Combat and Damage
Shadowdark Extras adds a post-roll damage workflow, configurable target/range rules, typed damage processing, scrolling combat text, and item-level attack automation.
Open Configure Settings → Shadowdark Extras → Configure Combat Settings.
The default is automation-forward: the enhanced card is visible to everyone, successful damage and configured conditions auto-apply, but SDX does not require a target or enforce weapon range.
For a confirmation-first table:
- Turn Auto-Apply Damage off.
- Turn Auto-Apply Conditions off if effects also require approval.
- Optionally enable GM Only Apply Damage.
- Set target/range checks to Warn, not Block, until your item ranges and scene scale are verified.
After a recognized damage roll, the card can show:
- the targeted tokens;
- the damage total and typed components;
- multiplier buttons;
- an Apply button;
- configured effects/conditions;
- GM/player visibility based on settings.
The default multiplier row includes 0, ¼, ½, 1, and 2, plus the card's clear control. Use it for immunity, resistance, normal damage, and vulnerability without editing HP manually.
Scrolling combat text displays the final damage or healing result over the affected token.
SDX uses the user's current targets and, where supported by the card, selected tokens. Target ownership and actor permission still matter. A player's cross-owner change can be relayed to the GM.
The Require Target for Attack choices are:
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| None | Roll normally with no SDX target check |
| Warn | Notify the user but allow the attack |
| Block | Prevent the attack until a target exists |
The Check Weapon Range modes are also None, Warn, and Block. SDX's quick range interpretation is:
| Shadowdark range | Distance |
|---|---|
| Close | 5 ft |
| Near | 30 ft |
| Far | Not capped by this check |
Scene grid scale and token positions must be correct for a meaningful result.
At the end of the workflow, SDX can keep every target, release dead targets, or release all targets. The default is dead.
Configured item damage can be tagged as physical or elemental/other types. The extended item sheets expose common choices including:
- bludgeoning, slashing, piercing, and generic physical;
- fire, cold, lightning, acid, and poison;
- necrotic, radiant, psychic, and force;
- healing where the item type supports it.
Typed components are processed separately so an actor's resistance, immunity, or vulnerability can affect the correct part of a mixed roll.
Open a Weapon item and use the SDX Bonuses interface to define behavior that belongs to that weapon.
Each entry can contain:
- a flat number or formula such as
2or@abilities.dex.mod; - requirements;
- Exclusive, so it suppresses other applicable entries;
- Prompt, so the user decides whether to include it in the roll dialog.
Damage entries use the same formula/requirement model and can carry their own damage type. Promptable entries are chosen during the workflow.
Configure additional dice and/or a formula that only contributes on a critical hit. Keep the normal weapon damage in the Shadowdark system fields; use SDX critical fields for the extra component.
Drag effects or conditions into the weapon's on-hit configuration. On a successful hit, SDX can apply those to the valid target set, respecting the combat setting for automatic condition application.
Bonus requirements can inspect combat context such as:
- target name;
- ancestry;
- creature type;
- current HP or HP percentage;
- conditions/effects;
- comparison operators such as equals, contains, starts with, or not-equal.
Creature-type checks use the NPC's manual SDX type when set, then the bundled bestiary name map. See NPCs & Effects.
Test one requirement at a time before combining them. A bonus that does not appear is usually failing a requirement rather than failing to save.
Weapons can execute a stored item macro at specific points:
- before attack;
- hit;
- critical hit;
- miss;
- critical miss;
- equip;
- unequip.
Run as GM is available for actions that need elevated permissions. The
macro receives the caster and workflow context. In current versions, token is
consistently a Token placeable; use token.document for TokenDocument fields
and updates.
Run-as-GM cannot create a token placeable for a scene the GM client is not rendering. Cross-scene targets are dropped with a warning rather than silently substituting a different token.
SDX supplies an NPC Attack item sheet with:
- attack count;
- to-hit value;
- damage formula and type;
- Shadowdark range choices;
- description and source tabs.
NPC Feature, NPC Spell, and NPC Special Attack sheets add Activity and/or Macro configuration for creature abilities that need the same automation concepts as player spells.
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Show card / show to players | on / on |
| Auto-apply damage / conditions | on / on |
| GM-only Apply | off |
| Target requirement / range check | none / none |
| Hide on failed attack | off |
| Scrolling combat text | on |
| Untarget | dead targets |
Damage was applied twice. Check for another damage automation module and turn off one auto-apply path. Also check whether an item macro applies damage in addition to its configured SDX damage.
Bonus never appears. Remove its requirements temporarily, then add them back one at a time. Verify the target has the expected SDX creature type.
Block mode rejects a valid ranged attack. Confirm the item range and scene grid scale. Use Warn if you use house distances that do not match Close/Near.
Apply button is visible but a player cannot change the target. The target may not be owned and no active GM may be available to authorize the change.
NPC attack count is missing. Update SDX. Current builds coerce Shadowdark
4.x's numeric attack.num before enriching the display.
Related: Spell Automation · NPCs & Effects · Animation FX