⚔ ShadowDark Rules ⚔

Player How-To Guides

1. Character Basics — How Your Hero Works

⚔ Stats

Your character has six ability scores, usually from 3–18:

  • Strength (STR): Physical power and force.
  • Dexterity (DEX): Agility, reflexes, balance.
  • Constitution (CON): Endurance and toughness.
  • Intelligence (INT): Logic, memory, magic knowledge.
  • Wisdom (WIS): Perception, intuition, divine magic.
  • Charisma (CHA): Influence, presence, force of personality.

Each score gives a modifier from –4 to +4 that you add to rolls.

Example:
You try to leap across a broken bridge. GM calls for a DC 12 STR check. You roll a 13 and have STR +1 → total 14. You succeed.
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2. Classes — What You Do Best

⚔ Fighter

  • All weapons & armor
  • Highest HP (1d8)
  • Strong attacks, special weapon mastery
  • Ideal for frontline combat
Example:
Your longsword attack = d20 + STR + bonuses. You roll a natural 20 → critical hit → double damage dice.

⚔ Priest

  • Mace, sword, crossbow, etc.
  • All armor & shields
  • Casts divine spells using WIS
  • Turns undead
Example:
You cast Cure Wounds on a dying ally. Roll healing dice → they regain HP and revive.

⚔ Thief

  • Light weapons & leather armor
  • Backstab for extra damage
  • Advantage on sneaking, climbing, traps, locks
Example:
You attack a guard who has not noticed you → extra backstab damage.

⚔ Wizard

  • Daggers, staves only
  • No armor
  • Casts powerful but risky magic using INT
  • Can learn spells from scrolls
Example:
You cast Magic Missile → advantage automatically → guaranteed 1d4 force damage if check succeeds.
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3. Skills & Backgrounds — What You're Good At

Shadowdark is not a skill-list game. Your background and logic determine what you can do.

Examples of skill-style play:

  • A Soldier knows army procedures, marching formations, shield walls.
  • A Scholar knows ancient languages and lore.
  • A Thief has advantage on climbing, locks, stealth, traps.
Example:
As an Herbalist, you automatically identify safe plants without needing a roll unless time pressure or danger is involved.
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4. Checks & DCs — How to Roll

Most actions use:

d20 + Stat Modifier ≥ Difficulty Class

Difficulty guides:

  • Easy: DC 9
  • Normal: DC 12
  • Hard: DC 15
  • Extreme: DC 18

Advantage: Roll twice, keep highest.
Disadvantage: Roll twice, keep lowest.

Example:
You try to silence a rattling chest before it alerts monsters.
GM: "Dexterity check DC 12."
You have advantage from thief talents → roll twice → take better → success.
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5. Initiative — Turn Order

Shadowdark uses round-robin initiative, rolled at the start of the game or after surprise moments.

  • Roll d20 + DEX modifier.
  • Highest result acts first; then play proceeds clockwise.
  • GM may also allow flexible "player group order."
Example:
The enemy bursts from the dark. Everyone rolls initiative.
You roll 17 (DEX +2 = 19) → you go first in the round.
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6. Combat — How Fights Work

Each turn, you may:

Action + Move (near = ~30 feet)
OR
Move twice (if you take no action)

Common actions:

  • Melee attack
  • Ranged attack
  • Cast a spell
  • Improvise (push statue, flip table, smash lantern)
  • Small free actions (drink potion, speak, rise from prone)

⚔ Attack Rolls

  • Melee uses d20 + STR
  • Ranged uses d20 + DEX
  • Hit if you meet or beat the enemy's AC

Critical Hits

  • Natural 20 = double weapon damage dice
  • Natural 1 = automatic miss (possibly hitting an ally)
Example:
Your shortbow shot: d20 + DEX (+2).
You roll a 20 → critical → longbow does 1d8, so you roll 2d8.
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7. Damage, HP, and Healing

⚔ Dealing Damage

Roll your weapon or spell's damage dice and subtract from the target.

Example:
Greataxe: 1d8 (or 1d10 two-handed).
You hit → roll 1d10 → deal 7 damage.

⚔ Healing

  • Most HP is recovered only after an 8-hour rest.
  • Some spells restore HP.

Knockout Option

You may choose to knock foes unconscious instead of killing them.

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8. Armor & Weapons — What You Can Use

⚔ Armor

  • Light: Leather → AC = 11 + DEX
  • Medium: Chain → AC = 13 + DEX (disadvantage on stealth/swimming)
  • Heavy: Plate → AC 15 (no swimming)
  • Shield: +2 AC
Example:
Leather + DEX +2 = AC 13.

⚔ Weapons

All weapons deal simple dice damage. Common tags:

  • F Finesse (STR or DEX)
  • Th Thrown
  • 2H Two-handed
  • V Versatile (1- or 2-handed)
Example:
Thrown dagger at near range uses DEX or STR.
Hit → 1d4 damage.
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9. Magic Use — How Spellcasting Works

To cast a spell:

Spellcasting Check = d20 + INT (wizard) or WIS (priest)
DC = 10 + Tier of the spell
  • Success → spell works
  • Failure → spell fizzles and you cannot cast that spell again until you rest
  • Critical 20 → double one effect (damage/heal/bonus)
  • Critical 1 → spell fails and triggers a mishap (wizards) or requires penance (priests)

⚔ Focus Spells

Some spells last as long as you maintain focus.

At the start of your turn, roll the spellcasting check again:

  • Success → spell continues
  • Fail → spell ends
  • Critical fail → same penalties as above
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10. Darkness Rules — Survival in the Shadowdark

☠ Light Is Life

  • Torches and lanterns last 1 hour of real time
  • Without light, characters suffer disadvantage on most actions
  • Darkness invites danger: GM rolls for encounters every round in total darkness

⚔ Light Radius

  • Torch: near distance
  • Lantern: double near
  • Light spell: near distance

Only One Timer

All active light sources usually share one timer to keep the game fast.

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11. Death & Dying — How to Not Stay Dead

☠ At 0 HP:

  • You fall unconscious and begin dying
  • Roll a death timer = 1d4 + CON mod (min 1)
  • That is how many rounds until you die
  • On each turn, roll d20:
    • Natural 20 → stand up with 1 HP
    • Anything else → timer ticks down

⚔ Stabilizing

Someone adjacent may make a DC 15 INT check:

  • Success → you stop dying but stay unconscious
  • Failure → no effect

Permanence of Death

If the timer runs out → you die permanently.

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12. The Shadowdark Loop — How to Play Effectively

  1. Light a torch.
  2. Form a marching order.
  3. Explore room-by-room.
  4. Expect traps, puzzles, monsters.
  5. Manage time — light is ticking.
  6. Fight only when necessary.
  7. Grab treasure and get out.
Example:
Your torch suddenly sputters. GM says 5 minutes left.
You must decide: push deeper or retreat?
Time pressure is real.
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