The Unseen Servant forums

Hi! In Shadowdark you create 1st level characters with the following steps: {bold/italics indicate house rule]

• Background, pg. 14 -- Roll 1d20 or pick one, your choice.
• Stats, pg. 15 -- Roll 3d6 down the line! If no Stats are 14 or greater roll again.
• Choose Ancestry, pg. 16 -- Human, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling (if you want to play something else talk to me).
• Choose Class, pg. 18-24 -- Fighter, Priest/Cleric, Thief/Rogue, Wizard (Bard and Ranger are other options, talk to me).
• One class talent roll -- Humans get 2 on first round (everyone gets more rolls on odd class levels)
• Hit points maxed + CON Mod for 1st level, roll RAW after that -- Fighters 8+Con, Priests 6+Con, Thief 6+Con, Wizard 4+Con
• Choice of alignment, pg. 28 -- Lawful (Good) or Neutral only. No Chaotic for this game.
• Title, pg. 26
• 2d6 x 5 gold pieces to buy gear (see Gear, pg. 32).

[Reasons for House rules: At 1st level PCs should be squishy, but I think RAW make them a bit too squishy, so a little buffing, but just a little. Also I think Thieves get a bit nerfed on HP, so I'm giving them a 1st level only boost to 6, rather than d4, after that they go back to 1d4 as in the book.]

I strongly suggest you create a stable of characters (2 at least), not just because the game is deadly, but because you might want to send different PCs on different adventures as we move along.

So I've got the following so far:

Wendel the Wizard (transposed over from the stalled game)
And Fergus the Fighter, I need to finish off with equipment and languages.
I'll hold off rolling up anything else until the rest of your guys have had a go.

I upped his hp to max and changed his background from sailor to scout as sailor didn't make much sense for dwarf. I will work on another character later when I have some more time.

Here is the start on PC#2

Str [3d6]=11 Dex [3d6]=13 Con [3d6]=10 Int [3d6]=17 Wis [3d6]=9 Chr [3d6]=11
Common languages [1d9]=4
Talents #1 [2d6]=6 #2 [2d6]=8
+2 Int or +1 spell casting checks, can he have a 19 Int?
Gain advantage on casting 1 spell you know

More later

GP [2d6x5]=9x5=45

All set except his gear which I will get to later. Probably change his name since I have 2 U's in this game but will see.

shaidar wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:12 pm

So I've got the following so far:

Wendel the Wizard (transposed over from the stalled game)

And Fergus the Fighter, I need to finish off with equipment and languages.

I'll hold off rolling up anything else until the rest of your guys have had a go.

Fergus now updated with languages and gear. I also swapped the +2 (from talent roll) from CON to DEX.

Here are some pics:

Wendel:

Fergus:

I changed the wizards name and finished his gear. I should be all set unless you find something I missed.

Ported over both PCs from the other game and am good to go. Looks like the only house rule change was to raise both to max HP?

Marullus wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2024 10:07 pm Ported over both PCs from the other game and am good to go. Looks like the only house rule change was to raise both to max HP?

Yeah, I think that was the only thing I did. Welcome! I'll try to get you in play as soon as I can.

I see Balrog also posted characters, welcome to you as well and I'll get you going ASAP, too.

But right now, I've got to run as RL beckons. I'll be back later today.

I've generated my first character (Barrett Blackhand, Human Thief) and will generate another tonight. If the stats work out I'll go for priest, but that's up to the RNG.

Enoch wrote: ↑Wed Jan 17, 2024 8:52 pm I've generated my first character (Barrett Blackhand, Human Thief) and will generate another tonight. If the stats work out I'll go for priest, but that's up to the RNG.

Great! Glad to have you here Enoch!

Also generated a second character, who will be a happy-go-lucky human bard. I'm ready to go!

Enoch wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 3:51 am Also generated a second character, who will be a happy-go-lucky human bard. I'm ready to go!

I like both your characters.

I let players run two at a time because we were short on players to start with, for this first adventure, if you want to play both, I'm okay with that.

However, I'd like to start cutting that back to one at a time, one in play and one back at the Tavern if you all survive this first adventure and wan to continue.

Enoch, just how your PC's come into play with the group is going to depend on what the current group does next. Give me, and them, a turn or two to clarify things and then I'll slot you in. Also private message!

Given the number of PCs already in play, I'll just introduce Barrett the Thief for now. I didn't see a PM, but I'm looking forward to the game!

2. Make sure you roll a Background as I'm trying to use those in play.

This is an interesting thing in Shadowdark. Background is left nebulous, up to negotiation with the GM if it provides "an advantage" ( or more simply, "Advantage. ")

I think you are handling it really cool, as you have granted Advantage, scripted a custom chiurgeon ability, and hinted at offering plothooks.

On the other hand, I picked class to build on the rolled Background and wonder if I gimped myself overlapping specializations?
* Rolling minstrel, I picked Bard. Class gives Advantage on "oration, performing arts, lore, and diplomacy" and Minstrel doubles down on "charm and talent."
* Rolling Scout, I picked Ranger. Class gives Advantage on "Navigation • Tracking • Bushcraft • Stealth • Wild animals" while Background doubles on Stealth and adds "Observation and Speed."

...I don't know what you are intending as GM, so that's really an open question.

I don't know that there's really something different that I would pick, if given a choice, though.
* Naugrim has evolved to be a loquacious dwarf who is an inspiring orator (not a musical fop). I would have chosen Scholar over Minstrel, but Bard overlaps with both Minstrel and Scholar and neither provides extra depth... looking at "what makes him more interesting" I might have picked Noble to add a dimension to him (and why he is studied in lore and focused on inspiring others). Leaving it alone, I suppose a Minstrel could just be more well-connected than a Bard of another Background?
* For Willow, they both have Stealth but it isn't a bad overlap. There is/was already Ulfgar who is leaning into Scout-specific roleplay and I am leery of trodding on his niche. It is interesting that the Ranger gets an Herbal Remedies ability but no particular Advantage with it - Storywise I would have picked the Herbalist Background to focus her on that aspect of roleplay that is more fitting to her and to not double-up on Ulfgar.

All that said, the whole random generation thing isn't meant to avoid overlaps or to compose a party of distict niches. So, this is a different style and all I said above is probably moot in this system design.

...just enjoying myself by mulling over the Shadowdark system, mechanics, and implications.

It is an interesting way of handling things. I am partial to a certain amount of random generation, but sometimes it can be too much. Like most things there is a certain sweet spot in the balance of things.

After discussion with the DM, we agreed that the Bard class doesn't fit in this campaign. Rescripted Naugrim to the standard Priest class. He's a servant of the God of Laws, so his pedantic rantings remain as previously written.

Marullus wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29, 2024 7:56 pm After discussion with the DM, we agreed that the Bard class doesn't fit in this campaign. Rescripted Naugrim to the standard Priest class. He's a servant of the God of Laws, so his pedantic rantings remain as previously written.

Yeah, I really am inclined to do narrative social interactions, preferring to roleplaying them out over any sort of rolling. FYI, I do roll sometimes in the background for social encounters and I would take rolls you made into account, but I only use them to inform me as to how NPC's might feel and react. Even critical successes (or failures) might not mean what you think they do, they aren't absolutes for social encounters.

Besides, I think it might not surprise you if I said than Turning is going to be more important than Talking, at least, for now during this adventure.

Fergus

Lvl 2 hp:

Lvl 2 hp [1d8]=3

Lvl 3 hp:

Lvl 3 hp [1d8]=3

New Talent:

Lvl 3 Talent: [2d6]=7 = +2 to CON

New HP: 10 + 3 + 3 = 16, + (3*2hp) from CON = 22 hp