Shadowdark RPG by Kelsey Dionne

Seth Stauffer

There might be monsters, there might be unknown hazards, dying or serious injuries could be almost certain, but there’s plunder to be had, so it’s worth it. In the world of fantasy adventure games, nothing motivates an adventurer quite like the promise of riches. Shadowdark, a harsh tabletop role-playing game from Kelsey Dionne’s Arcane Library, fully embraces the perilous treasure-seeking that is central to so many tabletop role-playing games. 

Rules aside, there are quite a few TTRPGs available. Still, Shadowdark distinguishes itself via a variety of awards and came about through a Kickstarter campaign that was a massive success, raising over a million dollars (to be exact, $1,365,923). That puts the game in rare company. Few products generate that much cash. Raising so much money is a victory in itself, but the game is a solid rebuild of Dungeons & Dragons overall and reads like a grimdark dungeon crawler.

PCs are called Crawlers. Trekking into a perilous world with their wits and whatever is at hand to save them. PC lifespans will vary. Once out in the world, there’s a lot that will be familiar since this is based on that other game. However, some features stand out, for example, a unique take on managing a specific resource, light.

That’s right, light is a finite resource in the game and should be tracked right along with ammunition and rations. Once the torches or any other light source go out, the PCs will likely find themselves in a bad spot. Should they end up in ‘Total Darkness’, they roll at disadvantage if they aren’t dark-adapted. Also, the environment is considered ‘deadly’ for handling encounters. Since there is a timer, dawdling isn’t allowed, keeping gameplay active at all times. 

The book is easy to read and laid out so each section is easy to digest, and I didn’t find myself flipping pages from one section to another. It isn’t just the design that makes it manageable; there is a decisive push towards simplicity overall. Every game has its edge cases where it won’t be clear how to apply the rules-as-written, but Shadowdark felt very straightforward.

Simplicity extends to running the game. There are also quite a few random tables to help keep everyone on their toes, including the gamemaster.  It’s always helpful to have a way to create content on the fly. Less prep keeps the game focused on the storytelling. The way the section is organized for the GM will help ensure that the game can be played without extensive preparation.

Kind of an odd addition is that the book includes named NPC characters as well as destinations, but there’s no trace of a default setting, even though one clearly must exist. A map, a village, or something to start the game off would have made this a brilliantly complete game. At least this is a sign that there is room for developing Shadowdark beyond its core book.There’s a lot to like about Shadowdark, and its award-winning status means that there are a lot of people who like it as well. By exploiting a tried and true rule system, there’s no real need to worry if it will work. It does and has for decades. Shadowdark makes some interesting modifications and gives players almost everything they could want. A place to explore would have been welcome, but it’s still a complete game. Will the player characters live and retire as rich as sin, or will they fall afoul of something that exists merely to kill them? Shadowdark is a game that will push a player’s limits, but in a good way.