Core Rules

Actions & attributes, the action roll, position & effect, stress, clocks, consequences, and resistance.

Actions & Attributes
There are 12 actions in the game that the player characters use to overcome obstacles.
Action Roll
When a player character does something challenging, we make an action roll to see how it turns out.
Effect
In Blades in the Dark, you achieve goals by taking actions and facing consequences.
Setting Position & Effect
The GM sets position and effect for an action roll at the same time, after the player says what they're doing and chooses their action.
Consequences and Harm
Enemy actions, bad circumstances, or the outcome of a roll can inflict consequences on a PC.
Resistance and Armor
When your PC suffers a consequence that you don't like, you can choose to resist it.
Stress & Trauma
Player characters in Blades in the Dark have a special reserve called stress.
Progress clocks
A progress clock is a circle divided into segments (see examples at right).
Fortune Roll
The fortune roll is a tool the GM can use to disclaim decision making.
Gathering Information
The flow of information from the GM to the players about the fictional world is very important in a roleplaying game.
Teamwork
When the team of PCs works together, the characters have access to four special teamwork maneuvers.

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