They were the best of times

This game is great, and you should buy it. Preparing 4 Paris embraces the messy entanglements and relational drama of the Firebrands framework to create goofy high school adventures with real heart, and Logan innovates on the framework by blending in stats and dice rolls that give a strong cohesion to the overall story. The veneer is silliness, but the core is deep, strong relationships between characters, and the frameworks to help players pull these off in satisfying, and safe, ways. It's a joy to read, and even more fun to play.

(Disclaimer, I'm a contributor to this game as a stretch goal minigame writer. But I loved it long before I had a chance to write for it)

This is Ex. Tremely cute. Feels like I'm getting the hug. ♥️

My question for people more experienced with BitD/FitD playbook design (everyone) is, are there elements that every (or almost every) good playbook should have in its special abilities? For example, should every playbook have a push yourself move?  Should every playbook have a move that increases effect? Should every playbook have a Ghost move (like the core playbooks do)? What do you think?

That's really good feedback; I hadn't considered the angle that playbooks are supposed to be able to connect! Thanks!

Hey all, I just submitted a playbook to this jam, the Mechanist, which is my BitD-steampunk take on Iron Man. I've never done any design for BitD or FitD, so I'm really keen for any feedback or thoughts people might have. I think, in particular, I leaned heavily on PbtA style move design over the more specific BitD mechanics; there's not much in the way of moves around pushing, or effect, or the Blades-specific mechanics like Heat or stuff. What do other people think? https://mqsalmon.itch.io/mechanist

Thanks for the review, Arthur! You're a gem!

Holy crap! That sounds amazing! So glad you had fun!

I love cyberpunk mythic fantasy and magic, and this game delivers in spades. Plus, the layout and art are gorgeous. It's even exciting to read.

Spooky and interesting, and really clear concise rules that clearly push the narrative forward. Great approach to 'canon' and narrative twists.

Big fae energy. Beautiful, evocative writing, great balance of freeform imagining and straightforward mechanics. Beautiful to read and enjoy.

There is just a crazy amount of content and story potential contained in these seemingly simple rules. All the challenges are fun and varied, and the rules themselves are entertaining to read.

This game is beautiful in its design, its text, and its art and layout. Big fan of card prompt games, big fan of overgrown robots, big fan of all of this.

Take on the role of a mortally wounded sun on a road trip quest back to the sky through a gloomy twilit world where the real treasure is the friends we made along the way.

Some highlights:

1. The title is a pun. This is good.
2. This is a game about dead or dying gods. This is great.
3. Gameplay is simple, narrative heavy, and every mechanic builds towards the story's climax.
4. It uses playing cards, not dice, which I have a fondness for.

The mechanics of resolving turns present the sun with a choice: prioritise overcoming trials, or prioritise gathering companions. Failing challenges costs faith, losing faith ends the game and makes a bad epilogue more likely, but gathering companions for the journey makes the sun stronger (or more versatile) in the long run, and increases the chances of a positive epilogue. Of course, it's not always up to the sun's player: the luck of the draw plays into everything, because this is a game, not freeform storytelling (which is fine, but a different thing). So the sun often has to make the best of bad situations.

All of these factors - faith, companions, the goals of the sun and their mortal needs - come together to define the end of the game, be it a glorious re-ascension, a bitter exile, or something else entirely. The epilogue then touches on the impact of the sun on the world and on their companions.

W.H. Arthur's concise and evocative rules writing is a joy to read, and the game bubbles with potential. It's one of those games that you can feel how it will be to play just by reading it.

I definitely recommend this game!

This is awesome! There is such a strong sense of theme and tone throughout the rules! Keen to give this game a go!