OSR Shadowdark - A few beginner's questions

[Nikosandros]

In a couple of weeks I'm going to run a one-shot of Shadowdark for 4-5 players. We'll have about 4 hours in total; none of us has ever played the game but we'are all experienced with several editions of D&D.

I was leaning on using the quickstart with pregens, even though I have the PDF for the full rules since I made a late pledge through Backerkit. Do you have a suggestion for a good, short dungeon for the given time frame?

I'm a bit confused by crawling rounds. How long are they supposed to be? Is the movement rate the same while in crawling rounds and combat rounds? Originally I thought that outside of combat one would just use rounds to cycle through the players and just track real time, but the suggestion of considering 10 rounds to an hour when you can't track real time is a bit confusing for me.

 

[Bill Zebub]

In a couple of weeks I'm going to run a one-shot of Shadowdark for 4-5 players. We'll have about 4 hours in total; none of us has ever played the game but we'are all experienced with several editions of D&D.

I was leaning on using the quickstart with pregens, even though I have the PDF for the full rules since I made a late pledge through Backerkit. Do you have a suggestion for a good, short dungeon for the given time frame?

The adventure in the quickstart is great.

I'm a bit confused by crawling rounds. How long are they supposed to be?

There's not a set time limit. If one player says, "I want to search through the cabinet" that's their turn. If another player says, "I'll guard the door." that's their turn. Whenever everybody has declared their action, the round is over.

Is the movement rate the same while in crawling rounds and combat rounds?

No. It's your judgment call. You might let them explore one room while crawling, and then when they are leaving the dungeon you might treat that room and three others as one round.

Originally I thought that outside of combat one would just use rounds to cycle through the players and just track real time, but the suggestion of considering 10 rounds to an hour when you can't track real time is a bit confusing for me.

If you are going to think of 10 rounds equalling an hour, don't then assume that one round is six minutes. Some of the crawling rounds will be shorter, some longer.

In general try to avoid thinking about feet/meters/yards/hours/minutes/seconds.

When's the last time you read an exciting novel that measured out the time?

 

[Nikosandros]

The adventure in the Quickstart does look nice, but I was looking for something smaller. All the short adventures that I've seen, seem to be at least for 3rd level characters.

Another question: are there some guidelines about recovering from being unconscious? Do characters keep rolling the d20 every round in the hope of getting a 20 even after they have been stabilized?

 

[JohnF]

The adventure in the Quickstart does look nice, but I was looking for something smaller. All the short adventures that I've seen, seem to be at least for 3rd level characters.

Because there's no XP for killing monsters, PCs are better off outwitting or outrunning them if they're tough. So, the short adventures for 3rd level characters are technically less lethal if LV 1 PCs don't use the 5e mindset of slaying every creature they meet. (And the DM might want to be aware of lessening the severity of very damaging traps, too.)

The mini-adventure "The Hidden Leprechaun Hollow" is a perfect example of that. I've run it with 4 LV 1 PCs, and no one got hurt that badly. Several of the monsters in the Hollow could easily slaughter low-level PCs, but there are other more amusing things they could do to PCs, and the PCs have other non-lethal ways to go about succeeding (most of the monsters have motivations to exploit). It's a fun little romp with real-time pressure (2 real hours, or else)! A great first adventure for you all to try!

And once the adventure is done, make sure you give the players a chance to go carousing for laughs and more XP!

Of course, if your group must fight all monsters to the death or it isn't D&D to them, don't use a mini-adventure. Roll up a small or medium adventuring site as per page 130, and use 1-3 each of any of these monsters:

Spoiler

LV 0
Jellyfish
Kobold
Rat
Scorpion
Spider
Sting Barnacle (MM)

LV 1
Acolyte
Apprentice
Badger
Bandit
Beastman
Centipede, Giant
Darkmantle
Fairy
Fungibold (MM)
Goblin
Guard
Mastiff
Orc
Peasant
Pirate
Rat, Giant
Skrell (CS1)
Snake, Cobra
Stingbat
Tar Bat (CS1)
Thug
Vulture

LV 2
Animated Armor
Ape
Bat, Giant
Berserker
Bogthorn (CS1)
Camel
Cultist
Deep One
Demon, Dretch
Devil, Imp
Drow
Duergar
Dung Beetle, Giant
Elf
Frog, Giant
Ghoul
Gnoll
Gray Ooze
Hexling (CS1)
Hobgoblin
Horse
Leech, Giant
Lizardfolk
Merfolk
Rat, Dire
Rot Flower
Sahuagin
Skeleton
Soldier
Spider, Swarm
Velociraptor
Violet Fungus
Wasp, Giant
Will-O’-Wisp
Wolf
Zombie

Additionally, I've found that a solo boss monster could be as high as LV 4-6 vs. a party of 4-5 LV 1 PCs without it necessarily leading to a TPK.

Another question: are there some guidelines about recovering from being unconscious? Do characters keep rolling the d20 every round in the hope of getting a 20 even after they have been stabilized?

Stabilizing stops the dying condition, but not the condition of being unconscious. The PC needs at least one HP from their roll of a natural 20, a healing spell, a potion, a ranger's salve, a boon, whatever. "A character who goes above 0 HP wakes up and is no longer dying."

That said, if you find that rule would be frustrating to players, just come up with your own version of waking them up with an automatic 1 HP. Should be fine.

 

[Nikosandros]

Because there's no XP for killing monsters, PCs are better off outwitting or outrunning them if they're tough. So, the short adventures for 3rd level characters are technically less lethal if LV 1 PCs don't use the 5e mindset of slaying every creature they meet. (And the DM might want to be aware of lessening the severity of very damaging traps, too.)

The players are used to OSR games (and AD&D), so there shouldn't be issues on that front.

The mini-adventure "The Hidden Leprechaun Hollow" is a perfect example of that. I've run it with 4 LV 1 PCs, and no one got hurt that badly. Several of the monsters in the Hollow could easily slaughter low-level PCs, but there are other more amusing things they could do to PCs, and the PCs have other non-lethal ways to go about succeeding (most of the monsters have motivations to exploit). It's a fun little romp with real-time pressure (2 real hours, or else)! A great first adventure for you all to try!

And once the adventure is done, make sure you give the players a chance to go carousing for laughs and more XP!

Thanks for the suggestion!

Stabilizing stops the dying condition, but not the condition of being unconscious. The PC needs at least one HP from their roll of a natural 20, a healing spell, a potion, a ranger's salve, a boon, whatever. "A character who goes above 0 HP wakes up and is no longer dying."

That said, if you find that rule would be frustrating to players, just come up with your own version of waking them up with an automatic 1 HP. Should be fine.

I've asked on Discord and one "lenient" suggestion was to wake them up after 10 minutes.

 

[robertsconley]

The adventure in the Quickstart does look nice, but I was looking for something smaller. All the short adventures that I've seen, seem to be at least for 3rd level characters.

Try the dungeon in the Swords & Wizardry Quick Start. Just sub in the SD equivalent for the monsters.

It is free from here

Swords & Wizardry Quick Start - Ye Olde Games | DriveThruRPG.com

Swords & Wizardry Quick Start - The Swords & Wizardry Quick Start book will get you started in a fantastic world of adventure and danger using the S

www.drivethrurpg.com

 

[kapars]

The Shadowdark Kickstarter has 4 mini-dungeons and I believe they’re also available on the Arcane library website. I find the one about a pyramid in a cave to be particularly cool.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I recommend just doing a simple five-room dungeon. I generated a bunch using the Grizzled Adventurers RPG and just swapped in Shadowdark monsters.

I recommend not worrying about pregens, since making characters is lightning fast and fun, even if you do it manually, rather than smashing the button at ShadowDarklings.net.

If you need help whipping up a five-room dungeon, pick a Dyson Logos five-room dungeon map you like and I can bang something out for you real fast.

 

[kenada]

The adventure in the Quickstart does look nice, but I was looking for something smaller. All the short adventures that I've seen, seem to be at least for 3rd level characters.

Another question: are there some guidelines about recovering from being unconscious? Do characters keep rolling the d20 every round in the hope of getting a 20 even after they have been stabilized?

If you want something short for 1st level characters, check out Winter’s Daughter. It’s written for OSE, but it should be easily usable with Shadowdark.

 

[Nikosandros]

I recommend not worrying about pregens, since making characters is lightning fast and fun, even if you do it manually, rather than smashing the button at ShadowDarklings.net.

I have the impression that the Quickstar pre-gens are bit "buffed up" both in terms of stats and available equipment.

If you need help whipping up a five-room dungeon, pick a Dyson Logos five-room dungeon map you like and I can bang something out for you real fast.

I have not yed decided what to run, but I'd appreciate (if you are still willing) to see something bases on this very recent Dwarven Hall from Dyson Logos.