Here’s the text of the Alchemist move:
When you *have time to gather materials and a safe place to brew* you can create three doses of any poison you’ve used before.
I like the idea of moves that allow you to create things like this, but I don’t like the trigger. I would prefer a better trigger that is based on fiction action, not circumstances. I was thinking something more like this:
When you *set out to brew a poison,* describe how you do so, which may include paying a cost described by the GM, and say what effect your poison will have.
What do you think?
Here’s how I’d do it, based on some of my previous tinkerings with poisons and poison-making moves. I see that you’re going for a broader style of move here, so I’m taking that into account. Feel free to change whatever you like, of course.
–When you set out to brew a poison, tell the GM what effects you’d like it to have. They’ll give you one or more of the following caveats.
• It will require a few hours/days/weeks to percolate.
• You’ll need to gather ______ for the brew.
• It will work only under specific circumstances.
• The best you can manage is a weaker version.
• It’ll take a while for the effects to manifest.
• It’ll have obvious side effects.
That’s very similar to what I’ve been working on; my version includes similar caveats. I’m interested in the trigger though, since I would like this to be able to expand to other types of crafting. For example, a comparable move for a Wizard who wants to make their own place of power.
There’s definitely an argument to be made for rules for projects (crafting, rituals, acquiring a house/ship/whatever). I use a homebrewed move called Pursue a Goal to handle a lot of this kind of stuff myself.
Cameron Burns mind sharing your purse a goal move? I’ve wondered about similar homebrew solutions in the past.
Finbah Neill Sure, but it’s nothing special! It’s based on Ritual (and moves like it), the Make a Plan move from Stonetop, and the project moves/mechanics from Impulse Drive and Blades in the Dark – and I’d encourage looking into those sources for how to use it. I include it in my own DW hack, Worlds of Adventure, because it’s just so handy as a framework for play; otherwise I’d just be making GM Moves and improvising everything.
–Pursue a Goal
When you want to accomplish a complex task or long-term project, tell the GM what you hope to achieve. They’ll tell you the steps you’ll need to take to achieve your goal.
Player Note: You can represent goals through clocks – circles divided into segments, with each segment corresponding to a step.
GM Note: Each step is a requirement, cost, or risk between the player and their goal. For simple goals, give them up to 4 steps; for complex goals, give them up to 8 steps.
–It’s more freeform than a standard Ritual-like move, but the intention is to pair it with one or more lists for common uses.
“Here are some steps that are broadly applicable; these ones are relevant for travel; these one for crafting or rituals; these ones for acquiring property or a Compendium class.”
I haven’t decided yet how this move should or would interact with moves like Alchemist or Ritual, though. For now I’ve just had them side-by-side, the class versions acting as more unique versions – like how many class moves have similarities to an improved, more specific Defy Danger. Maybe one could just turn those abilities into something like this?
“_When you Pursue a Goal (to craft a poison or alchemical item/by performing an arcane ritual),_ you may veto one requirement of your choice. Tell the GM how your (incredible cunning/immense arcane knowledge) allows you to circumvent this goal.”
For easy reference, here are some example steps, since they’re what makes this move really tick. I’ve been tardy with properly implementing them (or something like them).
–These are some ones from Impulse Drive’s catch-all Personal Project move.
• You will need the expertise or assistance of ________;
• You will need to destroy/dissect ________;
• You will need to travel to ________;
• You will need to ________ first;
• It’s going to be dangerous;
• You’ll have to get/build/fix/take apart/figure out ________ first;
• It’s going to cost you a favor to the wrong kinds of people;
• The best you’ll be able to do is an unreliable, less effective, or weak version;
• It’s going to take a lot of trial and error to perfect it;
These are some ones from Stonetop’s Journey move (which employs a similar list).
• You must first travel to __, and from there to your destination
• You must wait until __
• You need a knowledgeable guide/accurate map/detailed directions
• You’ll need to bring __
• You need to watch out for __
• The way is perilous, plagued with dangers
• You risk getting lost
• You must surmount/cross/brave __ on the way
• The terrain itself is treacherous; you risk injury on the way
• The way will be hard and grueling; you risk exhausting yourselves or your resources
• You risk drawing the attention of __
• It’ll take at least __ days (and a corresponding number of rations)
• You don’t know how long it’ll take