06/05/2026
Happy Friday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts!
One of the things I enjoy most about tabletop roleplaying games is tinkering with the rules and exploring ways to add new layers of depth without losing what makes a game special in the first place. Recently, that led me to create Forged in Darkness, a new supplement for Shadowdark RPG that expands character customization through magical research and equipment quality.
In my latest YouTube video, I take a closer look at the supplement and discuss the ideas that inspired it. While I love Shadowdark’s streamlined design, I’ve often felt that wizards and priests can begin to feel very similar to one another over the course of a campaign. With limited spell lists and relatively few opportunities to personalize magic, two characters of the same class can sometimes end up feeling nearly identical. Forged in Darkness was designed to address that issue while remaining true to the dangerous, hard-earned style of play that makes Shadowdark so enjoyable.
One of the major additions is a magical research system that allows wizards to create entirely new spells. Rather than simply selecting an ability from a list, characters must invest time, gold, rare materials, and considerable effort into their magical pursuits. Research can fail, experiments can go wrong, and success is never guaranteed. When a wizard finally masters a spell they created themselves, it feels like a genuine accomplishment rather than another box checked during character advancement.
Priests approach magical development from a different direction. Divine magic is not invented—it is granted by higher powers. Instead of conducting research, priests must seek the favor of their deity through offerings, rituals, quests, and acts of devotion. Their requests may be granted, denied, or come with unexpected consequences depending on the will of the divine power they serve. This creates a distinct experience for divine spellcasters while reinforcing the unique relationship between a priest and their faith.
The supplement also introduces equipment quality rules. Weapons and armor can now range from ruined and faulty to sturdy and mastercrafted. These items are not magical, but they can still feel special and valuable. A well-crafted sword might become a treasured possession carried through multiple adventures, while damaged equipment may require repairs before it can be trusted again. The system also includes rules for maintenance, reliability, and armor fitting, giving characters more reasons to care about the gear they carry.
My goal with Forged in Darkness was simple: provide players and Game Masters with more opportunities for meaningful choices, memorable rewards, and engaging downtime activities without sacrificing the gritty atmosphere that defines Shadowdark. Every spell learned, every piece of mastercrafted equipment acquired, and every divine blessing earned should feel like something that was truly worked for.
Forged in Darkness is currently available as a Pay What You Want download on DriveThruRPG. If you decide to pick it up, I would greatly appreciate a review and any feedback you have about the supplement.
Be sure to check out the video below to learn more about the design process and the rules included in the book.
Looking ahead, I’m already working on my next Shadowdark supplement, Followers in Darkness, which I hope to release later this summer. The book expands the rules for hirelings, henchmen, and retainers with a variety of tables designed to give followers more personality, motivations, and quirks while keeping them easy to use at the table. It will also introduce a new take on morale that helps followers feel more like real people making decisions under pressure rather than simple NPC stat blocks. There’s still plenty of work to do, but I’m excited about how it’s shaping up and look forward to sharing more details in the coming months.
Keep on gaming!
2026 Goals Progress
- Minis Painted: 215/150 – COMPLETED
- Large Models / Terrain: 21/ 6 – COMPLETE
- YouTube Videos:12/ 24
- Game Reviews: 5 / 4 – COMPLETED
- Games Played (TTRPG + Board Games): 0 / 4
- Thursday Drop-Ins Created: 5 / 12
- New TTRPG Systems Tried: 0 / 3
- Shadowdark Mini-Campaign Sessions: 0 / 3
- Shadowdark Release on DriveThruRPG: 1/ 1 – COMPLETE