What should I play / modify if I want to run Dark Souls? Specifically like a super dungeon crawl, old-school on a grid.I want to run something people can drop in and out of, and something where I don't have to think about plot, just focus on mechanics. I thought the Undead from DS was a perfect fit for this - stick with one character who can die over and over. Focus on map design, enemy placement and behaviour, and big set-piece boss encounters.I know there's a few systems out there, by all accounts Dark Souls RPG is dogshit. I don't need anything with RP elements, just something that will feel good on a grid; something with that reactive/dodge+block based combat. I've thought about ways to adapt 5e, 3.5, PF, but not sure how to get that 'speed and spacing' kinda combat.
>>97228830The tricky part you're going to have is finding something that mixes >easy drop in and out with>complex tactical grid combat because that tends to mean character builds and those are hard to keep easy to pick up. Might be able to make it work with AD&D into grid combat and a megadungeon if you hone it in a bit. There's lots of megadungeons to pick from and the osr format of >go into dungeon >get loot, get out>????>profit suits the rest of what you want.
Wasn't there a neat tg-made fan RPG for Souls?
>>97228830There are some fan made systems specifically design for soulslike combat, like Fires Far Away. Whether or not any of them are worth playing is another matter entirely. But any variant of DnD is very much the wrong answer, and the very basis of dark souls combat will never translate well into a tabletop format because they are good at different things.
>>97228830Fantasy Craft, without a hint of irony. Gotta design your own dungeon though.
>>97228830I did this exact thing a few years ago and realized the grid was a hinderance and not a positive. I literally mapped out the entire campaign on a grid map, ds1 style, with loops and secret areas and hidden bosses. I thought having exact markers for player location at all times would givelegitimacy to the gritty hardcore playstyle, where players would have to move on the grid to find secrets/not get lost, rather than it being handwaved with dice rolls. It was actually a huge waste of time and the grid got thrown out on like the second session. Dark souls thrives on atmosphere and counting squares is the antithesis of that. If I did it again I would lean into rule of cool with more descriptive theatre of the mind areas, and focus more on the boss rush with interesting boss mechanics that will kill the players and make them respawn until they master the gimmick needed to win.
>>97228830>Specifically like a super dungeon crawl, old-school on a grid.B/X largely as-is except with a houserule that when you die, you instead lose a level and spawn at a bonfire. Go to level 0, you hollow and it's game over.
>>97229495I'd say the TSR era works because it has a similar attitude towards lethal combat and careful dungeon crawling. It doesn't replicate the action aspects well, but it's pretty clear that chasing that feeling is very hard mechanically and you're Dark probably better focusing on other aspects of the atmosphere for authenticity. Souls magic is just directly Vancian, at least. Just with different spells and schools.
>>97228830Depends how close you want to be to Dark Souls power level and how complex you want the game to be.>maximum trash to godlike powerlevel but high complexityRunequest >highly involved and reactive combat with that sweet back and forth but actually not that time consuming, and powerlevel largely realistic to heroic Mythras. Note that HP are pretty much never changing. Powerful heroes are much better at avoiding getting stabbed, but a proper hit still has decent chances to take someone out of the fight. It's Runequest but a bit more modern and with a lower power ceiling.>vaguely OSR deadly feel but actually surprisingly durable and heroic PCs if they know what they're doing Dragonbane. Also derived from Runequest and it manages to keep lots of what makes mythras great, while being a lot simpler and gentler at the table.It also depends how your players are. Mythras would be my first pick, because combat hits that sweet complexity level of 5e in levels 5 to 10. The problem is that you start right there already so your slower players might struggle with the onboarding. Dragonbane is a lot gentler here.
