SHADOWDARK RPG

⚙️ Core Mechanics

Basic Roll

The Six Stats

• STR: Physical power, melee attacks, forcing doors, lifting, swimming
• DEX: Agility, ranged attacks, AC, initiative, stealth, balance
• CON: Endurance, hit points, resist poison, hold breath
• INT: Logic, wizard spells, first aid, recall information, survival
• WIS: Instinct, priest spells, spot hidden, hear noise, sense danger
• CHA: Appeal, social interaction, resist mental control, perform

When to Roll

You only roll when:

• The action has a negative consequence for failure
• The action requires skill
• There is time pressure

If you have time to carefully search or are trained in something, you often just succeed without rolling!

Stat Modifiers

🎯 Difficulty Classes

Special Rolls

• Natural 20: Critical success! Double weapon damage dice or spell effect
• Natural 1: Critical failure! Attack misses, spells may cause mishaps
• Advantage: Roll twice, use higher result
• Disadvantage: Roll twice, use lower result

⚔️ Combat

Combat Sequence

1. Check surprise: Unaware creatures are surprised
2. Surprise turns: Surprising creatures act once
3. Roll initiative: Everyone rolls DEX check, highest goes first, then clockwise
4. Take turns: Act in initiative order

Your Turn

• Count down any personal timers (spells, effects)
• Take one action (attack, cast spell, improvise)
• Move up to near (30 feet) - can split before/after
• Move near twice if skipping action
• Free actions: speak, stand up, draw weapon, drink potion

Attack Rolls

Damage & Effects

• Most weapons deal 1d6 damage
• Critical Hit (nat 20): Double weapon damage dice
• Critical Miss (nat 1): Miss, might hit ally!
• Knockout: Can choose to KO instead of kill at 0 HP

Armor Class

Terrain & Cover

• Half cover: Disadvantage to hit target
• Full cover: Can't target at all
• Difficult terrain: Half movement speed

💀 Death & Dying

At 0 Hit Points

• Fall unconscious immediately
• Roll 1d4 + CON mod (minimum 1 total)
• This is your death timer in rounds
• You die when the timer reaches zero unless stabilized or healed

While Dying (Each Turn)

• Player rolls d20 on their turn
• Natural 20: Miraculous recovery! Rise with 1 HP
• Any other result: Death timer counts down by 1

First Aid (Stabilize)

• Who: Any intelligent creature can attempt
• Range: Must be at close range (5 feet)
• Roll: DC 15 INT check
• Success: Target stops dying (timer pauses), remains unconscious
• Failure: No effect, can try again next turn
• Stabilized characters wake up when healed above 0 HP

Healing the Dying

• Any healing that brings HP above 0 = character wakes up
• No longer dying, can act normally
• Cure Wounds spell is most common healing method

Morale (Enemies)

• Trigger: When reduced to half their number or HP
• Roll: DC 15 WIS check (leader's modifier for groups)
• Failure: Enemies flee the battle

✨ Spellcasting

How to Cast

Casting a spell takes your action for the turn.

Spell Results

• Success: Spell takes effect normally
• Failure: Spell fails, can't cast it again until after rest
• Natural 20: Critical! Double one numerical effect
• Natural 1: Critical failure!

Critical Failures

Wizard Natural 1:

• Can't cast that spell again until rest
• Roll on Mishap table (varies by tier)
• Example mishaps: explosion damage, target self, lose random spell

Priest Natural 1:

• Deity is displeased!
• Can't cast that spell until penance + rest
• Penance: holy quest, sacrifice, or ritual

Focus Spells

• Some spells last as long as you maintain focus
• Check at start of turn to maintain
• Check if damaged or distracted
• Can't cast other focus spells while maintaining one
• Failure ends spell (but doesn't lose it like normal failure)

Spell Tiers & DCs

Scrolls & Wands

• Scrolls: One use, consumed after casting attempt
• Wands: Reusable, stops working on failure until rest
• Must be on your spell list to use
• Same DC as casting the spell normally

🔦 Light & Darkness

Light Sources

• Torch: Near distance, 1 hour real time
• Lantern: Double near distance, needs oil
• Only track one timer at a time

Total Darkness

• Disadvantage on most tasks
• Random encounter every round
• Most monsters can see in darkness

🏃 Movement & Distance

Distance Categories

• Close: 5 feet (melee range, touching distance)
• Near: Up to 30 feet (one move, thrown weapons)
• Far: Within sight during encounter (bows, spells)

Special Movement Rules

Climbing

• Make STR or DEX check to climb
• Move at half speed while climbing
• If you fail by 5+ points, you fall!
• Take 1d6 damage per 10 feet fallen

Swimming

• Swim at half speed in calm water
• Make STR check in rough/fast water
• Hold breath for CON modifier rounds (min 1)
• After breath runs out: CON check each round
• Failure = 1d6 damage per round until you surface

Moving Through Creatures

• Allies: Move freely through their spaces
• Enemies: Need STR or DEX check to push through
• Can't end movement in occupied space

Other Movement

• Difficult terrain: Costs double movement (mud, ice, rubble)
• Falling: 1d6 damage per 10 feet
• Jumping: Usually automatic, check if risky

🏕️ Rest & Recovery

Requirements

• Sleep 8 hours
• Consume 1 ration
• DC 12 CON check if interrupted

Benefits

• Regain all lost HP
• Recover stat damage
• Refresh spell casting
• Reset per-rest abilities

Danger While Resting