So I found something that doesn’t seem to add up. In downtime, taking an additional downtime phase costs the same as increasing the level of a vice roll. Taking another downtime phase seems strictly better, not just strictly better, but also WAY better, it gives everyone an additional vice roll, instead of just one character, as well as several other benefits. Recovery from long-term effects, time progress on long-term projects etc.
It seems like the only reason you would spend coin on a vice roll instead would be if you were REALLY pressed for in-universe time I guess? Am I missing something?
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Well, keep in mind that the extra downtime also allows the NPC factions to advance their own plans another segment, so if you do it too often, your enemies will eventually outmaneuver you. It might be cheaper in the short term, but it’s probably better for the crew to keep going after scores.
Also curious. Spending coin on Vice also has the possible benefit of producing job/score leads from your purveyor.
Mike’s right. Not a lot of people take into consideration that the world around them is constantly moving forward, or the idea of time, because rules don’t often support the idea but Blades does, so feel free to get your shit together with another Downtime action and watch the city slip away from you.
Yeah, that’s potentially a concern, and it did come to mind, but the difference in the math is just so huge. Downtime being 5 times as good for your coin is a fairly conservative estimate. And since you’re not spending hold, your overall position in the underworld remains similar, there will of course still be stuff for your crew to do in a month rather than a week.
Yeah, Chris, this is a good point. I’m considering a change here. It never came up in our playtesting, but the math is the math. 🙂
To keep the coin scale as is, I’m thinking about ditching the idea of the whole crew taking another downtime phase, and simply say that a given PC can take an extra downtime move for 1 coin. This brings it in line with the other coin-spends.
John Harper if only one takes another downtime move, I would guess other factions don’t advance anything? So no more spending hold for downtime too eh?
I haven’t totally decided yet. I like the idea of spending hold that way, but it might need to be a higher cost.
maybe 1 coin AND 1 hold would feel fair. or if you want to keep it cheap just hold without the coin option. I haven’t played yet, so I might be way off base, but I get the feeling that hold would do a lot more to mechanize that feeling of the city slipping away from you while you guys are being inactive.