Based on the feedback we have had concerning Zombieworld, we have taken a stab at revising the basic moves,…

Based on the feedback we have had concerning Zombieworld, we have taken a stab at revising the basic moves, essentially adding a new stat (brawn) and reducing the number of basic moves altogether.

Here’s what we have done o far. Any suggestions?

Act Under Pressure

When you act under pressure (imminent danger, threat, harm, a deadline, discovery, trying circumstances, etc.), and you do it by relying on, , ,

+brute strength and raw physical power, roll+brawn

+athleticism, agility and foot-speed, toll+body

+quick-thinking, reason or logical deduction, roll+brains

+spirit or intuition, roll+guts

+charm, wit, and personal magnetism. roll+sway

*On a 10+, you do what you set out to do.

*On a 7–9, you do what you set out to do but with compromised results. You either succeed at a cost or your success is a partial one. (the ZM will explain)

This is your any-and-all-circumstances move. It can cover almost anything not covered by the rest of the basic or special moves. It’s for any situation where it feels like you should be rolling to determine the outcome of an action and no other move applies.

Read ‘pressure’ broadly. It can be imminent danger, threat, harm, a deadline or discovery trying circumstances, etc. In other words, as long as you are attempting to do something where the outcome can’t be guaranteed and where success and failure carries a significant consequence, then you are acting under pressure.

 

Shoot

When you attack a hostile enemy with a firearm or thrown weapon, roll +body

*On a 10+ you deal damage to the enemy and avoid their attack (should they be attacking you)

*On a 7-9, you deal damage to the enemy but (choose the most appropriate) . . .

– you are unable to avoid their attack (should they be attacking you), or

– you only graze the target, dealing ½ damage instead, unless you take multiple shots, reducing your ammo by 1. Either way, you avoid the enemy’s attack.   

When it comes to this move, ‘a hostile enemy’ is the key phrase. The enemy you are targeting must actually be threatening you in some way, or at the very least, engaged with someone else. You aren’t making the ‘shoot’ move when you fire at a helpless or unsuspecting enemy. In those instances, the ZM will probably just tell you to roll your damage outright.

 

Fight

When you attack a hostile enemy with a melee weapon or your bare hands, roll +brawn.

*On a 10+ you deal damage to the enemy and avoid their attack

*On a 7–9, you deal damage to the enemy but (choose the most appropriate) . . .

– you can’t avoid their attack (should they be attacking you),

or

– you only land a glancing blow to the target, dealing ½ damage instead, but you avoid the enemy’s attack.

The fight move is nearly identical to the shoot move only it concerns melee-type attacks. Again, ‘a hostile enemy’ is the key. The target must be actively engaged with you or threatening you in some way. You aren’t ‘fighting’ if the enemy can’t defend his or her self or if they are helpless or totally preoccupied with something else. In those case, the ZM may tell you just to roll damage outright

 

Read a Person or Situation

When you study or interact with person or situation, roll+guts

*On a 10+, you gain some useful insight (the ZM will tell you what) and you take +1 forward when you act on it.

*On a 7-9, you gain some useful insight (The ZM will tell you what)

 

You make this move when you rely on your senses and intuition in order to discern what exactly is going on, what might be about to happen, or why something happened the way it did. This move assumes that you are actively studying, observing or interacting with something specific, not just generally being alert. Furthermore, there must be a person or situation play that you can see, hear, feel, etc. in order to read it.   

Apply Knowledge

When you apply what you know about a person, place, subject or thing, roll+brains.

*On a 10+, you recall some-thing useful about it (The ZM will tell you what) and you take +1 forward when you act on this information.

*On a 7-9, you recall something useful about it (the ZM will tell you what).

In either case, the ZM may ask you to explain how you know this information.

  

You make this move when you rely on your knowledge, skill and experience in order to relay concrete facts and information about the subject matter at hand. For example, you take a few moments to think about what you about downtown Atlanta. The ZM tells you that you know the location of a drug store that may have the insulin your group is looking for. The ZM asks you how you know this and you tell everyone it’s because you’ve actually been there before, while vacationing in Georgia.    

  

Take Charge

When you ask or demand a friendly, ZM-controlled survivor to take action in a dangerous or tense situation, roll+sway.

*On a 10+ they stand firm and carry out the order to the best of their ability

*On a 7-9 they carry out the order, but waver or hesitate, yielding a compromised result (the ZM will tell you what)

*On a 6-, they refuse, freeze or protest.

In most cases, friendly, ZM-controlled survivors who have joined your group will do pretty much anything asked of them, provided it isn’t dangerous or demeaning in some way. In shootout, fight or some other threatening situation, most friendly, ZM-controlled survivors will do what they can to defend themselves or retreat from danger, but will otherwise look to the survivors for direction. This is where the take charge move comes into play.

 

Assist or Oppose

When you assist or oppose another player who is making a basic move, roll+ties with them.

*On a 10+, choose 1 and take +1 forward.

*On a 7–9 choose 1 . . .

+Give them +1 to their roll (assist) or -2 (oppose)

+Halve an enemies attack’s effect or damage on them (assist) or halve their

attack effect or damage on someone else (oppose)

+Redirect an attack against them to yourself (assist) or redirect the their attack

against an enemy to yourself (oppose)