Here’s an item that will appear in the next issue of Session Zero. I’d like any thoughts you have on tweaking it please:
Veritas precise, close, reach, 1 weight
Veritas is a whip that once belonged to the hero of a long gone civilization. The word veritas translated to “truth” in a language ancient even to him, making Veritas literally “The Whip of Truth”. When wielded by expert hands it can compel those it restrains to answer a question truthfully.
When using Veritas to Hack and Slash you gain an additional option on 10+: Deal no damage and restrain your opponent. Ask the GM one question directed at that opponent, which must be answered truthfully.
So, do you imagine a situation where someone will use the whip in the heat of battle?
Sure, it’s still a weapon. One that requires Dexterity rather than Strength to use properly. It just offers another option with H&S 10+
Sorry, I meant they’ll shout questions on a 10+, during battle?
“Where’s the girl?”
“Who’s your master?”
“How many guards are there?” etc., but I see where you’re going.
Maybe “…one simple question…”
How about, on a 10+ choose 2, on a 7-9 choose 1: compel them to truthfully answer a simple question, constrain them, or do damage.
Ray Otus the first draft of this was almost that exactly, but I changed it for a few reasons:
1) I feel you shouldn’t be able to compel a truthful answer without restraining them (7-9 choose compel), nor should you get to deal damage and compel (choosing those on 10+)
2) I think it should still act like any other weapon you might H&S with (on 7-9 you deal your damage to the enemy and the enemy makes an attack against you)
3) You’d miss out on the other H&S 10+ option of “At your option, you may choose to do + 1d6 damage but expose yourself to the enemy’s attack” (again, making it behave the same way any other weapon would behave).
I think the magic of the weapon is that if done skillfully enough (restraining rather than harming, i.e. 10+) you can compel a truthful answer, not “it stops acting like every other weapon”.
It may not be the right way to go, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about hacking in an additional H&S 10+ option (so that you still get everything that come with H&S) rather than writing a whole new custom move.
This reminds me of Wonder Woman (2017)
YUP Gerard Snow! 🙂
Which came about as the creator of Wonder Woman also invented the lie detector.
The “compel those it restrains to answer a question…” effect, should perhaps be possible to use outside of combat as well?
Morten Halvorsen outside of combat it can be used for the effect without a roll because it’s inside the description. You only need to roll when attempting to do it inside of combat because that’s trickier, which is why I still wanted it to use H&S to “behave normally”.
It does this thing by default, but if you’re attempting it in combat you have to roll for it…. Do we think that needs to be explicitly stated? I can see why it might be necessary! But just thinking fictionally I assumed (maybe incorrectly) that it was implied in the description that it could be used outside of combat automatically.
“I wrap Veritas around the unconscious guard and slap him awake. When he looks up at me I yell, ‘Where did your master take my friend?'” The description (fiction) of the whip says it compels the truth from someone it restrains, and this guard is now restrained…
Admittedly, I may be wrong though… That’s just how I play the game, because it’s a conversation about fiction.
What is everyone’s thoughts on this?
In most games, I would say it should be spelled out. In DW it should be obvious, but maybe not…
It should be obvious in DW, but you’re right Gillian Wiseman, maybe not! Spelling it out would prevent arguments at the table, regardless of system. I’ll chew on it a while longer. Thanks!