How do you solve the problem when player characters turn against each other? How does combat work then?

10 thoughts on “How do you solve the problem when player characters turn against each other? How does combat work then?”

1. There are a bunch of ways PvP can go, depending on the fiction.

   [Examples based on a conflict that came up in my game, obviously a little different if it’s just two PCs trying to off each other]

   1. Player 1 hack/slash at NPC, player 2 defends NPC.

   2. Player 1 defies danger to kill NPC, player 2 interferes.

   3. Player 1 kills NPC, player 2 hack/slash player 1.

   4. Player 1 and player 2 both hack and slash, both results stand (awesome because you can deal your damage and take theirs stacked with them dealing damage and taking yours).

   5. The situation is a golden opportunity.

   6. Any of the above with volley instead of hack/slash.

   7. ….

   The system is pretty robust in terms of adapting to the fiction.

2. We’ve descended into PVP in our DW games and it went pretty smoothly. We tried to logic out the fiction as best as possible to determine when to Defy Danger and when to just use the attack roll outright. 

3. If player 1 Hack and Slash player 2, player 2 can use Aid and Interfere against the roll of player 1. 

   The players can use Aid and Interfere whenever they want to interfere with the roll of another player, not only to help each other. 

4. If you don’t want them fighting, put them into a situation in which they /have/ to work together. Te easy way is to keep the dangers coming, but you can always look at examples like … er … http://tvtropes.org seems to be down at the moment, but I’m sure they’ll have lots of examples when they come back online.

5. It’s back up. Look at http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EnemyMine for some examples and ideas.

6. What problem?

   It works like all other combat or other parts of the game. 

7. So one player acts like a DM for the fight?

8. Preferably the DM 

9. Where’s my standard link for this… Oh yes: http://www.story-games.com/forums/discussion/17868/dungeon-world-how-do-you-handle-player-vs-player-situations/p1

   Essentially, yes, it works exactly like any other battle in Dw; have a conversation. When that conversation triggers a move, trigger the move. Repeat until the conversation moves to something that is something else. 

10. Most of the meat in that thread is in the middle of page 2, but the whole thread is great.

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