Bloodheist is a tabletop roleplaying game. You and your friends will collaboratively create the adventures of a group of criminals in a high-stakes world of supernatural suspense, sinister intrigue, and shocking betrayals.
One player takes the role of the Dealer. The Dealer will design the heists, describe the environments and challenges to the other players, and play the actions and personalities of the non-player characters (NPCs) the players encounter. The Dealer will present the other players with difficult choices, and narrate the consequences of their successes or failures. The Dealer should have a good grasp of the game’s rules, as they will be the final adjudicator of any confusion over their interpretation.
The rest of the players each play a single Thief. These characters are the protagonists of the story, desperate robbers trying to make their fortunes in a hostile and unpredictable world. A player’s job is to embody their Thief in an entertaining manner, to overcome the challenges posed by the Dealer, and to use their wits, skills, and dark magic to steal valuable objects from powerful vampires, and escape with their lives.
You will need:
- A pair of six-sided dice.
- A pencil and notepaper.
- Between one and five friends, and somewhere to sit and converse with them.
For the optimal experience playing Bloodheist, it is recommended you have the following:
- Four six-sided dice of a light colour, and eight six-sided dice of a contrasting darker colour.
- A set of 52 standard playing cards.
- A pencil, notepaper, and a character sheet for every person playing.
- A comfortable, private place to sit and talk for three or four hours, like a kitchen table or a crypt.
- Snacks, drinks, and fresh blood to refresh the players.
- Atmospheric organ music.
- A strong imagination, a sense of humour, and the ability to listen while other people speak.
If you are already familiar with tabletop RPGs, you may wonder where Bloodheist fits into the landscape. Here are some broad design principles:
- The game centres on groups of mortal and undead Thieves stealing a priceless object (the Prize) from a powerful vampire (the Mark) at the behest of another wealthy vampire (the Patron).
- The game is designed around mission-based play with a single clear objective for the Thieves. However, the Thieves are given absolute freedom to pursue this goal.
- Uncertain situations are resolved by the players rolling groups of six-sided dice. The Dealer does not need to roll dice, although they may choose to in some situations.
- Combat is not emphasised, although it is not discouraged either. It is considered to be one valid approach amongst many, and is resolved with the same mechanics as all other risky tasks.
- Thieves do not have numerical statistics, only Skills and Tools. Rather than Hit Points they have a Doom Score; an abstract metric that tracks how risky their actions are and how close they are to their Awful End.
- Thieves may increase in competence but not in numerical level. They will always be vulnerable to misfortune and must plan accordingly.
Currently PDF copies are available from itch.io. You can buy print copies from Antipode Zines.