Powers (FiD)

Starfox's Blades in the Dark Powers

Powers transform Blades in the Dark from dark low fantasy into colorful high fantasy.

Introduction

In the default setting, the supernatural is rare, obscure, and poorly understood. Adding Powers makes the fantastical reliable, structured, and accessible to player characters. Characters gain entirely new Abilities they can use deliberately and repeatedly. This shifts the tone and assumptions of the game world. The setting becomes more overtly supernatural and powerful in scope. Your game will move away from the typical grim Blades in the Dark atmosphere into something brighter, stranger, and higher-powered — though it can remain just as grim if you wish.

Powers consist of two main elements — Playbooks and Forms. Playbooks determine which Forms you can access and how you approach supernatural power. Forms define what you can do through specific Abilities linked to the Actions. Each use of a Form Ability requires rolling the appropriate Action, unless the effect is routine and rolling would only slow the narrative.

Below are links to Power Playbooks and Forms, followed by the rules governing their use.

Power Playbooks Artificer Things Bard Performance Chi Yang Cleric Divine Study Druid Spirits Monster Nature Mystic All Magic Ninja Yin Saint Divine Gift Sorcerer Blood Spirit Spirit Warlock Soul Wee One Mischievous Wizard Study Projects Hexer Curse Psychonaut Power of dreams Starborn Destiny Jedi Light Side Sith Dark Side

Power Forms Abyss Air Animal Barrier Darkness Death Earth Electricity Fire Flux Ice Illusion Kinesis Life Light Metal Mind Order Plant Space Time Water

Power Rules

Power refers to the Powers subsystem as a whole — the framework that adds supernatural Abilities to the game. A Form is a themed set of Abilities linked by a common concept, such as Darkness or Fire. Each Form provides four Abilities for each Action, arranged in tiers called Basic, Advanced, Master, and Apex. A specific Ability is referred to by its complexity, Action, and Form, for example: Apex Hunt Darkness or Advanced Study Fire.

Most Forms follow a common structural pattern. For example, Advanced Hunt Abilities are typically ranged attacks. The general structure shared by most Forms is described in Typical Power Details. Individual Forms may diverge from this structure to a greater or lesser degree. Barrier Powers differ significantly from the common frame, while Metal Powers follow it closely.

Power Playbooks

Power Playbooks are frameworks for acquiring Forms and Abilities. They represent supernatural traditions or roles in the world — wizard, sorcerer, saint, monster, artificer, and similar paths. Each Power Playbook includes a small selection of regular Special Abilities, though fewer than an ordinary playbook. These Special Abilities typically enhance or modify how you use Powers. Most importantly, a Power Playbook grants access to a defined selection of Forms. You select each Form as if it were a Special Ability. The Playbook itself does not grant any Form Abilities — you must select at least one Form to gain supernatural capabilities.

Each Power Playbook also imposes a unique trauma condition. Characters with a Power Playbook have reduced capacity to absorb additional Trauma compared to those without one. This trauma condition usually restricts how or when you may use your Abilities. It rarely grants additional experience.

All other playbook features remain unchanged. Some Power Playbooks include items that allow limited use of Powers without requiring full access to a Form.

Multiple Power Playbooks

You cannot select Special Abilities from a Power Playbook unless you are using that Playbook. This restriction includes Forms. You may acquire an additional Power Playbook by selecting the "Additional Playbook" Special Ability. Each additional Power Playbook expands your access to Forms but also adds another trauma condition. These trauma conditions apply to all of your Powers.

Forms and Abilities

Forms grant exceptional Abilities.

A Form Ability is defined by a combination of an Action, a Form, and a level of complexity. Each Action–Form pairing provides four Abilities, arranged by increasing complexity: Basic, Advanced, Master, and Apex. With 12 Actions and four levels of complexity, each Form provides 48 Abilities. This is far more than a typical Special Ability, but their use is constrained by Stress cost, dice requirements, Position, Effect, and narrative limits, described below.

A specific Ability is referenced in the order complexity – Action – Form, for example: Master Attune Fire or Apex Consort Illusion.

In many cases, Powers mechanically substitute for equipment, enhancing normal Actions. Higher-complexity Abilities go beyond what equipment alone can accomplish.

Activating Abilities

A Power Playbook does not grant any Form Abilities unless you select a Form from that Playbook’s list of Special Abilities. Once you select a Form, you gain all Abilities of that Form. Your ability to use those Form Abilities is governed by your Action ratings. For example, if you select the Electricity Form, you may use Hunt to shoot lightning, Tinker to power electric engines, Wreck to cause short-circuits, and Attune to summon electric creatures. You gain no control over unrelated phenomena, even if they arise as a Consequence of using Electricity.

Most Forms follow a similar structure across Actions. This limits the advantage of learning many Forms and encourages specialization.

Just because a Form allows something does not mean it requires a Form to attempt it. Mundane Actions remain fully effective. A weapon attack does not lose Effect simply because a Power can produce a similar result. Fine equipment may exceed the Effect of a Power in some situations. Equipment, once you pay Load for it, remains available for the duration of a score, while Powers risk Stress each time they are used. The Attune Action can identify supernatural creatures without using a Power, though Form Abilities provide more precise detection within their theme.

Stress Cost

You activate Form Abilities by rolling the appropriate Action. Each use carries the risk of a cost in Stress. The complexity of the Ability determines the minimum result required to avoid Stress. If you fail to meet that requirement, you suffer 2 Stress.

• Basic Abilities: You avoid Stress if the result is 2 or higher.
• Advanced Abilities: You avoid Stress on a 4 or higher.
• Master Abilities: You avoid Stress on a 6.
• Apex Abilities: You avoid Stress only on a critical (two or more 6s)

Dice Requirements

No dice, no power — Xinpitz, street shaman.

Form Abilities are gated by the number of dice in the Action roll used to activate them. Any source of additional dice — Pushing, Assist, Devil’s Bargain, or similar — increases the dice pool and may unlock higher-complexity Abilities.

• Basic Abilities have no minimum die requirement.
• Advanced Abilities require 2d or more.
• Master Abilities require 4d or more.
• Apex Abilities require 6d or more.

Powers are Inflexible

Unlike normal Actions, which are broadly interpreted, Form Abilities are specific. Each Ability is tied to a particular Action and complexity level.

If you want to make a ranged attack using a Power, you must use the Hunt Action unless the Ability description explicitly allows otherwise.

You cannot substitute a different Action or complexity simply because it suits the fiction.

Powers are Flexible

Each Form Ability description provides a typical example of use. The Action, Form, and complexity are fixed, but the fictional expression within that scope may vary.

If a character attempts something appropriate to a Form but not explicitly described, use the listed Action and complexity, and adapt a similar Ability within that same framework.

There is no specific Electricity Ability to start a fire, but it is reasonable that Tinker Electricity can create an arc hot enough to ignite most materials over time.

Effect and Outcome The Power rules use two related but distinct concepts that both affect mechanical resolution. Effect refers to the initial scale or potency of an Action, determined through negotiation between player and GM based on the fiction. Outcome refers to the final result after all modifiers — including differences in Tier, Pushing for Effect, and Set Up actions — have been applied.

Power Specifics

Details on how Form Abilities manifest.

Area

Some Abilities explicitly affect an Area. This has no additional cost beyond what the Ability specifies, but secondary targets will often suffer reduced Effect.

Abilities that do not normally affect an Area may still be extended to multiple targets when the fiction supports it. Resolve this as any other Action. Expanding the target group usually reduces Outcome or limits Effect against secondary targets. A common Consequence is that some targets escape entirely.

Duration

There are no universal rules for Power duration. In general, a Power lasts as long as makes sense in the fiction and rarely extends beyond the end of a score.

• Most Abilities last for one Action: you activate the Ability, resolve the Action, and the Power ends, though its effects remain.

You create a bolt of Electricity, fight with it during a single roll (which may involve several maneuvers in the fiction), then the Ability ends but any damage remains.

• Some Abilities specify a duration, usually a scene. A scene is a focused challenge or exchange, often involving multiple rolls. It typically ends when the location, opposition, or situation meaningfully changes.
• Longer-lasting Abilities may persist for an entire score depending on Outcome and dramatic tension. A common Consequence is that a sustained Power ends at an inconvenient moment.

Sustained Abilities may require attention. Distraction, Harm, or loss of control may end them as a Consequence.

Range

Unless stated otherwise, the range of a Form Ability follows the normal fictional range of its associated Action. Being within reach usually suffices, touch is optional.

Hunt allows range. Command and Sway require presence; they do not function through indirect communication unless an Ability explicitly allows it.

Combining Powers

When combining multiple Abilities in a single roll, the Stress Cost is determined by the highest complexity used.

Combining Complexities

Using a higher-complexity Ability may include lower-complexity Abilities of the same Action and Form as part of the same roll.

You gain flexibility within the same framework, but you do not gain additional rolls, additional Stress thresholds, or expanded scope beyond what the highest complexity permits.

For example, if you use the Advanced Survey Metal Ability to scry from a specific metallic object, you may also use the Basic Ability of that Form to locate metallic objects using the same roll. You must still choose which of the detected objects to scry from without further information.

Combining Forms

If you know multiple Forms, you may combine them in a single Action when it makes sense in the fiction. For example, if you know both Fire and Plant, you may Attune, Command, or Sway using either or both Forms at once, without first determining whether the target is Fire- or Plant-aligned.

Combinations must remain coherent. Some mixtures naturally interfere with each other. Everyone will remember that popcorn attack you improvised using Plant and Fire!

Combining Actions

Combining multiple Actions in a single roll is more restrictive. If an effect genuinely requires more than one Action, roll using the lowest Action rating involved. That rating must also satisfy the highest die requirement among the Abilities being used.

If this requirement cannot be met, the combined effect cannot be resolved in a single roll.

Bessie wants to use Advanced Consort Animal to transform into a cat, then climb a tree. This combines Consort and Prowl. The player must roll using the lower of the two Action ratings. If the transformation requires Advanced complexity, the rolled dice must also meet the Advanced die requirement.

Cooperative Use of Powers

Cooperation with Powers follows the normal Teamwork rules: Group Action, Assist, and Set Up.

Powers do not create new teamwork structures. Use the standard rules. The only addition is that a successful Set Up may integrate the assisting character’s Form into the final effect, if it meaningfully alters what the Power does.

A crew attempts a Master Attune Darkness summoning. A Fire user performs a Set Up with Tinker Fire to infuse the ritual with volatile flame. On success, the summoned demon manifests Fire aspects in addition to its Darkness nature.

Optional Rule

Abilities Gated by Tier

If Form Abilities seem too powerful for low-Tier play, you may gate Abilities by Crew Tier. This meshes with the Poor Beginnings optional rule (p. 231).

• At Tier 0, only Basic Abilities may be used.
• At Tiers 1–2, Basic and Advanced Abilities may be used.
• At Tiers 3–4, Basic, Advanced, and Master Abilities may be used.
• At Tier 5 and above, all Abilities may be used.

Long-Term Projects allow use of Abilities as if the Crew were two Tiers higher for the purpose of this restriction. If you use this option, consider limiting exceptional equipment (such as bombs or grenades) in a similar manner.

Availability and Genre

Not all Forms and Abilities exist in every setting.

A setting determines which Power Playbooks, Forms, and Action–Form pairings are available. Allowing all options creates a rich but mechanically dense setting.

The primary distinction between settings is the selection of Power Playbooks. These reflect mythic traditions and genre assumptions, and are the easiest lever for shaping tone.

• Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard support traditional dungeon fantasy.
• Artificer, Chi, Mystic, Ninja, and Saint suggest an eastern or wuxia-inspired tone.

Many settings restrict Powers to certain Actions. Limiting Actions changes the feel of supernatural ability more than limiting Forms.

• Combat-focused settings emphasize Hunt, Finesse, Skirmish, and Wreck.
• Mystic or investigative settings emphasize Attune, Study, Survey, and Tinker.
• Horror and intrigue often rely on Command, Prowl, and Sway.
• Wondrous or metamorphic settings emphasize Consort, Prowl, and Tinker.

A setting may also focus on particular Forms.

• Air, Earth, Fire, and Water create a classical elemental or alchemical tone.
• Darkness, Flux, Light, and Order suggest cosmic or ethical alignment.
• Kinesis, Space, and Time support a pseudo-scientific or space fantasy feel.

Removing certain Actions has strong genre consequences:

• Removing Attune eliminates summoning and anti-power effects, reducing overt mysticism.
• Removing Command and Sway makes Powers more physical and less subtle.
• Removing Consort limits transformation and fluid identity.
• Removing Hunt, Skirmish, Finesse, and Wreck reduces exceptional combat.
• Removing Prowl limits supernatural movement.
• Removing Study and Survey removes divination and information-gathering.

You may also restrict specific Action–Form pairings. For example, you might require a separate Special Ability to use Survey with a given Form if long-range perception is rare or dangerous in your setting.

Some settings treat certain Forms or Action–Form combinations as secret knowledge to be earned through play.

Low-magic settings often focus on divination (Study and Survey), while high-power fantasy frequently emphasizes combat and spectacle instead and actively prohibit divination or gate it in various ways.