Blades in the Dark - Award-Winning Scoundrel RPG Core Rulebook

Who This Appeals To

Perfect for players who want to be the criminals, not the heroes. Ideal for groups seeking collaborative storytelling where planning heists, managing crew dynamics, and navigating a haunted industrial city matter more than traditional dungeon crawling. Whether you're a fan of Ocean's Eleven-style capers or dark Victorian intrigue, Blades in the Dark delivers morally complex narratives in a richly atmospheric setting.

Features

• Award-winning system: 2015 Golden Geek RPG of the Year and multiple other accolades
• 7 character archetypes: Cutter (fighter), Hound (tracker), Leech (alchemist), Lurk (infiltrator), Slide (manipulator), Spider (mastermind), Whisper (occultist)
• Multiple crew types defining your criminal organization's specialty
• Innovative flashback mechanics for dynamic heist planning
• Position and Effect system for dramatic action resolution
• Stress and trauma mechanics tracking character psychological toll
• Complete setting guide to Doskvol, the haunted industrial-fantasy city
• Alchemical experiments and supernatural powers
• Faction system for navigating criminal underworld politics
• Downtime activities for crew advancement and personal projects

What You'll Experience

Build your crew of scoundrels and carve out your fortune in the haunted streets of Doskvol, an industrial-fantasy city where ghosts are real and the sun has been extinguished. Plan daring heists using innovative flashback mechanics that let you reveal preparations at the perfect dramatic moment. Navigate faction politics, manage your crew's reputation, and decide whether to specialize in assassination, smuggling, occult rituals, or other criminal enterprises. Watch your characters evolve through stress, trauma, and hard-won victories as you rise from desperate criminals to legendary figures in the underworld.

Related Forged in the Dark & Heist RPGs

Explore more scoundrel adventures: Scum and Villainy (Blades in the Dark), Blades in the Dark: Scum and Villainy, Band of Blades RPG: The Road to Skydagger Keep, or Brinkwood - The Blood Of Tyrants.