I have just finished reading John Harper’s Blades in the Dark and I wanted to share a few thoughts…
First of all, I devoured the book in two sittings. This is a really terrific text. Everything is very easy to follow, the advice peppered throughout is fantastic, and the setting material is everything I hoped it would be when I backed the KS. I find most of Evil Hat’s books to be well-written, but somewhat clinical (and a little boring). Blades was a nice change of pace in that regard.
Another pleasant surprise is how much having the full text has adjusted my thinking on the game. One of the things I found frustrating about the Quickstarts (several of which I ran) is the text frequently paired a seemingly-fiddly mechanic with advice for the GM to just do what feels right or make a judgment call. That did not match up with what I normally like in RPGs, which is to say, if there is a mechanic, I want that mechanic to produce a dependable outcome, not to have to make a judgment call as the GM, or feel like I can just discard the mechanic entirely. I found this particularly jarring in a game that has a lot more rules than the games I usually play.
But this approach makes a lot more sense in the context of the full book. One of the things I like about the book is that it actively challenges you to think about what you might do in any given situation as the GM. There are sections throughout called Questions to Consider. In them, the author asks you to consider different angles for the examples of play you just read. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that before in a game text, and I really liked it. In fact, throughout the book, you get the sense that it wants you to actively think about being the best GM you can be. As someone who famously (within our community, at least) treats GMing like a Very Important Matter, this approach has a lot of appeal, and I found it very exhilarating.
And so, in that sense, the advice to just do your best or make a judgment call is not an invitation to ignore the rules or fudge things, but rather, it’s permission to get it wrong–which is to say, permission to get it wrong in the spirit of finding out what works for you and your group. It’s hard to convey in this limited space how empowering that feels, but it really does.
All in all, a very exciting, refreshing read.
I totally agree with this entire post. Blades is a well-written rulebook. I like that it acknowledges that different GMs make different judgement calls. It’s a good anti-rules lawyering method. Granted, the story game community doesn’t have a lot of rules lawyers afaik. It’s still good for someone for a trad background to understand.
I totally agree with this entire post. Blades is a well-written rulebook. I like that it acknowledges that different GMs make different judgement calls. It’s a good anti-rules lawyering method. Granted, the story game community doesn’t have a lot of rules lawyers afaik. It’s still good for someone for a trad background to understand.
I also had a very enjoyable time reading that book. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I also had a very enjoyable time reading that book. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Great little review, Jason. You put a lot of things into words that were only lingering impressions for me. I looooove this book, have spent more time with it than certain games I have run, and continually wonder why I’m attracted to a game that SEEMS to have so much crunch.
Great little review, Jason. You put a lot of things into words that were only lingering impressions for me. I looooove this book, have spent more time with it than certain games I have run, and continually wonder why I’m attracted to a game that SEEMS to have so much crunch.
I’m finding that as well, I started reading last night and was really impressed. Sad I didn’t get into your game of it this time too, as I’m going to be hacking it pretty soon here.
I’m finding that as well, I started reading last night and was really impressed. Sad I didn’t get into your game of it this time too, as I’m going to be hacking it pretty soon here.
I haven’t read the whole thing yet but I found it uncommonly well-written for all the reasons you say, Jason. It’s a real pleasure to see since a lot of RPG text is a slog or unhelpful.
I haven’t read the whole thing yet but I found it uncommonly well-written for all the reasons you say, Jason. It’s a real pleasure to see since a lot of RPG text is a slog or unhelpful.
So what I’m hearing is that I really need to get this game.
And I should probably get the hardcover since it is GORGEOUS.
So what I’m hearing is that I really need to get this game.
And I should probably get the hardcover since it is GORGEOUS.
Thanks for the kind words, Jason. I’m glad you liked it!
Thanks for the kind words, Jason. I’m glad you liked it!
I am still making my way through it. Guess I should push a bit harder…
I am still making my way through it. Guess I should push a bit harder…
I bounced off live play twice and reading the book once….but I still LOVE the concepts in this game. You’ve convinced me to give it another shot, reading it carefully in the right environment. 🙂
I bounced off live play twice and reading the book once….but I still LOVE the concepts in this game. You’ve convinced me to give it another shot, reading it carefully in the right environment. 🙂
I see you have forsaken La Croix for a new beverage
I see you have forsaken La Croix for a new beverage
I was just talking to some friends this works about how there are so many ways to do the same conflict using different rules and tools.
I was just talking to some friends this works about how there are so many ways to do the same conflict using different rules and tools.
Don’t wait too long Andy Hauge if you want the hardcover shown above… that’s the special addition so there’s a limited number available evilhat.com – Blades in the Dark Special Edition [Book+PDF] [EHP0031] – $50.00 : Evil Hat Productions Online Store Says 10 units in stock as of this post.
Don’t wait too long Andy Hauge if you want the hardcover shown above… that’s the special addition so there’s a limited number available evilhat.com – Blades in the Dark Special Edition [Book+PDF] [EHP0031] – $50.00 : Evil Hat Productions Online Store Says 10 units in stock as of this post.
I admit I was a little worried that it would be quite fiddly and complex when I skimmed the Beta, so I had my own set of notes to list abbreviated rules with. We switched to the core book one or two weeks into the campaign and it was wonderful. I think the aesthetic of Harper’s work is quite involved and can make it look like there are more tricky, complex systems than there really are. It’s always interesting to see Jason’s takes and I’m curious to see if this means there’ll be some Gauntlet coverage of the game.
I admit I was a little worried that it would be quite fiddly and complex when I skimmed the Beta, so I had my own set of notes to list abbreviated rules with. We switched to the core book one or two weeks into the campaign and it was wonderful. I think the aesthetic of Harper’s work is quite involved and can make it look like there are more tricky, complex systems than there really are. It’s always interesting to see Jason’s takes and I’m curious to see if this means there’ll be some Gauntlet coverage of the game.
I’m going to check out the quickstarts, blades left me scared to run it!
I’m going to check out the quickstarts, blades left me scared to run it!
The sheer number of clocks still scare me
The sheer number of clocks still scare me
Judd Karlman, have the clocks been too many to manage for the half-dozen-or-so sessions you’ve run?
Judd Karlman, have the clocks been too many to manage for the half-dozen-or-so sessions you’ve run?
No, they’ve lurked in the background and are useful for failed die roll consequences.
I use the clocks that go with each faction quite a bit.
No, they’ve lurked in the background and are useful for failed die roll consequences.
I use the clocks that go with each faction quite a bit.
Tommy Rayburn I started using clocks in dnd!
Tommy Rayburn I started using clocks in dnd!
rich fraser I like Clocks …. but Blades has a plethora of clocks.
rich fraser I like Clocks …. but Blades has a plethora of clocks.
Tommy Rayburn I hear an opportunity, clock paper!
Tommy Rayburn I hear an opportunity, clock paper!
I’ve been running the game for 20+ sessions and your observations are accurate. I feel the game is crunchy but gives you plenty of options and even encourages the kind of improvisational story developments you don’t get from something like DnD.
Oh and it made me love clocks in a way that will certainly change how I GM for years to come. I never quite got “fronts” in Dungeon World but clocks in Blades made it all come together for me.
I’ve been running the game for 20+ sessions and your observations are accurate. I feel the game is crunchy but gives you plenty of options and even encourages the kind of improvisational story developments you don’t get from something like DnD.
Oh and it made me love clocks in a way that will certainly change how I GM for years to come. I never quite got “fronts” in Dungeon World but clocks in Blades made it all come together for me.
Awesome to hear that your perspective has shifted, Jason! I’ve also slowly come around to the idea of this game, and loved reading it. I still didn’t feel like I had enough of a handle on it until I listened to some AP (Bloodletters, which is top notch), but now I’m just about ready to kick off a game. We did crew creation recently and will hopefully be launching for real on Friday.
Keen to see some AP from you and/or hear your thoughts on the podcast.
Awesome to hear that your perspective has shifted, Jason! I’ve also slowly come around to the idea of this game, and loved reading it. I still didn’t feel like I had enough of a handle on it until I listened to some AP (Bloodletters, which is top notch), but now I’m just about ready to kick off a game. We did crew creation recently and will hopefully be launching for real on Friday.
Keen to see some AP from you and/or hear your thoughts on the podcast.