I’ve been looking through some of the player created material out there and I’ve come across Goals…

I’ve been looking through some of the player created material out there and I’ve come across Goals…

I’ve been looking through some of the player created material out there and I’ve come across Goals (http://bit.ly/1iDFVdO), which are added to the CS, and Drives (Inverse World), which replace Race on the CS. Are there any other things like this out there? Modifications to the CS that help give a character more focus and direction or another means of gaining XP?

11 thoughts on “I’ve been looking through some of the player created material out there and I’ve come across Goals…”

  3. Goals were intended to supplement bonds and alignments, not replace them. In the end we (my group) went with something closer to Burning Wheel’s beliefs – each PC’s intent summed up as: “I believe X, therefore Y, so I intend to do Z”. (For example, the templar: “I believe in my god, therefore I will spread the good word, so I intend to build a church here”.) I introduced them because bonds weren’t really working for my group at the time, but we kept the bonds we’d set up nonetheless and (benefit of hindsight!) they worked better the more experienced the PCs got.

    TLDR; A fiction-first player goal works way better than a new rule, and is easier to create… just ask the players!

    As I understand it, aspects and drives are mechanically the same as races and alignments, just with a more evocative name. This works well for Inverse World, but your milage may vary with a personal setting (and from a mechanics perspective it’s not relevant what you call them, provided everyone at the table knows what you’re talking about.)

    If you’re new to DW, I’d encourage you to use the rules as is first, then see what works and what doesn’t. 

  4. Goals are something you add to a CS. They are just like Bonds except with a different focus. Bonds must be resolved to grant XP, goals grant XP if you make progress toward a goal or if you resolve it.

    Race is a bonus or ability granted by by your Race and Class combo.

    Drives are the focus of your Character and are based on the Playbook’s concept. Captain Drives are based around exploring, The Collector; expanding their collection, The Mechanic; building machinery, The Survivor; surviving, etc… Do these grant XP?

    Callings are a little more complex but like Goals you gain XP for making progress regarding them. If you were to add Bonds and Callings together I think you’d have a set of criteria that was very reminiscent of The Burning Wheel’s Beliefs, Instincts, and Traits.

    I’ve been thinking about adding BW’s BITs to DW. I’ve also been thinking about FATE’s Aspects. Since each are tied to mechanics in their originating systems I’m not sure how to translate these to DW quite yet. I’m still trying to grasp the system. The way I see it though, is if there is room to add more depth to a character or to give the GM a better idea of the things Players think are cool or important, why not add them?

  6. I’m guessing there’s some crossover of posting going on Marques Jordan, but to echo your last point – I very much agree on that last statement. Depending on how well bonds/alignments/etc. work for you and your group, there could be room to add depth to a character and/or give the GM a better idea of the player’s intent. 

  7. +1 Joe Banner . I didn’t even notice you had posted while I was writing my post. It is interesting to see what you turned Goals into and I love that you went a BW inspired route. I’m going to start with the game per normal and try adding in new things as we progress. One of the things that really drew me to BW was the BITs. I recently had to decide between BW and DW and DW won out for simplicity (current situation demands). If I can find a way to incorporate them or the feel of them AND have it add to the game, it will be so >=D

  10. Pirate World’s backgrounds are worth checking out; they’re basically Compendium Classes that replace the traditional DW race box, and give a bunch of moves your character develops through when they meet the fictional triggers.

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