Website: https://www.shadowdarklings.net/
Use Case: Online character creation and management for Shadowdark PC
Overview
ShadowDarklings is a free, web-based character generator for the OSR/Dungeon‑crawl RPG Shadowdark, developed by Kelsey Dionne and now officially maintained by Arcane Library. Initially a fan-made utility, it has since been acquired and expanded to include all official content—including third‑party expansions like Unnatural Selection.
This is a sleek, responsive tool tailored to Shadowdark’s high-stakes, low-prep gameplay: build a character in minutes, generate hits, spells, items, and export the result as a polished PDF or JSON for VTT import.
Interface & Workflow
The site is thoughtfully designed and intuitive:
- User‑friendly UI: Clear flows for character creation.
- Random or manual: Choose a random build or walk through class, ancestry, talents, stats, and gear step by step.
- PDF export: Download clean character sheets.
- Stat tracking and editing: Tools to import and tweak previously generated characters.
One Reddit user noted the tool’s polish:
“You should now be able to hit the ‘Random’ button and immediately get a playable character, ready to send to a horrible death in the dark.”
Another praised its utility for livestreamed games:
“My players loved Shadow Darklings … You immediately get a character ready to go … and export it to PDF … super fast.”
Features & Updates
Core Character Options
- Fully supports Shadowdark core classes (Wizard, Fighter, Thief, Priest, Ranger, Bard, Blackguard, Roustabout).
- Includes ancestries and classes from the Cursed Scrolls expansions (Witch, Warlock, Knight of St Ydris, Desert Rider, Pit Fighter, Ras‑Godai) and the Unnatural Selection supplement (Beastmaster, Shaman, Plague Doctor, Gravewarden, Ovate Druid, Fiend)
- Now officially covers all current official material and is being expanded continually.
Randomized & Sensible Builds
- Initial random builds were basic; later updates include sensible gear purchase, hit points, and talents to simulate realistic character creation.
- Adding treasures and custom magic gear enhances the page’s depth and utility.
Editing & Multi‑Character Output
- You can now edit stats, backgrounds, HP, inventories after generation.
- The tool supports exporting up to four Level 0 characters in a single PDF, making it ideal for funnel campaigns or backup characters.
Sharing and Integration
- Recently added the ability to share character links, letting players or GMs access character details via browser without extra accounts.
- Deep integration with Foundry VTT: exports JSON compatible with community system plug-ins.
Strengths
- ✅ Speed and efficiency: Generate a full character in seconds.
- ✅ Fully up to date: Every official class, ancestry, and expansion is supported.
- ✅ No paywalls: All features are free to use, despite official validation.
- ✅ PDF and JSON output: Works smoothly with both tabletop and digital play.
- ✅ Active development: New features added regularly.
- ✅ High quality UI: Simple, fast, clean, and effective.
Limitations
- ❌ No monster or NPC builder: It only handles PC generation.
- ❌ Lacks campaign manager or shared campaign features—though such tools may be added in the future per developer discussions.
- ❌ Web‑only: No offline or local hosting option yet.
- ❌ Shadowdark‑specific: Great for that game, but not usable for others.
Ideal For…
Shadowdarklings is a must-have for:
- Players who want to whip up new characters fast.
- GMs who need multiple pre‑gen characters for death‑heavy funnel campaigns.
- Online groups using Foundry VTT or looking to share clean character sheets.
- Fans of Shadowdark RPG wanting an official, well-maintained tool.
Conclusion
ShadowDarklings elevates character generation in Shadowdark RPG to a polished, user‑centric experience. From its humble fan‑tool origins, it has become the official, free, fast, and feature‑complete character creator—with smart updates like editing, PDF export, shared links, and full expansion support.
It does one thing—and does it exceptionally well. If you run or play Shadowdark, this tool should be in your bookmarks. It exemplifies how thoughtful design and community‑driven development can add immense value to an RPG ecosystem.