The House of Nerdery and Curios

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Customising Cohorts with Edges and Flaws in Blades in the Dark

In Blades in the Dark, Edges and Flaws are traits used to customise your cohorts—the groups or individuals that work for your crew (e.g., a gang of thugs, a pack of rooks, or an expert like a physicker or spy). These traits help define the cohort’s capabilities and personality, making them feel more like active, unique and invariably flawed participants in the crew’s story.

Generally, you choose 1 or 2 edges and an equal number of flaws by default, though some crew upgrades or fictional circumstances may allow more. The following lists could be randomised or selected from, or used as inspiration as required.

Cohort Edges

  1. Fearsome – Known for their cruelty or unsettling appearance. Most people keep their distance.
  2. Independent – Can carry out missions without supervision or hand-holding.
  3. Loyal – They won’t flip, no matter the coin or threats.
  4. Tenacious – They don’t give up—injured, cornered, outnumbered—they keep going.
  5. Stealthy – Can operate quietly, vanish into crowds or shadows.
  6. Disciplined – Follow orders exactly and perform like a drilled unit.
  7. Well-Connected – Have access to street-level intel or influential friends.
  8. Arcane-Touched – One or more members are sensitive to the ghost field.
  9. Resourceful – Always seem to have tools, cover stories, or backup plans.
  10. Fanatical – Absolutely devoted to the crew’s cause or ethos.
  11. Merciless – They never leave a job half-done. Zero hesitation in violence.
  12. Cunning – Capable of improvising and exploiting weaknesses.
  13. Respectable – Their manners and style make them blend in or deflect suspicion.
  14. Professional – They take pride in clean, competent work.
  15. Subtle – Masters of manipulation, body language, or passive deception.
  16. Ghost-Touched – Function well near supernatural threats, even if untrained.
  17. Well-Armed – Outfitted with quality gear or upgraded weapons.
  18. Underestimated – Appear harmless or bumbling—until they strike.
  19. Networked – Have runners, watchers, or junior gangs under them.
  20. Tactical – Excel in positioning, coordination, and trap-setting.

Cohort Flaws

  1. Principled – Won’t cross certain ethical lines.
  2. Savage – Excessively cruel or destructive.
  3. Unreliable – Sometimes absent, distracted, or wasted.
  4. Wild – Loud, drunk, impulsive—always a scene.
  5. Superstitious – Easily spooked by arcane signs or omens.
  6. Corruptible – Can be bribed, blackmailed, or seduced.
  7. Haunted – Plagued by ghosts or spiritual affliction.
  8. Cowardly – Fold quickly when the tide turns.
  9. Slow – Poor reflexes or decision-making in high-pressure moments.
  10. Divided Loyalty – Torn between your crew and another faction.
  11. Greedy – Always skimming, asking for more, or taking cuts.
  12. Bloodthirsty – Escalates conflicts needlessly or against orders.
  13. Prejudiced – Refuse to work with a certain group (e.g., Tycherosi, Iruvians, Skovlanders).
  14. Vain – More interested in their image than performance.
  15. Undisciplined – Break formation, argue in the field, or improvise poorly.
  16. Jinxed – Seem to attract accidents, failures, or bad luck.
  17. Known Faces – Bluecoats or factions recognise them too easily.
  18. Addicted – Frequently impaired by substances or vices.
  19. Talkative – Can’t keep secrets. Gossipers, braggarts, or chronic confessionals.
  20. Old Scores – They’ve made enemies—someone’s always looking for them.

Expert Edges

Experts are more refined, specialized, and individualistic than regular cohorts—these reflect that precision and flair.

  1. Methodical – Never rushes; plans every move.
  2. Inspired – Brings creative, unexpected solutions to problems.
  3. Eerie Insight – Intuitively grasps occult phenomena.
  4. Obsessive Focus – Won’t rest until their objective is perfect.
  5. Surgical Precision – Works cleanly and with minimal mess.
  6. Deadpan – Always calm, even in chaos.
  7. Renowned – Respected in certain circles (physicians, scholars, rogues).
  8. Gadgeteer – Carries strange but functional inventions.
  9. Disarming Charm – Gets away with more than most through likability.
  10. Occult Linguist – Reads ancient languages, signs, or forgotten codes.
  11. Combat Savant – Can outduel most fighters single-handedly.
  12. Quiet Reputation – Known in whispered tones by rival factions.
  13. Doctor of the Dead – Can perform post-mortem rituals or analysis.
  14. Tracker – Can follow people or supernatural trails.
  15. Convincer – Great at extracting confessions or flipping contacts.
  16. Unflinching – Doesn’t freeze, flinch, or flee.
  17. Clockmaker’s Mind – Good with precision, sabotage, or explosive devices.
  18. Alchemist – Expert in rare chemicals, potions, and poisons.
  19. Wraith’s Touch – Can pass through locked spaces undetected.
  20. Memento Mori – Carries a keepsake or mantra that steadies their mind in mortal danger.

Expert Flaws

  1. Morbid Curiosity – Stops to study things that should be fled.
  2. Ritual Addiction – Compelled to complete unnecessary occult rites.
  3. Detached – Emotionally cold; may ignore suffering or danger.
  4. Rival Academic – Hunted or sabotaged by a professional nemesis.
  5. Uncanny Presence – Makes others uneasy or superstitious.
  6. Egomaniac – Needs to be seen as the smartest or most important.
  7. Old Trauma – Certain situations cause panic or shutdown.
  8. Collector’s Vice – Will prioritise stealing or acquiring strange items.
  9. Spiritual Debt – Owes a favor to a ghost, demon, or forgotten god.
  10. Flashbacks – Suffers from memories or visions that intrude on present tasks.
  11. Arrogant – Ignores orders they consider beneath them.
  12. Unlicensed – Factions like the Spirit Wardens would arrest them on sight.
  13. Delusional – Believes in something provably false—but acts on it.
  14. Blood Bound – Magically cursed or connected to someone dangerous.
  15. Secret Researcher – Hiding a second agenda or project.
  16. Grimoire Dependency – Can’t operate without their notes/tools/components.
  17. Haunted Tools – Their gear carries strange echoes.
  18. Overconfident – Walks into danger assuming invincibility.
  19. Cursed Name – If their true name is spoken aloud, they weaken or suffer.
  20. Experimental Instinct – Will try new, untested techniques at the worst possible time.

How to Use Them in Play

Edges are positive traits that make your cohort more competent or reliable in certain ways. They:

  • Help justify greater effect when the cohort acts independently.
  • Allow the GM to grant advantage in certain rolls or resistances.
  • Provide flavor and roleplay guidance on how the cohort behaves or handles challenges.

Flaws are negative traits that make your cohort vulnerable, unreliable, or unpredictable. They:

  • Give the GM permission to complicate the crew’s plans or scores.
  • Can cause reduced effect, complications, or require player oversight.
  • Add narrative depth and hooks for character drama or faction entanglements.

As a general set of principles:

  • The GM uses edges and flaws like other traits: to inform position, effect, or consequences during a cohort’s action.
  • The Crew can can mitigate flaws (e.g., leading a wild gang personally) or leverage edges (e.g., sending a fearsome gang to intimidate a merchant).
  • Flaws can lead to free play scenes, downtime complications, or even new scores or score objectives (e.g., controlling a cohort that’s out of hand).