of of the new HeroQuest, in between 5e sessions, and this looks like the sweet spot between both.

[@d20play]

Thanks! I am really liking it (obviously).

[@nyctartuffe]

Very disciplined refereeing and playing! I really enjoy the turn-based approach, even for exploring. In BX/ OSE (which is to be somewhat turn-based) never quite works RAW. I run OSE games for kids (9-12) and I like it a lot, but this video makes me excited to try Shadowdark with them. I think it will impose better structure. Anyway, great job.

[@d20play]

Thank you! And, good luck with the game with the kids!

[@murisa3]

Great channel! Love your DMing!

[@d20play]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@anselmoffrisia2930]

It's got some tense situations. I've never played on this VTT, but not knowing what the players can see and wondering why they are going certain ways away from each other can really ramp up the tension. I'm just waiting for it all to go really badly. This looks like a lot of fun!

[@d20play]

Thank you! ShadowDark is great fun!

[@wildfiretavern]

The dynamic lighting is awesome!

[@d20play]

Thanks!

[@tubebobwil]

Interesting to see a grid map used (successfully) in a game designed with "near, close and far" as the movement abstraction.

[@d20play]

For those who love tactical combat like I do. :-)

[@imjoshellis]

I wasn't sure how to feel about always-on initiative, but it's definitely grown on me -- traps and exploration seem to flow a lot better

[@d20play]

I'm on the fence too, but it works well in the heavy dungeon crawls!

[@Kevlar-78]

This was awesome. Well done. I had backed this a week or so ago , and now am really looking forward to getting it to my table soon! Love the elegance of the system compared to OSE (Which is also great in its own way) 🍻

[@d20play]

Thank you! It is very elegant.

[@Avoloch]

very cool game

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@Caluardo]

This is excellent

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@AndrewMcGrath-g1l]

Just started running Shadowdark, loved the playthrough! How did you get discord working/showing in roll20? Looking to leverage some tools to make my life easier!

[@d20play]

Thank you! I use streamkit.discord.com/overlay for the vioce overlay.

[@gameram6382]

Love shadowdark

[@d20play]

It is a great game, and the writing...perfection.

[@steelmongoose4956]

The ability to attack the darkness seems important in this game. Keep that Magic Missile spell handy.

[@d20play]

Very important.

[@Kevlar-78]

I was wondering how the “real time” torches / light would play out and it seems like it works pretty well. Kinda forces the players to keep it moving ? How would you rule ancillary things that “stop the clock” like questions / rules bites / GM exposition or whatever? It almost seems like a “play time hourglass” that you click on and off like a chess match timer would work well ?

[@d20play]

It did work great. I would generally keep the clock running except for significant things like taking a 10-15 minute table break or such.

[@politicaemtresminutos]

Great game

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@NickBurnham1]

Hi there, love the gameplay, thank you for the great playthrough. Did you have to create all the ShadowDark macros and character sheets in Roll20 yourself or are there extensions available for that? I am planning on running this myself soon.

[@d20play]

Thanks! Yes I did. Here is a video on how I do that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4PHlmljoK-Zo5Y

[@Femonnemo]

Any tips on how to play this at a table? Especially the labyrinth part?

[@d20play]

Check out this video of mine: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5q1hKiAgZibmLc

[@gameram6382]

Brilliant gents

[@d20play]

Thank you!

[@ChuckBarchuk]

Excellent session of Shadowdark. Had a few questions though. Can Ettercaps use both their poison web and bite attack on their turn? And also does poison web do damage on the initial hit?

[@d20play]

Thanks for the catch! I got a number of things wrong on them. Looks like ettercaps bite twice OR use web. Also, not sure if the damage is on the hit and on the subsequent ettercap turns or on the players turns after being hit.

[@ChuckBarchuk]

@@d20play Oh no problem. I wasn't sure either. But I did get an answer from Kelsey on discord about this. The poison web would cause damage on impact. The additional damage would take effect on the Ettercap's subsequent turns.

[@d20play]

Thank you for checking on that (and sharing)!

[@ArtemAbramov]

How did Fastfeet figured out the coin and the vase at 30:10?! That was unexpected!

[@d20play]

Good question!

[@slashdash846]

Great play! Can you share how did you adjust that map to roll 20? Original grid of that drawing is very inaccurate

[@d20play]

Thank you! I used photoshop to morph the map to be closer to matching a grid. Edit>Free Transform>Warp Mode. I think GIMP has a similar tool.

[@avengingblowfish9653]

Why didn’t Bram spot Eska the Ettercap when he went to check the murals at 8:09 and stood right next to him?

[@d20play]

Good question! I don’t remember. Have you run it yet? What did you think!?

[@avengingblowfish9653]

​@@d20play I will be running it at a local convention at the end of the month and I'm just watching videos to help prep since I've never run Shadowdark before. I'm thinking of adding a quest hook so that the players can accomplish something in the 4 hour time slot that I have. Maybe the players have to rescue an NPC who entered the citadel looking for the sword in Room 9. Maybe the NPC has been captured by the Ettercaps, Beastmen, or the Minotaur... I figure that I can decide where to place the NPC based on where the party is and how they've interacted with the various factions when we reach the last hour of the time slot...

[@Cyberfender1]

🍿Who is gonna get it? Nobody gonna invite to party the guy?

[@dking6021]

were you rolling wandering monster checks using something other then roll 20?

[@d20play]

I think I was doing them in-game but doing a 1 in 20 every round rather than 1 in 6 every 3 rounds.

[@Michigan1B22]

Great session! Did I miss any random encounters? It didn't seem like any rolls were made for any

[@d20play]

we rolled each round for random with a 1 in 12 chance (rather than every other round at 1 in 6). But there was a long time before the first one!

[@Michigan1B22]

@@d20play interesting! What inspired you to change things up?

[@d20play]

I thought it would be easier for me to remember to roll every round rather than every other round. And by making the chance 1 in 12, the odds would be the same.

[@Michigan1B22]

@@d20play oooh very smart! I'm gonna steal that for my game lol At the end you talk about how the fighter, cleric, and Thief level up and get an extra dice for backstab. I have the quick start and see the talent tables upgrade each class that way, did you mean the talent table? Or am I missing something else?

[@cristianstabile3511]

I also use 1d6 / 1d12 / 1d20 every round instead of 1d6 every 1/2/3 rounds for random encounters =) (yeah, it should be 1d18, but i don't have those and 5% vs 5,5% is not noticeable). Am I mistaken, or once you get a random encounter you should stop rolling for further random encounters until you resolve that one?

[@jts8053]

ooo! Roll20! Do you have a Shadowdark character sheet for it? :)

[@d20play]

I don't

[@jts8053]

@@d20play I was thinking of starting a Roll20 support thread on the Discord since everyone seems so focused on Foundry. I wish I had more coding skills. Then I'd just make one!

[@rontalkstabletop]

1:25:20 Uh oh!

[@Champion_14]

You run the whole game in initiative???

[@d20play]

I did! I don't normally, but it was suggested by the system so I tried it. I think it went well! Note, however, that I (as the system suggests) moved it along a little free-form at times.

[@rontalkstabletop]

How long was the actual session? 3 hours?

[@d20play]

Yes, just over 3 hours. Each time new torches are lit is about a 1 hour mark.

[@Kevlar-78]

Please tell me this is edited - otherwise y’all are the god damned Micro Machines spokesperson of a group - speed and efficiency! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@d20play]

Ha! Most definitely edited. Actual run time was just over 3 hours.

[@Matthew.thirtyseven]

I feel like the always on initiative was sort of disorienting, and ended up spreading out the party a lot. Did you like it?

[@d20play]

I did, but with tempering (which I may not have done enough of).

[@davidpencil3576]

Remember that the rules allow for "consolidation" where if all the party wants to do is move for that round they can all move together in formation.

[@Toddalotapodamus]

DUDE! Is that Shadowdark in Foundry?

[@Toddalotapodamus]

Oh. Roll 20. Still cool.

[@d20play]

Thanks!

[@Survial9999]

What tool did you use for this

[@d20play]

Roll20

[@Survial9999]

@@d20play thank you

[@LeakysTV]

i played a lot of roll 20 and use a lot of api... im not even close to this

[@d20play]

Thanks! I'm at around 45K hours on roll20 but I still like to keep it basic.

[@LeakysTV]

@@d20play i have so many question XD how do you center the torch token moving with the players? also the door api look so cool. how did you center the map so well? look all very clean and you all pay so fast very good for reference for people who never play shadowdark

[@lychg8]

"kickayduhs"

[@BobHerzog1962]

I think allowing ready actions and reaction attacks goes against the system. The whole point is to streamline the whole action economy thing and get rid of players doing stuff outside their turn. Treassure gives XP when you take it. You can throw it way afterwards without consequence. The Grappleinghook in the lake was a good idea, but giving everyone something was a bit much. But OK we haven't seen what you would have done had they tried to fish it empty. I think you made it to easy for them when their Lights actually went out in the Sacrifice Cave. The shadows flicker in the whole room and should have attacked. It is also an area where you should have played up the darkness fighting the light. As example any light source thrown to the ground should have gone out instantly in there. Also important when you leave the dungeon you still can get xp by carouseing.

[@blathian]

Sooo many ads

[@john-lenin]

Why are you playing this like it’s a turn based video game?

[@d20play]

It is a different play style for me for sure. I am kind of testing it out. I'll probably revert back to a hybrid of it and how I normally run.