Shadowdark RPG (Print + PDF)

Love it. The random tables are awesome, the simplicity of the rules is great and the clear, easy to read layout makes it a pleasure to read. Also love the quality of the book and the cover art. Thanks!

Some RPGs are overly prescriptive and cumbersome in design, bogging down gameplay and hobbling imagination; others are so “rules-light” they might as well not have bothered.

But Kelsey has fashioned a sturdy-yet-streamlined system that allows role-play, imagination, story, and spontaneity to shine brightly in the Shadowdarkness. She weights it just right: a solid, well-crafted rules set that facilitates play and doesn’t get in the way.

The writing is concise beyond words (okay, not beyond words… she uses words, but just the right amount). The feel of the book oozes quality (and in some cases it possibly oozes oozes, too).

And the whole umbral ambiance is evocative and beguiling, especially for someone with AD&D first edition sensibilities. If your D&D resembles Leiber or Howard, or leans towards Weird Tales style fiction, then Shadowdark is definitely your vibe.

The artwork is perfectly judged, and the game itself versatile enough to handle anything from gritty, grim-dark OSR crawls to high fantasy epic heroic narratives. Yes, deadly dungeons are its spiritual home, suited more to tomb-robbing antiheroes than swashbuckling superheroes, but its simplicity allows it to fluidly shape-change into any play style.

Advice to the GM is sound and comprehensive, but not patronising or rambling. Monster stat blocks are blessedly brief and playable. Character creation leaves room for players to actually create someone, and not just follow a confusing selection procedure. Gameplay is intuitive, flexible, memorable, and fun.

Honestly, there is little to criticise and everything to praise. Shadowdark has proved to be a real success story, and it’s well deserved. This is my third copy (one for reference, one for table, and one to gift), which is itself testament to my high estimation of the game.

Shadowdark is a leading light. Expertly boiled down and blended. And written with passion, precision, and sincerity. This is reflected in the community that’s grown around the game, too. In a nutshell, it’s a real humdinger.

Awesome rule book with great art and a focus on the DM over complicated rules.
Love it and can’t wait to play it.

Great for the player looking for the minimalist experience. Gorgeous book that looks great at the table or on the shelf. Lots of fun stuff to play with.

Are you a long-time fan of the "world's most popular roleplaying game" but tired of its bloat, wonky math, and tedious drift away from what makes fantasy so great? Do you wish you could return to the "old school" spirit fantasy adventuring in dungeons--but without having to go back to the horrendously primitive mechanics of the 70s-80s (THAC0!)? If so, "SHADOWDARK" IS THE GAME FOR YOU! It looks and feels like classic fantasy but plays like "5e" simplified, streamlined. If you've played D&D since 2014 then you already know 95% of what you need to play "Shadowdark" with little in the way of new rules. The bloat, min-maxing, power-gaming, and fixed mathematical progressions are all cut out, leaving just easy-to-run, fast-moving, and excitingly tense adventure gaming.

What you get for this purchase is a hardcover rule book plus a full PDF copy with a list of contents internally linked to sections of the document for easy access. Get the free Quick Play trial version first and you'll know exactly what to expect here: spells above the beginning tiers and more of them, more magic items, and a lot more monsters, plus some supplemental rules for running a campaign, including a downtime in which characters can go "carousing" for fun and bonus experience. The full rule book also has lots more great black-and-white ink drawings in the classic fantasy style. Your print copy comes in an attractive, nicely bound hardcover about the size and thickness of a typical trade book (8.5" x 6" and 1.5" thick). It even comes with a nice little ribbon attached to the spine to use as a built-in bookmark.

Even if you just want to get the game as a sometimes trade-off with playing other RPGs, this "Shadowdark" purchase is WELL WORTH the price.