How the Dark Souls RPG differs from 5th edition D&D
When Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game was announced last month, the response among fans was mixed. It all sort of depends on what exactly you happen to be a fan of. Like Dark Souls? Then you’re likely pretty hyped for a tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) based on the original video game. Are you a fan of TTRPGs? Well, then you’re likely a little more blasé about yet another sourcebook for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons.
Perhaps sensing that indifference among TTRPG fans, on Wednesday developer Steamforged Games let out a few key details about what makes Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game different from bog-standard 5e. They show a game laser-focused on tactical combat. It even uses a key term from 4th edition D&D, one long since abandoned by the modern version of the game.
That’s right kids: Bloodied is back.
In 4th edition D&D, player characters or monsters that were bloodied — that is, reduced to less than half of their maximum hit points — gained access to new abilities. Monsters in particular became more deadly, lashing out with new and more powerful attacks. That sounds like just the thing to help recreate a battle against Dark Souls’ Ornstein and Smough, a video game fight that changes dramatically halfway through. According to Steamforged, players get some benefits from being bloodied as well. “It’s not much,” they add, “but it might keep you going that little bit further.”
Even more useful to players, it seems, will be a wholly new concept called “position,” which Steamforged has ginned up as a corollary to Dark Souls’ stamina. And no, it’s not just the flanking mechanic ported over from 4th edition D&D. From Steamforge’s blog post:
5e doesn’t have anything resembling stamina — and introducing it would require an
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