Thanks a lot, just started Blades a few weeks ago and now excited to see the system develop!
I noticed that on the sheets the cohorts only have 2 boxes for harm, but usually 4 levels. Are the boxes for level 2/3 harm, as I guess that 1 isn’t doing anything to cohorts and level 4 has no need of recording?
"Strange Methods: When you invent or craft a creation with arcane features, take +1 result level to your roll. You begin with one arcane design already known"
With the module it should be "... +1 Quality Level ...", instead of "... +1 result level to your roll.", doesn't it?
Loving these rules, this is all really amazing stuff. Bought this the moment I heard it existed. After reading the rules, I had a few clarification questions:
When you act as instructor, you can still advance by spending XP. Does the quality level of the instructor matter for what level of action rating you can advance to? If so, can a PC gain higher action ratings when they train themselves (since their quality level would be equal to their current action ratings)?
Does "toughing it out" last for as long as you have the injury, or only for that scene? If it does, is 2-3 stress an equivalent cost to the penalties of having an incapacitating injury?
Since the hospital lets you recover all your Harm for 2-3 coin and possible heat, is it ever worth it to acquire a Physicker (extra downtime action to Acquire or have a contact for, spending Coin to get a decent quality level, and only clears one injury at a time)
Does heat reduction occur before you determine wanted levels / entanglements? As it stands, a standard job I could see for my crew would inflict 2 (standard job) + 1 (crew Tier) + 2 (witnesses) + 2 (typical amount of Heat complications) + 2 (at war, or open mayhem, usually one of the two) + 1 (fencing goods) = an immediate wanted level every score, assuming they don't execute perfect operations. If the goal is to push them toward prison time and wanted levels, that's cool, but it feels like heat reduction isn't very meaningful if it won't affect the fallout of a score (and no longer determines the severity of entanglements).
On a related note, if they reduce heat before determining payout / entanglements, do they earn Rep for the heat they reduced?
I also thought I'd share my own home rules about faction status. I felt that faction status changed too quickly in my games, so I turned status into progress clocks (neutral: 2-step, +1/-1: 4-step, +2/-2: 6-step, +3/-3: 8-step). Factions are quick to judge and slow to change their minds, so the higher-status clocks get bigger. Completing a score adds 1/2/3/4 steps depending on the severity of incursion or utility you caused the faction. Filling the clock adds +1 status, reducing it while it's empty adds -1 status (and makes a new clock that many steps away from full).
On the sheets, what does "+1 Rank" refer to, like with the Hound's Ghost Hunter? Through a bit of searching, I think it's referring to "whichever stat you're using, Attribute or Action, in the relevant circumstance," but it's not actually spelled out in the text.
Do you still get +Effect when pushing to activate a special ability, like in standard Blades, or is it push to activate and a second push when I want +Effect? It's an important difference, imho
So generally like this addition to the game, lot of cool new content, and I'm excited for a lot of the rules changes to be implemented in my group, but I did have some issues, which I am sure some other people have mentioned.
pdf seems broken as bookmarks do not work.
Spiritbane Charm, Arclighter & Glimmer, and Prichard Camera are under all of the scoundrel's special items when it sounds like they should be in the generic list since they all have access to them and therefore are not playbook specific.
The sparkrunner rig requires you to get in good with a faction, spend coin acquiring it, spend a level up learning how to use it, and makes you roll to use it with a risk of a malfunction. Which is a lot of downsides for a relatively minor power, specially when Shadows have Ghost Echoes which is all the upsides with non of the downsides. What makes a sparkrunner rig worth all this hassle?
Loving the new update. I am looking for some clarification on the Train Downtime Activity. "Use this activity to spend XP to get an advance for your character." Is this activity just another way to spend the XP you gain from other things to advancement or is it something else?
I've got a (hopefully) small question about combining the Load and Downtime modules. In the Load example, it reads "During the score, Valkos finds a stash of Coin hidden in the Billhook’s lair. Each Coin of cash counts as one load, so Abu marks a box on Valkos’s sheet", implying that this one load box is worth 1 Coin.
However, in the Downtime module in the Payoff section, it reads "Take +4 Coin if you seize a load of cash," which feels like a contradiction! Am I misreading something or misunderstanding? Possibly, but I'd appreciate some clarification nonetheless!
Ah, that is misleading. Sorry about that. In the Payoff section I used "load" in a colloquial way, not as a rule term. I'll change it in the next PDF upate.
Gotcha, thanks! As a follow-up question, I wanted to ask if I'm interpreting the intent of Seized Assets correctly. It seems like it meant less for grabbing individual Load of cash (game term) during a score, which would be added to the payout, but rather a score where you do something like "raid Bazso Baz's vault." Am I thinking in the right direction?
I've got a prototype DeepCuts version of my free character keeper ready for testing by anyone who enjoys that kind of stuff. For those who don't like testing, as soon as this puppy is done I'll be sure to let you know :).
Testing instructions:
If you haven't used the prior version of my character keeper, check out this quick demo video. It is for the old version, but 80% of it is the same: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiCIMaCpxRI
Go to the PC1 tab and test away. Select which playbook you want from the dropdown and the correct info should auto-fill, including starting dots, special abilities, new backgrounds and heritages, items, XP triggers, etc. Try out the new XP clocks, healing clock, load tracker, special abilities, etc.
Go to the Crew tab and test away. Try different playbooks and check out the Rep & Heat tracks, vaults, banks, debt clock, XP clocks, special abilities, crew claims, etc. Note there are collapsable sections (look for the + and - signs above the top row to expand/collapse).
Ignore the other tabs, those are in varying states of disarray :). I still need to add the new factions in and a few other odds and ends that I know of, plus the ones y'all point out that I missed :).
DM or email me (contact info on the READ ME FIRST tab) me with your feedback
Thanks!
(John, if this kind of comment is not appropriate for this page, please accept my apologies and delete this comment without any worry)
I'm working on adapting my googlesheet character keepers so there is a Deep Cuts version - and loving it :).
Original Blades stated this RE crew XP advancement:
"Profits: Every time the crew advances, each PC gets stash equal to the crew Tier+2, to represent profits generated by the crew as they’ve been operating."
Now that there isn't a track to fill, how does that translate? I'm guessing it is moot because scores hand out so much more Coin? Thanks!
There is a track in form of the XP Clocks, I would say. So, everytime the crew gets a new ability or does purchase an upgrade with coin, you would get the extra stash, at least that is the way I would interpret it
Crew XP still exists, and the Stash rule remains the same. Whenever you spend crew xp clocks to get an advance (a special ability or Cohort), PCs get Stash equal to Tier +2.
On the crew playbooks, there is a fairly large box labeled "Ward boss". Anyone know what that space is for? In reading the book I can see the boss might allow you to go into debt, but there is a separate debt clock just to the right, so I'm figuring the whitespace is for something else? The name of the ward boss maybe???
They're not part of the SRD, but since mechanics aren't copyrighted, you can freely use them in your own designs (just write the text in your own words).
Great work John, but I'm not surprised that you cooked again ^^ I can't find enough words for how good this is. Will the new sheets be available on Roll20? Thanks for your creative energy.
I know, only 3 days went by, but I'm so hyped. Can't wait to play the module on Roll20 with a new group (over the past 4 years I have run about 24 short campaigns - 5-6 sessions - as introduction for newcomers to Blades. I'm based in Germany, by the way)
First, just finished reading through and am delighted. I'll start updating the character sheet templates I use and share with people to incorporate the new rules. John, thank you kindly for your work. I know you love doing it, but we love it too :)!
Second, on page 73, the text below took a few read-throughs to - I think - penetrate my skull. It might benefit from a revision.
"You have space on your playbook to record two instances of level 2 Harm, and one instance of level 3 Harm. If you suffer Harm at a level that has all instances filled, the Harm advances to the next highest level of severity. You may have an unlimited number of level 1 Harm conditions, but if you suffer the same condition a second time, bump it up to level 2 — e.g. if you’re Tired and you become Tired again, erase it and take level 2 Harm Exhausted instead. If your level 2 Harm instances are full, that’s okay, just record another one — it doesn’t bump up to level 3 in this case."
That seemed to indicate that you could have unlimited level 2 harms, but I THINK it means that if a level 1 harm is repeated and you don't have a level 2 slot, just add a level two slot (temporarily). Does that sound right to people?
my name is Gary with Breakout Con in Toronto...one of our guests recommended I reach out to you with an invite to the con, but I can't find a way to email you directly.
If you're interested can you share the best way to get in touch? Thanks (breakoutcon.com)
I love nearly all of this! I've got one question about the new version of Pushing Yourself, though - why is there no "spend some Stress for a bonus die" option? That classic 2 Stress for +1D push is where most of the Stress my players typically earn comes from, so I was surprised to see it gone.
Now, to gain +1D, a player can introduce an additional threat. The push is after the first roll. In the book's notes, John explains the issue before: "You push, you roll three dice instead of 2, and if you obtain 6,6,6, you will be disappointed because the push was not necessary, so you wasted your stress."
+1 to this! I think the update is great, and several of my players have community playbooks, and would be great if they could just transfer them onto a blank sheet.
Lot's of cool things in here that really shake up the system, well worth the read, but this is going to make a community that already argues about the correct way to play even more insufferable.
Hopefully this will make it clearer that Blades is a Toolkit of modules to be hacked, added, removed, remixed, and every GM is invited to run it differently.
THANK YOU for releasing this update. I'm enjoying going through this. My local copy shops won't print something that doesn't give permission. Any chance we can get this blurb from original Blades added please?
"That said, if you're doing it for personal use, go right ahead. For those working at a copy [print] shop, this means the person standing at your counter can [print copy(s)] of this thing. This is "express permission." Carry on."
Thank you, Mr. Harper! It is a really amazing expansion!
I have a question about desperate rolls. How many dice does the player while desperate roll? Does the player roll 1d for each dot in the Action as usual? It seems like only one die.
I didn't think the last few weeks could get better in terms of TTRPGs and video games but you just proved me VERY wrong with this and I could not be happier. This is incredible and I've barely scanned through it. I've been using the City of Red Waters module recently but this may drive me and my players back to Doskvol for a while!
Thank you, absolutely amazing supplement.
If I hadn't already voted, I'd vote for you for president.
Hi John, very excited to dive into this (but also sad about my previous system mastery!).
Wanted to let you know the Smugglers crew sheet has the same subheading as the Shadows ("Thieves, Spies, and Saboteurs") instead of "Suppliers of Illicit Goods."
This is awesome! I immediately picked it up. In the harm section, I noticed you used the players' names from the Glass Cannon Podcast, which I thought was super cool too!
I really love the new rules... but I think there are enough changes to justify a BitD 2.0 full fledged edition. Navigating both the main manual and the supplement in game will be challenging, to say the least.
Thank you, Mr. Harper. This is the expansion I didn’t know I wanted, but now that they are here, they are exciting as hell. The rules changes are all great and the new sheets look excellent.
I’m currently involved in three Blades campaigns, one as a GM, one as a player, and one is a two-player GM-less game. I can’t wait to start implementing the new stuff.
This is an unexpected, but deeply appreciated refresh (even for other FitD games, with some of those rules modules); Excited to try this out next time I get to run or play Blades again!
Two issues with the PDF though:
- The entries in the table of contents have no page numbers, so they don't actually work
- The link to updated playbooks on page 108 is a blank placeholder
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Thanks a lot, just started Blades a few weeks ago and now excited to see the system develop!
I noticed that on the sheets the cohorts only have 2 boxes for harm, but usually 4 levels. Are the boxes for level 2/3 harm, as I guess that 1 isn’t doing anything to cohorts and level 4 has no need of recording?
That's an error. It'll be fixed in the next update.
Perfect, thx!
Awesome stuff! Will there be a hardback release eventually? I'd love to have it next to the original rulebook on the desk!
I think he said several times that this is not planned. ;)
"Strange Methods: When you invent or craft a creation with arcane features, take +1 result level to your roll. You begin with one arcane design already known"
With the module it should be "... +1 Quality Level ...", instead of "... +1 result level to your roll.", doesn't it?
I've finished the digital character keeper for Deep Cuts. Incorporates all the new rules and updated playbooks. Free.
Here is a short video to show you the PC sheet in action:
Separate videos show the other key sheets: Crew, GM, Safety, Rules Cheatsheet, Faction Tracker, etc.
You can access this googlesheet here: https://roezmv.itch.io/blades-in-the-dark-deep-cuts-lite-vtt-by-roezmv
Loving these rules, this is all really amazing stuff. Bought this the moment I heard it existed. After reading the rules, I had a few clarification questions:
I also thought I'd share my own home rules about faction status. I felt that faction status changed too quickly in my games, so I turned status into progress clocks (neutral: 2-step, +1/-1: 4-step, +2/-2: 6-step, +3/-3: 8-step). Factions are quick to judge and slow to change their minds, so the higher-status clocks get bigger. Completing a score adds 1/2/3/4 steps depending on the severity of incursion or utility you caused the faction. Filling the clock adds +1 status, reducing it while it's empty adds -1 status (and makes a new clock that many steps away from full).
Thanks for making an awesome game!
On the sheets, what does "+1 Rank" refer to, like with the Hound's Ghost Hunter? Through a bit of searching, I think it's referring to "whichever stat you're using, Attribute or Action, in the relevant circumstance," but it's not actually spelled out in the text.
That's a typo, but you're basically right. It should say "You get +1d to rolls when" [X]. Those will be fixed in the next PDF update.
Do you still get +Effect when pushing to activate a special ability, like in standard Blades, or is it push to activate and a second push when I want +Effect? It's an important difference, imho
Yeah, you do (assuming the ability applying extra effect in that situation makes sense). I'll clarify that.
So generally like this addition to the game, lot of cool new content, and I'm excited for a lot of the rules changes to be implemented in my group, but I did have some issues, which I am sure some other people have mentioned.
Loving the new update. I am looking for some clarification on the Train Downtime Activity. "Use this activity to spend XP to get an advance for your character." Is this activity just another way to spend the XP you gain from other things to advancement or is it something else?
It's the only way to spend xp in this module.
I've got a (hopefully) small question about combining the Load and Downtime modules. In the Load example, it reads "During the score, Valkos finds a stash of Coin hidden in the Billhook’s lair. Each Coin of cash counts as one load, so Abu marks a box on Valkos’s sheet", implying that this one load box is worth 1 Coin.
However, in the Downtime module in the Payoff section, it reads "Take +4 Coin if you seize a load of cash," which feels like a contradiction! Am I misreading something or misunderstanding? Possibly, but I'd appreciate some clarification nonetheless!
Ah, that is misleading. Sorry about that. In the Payoff section I used "load" in a colloquial way, not as a rule term. I'll change it in the next PDF upate.
Gotcha, thanks! As a follow-up question, I wanted to ask if I'm interpreting the intent of Seized Assets correctly. It seems like it meant less for grabbing individual Load of cash (game term) during a score, which would be added to the payout, but rather a score where you do something like "raid Bazso Baz's vault." Am I thinking in the right direction?
I've got a prototype DeepCuts version of my free character keeper ready for testing by anyone who enjoys that kind of stuff. For those who don't like testing, as soon as this puppy is done I'll be sure to let you know :).
Testing instructions:
Thanks!
(John, if this kind of comment is not appropriate for this page, please accept my apologies and delete this comment without any worry)
I'm working on adapting my googlesheet character keepers so there is a Deep Cuts version - and loving it :).
Original Blades stated this RE crew XP advancement:
"Profits: Every time the crew advances, each PC gets stash equal to the crew Tier+2, to represent profits generated by the crew as they’ve been operating."
Now that there isn't a track to fill, how does that translate? I'm guessing it is moot because scores hand out so much more Coin? Thanks!
There is a track in form of the XP Clocks, I would say. So, everytime the crew gets a new ability or does purchase an upgrade with coin, you would get the extra stash, at least that is the way I would interpret it
Yes, that's my idea. I'll try to find some room on the page to make that clear.
Crew XP still exists, and the Stash rule remains the same. Whenever you spend crew xp clocks to get an advance (a special ability or Cohort), PCs get Stash equal to Tier +2.
There's a little error on the Cult sheet; under the Chosen ability are the same actions listed as under the Dangerous ability of the Bravos
thanks!
On the crew playbooks, there is a fairly large box labeled "Ward boss". Anyone know what that space is for? In reading the book I can see the boss might allow you to go into debt, but there is a separate debt clock just to the right, so I'm figuring the whitespace is for something else? The name of the ward boss maybe???
Am I being dense? Probably! :)
Thanks folks!
Yep, you record the name of your Ward Boss there.
Hi john，this is a fantastic gift.
But i have a question about Edge：How many can PC having that？Only 1？or more？
You can have more than 1.
ahh，get it.
This was a joy to read. Thank you for including the designer’s commentary; it is a real gift.
Are the systems modules licensed under the Forged in the Dark terms?
They're not part of the SRD, but since mechanics aren't copyrighted, you can freely use them in your own designs (just write the text in your own words).
Great work John, but I'm not surprised that you cooked again ^^ I can't find enough words for how good this is. Will the new sheets be available on Roll20? Thanks for your creative energy.
I'll talk to Evil Hat and see about updating the Roll20 stuff with the new sheets.
That would be great, thanks!
I know, only 3 days went by, but I'm so hyped. Can't wait to play the module on Roll20 with a new group (over the past 4 years I have run about 24 short campaigns - 5-6 sessions - as introduction for newcomers to Blades. I'm based in Germany, by the way)
First, just finished reading through and am delighted. I'll start updating the character sheet templates I use and share with people to incorporate the new rules. John, thank you kindly for your work. I know you love doing it, but we love it too :)!
Second, on page 73, the text below took a few read-throughs to - I think - penetrate my skull. It might benefit from a revision.
"You have space on your playbook to record two instances of level 2 Harm, and one instance of level 3 Harm. If you suffer Harm at a level that has all instances filled, the Harm advances to the next highest level of severity. You may have an unlimited number of level 1 Harm conditions, but if you suffer the same condition a second time, bump it up to level 2 — e.g. if you’re Tired and you become Tired again, erase it and take level 2 Harm Exhausted instead. If your level 2 Harm instances are full, that’s okay, just record another one — it doesn’t bump up to level 3 in this case."
That seemed to indicate that you could have unlimited level 2 harms, but I THINK it means that if a level 1 harm is repeated and you don't have a level 2 slot, just add a level two slot (temporarily). Does that sound right to people?
That's right. You record an additional level 2 harm even if you already have 2 filled.
I'm rewriting that bit for clarity.
Hi John,
my name is Gary with Breakout Con in Toronto...one of our guests recommended I reach out to you with an invite to the con, but I can't find a way to email you directly.
If you're interested can you share the best way to get in touch? Thanks (breakoutcon.com)
Can we expect physical copies?
I love nearly all of this! I've got one question about the new version of Pushing Yourself, though - why is there no "spend some Stress for a bonus die" option? That classic 2 Stress for +1D push is where most of the Stress my players typically earn comes from, so I was surprised to see it gone.
Also, unrelatedly: I love the reframing some of the old U'Duasha material gets in the Iruvian glimpses throughout!
Now, to gain +1D, a player can introduce an additional threat. The push is after the first roll. In the book's notes, John explains the issue before: "You push, you roll three dice instead of 2, and if you obtain 6,6,6, you will be disappointed because the push was not necessary, so you wasted your stress."
typically when i roll 3 dices i get 1 1 and 2... 6-6-6 will be an occasion in itself
Fair point :D
Hi John! Any plans to make a blank pj sheet with the new design?
+1 to this!
I think the update is great, and several of my players have community playbooks, and would be great if they could just transfer them onto a blank sheet.
Christmas comes early this year ;)
Lot's of cool things in here that really shake up the system, well worth the read, but this is going to make a community that already argues about the correct way to play even more insufferable.
Bluecoat will not knock on your door because of the way you play games.
But leagues of redditors will tell you to never play blades again.
Hopefully this will make it clearer that Blades is a Toolkit of modules to be hacked, added, removed, remixed, and every GM is invited to run it differently.
The Catalyst concept is deeply amusing to me, given what I pulled between the two connected campaigns I ran years ago basically aligns with it.
Great to see new Blades stuff John!
THANK YOU for releasing this update. I'm enjoying going through this. My local copy shops won't print something that doesn't give permission. Any chance we can get this blurb from original Blades added please?
"That said, if you're doing it for personal use, go right ahead. For those working at a copy [print] shop, this means the person standing at your counter can [print copy(s)] of this thing. This is "express permission." Carry on."
Yes, I'll put that in the next PDF update.
Thank you, Mr. Harper! It is a really amazing expansion!
I have a question about desperate rolls. How many dice does the player while desperate roll? Does the player roll 1d for each dot in the Action as usual? It seems like only one die.
Dots in the Action, as usual.
I didn't think the last few weeks could get better in terms of TTRPGs and video games but you just proved me VERY wrong with this and I could not be happier. This is incredible and I've barely scanned through it. I've been using the City of Red Waters module recently but this may drive me and my players back to Doskvol for a while!
Thank you, absolutely amazing supplement.
If I hadn't already voted, I'd vote for you for president.
Thank you! I'm glad you like it.
Hi John, very excited to dive into this (but also sad about my previous system mastery!).
Wanted to let you know the Smugglers crew sheet has the same subheading as the Shadows ("Thieves, Spies, and Saboteurs") instead of "Suppliers of Illicit Goods."
Cheers!
Thanks!
This is awesome! I immediately picked it up. In the harm section, I noticed you used the players' names from the Glass Cannon Podcast, which I thought was super cool too!
Sorry if I missed this but where/when can I get a physical copy??
In another comment he noted that there are currently no plans for a physical book.
Oh thanks! Hopefully that changes soon
Instabuy 👍 congratulations on releasing such a major expansion.
I'll have no problems buying this again in some Blades in the Dark 2nd Edition.
As someone who’s been running Blades for nearly 10 years, I gotta say, John.
You nailed it. Beautifully done.
Thank you!
I really love the new rules... but I think there are enough changes to justify a BitD 2.0 full fledged edition. Navigating both the main manual and the supplement in game will be challenging, to say the least.
Yeah, second that...
Thank you, Mr. Harper. This is the expansion I didn’t know I wanted, but now that they are here, they are exciting as hell. The rules changes are all great and the new sheets look excellent.
I’m currently involved in three Blades campaigns, one as a GM, one as a player, and one is a two-player GM-less game. I can’t wait to start implementing the new stuff.
Hey John, just wanted to check something. If a player is rolling against multiple threats with a 0d action, how does that resolve?
My thought would be that you'd get +1d from the extra threat and assign it as normal and then you'd automatically fail against the other threat?
You get the +1d, sitting next to "roll 2d, keep the best" then you assign a result to each threat.
Any chance this will go on DTRPG? I own all the other BitD/FitD stuff there so would like to have it all in one place.
I believe he did simultaneously publish to both sites: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/500978/blades-in-the-dark-deep-cuts
Oh, thanks. I couldn't find it with a search.
Genuinely reignited this game for me in such an immediate way. And I am excited to see how everything will look in play
This is an unexpected, but deeply appreciated refresh (even for other FitD games, with some of those rules modules); Excited to try this out next time I get to run or play Blades again!
Two issues with the PDF though:
- The entries in the table of contents have no page numbers, so they don't actually work
- The link to updated playbooks on page 108 is a blank placeholder
Thanks! I'll fix those.
Bravo, John! Insta buy