Scum and Villainy
CoreBest For
Groups who want Firefly/Star Wars-style spaceship crew adventures with Blades in the Dark's fiction-first mechanics.
Core Mechanic
Forged in the Dark. Roll d6 dice pool, read highest: 6 = full success, 4–5 = partial success, 1–3 = bad outcome. Position (controlled/risky/desperate) sets stakes. Flashbacks replace planning. Progress clocks track complex obstacles.
The Forged-in-the-Dark core reads the highest d6 for full, partial, or failed outcomes, with position and effect setting the stakes. The signature is structure around the job: flashbacks replace planning, and downtime handles heat, stress, and entanglements. Crew and ship advancement layer on top.
- Free to tryNothing freeNo free rules or starter
- Get it nowSold newIn print or as a legal PDF
- ✓IndexFind any rule by page number
- ✓GM guidanceA chapter on how to run the game
- ✓Examples of playRules shown in action at the table
- ✓Quick referenceCheat sheet or summary tables
- ✓Cross-referencesRules point to each other by page
5 of 5 book tools found in the core book
Highlights
Flashbacks eliminate tedious planning, ship playbooks level up alongside characters, detailed faction system, low GM prep
Considerations
The game is tightly tied to its specific setting. Ship playbook progression can overshadow individual characters. The faction system requires significant GM prep between sessions.
Rules license Forged in the Dark
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