How would you make a Dark Souls campaign Veeky Forums ?

How would you make a Dark Souls campaign Veeky Forums ?

Generic dungeon crawl/combat gauntlet one-shot with no story and no actual opportunities to roleplay or play a character beyond their stats.

Identify what are the important parts for a Souls-like game and focus on those, while considering how they translate to a multi-player tabletop experience.

There's an OSR game by the name of Torchbearer that I hear captures the "Souls feel". Beyond using a system that lends itself to the atmosphere of the game, set a nebulous goal (Ring the Bells, Seek the Kings, Find Paleblood, Return the Lords) then send the PC(s) to a fallen empire with interesting locals, brutal enemies and slightly insane NPCs.

we have this thread everyday. the answer is always the same: dark souls does not work as a TTRPG. the things that comprise the tone of dark souls, and the mechanics that make it fun, do not transfer well to other media.

I wouldn't. I might run something inspired by them and make a campaign that takes place in a dying world with similar aesthetics, but that's it.

I wouldn't, for the same reason I wouldn't read a Dark Souls novel; none of the unique/interesting things about the games would translate.

We have this thread everyday. the correct answer is always the same: the system doesn't really matter, but the themes and tone do. Don't try to use Souls lore or setting, but lean into the thematic strengths of the series.

high lethality (with respawn), but NOT dependent on RNG

maybe try something that works on player skill alone in a chess-like way.

alternatively, you can use mechanics that make the flow more independent from stats and RNG, like incooperating a Rock-Paper-Scissor match when it comes to taking defensive actions

Dungeon crawler with low survivability but no survivalist themes beyond, maybe, torches. Then go to town with worldbuilding but fit the same tones and themes as the game's, at least at first.

A ttg will have the opportunity for PC with axial identities and backgrounds, interesting and personal conversations, NPCs that are actually alive and not just prerecorded info bombs, and, with more than one player, RP, group deliberation, comradery and RP. Imo don't fight this.

Keep the world low tech, low culture and poorly educated. Don't let this grimy would become anything like a Tolkien Fantasy, even if that means slowing down the PC's skill advancement (especially magic) or at least playing down the superhumanity of it.

I recommend having stats that actually make sense and mirror the tones and various epic archetypes you're going for, MINUS ARBITRARY LEVEL CEILINGS AND CONVOLUTED SCALINGS.