One of the best mechanics in the game is lots of fun for the GM.

Light is one of the most precious commodities in Shadowdark RPG. Torches last all of ONE hour in real time. Inventory space is somewhat limited. How to players keep the torch fires going and still survive the horrors beneath the surface? Here are a few thoughts to go along with what was listed in the Shadowdark rules:

  1. Fighting baddies when the players can’t see what’s out there. It’s tricky at best to fire a crossbow or a bow while holding a torch in one hand. Players might want to be aware of that when crawling the depths of a dungeon. There’s also the disadvantage of only being able to see about half of a missile weapon’s effective range.

    However, Shadowdark monsters can see in the dark and could easily plunk away on those pesky crawlers all lit up with those bright and shiny torches. Nothing says, “Shoot me” like being the only source of light for several dozen yards.
  2. Monsters vs people carrying light sources. We all know most hirelings and Wizards packing light spells tend not to have much for Hit Points. I mean, it’s kinda metagaming, yet not to go after these particular characters holding light sources.
  3. Doing their thing while holding a torch or other light source. Imagine trying to fight without dropping the torch. Worse, imagine trying to cast a spell while holding a light source. Some characters might be wielding the torch instead of a more legitimate weapon.
  4. Creatures accustomed to the dark are going to instantly be attracted to the nuisance that is any kind of bright light in their otherwise dank, dark dungeon environment. Some monsters might even associate bright light with the last meal they ate.
  5. Some creatures might be so annoyed with the bright light as to attack the source of light first just because it’s super annoying to them. They might not care so much about the creature holding the torch as much as just wanting the nice darkness back. Some intelligent monsters might not even understand that the squishy crawlers can’t see in the dark without the torches.
  6. Some creatures might cope with darkness by taking advantage of sound. If adventurers with torches are annoying, imagine how much noise they make when those torches go out. That’s like ringing the dinner bell for some creatures.
  7. These crawler types are easy to follow through a dungeon. Just smell the smoke and look for spent torches wherever they’ve been. Stealthy dungeon predators might hang back and wait for those lights to go out.

    Likewise, crawlers are easy to mess with because it’s not like they can see that well in the dark even with their torches. Making sounds to lure them into specific areas of the dungeon or traps would be pretty tempting for devious intelligent dungeon minions.
  8. Lantern and lamp oil are ridiculously flammable. Knock even one lantern on the ground and the spill might be fun to watch during the brief moments it burns. Swatting at lanterns could make things pretty exciting for anyone holding such items.

I hope these tips have been helpful for GMs. Thank you for stopping by today. I appreciate you.