Shadowdark RPG vs Shadowrun
Compare Shadowdark RPG and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Shadowdark RPG | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Play Style | Deadly, Dungeon Crawl, Rules-Light, Low-Prep, Theater of the Mind, Ascending AC, Roll to Cast, Random Tables | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + ability modifier vs. DC/AC. Real-time torch tracking (1 real-world hour per torch), risky spellcasting (fail a check and lose the spell until you rest), and randomized character generation (3d6 down the line). | Roll a pool of d6s equal to attribute + skill, counting 5s and 6s as hits. Meet or exceed a threshold to succeed. Situational advantages generate Edge points rather than modifying dice pools directly; Edge is spent on tactical effects like rerolling dice, adding successes, or imposing penalties on opponents. |
| Dice | d20 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Low | Very High |
| Accessibility | High | High |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | Shadowdark RPG Third-Party License | No open license |
| Cost | $$ | $$$ |
| Publisher | The Arcane Library | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 2023 | 2019 |
| Best For | Tense, fast-paced dungeon crawling where resource management and player ingenuity matter more than character builds. Ideal for groups wanting old-school lethality with a modern, 5e-familiar ruleset. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. |
| Highlights | Light burns in real time (one torch lasts one real-world hour), turning the dungeon into a ticking clock that pressures every decision. Built-in random tables for dungeons, NPCs, and treasure let the GM generate content at the table with almost no prep. Casting requires a spellcasting check, and failure ends the spell and locks it until you rest, making every spell a gamble rather than a guaranteed resource. | The setting fuses megacorporate intrigue with magic and metahuman races, so a single team mixes street samurai, mages, and deckers. Distinct subsystems model Matrix hacking, spellcasting, drone rigging, and astral space, each carrying its own rules depth. The Edge economy converts situational advantages into a spendable resource for rerolls, extra hits, or penalties on opponents. |
| Considerations | Character creation offers limited customization: ancestry, class, and rolled stats, with little room for build optimization. Talents are gained by random roll at level up, so advancement is partly out of the player's control. Real-time light tracking only works if someone reliably tracks elapsed time, which can be disruptive or forgotten at the table. | Matrix hacking runs on its own timescale and can leave non-decker players idle during a run. Character creation spreads across attributes, skills, magic or resonance, gear, and lifestyle, making the first build long. Dice pools grow large at high skill, so counting hits on a fistful of d6s slows resolution. |