Shadowdark [Actual Play Reflections]

While my live stream collapsed a bit under the load, we were able to have a great time trying out Shadowdark for ourselves. What a great system.
If you want to back this excellent new game, click/tap the link below!
** BACK SHADOWDARK **
www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
** CHARACTER ARTWORK **
All character artwork was made in the iOS app, "Portraitworks."
apps.apple.com/us/app/portrai...
** TIMESTAMPS **
00:41 Introducing the Characters
01:47 Explaining Initiative
02:50 Always On Initiative Demo
14:29 Dungeon Dangers
15:22 The Fall of Honest John
18:11 Handling Death
19:21 The New Guy
20:23 Embracing Quirks
21:16 Dali Calls Out
22:22 About Magic
23:51 Stabilizing John (don't lose the spell!)
26:55 Casting in Action
28:42 Conclusion

[@CScott-wh5yk]

I’ve never seen anyone intersperse actual play clips in between their analysis… brilliant idea.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks! This was a fun one to produce.

[@billedmunds80]

I REALLY like this method of presentation! I don't have the patience to watch a 4-hour game session; the way you are doing it, with commentary setting up key moments, is a brilliant.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks! I hope to do more of them!

[@theuncletony98]

My group is loving shadowdark right now; its awesome to see others enjoy it as well!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

I REALLY want to get the hard copy in hand!

[@theuncletony98]

@@DMTalesTTRPG The site currently says sold out but I ce it's back in, oh boy!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

@theuncletony98 SOON

[@sandman6088]

Man, you make good content. Your subscriber count is gonna blow up, I know it. Keep it up, duder.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thank you

[@kennethjoslin7025]

Really liked the mix of clips from the actual play and your analysis. Subscribed.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks! I hope to make more of these!

[@dirkvandereyken2312]

I love the idea of interspersing the review with live play examples!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks, this one was VERY fun to make.

[@dirkbj]

Love your show's style. Keep it up!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks!

[@paavohirn3728]

That was a fun game! I'll have to try this system eventually.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

It really was.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

I’m super looking forward to the tables in this book. A lot. And I love the art. I don’t know if the system will replace much of what I’m doing currently, (the “always on” initiative is a good reminder for what I learned from ICRPG) but it’s well designed and will likely be my go to for people coming from 5e.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

I need to pick up ICRPG…and Fantasy AGE 2e, and Savage Worlds and…

[@zulkhaireesulaiman8575]

Your format is incredibly refreshing and concise. Thank you!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks!

[@Elighght]

You guys are funny! I just ran my first Shadowdark session, which prompted me to order the physical books.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks! The player who ran Honest John is now leading us on a funnel, it’s a blast!

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

It was fun to watch. Btw I like your Ad&d books in the background.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Even with the glitches it was fun to do, and your comments during the stream were hysterical. You know, you’re the first person who has taken the time to notice those! My neighbor gave them to me. I still need a Trampier cover of the PHB!

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

@@DMTalesTTRPG I had all the Ad&d books. I even had the dieties and Demi gods with the cuthulu pantheon. Ty for the kind words. I enjoy injecting humor when I dm as well.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

I had the rebranded Legends & Lore

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

@@DMTalesTTRPG similar to the original?

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Same as the post-Cthulu edition of Deities & Demigods. It’s the Orange Spine version of the book.

[@johnsomething567]

Just stumbled on your video. Subscribed and digging it.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks!

[@daddyrolleda1]

Just started watching the video, but I have to say, that is the coolest shirt I've ever seen! 😁

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Very nice shirt, indeed… very grateful.

[@daddyrolleda1]

Just finished the video. I could tell you all had a lot of fun and it was great seeing the laughter during the game. From a mechanics standpoint, I definitely understand it better now. It seems actually very close to how I'm running the B/X (Old School Essentials) game I run for my daughter and her friends (I don't allow infravision... mostly, we track torches and rations, I've been giving characters a chance to stabilize at 0 HP but when they heal they have a permanent scar afterwards, I've changed the roll-under ability score tests to be a D20 check vs a target number, etc.). Looks like I could probably get a lot more ideas from the game. Thanks!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

@@daddyrolleda1 Ohmygosh it was hysterical. When we left the halfling behind…. And, yah the always on initiative is reminiscent of B/X’s dungeon crawling rules. It’s more streamlined, and lets folks take turns in the spotlight. Thanks for watching!

[@daddyrolleda1]

@@DMTalesTTRPG Always fun and informative watching your videos! Thanks!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Right back at ya.

[@thereluctanthireling]

Great review and great content on the channel overall. I've been on the fence with picking up Shadowdark, I'm pretty happy with LL or OSE for now.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Yah. If you’re happy with what you’re playing and aren’t necessarily a collector I can see passing, especially since the mechanics are in the free quick start guide. If you want to explore it though, I do think it’s fun. The zines are pretty cool.

[@thereluctanthireling]

@@DMTalesTTRPG haha yeah it is the collector part of me that doesn't want to miss out on it.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

The struggle is real.

[@driftinHank29]

I love always on iniative. ICRP is the first game where I've encountered the idea. I'm glad Kelsey has included it in her game.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Yah, Shadowdark was the first game I saw it, it was fun to see it was in ICRPG first!!

[@petedoro]

Looked like a lot of fun, and many laughs were had by all. Now if they only had a handy 10' pole to tap the floor in front of them they may have avoided that trap! Back in the "old days" the party would hire a "torch bearer", so their hands would be free to do the important work of fighting, spell casting, and detecting or tripping traps, why of course!

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

So true!

[@destroso]

23:33 so they took some DCC mechanics, good, they are great

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Yah, it’s paired down quite a bit, but it like roll to cast.

[@zenovkayos5811]

Was that a level 0 or level 1 adventure? Did you get to try a gauntlet (level 0 Peasant filter)? And if you tried higher levels how did that feel? Would love to see a follow up deeper analysis if you are up for it . Great content mate.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Oh just a level 1 from the QuickStart guide. We didn’t get to do any advancement.

[@crapphone7744]

From what I have read and seen, this is a new osr game with a couple of innovations. I'm sure it plays well and it's fun, but honestly I didn't see anything super compelling about it that makes it that much better than other osr games I already play. Kelsey has delivered a solid product, but to use a phrase, it's not a game changer for me. I would happily play it but see no reason to change to this system from my current one.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Hey. Play what you want. And if you find stuff you like in this lift it for your table in time-honored fashion. I’m sure other folk will play this and hack it the other way as well. This is the way.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

I don’t think I’ll be using the system a ton (maybe as an onboarding system for people coming from 5e), but there are oodles of amazing tables in here. Like. A ton. And it’s worth the pdf price just for that for me. And the art too. So I’ll still be using this book a lot even if I don’t use the system much.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

@@johnathanrhoades7751 This is the way.

[@steelmongoose4956]

@@johnathanrhoades7751 I’m on the fence. It seems like a nice offering, but I’m not sure if there’s enough to separate it from other games yet. There are some interesting resources in the game, though.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

I really like always on initiative.

[@tankatim13]

7 Hp cleric with -3 con?

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

To be honest, I wasn’t really paying attention.

[@tankatim13]

@@DMTalesTTRPG running a gauntlet with 8 players in 7 days. I’ll miss a lot of things too.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Thanks for understanding!

[@johnmagowan6393]

Lumberjacks also go to the Lavatory.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

I think I missed something…

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Yup...sigh.

[@johnmagowan6393]

@@DMTalesTTRPG kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKTLhmhuo65jitU

[@steelmongoose4956]

@@DMTalesTTRPG It’s a reference to Monty Python’s “The Lumberjack Song”.

[@Bisclas]

How did that Human priest get 7 HP at level 1 ? It´s 1d6 -3 for his con = 7 ? oO That should be 3 hp MAX if he rolled a 6 on the 1d6 lol

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

It’s a mystery? Really, we just screwed up. The system is a TON of fun, though.

[@Bisclas]

@@DMTalesTTRPG It´s Super deadly which is fun, and the way the magic system works is brilliant, you fail a spell, its gone until you rest, so good. I Just found your youtube channel today, been watching a toon of Videos, very good job :)

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Yes. I like how it distills so many cool ideas down to a lovely essence. And thank you! I’m taking a short summer holiday but will be back with more content soon! Scum & Villainy, Forbidden Lands, and Symbaroum are in queue-along with some interviews and quick looks.

[@Bisclas]

@@DMTalesTTRPG Excellent, take your time and have fun.

[@tomgartin]

8:00 Ughhh this type of role play is such a drag

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

I don’t see why. It was an excellent character introduction which revealed quirks of each. We had a blast.

[@andynonimuss6298]

Don't think the artwork is what is really selling the Shadowdark game? Think again. Here's a direct sampling of some of the comments from Kickstarter itself: "Amazing art. Rad artwork. I particularly love the artwork. Love the artwork! Any chance of t-shirts in the future?. The artists in this book rock! Artwork is great. I am so in love with the DM screen art. I like this art. I absolutely love the cover art. The art definitely builds your world of Shadowdark, the more art you can have the better. Love the artists you chose. Love the art. Art is dope. I absolutely love the art, your artists are killing it. Neat art. INCREDIBLE art. The ART! You’ve captured what I love about the old stuff, yet in new ways. It’s be outstanding to be able to purchase some prints. My wife and I love the artwork. Some of the best screen art I've seen. The art for your project is amazing! Art for this game is so distinct. The art is just *Killer*. Art is some of the best I've seen in the industry. Awesome art."

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Did I disparage the art somewhere? I didn’t mean to if I did. Watching Kelsey describe the process of the art in her videos, and who she got to create it, is pure joy. She’s so laid back and in her laid back personality she describes getting some of the best death metal (I think death metal) artists do the art. It’s such a pure moment of “wha-huh?” When I get the full book I’ll be pointing out the art, certainly.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

The art is a big selling point for sure. That and the wonderful tables (mostly the tables as that is what I’ll be using the most) are why I picked it up. The system looks really solid and like something I’d quite enjoy. I’ll definitely try it, but I don’t foresee switching to it from OSE for my regular group.

[@steelmongoose4956]

@@DMTalesTTRPG It’s nothing you said. This guy has been copy-pasting the same thing in every video about this game. He acknowledged having a personal problem with the game designer, but he hasn’t expressed very much about the actual game.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

@@steelmongoose4956 we’re you responding to one of the “this game sucks” posts? Yah, there’s a couple of them, and they are not well.

[@steelmongoose4956]

@@DMTalesTTRPG With this particular fellow, it’s not even “this game sucks”. He copy-pastes about art selling the game and the paid review thing. In one discussion, he admitted feeling slighted by this Kelsey person for some past occurrence. In any case, his post wasn’t really a response to you. I’ve seen it verbatim on at least two other review videos.

[@henrykorvus6954]

"If these folks manage to live through this session, it was going to be a miracle." False, Shadowdark is actually NOT DEADLY, only if you use the optional death & dying rules is it deadly. I have GM'd 7 sessions of Shadowdark now and like modern Carebear RPGs like 5e and PF2E, there are very ample opportunities to keep a character from dying, so much so that it actually still has the obvious flaw that 5e has of wack-a-mole combats, because you CANNOT die in Shadowdark from even a massive blow that does 300 damage, you will then go 1d4+/-CON mod rounds, and even in that state there is a chance you heal all on your own if you roll a 20. Any healing whatsoever and you are back in the fight and can just stand up with no penalties because there are no AoO, and start whaling on the bad guy, WITH NO PENALTIES WHATSOEVER, no de-buff, no lingering injury, etc. There are some systems that are actually deadly, like OSE, but OSE is not that great it held onto unnecessarily archaic mechanics and dice checks, I'm looking at you thief % skills that suck. Bottom line, shadowdark is great, the go to system for streamlined OSR style play. IF you can somehow grock it to make it more deadly. Also Weapon Mastery is bad design as the main mechanic for the Fighter Class.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

You kinda lost me with the carebear comment, to be honest.

[@steelmongoose4956]

I’ll have to check out the death mechanics. I had the impression that Shadowdark was didn’t have the same layers of character protection that more recent systems use. It’s always a tricky design decision, I suppose.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

@@steelmongoose4956 it’s random. You get 1d4+con rounds to roll a nat 20. Or an ally can roll a 15. Feel about as deadly at -10 hp, which I’ve always used.

[@wileydutkiewicz3569]

Oh, another 😢 shill jumping on the Safe OSR bandwagon. Ahahahahahahahaha. A safe Mork Borg.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

OK.

[@Laymansinsight]

Bro what?

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

@@Laymansinsight after the Kickstarter ended these folks crawled out and vented...whatever it was they were venting.

[@anthonybernardo2214]

Not really sure why people spend time to be upset about something like this. Yawn. EVERY reviewer of the game has CLEARLY stated they were not paid for their video/review (with the exception of Questing Beast, and he was honest about it up front,as he should be), and that they did it because either A.) They genuinley liked the game B.) They are friends with the creator and are doing what friends should do for eachother (lift eachother up) or C.) All of the above. Doesn't seem to matter to the conspiracy theorists, though.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Yah, it was a silly and immature response which seems to have been triggered by how successful the kickstarter was.