I’ve had the Dungeon World rulebook for quit awhile at this point but have only used it as a player, even though I’ve read the whole thing at least once. I’m going to run my first DW game soon as a oneshot to introduce some in the group to the game for the first time and others to the hobby as a whole for the first time. I think a lot of things about Dungeon World make it a bit more friendly as an introductory game. However, one of the things I’ve never liked about the book is the “By Nature Sustained” trait of the Druid, which is the class I played the game with and second only in my fav list to the Bard.
Can I mine some suggestions for alternatives/alterations/stipulations for this trait from you all? I’m still going to explain it as it is in-text to the player and ask them if that makes sense for how they want to play their character/the world but I’d like the input none the less. Especially for the next time I play as a player.
In the campaign I played in I explained this distaste to my GM and I can’t remember if we decided eating restored a point of HP, the trait only kicked in if I ran out of food, or that it only took effect when we went on a Perilous Journey. It was something along those lines that made me more comfortable and still meshed with the game overall. Anything not needing to eat ever not only creeps me out but also makes me think of wasting diseases and eating disorders. The last of which makes me really uncomfortable.
It’s pretty easy to remove “By Nature Sustained” completely. If you do, you probably just want to increase the Druid’s base max load by 2, to reduce the logistical penalty of carrying rations. If your perilous journeys tend to be short, this may actually be a slight buff, since it means you could carry one rations, then use the other weight for a different item. You’d also want to add dungeon rations to the starting items.
If something never needing to eat really creeps you out, by all means change or even drop the move all together when playing a Druid. You shouldn’t play something that makes you uncomfortable.
But when someone else is playing a Druid, let them decide if they want to leave the move as is, change it, or drop it. It’s their character.
However if you are so uncomfortable with something never needing to eat that you will be unable to run the game if they use the move, tell them. Let them know it bothers you.
As for alternatives, why not just allow the Druid to find enough rations for themselves each day while in a wilderness area.
Also by nature sustained could also imply that the druid find water, edible plants, insects or even call forth birds to sustain them. It could be an ancient druid ritual that mimics photosynthesis, or lichens/fungi ability to digest rock.
Ask the question to the player it may lead to interesting things.
I always think of it along the lines of Eric Duncan. In dungeons and places like that, I think of them finding moss and lichen and capturing bugs and mice and bats, probably to the disgust and unease (think Bear Grills) of others in the adventuring party.