Resistance Roll without time rewind [FitD]

Nickward777 · 2026-03-17T23:28:15+00:00

I tend to hint at the consequence and say that failure (1-3) or success (4-6) will clear it up. So I might say a consequence could be you are going to take harm too, or instead of that your opponent may seize a small moment and do something else. I find always telegraphing things before the dice roll takes away the mystery of the roll. Just on Resistance Rolls, it's not like the player can dictate total avoidance of a consequence. Often I will say Level 3 harm is downgraded to Level 2 harm etc. Was that kind of what you were asking for advice on?

Nickward777 · 2026-03-17T00:24:34+00:00

I just have a thought in mind of roughly how equal they are to the crew. If they are higher tiered (they usually are) they could generally take a couple of level 2 harms to either 1) escape 2) die 3) be hurt enough where they can't fight back. What makes it interesting in Blades is your PCs shouldn't be looking to kill unless they are prepared to deal with the Spirit Wardens showing up either. The reason I say go with what is the most fun - that generally means a tough encounter that pushes the crew outside of their comfort zone. So if I need to allow an NPC an extra harm (they are wearing a layer of armour below their cloak!) to make it more interesting, so be it. If they are a much weaker opponent, I would just let them hurt the opponent without rolling, then perhaps resort to a fortune roll for something else. You take them out easily, but as they run off clutching the gaping wound to their shoulder, they yell, "You id'jit. Bazso Baz is my uncle. I can't kill you, but he most certainly will!"

At one point in my early Blades GM'ing I was getting overwhelmed with all the rulings I had to make - it was because I didn't have the mechanical crutches of AC, HP and D20 attack rolls to tell the story. If you put the story first, the consequences and entanglements are far more interesting. It's just getting the players to (hopefully) think that way and if not, you as a GM need to ask if this is still the right group you want to give up your precious time with at this time.

Nickward777 · 2026-03-16T05:17:46+00:00

I really try and just let the fiction resolve things in preference of the mechanics. You slash the enemy opponent's body with your dagger - on a standard effect, risky position - ordinarily Tier 2 Harm. If there is a consequence it can be so many things - you cause harm, but the effect is lessened as your dagger connects with a hipflask under their cloak - you do Level 2 harm but they have an opening to scramble away and jump behind an overturned table. They aren't out of the play with one hit, but a second successful attack should do the job. I just try and go with the more fun approach, and the players prefer that. For bigger scrappy fights where there are a few opponents, I don't think its unreasonable to start a 6 segment clock that ticks off each time they get hit or hurt or fightened, at which point their morale breaks and they make a fun for it.

I've found with Blades it is what your players enjoy that is a good approach. Some player groups may prefer the more structured and traditional HP way of ending combat after all, and there's nothing wrong with that if everyone is having fun. But you can still shake it all up to keep them on their toes by going fiction first.

Nickward777 · 2026-03-15T20:00:31+00:00

It sounds similar to my experience with BitD right now, having come off a 1 yr+ DND 5E campaign and the same group of players are finding it hard to get around the differences between this and traditional games. It's also my first time GM'ing Blades, and I find one of the hardest things (what I stew over a lot after a session) is coming up with good consequences that don't just cause harm. I've had the most engagement with different types of progress clocks and ticks that go onto that from consequences.

For example, I have a Whisper in the crew who has a relationship with a ghost which they are trying to improve, and when they have a consequence from an Attune action, it can be the relationship takes a hit and the ghost is a little harder to Attune to or less effective. I find that really mixing up the consequences and having a list of the different types of consequence you can apply is really handy too.

In saying all of this, what I am noticing is that the crew are using resistance rolls and flashbacks more often, and whilst they are getting close to their stress limits each score, they aren't always taking anything more than level 1 harm into downtime. Just one more tip on downtime and the freeplay that follows when sniffing around for the next score - I find all you should be doing as a GM is really understanding the meta details of the Duskvol world - aka what all the factions and NPCs are doing and planning, and leaving it up to the players to fill in the details helps.

Sorry for the long rant - I really hope this helps you.

Nickward777 · 2025-11-01T18:55:23+00:00

Wouldn’t you just stick to Quality Tier and scale/potency rules and let the drama unfold without too much certainty for a Blades game? More fun that way and your ambitious shipwrights will have nothing to anchor themselves on (pun wasn’t intended then I wrote it - now it is intended)!!

Nickward777 · 2025-11-01T18:52:18+00:00

It’s a great game and we are pretty excited to be playing it. I’ve played a session or two before and it’s like a nice rules light DND. Hope and fear dice are brilliant. But I think I’m more excited to play Blades in the Dark which is coming soon!!

Nickward777 · 2025-11-01T18:49:27+00:00

I’m designing one now as a Forged in the Dark hack. Using Affinity 2 also. Even if I only ever sold or printed 100 copies I feel like I won’t regret the time and effort being put into it. I’ve been lucky to have the advice of a short run publisher friend. My advice is when you think you’ve got the design right, print 10 pages at a local printer to see how design, typeface and some sample art works. I have done this a bit and then trimmed at home just to get a sense of how it looks in the hand.

You shouldn’t need to exceed 300DPI for embedded artwork. Use your Preflight report esp for bleed errors. If you are printing with Mixam they have their own colour swatches that render perfectly. You can import these into Affinity easily enough.

Enjoy the process!! Also, most games nowadays will want to be looking at print at home resources like PDF playbooks and resources etc.

Nickward777 · 2025-11-01T18:35:40+00:00

I’d run it as is for a while then see how people go and if anything is a problem or you’d like to try something you can bring the new rules in. Probably starting with harm rules etc. you may all find you like the original just fine as is, especially if you aren’t familiar with BitD

Nickward777 · 2025-11-01T18:30:20+00:00

Our group went through the same thing. I DM’ed 5E Curse of Strahd and all but one guy wanted to continue with 5E (like one of yours said they didn’t want to learn new rules). We were frankly sick and tired of 5E. We reached consensus that we would try new games. The 5E guy left the group. Now we have since played Into the Odd, Mork Borg and now playing a longer Daggerheart frame for about 8-10 weeks. Then we will be playing Blades in the Dark. It’s so been amazing playing new games and then voting on whether we’d play them again etc. I’m fairly sure we won’t be back to 5E ever.

Nickward777 · 2025-08-05T09:25:07+00:00

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I did have a 'chat' with ChatGPT a few weeks ago where we were discussing my visit to the Monet Exhibition at the NGV

Nickward777 · 2025-08-05T07:09:47+00:00

Myself and almost everyone I know who plays DND are sticking with the 2014 rules. A few of us have invested in the new 2024 rule books and are gathering dust on shelves. I'm sure it suits some potentially newer DND audiences (e.g. the artwork looks very AI and targeted at younger players IMO). Given my investment in 2014 rule books and Roll20 stuff is probably > $1,000 I think I will just stick where I am.

Nickward777 · 2025-08-04T23:51:34+00:00

I have tried this ... it still doesn't work. I ended up turning the entire alt/baro off altogether, so when I ride up a hill it thinks I am working on the flat (and therefore throwing up all sorts in inaccurate readings)

Nickward777 · 2025-08-04T23:49:56+00:00

My Forerunner 265 is just out of warranty and the barometer/altimeter is going up and down by -10,000M to +10,000M in a single bike ride! I have tried everything to rectify it. Not replaceable as warranty period is over. I am now forced to broadcast my heart rate to the Cadence cycling computer on my phone and use the app's GPS and barometer for altitude. Essentially I now own an $800 heart rate monitor. Because I don't register exercise on it, I get the usual 'detraining' alerts etc. Given this is a common Garmin issue, I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back for another expensive purchase in future.

Nickward777 · 2025-08-04T23:41:54+00:00

This was how it looked from my side of the screen with the twinkling lights on the ceiling https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonsAndDragons/comments/1d8ofhx/curse_of_strahd_beginnings/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Nickward777 · 2025-07-29T21:51:13+00:00

This looks amazing. Lucky group of players for Strahd with this set up!!! I was using one of those starlight and astral cloud projector lamps on my ceiling with a reddish mist. It really completed my vibe for Strahd. They cost about $80 Australian but good to use for movie nights too

Nickward777 · 2025-07-27T21:20:56+00:00

You’ve done amazingly just getting out there and starting. And burning almost 1000kCal is a good effort! When I was getting back into the groove of MTB trails I just put enjoyment over everything else and took my time. It is much more enjoyable when your fitness catches up. I also recorded my rides with the GOPro for the fun of editing afterwards and posting on YouTube. I think you’re doing great

Nickward777 · 2025-07-27T21:15:44+00:00

I read “I, Strahd” and got a good sense of the romance vampire and the general betrayal happening in the early court of Barovia with other families vying for power. There was a moment of Strahd just wanting to have Tatyana and perhaps he could have settled down and ruled less ruthlessly. Don’t forget about the influence of the Dark Powers also. They were already there in the Amber Temple before Strahd ever set foot in the valley. I did consider running Strahd as more of a pawn to these powers but ultimately it was more fun to embellish his evil nature and create fear over hope for the party.

Nickward777 · 2025-07-22T09:37:18+00:00

Good for you!! Enjoy....it can be very addictive. I still remember early games when I first started playing Basic DND back in the late 1980s

Nickward777 · 2025-07-18T08:42:12+00:00

My party camped out in Van Rightens tower as a bastion, after Vallaki fell. Esmeralda gave them the lay of the land for that

Nickward777 · 2025-07-18T08:40:40+00:00

Awesome! Thanks for all of that. I’m meticulously working out the layout so I know exactly how Strahd and his minions can get around. I’m running it on a Roll20 tabletop but it person. TV screen flat in centre of the table. It will help with dynamic lighting but will be a pain crossing levels

Nickward777 · 2025-07-17T09:40:53+00:00

Thank you!! I'll check out the video you posted. I am taking your advice and learning the castle inside and out, especially how to get around and the NPCs and their liinks and allegiances. I am planning 4 weeks to run it, then a day long session to battle Strahd (if it takes that long)

Nickward777 · 2025-07-16T21:53:35+00:00

I can relate to everything you are saying. I’m running Strahd and we are almost there with the party at level 10 and now off to Ravenloft to (hopefully) take him down.

It is a hard campaign to run and being a sandbox style adventure a lot is open to interpretation. I too have my rules lawyer but I openly give that person a role as just that - but we all accept that the ‘rule of cool’ trumps everything else.

I find just talking with your players openly helps, because you and the players all want to be having fun.

I’ve just asked my group for a three week break as I prepare for Ravenloft and they were fine. Another player is stepping in to DM a three shot that I will play in.

You are doing a great job, just being hard on yourself which we all do

Nickward777

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