I Want to Save This Game

Every time I reorganize my shelves, the space for Tales of the Valiant gets smaller and smaller. I had so much bloat in my library, it was killing what is arguably the best 5E implementation ever made. The reduction of books helps the game since it becomes more focused on the good content, and the fluff and filler are removed.

It has a better chance of surviving now with three shelves than with eight.

But still, outside forces are working against me. Shadowdark is the biggest threat to this game. Shadowdark does not require expensive online character creation tools, and the time investment in learning to play the game correctly is minimal. Shadowdark's game loop is tight: map, characters, initiative order, movement, torches, timer, monsters, and darkness.

Shadowdark is like the old Dungeon! boardgame, but more like D&D. The movement is turn-based and tight. The clock is ticking. Everyone goes on their own turn. Movement is important. Being innovative and efficient is critical. Resource management is a concern, and carrying capacity is a must, as you need to haul everything out alive. Light is your lifeline. No one can see in the dark.

Shadowdark is almost an "Advanced Dungeon!"

Shadowdark's gameplay is super tight, and it makes D&D 5E look like an abstract story game like FATE in comparison. With D&D, what am I doing? Will the DM please read the text box to us now? Where are we? What is going on? The looseness of D&D makes the game very difficult to get started and approach. With Shadowdark? Map. Characters. Roll for initiative, that is your turn order. Everyone sits clockwise in that order. You are first, please move.

Is Shadowdark too brutal and unforgiving? No way, there are mods in the game to make it more pulp-action and heroic. Roll your stats any way you want, do 4d6 and drop the lowest for heroes, but, honestly, the modifiers don't matter as much here.

Tales of the Valiant needs to compete with that, especially in a time where D&D is going down like a cruise liner versus an iceberg battle, and so many players are jumping ship for other games. I like 5E, I like the heroic heroes, but there is a point where "easier elsewhere" wins. I can do overpowered heroic heroes in Shadowdark easily:

• Roll 4d6 and drop the lowest for character creation.
• Roll for advancement at every level.
• Use a few heroic play mods.

Give all casters a 1d4 damage, range 60' "attack cantrip" as a shoot-y power; if you miss having that, and you don't need to make a casting roll for this, as you always have it. You say what it is: fire bolt, force missile, holy smite, shocking jolt, ice lance, and what have you.

But I am still searching for that compelling game hidden in Tales of the Valiant. I know it is there, 5E did have a certain magic to it, but the hobby is slowly moving on. It needed to be released years ago, and it still is an excellent version of the game.

I just need to keep trying to find it.

That thing to me that says, "You have to play this!"