Scum and Villainy

Scum and Villainy uses the Forged in the Dark engine, focusing on capers and their consequences. You roll small pools of d6s, the GM determines position and effect, and progress clocks monitor goals and threats to keep the action engaging. Planning is minimal as you can flash back to prepare on the spot. Teamwork is essential, featuring assists and group actions. Your crew and ship can gain upgrades and abilities, while fallout increases tension with factions. It feels more like a fast-paced space heist show than traditional dungeon crawling.

You typically begin as a score kicks off with an engagement roll that establishes the opening. Then we navigate through bold moves, twists, and significant choices, using flashbacks when preparation comes into play at just the right moment. You can push yourself or avoid trouble by spending stress. After the score, downtime allows you to repair, reduce heat, work on projects, and prepare for the next opportunity. Most groups finish a complete job along with downtime in 2 to 3 hours.

Yes. The core loop is straightforward: state your action, gather a few six-sided dice based on your action rating and bonuses, and read the highest die. The GM will explain position, effect, assists, stress, and resisting as they arise. You can use pre-generated characters or create one quickly from a playbook. A brief walkthrough gets everyone started, and our Game Masters teach the rules as you play.

Your crew has its own sheet detailing abilities, contacts, and a shared pool of gambits for bold manoeuvres. Your ship determines your focus, whether as smugglers, bounty hunters, or aspiring rebels, and gains upgrades, modules, and quirks that reflect your operations. Jobs generate heat and influence your standing with syndicates, noble houses, and the Hegemony, ensuring that friends and foes remain. Downtime decisions shape your crew's development and the evolution of the ship.

Yes, with the tone adjusted. The game includes blasters, chases, and sci-fi crime, but a professional Game Master can ensure that violence remains non-graphic, avoid heavy themes, and focus on clever plans, humour, and teamwork. We implement clear content boundaries and safety tools. Families often enjoy playful smuggling runs, rescue missions, and outrunning the authorities. Older kids and teens usually pick it up quickly as the rules prioritise storytelling and the dice mechanics are straightforward.

It works well either way. A one-shot provides a focused experience, quick character creation or pre-generated characters, and a brief downtime to wrap things up. A campaign allows your crew to build reputation and heat, upgrade the ship, pursue long-term projects, and face off against recurring factions and rivals. The same mechanics support both styles, so you can try a single evening before making a commitment. If you have a particular table vibe in mind, check out GM playstyles to find a suitable match.