Here’s a question for you:

7 thoughts on “Here’s a question for you:”

1. Yes. Pretty much. Especially the moves that aren’t “deal damage”.

2. Yep. Or make the environment equally dangerous. Never underestimate the tension of a threat they can’t punch in the face.

3. I give it something that is strong against the pcs in particular

4. Since the narration seems to always be playing like a movie in my head, I go with what is obvious most times, and puts the players in a hard spot or requires a difficult choice – escalate, escalate escalate.

5. The basic GM moves are gold for this, but I always love using a monster’s specific moves to make them more characterful and iconic. 

6. I lean heavily on tell them the requirements or consequences and then ask: “It’s got a longer reach than you do, if you charge in it’s just gonna impale you. You still want to do that?”

   Also, reveal an unwelcome truth.  “It’s pretty clear that cutting at the vines isn’t going to actually stop this thing. You’ll need to find the roots and dig them up, or find some other way to kill this thing.”

   Both of those involve giving the beasty tags, qualities, moves, and fictional positioning that effectively “block” a straight-up attack. That makes the PCs have to overcome the blocks first, usually meaning they make more moves, and more moves means more opportunities for consequences.

   Then, I make the consequences of a miss (or just exposing themselves to an enemy’s attack) really hurt, both fictionally and numerically.  

   Remember: if you make a move that would deal damage, you deal damage. Even if your move wasn’t specifically Deal Damage.

7. Great Advice Jeremy!

   Remember too that fictional damage is just as powerful as HP ablation (especially in combination). Dealing with the fictional ‘block’ of a broken limb or staunching a haemorrhaging wound is just as complicating as dealing x HP of damage.

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