I’m working on a concept for Dungeon Moves and I’d like to get your opinions. This has changed a few times since I originally conceived of it and I want to refine it even further.
Issue 4 of Session Zero will take place on an island prison, and 1 of the 6 possible guard types (you’ll be able to randomly determine the guard type or choose it, so you can play The Island Prison in a number of different ways) is The Undead, and another will be clockwork sentinels. They will both use a variation of this move.
Fictionally I think it’s appropriate that in a prison guarded by zombies and skeletons, there will be magic that allows the defeated guards to reanimate automatically (same with the clockworks, but with a different “skin”).
The GM can make a Dungeon Move when the players roll a 6-, but I want to add a small bit of mechanics to that (which means I can’t just list it as a Normal Dungeon Move):
Dungeon Move: Reanimation
While in combat with undead, if a player rolls 6- you may reanimate a number of defeated undead in that combat equal to result of the roll (cannot exceed the number of undead already defeated in this combat).
Ideally it would be more elegant to simply put a Reanimate move on the zombies and skeletons, so that I can bring one of them back on a 6-, but I’m not sure I can use the Monster Move of a dead adversary.
That’s a lot of set up to ask this question: If an adversary is killed, do I still have access to the moves that adversary had while it was “alive”? Mechanically I think not: Sure, a “dead” zombie could Reanimate, but a dead sorcerer could not Befuddle Mind, and a dead priest could not Heal Wounds.
So can I use the Dungeon Move: Reanimation I outlined above, or would something like this be fine: Reanimate (only during the combat in which it was killed)?
It’s just a way of indicating “you can use this Monster Move after the Monster is dead” without saying it.
Thoughts? Criticisms? Thanks!
Just wanted to say I’m excited for the next issue. I’ve read all three so far and I’m enjoying them.
As for your particular situation here, it sounds like you’re focusing on the monster and not the source of their animation. It might be the island/prison that’s responsible for bringing these guards to life, so unless they’re completely dismantled in some way that they couldn’t be reassembled, I’d say bringing them back falls under the purview of the Island/Prison (so a Dungeon move) and not a monster move, thus removing the fictional requirements you’re struggling to find. It might seem more “fair” if the guards can only come back if they’ve been cut down by the PCs in current combat, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense and it feels clunky to me.
Going this route also opens up the GM to opportunities where inactive guards can be placed all over the prison and can animate as a hard move in unrelated situations, which will make the PCs paranoid as hell and provide a good spooky moment.
#1 Thanks for reading all of them Brandon! I’m glad there are people out there enjoying them!
#2 I really want it to be a Dungeon Move rather than a Monster Move, so I appreciate your perspective. I totally expected everyone to say “That’s just a Monster Move, why do… etc.”
And you’re right, I was going for “fair” with the “only ones you’ve defeated” bit, but I like that it can be used for anything laying around too. That sets up a completely different encounter. A Scrambler and a couple Crawlers with a Skeleton Archer IS a combat encounter… An attempt to break into (or our of) a cell block with bones and a couple “dead” zombies laying about adds some tension after the players have already seen how “Reanimation” works. It maybe even forces the Fighter who’s “Bending Bars” to choose the “not a lot of noise” option so that they don’t reanimate, etc. A non-fighter doing the same would Defy Danger with STR (the danger being that it makes a lot of noise and draws the attention of the undead).
V2.0
Dungeon Move: Reanimation
Fluff
“Dead” zombies and skeletons near characters may reanimate with full health when rolls are failed.
Thoughts?
Brian Holland Yeah, that’s much more simple and versatile and allows the GM to place it anywhere. I’d go even further and not put the 6- requirement on it as most DW Dungeon Moves aren’t necessarily dependent on a roll outcome. That way the GM can decide if it’s deemed a hard move or a soft move to animate one of these suckers and to what degree the animated enemy is aggressive.
If you’re intent on making it a move however, you might consider going the distance with it and making it a custom move. Something like “When attempting to traverse the chambers and corridors of the accursed prison where the remains of fallen wardens rest in wait, roll +Dex. On a 10+, you nimbly navigate the area and avoid disturbing the undead/constructs. On a 7-9, you see the gears/bones of the wardens rattle and shift as they lurch to life. On a 6-, your travels are noisy indeed and the wardens have taken full notice.
Could use some work, but it’s a thought!
Brandon (I’m not tagging you because your picture isn’t coming up on the list of Brandon Fincher’s, and I don’t want to tag the wrong person), I like the idea of leaving the “roll” off, because it makes it cleaner, but I don’t want to make a custom move because it would become player-facing. I want this to be GM-facing and can fit it in under Make a Monster, Danger or Location Move (obviously Location Move in this case, because, as you noted above, it’s tied to the prison, not the individual monsters).
Also, one of my own principles for Session Zero is Think Dungeon World, which forces me (in a good way) to go back and see how things are listed in the rules, and how they did things. So v2.1 would look like this:
V2.1
Location Move: Reanimate the Undead
The prison’s inmates are guarded by undead, and a magic cast over the island allows for their reanimation without direct involvement. As a soft move you might reanimate a zombie in the distance. As a hard move, zombies and skeletons near the characters may reanimate, or undead who are “off screen” may reanimate.
Some may argue that MANY of the moves already cover that: Reveal an unwelcome truth, Show signs of an approaching threat, Separate them, Give an opportunity that fits a class’ abilities, Put someone in a spot, and Introduce a new creature type could be used to achieve the same outcome, so why make something new?
By putting it in your prep, it draws attention to it and reminds you “Hey, this one small paragraph about reanimating the dead is a great way to do all of those other moves you have access to.” (And maybe that needs to be sidebar text to the GM)