Shadow of the Demon Lord

So, how does this thing compare to other generic fantasy dungeon crawlers? To those with a slightly dark-ish bent (Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Symbaroum, etc.)? Is it worth getting? Good and bad points? Any interesting stories about it?

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It's lame

I've enjoyed it, we've played a few sessions so far. It's got simple rules, it makes things flow quickly and easily.

I'd recommend it, and as they pump out loads of content that you can get cheap, it's a well supported system.

Play Diablo 3 instead.

Way to gamey for my taste.

>Way to gamey for my taste.

How exactly?

>The mage mocks the soldier with a chant of 'why you hittin' yourself?' over and over again while the soldiers skeleton rebels against him and causes him to beat himself to death before exploding forth and poking the eyes out of his comrade who was watching the whole thing horrified

10/10 would play again.

Every fucking time this thread comes up it's the same two posts.

>Shadow of the Demon Lord thread
>feels like vidya, just go play Diablo

I'm assuming at this point it's just the same person, or someone parroting the post that they saw without having played the game itself.

Fighters are a little dull compared to magicians. And the setting has "Reality is shaped by beliefs", what I absolutely hate. Otherwise it's pretty good.

>Way to gamey
>A system that is very simple and puts RP at the front without bogging it down with skills that tell you what you can and can't do

Yeah, the only way I could see it being "gamey" is that level progression for each class is linear - but there's so many combinations of classes to choose from, that becomes irrelevant.

But to answer OP, my group has really been enjoying it, definitely worth the buy. Shit, I spent some time today just looking through the classes and seeing how they work together. Nearly everything is viable, and the classes combined with the Professions system makes for some cool roleplaying. Case in point - purely though rolling on the background tables, one of my players created a wandering orc-lawyer-witch.

My only complaints are that the setting tends to encourage Chaotic Stupid (though the same could be said for most dark fantasy), and that you would have to be an idiot to not roll up a Clockwork (immunity to disease, asphyxiation, drowning, and sleep - without the iron vulnerability of the faerie races? Bullshit)

I also finally bit the bullet and bought Uncertain Faith, totally worth it, lots of great material.

It's just really "okay." I've never been compelled to play it over any other RPG

You say you'd have to be an idiot not to roll up a Clockwork, but the Clockwork in my group has managed to unwind himself 7 times in 4 sessions.

I'll stick with my Orc thanks.

it's good

What are Professions?

>My only complaints are that the setting tends to encourage Chaotic Stupid
Your DM is using the corruption rules, isn't he? This setting punishes you more for being chaotic stupid than any D&D game I've ever played.
Clockworks have some nice perks but they can't swim and they have the lowest statline of any race. They're far from overpowered.
The SotDL system for doing things that aren't killing. It's pretty abstract for my taste but it's not worse than the proficiencies systems of older editions of D&D.

Yeah happened so many times to our Clock Work that the Wizard got the telikinetic tradition just so he could rewind him from across the field.

What is the system like? OSR, BRPish like Warhammer, actually BRP, or its own system?

Professions are jobs, or trades, or studies that you've picked up either before becoming an adventurer or during down time between adventures. When ever you have a challenge roll for a skill you get either a bonus or penalty die based on if you have a profession that you can reasonably justify helping you in that roll.

For example, a solider might know about troop movements or be in shape and get bonuses to tactics rolls or feats of strength.

There are also times when certain professions might be better for a roll than others or yield different information. Like say a Cook and a Apothecary need to identify some plants to see if they're safe for consumption. Both would know what would be safe to eat, but the Apothecary would also know other uses for it possibly, like can it be uses as a potion ingredient or used to treat an illness.

So rather than traditional skills it's all up to what you and the gm can justify rather just a number on a sheet. It's a really rules light system over all.

More of it's own thing really. System only uses two dice, a D20 and d6s. Pretty much everything that isn't damage uses a d20 for it's roll an you can add or subtract D6s based on what bonuses or penalties you get for a roll.

How does melee/weapon stand up to magic? I just bit the bullet and got the main book today after a bit of interest, and it seems like dedicated melee is a bit of an underwhelming option. Am I missing something, or if I'm not, is there a supplement I should grab that makes it better?

At the minute, my Orc Rogue/Ranger consistently does the most damage in our group. The Clockwork Magician/Wizard sometimes comes second, when he's not winding himself down, like I said . One of his spells insta-kills when something is below half-health and fails a Strength challenge roll. He can only do that a few times per rest at the minute, whereas the damage my Orc does stays consistent between fights - and may actually get a little better now that we've just got to the point where we choose either a Racial ability or a spell.

The rest of the group is a Halfling Priest/Cleric who's our heal/buffbot; a Human Warrior/Spell Blade who's more like the tank, and a Changeling Rogue.

The Changeling Rogue hasn't played too much, and she hasn't picked an Expert Path as she wasn't around for that session so it's hard to say how she'll compare to the rest of us when she joins up again. The session she was around for was a lot of fun, she didn't do as mich damage, but she never got it, as she'd always dash out of the fight straight after hitting something, can't remember what that Rogue Talent is called, but it's pretty damn good.

Well from a mechanical stand point they're pretty even, though magic is a lot more flexible with it's powers, so many things have spell resistance it's never not effective to have a person with a good bastard sword. The only real downside as a melee fighter is you're pretty much limited to the basic combat actions and the actions of your path.

As for other books to pick up, there is the Demon Lord's companion, which is just more paths, more spells, two more races, and a bunch of items. Terrible Beauty which is about adventuring in the Fae realms and includes more races, magic and paths. And Tombs of Desolation which which you guessed it, more of what's been said. There are also the Poisoned pages which are little expansion packs of 3-8 pages that cost a dollar but range from being either adventures or a couple classes or a race, or some other optional mechanic.

Sweet. Thanks guys. My table might have to check this out then.

Any pitfalls to be mindful of when running this for the first time?

Make sure everyone declares if they're taking a Fast or a Slow turn at the start of the Round, it avoids anyone 'forgetting' and gaming the system.

How strong are PC characters?

Good idea. Thanks for that.

Can someone help to simplify magic's base mechanics for me? I've read over the section twice now front to back trying to make heads or tails of how to explain it to my players, but it's not clicking somehow.

Fairly high damaging, but a few good hits and they're in trouble. Makes combat fast and deadly on both sides. Don't expect to steam roll through every fight.

What is it that you're struggling with? The basic mechanic is roll 1d20 +/- Boons or Banes, beat 10 or, in combat whatever the defending creature's targeted stat is.

Learning spells is one issue I'm having slight issue with. It seems like you must unlock schools in exchange for spell learning, Is this true or do you access spell schools in some other way too?

The number of spells also seems weird after a bit of cross referencing. Are spells cast spontaneously and the spells themselves not expended, just the spell cast/day? It doesn't seem like most people would get more than 12 or so spells by level 10 through progression. Are you meant to learn more spells some other way I haven't noticed?

The spell table by power seems to imply that you'll be able to cast at least three spells of most levels, but there seems to be no restriction level wise of what spells you learn, just if you can cast them based on your power. Is this the case?

I see. The wording is a little odd in the CRB about magic.

You have to know a Tradition in order to be able to cast a spell from it. However, when you learn a Tradition, you gain a single spell for free.

Each spell can be cast X times a day, depending on your Power. So if you can cast level 1 spells 2x a day, you can cast EACH level 1 spell 2x a day.

Certain races give you access to spells as part of their racial levelling. For example, Orcs can either pick up a talent or gain a spell at level 4.

Off the top of my head, I can't recall if you can pick any level of spell when given the option to pick spells, or if it's just ones that your Power level would allow you to cast; I would assume that you can only gain spells that you can have the Power to cast.

The bane/boon thing is neat, but that's about it. It's still fundamentally a binary d20 system with all the boring failures that implies.

Well if you have the Magician Starting path you get a level 0 spell when you get a new tradition, Any other caster is SoL when it comes to that.

So if I'm reading things right now with this knowledge;

>When you learn a Tradition, you gain a free Level 0 spell (Magicians get 2 due to their feature)?
>Regardless of the level of the spell or how many spells you know of a specific level, you cast a single spell X times a day based on your power as listed by the table?


I get that spells are gained by path or race progression. But when you learn new spells, is it that you can retrain old ones in addition to that new spell, or do you have to settle retraining one in place of learning a new one?

Also, all the CRB spells only go up to 5. I'm assuming I'll need to purchase a supplement to gain higher level spells for my players when the time comes?

Magicians do get two, yes.

Yes, you can cast specific spells X times a day, based on Power, instead of having castings at specific levels a day.

You retrain OR learn a new one, not both I'm afraid.

I don't know about that, I can't recall any spells above 5, but I'm not near the books and I don't play as a caster so I'm not too familiar with the all of it.

Well you don't retrain spells for one by default. Once you learn a spell, once you get a spell you have it forever pretty much. As for spells above 5 level those are mostly theoretical in nature due to the max power you can get in the game during normal play is 5, 6 maybe if you're using certain relics. There are a few 6th level spells detailed in the supplements but those spells tend to be in the realm of plot points, and BBEGs. At this time anyway.

The creator has expressed that he does plan on releasing higher level eventually, but hasn't posted anything as of yet.

Nm on the exchanging spells, it's just swapping choices out for the same level or lower based on need from what I can tell.

Thanks guys! I might pitch this as our new game this Friday!

It's great for one-shots, so I'd recommend at least giving it a go. That's how we got onto it.

Anybody got a trove of books, or anything?
Specifically Exquisite Agony

My biggest problem with the systems isn't really a problem with the system. As much as it is a problem with the GM liking the system . but it not being the system that suits his style of gameplay. In that he is a frustrated writer. And wants to introduce plot lines that culminate in facing off against the big baddies like big damn heroes. While this makes for great stories. In a system that is gritty and fosters not picking/entering fights unless you have an advantage and the outcome is fairly clear even before you start. And also tends to involve the guzzling of healing potions like they are mid-battle energy drinks. (which he has yet in 5 sessions to give us a healing potion) I tend to end up in a pool of blood on the floor quite often.

Now whether or not this is us failing to set up fights in our favor ( it is somewhat. But that is also us catering to the GM and doing things he has set up) The GM not giving out enough Boons and Banes. Us not making a point of picking up healing potions (despite the GMs obvious distaste for it. Or the fact that many of the monsters tend to be slightly OP I'm looking at you Boneguard, fucking +5 to hit with a Boon and doing 2D6 damage on a hit. So you on average have to roll under a 7 on a D20 to miss. Even vs. an armored target.

On the plus side., It is a simple system and I'd rather play it that WFRP2ed. since they both capture the same feel and this one you start out at least being able to do something. And it has faster progression.

I want my free time back

I actually believe these threads are actually just about shilling a mediocre game.

Really repetitive

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exquisite agony (plus a few other things for the game)

7chan.org/tg/res/106286.html

>The God of the new faith is in reality the devil.

First Thing I would change.

>When ever you have a challenge roll for a skill you get either a bonus or penalty die

You aren't playing it the way we do. If it is directly related to your profession, and I mean directly, you pass the challenge if it is anything you would have come across in your profession right off.

Locksmith? Every single locked door and chest opens for you without a roll, no problem. Magically locked? Your fucked the same everyone else is, hope for the best.

Hunter? You can trap game with no problem. Monsters aren't deer though, fuck nut, so your traps don't work the same on them, time to roll that shit up.

Things like that.