Tag: Maxime Girard

Had my 4th play yesterday. 3 players, 1 that tried every iteration of the rules, 2 new players. Game went really well, everybody loved it, so i’ll jump right in the important part of my report.

QS V3 as been a really good improvement to the general feeling of the game.

Pro:

– Claim map added that many more objectives to the player and a fabulous tool to the master

– Details to consequences is really useful (p.13)

– Downtime are well structured and my players really loved to have it all written down. They loved entanglements, ect

– Playbook have better special abilities, feeling a little bit more unique (I’m not a big fan of “Veteran”, feeling some things should only be done by a certain character)

– Players really like to know “what’s up”, they know what is going on, what most of their action mean and what is their objective. They know they need to reach a certain amount of hold to raise their tier, they are able to plan wich gang they’ll befried and wich is going to be their foe. That’s something that is very unique to a RPG, feeling a little bit like a boardgame, my players loved that feeling and it’s really easy to get the master involved in the really long-time planning (sadly I just played one-shots)

Cons:

– I didn’t like to have to roll the tier of the gang to acquire asset, making it really difficult for a new gang and it doesn’t feels right. I would simply do the exact same thing than the “gather information” roll, player explain what they want to do and roll the action, no need for a different rule

– I like the new resistance rule, but I think the amount of stress is out of place. To avoid danger should never be that easy that it cost no stress, but I think a roll of 1 is to expensive. I’d go with something  similar to every other roll: 6: 1 stress, 4/5: 2 stress, 1-3: 4 stress

– Finally, I feel there’s something missing from the effect of complex action roll, as if the suprise of the roll has to few of an impact. I know it was a lot of roll (Action, Effect, Resistance…), but I used to like to roll for effect. I’d propose a single dice (1-3: 1 ticks, 4-5: 2 ticks, 6: 3 ticks) and then you’d apply all bonus/malus on a 1:1 basis (ex: potency -1/+1). And the effect dice could even be rolled at the same time than the action roll with a different dice color. Some playbook could have a special ability that gives 1 more effect dice (and the possibilities of critical) to certain action. (Ex Cutter get an additionnal effect dice to 2-handed weapon)

– To replace the veteran special ability, a character could pick from a generic list available to every character of a certain crew type (I’ve seen really great ideas for a cult-crew, but i’m sure we could do the same with every crew type. 

So those are all ideas and reflection, feel free to comment and share your toughts.

Here’s how it went for me (long post, be prepared):

Last Saturday, I was playing with a few friends to another RPG and since one of our player had to leave we decided to do a pre-playtest (since I already scheduled a real playtest tomorrow). 11 PM, 3 experimented players and no real expectations or preparation (I’ve went through the QS a few time, that’s it).  And I think that’s what made it so great, my player were just in the mood for fun and to give it a try.

I took maybe 15 min to explain the rules and setting (and told them we’d be really forgiving) and we then went through the character creation as you would expect it at 11PM, they didn’t put too much thought in the background, asked a few question on the setting and rules; 5 min later we were on the crew creation. That’s where they decided to go with a group of bloody thief (Reputation: Ruthless) and they’ve changed a few of their stats accordingly. 10 other min later they only had a name to choose. 

I didn’t want to let them linger and wonder what to do for that fist score, so I went with a meeting with the Lampblacks and told the all the basics of the situation. “Bazso is awaiting an answer: are you going to work with them to overthrow the red sashes? What’s the plan? Who’s on point? Are you here to listen or to do something else?” One of my player jokingly said they were here to kill them all and reduce their influence, so that’s what they did (didn’t let them talk to long). A clock (6) for bazso himself and another (8) for the 6 other lampblacks. Rapidly, I’ve reminded them how the flash backs works, they learned pretty quickly. One (the hound) used a Flashback to remind everyone he was outside with is long rifle awaiting for their sign (cost 0) and another (whisper) remembered everyone he used is connection to get a ghost to possess one of the goons with them (cost 2 stress, reduced the goons clock by 2). And they went with the assassination.

I’m not sure if I used the rules as they should, but my players only used team actions and it really helped them and the scenery of the combat, everyone was seeing a combat were they would swirl; fighting an enemy and trading with their friend.  First, the cutter (on point) jumped (Team action: Lead a group action) bazso making him bleed (2 tick) avoiding to get himself hurt(Armor). The hound took the point(group action) and fired at bazso while the others were in charge of making sure he were in front of the windows (gave them a devil’s bargain, if it misses, the cutter would get hurt, it didn’t happen, still only 2 ticks on Bazso’s clock). Finally the whisper decided to try the set group action, he used Channel special ability to make a big flash, blinding everyone and letting the hound do the follow through (Fired at bazso, did a critical at action and effect). They then proceed to finish the job, as soon as they did; they heard banging on the door. (I asked them a prowl roll to escape through the window and in the streets, they did it really fast, the whisper got is ankle sprained though). Flash back to choose the crew name and sign it in Baszo office.

We then proceed with a first round of downtime. Players really like that part, feeling they were building their criminal empire and that their vice was really part of themselves. They then decided to go on another score:  Strike the red sashes treasury. They’ve found red sashes costumes and the next score was starting with them pushing the doors of the dojo. I’ll spare you the description, but it went well, they tried having their crew (killer gang) make a diversion while they were getting out, but got them all killed or fleeing (they didn’t want to pay the stress to let them avoid danger) and right in the middle of the mission they did a flashback to learn they had a side mission to poison the red sashes boss sister. 

My observations:

-Keep it simple! 

-Action, Action, Action! (Blades, for me,  is really resources and described scenes, make it fun and cinematic)

-Encourage them to tell the story.

-Clocks, not the how; the what! (A clock for the guards, not killing the guards)

-Abuse the team actions, players will learn to all assume the risks and really feel like a team.

-At first, dont overplan, just let the players choose their way. 

My propositions/questions: 

-Crew creation should come before the characters, mood and expectation are more of a group thing than individual. 

-Why not put some empty clock on the character sheets for lasting effects?

-How would you treat a desperate group roll? Everyone get the advancement tick?

-Background weren’t easy to follow while playing. It would be good to have a regular background for each group and sometimes you could get a specific background to a character (or none, in my example, Lampblack were Labor, but Bazso didn’t have any background, he was too specific to be that predictable). A dice every time you deal with your background is quite strong, maybe something else (or a one time/score +2d)?

-I really don’t like the veteran ability on the playbook, I feel the playbook should feel unique, and letting a playbook pick from other kind of reduce the impact of having “your” playbook.

-I know it’s already a lot, but hold should get their own advantage and specifics, bonus on supply with specific items, protection in a part of the city, ect. Why not being able to “burn” those hold? For example, I invest 2 hold into a protection racket on a gun shop, once it could simply get you a bonus die on a supply roll (and that “use” could be replenished by paying some coin or by a job). 

Feel free to comment…

 I’ll keep you posted with my next playtest tomorrow. 5 players, I wonder if it will be as smooth as it was with 3.