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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Grendel_Khan" data-source="post: 8597357" data-attributes="member: 7028554">One more thing, which is kind of the original elevator pitch for Blades in the Dark.A lot of FitD games have something that's basically a character sheet (or playbook) for the group. In Blades it's the Crew Sheet, where you mark off the territories and gambling dens and police-on-the-payroll and other elements you add to your criminal empire, as well as a separate crew XP track and crew abilities. In Scum and Villainy you have a Ship Sheet, where you pick upgrades to your ship, and your crew, etc.But in both of those games those sheets are also where you mark down your current Heat points, and your related Wanted level.To me, Heat (or its equivalent) is what makes FitD sing.Kill someone during your heist? More Heat than usual. Kill a cop? Loads of Heat. At war with another crew or faction? More Heat for every score/mission you do. Need an extra die for a crucial roll? The GM might offer a Devil's Bargain, a one-time bonus that comes with a consequence, such as extra Heat (you leave evidence behind, etc.). The more Heat, the higher your Wanted level, meaning more and better authorities coming after you, and possible consequences or story beats to try to reduce Wanted/Heat. It might sound like a super specific mechanic, but think about how many RPGs feature PCs as criminals or rebels of some kind. And it's a single rule that ripples out to touch on so many other mechanical elements of the game, but it also helps establish the consequences of being a loose cannon or pack of murder hobos, and sets up even more play loops. It's the first system I've come across where being a criminal feels criminal, and where the idea of being at war with another group has a cost (in addition to getting more Heat during a war, you make less money and have fewer activities during downtime phases--being a tough guy better be worth it).In other words, FitD's structure and mechanics might make it seem narrower or more specific than PbtA, but what it does, it does really well.</blockquote>

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