I’m thinking of replacing “Stash” with “Intel” on my espionage-focused hack, since accumulating cash isn’t really the focus of the game. Players could choose to focus on scores that get more Intel or more Coin, depending on their current needs. Set up kind of a dichotomy between being prepared with knowledge vs. being prepared with gear, assets, other things that Coin buys you.
Since an element of the game is players as information brokers, I think I’ll keep the 2:1 exchange rate for Coin (with maybe opportunities to bring it down to 1:1 in certain circumstances).
I’m planning on having players be able to spend it to either gain +1d (or maybe +1 result level?) on Engagement rolls, representing their greater knowledge of what they’re getting themselves into.
I’m also considering letting them spend it to take +1d to an action or resistance(?) roll, so long as they can narratively justify / make up how a piece of intel gives them an edge in the situation. I’m thinking this might throw the math out of whack, though. Maybe allow it to upgrade position or effect instead might be better?
Finally, I’m thinking about having “tiers” of Intel, like how having a certain amount of Stash gives you a bonus on “lifestyle” checks, having a certain amount of Intel might give you bonuses on Gather Information checks.
Comment and critique are welcome. As you can tell, I’m not sure which way to go with these mechanics, and was hoping to get some advice. Could be the whole thing is a bad idea, too, which’d be good to know as well.
Tiers sound solid. If it were me, I’d also introduce Influence as a reward type/currency, in parallel to intel, with perhaps a variable exchange rate in both directions depending on how much the person you’re interacting with, and their faction, trust you.
stranger <> known face <> transactional <> trusting <> altruisitic
could be a rank track.
Intel is useful in and of itself for carrying out jobs, but even more importantly, it’s valuable to people who may not even know they want it, or who do but don’t have the means to access it. Figuring out whether information is or was or will be trustworthy is the fundamental substrate of espionage.
At least in my brain 🙂
On second thought, manipulating the economy I list above might be most valuable (mostly) as a playbook, so people can decide how much they want to mess with it. This could also be interesting, although I’d accelerate how quickly to build lower levels of trust.
walkingmind.evilhat.com – Bonds in the Dark
Hmm, I’d think of Intel as being very much the kind of thing that would readily let you spend it for extra downtime actions, so you could do so retroactively for an Acquire Asset.
Benjamin Davis Would you mind expanding on this? I think it’s a neat idea, but my brain’s not quite making the connection between Intel and additional downtime activities narratively.
Intel for downtime actions or assets is shown regularly in “The Blacklist”
If the game is about spies, you could just assume that they have “enough” money and switch the entire currency to intel. It keeps it simple.
I’m just thinking about how you can normally spend Coin (or Reputation) for extra downtime actions (which CAN be used in flashback).
So intel as resource is meant to bypass devils bargains, pushing, setups, or assistance? All four?
What does it look like fictionally to use intel Tiers to get a bonus when gathering more “intel”? I’m trying to imagining how to justify the use of Stash Tiers in vanilla Blades providing a bonus to anything and I’m drawing a blank.
Omari Brooks In vanilla, your “Stash Tier” is used when rolling for smallish expenses, such as bribes and the like.
My thinking was that your level of Intel represents your general awareness of what’s going on in the city, therefore providing a passive bonus to gather information.
In game design terms, it counterbalances the urge to always spend all your Intel, since you can “save up” for a passive bonus.
Eric Brunsell A good point, but my hack is more about kind of low-tier spies, without access to tons of cash. More “Burn Notice” then 007. I want the players to balance between going after more cash vs. going after Intel.
Erik Bernhardt
I probably wasn’t clear enough but my point is that stash in vanilla Blades DOESN’T provide increased effect, +1d, or better position (what l haphazardly referred to as a “bonus”) so its difficult to make the fictional correlation with “intel stash” providing those things.
Seems like grafting the “awareness” focus onto a mechanic like Heat would require less fictional gymnastics than using stash.
Awareness is something you have until circumstances change enough that you have a less complete picture. You don’t “spend” awareness to get anything. But if awareness has a Tier level, like Heat, you can easily use it for fortune rolls. Then all you need are opportunities to inflict negative “awareness” driving players to make choices about when and where to get more…