Blades in the Dark G+ Archives

*Glitch in the System: a Trapped in a Video Game Hack – Challenge Types*

In Glitch in the System, there are 3 levels of challenge.

The first is the low level challenge; a swarm of dire rats, a minor trap, a group of under leveled players. This challenge type represents something small and typically simple to overcome, requiring one or two rolls from party members to overcome the challenge. The challenge is represented by a single token, beat the challenge, receive the token. (Tokens can be exchanged for coin at the end of a score or can be used during the score for a free Push Yourself effect).

The second tier challenge is an “Elite Challenge”. A major complication presents itself, a tougher than usual monster appears, a challenging NPC duels your character. They are represented by a number of tokens equal to the challenge’s tier/2 (rounded up). The rewards are typically much greater for defeating this type of challenge, but the challenge is also more difficult to overcome, requiring teamwork and multiple rolls to complete.

The final tier is a “Boss Level Challenge”. This is the time a boss monster presents itself, or players are engaged in PvP with skilled opponents. This is the most difficult tier of challenge and activates the aggro system that I described in an earlier post. A boss is represented by a number of Boss Tokens equal to their tier. Boss Challenges are made up of a number of clocks equal to the number of Boss Tokens remaining and each clock has a mechanic attached to it (the boss sets the room on fire, minions spawn, the boss’ skin becomes toxic etc.).

Each clock of a boss will activate in a particular order and players have a certain amount of time to complete the challenge clock before it locks down and a new one is activated. When a clock activates, the Boss Challenge activates the mechanic written on the clock; and when it deactivates, the mechanic stops. Once a boss’ clock fills, it flips over, permanently activating the mechanic but also revealing a weakness to exploit. Filling a flipped clock deals catastrophic damage to the boss, weakening it for the remainder of the challenge and awarding the players the Boss Token associated with the clock (much bigger boons than regular tokens). Once all the Tokens have been taken, the boss challenge is completed.

The idea behind these difficulty levels is to make the game feel interesting to the players. No one wants to sit around and fight a group of bandits all day, but an epic battle with a Demon is something everyone can get hyped about and no one wants to be over in 2 to 3 rolls. This makes boss battles more drawn out, descriptive and challenging than simply saying “fill the clock, kill the monster”, while allowing players to breeze through the lesser challenges in classic blades fashion.

*Example Boss Monster*

*Vespa, Queen of Wasps*

*Tier 2*

*Boss Token 1*: Vespa summons a swarm of Armoured Wasps to attack the players and protect herself. Kill them (0/8).

*Reverse*: The Vespa and her wasps shed their armour becoming much faster and more deadly but become vulnerable to fire damage.

*Reward*: You may trade in this boss token at the end of a score for either a Giant Wasp mount each, a single Horn of Wasps that summons a swarm of Wasps that do what you ask, or 2 coin.

*Boons*: You may expend the boss token in the current score for +2d, +2 effect, or 3 mana of any colour added to the combo pool.

*Boss Token 2*: Vespa sprays poison pools on the floor and at the party making it hard for players to make a move. Players take unrestisted 1 harm for every 3 or lower a dice shows. Attack Vespa to make her vulnerable, or avoid her spray (0/8).

*Reverse*: Vespa begins to fill the room with her poison spray, all players take unrested 1 damage per roll made by the party. Vespa becomes vulnerable to the Speed Attribute.

*Reward*: You may trade in a boss token for either a Scroll of Poison Rain, Poison Resistance, or 2 coin at the end of the score.

*Boons*: You may expend the boss token in the current score for +2d, +2 effect, or 3 mana of any colour added to the combo pool.