I was wondering if there’s been some discussion about alignment change. My line of tought is that a player could “resolve” his alignment in a way that a bond is resolved, i.e. when in the fiction something shatters the character’s moral concepts. Maybe it’s something more appropriate for games focused on relationship than high adventure like DW, but the reedemed villain, the good guy turned bad or uncaring, and the villain tired and becoming uncaring are all story driving tropes.
I was wondering if there’s been some discussion about alignment change.
I was wondering if there’s been some discussion about alignment change.
Page 34 of the English Edition:
Alignment can, and will, change. Usually such a change comes about as a gradual move toward a decisive moment. Any time a character’s view of the world has fundamentally shifted they can chose a new alignment. The player must have a reason for the change which they can explain to the other players.
In some cases a player character may switch alignment moves while still keeping the same alignment. This reflects a smaller shift, one of priority instead of a wholesale shift in thinking. They simply choose a new move for the same alignment from below and mention why their character now sees this as important.
Ezio Melega I see that the way the alignment change is handled in the manual it’s simple and effective (and functional in groups not interested in exporing the issues) , but also lacks the emphasis on the struggle of the character changing his outlook on life.
IMO, it deserves something similar to the end of session move or a love letter related to events leading the alignment change.
We could start saying that if you want to change your align. you could state it a session end, like with bonds. To whom would you ask if the change is legit? The GM? The group? I vote for the group.
If you didn’t mark XP because of alignment, you can change the PHRASE. If you ‘ve alreay changed it, you can choose another alignment.
This is very barebones, though. Just a start.
Diego Minuti so, it would be an additional option for the end of session move.
Should it be asked to the table? Shouldn’t it represent an intention of the character, more than something to be proved?
I like the two step mechanism, it’s simple but elegant. The only problem is that if in the second step you change only the alignment (and not the phrase again), there are technically no “mechanical changes”
Paride Papadia
No, it shouldn’t be asked to the table, because it’s a personal effort. And yes, it should be, because it’s also something perceived by others.
I think it should be asked to oneself self, but I don’t know how to put this in the rules.
In the two step mechanism, when you change alignment, you must also choose a new phrase.
Hey…
Let’s say I change phrase three times, then go form chaotic to neutral (4 changes total).
If I put my 4 phrases one after the other, I obtain abrief history of my changing ethos.
what could we do to give this a mechanical meaning?
I’ve told a player at the table whose character just murdered somebody to change his alignment to evil. GM’s orders.
Wynand Louw , did you do it as a GM move?
Diego Minuti
if you have to change phrase two times, and renounce to mark Xp to be able to change phrase or alignment, then I don’t think there are other “mechanical” needs.
It has a cost, so it’s a meaningful decision, and it has a path to be followed, so it’s fiction relevant. I would probably add a custom move in the following session to highlight the alignment change.
Diego Minuti I suppose it counts as a GM move. It was more like GM fiat.
And I forgot, an evil character rolled 7-9 on Last Breath, and Death told him to become good.
So that is twice that I changed a character’s alignment in my campaign.
Paride Papadia
Totally agree. What kind of custom move would it be? Like, a Death Move, a CC move or something always different?
Wynand Louw, I don’t think I’d ever give such fiat to a player, having been at the wrong end of such things for a long time. Am I too straight?
A a side note, at first I read FEAT, and started to flip my rulebook for at least a minute…
Diego Minuti
When you changed your alignment in the last end session, roll+WIS:
On a 10+, people noticed your new attitude, but nobody cares.
On a 7-9, choose 1:
– One of your henchmen hastily abandons you
– Someone you know changes his attitude towards you
– Your religious counselor decides to talk to you about “the proper path”
– You get a “visit” from local police to discuss some “issues”
– Relatives start planning to disown you
– You offended the PCs having more bonds with you. Ask them why
– An old enemy facts checks if the rap is true
On a 6-
Someone is seriously upset with your change, and decides to actively create you serious problems, possibly violently. Describe the DM who they are and your relationship with them.
I super like it! Wouldn’t use it in every game, but if I did, I ‘d add other similar moves; maybe in a grimdark setting, or such.
Diego Minuti You are probably right. But if a player plays his character way off alignment, whats a guy to do? I should probably have handled it differently. With the 7-9 last breath example I think I acted in the spirit of the game.
Yes, the last breath is ok. DW is beautiful, because it lets GMs go for the throat, just at the right time.