Darkest Dungeon One-Shot

hey guys, so I've been visited by a group of my friends who want to play tabletops for the first time so i agreed to get together.

I've always loved darkest dungeon, and I'm growing tired of running a campaign so I'm going to do a one shot based around darkest dungeon.

I intend to have behind the screen sanity checks, that really only cause minor penalties (-2 to attack etc...) i also intend to create Pre-Gens for them, each one being a character from the game.

What else would you guys recommend? what do you especially like about it and would like to see in a game?

What system are you using?

I hope you've got a good narration voice.

Not sure yet, i play anima beyond fantasy as my main system.

but i might try something new and simple enough for strangers

ill have you know, i don't...

The tragic extent of your failings starts here.

...

Ahah that gave me a valid good smile)

Well done user! but really , how could you not include EVEN THE COLD STONE SEEMS TO BE BENT ON PREVENTING PASSAGE. Most spammed line in the entire game

If this evolves past a one shot then have them fight through the warrens, cove, weald, ruins, then final dungeon.

Have it take course over a couple sessions, maybe a campaign if you make it interesting enough

Its beautiful
Check out /osrg/ for some game recommendations. I would go with LotFP because a) the rules are free, b) its simple and c) some guy made a bunch of Darkest Dungeon classes. Some alternatives might be Labyrinth Lord or something like The Black Hack or Into the Odd.

For modules, if you want good old players-unleashing-evil-and-probably-dying maybe try Death Frost Doom. Its a pretty poor idea for a campaign game but for an opener/oneshot its ace.

Deep Carbon Observatory is also eleven kinds of awesome but its more of a ~5 session module with some (really excellent) overland travel. Its basically a must-play for a whole bunch of reasons.

I have heard good things about Castle Gargantua and the book made a fun read but I dont know how it runs first hand.

You could try Torchbearer, it's pretty similar to Darkest Dungeon in theme and the mechanics it covers.

I'm a big fan of Darkest Dungeon too. Actually I'm writing a homebrew dungeon crawiling system with similar atmosphere right now, since I don't like Torchbearer
My advice is too be careful though, especially if you're running it for first-timers.

First thing is: Do not run it like a video game! That will bore them after the second encounter. tabletop offers a lot more opportunities and freedom of action, use it! Nobody likes a dungeon that comprises solely out of simple traps, loot chests and schematic "roll attack and repeat" fights. This works in video games because you have satisfying visuals added to it, but unless you're a very good and engaging GM it will bore your players to death in tabletop.

Second thing is: If your players are first-timers I'm not sure if that's the best way to initiate them into the hobby. I would let them roll their own characters, or at least customize those that you've given to them. I would also make their quest a bit more open than just straight dungeon run, so they could actually you know, talk to npcs, mess around a little and have fun with the game before starting straight out dice rolling. Perhaps make some longer prologue, and make the dungeon only the second half of the game? Anyway, I wish you good luck!

I suggest would suggest a song of swords if it weren't for the fact that it hasn't got any magic in it yet. However the combat system is really brutal and satisfying. It's still in beta and you can download it for free, if you can accept that there won't be any magic it would make for a great Darkest Dungeon game.

Hmm, that could actually be a part of the story. You don't have any magic system yet you are forced to go into the dungeons anyway. Would certainly make for a tense experience since everyone knows what happens when there isn't any healers in the party.

Spoilers: You all die.

The only somehow magical class in Darkest Dungeon is Occultist, and he's not really a wizard type either, so I don't think that would be a problem.

>The only somehow magical class in Darkest Dungeon is Occultist

Vestal and arguably the Crusader.

Darkest Dungeon is one of those rare times I think 4e would actually do a good job of emulating it

Create about 10 ablities of at will and encounter powers for each "class" Dailies can be camping abilities. Keep characters relatively simple because each person is going to be playing a small roster or 3-4 heroes that they're managing over various adventures (adventures each taking about 2 hours, so a long session can be 3 or so)

something like that is what I've had in mind for a while

Eh, the Vestal and Crusader are divine casters, they channel The Light. The occultist is the only one that uses actual magic with the eldritch horrors and shit.

Lamentations of the flame princess.

and run the god that crawls adventure.

How do I git gud at Darkest Dungeons? I love the hell out of it, but I have serious problems with letting my people die, and it seems too easy for a sanity spiral to TPK you.

Build team comps that can attack any position and survive a shuffle. Above green dungeons make sure you trinket properly, and don't be afraid to oversupply. Speed is great, +stress really isn't an issue 90% of the time.

-Any TSR-era D&D edition will serve - OD&D, Basic/Expert, Advanced D&D (or associated retroclones).

-For a grimmer feel, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay has corruption and insanity mechanics, and makes a good mechanical base but you might have to do a little refluffing. Start players in their 2nd or 3rd career to better capture Darkest Dungeon starting party level.

-Torchbearer for a story-game style ruleset.

Aside from the nice gothic coat of paint Darkest Dungeon is a pretty classic dungeon crawl - venture into forsaken ruin, kill monsters, take treasure so really any ruleset that is patterned after D&D's model will work.

Like a lot of video game settings the content you put into the game will matter a lot more than the specific ruleset you use.

Strike! with the No Rest rule (or limit rests to logs like in the game) and using the LotFP skill rules, 2 skill points for everyone. Possibly limit classes to Simple.

GURPS might work well due to being highly lethal and having a stress system in the Horror book, but it takes a bit to setup and learn so it might not be great for a one shot. Maybe GURPS lite but it still might not be what your looking for.

My group and I have been geographically split for some time now and we're trying to get together online and play like old times. How rules heavy is LotFP? We all loved darkest dungeon and I think this will be the push we needed to get a game going.

Very rules light. It's an OSR game.

That's a perfect line to start the campaign off.