Looking for feedback.
I’m running a new (read: first ever) DW adventure soon and wanted to include some custom moves. The first leg of the journey is across a treacherous sea wherein the adventurers encounter more than one danger. Since most of this session will take place on a ship I thought it right to add some ship related moves. Below is an original move I made for the game plus a modified move from the DW Guide.
1. Knife Slide Down A Sail
“When you stab in to the sail and ride the tear to the deck like a grinning scoundrel, roll +Dex.”
On a 10+
– You land safely. Add +1 hold if you flourish.
On a 7 – 9
– You land, but amongst a cacophany of battle
On a miss,
– You stop short in the sail. Loose the knife to catch a rope(+Dex) or drop to the deck for1d4 damage.
2. Swinging of the Rigging
“When you swing on the rigging toward some scurvy bastard with a cutlass in your teeth, roll +Dex.
On a 10+
– you knock them over and gain 1 hold.
On a 7-9
– you are both knocked over and fall in to a tangled pile.
On a miss
– you or your weapon is flung overboard.
Would love some pointers as I’m still learning the ropes (pun intended?) of Dungeon World.
hey, maybe I’m missing the obvious, but: what do you spend those holds on?
Also, how can you be so sure that the game will entirely take place on a boat?
hmm, well I understand holds to be additions to the players next move. The point was to give them an opportunity to get the jump on an enemy or situation.
And the boat is just a part-time leg of the adventure. The game fiction will put them right on it and I have a few dangers I’ll throw at them. I just wanted to give them the opportunity to be piratical with these moves.
The Dungeon World Beginner’s guide has a good section on how to write moves and a “swinging from the rigging” move in it and a discussion on what makes a good move. Check it out here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/?ypk10uede2sgri6
I can’t recommend it enough!
Eric Lochstampfor Totally! The rigging swing move I did here is a modified version from the Guide. I wanted to remake it to better understand how to design moves. A trial by fire as it were.
holds are move-specific resources spent within the move that generated them. See Defend for an example. What you are looking for is “take +1 forward to do X”, which means “take +1 to your next roll to do X”.
I asked about the boat just because I don’t understand how can you be so prepared in a first ever session!
Yeah no offense man but doesn’t it say in the book not to plan your first session?
The book does not say “no planning” – just don’t bring a planned story or plot.
Exactly so! Don’t plan a story or plot. Which is exactly what seems to be happening here.
“The first leg of the journey is across a treacherous sea wherein the adventurer a encounter more than one danger.” Sounds like plot to me.
“If you like you can plan a little more. Maybe think of an evil plot and who’s behind it, or some monsters you’d like to use.” Plot, right there is the rule book…ToMAYto…ToMAHto.. 🙂
touché
Alessandro Gianni Thanks for the clarity on Holds. I’m still working out the kinks with the terminology definitions. Perhaps a better form of this instance, for example, could be “take +1 to your next attack roll, or Hack&Slash.” Maybe I’ll invent swashbuckling.
@ everyone still, how does the balance look for the Move building on either?