An Evil Hat Productions Publication www.evilhat.com • [email protected] @EvilHatOfficial on Twitter facebook.com/EvilHatProductions In association with One Seven Design www.onesevendesign.com • [email protected] @john_harper on Twitter Blades in the Dark Copyright © 2017 John Harper. All rights reserved. First published in 2017 by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. 10125 Colesville Rd #318, Silver Spring MD 20901 Evil Hat Productions and the Evil Hat logo are trademarks owned by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. All rights reserved. Evil Hat product number: EHP0030 Digital Release, March 28, 2017. v8.2 Printed in the USA. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior express permission of the publisher. That said, if you’re doing it for personal use, go right ahead. For those working at a copy shop, this means the person standing at your counter can make copies of this thing. This is “express permission.” Carry on. This book was produced using Adobe Creative Suite. Typefaces: Minion Pro, Kirsty, Ugly Qua. Sample file CREDITS John Harper Game Design, Writing, Layout, Art, and Cartography Stras Acimovic Sean Nittner Consulting Designer Developmental Editor Additional Material by Stras Acimovic, Vandel J. Arden, Duamn Figueroa, Dylan Green, Sean Nittner, and Andrew Shields Fred Hicks Director of Operations for Evil Hat Sean Nittner Director of Projects for Evil Hat Carrie Harris Marketing Manager for Evil Hat Chris Hanrahan Business Development for Evil Hat Karen Twelves Copy Editor Rita Tatum Indexer Visit the website for character sheets and other game materials Samplewww.bladesinthedark.com file THANKS Adam Koebel, Adam Minnie, Alex Crossley, Andrew Shields, Anthony Turner, Asteyni, Blake Hutchins, Brandon Amancio, Brandon Hilliard, Brendan Adkins, Chris Bennett, Clinton Dreisbach, Daniel Levine, Dave Turner, Duamn Figueroa, Ed Ouellette, Eric Levanduski, Fred Hicks, Greg Stolze, J.P. Glover, Jack Conte, James Stuart, Jared Sorensen, Jason Morningstar, Jeannie Harper, John Tynes, Johnstone Metzger, Jonathan Tweet, Jonathan Walton, Josephe Vandel, Kelsa, Kieran Magill, Kim Dachtler, Kira Magrann, Larissa Barth, Leonard Balsera, Les Hilliard, Luke Crane, Mark Diaz Truman, Mark Griffin, Matthew Gagan, Michael Atlin, Michael Prescott, Mike Pureka, Nadja Otikor, Nathan Roberts, Neil Smith, Oliver Granger, Paul, Paul Riddle, Peter Adkison, Rachael Storey Burke, Rachel Martin, Rachel Walton, Radek Drozdalski, Rob Donoghue, Robin Laws, Sage LaTorra, Sara Williamson, Sean Winslow, Shannon Riddle, Stephen Shapiro, Steve Harper, Steve Nix, Steve Sechi, Steve Segedy, Thor Olavsrud, Tom Dachtler, Tom Richardson, Travis Stout, Vasco Brown, Wesley Flowers, Will Scott, Zane Mankowski. Additional Feedback & Proofing: Adam Sexton, Alex Blue, Andrew Shields, Arne Jamtgaard, Aske Lindved, Ben Scerri, Benjamin Liepis, Brian Pullam, Bryan Lotz, C.R. Harper, Carl Leonardsson, Carsten Bärmann, Chris Pipinou, Christopher Slifer, Craig Reeder, Daniele Di Rubbo, David Barrena, Haakon Olav Thunestvedt, Jack Shear, Jamarr P, Jamie Collette, Jason Eley, Jason Kottler, Jason Puckett, Jens Brandmeier, Joerg Mintel, Johan Nilsson, John Dornberger, Jordan Lessing, Kai Tave, Kevin Denehy, Kevin Heckman, Lukas Myhan, Michael Pureka, Michael Sands, Nathan Black, Oliver Granger, Paul Drussel, Rouser Voko, S. C. Israel, Slade, SlyBebop, Stefan Struck, Stras Acimovic, Troy Ellis, Wojciech “Onslo” Chelstowski, Zanakai, Zeke Mystique. My fellow “thiefy game” designers: Vincent Baker, Will Hindmarch, Harvey Smith, and Matt Snyder. The cataclysmic three: Allison Arth, Keith Anderson, and Mike Standish. Thanks for destroying the world. The original scoundrels: Ryan Dunleavy, Dylan Green, Zane Mankowski, and Ed Ouellette. This game design wouldn’t have survived without you. The dynamic duo: Stras Acimovic and Sean Nittner. You made this game so much better than I could have alone. Thank you so much for your insight and friendship. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Several designs influencedBlades in the Dark in various ways. This game would not exist without them. Apocalypse World, by D. Vincent Baker and Stars Without Number and Other Dust, by Meguey Baker. Dogs in the Vineyard and Kevin Crawford. The Sundered Land by D. Vincent Baker. Night Witches, by Jason Morningstar. The Shadow of Yesterday, by Clinton Talislanta, by Stephan Michael Sechi. Dreisbach. Fate, by Rob Donoghue, Fred Hicks, SampleThe Burning Wheel and Mouse Guard, by Leonard Balsera, et al. file Luke Crane, et al. Thief (series) and Dishonored (series), by Dream Askew, Monsterhearts, and The Harvey Smith, et al. Quiet Year, by Avery Alder. Fallout: New Vegas, by Josh Sawyer, John Thou Art But a Warrior, by Anna Kreider. R. Gonzalez, Charles Staples, et al. Bliss Stage and Polaris, by Ben Lehman. contents THE BASICS 1 GATHERING INFORMATION ....36 The Game.................................................1 EXAMPLE OF PLAY ....................39 The Setting ...............................................1 The Players...............................................2 PC VS. PC ....................................41 The Characters ........................................2 COIN & STASH ............................42 Th e Crew ..................................................2 THE FACTION GAME .................44 The Game Master ...................................3 Tier .........................................................44 Playing A Session ....................................3 Hold ........................................................44 Before You Start ......................................3 Development .........................................44 Touchstones .............................................4 Turf .........................................................45 What You Need To Play .........................4 Faction Status ........................................45 Making The Game Your Own ...............5 Claims ....................................................46 THE CORE SYSTEM ......................6 ADVANCEMENT .........................48 The Conversation ...................................6 PC Advancement ..................................48 Judgment Calls ........................................6 Crew Advancement ..............................49 Rolling The Dice .....................................7 Changing Playbooks Or Crew Type ...49 The Game Structure ...............................8 ACTIONS & ATTRIBUTES ..........10 CHARACTERS 51 STRESS & TRAUMA ....................13 CHARACTER CREATION ...........52 Character Creation Summary .............57 PROGRESS CLOCKS ...................15 Actions ...................................................58 ACTION ROLL .............................18 CUTTER ......................................61 Action Roll Summary ..........................22 HOUND .......................................65 EFFECT .......................................24 LEECH .........................................69 Consequences .......................................27 LURK ...........................................73 SETTING POSITION & EFFECT ...29 SLIDE ..........................................77 CONSEQUENCES & HARM .........30 SampleSPIDER ........................................ file81 RESISTANCE & ARMOR .............32 Death ......................................................33 WHISPER ....................................85 FORTUNE ROLL ..........................34 STANDARD ITEMS .....................88 THE CREW 91 HOW TO PLAY 161 CREW CREATION .......................92 Fiction-First Gaming ........................ 161 Crew Upgrades .....................................95 Triggering The Action Roll............... 163 Cohorts ..................................................96 How To Choose An Action .............. 166 Cohort Harm & Healing ......................97 The Purpose Of Dangers & Stress ... 166 Crew Creation Summary .....................99 NPC Threat Levels ............................. 167 There’s Always A Consequence........ 168 ASSASSINS ................................100 Failing Gracefully .............................. 168 BRAVOS ....................................104 Setting Precedents ............................. 168 Abstraction Vs. Details ..................... 169 CULT .........................................108 Attune.................................................. 170 HAWKERS .................................112 Command ........................................... 171 Consort ............................................... 172 SHADOWS .................................116 Finesse ................................................. 173 Hunt .................................................... 174 SMUGGLERS .............................120 Prowl ................................................... 175 THE SCORE 125 Skirmish .............................................. 176 Study .................................................... 177 PLANNING & ENGAGEMENT ..127 Survey.................................................. 178 The Detail ........................................... 127 Sway ..................................................... 179 Item Loadouts .................................... 127 Tinker .................................................. 180 Engagement Roll ................................ 128 Wreck .................................................. 181 Linked Plans ......................................