Something else that arose during last night’s session: for the first time the Druid 6-minus’ed a Shapeshift roll, and I realised the Move text specifies “hold 1 in addition to whatever the GM says”. Does that mean even a failed Shapeshift will always lead to a shape change? Otherwise I don’t see what the hold 1 is for.
So I handled this by having the Druid shift into one of her other forms — one much less likely to be immediately useful to the situation. I am just wondering if as a GM I have to deal with a Shapeshift miss in this way every time, or if I am free to be more imaginative, and then just ignore the hold 1 if I come up with something to which it’s not applicable?
I’d go with alternating between “you shift Into an octopus” (“but I was trying for eagle?”) and
MANBEARPIG
If the player rolls a 6- on their Shapeshift move, you, the GM make a GM move as normal. But the player also gets 1 hold to use on the Shapeshift move.
Because “you don’t do it” is boring.
On a 6- I regularly had the Druid shapeshift into a half animal form (head of shark, elven body or elephant feet and the rest elven etc) to hilarious effects. Obviously the Druid used her hold to get out of the misery asap.
Chris Stone-Bush Maybe, but “you can always do it” is equally boring. Uncertainty is why we roll dice. It’s really ‘nothing happens’ that’s the boring outcome, not ‘you didn’t accomplish what you set out to do.’
Anyway: you shouldn’t ignore the hold 1, because it’s move text, unless you and your player agree to rewrite the move or something. Having them turn into a different form is a valid move, as is the transformation not going smoothly, like it rips their armor or takes long enough that an enemy gets the drop on them, or is exceptionally painful so they take a debility or whatnot. That’s all under the umbrella of Show a downside of their class, race or equipment.
You can also make a move that’s not directly related to the transformation. Just follow your principles and you’ll be fine.
How about the druid’s mind changes but the body doesn’t?
I believe it’s there to signal that even though the druid fails, she still has an out in the sense that she can drop her hold in order to revert back. So if she turns into a horrible half human half slug whose only move is wallow miserably in phlegm she gets to become human again afterwards. Also the miss might involve something else entirely. (in Friends at the table, each time the druid failed in the second season the animal form he chose became extinct in the world)
You’re welcome
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/djxq-s1msqck5WYPudgMINfJUQQh8d4yrja2UiK30lnTpgW2GkdSqTwXVcvVKcGM_H8IB07VCy1_6ValKl-M1UXuAZhP-JMzYeg=s0
I have had the druid turn into a bear (like he wanted) and immediately have his instincts kick in and off he went to find a den to hibernate in for the winter. When he was a few miles away his human mind took control and he then reverted back, lost and separated from his friends
My Druid rolled a 6- when shifting into a mouse to escape some pursuers. The shift went off without a hitch. Changing back was the problem. Oh, and there was this hungry-looking owl hanging about…
I always had them partially shift or similar. “Oh you wanted a horse and failed… Your arms are now horse legs. Good luck”
Yeah, I would do things like the half-change, the mental change (especially if their mind doesn’t change all the way back when they do), the you’re stuck in this form (I usually let a Make Camp move solve this).
I love the freedom that “whatever the GM says” gives you. What that tells me is that you as MC can tell them, “Okay, you have one hold, but I have three I can use to compel you to do animal things. You can try changing back now, but you’re not sure it’ll work.” I’ve also given them unlimited free uses of an aspect while stuck in that form as an incentive to stay that way.
Edward Hickcox: “I’ve also given them unlimited free uses of an aspect while stuck in that form as an incentive to stay that way.”
Wow, that’s cool. Make the transfer something horrible or unfavorable, or at least something causing a lot of trouble for the players, but sweeten it by giving the druid player a strong power while shifted. That way the failure affect the whole group and the player might face a hard choice. I like it!
Morten Halvorsen Hard moves are all about temptation.