During our game of Dungeon World, the Druid explained to me what being THE Druid means.
There are actually dozens of Druids in the Halfling clans — they’re spiritual leaders, they commune with the animals and the spirits. They’re a secretive sect, with secret rituals to usher then through the ranks. Being THE Druid means that when he underwent the final ritual, the spirits answered back and flooded into him to mark him.
He is not just the Halflings’ Druid — he is the Spirits’ Druid as well, and he helps bridge both worlds.
I asked if that made him important, like the Druid-pope or whatever. He said no, he’s just a special servant.
So, we have the Avatar, except he belongs to his people wholly, rather than having any individual power or authority of his own.
It feels like an awesome train wreck waiting to happen.
One of the things I liked about DW was that the uniqueness of the player characters helped give them agency in the world. Are there other Wizards? There are other magicians, but YOU are The Wizard. Are there other Clerics? There are other priests, but YOU are The Cleric. You are the allcaps conquering chosen one, and no, nobody else can save the world but you, so hop to it bugs.
Agreed — and I think that’s why I’m so interested in my game’s Druid. Because he is THE Druid, but his people’s Council is intent on telling him he is just a sign the spirits love them; that he isn’t special himself.
They’re in for a rude awakening, I figure.
I usually avoid lavishing such special attention on my spellcasters – they already cast reality-rewriting magic. Is the party’s fighter THE fighter?
If so, why? Starting the game with a nifty signature weapon might make it THE weapon, but I don’t see how it would make you The Fighter.
If not, then why all the attention lavished on the already-more-interesting spellcasters?
Robert Newton I just chose two classes at random, but yes, the Fighter is The Fighter, heck, one of their advanced moves allows them to literally decide who lives and dies in battle, if that isn’t the power of a legendary hero, what is?
I mean, I lavish attention in the spell casters cause they’re my player’s characters?
My job isn’t “play favorites.” It’s “be a fan.” And I’m a fan of the Druid like whoa. I’m also a fan of the thief and the barbarian — but they don’t have setting-transforming assumptions built into their first level.
The cleric, wizard, and druid all have heavy metaphysics built into level 1 that needs to be addressed as soon as possible, I think we can agree.
Fair enough. DW is its own beast in a lotta ways, but the setting flavor isn’t far from D&D – a game which I’ve seen too often turn into “the spellcaster and his entourage” instead of “the team”. I don’t hate casters, but I try to reduce the amount of time they spend being cooler than the “just a Fighter” player.
Nice! I may have to ask, at the start of games, “What sets you apart from every other member of your class? What makes you THE Fighter, not just A Fighter?”
A good idea, but I dunno if I’d start a game with that. Ease into it, I’d say — wait till you get an inkling of specialness and then latch on to it as a leading question: “Is THAT what makes you The X?”
Starting off with that huge question could paralyze some players, I think.
I imagine I won’t know why our barbarian is The Barbarian until we’re back in her land, or until she really plays up her appetites – and I want her to have some fodder in her mind for when I do ask what makes her so special.
Maybe ask the question, with a “But ‘I don’t know yet’ is a perfectly acceptable answer.” clause.
Yes, that — awesome.
I just think it’s cool to give the PCs room for “Yeah, I’m THE Fighter cause I’m the only living mortal to have killed a dragon. Whatever, NBD.”
That is awesome. I had this ready to go last session. I was The Paladin from eating the soul of an evil god. Now I preach the good word of self improvement.