Rangers of Shadow Deep: A Tabletop Adventure Game

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Then there’s that thing. It’s probably just me being weird, but it already bugged me in Frostgrave – the fact that only one of the characters gains experience. Sure, sure, the companions also gain a sort of reduced kind of experience, and in Frostgrave the apprentice also levels up along with the wizard. But somehow the idea that for some reason this one person is more special than their companions (who are more treated as cannonfodder) is odd to me. I would prefer to all members of the group to gain experience. Solo and co-operative tabletop miniatures game from the creator of Frostgrave and Oathmark, Joseph A. McCullough So I seem to remember reading it or hearing about in a lets play video (or quite possibly I'm confusing it with another game, a very likely possibility) but can I only use Heroic Abilities and Spells once per game or can they be used consistently throughout the game???

This game is very much scenario driven, so usually the table is set up according to the scenario, an introductoriy blurb is read out, special rules and scenario goals are explained. At the moment, I’m working on a small game called Deathship One. The idea is that a squad of soldiers has been pulled out of space and time and dumped in an alien death trap. You can use soldiers from any time period, past, present or future. It’s a solo or cooperative game, and in truth, you aren’t supposed to win. It’s a death trap after all. The fun is seeing how far your squad can make it before they are overwhelmed. The whole game consists of playing through five rooms. In the unlikely event you make it through, you get to go home. I’m keeping the rules light and simple as I want the game to move very fast. In my case, the answer is ‘as much as I want’. Osprey Games and North Star include me in all the discussions about the miniatures. That said, I honestly don’t think this is one of my strengths, so for the most part, I stay out of the way and let other people do the things that they are really good at! DM: The initial and on-going costs – the vast array of expansions, multiple factions, new miniatures and rulebook editions on a regular release cycle – can be seen as both a barrier to entry for many players new to mini’s games and restrictive to regular players looking to try a new system. How do you feel about this and can you suggest any ways players can reduce these?

Very, very straightforward in fact. To help with all this predictability (D20 aside), scenarios will throw in events based on a card draw at the end of each or each other turn. RoSD takes place in a dark fantasy setting where the world is slowly being consumed by the Shadow Deep, a realm of darkness wherein evil lies. The Kingdom of Alladore is currently next in line to be consumed by said darkness, and it is up to the rangers, a group of skilled heroes, to stop it. This is a game about playing as heroes who are desperately fighting a desperate campaign against a seemingly unstoppable evil. They are the light against the darkness, and little by little, they will try to keep Shadow Deep at bay for another day. The world of RoSD is a brutal one. Characters and Companions may be gravely injured or die. Objectives may be lost, but for those who persist, a great story will unfold. In addition, most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of targeted advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices/or http://www.youronlinechoices.com. Solo and co-operative tabletop miniatures game from the creator of Frostrgrave and Ghost Archipelago Joseph A. McCullough If there’s one thing I’m not too happy with it’s that the game’s maybe a bit predictable. The events and randomized stuff that happens when investigating clues does help with that of course.

Survive and you will grow in power and ability, and be sent on more difficult, dangerous and intricate assignments. Yeah, it certainly is “the user-friendly, straightforward one” among the cooperative fantasy games out there I’d say. By the way, Modiphius (who will publish 200 new things at each blink of an eye, it seems) are about to throw out a second-ish edition. Not sure if they change much at all. I think they’ll just roll the rulebook, some additional rules, and some supplements into one 40quid tome. Slated for a February 2020 release. Also I have a rules question about the game and I was going to start a new thread but I figure this will save me some time and save the board some space..Unfortunately this simple zombie proves to be too great a challenge for the youngsters, and they go to the ground, later to be rescued by the rest of the group. Not a glory day for the dark elven kind. Immediately we have our characters and underlings swarm out to collect the clues. Drixi runs up to the top left one, Draxen to the one in the top right. The knight bonks the head off a zombie, while Clarissa kills another undead. A famous ranger is reported missing while he was investigating a deserted village. A group of less famous rangers is sent in to find out what happened.

Joe McCullough, creator of Frostgrave, Stargrave and Rangers of Shadow Deep, joins Diagonal Move to discuss the relative merits of spells vs grenade launchers and other miniatures-based wargaming topics. DM: Hi Joseph, thank you for joining us today. Please can you tell us a little about yourself and how you became a games designer?

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The knight stumbles out of the building which collapsed on his head and into a zombie. In the meantime Clarissa investigates the last remaining clue. She encounters a very odd person who doesn’t know anything about a range, but happily follows her around, playing weird songs. If you are a solo player or are more attracted to the idea of playing a miniatures game co-operatively, I’d go with Rangers of Shadow Deep. That’s exactly why I created it. While you will need a few more minis for it to represent the bad guys, you can always get some cheap paper standees or just use proxies as you work on your collection. DM: Can you tell us anything about what you are working on now?

In the end though, it’s not possible to keep everything completely balanced. As the number of possibly combinations reaches the infinite, there are going to be possibilities or interactions that the designer never even conceived. But that’s what makes wargaming great. It’s part of that infinite possibility. The wargamers that are attracted to my style of games are the ones that are willing to trade the occasional blip that they might have to legislate themselves for that huge level of possibility. DM: Stargrave, the successor to Frostgrave was released earlier this year? Can you tell us about the new system and how does it differs from Frostgrave? Rangers of Shadow Deep is a cooperative skirmish game designed by Joseph A. McCullough, the creator of Frostgrave and Ghost Archipelago. Set in a dark and mysterious world, the game emphasizes teamwork and shared decision-making as players assume the roles of Rangers and their loyal companions. Throughout a series of challenging missions, players work together to navigate the dangerous terrain of the Shadow Deep, face off against formidable adversaries, and uncover long-hidden secrets.

DM: The ‘hobby’ side of miniatures gaming – building and painting the miniatures – is hugely popular and even draws in people who collect and paint models without ever playing the games. How much input as the game’s designer do you have into the look and feel of the mini’s themselves? Things look grim, so she zips over (leaving Milo to fend off another zombie and a giant rat he encounters in the other hut by himself) to save the dark elf with a healing spell. He’s down for the game, but would be fine for the next mission. Created by Joseph A. McCullough and published by Modiphius Entertainment, Rangers of Shadow Deep (RoSD) is a tabletop adventure game designed for 1-4 players (yes, they have options for solo play). As noted in the rulebook, each player creates a character – a ranger – to represent him on the table, and to go on a series of missions to explore the Shadow Deep and to fight against the evil forces that plot to destroy their kingdom. Over the course of these missions, players will learn more about the secrets of the dark realm and will be able to watch their characters grow in power and ability, enabling them to take on greater threats and make a larger contribution to the war. So, while the game is still very much a tabletop wargame, it has a lot of the feel of an RPG, especially if you are playing it cooperatively with other players. DM: What do you attribute the popularity of miniatures-based gaming and the success of your games to? Is it the world building, the element of role play, the chaotic fun of rolling handfuls of dice?