Thinking about a Berserker playbook – how’s this for a starting move?
Barrage – When you let loose a savage flurry of attacks, deal your damage to everyone Close to you and roll +Wis. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. Spend your hold, one for one, to do the following:
*Deal an additional d4+Str to an enemy.
*Avoid an enemy’s counterattack.
*Avoid harming an ally.
#1 Why is this hold? Shouldn’t it just be “choose 2/3”?
#2 this move is insanely powerful
On a 7-9 this is basically a Hack and Slash 10+ result. You can do that of course but then it would be a 6+ advanced move I think. Not something that is better then a basic move.
#3 why is this rolling with WIS and not STR or maybe CON?
#4 If there is no ally nearby, do you still have to choose the third option?
Tim Franzke There was some logic behind all of it, but all of your points are well taken. What do you think about this? Not sure how to reconcile the chance to harm an ally against the fiction if no ally is near by.
When you let loose with a savage flurry of attacks against multiple combatants, roll +Str. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
*Deal your damage to everyone Close to you.
*Avoid an enemy’s counterattack.
*Avoid harming an ally.
+John Carr Thanks for working on this, I have need of a berserker playbook in my upcoming game. Have you taken a look at the pay-what-you-want (even $0) Berserker playbook at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/132818/The-Berserker–A-Dungeon-World-Playbook ? Might be good inspiration.
I was just about to post an update to that, actually. Thanks for reminding me.
John Carr
I would make the damage mandatory because otherwise you might have a 7-9 result that is you flaying around, harming your friends and taking no damage but not doing much else. That is really not desireable, especially because you started out with attacking everyone around you.
Also “deal damage to everyone close to you” already is something Hack&Slash can do so I don’t know why that effect is worth a move.
Perhaps it’s better situated as a modification to Hack & Slash… I’ve got to let this one stew a bit more.
Ari Black I just downloaded the Berserker playbook by Peter Johansen to see how he handled it, thanks to both!