Getting Started

This guide will show you how to play Shadowbane as soon as possible. It is designed for everyone - from complete newbies to veteran players alike!

Step 1: Account Creation

You must have a forum account to play the game. You don't have to post or interact with the community if you don't want to, but you need a working account! The username and password you create will also be your login ID and password for the game itself. Click below to register.

Registration

1. Click the Register button above.
2. Read and agree to the terms and conditions.
3. Enter your user name of choice, then fill out other details. You'll need to validate your email address before the account is activated.
4. Once your account is active, you'll be able to post on the forums, but that is not required for playing the game.

Step 2: Download

PC Download

Note: If you are a Mac user, please see Mac Setup instead.

1. Click here to download the Shadowbane client and launcher bundle ZIP file. (If you have played Shadowbane Emulator recently, you don't need to download a new client. Just download the new launcher here)
2. Once downloaded, right-click the compressed file and extract it where you like.
3. Determine whether your computer is 64-bit or 32-bit (most modern computers are 64-bit. For help, click here)
4. Create a shortcut to SBE_Launcher_64bit.exe (or SBE_Launcher_32bit.exe if you have a 32-bit system) in a convenient spot.

Step 3: Play

Now that you have the launcher, its time to boot it up! To create a fair game environment, all players must associate their computer with their account. This ensures that the game knows the difference between your main client and your alternate clients should you choose to multibox.

First-Time Login

1. Start the launcher application using the shortcut you created in the previous section
2. You will see that the launcher has assigned you both a "MAC" and "CODE" number.
3. Open the Shadowbane Emulator forum in a new browser tab. If you are not already logged in, click Login at the top right of the forum page.
4. 

   Fig. 1
   Click Launcher Config at the top of the forum page (Fig. 1)
5. Copy and paste the MAC and CODE numbers from your launcher to the website, then click VERIFY.
6. Once the website has confirmed your account is verified, click PLAY at the bottom right of the launcher window.

What Should I Do Now?

Get Up-to-Speed on Changes

If you are a returning player, visit the following forum post to learn everything that has changed between the live game and now:

• What's different here from SB at Shutdown 24.3?

Decide How You Want to Play

Shadowbane is a lot more fun when you have allies, and certain game features require access to player-made cities. If you would like to make some new friends or find a guild, check out the Guild Hall. If you are already playing Shadowbane with friends, now is the time to let them know that you've set up the client and are ready to play.

If you are more of a solo player, know that this wiki is full of resources to help you learn how the game works and help you decide what kind of character to make.

Character Creation

For assistance with creating your first character, proceed to the next part in the series: Character Creation. If you've already got a character, or need no assistance, you can proceed right to the in-game portion: Newbie Isle.

Want More Help?

If you are getting stuck or running into any trouble with this guide, please check the Troubleshooting article.

If your problem wasn't listed, there are people willing to help out! Log into our Discord Channel to ask the community for guidance, or use your new forum account to post in our Help Forum.

Shadowbane Guides
The Basics Getting Started | Character Creation | UI Setup | Vocabulary | Troubleshooting Leveling Newbie Isle (Levels 1-35) | 30 to 40 | 40 to 50 | 50 to 60 | 60 to 75 Advanced Game Guides | Character Builds | Do Not Train These Spells