How to play as Factions in an RPG

Have you ever wanted to roleplay as multiple player factions fighting each other? Josh has homebrewed the Blades in the Dark system to create a way of players running and fighting in a city!

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[patrickmulder]

I do something similar like this for my Mage the Ascension games. I just grabbed the faction turn system from Stars Without Number. I use the entire UK and Ireland as the setting for my game, so not just one city. Not all the factions from the Nine traditions, Technocracy and independents have a presence in the UK, but those that do get moved around during my "GM turn." What happens there between the factions will next trickle down to the players in the form of news, assignments and rumor.
Been working quite wel in simulating a shadowy war going on behind the scenes where the players are only a small part off. It's cool.

[joshuabeckworth]

Now I can actually show my mates what I've been a part of for a while.
Glad to see a nod to Nicholas as well.

[dougquinn]

Great video! I had never even realised it but I really wish the Blades in the Dark rules had existed years ago. As a 20 year veteran for running Live Action Vampire the Masquerade events, both at the local level all the way up to national conventions, I had always struggled to put together simple and coherent rules that assisted multiple NPC groups or Storylines spread out through connected chronicles. Instead I had to go over each and every element individually and then talk through it or using some wierd bandaid mechanics that attempted to simulate what Blades has done really elegantly. Thanks for the video!

[ThethHost]

I had a lot of fun helping you test this! I'm absolutely devastated I've not had the capacity to engage with the play by posts ;____;

[mathewlanders]

Glad you're having so much fun running this. Here's to more fun on future turns. ~ Aka Alexander

[dashk]

As a vampire heavy channel, have you checked out Nights Black Agents? It’s super agent spies vs a worldwide vampire conspiracy. It’s in the gumshoe system but retooled to be more focused on secret agent combat.

It has a WONDERFUL system for creating, making and tracking conspiracies, vampire reactions, and secret orders.

[teambellavsteamalice]

Very nice idea. A thing that came close was a noble house as a kind of character in A Song of Ice and Fire RPG. Lots of social/diplomacy conflict in addition to combat. You also had the concept of a character tree (DND 2E Dark Sun), so a DM could be more deadly and players could switch character based on which was more suitable for a session. But not really a faction like this.

Players playing factions in groups and the stories connecting monthly is awesome.

[redknight]

I love this! I want to implement a faction system similar to Stars/Worlds Without Number for my global superhero game and was poking around for inspiration. Great video. Great work. As a non-BITD player, I'll definitely try "decoding" your doc for possible inspiration. Thanks!

[charllandsberg]

OMG! I was literally just thinking about how I'm going to do this in my own D&D game and this helps! <3

[mouchomouchomoucho]

I'm Gona stoke this and run with it like hell

[hlblad]

I love your green-screened shirt here. Haha~