Evil Hat Productions Blades In The Dark Tabletop Roleplaying Game, 156 months to 9600 months

I shrugged at Blades in the Dark when it first came out because at the time I wasn't fond of games that had built-in settings. A friend of mine picked it up which put it on my radar. I decided to give it a go and I think it's probably the greatest system I've ever read. I tried reading through Apocalypse World and Dungeon World, but I felt like they were missing...something. Blades managed to fill that void. It brought in all of the right tools, and for the first time, I see the beauty of fiction-first games. First and foremost, literally *everything* is on theme. The art evokes the setting wonderfully because (I think) it's all done by the game's creator. The font choice and page layout are so clear and concise that I feel as if it's meant to represent the clear-cut streets of Doskvol (the game's setting). The writing feels like the game's creator has taken you under his wing and is trying to train you to become a master. After each new subsystem is introduced, the author stops for a moment and gives you questions to ask yourself. He's not just teaching you his game, he's teaching you how to teach yourself. Next, the game's setting was built alongside the mechanics, so everything the setting has to offer is useable and exists for a clear purpose. There are factions to befriend/anger, landmarks to get more familiar with the city, and plenty of places to score. The window dressing such as the fact that the city is haunted by spirits and that the sun went out a thousand years ago are welcome additions as well, as they make the game world feel all the grittier. Finally, the mechanics have a symbiotic relationship with the game's overall tone and themes. It's a game about heists in a dark world, and there are ticking clocks, nonstop action, and complications galore. Every roll the players make can very easily cascade into more complications and problems which makes the world feel more real and successful scores feel more earned. If you love tabletop RPGs, buy this book because it will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of game designers. Buy it, read it, play it, hack it, and see where it takes you. If you read it and don't like it, you might need to just read/play more games and up your taste. I was (and still am) a hardcore old-school gamer and I never thought a narrative game would sway me over to the genre. Blades in the Dark is a masterpiece so teeming with flavor that it makes all of those settingless catch-all games feel less complete.

One of the finest RPGs on the market today, and the inspiration for a whole host of "Forged in the Dark" games. Blades in the Dark is laser-focused on heist and caper play, set against the backdrop of an evocative dark fantasy city. You can play light-hearted capers that use the setting as a contrast or gritty crime drama that embraces its darkest elements, but you're always going to be playing a band of thieves. There's a lot to love in the tight, focused mechanics of each Playbook and the various phases of play. I particularly like how your Crew (party) has a collective, mechanical identity that grows and changes alongside your characters. Today you may be able to do better for your specific needs by picking up one of this game's many and excellent descendants, but you can hardly go wrong with this brilliant original. The physical book is well-made, with high quality illustrations and a nice feel to the paper. It's held up well so far despite regular use.

A fantastic RPG for beginners (if they're willing to accept the gloomy atmosphere). The rules of the game are based upon collaborative storytelling more than in most RPGs, and is fixated on what makes sense for a given situation rather than what the letter of a complicated series of rules tell you is possible. There is a system of "Stress" which allows players to call a flashback to resolve some sort of problem on a job. Running down the 3rd floor hallway of some manor? Guards at your heels? Only way out is by jumping through the window? No problem! Call a flashback to say that you had prepared a team of animals and a wagon full of nice soft garbage to cushion your fall and make your escape. I love the Stress system because it both allows people to get around the awkward planning portions of most RPG missions while also limiting their ability to pull off weird stunts. Stress is a very important resource to manage, and is generally onerous to get rid of. Use it wisely, but use it. The progression system is very inspiring, with a couple rules that really encourage your players to take risks! The setting for Blades in the Dark is phenomenal, with the only "problem" being that there is so much information about the history of Duskval that it can be daunting to learn. I recommend getting around this issue by figuring out what your group wants to play as, and learn only the relevant material. That makes things very easy to figure out, and still allows a rich background for your campaign. All in all, the Blades in the Dark rules and universe are fantastic for anyone with a dark gothic/steampunk interest and a few friends who are willing to try something new. It comes with the added benefit of only requiring a single Core Rulebook (instead of D&D's three core books) to get started. If you go to their website, an abbreviated player packet is available for free so even for a group of 5 people (counting GM), only one purchase is necessary. Several supplements are also available for free on their website, which I highly recommend checking out. Map packs for EVERY BUILDING IN THE CITY are also available, at an extra charge for each pack. I haven't needed them, but for those who just have to get a map for every encounter they are available and extremely high quality.