A set of experimental, alternative melee combat moves that originally began as a shower thought. By experimental, I really mean that I just finished writing these on a whim.
Inspired by AW 2E, Jeremy Strandberg’s Heartbreaker World, Paul Taliesin’s alt. harm moves for AW, and probably other PbtAs.
Force Your Way
When you attempt to achieve something by brute force, expect the enemy to resist it. (If there is no enemy, you’re just Defying Danger.)
Then, roll+nothing. On a hit, choose equal number of options to your STR from below. (You can still choose one if your STR is below 0.) On a 10+, choose one more:
* You deal your damage.
* You create an advantage; describe it and get +1 forward to act on it.
* You achieve what you set out for.
* You avoid enemy’s resistance and take no damage.
On a miss, enemy makes a move against you and you may try to avoid it. (If you don’t, suffer the consequences.)
(Note 1: perhaps you can give a move that grants +1 or 2 ongoing to Forcing Their Way through to Fighter, Paladin and such. They’re supposed to be adept at combat, after all.)
(Note 2: I’m also thinking about restricting deal damage option to 10+.)
Assault
When you assault an enemy and you’re in control of the situation, roll+STR. (If you’re not in control, you’re Forcing Your Way through.) On 10+, you deal your damage to the enemy. On a 7-9, enemy also attacks you back. Choose one:
* You withdraw from attack and defend yourself; enemy controls the situation now.
* You attack anyway (deal your damage) and expose yourself to the enemy’s attack.
Suffer Harm
When you take damage, roll damage dice and subtract from your current HP accordingly (after armor if any).
If the damage is 12+, you suffer a mortal wound. Choose one from the 10+ list and another from the 7-9 list below.
If it’s 10+, you’re severely injured. Choose one; or GM choose 2 from the 7-9 list below.
* You take 2 debilities.
* This wound can’t be healed easily; you can only stop it from getting worse for now.
* One of your limb is disabled. Maybe you just sprained it’s joint. Maybe it’s broken or ripped off.
* You’re out of action for a while.
If it’s 7-9, you’re badly hurt. Choose one:
* You take one debility.
* You’re a mess: bruised, scratched, bleeding profusely.
* You lose your footing or end up in a worse position.
* You lose grip of whatever you’re holding.
* You’re stunned.
If it’s 6-, tis but a scratch you’re definitely hurt but you can ignore it for now.
Edit 1: rewritten Force Your Way (previously Use Brute Force) to be clearer.
Edit 2: changed wordings in general.
Brute Force could have a “on a 7-9, GM chooses 1 against you” sort of thing
Aaron Griffin I also have experimented with that type of move a lot, but in the end forgoing the ‘avoid counterattack’ option kinda does the same I think.
Ah “avoid your enemy’s opposition” was confusing. I didn’t know that’s what it was
Aaron Griffin maybe I should have worded it more clearly lol
The Suffer harm move could be roll-con.
Morten Halvorsen Yeah, it can be easily converted to something like traditional harm move but I thought using monster’s damage die itself to resolve harm move could be interesting.
What’s the logic behind “roll + nothing and then choose options based on stat unless stat is etc. etc.”? Seems like standard 7-9 and 10+ ranges would do, no?
Jason Bu Ok, that is interesting. The range of possible outcomes on the damage die(s) would seldom range itself on the 2-12 range though. But that is perhaps not a problem?
I think I could use this as a gm move when the players insist on doing something obviously, spectacularly dangerous or stupid, optionally after a failed defy danger roll in said circumstances. I could even be persuaded to let the players roll-(Con+Armor), given the right kind of danger. (Not falling off a cliff or swimming in acid, but blunt force trauma)
Jason Tocci It’s designed to fail much more often, hence the soft move on a miss.
I honestly don’t like how every roll becomes almost trivial with +3 modifier, especially melee combat. So this is my attempt at hacking it and frankly, I don’t expect it to work that well either. It’s experimental for a reason. Or you could just say I’m just being an idiot and trying to reinvent the wheel here… 🙂
I like that you’re hacking at DW, but i find the moves you’ve written to be too prescriptive and too complex, taking away from the freedom and rules-lite aspects of DW that i prefer.
On Force Your Way:
* The trigger doesn’t follow conventional structure, and becomes confusing. The triggering action by a PC doesn’t mention an enemy, but then you give flavor text about expecting an enemy to resist the PC’s effort, and then you proscribe “Defy Danger” if there is no enemy present.
* The PC ought to generally be successful on a hit, but possibly with some complications on a 7-9; instead, “You achieve what you set out for” is one of the items they would need to select. This should be the baseline of success; the other options should be predicated on that one.
* I also don’t like your attempt to prescribe a “soft” GM move as a hit result. If there is a specific result from failure, make that a miss condition; but a vague instruction to use a Monster move, but as a soft move… i don’t prefer that.
I don’t see how Assault would be an improvement on Hack & Slash – except in the instance in which the PC is so in control of the situation, they get to simply deal damage without risking a counter-attack, in which case Hack & Slash isn’t triggered.
I get that on a 7-9. they can choose to trade harm or back out and give up their control to the enemy. But it simply feels like this move is designed to let the dice do a lot of talking. i picture this turning into a lots of rolling and exchange of “control”, like the move wants an initiative system.
Suffer Harm proposed some interesting things, but i think these are already handled quite well by using tags on weapons and attacks. Again, it feels like the move is trying to be too prescriptive, instead of leaving the players the freedom to adjudicate what happens when harm is inflicted.
Also, because only PCs trigger this move and roll dice, it hits them EVERY TIME they take damage, but doesn’t give the same “cool factor” to their attacks against non-PCs.
Finally, it feels like it was written for harm against a PC with full HP. What happens if The Barbarian is down to 3 HP after a long battle, and triggers this move while suffering 3 HP damage. According to this move, they ignore it for now; but they are also called on to make a Last Breath roll.
All said, i like that you’re poking at the game and writing moves. You’ve got interesting ideas. But the expression of those ideas here is needlessly complex and prescriptive, instead of simple, fun, and pushing toward snowballing into other moves.
Andrew Fish I agree with your points. These moves are just quick, unrefined draft sorta deal so I didn’t put enough thoughts into it. That’s probably why it has so many problems. I’ll rework them properly someday.
Jason Bu – i think it’s great that you took the time to put these draft moves out there for feedback.
I let too many of my ideas roll through my mind and escape me. It’s a good practice to put them down in writing.
It’s also a good practice to submit them here for a variety of perspectives. The conversations in this community are usually thoughtful and thought provoking.
I try to share meaningful and constructive criticism, especially when i am provoked by something new and cool.