Question about the Smugglers’ Barge upgrade. I’ve been running a game for a Smugglers crew for some time now, and they took Barge as one of their first upgrades because it’s a barge and why would you not? Also, ‘+mobility for lair’ sounds awesome.
At the time, ‘+mobility for lair’ was the only description we had for what Barge did. That was all well and good. With the full release, things have gotten a bit muddy. The full text states that you add mobility(which is italicized) to your lair, and then as a separate sentence, that you may move your lair as a downtime activity.
How restrictive is this? Do you have to spend a downtime action to move the barge at all? Can you move the barge during scores as part of your smuggling? Is the downtime activity only for really significant location changes?
What’s you all’s take on this? I’m inclined to still let them use the barge during their scores, as in-fiction it doesn’t make sense for it to suddenly just be stationary except during downtime. I may require them to use a downtime action before the score(to plan the route, prep the barge, etc), not sure on that yet — mostly depends on what we feel the scope of ‘mobility’ is and whether that’s separate from the downtime action to move the barge.
I’d just be wary that “using the lair on a score” subjects it to serious threat. Normally the lair is the only somewhat safe place for scoundrels, and it’s only safe usually by being unaffiliated with all the scoundrels’ activity.
For example, if the lair becomes their getaway avenue, or even the means of transporting smuggled goods, that’s fine, but man, that seems to be absolutely asking for a costly complication from a GM perspective or devil’s bargains. If the Lair gets compromised at all, the crew would likely at least lose the benefits of most claims (if that’s how that still works), but also narratively would have no space in which to house most downtime and freeplay activity.
I’d instead find a cozy spot for the barge (maybe a new one each week as situations evolve, using the downtime action), and then take smaller vehicles, carriages, gondolas, rafts, etc. for use on actual scores. Basically in my mind, scoundrel life follows the law of “If you bring it with you into risky situations, you’re jeopardizing it.”
I have to agree with Adam. My own players went for the barge upgrade for their crew of smugglers, and they tossed about the idea of using the questionably-seaworthy steamboat that was their lair on their scores. They decided against this for much the same reason: using it means you run the risk of losing it, and they wanted to have at least one place they were moderately safe.
As one of my players put it, “Blades is about taking risks, but taking a dump where you eat is a special sort of stupid.”
My take on spending a downtime action is that it takes that long to move the marge to someplace that is safe, hidden, etc. You can move it around anytime you want, but until you spend the time, it’s exposed.
Haha, I hope the crew is thinking carefully about leveraging their lair like that. Using your lair as part of a smuggling operation or other score, seems like a great way to lose your lair: it’s a lot easier for a faction to firebomb your lair when you bring it to their doorstep …