Adventure Archetype: the Heist

Heists are awesome. Ocean’s Eleven, Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible: all adventures where a party conspires to steal treasure from a specific location. In TTRPGs, they’re popularized by Blades in the Dark or Kidnap the Archpriest. But what makes a good heist?

A prison escape will serve as an example throughout this article. Prisons provide an interesting location for play due to their close-off environment and strict rules. Well, until players break them both…

the Blueprint

For a heist, layout is a crucial part. A large portion of the fun comes from planning. Players need a general idea of the prisoner’s layout to create an (in their mind) air-tight plan. A good blueprint provides:

  • multiple entrances, including windows
  • pathway loops throughout the building
  • different factions assigned to different areas
  • locations that store useful tools

A heist is different from a combat-focussed adventure. Grid maps aren’t as necessary here. Heists favor a grand overview of the entire location, in this case prison.

Best Practice Implementation
Multiple entrances, including windows The prison has four main entrances, multiple windows in the cell block, as well a a rooftop of supposed shenanigans
Pathway loops throughout the building Each room is connected to multiple others and/or the outside world
Different factions assigned to different areas Guards and prisoners each have their own quarter, while sharing “ownership” of the kitchen and greenhouse areas
Locations that store useful tools Cooking utensils in the kitchen provides ample weapons and tools

the Timetable

There’s another crucial factor when planning a heist: the timetable. Plans are more fun to make if it’s known who will be where at any time of the day. A living community. GMs also benefit from a contained universe where everything has purpose. A good timetable provides:

  • temporarily available resources
  • points of interaction with the outside world
  • surprising but logical encounters
  • security blindspots

There’s a lot of movement in prisons from moment to moment, all on a rigid schedule. The authoritarian nature of this place makes this logical and expected, while also providing an opportunity from players to find the actual timetable.

Best Practice Implementation
Temporarily available resources Prisoners produce a shapeshifting plant
Points of interaction with the outside world Delivery of prisoners, food or resources creates windows of opportunity
Surprising but logical encounters Rats scavange leftovers in the kitchen when the guards and prisoners are away
Security blindspots Guard shifts create two separate opportunities for shenanigans

the Complications

No plan survives contact with the enemy. Least of all heists. Complications create a second wave of descision-making after the planning phase. Tactics become important now. These complications are often the result of die rolls, but the setting could embed some seeds of conflict to feed into them.

Prison has two obvious factions: guards and prisoners. Being opposed to both makes a heist very difficult. Being allied with either brings you in conflict with the other. Even within those factions there’s room for complications. What if some prisoners are innocent? What if some guards are dirty? What if some prisoners are guards? Weave these complications into and adventure's design. They always seem to hook the players.

Play

Miscommunication between GMs and players is always a letdown. Give them all the information necessary to plan. Show them the layout. Give them the timeline. Knowledge is power!

If you like this article or adventure, please let me know why and how! These designs are ever evolving, so any feedback or critiques are greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Willem-Jan

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