Does anyone have any recommendations for running Blades as a one shot?

It depends to some extent on what it is you’re interested in doing, and what it is you want to spotlight about the game.

What I did for some intro sessions, where what I wanted to stress was the versatility of the game, was go through ultra-speedy character creation – focusing on letting each player pick a playbook, and stressing, “pick the playbook you’re interested in. Then we went, “OK, based on the combination you’ve picked, you look like a gang of-“. We defined the crew, we chose a first score, and we let the score get cut off mid-way if we ran out of time. (A 4 hour session should be enough to complete one simple score, including the character creation.) Again, my goal here was demonstrating versatility – the idea that the game can do all kinds of different stories and tones.

But for the one-timer I’m running at our local convention in April, I’m going entirely in the opposite direction — I’m creating a specific scenario, exploring some areas of the game I find particularly exciting.

Here’s how things are shaping up for me:

– Pregen characters. Characters set the mood, so I write characters appropriate in tone and content to the kind of game I’m aiming for. If I want a game of stealth and silent action, I’m not going to put in a big bruiser. I choose whether the characters are ruthless, or think they’re still on the side of angels – or some of each.

– No crew sheet. It isn’t necessary for a one-shot, particularly when I’m already providing a bunch of information on who and what the crew is, and what their situation is.

– BUT, do get players used to making decisions from here on. Write two one-line NPCs for each character — and let the player choose which is friend and which is foe. Come up with one or two fundamental questions about the crew and the situation, and pose them to the group directly. (In my case, I’ve got a crew of spooky Hawkers, with a Ghost Market; I’ll be giving my PCs a couple of clear choices for “what do the ghosts pay you with.” Are they a crew of secret-hoarders and extortionists, or do they have cool gadgetry fueled by spirit-essences?)

– *Define a starting situation.* The Quick Start is your guide here — you don’t need one score, or target, or mission; you need a broad starting situation (“There’s a gang war, everybody’s picking sides, and there’s lots of great opportunities!”), with plenty of moving parts, and some immediate pressure.

– Based on your starting situation, set up some clocks – I’m going to say three or four? – representing various factions, moving parts, things that are likely to happen. *These clocks immediately provide the players with goals to pursue, and threats to prevent.* And, they give you plenty of fodder for complications – which you’ll need, because you don’t have much back-material to draw on, and Heat and Faction Status don’t mean much in a one-shot.

That’s it, pretty much. A clear set of characters, a complicated situation they can choose how to deal with, and some clocks representing the major elements of that situation. Should be fun 🙂

4 thoughts on “Does anyone have any recommendations for running Blades as a one shot?”

Roe Portal says:

February 19, 2017 at 8:50 pm

I’m usually keep the “peek a friend and an ex-friend” part of character creation but otherwise use pre-made character. I start in the middle of an action scene and than flashback into the exposition (that ends with explosion that kills the exposition-guy, continue into the first scene, and leave my players with an acute hunger for vengeance).

I usually minimise downtime (one action for each character, stress relief or asset-acquiring only), and introduce mechanics one at a time (first “how action rolls work” then “how resistance rolls work” then “devil-bargaining 101” then “flashback back to the exposition and get exploded, you can do this to by the way”)

As the end of the one-shot grow near, I threat lethal harm a lot. its good for the mood, and sometimes they take it and die awesomely. once, I’ve offered someone “you get a die if you die either way” and he took it. last action of the game. good times.
Ziv Wities says:

February 19, 2017 at 10:47 pm

It depends to some extent on what it is you’re interested in doing, and what it is you want to spotlight about the game.

What I did for some intro sessions, where what I wanted to stress was the versatility of the game, was go through ultra-speedy character creation – focusing on letting each player pick a playbook, and stressing, “pick the playbook you’re interested in. Then we went, “OK, based on the combination you’ve picked, you look like a gang of-“. We defined the crew, we chose a first score, and we let the score get cut off mid-way if we ran out of time. (A 4 hour session should be enough to complete one simple score, including the character creation.) Again, my goal here was demonstrating versatility – the idea that the game can do all kinds of different stories and tones.

But for the one-timer I’m running at our local convention in April, I’m going entirely in the opposite direction — I’m creating a specific scenario, exploring some areas of the game I find particularly exciting.

Here’s how things are shaping up for me:

– Pregen characters. Characters set the mood, so I write characters appropriate in tone and content to the kind of game I’m aiming for. If I want a game of stealth and silent action, I’m not going to put in a big bruiser. I choose whether the characters are ruthless, or think they’re still on the side of angels – or some of each.

– No crew sheet. It isn’t necessary for a one-shot, particularly when I’m already providing a bunch of information on who and what the crew is, and what their situation is.

– BUT, do get players used to making decisions from here on. Write two one-line NPCs for each character — and let the player choose which is friend and which is foe. Come up with one or two fundamental questions about the crew and the situation, and pose them to the group directly. (In my case, I’ve got a crew of spooky Hawkers, with a Ghost Market; I’ll be giving my PCs a couple of clear choices for “what do the ghosts pay you with.” Are they a crew of secret-hoarders and extortionists, or do they have cool gadgetry fueled by spirit-essences?)

– *Define a starting situation.* The Quick Start is your guide here — you don’t need one score, or target, or mission; you need a broad starting situation (“There’s a gang war, everybody’s picking sides, and there’s lots of great opportunities!”), with plenty of moving parts, and some immediate pressure.

– Based on your starting situation, set up some clocks – I’m going to say three or four? – representing various factions, moving parts, things that are likely to happen. *These clocks immediately provide the players with goals to pursue, and threats to prevent.* And, they give you plenty of fodder for complications – which you’ll need, because you don’t have much back-material to draw on, and Heat and Faction Status don’t mean much in a one-shot.

That’s it, pretty much. A clear set of characters, a complicated situation they can choose how to deal with, and some clocks representing the major elements of that situation. Should be fun 🙂
Sean Nittner says:

February 20, 2017 at 4:17 am

I’ve got a couple one shot scores I’ve used here: seannittner.com – Blades in the Dark
Andrew Shields says:

February 20, 2017 at 4:46 am

This is how I do one-shots at game days when I play this with strangers. docs.google.com – Blades in the Dark Gangs 9.15

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