Update! In light of the OGL kerfuffle and the fact that ShadowDark is now heading to the realm of most successful Kickstarter on the planet, I've updated the Champion class to conform to new guidelines. Also, the text on the first page is now offered under the Creative Commons BY 4.0 license. Enjoy!
I found this new game called ShadowDark by Kelsey Dionne over at Arcane Library. She recently released a preview of the game rules -- a players' and GMs' book, respectively, as well as a zine with some new content.
We've played a couple of sessions at home this week, and I must say, I really like the way it plays. It's got the urgency and goals of a good B/X D&D game, with some DCC RPG and 5e D&D things layered in amongst Ms. Dionne's own brilliance. But, the
system is simple and elegant -- skill and combat resolution are very quick.
As always, I gauge most media -- and especially RPG media -- by how much it inspires me to do my own thing. I can see this system being perfect for a sword & sorcery setting I was thinking of building on a 5e-Hardcore chassis. This is a more elegant system and could much better capture the swashbuckling ideal that I had for it.
Anyway - my inspiration is a class called the Champion. It's a bit of a blend of ShadowDark's Fighter and Warlock classes, in that it's a warrior that serves an otherwordly patron. In D&D parlance, it's a paladin, but not necessarily a lawful good one.
I have not included patrons mostly because I'd like you to support Arcane Library's zine for ShadowDark -- where the Warlock class and its patrons appear.
More news on my own developments for this system as they come.
For now, check out the Champion class.
Art (c) Bradley K. McDevitt. Used with permission.