One question about Dungeon World in general: Is character-developing fun in this system?

One question about Dungeon World in general: Is character-developing fun in this system?

One question about Dungeon World in general: Is character-developing fun in this system? In Pathfinder I like to look through  the books, see a talent there and there, and like it to wait for a level to get this one thing I found somewhere. Then I enjoy to make this one action, and if it is success it’s great (like a special combat feat or something) Can I have this kind of fun also with Dugneon World or is this system too arbitrarily? How tatical can combats be in DW?

10 thoughts on “One question about Dungeon World in general: Is character-developing fun in this system?”

  1. Since most of the classes have an option of taking Moves from other classes, yes, you can kinda look around and think of ways to expand and develop your character. Though sometimes it’s best to wait and see what might make sense as you go, instead of pre-planning everything.

    As for tactical, it can be quite tactical, but not in the same way as D&D or Pathfinder. Instead of mechanical tactics, jockeying for the best possible modifiers or synergies or whatever, you must focus on the fictional tactics. Work with the story and narration to come up with plans that make sense for the situation, putting yourself in the best position to accomplish your goals while avoiding harm as best as possible. It’s a different way of doing things, but fun.

  2. In Dungeon World, you have thousands of special combat feats, because everything is driven by the fiction. You don’t have to worry about exact distance or points in skills, so when you want to do a hurricane kick or jump onto the back of an ogre, you do.

    Why wait to be the right level to take a feat when you can just try to do it?

    I’m not sure how battle tactics compare to Pathfinder, but if I say something like “I shout at the orc to draw him to me” that could well be an Aid roll with the ranger, giving them +1 to Volley at the orc’s exposed back.

    There is also another basic move (anyone can use it) called Defend. Its pretty much what you think it is, and is often used to protect an innocent, but can also be used by a fighter standing in front of the party wizard as she casts a spell.

    I could go on, but needless to say, all you need to do to be tactical is actually make the effort to plan and work together.

    Another concept in Dungeon World is that if you do some great feat, you can get a “compendium class”, a few extra special moves that overlap with the class moves you can take when you level up. Don’t look over the core classes and think it ends there!

  3. It doesn’t matter very much. Unlike other games where levelling up makes you a lot stronger, DW characters start strong, and only get a little bit stronger, but they get more and interesting moves. Think of it as getting wider, not taller. The highest a stat can ever go is +3, and you start with one +2 right at level 1.

  4. You’re most welcome.

    Yeah, I’d say so!

    I mean, in a lot cases late level moves are simply “That thing you can do? Now it is bigger, better controlled, can hit more targets or removes a previous flaw.”, but they open up a lot of options.

    For instance the Thief can use and brew poisons, but once they get the Alchemy move, they can straight up make one up!

    I think what it comes down to is a level one DW adventurer is far more competent than a D&D-like adventurer. You don’t have to wait to be awesome.

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