Blades in the Dark Gets First Official Expansion

The popular heist-themed RPG Blades in the Dark has gotten an official expansion courtesy of creator John Harper. Blades in the Dark: Deep Cuts is a new expansion that adds new factions, new mechanics, and new background options for the fantasy RPG. This marks the first official Harper-made expansion for Blades in the Dark since the game was originally published back in 2017.

Deep Cuts is split into two parts, with the first adding new setting options to the game, including 27 factions, 100 heritage and background options, and 13 new innovations in technology. The second part adds six new modular rules systems, including new Harm & Trauma rules, modified Advancement rules, and a new action system.

Blades in the Dark is themed around players running a crew of Scoundrels pulling off various heists and jobs. The system uses a pool-based dice system to resolve checks, with clocks pushing forward to signify various complications and deadlines arising during heists. In addition to player advancement, the players' "crew" also advances over time, adding more options during downtime and more resources to use.

Blades in the Dark also spawned the Forged in the Dark game system, which has become a mainstay for indie RPG games. Critical Role's Candela Obscura is also heavily influenced by Blades in the Dark.

 

[Riquez]

I'm ashamed to say that I STILL haven't played Blades since having it on my shelf 3 years.
Its just that there's so much stuff demanding my attention. Ive run a bunch of other rpgs & i keep forgetting.
Well this is my wake up call to get going with it!! Thanks for the reminder

 

[RenleyRenfield]

So.... Deeper Cuts.... + Score = Engagement Roll result of "Controlled". um... so since that result is kinda "just succeed", how do you resolve the Engagement roll in that case? The character's basically skip the intro to the Score and move on to... I dunno.. It just felt odd to entirely overcome the start of a Score with one roll.

I do have one legit gripe = 1xp when GM uses your Wound to complicate you = worthless rule. For characters who didn't get a wound, they get no chance to get that XP at all. For characters who do, the GM (and I guess player too?) has to remember when to manually trigger the complication from the Wound = feels poopy. I would rather see Blades spend more time on "play your playbook/crew" in a specific trigger and get XP ideas...but this is all just ne IMHO...

 

[fbnaulin]

My brother has a lot of respect for John Harper, specially AGON, a game he has played a lot of times and knows very well. I think he will be excited by these news.

 

[zakael19]

So.... Deeper Cuts.... + Score = Engagement Roll result of "Controlled". um... so since that result is kinda "just succeed", how do you resolve the Engagement roll in that case? The character's basically skip the intro to the Score and move on to... I dunno.. It just felt odd to entirely overcome the start of a Score with one roll.

I do have one legit gripe = 1xp when GM uses your Wound to complicate you = worthless rule. For characters who didn't get a wound, they get no chance to get that XP at all. For characters who do, the GM (and I guess player too?) has to remember when to manually trigger the complication from the Wound = feels poopy. I would rather see Blades spend more time on "play your playbook/crew" in a specific trigger and get XP ideas...but this is all just ne IMHO...

There's been some good discussion on reddit on this, but fundamentally it's not any different then it was before? You do the engagement as you said in the detail, and you start in a position to move forward without immediate risk - link there suggests asking the players to figure out how they then get through the initial problem and narrate it out and then move on to establishing the next challenge/threats. Now you don't just always want to trade position for effect.

I agree with your second bit, I don't like the XP triggers in Blades as much as some of the PBTA "end of session" ones I've used. If you read the Designers Notes though the intent of the Harm & Trauma changes were to replace the question at the end of session bit with active use during play to remind people to highlight complications from Harm & Trauma; I and my players have absolutely forgotten to adjust rolls due to Harm so being more deliberate with that isn't a bad thing.