HOW TO PLAY SHADOWDARK 1 - CONCEPTS AND THEMES: I can promise you two things, there will be shadows, it will be dark.

What happens when you take old-school D&D, remove darkvision, put your torches on a real-world timer, and make every spell a potential disaster? You get Shadowdark, a game where poor planning kills you, good planning might save you, and your biggest enemy is a one-hour countdown. This week, Tyler, Randall, and Ash explore a dungeon crawler where treasure earns XP, inventory space is precious, and running away is a perfectly respectable life choice. Bring a torch. Bring a spare. And whatever you do, don't let Tyler near the nickels.

• The Arcane Library - All official Shadowdark content available in physical/digital here

• ShadowDarklings Character Generator

• RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes

• ShadowDark RPG Adventure Designer Kelsey Dionne

Show Notes

Welcome to Part 1 of our Shadowdark RPG How to Play series! Tyler, Randall, and Ash explore the concepts, themes, and core mechanics of Kelsey Dionne's old-school fantasy RPG. Inspired by classic Dungeons & Dragons and the OSR movement, Shadowdark trades heroic power fantasies for deadly dungeon crawls, random encounters, and survival horror.

We break down Shadowdark's rules-light d20 system, real-time torch mechanics, treasure-based leveling, character progression, combat, and unpredictable spellcasting. With limited inventory slots, no darkvision, and danger around every corner, surviving takes more than a good dice roll. It takes planning, resource management, and knowing when to run.

If you've ever wondered how to play Shadowdark, what makes it different from D&D 5e, or why anyone would voluntarily crawl into a monster-filled dungeon with two torches and a dream, we've got you covered.

Key Takeaways

• Shadowdark brings old-school D&D dungeon crawling back with streamlined rules, deadly encounters, and an emphasis on player ingenuity.
• Light is survival. Torches last one hour of real time, nobody gets darkvision, and running out of light can be fatal.
• Combat is fast and dangerous. Simple initiative, limited actions, and low hit points make every decision matter.
• Treasure earns experience points. Find valuable loot, survive the trip home, and level up.
• Character creation and advancement embrace randomness. Optimization takes a back seat to clever play and luck.
• Magic has consequences. Every spell requires a casting check, failures can lock out spells until rest, and critical failures can be nasty.
• Inventory management matters. Torches, armor, weapons, and supplies compete for precious gear slots.
• Not every monster needs to die. Negotiation, stealth, retreat, and choosing your battles can keep the party alive.
• Shadowdark's level-zero gauntlet lets players discover their characters by surviving a brutal introductory adventure.

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