Blades in the Dark: Rules & Sheets (Official) – Page 26

Suggestion: it would be helpful to add “Military” as a possible background.

Super-basic question, probably:

Does “Wanted” ever not equal “Renown”?

Can Tinker be used to make an asset by using a clock, as per the long term project downtime table, but rolling…

Can Tinker be used to make an asset by using a clock, as per the long term project downtime table, but rolling Tinker (instead of Supply) on the Acquire Asset table?

Not sure if this belongs here or in a different section, but…

What are your takes on the Whisper’s Summon special ability? What do you consider to be a supernatural being (would another Whisper count)? What does this “magnitude” business mean to you?

My suggestion:

When you summon an entity you decide a set of actions that you want them to be good at. The entity gets a number of preferred actions equal to the amount of stress you take, and has a dice pool equal to 1 less than this. The entity takes -1d if it does not take a devil’s bargain when preforming actions (but does not gain +1d for taking the devil’s bargain) and will not gain the benefits of assists or background (as the entity will refuse assistance or physically is unable to be aided by it, and are already assumed to be adding their background to their set of actions).

The type of beings that you can summon include everything that is listed on page 41, as well as demons and any other whisper, or character that has any whisper powers. Summoning whispers takes 1 additional stress, and summoning someone that has whisper powers takes 2 stress if they have 2 whisper abilities, and 3 stress if they have 1.

What are your suggestions and ideas?

Not sure if this belongs here or in a different section, but…

What are your takes on the Whisper’s Channel special ability? What do you think it can actually do? What is this “magnitude” that’s referenced?

My suggestion:

The use of channel works in a very similar way to flashbacks. With a flashback you can set up an opportunity, and usually the more beneficial the opportunity, the less likely you would have had a clear chance to do it (I’d say the two are related, but not in any way dependent on each other). Instead of going back to make an opportunity, you are creating one out of channeled electroplasma on the spot. So, by taking stress you can use skills that you normally wouldn’t be able to (such as creating a blast of lightning to cause havok and justify making a mayhem roll). The first time you manifest a particular use of channel you take one stress more than you would have normally. You can negate this by spending downtime activity to work through a 6-10 clock (depending on the magnitude). Finally, you can use it to increase your own scale by increasing the magnitude (1, 2, and 4 respectively).

What are your suggestions and ideas?

The Devil’s Bargain sounds a bit misleading to me as it seems more like an option to preemptively compromise, like…

The Devil’s Bargain sounds a bit misleading to me as it seems more like an option to preemptively compromise, like if you were adding a 4/5 to the result, one that does not involve danger manifesting or effect reduction.

It’s not like you’re necessarily making a deal with the devil or giving in to temptation. I mean, it sounds cool, but I see myself simply explaining it as “you can get + 1d if you concede some way in which your success may not be perfect”. This is good because it works with the fiction as a way to generate more interesting details about an action. It’s a way to customize the action roll beyond position and desired effect.

On the other hand, we could have an actual + 1d if the desired effect involves your vice, much like the one for background.

A couple questions for GMs.

Suppose I want to put up a score to assassinate the Red Sashes Boss.

I make a pair of 4 sect. clocks fot thugs, another two or three 6 sect. for THUGGSS, and a 10 sec. clock for the boss, who is really not to be trifled with.

1) If they kill the boss, the score is over, right? Even if, ingeneral, the other clocks aren’t depleted? I’d say yes.

2) What stops a Gm from putting out 20 clocks, just because “this is going to be very hard, right?”

Is there any safety mechanism other than “be a fan”?

In looking through the quick start, there’s something that I just assume my group will change.

In looking through the quick start, there’s something that I just assume my group will change. It’s fast and easy, and makes sense to me, so I haven’t thought to mention it.

The quickstart suggests doing experience for a session at the beginning of the next session. The most obvious reason not to do it that way is because even in a stable group you may not have the same people at every session. So you play, but you don’t get experience if you don’t show up the next time. Or, people who do show up for the first time (or missed last session) can’t participate in the discussion of what you did last time.

Also, time passes and people forget. Even a week later, they may not remember who did what last time. No, experience really needs to be handled at the end of the session.

I could see doing down time at the beginning of the next session.

Is there a crucial point I’m missing?

I understand that items in italics don’t count for equipment slots. But what do items in bold represent?

Hey all!

Hey all! Loving the KS campaign, and I spent all weekend poring over the quickstart rules, which look absolutely fantastic.

One area I’m still very very confused about is Assets. Obviously, I could fudge or houserule this reasonably well. But I’d love to hear a little more detail:

1. Is asset acquisition at downtime always “Temporary Use,” or is “Temporary Use” a special case (like its neighbors “Heal Thyself” and “Overindulgences”)?

1a. If “Temporary Use” is the norm, how do I acquire something long-term?

1b. If it’s a special case – when does it apply?

2. I’m not clear on the distinction between a “fine” asset and a “standard” one (except for +dice). Can any asset have both a “standard” version and a “fine” one, and then I declare which asset I’m after, and Acquire whichever version my roll gives me? Or are some types of assets “standard” (e.g. “a blade”) and others have to be “fine” (e.g. “a spirit mask”), and so my roll limits my asset options as well as its quality?

3. Are Assets going to have precise mechanical effects and limitations? Or are they defined mostly by narrative?

I’d assume that a character wouldn’t be able to fight effectively without A Blade Or Two, or pick locks effectively without Burglary Tools – but I’m not seeing where in the mechanics this fits in.

I’m guessing it’s something along the lines of “Use your best judgement, and apply penalties to action roles if your character’s poorly equipped”; I’m just wondering (given the focus on Assets as a mechanical element) if there’s anything more than that.

Thanks!