Our First Look at the Blades in the Dark TTRPG

I’ve been diving into the Blades in the Dark tabletop RPG and wanted to share some of my first impressions—before even playing it. It’s got that heist-movie feel (think Ocean’s 11 meets The Lies of Locke Lamora), but what really stands out is how the game’s mechanics push everyone to act as a crew. Every decision you make is a balance between risk and reward, and the game’s core mechanics reinforce that beautifully.

The system uses six-sided dice, with outcomes split into full success (6), partial success (4–5), or failure (1–3). There are also unique rolls like Resistance Rolls (to soften consequences) and Downtime Rolls (to see what characters accomplish between heists). And the Progress Clocks add a sense of tension that I love—like watching the seconds tick down during a big score.

Character creation is also top-notch. You choose a playbook, background, and even a vice, which shapes how you recharge between jobs. The idea of crew creation—where your whole table builds an actual team together—feels really fresh compared to the solo-adventurer focus in other games.

Reading through Blades in the Dark gave me tons of ideas for running heist-style sessions in my usual 5e games. If you’re curious how this game plays out in practice—or if you’ve already tried it yourself—I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

For more of my insights and a deeper look at how it all works, check out the video!

Cheers,
Brian