So, how does the reach tag work in actual play?
In the hands of a PC? This is how I do it. I’d be curious to hear if someone has another way:
On a 10+ deal damage and the enemy is still at reach. (They could, of course, move away.)
On a 7-9, deal damage, or keep them at reach.
On a 6-, the GM makes a hard move. Deal damage, disarm, etc…
What about in the hands of an NPC?
Defy Danger to get past:
On a 10+, you close to close or hand.
On a 7-9, you stay back or take damage and close range.
On a 6-, you generally take damage and stay at reach.
By generally, I mean of course that other moves are available to the GM.
They just deal damage to nearby enemies who don’t have reach weapons, until something changes that reach becomes a problem.
I love that custom move for situations where you are like defending a bridge with a spear or holding off enemy cavalry with a phalanx of pike men or some kind of circumstance you want to be special.
But for just ordinary this battle, that battle encounters…like Alfred said.
If I recall correctly the idea of monsters using reach as above is in one of the examples in the book. I like your PC solution though. I’m still finding the only the player rolls aspect of Dungeon World ticky.
When you can just attack them with your reach weapon and they have no way to defend against it, just roll damage.
Ah, right. If one has reach and the other has close or hand then they can just deal damage. PC’s can DD to avoid. But, then how do you hold off NPC’s with your reach weapon? Or maybe the better question is, how do NPC’s get past the reach weapon and close range?
You make a move? The spider goblin tumbles and rolls past your spear directly into you, he wants to get his sharp teeth into you – what do you do?
To keep them at bay, Dwfend or just describe yourself doing that. You can’t attack them but they can’t attack you either.
Or you could search for my boors fighting style here in the community, it deals with that.
Haha, search for something on G+! That’s a good one!
found it instantaneously with the community search
https://plus.google.com/u/0/110330901807759406775/posts/2TzUthUMj21
If you’ve got reach and he doesn’t, he can still defend himself. He can still dodge, jump back, block or parry, even if he can’t actually hurt you. So I wouldn’t go with automatic damage. I’d say that if he gets to deal damage but can’t, he gets a step closer instead.
Your opponent can also try to get close at which point your reach means you can’t attack him.