Side Passages

When is a monster not a monster? We’re talking about those classic threats known as oozes, cubes, and puddings. These creatures appear as puddles, cubes, and rolling masses of ick ... and they're sure to challenge your players.

Want more Shadowdark?

Check out our episode “d12 Reasons Shadowdark is Awesome!”

Watch our Shadowdark actual play: Raiders of the Lost Temple

New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Oozes and Puddings00:08 Grey Ooze05:50 Zomblob11:32 Gelatinous Cube16:35 Cran Gelatinous Cube22:18 Black Pudding23:39 Heal Cube22:45 Are Slimes a kind of Ooze?

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch d6 Oozes , Cubes, and Puddings on YouTube.

Show Notes

Grey Ooze

Source: Core Rulebook, p. 223

Description: Slick puddles the color of stone 

Monster Level: 2

Notes: This ooze dissolves metal, so using swords, spears, and other metal weapons against it is risky:

At the table:

In Ken’s game, he had a gray ooze lurking in a cave, appearing to be part of the floor. He foreshadowed the ooze’s appearance by having a pseudopod lash out and snag one of the PCs’ allies. In game play, the ooze went down quickly because the PCs had help - their “allies” were cultists of the Rat-King, and they convinced them (via a charm spell) that they were also servants of the Rat-King. 

Foreshadowing - puddle of wet stone that lurks on the cavern floor … and attacks when players walk over them.

Zomblob

Source: Monthly monster - The Zomblob

Description: A sickly purple carpet of rolling sludge. Eyeballs, organs, and partially dissolved bones bubble up before being reabsorbed.

Monster Level: 3

Notes: An zombie ooze that regenerates every round. 

At the table:  

The players are summoned by the City Guard to deal with an undead infestation in the town’s catacombs, but when the PCs arrive … the catacombs are silent. There’s no sign of the undead … or even the dead. All the corpses are missing.

And then the ooze appears…

Gelatinous Cube

Source: Core Rulebook, p. 217

Description: A translucent cube of slime that silently mows through tunnels.

Monster Level: 5

Notes: An Old School classic, which inevitably has some sort of skeleton floating in its innards.

At the table:

In Ken’s game, he had a skeleton “floating” up a vertical shaft in a dungeon, surrounded by a halo of daggers and coins. The PCs assumed it was some sort of telekinetic threat … until they threw a barrel at it and hit the edge of the cube. The PCs then rain away. :) 

In David’s game, a skeleton appeared out of the darkness at the edge of the torch, a sword floating near it’s hand. Magic? Nope, gelatinous cube

Cran Gelatinous Cube

Source: Monthly monster - Cran Gelatinous Cube

Description: In the darkest bogs and chilliest swamps, a blood-red cube slurps along the muddy earth. Glistening cranberry juice beads from its sides, and leathery corpses swirl around within its towering bulk.

Monster Level: 9

At the table: It’s the holidays, so why not work something beloved (and horrible) into your game?

The Night Before Yuletide

It’s the night before Christmas (or your equivalent fantasy holiday) and a contingent of the Sewermen Guild have gone missing. One of their children begs the PCs to save their missing parent. 

Venturing into the sewers, the PCs come across strange, caustic puddles of fermenting red liquid. Zombies, soaked in the weird liquid, attack unexpectedly. And somewhere, a Mad Wizard is searching for his favorite monstrous side dish.

OR attack PCs while they venture into the bogs for fixings for the holiday?

Black Pudding

Source: Core Rulebook p. 199

Description: A black, ice-cold mass of sludge

Monster Level: 6

Notes: Dissolves wood AND metal, so it’s a double threat to PC weapons and armor.

At the table:

Ice Cave Denizen:

The pudding lurks, Predator-like, at the back of an ice cave. When creatures/PCs take refuge in the cave, it detects the heat, and creeps forward … but only after watches have been set.

Variant Mechanics: Traditionally, black puddings split when hit (in 5e, lightning and slashing attacks do this). What happens in ShadowDark? 

Heal Cube

Source: Monthly monster - Heal Cube

Description: A massive cube of clear slime with a faint, pink color. Plump mice and centipedes drift around inside.

Monster Level: 5

At the Table:

Noble Healing Chamber

The town’s local noble acquired a Heal Cube as a hedge against death. The PCs come across it during a night of carousing that ends at the noble’s estate. The Cube is keeping the noble alive … but what’s fueling the cube?

Side Note Conversation

Massive cube of clear slime? Wait … are slimes actually a kind of ooze? What the heck is an ooze anyway?

Featured Image Meta

Black-and-white art of a skeleton-filled gelatinous cube devouring a new victim from the Ooze Cubes monthly monster release.

The Lair crew continues their Shadowdark actual play by venturing deep into the Lost Temple, exploring its strange environs and encountering factions within the group defending it.

Missed the first part? Catch up now: Raiders of the Lost Temple, Part 1/3

Get the dungeon: EnWorld – Kelsey Dionne publishes two new free Shadowdark adventures

New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library.

The quickstart set includes example characters, essential rules, and a ready-to-play dungeon.

Want to know more about Shadowdark? Check out our episode "d12 Reasons Shadowdark is Awesome!"

Chapters

0:00 Intro & Party Recap5:00 Gorgoroth’s Offer & The Blood Chalice13:00 Ruby Theft & Suspicious Snake Rooms22:00 Drum Ritual & Prepping the Ambush29:30 Total Darkness & The Battle Begins41:00 Chaos Combat: Priestess vs. Party55:00 Rilmorn Falls, Light Restored1:10:00 Strategic Recovery & Magic Mishaps1:26:00 Showdown with the Serpent Priestess1:45:00 Aftermath, Regroup, and What’s Next

Cast of Characters

Zorax the Unready (Chris) – Wizard

A classically trained wizard with a spell book full of utility and a knack for casting magic missile, Zorax is more scholar than adventurer—often pondering the mystical while his party dives headlong into danger. Ever curious but slightly aloof, he has a cautious presence, offering magical firepower and insightful observations from the back line.

Rilmorn (Josh) – Thief

Impulsive, chaotic, and famously unlucky, Rilmorn dives into danger with zero hesitation—whether it’s belly-crawling ahead of the group, swallowing a gem, or stabbing a snake-person mid-negotiation. He embodies the archetypal rogue with a wild streak, equal parts comic relief and terrifying wild card.

Anders (Ken) – Fighter (Sea Wolf)

A spear-wielding berserker blessed by old gods, Anders charges headfirst into combat with bravado, charisma, and minimal regard for tactics or consequences. He’s a blend of Conan the Barbarian and Thor with a concussion—smiling as he stabs and only asking questions after the bodies hit the floor.

Lila (Erin) – Priest

Wise and pragmatic, Lila serves as the moral compass and healing backbone of the group, unafraid to challenge poor decisions or channel divine wrath when undead monstrosities strike. Calm under pressure but quick to act when needed, she blesses weapons, turns the undead, and debates with bloodthirsty prisoners without flinching.

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch Raiders of the Lost Temple, Part 2/3 on YouTube.

Show Notes

Party recap: Anders, Lila, Rilmorn, and Zorax faced off against a vampirodile.

They meet Gorgoroth, a snake-headed wizard, who offers a shady deal

A strange ritual begins: drums echo and stakes are revealed

Rilmorn steals—and tries to eat—rubies from a snake statue

Zorax initiates a diplomatic bluff as “a wizardly exchange student”

Gorgoroth reveals Shanti, a vampire and former acolyte of the snake goddess Nathrexus

Tension rises as the group readies to ambush Shanti

All light sources fail: the group plunges into darkness mid-battle

Chaos unfolds: stabbing in the dark, torch misfires, snakes summoned

Anders goes berserk with his talking spear, Valrath

Rilmorn falls, pierced by the falchion of a serpent priestess

The ritual snakes slither away… and Shanti’s chamber lies just ahead

Featured Image Meta

Black-and-white artwork from the Raiders of the Lost Temple module.

The Lair Crew takes on Shadowdark as they play Kelsey Dionne's free Raiders of the Hidden Temple adventure. In the first actual play episode, they venture into a snake-infested dungeon, discovering dangerous monsters and potential allies.

Get the dungeon: EnWorld - Kelsey Dionne publishes two new free Shadowdark adventures

New to Shadowdark? Get the free Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set from the Arcane Library.

The quickstart set includes example characters, essential rules, and a ready-to-play dungeon.

Want to know more about Shadowdark? Check out our episode "d12 Reasons Shadowdark is Awesome!"

Check out Part 2 of the actual play.

Chapters

0:00 Intro & Setup – Welcome to Shadowdark in Foundry VTT

6:30 The Temple Doors & Snake Trap Puzzle

14:10 The Hypnotic Pool & The Emerald Dive

22:40 Meeting the Snakefolk & The Cursed Dilemma

31:15 Bloodthirsty Prisoner & Party Tensions Rise

39:50 Enter the Chapel & Alessa's Mission

48:00 Ambush! The Vampirodile Attacks

59:45 Blood, Magic & Betrayal – Combat Escalates

1:16:00 The Final Blow & Tactical Retreat

1:29:00 Aftermath, Drumbeats & What Comes Next

Cast of Characters

Zorax the Unready (Chris) – Wizard

A classically trained wizard with a spell book full of utility and a knack for casting magic missile, Zorax is more scholar than adventurer—often pondering the mystical while his party dives headlong into danger. Ever curious but slightly aloof, he has a cautious presence, offering magical firepower and insightful observations from the back line.

Rilmorn (Josh) – Thief

Impulsive, chaotic, and famously unlucky, Rilmorn dives into danger with zero hesitation—whether it’s belly-crawling ahead of the group, swallowing a gem, or stabbing a snake-person mid-negotiation. He embodies the archetypal rogue with a wild streak, equal parts comic relief and terrifying wild card.

Anders (Ken) – Fighter (Sea Wolf)

A spear-wielding berserker blessed by old gods, Anders charges headfirst into combat with bravado, charisma, and minimal regard for tactics or consequences. He’s a blend of Conan the Barbarian and Thor with a concussion—smiling as he stabs and only asking questions after the bodies hit the floor.

Lila (Erin) – Priest

Wise and pragmatic, Lila serves as the moral compass and healing backbone of the group, unafraid to challenge poor decisions or channel divine wrath when undead monstrosities strike. Calm under pressure but quick to act when needed, she blesses weapons, turns the undead, and debates with bloodthirsty prisoners without flinching.

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch Raiders of the Lost Temple, Part 1/3 on YouTube.

Show Notes

The setting is a jungle temple with Indiana Jones vibes.

The ruleset is Shadowdark.

Major events in the episode

Party decrypts a reptilian phrase: “A snake shall always find safe passage”

First major trap revealed—players must crawl under or face slicing spears

Mysterious pool hypnotizes players with serpent-like reflections

Rogue Rilmorn dives in, swallows a gem, and later becomes a one-man blood detector

Players encounter snake-headed humanoids claiming to be cursed by a wizard named Gorgoroth

Trust issues spike as Rilmorn executes a cold-blooded backstab, using the corpse as bait

A massive undead crocodile (vampirodile) attacks, draining HP and Constitution

Intense combat ensues—players burn luck points and divine smites to survive

Final blow delivered by Anders wielding a newly-blessed spear

Featured Image Meta

Black-and-white artwork from the Raiders of the Lost Temple module.

Ken returns to the Dungeon of Dread by Rose Estes, the first of TSR's Endless Quest books for Dungeons & Dragons.

The book places you in the role of a young warrior who befriends a halfling thief. The halfling just escaped the lair of a magic-user, so naturally he's up for going back there with you… It's a classic book, and one that went on to inform a lot of Ken's early D&D campaigns (and his ongoing affection for water weirds…)

Chapters

0:27 A D&D Geek's First Endless Quest0:56 Mechanics and Flavor Text – No Dice Required1:55 Cryptic Warnings and Classic Monsters3:22 The Nostalgia Factor4:27 Next stop … Gamma World?5:00 Outro – Share Your Own Endless Quest Stories

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch "Dungeon of Dread - Endless Quest Book Review" on YouTube.

Show Notes

Overview of Dungeon of Dread (1982) by Rose Estes

Introduction to the Endless Quest series (1982–1987)

Roleplaying without dice: choose-your-own-adventure style

Your character: a slim 5'9" adult human fighter

Gear as flavor text, not inventory

Early monster encounters: water weirds, kobolds, hobgoblins, basilisk

Narrative decisions that lead to death or danger (e.g., falling in holes)

Personal nostalgia: how these books fueled imagination between D&D sessions

The roots of Ken’s love for green slime and traps

Collecting vintage Endless Quest books

Teaser: Gamma World’s Light on Quest Mountain

With help from the Lair community, we collected eight house rules for Shadowdark. On this episode, we run through these rule hacks, offering our thoughts on how they might impact the game. Most of these are not rules we've tried ourselves, so we'd love some more field reports!

And yep, we're looking for even more rules variants. Leave your feedback and/or house rules in the comments, or email us at [email protected].

Want more house rules? Check out d8 Shadowdark House Rules

Chapters

0:00 Intro & Updates from the Lair0:42 House Rule #1 - DM Scotty’s Luck Dice (via Matthew McGugin)3:20 House Rule #2 - Dice Instead of Luck Tokens (via BrentNorton1602)5:43 House Rule #3 - Priest Miscast Tables (via BrentNorton1602)9:40 House Rule #4 - Session-Based XP (via BrentNorton1602)14:11 House Rule #5 - Max HP at First Level (via BrentNorton1602)17:24 House Rule #6 - Magical Tattoos and Moonstones (via BrentNorton1602)21:14 House Rule #7 - Don’t Lose Spell Until Success (via Sly Flourish)23:30 House Rule #8 - Removing Luck-Generating Classes30:03 Obligatory Rambling - Hades II, American Arcadia & Games from the Lair38:13 BattleZoo, More Shadowdark & Outro

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch d8 ShadowDark Hacks on YouTube.

Show Notes

1. DM Scottie’s house rule for luck dice

Details:

https://youtu.be/x13wXuszkLA?si=6B2P4DQjArcXLrOP 

Provided by Matthew McGuigan

Our thoughts:

David - Getting luck or luck dice for failure is interesting. It gives you something for losing a turn in combat. It will change how Shadowdark plays though. You can’t give dice to others like you can with luck. You can accumulate a lot of dice, making it nearly impossible to fail. It can tilt Shadowdark back to superheroic fantasy like 5e is.

Nothing wrong with this. Be aware if you use this house rule, it will change the game a bit more in the player success direction. 

2. Dice instead of Luck Tokens

Details:

Use d6 per level (level 1 gets 1, level 2 gets 2). Can be used to add or subtract from rolls at the table and can be shared with others, but can only spend an amount equal to their level.

Provided by BrentNorton1602

Our thoughts:

David - I think this sounds like a good idea. This gives you the ability to push you just over the edge, but at low level you can tell if spending luck would be worthwhile or not.

You do lose the chance for a big swing from a 1 to a 20.

At low levels you may not have a chance to succeed like you would with a luck token.

It’s a lot less of an impact than DM Scottie’s house rule.

3. Clerics have miscast tables like wizards

Details

The gods are fickle, plus it’s easier if the system is the same for all casters. 

Provided by BrentNorton1602

Our thoughts:

Hmmmm. Kind of like the arbitrary nature of needing to atone. 

Cleric chart vs. Wizard chart.

All wine turns to vinegar until you atone.

A plague of frogs. :) 

Enemies of the deity send someone after you.

Elite warriors of your faith come to beat the crap out of you. 

4. Experience per session, not per monster or treasure.

Details:

1 xp per session. 2nd lvl you need 3xp. At 3rd you need 4 new sessions. Easier to keep track of.

Is the number of xp needed equal to the level you are going toward?

Provided by BrentNorton1602

Our thoughts:

David - It would be easier to keep track of. I see two issues with it:

What about carousing and downtime? Does that XP go away? There’s a knock on effect to the game economy if you get rid of carousing, and remove a reason to go out and get treasure.

This would mean that getting to 5th level would take a very long time/# of sessions. It also takes away the need to gain treasure or do things in the game that would gain you XP.

5. Max hit points at first level

Details

Provided by BrentNorton1602

Our thoughts:

David - If you want a less deadly game at first level, I think this is a good option. It doesn’t lead to a great party cohesion if characters die right off the bat.

6. Magical Tattoos

Details:

We have a magic tattoo system and use warp stone, moon stone. Spell casters need to find or buy moonstone and have it turn in ink and tattooed on to their bodies. 1 pound per tier of spell.

Provided by BrentNorton1602

Our thoughts:

We’d like to know more! 

7. Don't Lose a Spell Until You've Succeeded At Least Once

Details:

SlyFlourish: ShadowDark House Rules

Our thoughts:

Avoids the “you failed. So sorry”

8. Removing character classes that generate luck

Classes like the Bard and Seer generate too much luck during games (or so I have heard)

Having luck easily at hand removes a lot of the risk in Shadowdark

Things like spellcasting become easier and more certain

Luck is sometimes hoarded for spellcasters so they don’t fail

Maybe this should be: Don’t allow more than one luck to be spend for spellcasting?

“You *must* use the new result” could be interpreted as only a single luck can be spent on a roll

Do you allow multiple luck to be spent on a single roll?

Obligatory Banter

Hades 2

American Arcadia 

Slime Rancher 2

Three New Battlezoo Secret Tomes for Shadowdark!

Featured Image Meta

Black-and-white artwork from the Shadowdark core rule book.

Ken digs up the Timex Sinclair 1000. When this tiny computer was released in 1982 for $99, it was the cheapest home computer on the market. Ken walks through the device's features, his challenges using it, and contemplates what it will take to get the thing running again (a rainy Saturday project if there ever was one).

Chapters

0:00 Introducing the Timex Sinclair 10000:35 First Impressions & Form Factor Throwback1:15 The Tech Behind the Machine2:25 Programming Memories & BASIC Adventures4:10 From Sinclair to Commodore 64

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch "Timex Sinclair Computer" on YouTube.

Show Notes

Unboxing the Timex Sinclair 1000: cheapest home computer of 1982

How it worked: plugged into a black-and-white TV, used cassette tapes as storage

Membrane keyboard woes: sore fingers, missed keystrokes, and perseverance

Programming in BASIC from magazine printouts (like Byte Magazine)

Memories of building a skiing game and early D&D tools

Sinclair's role as a gateway to more powerful machines: Commodore 64, 128, Apple II Plus

Discussion of family influence—Ken’s mom, a programmer, inspired him

Future challenge: will it still boot in 2025?

We're back for Season 5 of Lair of Secrets! On this episode, we take a look back at our favorite episodes of Season 4 including:

the actual play episodes for Cyberpunk RED and Fallout

GM advice episodes on modern maps and building cities

our cozy Saturday morning show "Campaigns & Coffee"

We also look ahead into Season 5, which will include:

New seasons of Fallout 2d20 and Cyberpunk RED as well as a new Shadowdark actual play.

Delving into Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk RED Single Player Mode

Shadowdark house rules and advice

Chapters

0:00 Welcome Back to the Lair – Season 5 Kicks Off0:30 Cyberpunk Red Recap – Flipping the Switch & Hera Awakens1:57 Modern Maps & Mothership’s Corporate Horror3:25 Building Better Cities – Real World Inspirations8:30 Fallout 2d20 Finale – Lasers, Zones & Tailspire Maps6:58 Shadowdark Fails – Mistakes & GM Reflections10:27 Unboxings – Fallout, Electric State & Savage Worlds15:39 Season 5 Preview – Fallout, Cyberpunk & Shadowdark Actual Play24:40 Geek Archaeology – Star Frontiers, Dragonbone, Timex Sinclair & Rockets27:28 Future Features – Craft Projects, How-Tos & Call for Ideas

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch "Back to the Lair: Shadowdark, Cyberpunk Red, & GM Advice" on YouTube.

Show Notes

Looking back at Season 4

Favorite Episodes?

Ken

Regular episodes

Cyberpunk Chapter 9: Flip the Switch

d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made

Fallout 2d20 Chapter 5: Thriftway Throwdown

Campaigns & Coffee

Build Better Cities

One-offs

Unboxing Fallout 2d20 Starter Set (such a goofy, disastrous video). 

David

Regular Episodes

Modern Maps

We got to talk about Ken’s best worst map for his Mothership convention game

So corporate, it’s perfect, just not for the people living in it

Campaigns & Coffee

Dave likes the Campaigns and Coffee as a series.

It’s a way to relax and talk as a group about different gaming topics that we are interested in

One-offs

Unboxing the Electric State

Even though I haven’t played it yet, it’s a gorgeous book and has been a depressing but creative read

Looking ahead to Season 5

Whats coming next?

Actual Plays

Fallout 2d20 Season 2

Cyberpunk Red Season 3

Shadowdark Actual Play

Episode Ideas

Why we love Cyberpunk 2077

Geeking out about Single Player Mode (Cyberpunk RED)

Fallout Series as inspiration for your game

Features

Geek Archeology - what tech/geeky stuff would you dig up?

Fixing my old Dragon Bone?

How-Tos - what do you want to see?

With help from the Lair community, we collected eight house rules for Shadowdark. On this podcast episode, we run through these rule hacks, offering our thoughts on how they might impact the game. Most of these are not rules we've tried ourselves, so we'd love some more field reports!

And yep, we're looking for even more rules variants. Leave your feedback and/or house rules in the comments, or email us at [email protected].

Like this episode? Check out our other ShadowDark shows:

d12 Ways Shadowdark is Awesome! (S4E15)

d8 Shadowdark Mistakes We Made (S4E19)

d8 Shadowdark Monster Resources (S4E26)

Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee)

Unboxing Cursed Scrolls 3: Midnight Sun for Shadowdark

Unboxing the GM Companion for Shadowdark

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to House Rules00:25 House Rule 1 - No Torch Alarms02:16 Digression: David's real-world LED torch timer04:14 House Rule 2 - One Hour Minus 1d12 on Torch Timers07:30 House Rule 3 - Henchmen09:39 Rule 4 - Constitution Score as Hit Points13:32 House Rule 5 - 30-minute timers for torches16:22 House Rule 6 - Sneaky Triggers18:43 House Rule 7 - More Magic Missiles21:12 House Rule 8 - The Crawling Clock27:21 Obligatory Banter: Finishing the U.S.S. Enterprise32:50 R2-D2 Model Rocket Complete!35:07 Anticipating the Mars Lander37:19 David's Theatrical Debut in Dracula43:43 Celebrating Milestones and Future Plans

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch d8 ShadowDark House Rules on YouTube.

Show Notes

d8 Shadowdark House Rules

1. No Torch Alarms

Details:

SlyFlourish: ShadowDark House Rules

“Players aren't allowed to use a timer to keep track of torches on their side. They can look at their watch or phone and note the time but they can't set a stopwatch or timer to keep track of torches for them. This limitation puts more responsibility on players to remember to deal with their torches before they go out.”

Our Thoughts

2. One Hour Minus 1d12 on Torch Timers

Details:

SlyFlourish: ShadowDark House Rules

“The GM subtracts 1d12 from the torch timer so no one is quite sure when it's going to go out. This alteration adds a little fun variance.”

Our Thoughts

Ken thinks … this certainly adds stress and anxiety for players

And Dave thinks … a fun variant for for the GM. :) 

David likes this one because humans are bad at estimating.

We don’t don’t think you need this if you’re doing #1

3. Add henchmen to mitigate TPKs

Details:

“After 4 TPKs in 8 sessions, our table adopted rules for henchmen. Make characters RAW. Players select 1 character each as their ‘main’ to earn full XP. Henchmen earn 1 full share of treasure and 1/2 XP. A main can manage up to 4 henchmen plus/minus CHA modifier. Players tend to run a main + 3 henchies. Initiative is rolled only for main PCs, but the player may order their characters actions any way on their turn.”

Provided by macoppy6571

Our thoughts

We like idea of henchmen … is the share split amidst the henchmen? Or do each henchmen get their own XP?

Definitely has the old school feel of old D&D hiring henchmen.

4. Constitution Score as Hit Points

Details:

“I give player HP equal to their con score at Level 1.”

Provided by GM GI Joe

Our thoughts

Wow … that can be a lot of points!

Eliminates a lot of the low level dread, BUT keeps the PCs alive.

5. 30 minute timers for torches.

Details:

“I play solo, so most of my rules are geared towards solo play. For torches, I set a 30 minute timer, and after 30 minutes there’s a 50/50 chance it burns out. If it doesn’t burn out, it can last up to 90 minutes.” 

Provided by BradUtterstrom4105

Our thoughts:

We like the push your luck aspect of this option.

6. Sneaky Triggers

Details:

“For thieves, I roll a stealth check to see if they can hide/sneak around to try to trigger their sneak attack.”

Provided by BradUtterstrom4105

Our thoughts:

We like how this introduces an option for making sure that sneak attacks are happening.

7. More Magic Missiles

Details:

“Magic missile has two missiles at d3 damage instead of one missile at d4.”

Provided by bradutterstrom4105

Our thoughts:

If you’re nostalgic for being able to sling multiple magic missiles.

BUT there is the math of the dice … you’re doing a little more damage per turn AND getting two targets.

8. The Crawling Clock

Details

Crawling Clock write-up for random encounters, which was inspired by Goblin Punch's Underclock write-up.

Our thoughts:

We like the idea … though David’s not great at rolling random encounters.

Ken likes the variability, and having the die there helps remind us that random encounters should be happening.

Obligatory Banter

The Enterprise Flying Model Rocket (ken)

Been working on it for several weeks.

NeutronLad says he’ll likely graduate from college before I finish it.

BUT I am getting pretty close to finishing it. Just need to hand paint a few more elements and then try to stick 50-year old, water-based decals on the ship. 

What could go wrong?

Well, actually, decals that old can disintegrate when you put them in water, so I used clear coat on them in an effort to give them more structure 

Dracula

David’s acting in Dracula as the attendant.

Featured Image Meta

Black-and-white artwork from the Shadowdark core rule book.

We unbox the GM Companion for Shadowdark, a supplemental rulebook designed to make the game master's life easier. Written by Chubby Funster, it's got a ton of random charts for the world above and the world below, plus monsters, treasure, and much more. Get the GM's Companion for Shadowdark at DriveThruRPG.

Chapters

0:00 Intro & GM Needs for Shadowdark0:07 Unboxing the Book & Initial Impressions1:15 Exploring the World Above: Hex Crawling, Biomes & Hazards3:43 Cities, Settlements, Shops & Taverns5:30 Class-Based Carousing & Downtime Options7:13 The World Below: Dungeon Generation, Rivals & Traps9:52 Monsters, Treasure & Magic Items12:08 Final Thoughts

Listen to the Episode

Watch to the Episode

Watch Unboxing GM Companion for Shadowdark on YouTube.

Venture Deeper for more Shadowdark!

What more ShadowDark? We’ve got more ShadowDark!

d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made (S4E19)

d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! (S4E15)

Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee)

Unboxing Cursed Scrolls 3: Midnight Sun for ShadowDark

Featured Image Meta

Cavern artwork from the GM's Companion for Shadowdark. Credit: Chubby Funster.

In this episode of the Cyberpunk campaign, the Edgerunners navigate the treacherous Elysium HQ after awakening Hera, a vengeful AI.

They embark on a mission to plant AI-spawned seeds across the city, facing various challenges including combat with scavengers and the emergence of the Glow Boys amidst a radioactive sand storm.

Get more Cyberpunk RED:

Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets

Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources

Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions

Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets

Chapters

00:00 The Awakening of Hera02:41 The Mission to Plant the Seeds07:06 Combat and Chaos in the Garden Level11:41 The Escape Plan28:02 Exploring the Map and Game Mechanics35:23 Encountering the Glow Boys43:12 Inside the Building and Tactical Decisions48:50 The Growl of Danger52:40 A New Challenge Emerges01:00:41 Critical Moments01:07:13 Tactical Decisions in Close Quarters01:08:47 The Aftermath of Battle01:10:55 Resource Management and Vehicle Repairs01:20:15 Conclusion and Future Adventures

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Show Notes

Recap: Edgerunners awaken Hera, the vengeful AI, and agree to her mission

Objective: Plant AI "seeds" in three Hercules Industries locations

Immediate goal: Escape Elysium HQ on foot without a vehicle

Encounter: Hostile scavvers attacking cyber-corvids for chrome

Tactical choices: Split between sneaking out and running headfirst into danger

Surprise threat: A radioactive storm arrives mid-escape

Retreat to shelter: Players take refuge in a ruined garage

Combat: Coydogs attack—Bob attempts diplomacy with kibble

Atlas falls dramatically out a window

Bob uses glow sticks and a flashlight to reveal threats

Players defeat coydogs and trick the Glow Boys into thinking they’re dead

Final escape: Hotwire a barely-working car and roll out of the Hot Zone

Featured Image Meta

The glowing ruins of downtown Night City, as depicted in the Cyberpunk RED core rule book. Credit: R. Talsorian Games.