Currently making a hack to play Fallout using Dungeon World rules and I was wondering if there are any custom moves out there that address drugs and addiction? So far what I have in mind is to have players roll whenever they consume an addictive chem, 10+ the player is good, 9-7 the player is good but may suffer a temporal backlash , and on a miss it becomes addicted. I haven’t given much thought about it just yet but id liek to hear what you guys migh have to say about handling drugs and addictions.
Currently making a hack to play Fallout using Dungeon World rules and I was wondering if there are any custom moves…
Currently making a hack to play Fallout using Dungeon World rules and I was wondering if there are any custom moves…
You might consider looking at Blades in the Dark by John Harper. He has rules for Vices including drugs.
I think it’s more fun for the GM and scarier for the players if it’s handled behind the scenes in the fiction via offscreen sidt and hard moves done when players roll 7-9 or 6- respectively.
Quick and dirty, I’d make drugs let you boost a roll involving a specific stat by 1 or 2 to give the GM that much hold. Hold is spent whenever a hard move is called for to give -1 ongoing to rolls involving that stat until more of the drug is consumed (to no benefit except buying off the penalty).
Alternately, you could make the moves only yield GM hold on partial success or failure, though I think that would lead to players exclusively drugging up their best stats, since that’s the best chance to avoid payback.
Once you’ve taken a drug, roll+CON. On a 10+, you get some benefit without side effects. You feel great! On a 7-9, something happens as soon as you take it.
When you roll doubles, two 1’s, 2’s etc. the drugs have a sudden effect on you when you weren’t expecting it. This can happen until they are completely out of your system.
My idea would require you to make side effects or even side effect tags for each drug beforehand.
On a 10+ you gain the beneficial effects of the drug and the hangover is bearable. 7-9 You gain the drug’s benefit, but also some side effects. Choose one from the list of side effects for the drug.
Side effects could include debilities, also more interesting or funny things like passing out after they finish combat, inability to rest the night after, etc. I left the 6- open for GM narration, but addiction and additional side effects should be considered for the fiction. Addiction I assume would give a debility to the stat that is usually enhanced, or to the character’s constitution. Just my ideas. I loooove Fallout so I hope you have fun playing it DW style!
Aside, wouldn’t it be easier to base your hack on Apocalypse World, not Dungeon World? Though it doesn’t have much for drug use, either.
Lot of good advice here already including John Harper’s work and just handling off-roll as part of the game fiction and hard moves. But I did make up a move for this for a player who wanted to run a character with addiction issues. I’ll post when I get back to my laptop.
Chris Bennett Ill look into once I get a chance.
Gerard Snow That’s also an option. It will require some prep though but this could work.
Ahegao Montoya I agree with you there!
Damian Jankowski A bit unpredictable but functional. I like it.
Scott Selvidge Great advice and thanks!
colin roald That would be the natural choice but for me DW has more elements in common with Fallout than AW. Also, its easier to adapt the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats from Fallout to DW.
Timothy Bennett Cant wait to see it!
One thing to think about is: how far into addiction do you want to go? Is it just “if you’re addicted you need a dose every day that doesn’t otherwise do anything for you, and if you don’t get it mark a disability”, or is there a descending spiral of addiction? Is being addicted to heroin mechanically worse than being addicted to nicotine? Does addiction lead to compulsive behaviours for the character, whether the player likes it or not? Is there a point at the bottom of the spiral where the character becomes a helpless junkie able to do nothing but jones for their next score?
The minimal version is easiest to play, and avoids taking narrative authority away from the player—but maybe for that exact reason it’s also least realistic.
Sticking to narrative effects of addiction only, via GM moves rather than mechanical rules, might help make everything feel less, well, mechanical.
Check with your players before you decide on anything too hardcore. If they have any addicts in their family, they might be sensitive about bringing the same issues into their entertainment.
Chasing the Dragon at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dbySkT3fIItYdbmmFf_powquI5gzpYy73qZ0FSfuTqw/edit?usp=sharing
If you are hacking DW to Fallout, you might want to check out Grim World, which IMO already takes DW into a post-apocalyptic world.
Or just play Apocalypse World… you know, the post-apocalyptic game that Dungeon World is based on….
Thank you all for your input, all of your entries have helped immeasurably.