I’ve run a few sessions of Blades in the Dark now, and just joined a second game as a player. I made a Leech, and my first game has a Leech PC, so I’ve been thinking about them a lot in particular.
So, the Leech always has access to the Bandolier, and the Bandolier has three slots, with 13 options available by default. Many of these compounds and options are buck wild if interpreted liberally- I’m making this thread because my DM and I had a discussion about whether Drift Oil had a weight limit, and if so, what a good one would be. I see Actual Play reports of groups that used it to steal entire safes or printing presses, but that seems out of line. “Carry a Printing Press Easily” seems like a really strong Special Ability, not a 1/3rd Load option. Also, none of that ones that say ‘Incapacitate’ list a duration.
Your tier theoretically influences and modifies your gear, so a tier 0 group has bad pistols and that makes a certain amount of sense, but it seems like imagining the shoddy, discount version of a dozen items might be hard to do on the fly, especially for strange alchemy items.
I would really appreciate some insight from someone that’s been dealing with Leeches longer than I have!
I don’t think an actual weight limit is necessary.
The PCs want to lift something that I think is simply too large, even if they use all of their available gear slots on drift oil. If every member of their crew + one of their gangs tried to lift this item, say a printing press, they’d have 0 effect. With the oil added in, now 6-10 people have limited effect on in carrying it. They need to get this press out of the red sashes counterfeiting hideout and out of red sash turf to a waiting heavy cart pulled by 6 duskvol goats. Sounds like a clock with 8 slices, and every roll is getting them 1 tic. Meanwhile they have to avoid patrols/are being chased by guards. Sure would be nice if that leech had some sleep powder or whatever, unfortunately his bandoleers are all empty.
Some of this is best answered by “follow the fiction” - ie what will make for the best story. So as said above, maybe the Drift Oil is what makes getting the printing press out at all possible. Without it and the Leech the crew would be looking at block and tackle and a lot more noise.
For the ‘incapacitate’ - that’s position, effect and dice roll. Limited effect and they’re not down for long. Standard effect and it’s for the scene. Roll a 4 and they go down, but they only got a half dose so it’s not going to keep them down.
Or it’s a big boss - even a 6 isn’t going to keep them down but it might mean the crew is at improved effect from now because the boss is fighting off the stupor.
Drift Oil might grant a bonus to Effect or Position, but it won’t make it automatically easy to take large items. I would treat the item as if it was a boat or buoy of the same weight and shape; they won’t have to exert themselves lifting but still need to push or drag. It is going to take a single scoundrel a few good Prowl, Finesse or even Skirmish rolls to maneuver something as large as a safe.
Also, an average scores probably last longer than an in-game hour. Would the Leech use his limited supply to reapply a second Drift Oil, or would they use their bandoleer for something else?