I’ve been running a DW campaign for a few weeks, and last night was session 4. Up until last night it’s been pretty fun, but last night I decided to try and consciously apply some advice I read (I think somewhere on this board, though I can’t find the post): make harder hard moves, and deal more damage. In particular, whenever fictionally appropriate, I dealt damage in addition to whatever fictional consequences there were to the failure.
The difference was really palpable. Tension was higher, and players responded by making more interesting (sometimes desperate) fictional actions. The declining hit point total made it necessary to move the story forward with every move.
The session ended with the wizard getting her face painted with blood by an orc shaman and taking part in a ritual to become a berserker. Unexpected, for sure, and I could not have been happier with the outcome.
That is the secret of all * world games. Push HARD (but not at the same thing all the time)
That is the secret of all * world games. Push HARD (but not at the same thing all the time)
I often advocate this approach. Glad it worked for you!
I frequently need to be reminded of this advice.
Thats what i did too. And with inglorious outcome.
They where engulfed by giant spiders in the tunnels of a huge nest. No escape as it seemed, but the druid burned a hole in the ground just large enough for human sized to get through. The Paladin fought tooth to nail so that the others could escape, barley able to save himself with only 2 HP left.
Great!