Blades in the Dark

BLADES IN THE DARK is a REVOLUTIONARY INDIE TABLETOP RPG designed by JOHN HARPER (USA, previously Ghost/Echo, Lasers & Feelings), published by EVIL HAT PRODUCTIONS (2017). Kickstarted 2015 for $180k. 3-5 PLAYERS play a CREW OF SCOUNDRELS (Cutters, Hounds, Leeches, Lurks, Slides, Spiders, Whispers — 6 playbooks) in the industrial-fantasy city of DUSKWALL / DOSKVOL — a HAUNTED VICTORIAN-STEAMPUNK city choked by ghosts, ash, rain, electric plasma barriers, ancient god-ruins. Rules emphasize FORWARD-FICTIONAL RESOLUTION: start SCORES (heists/jobs) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION (no planning session) + use FLASHBACKS to establish setup mid-mission. Uses POSITION/EFFECT dice mechanic — GM sets Position (Controlled/Risky/Desperate) + Effect (Limited/Standard/Great); player rolls action dice (d6 pool from attribute rating + assist) + takes highest die (1-3 = fail; 4-5 = partial success; 6 = full success; multiple 6s = critical). DOWNTIME between scores handles rest + entanglements + long-term projects. Widely considered ONE OF THE BEST INDIE RPGs OF THE 2010s + GENRE-DEFINING SCOUNDREL / HEIST game. Free FORGED IN THE DARK SRD spawned 100+ hacks + reimplementations: SCUM & VILLAINY (Star Wars-inspired sci-fi), BAND OF BLADES (dark-fantasy military campaign), GIRL BY MOONLIGHT (magical girl), COURT OF BLADES (Renaissance political intrigue), APOCALYPSE KEYS (Hellboy-inspired), FIVE PARSECS FROM HOME. GAMEPLAY: Choose CREW TYPE (Assassins, Bravos, Cult, Hawkers, Shadows, Smugglers) + PLAYBOOK per player. Each session = one SCORE (heist) + DOWNTIME. Score sequence: (1) Choose plan type (Assault, Deception, Occult, Social, Stealth, Transport); (2) Establish detail (Point of Attack, Method); (3) START MID-SCENE — no long planning; (4) Roll actions with position/effect; (5) Take STRESS to boost rolls or resist consequences; (6) Complete or fail score. DOWNTIME: heal, indulge vices, recover stress, work on long-term projects, engage entanglements. CAMPAIGN: crew heat + coin + rep + faction reputation persist. RECEPTION: Ennie Awards 2017 Product of Year (Silver); 5+ Ennies total; widely considered TOP-10 INDIE RPG EVER; Forged in the Dark now a design pattern used by dozens of games.

Narrative RPG; no VP. Track crew Heat + Coin + Rep + Tier + faction reputation persistently.

Win condition · No traditional win; campaign narrative resolution.

Character sheets (double-sided for each of 6 playbooks) + crew sheet + faction status + optional Doskvol city map + d6 dice pools.

• Blades in the Dark hardcover ($40 USD)

  336-page full-color book

• Blades in the Dark PDF ($20)

  DriveThruRPG digital

• Forged in the Dark SRD (free)

  Free system for creating your own hacks

• 6 d6 dice per player minimum

  Action dice pool

• Playbook sheets (6 crew types)

  Assassins, Bravos, Cult, Hawkers, Shadows, Smugglers

• Character playbook sheets (6 types)

  Cutter, Hound, Leech, Lurk, Slide, Spider, Whisper

• Optional Doskvol city map

  Setting reference

• Push actions (take stress) for hard rolls

  Adding +1d or +1 effect worth 2 stress.

• Assist for +1d

  Teammates can assist by taking 1 stress.

• Flashback for setup

  Any moment: 'I set this up earlier' via flashback.

• Manage crew heat

  Heat = police attention; too much = incarceration or crackdown.

• Vice indulgence

  Downtime vice check clears stress OR overindulge for consequence.

Score

One heist/mission session; the crew's job.

Position

GM-set risk level: Controlled/Risky/Desperate.

Effect

GM-set outcome scope: Limited/Standard/Great.

Stress

Character resource; spend to boost rolls or resist consequences.

Trauma

Persistent character injury from overloaded stress.

Vice

Character's coping habit for stress relief in downtime.

Downtime

Between-score phase; heal + rest + long-term projects + entanglements.

Heat

Crew's police attention; grows via score noise.

Coin

In-game currency; crew's take from scores.

Rep

Crew's underworld reputation; earned from scores.

• Ennie Awards 2017 Product of Year SILVER

  annual · USA · since 2017

• 5+ Ennie Awards total (Best Rules, Best Setting, Product of Year, more)

  annual · USA · since 2017

• Considered top-10 indie RPG ever

  ongoing · worldwide · since 2017

• 🇺🇸United States
• 🇬🇧United Kingdom
• 🇩🇪Germany
• 🇫🇷France
• 🇮🇹Italy
• 🇪🇸Spain
• 🇵🇱Poland
• 🇦🇺Australia
• 🇨🇦Canada
• 🇸🇪Sweden
• 🇳🇱Netherlands
• 🇯🇵Japan

• Evil Hat Productions (publisher)

  Founded 2001 · USA

• John Harper / One Seven Design (designer)

  Founded 2011 · USA

• Forged in the Dark community (SRD ecosystem)

  Founded 2017 · worldwide

• Evil Hat — Blades in the Dark— Evil Hat
• Blades in the Dark SRD (free)— One Seven Design
• Wikipedia — Blades in the Dark— Wikipedia