Blades In The Dark

[dragoner]

I think so, as far as I remember playing, and reading the rules, I have it hard copy, some locals are big fans of it, though other than some playing pre-covid, I really have not got back to it, even though I bought the rules at my flgs. The other part of the game that sticks with me, are the trauma, and vices during downtime. It seems the game is trying to say something specific.

 

[Yora]

Stress is a fantastic mechanic. But I think vice and trauma are something that works really well for Blades in the Dark, but doesn't translate quite well to other settings. But of course you need to have some kind of consequence when you max out your stress pool and stare death in the face.
I've often wondered if there might be alternative ways to deal with that outside of Duskwall campaigns.

 

[dragoner]

The GM didn't stick as close to the written setting in our game, and didn't make us use all the rules in the way the book said. That is some our group, we have a tendency to play fast and loose with rules, to keep the flow of the game moving. Personally I think I prefer a little more straightforward mechanics, though not really as far as 5e or something, even though another one of us runs a game in that too.

As you said, the writing could be some tighter, though I don't think it is a bad game. I bought the book to play it, and still will.

 

[Tutara]

I really like Blades - it has pretty much the perfect narrative versus crunch set up for me. The sheer hackability (?) of it also appeals - change the names and you’ve got a neon-drenched 80’s tinged sci-if heist, or a pulpy as all hell 20’s cosmic horror game. I am very guilty of looking at a new system and immediately thinking ‘this is good, but could I do it in Blades?’. Working out new actions has also vastly improved my vocabulary.

 

[Aldarc]

Blades in the Dark has posted some one-page play aids on Twitter.

 

[JAMUMU]

I ran Blades for my guys pre-Covid, and it was only lockdowns what did it in. It's probably number 1 on the "You know what we should try again...?" list. It's a great game and so long as you understand that not everything (Trauma/Vice) needs to be ported over directly, very hackable.

 

[Yora]

Do the crime and wealth stats for city districts do anything? They are shown as filled in dots from 0 to 4, but are never mentioned anywhere in the rules.
Are they intended as some kind of magnitude for Fortune Rolls?

 

[hawkeyefan]

Do the crime and wealth stats for city districts do anything? They are shown as filled in dots from 0 to 4, but are never mentioned anywhere in the rules.
Are they intended as some kind of magnitude for Fortune Rolls?

You got it, you can use them for fortune rolls as needed. You can also adjust them to show the impact of ongoing events.

You can use them kind of like clocks, too. So if you have ongoing events in a district (a gang war, a magical plague, etc) you can use the district stats as a way to show the impact, and to set conditions. “When Crime reaches 4, all semblance of order is lost, and the Bluecoats abandon the district. Imperial forces will then be dispatched to restore order.”

Use them to help portray the city and how it changes based on the results of play.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Do the crime and wealth stats for city districts do anything? They are shown as filled in dots from 0 to 4, but are never mentioned anywhere in the rules.
Are they intended as some kind of magnitude for Fortune Rolls?

They can be. Also inputs for what kinds and scope of complications. Or completely ignorable -- the setting material in Blades is suggestive, not proscriptive.

 

[sgtnasty]

But over time I've come to see it morph more and more into a board game with role play elements.

So are you saying 5E is becomming more like 4E? I never played 5E and only AD&D and 4E.