Just in case a human reads this, finds it relatable, and cares to comment, here is a question for readers: How does the rule for rest in Shadowdark RPG (healing all wounds after eating a ration and getting eight hours of sleep) interact with the game's aim to make dungeon delving dangerous? I believe the super fast healing rate in Dungeons & Dragons dates back to 3rd edition, but my experience with D&D is primarily Basic/Expert D&D and AD&D 1st edition where healing rates were considerably slower. How do you explain going to sleep on the brink of death and waking up the next morning in perfect health? What is the in-game explanation for this instantaneous recovery? Is there any? I like much of what I've read in the rules, but this seems a bit too video gamey for the game's objectives. Please share any insights, explanations, or comments.
Don't let your players sleep. A stressful encounter can undo the entire thing. other half of the page gives advice for wandering monster checks. Smarter monsters might detect pcs, harry them through the night, and set up a trap to lead pcs through. You've managed to take umbrage with a quarter of a page while disregarding its context. Read the bottom right of page 107 next.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. At the moment, I only have access to the quickstart rules. Stressful encounters can be effective, but they are also used in early D&D to prevent characters from recovering hit points. So, Shadowdark characters still possess miraculous powers of recovery compared to early D&D characters. I'm just trying to understand the rationale. If the full rule book addresses it, I look forward to reading the explanation. (I plan to buy it after running the sample adventures if my group enjoys them.)
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