Rangers of Shadow Deep: A Tabletop Adventure Game

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I am struggling to find a downside to this game, however, TTRPG fans may find this one too “RPG lite” for their liking. In addition, if the creators are reading this there is room for an optional module for “downtime activities/encounters”

As you can see, this looks straight-up like a pen&paper RPG character sheet. Here we see the stats of my ranger, Drago Dunkelschummler. He’s a Dark Elf ranger (of course), and thus a super-cool ninja type person. I invested some points in upping the movement speed (because it’s an elf) from the regular 6″ to 7″, the mêlée score got a slight increase, just like the Will score. A 2-scenario mission that can be played at any point, but is perfect for use after a failed mission. Across the Wastes 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? The gameplay uniquely combines elements of roleplaying and tabletop wargaming, ensuring that each player's actions have a significant impact on the game's narrative. By pooling their resources, devising cooperative strategies, and making tactical decisions, players create an immersive and dynamic gaming experience. With a strong focus on story-driven gameplay, Rangers of Shadow Deep offers endless opportunities for players to engage in heroic adventures and shape the unfolding saga of the Shadow Deep.

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Old Bones: Issue 1 (Slippery Slope – A Frostgrave scenario with Rangers conversion rules, Alternate Poisons, Double Crossbows) Spells – Spells have wide array of uses including combat, utility, movement, and buff/debuff related effects. Teleportation, healing, fireball and even creating magic ladders can all be equally useful. That’s why we’re not famous rangers. Yet. Anyway, there are four Clues on the table we have to investigate to find out about the whereabouts of the ranger, plus two more in the buildings.

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 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? The plan is that it will be released in the next volume of Blaster (#4) a miniature wargaming anthology series I am a part of, that is irregularly released on DriveThruRPG. DM: Do you have any advice for designers looking to create a miniatures-based game? 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?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. Rangers activate– in which each player does something with their Ranger. One after another players may carry out two actions with their character: one move action (moving up to the character’s movement allowance) and another action like fighting, firing an arrow, using an item, interacting with a person or an item, and so on. Or do another move action (albeit at a reduced speed. It’s pretty much like in Infinity.) 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. It should also be noted the Deluxe Edition there have been a few additions including updated and expanded rules for character creation, updated errata and rule corrections/revisions, and expanded artwork. If you were planning to buy the game, this edition would be the one to go for.

RoSD is a solo or cooperative fantasy miniatures game with a serious RPG flavour. Each player plays a ranger (of Shadow Deep) and a handful (depending on their Leadership characteristic and the number of players) of companions. These are chosen from a number of archetypes and aid the ranger in their missions into the dark, dark unknown to uncover the dark mysteries thereof. A solo or cooperative tabletop miniatures game. Create your ranger by selecting stats, skills, equipment and heroic abilities. Then round up a group of companions and set off on a narrative quest! 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. A 4-scenario mission using 2 different ranger groups. Also includes numerous unique magical weapons that can be found. Incinerator Boardgames are limited, by their very nature. They are limited by the board and the pieces that come in the box. Now, this allows for much tighter rules sets, because everything is governed by squares, or hexes, and the designer knows exactly what the players will be using when they play. Wargames are open. Every player is likely to use different miniatures and/or terrain. This allows players to build unique tables and construct unique scenarios, giving miniature wargames infinite possibility. Of course, it also creates new challenges for the designer who must create rules that can work with a degree of uncertainty with what terrain and pieces will be on the table. DM: What does Frostgrave do differently from other miniatures-based games and how did it build on the games that inspired you to be a designer?As campaigns progress, characters will learn more about the plot, the kingdom, and the Shadow Deep itself. Each scenario builds naturally on itself and can have either straight forward or an elaborate series of objectives. Playing cards are drawn to randomize events that may vary per scenario.

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. Here’s an overview of this stage of the game: Dark Elves in Purple, Distel’s crew being blue arrows, Clarissa and the knight in red, enemies in green.Blaster is a co-operative wargaming anthology. Each issue contains a piece from each of the regular contributors, including, usually at least one stand-alone game. Volume 1 features 2 scenarios for using the Rangers rules to play out specific scenes from The Lord of the Rings. Volumes 2 and 3 include rules for the Cthulhu Mythos in Rangers of Shadow Deep. The PDF is linked and the campaign provided in the latter sections of the book are impressive. Depending on how the players chooses the missions, there are upwards of nine scenarios to play with increasing difficulty. There are also advertisements for an additional four campaign modules. On a side note, I can see RoSD as they type of system where a crafty GM could easily re-skin/adapt the rules it into branching type of fantasy settings or even another genre entirely.