Ok, just started GMing Dungeon World for the first time.

Ok, just started GMing Dungeon World for the first time.

Ok, just started GMing Dungeon World for the first time. It’s our groups first PbtA game and we’re all loving it. Now, I think I’m ready to introduce some custom moves based on what’s going on in the story. This is my first attempt and I’d love to get feedback on what might be improved (or what’s good and works as-is).

Bit of background: the PCs are in a village where a priest of a new religion has moved in and persuaded most of the poplace to help him rebuild a ruined temple for his new goddess (actually a ruse for an evil plot). Some of the followers are genuine willing believers, but many are in thrall to an evil sorcery advancing the priest’s real plans.

Heresy Against Karisatae

When you speak questionably about the Karisatite religion in front of a follower, roll + CHA.

On a 10+: The follower is not actively angered by your disbelief, but may try to convince you of your error.

On a 7-9: Choose 1.

On a 6-: All 3.

Choose:

The follower is deeply offended, take a -1 (cumulative) forward on all interactions with them.

The follower is struggling to reconcile your words with their faith. They seek guidance from the clergy (reporting your words to them) as soon as possible.

Gain +1 HERESY

__________________________

If you have 3+ HERESY:

Word of your heretical views has spread among the followers. They form a mob (with or without the clergy’s knowledge or approval) seeking to remove your influence from among them.

8 thoughts on “Ok, just started GMing Dungeon World for the first time.”

  1. EDIT: Stupid G+ Formatting. I don’t intend any of those strikethoughs. I’ve edited them out twice but extra “minuses” keep getting added in.

    I like what you’re doing here, especially with HERESY.

    The trigger sounds a little off to me: Does “speak questionably” mean “ask questions about” or “speak contrarily about”? I think you mean the latter, in which case it might be better worded that way: When you speak contrary to the beliefs about…

    The first choice feels like a lot of bookeeping for the player. They’ll have to track each followers modifier (which isn’t a bog deal if they don’t mind doing it). I might do “Take – 1 ongoing with that follower”. They still need to track each follower, but they only have the single 1 for each.

    The 2nd and 3rd choices really feel like the same thing to me. In both cases “word about you is spreading”.

    Also, unless something is SUPER fictionally important, I don’t define the 6 result any more (I used to). Right now on a 6- you’re forced to do those three things. If you only define the 10+ and 7-9 then you can do anything you want on the 6-.

    This looks interesting, I can’t wait to see how it develops!

  3. Russell Tripp, I just edited it to say I didn’t intend any of the strikethroughs. The G+ tag for strikethrough is a “minus”, so it’s picking up a ton of those LOL

  4. I actually like it. The 7-9 choices all seem equally bad to me, which is good. I’d probably remove the 6- in the move to let the GM do whatever they want on the result. Or maybe like “On a 6-, gain 1 heresey in addition to whatever the GM says”

    I think maybe instead of the “if you have 3+ heresy” you should make a chart, like maybe…

    Heresy:

    1 – the adherents give your group the stink eye, but otherwise treat with you

    3 – some believers no longer serve you or talk with you

    5 – the followers are actively violent against you

    6 – a mob forms

  5. So, I think you’re using the wrong tool for the job here.

    Firstly: the trigger is pretty broad. Especially with Brian Holland’s revision (which I agree is better wording), I can see players triggering it all the time. And it doesn’t account for friends that they’ve made, or villagers that have gotten used to them, or so on.

    Second: the handling time is pretty significant, especially for a move that can get triggered in casual conversation.

    Third: letting the player choose how the NPC reacts is Crossing The Line, and not in a constructive way. https://goo.gl/sQW5os

    Fourth: like Brian Holland said, bookkeeping.

    Fifth: the “Heresy” mechanic is just a grim portent, a countdown clock, or whatever you want to call it.

    What I’d do instead: write the locals up as a danger.

    Karisatite Faithful (religious organization; impulse to establish & follow doctrine).

    Grim portents:

    [ ] A local publicly condemns and denounces the PCs

    [ ] No one will interact with them in public

    [ ] Someone takes steps to get them to leave (think cross-burning, dead animals in their beds, etc.)

    [ ] DOOM: A mob forms and comes after the PCs

    (You’ll probably also write up the cleric, too, and maybe whatever power it serves? Plus some stakes questions.)

    Now, if the PCs start badmouthing the faith in front of the locals, you can show signs of an approaching threat (“The room goes silent. A mother gasps and covers her child’s ears. The bartender is staring at you. What do you do?”)

    If they try to convince someone that they’re right, they’re Defying Danger (with CHA, almost certainly). On a 10+, cool, yeah, they sowed some doubts. On a 7-9, maybe they convince them of X, but they also offend someone else; or maybe they convince them of X, but they get it wrong, and magnify it into a new, problematic part of their dogma; or maybe they convince them of X, but word spreads and you cut to the next scene where you tic off one of your grim portents.

    Point being: I don’t think the custom move actually gets that much. A danger with grim portents gives you the countdown mechanic, but also gives you more interesting things to say or do.

  7. Jeremy Strandberg That makes perfect sense. Still getting a feel/understanding for how to use what when.

    Also, thanks for the link to the “Crossing the Line” article. That’s helpful in understanding what to put into any future custom moves and what not to put in.

Comments are closed.