Just did some DW one shots for PAX east, and it occurred to me that I could crowd source ideas here for them.
When running this game, I improvise the game, but I find it helpful to have some ideas for each class for what they are doing the moment play starts. (I should also point out that I shamelessly style this awesome trick from Alex Roberts)
Examples:
Barbarian – “You have a foe held above your head with both hands.”
Ranger – “You have an arrow notched, and you notice that two of your allies are in danger.”
Paladin – “The brigand and murderer less beaten before you, begging you to spare his life and swearing no longer to follow the path of evil.”
Ect.
Note that I actually prefer not to follow this up with more combat if it can be avoided, but people do like to mess things up a bit of the bat usually.
So, any ideas for opening for various classes? I find they work best if they give the player what they wanted from the class in the first place.
Looking for ideas for the base classes only or any classes?
I try to start each session halfway through an action scene (combat or social) and then ask them what they do. I don’t think it is necessary to put each individual in a situation, but it may work.
You are sitting on the back of a stolen pegasus.
Who did you steal it from and what will you do when they catch up?
Barbarian- You wipe their blood from your eyes and look around for your weapon under the rubble of the building.
Bard- The last of the bar patrons stop fighting when the guards show up, look at you, and shout, “Give me one good reason we shouldn’t lock everyone here.”
Cleric- The heretic falls to his knees, his vile holy symbol falls out of his hands, and he screams, “What have I done?”
Druid- The tainted woods has been purified, but an innocent child still carries the taint in their soul.
Fighter- The fire has gotten out of control and the bandits are all defeated, but where is that crying coming from?
Paladin- The assassin, laying bloody and beaten, is suddenly shielded by a little girl saying, “Leave my dad alone you big bully.”
Ranger- Your pet has your quarry in its jaw/talons/etc, when he spits out, “I can tell you how to stop them.”
Rogue- You swipe the trinket off the spell caster, and it begins to glow with a hellish light.
Wizard- With that the portal closes and the creature is banished, but not before it was able to send a spell to somewhere in your world.