For all of the whimsy present in the Forgotten Realms, tabletop fantasy has always had a fascination with the dark. The farther back you go, the grittier adventures seem, and this extends to both lore and mechanics. The "Old School Renaissance" movement, or OSR, is a philosophy in the tabletop space focused on evoking those earliest RPGs. Shadowdark RPG is one of the best examples of OSR, and this third-party supplement makes it even edgier.
Blood Magic for Shadowdark is a supplement for Shadowdark RPG by Molten Blast. The supplement adds two new classes, alongside 20+ spells, 15+ monsters, and rules for Blood Rites. Molten Blast has successfully launched multiple OSR projects, some of which rival D&D books. However, they don't have too many products for Shadowdark RPG. As such, they opted to release Blood Magic as a digital PDF, with physical prints on a made-to-order basis.
While alignment having mechanical effects has become more of a suggestion in modern D&D, Blood Magic makes alignment crucial. Those who dabble in this crimson sorcery sacrifice much, and their reasons for doing so affect what they can do. Are you a somber anti-hero, using the tools of darkness to fight even greater threats? Or perhaps you seek to become the darkness itself, staining the shadows red?
Alignment also extends to spells, as some blood magic is so morbid that only Chaos-aligned creatures can cast them. The new monsters are either creations of bloodcraft, or the unfortunate practitioners themselves, malformed and minds broken. Finally, the blood rites are a fantastic way to jumpstart the campaign if blood magic is the star of the story.
As a fan of Shadowdark RPG, I love when these lore-friendly supplements are created by passionate fans. It makes the tabletop world outside D&D that much more enticing for newbies. As the Blood Magic supplement has already met its funding goal ten times over, there's a clear desire for more of this occult TTRPG.
The Blood Magic for Shadowdark RPG Kickstarter ends on January 9, 2026.
Need more OSR recommendations? The Wargamer Discord has some tabletop vets ready to help. For other D&D alternatives, check out the best tabletop RPGs guide.