Shadow of the Demon Lord /SotDL/

What do you guys think of Shadow of the Demon Lord? I'm reading the corebook and it looks pretty neat. It's obviously cribbed a lot from 4e and 5e D&D, but has more player choices than 5e. The customization isn't frontloaded either, which is kind of nice.

How smooth does combat run? Anyone have stories or opinions on the game?

I like it. I just think the priest class is useless/weak and don't like some aspects of the lore. (Like devil and the cult of the one god or believe shapes reality)

I've played two session so far. Combat is a lot more streamlined, but not necessarily boring (yet). Because modifiers are so low, it can be really hard to hit stuff sometimes, so the game really encourages you to try to acquire boons through being smart with how to approach a fight. Unfortunately so far the only thing that we as a group have done to gain boon is knock an enemy prone. So basically:

>the halfling knocks the bandit down
>everyone starts wailing on him with clubs
>repeat as needed

We are just at level one. I will say that healing feels a lot more important now (but still damage negation is most important like in 5e). A well placed heal can really keep your ally alive.

I wish it wasn't just d6 based, but the +x does add an interesting element to damage.

Overall really enjoying the game. I hope it doesn't get boring the more I play.

The best system I GM'd, it's so easy to do and the players never felt bored by their options.

I prefer it to 5e.

This sounds promising. Yeah, 5e combats get repetitive for fighter types, the level of character customizaiton in SotDL seems to make such characters more interesting.

Rules question: Are you supposed to start at lvl 1 with a novice path? I seemed to remember reading that you start at 0 with just your Ancestry.

Also, do you guys play with a grid?

You are supposed to start with level 0. But I suggest to start with level 1. It is already deadly enough.

This was meant for this

Interesting, I can see why. But I know at least one of my players would find the idea of "Level Zero" really fun.

You're supposed to start at lvl 0 yes, which is really fun honestly. I recommend rolling up random characters. Because the system is so deadly, it makes you more okay with it if they die. And then the randomness can make it really unique.

We don't use a grid exactly. We have a map, but not a grid. We move out tokens around (on roll20) so everyone can keep their bearings. We use the distance tool sometimes too.

>the level of character customizaiton in SotDL seems to make such characters more interesting.

I mean, yes the characters are really customizable, but I wouldn't say the actual mechanics of the characters are any more interesting than 5e, probably less so in fact. But the roleplay aspect of character building is arguably more complete (directly).

What are you on about? Priest class spreads those heals around, gives all important boons for rogues or others that add more damage at higher levels, and can gain access to the best healing and general buffs in the game. You're certainly more limited than the magic user, but priest is solid support.

How viable is it to Warrior as your novice path and then pick magic paths for your Expert or Master Path?

I like that the expert and master paths have no specific criteria for entry, but I also worry you could put together really bad combinations? Some of my players couldn't handle the freedom of 3.5 and PF, and would make seriously strange and handicapped combinations.

When my friend was talking about running this game, he seemed to imply that there was some sort of inbuilt system wherein the game is set to end after around fifteen sessions. Can anyone elaborate on that?

I don't think that's a thing?

It's eleven. Not fifteen.

"Since completing one adventure advances the group level
by 1, a typical campaign includes eleven adventures: one
starting, two novice, four expert, and four master. At the end
of the campaign, the group should have reached level 10."

It's not inbuilt or anything though. You can ignore that if you want.

So what sort of adventures happen at level 0? Are people peasants running from monsters?

haven't played, but I'm reading the Tales of the Demon Lord, the starting adventure for 0 lvls is an investigation into some missing drunks and orphans, some kind of ghoul has been unearthed in the vault of a decrepit house. The players investigate and kill it, fight some thugs who are trying to cover it up.

I bought the book and some expansions and bought some dice after i played a demo with robert schwalb and ive been sitting on this shit for 2 years now trying to find someone to play with. If anyone is running a campaign online please let me know

Be the change you want to see in the world, user.

There are gish paths. Many of the spells are also self buffs/attack based spells. You also don't really hamstring yourself because combat ability doesn't scale _that_ much, so there's no imaginary curve you have to keep up to or become useless (basically, bounded accuracy, but also like, bounded HP and damage).

Some combinations have more synergy, but you can totally swing just about anything without fear of making yourself worthless.

I like it, being a few sessions in so far. It's a step above 5e but not sure I'd put it in my top 5 or so.

As someone else mentioned, I'm not big on the setting either.

11 "adventures" perhaps, not sessions perhaps, so could (should?) be several sessions each.