I’m pretty sure I’ve seen these around but I want to make one myself. (Inspired by Beowulf, Boromir, and other last stand warriors)
When you’re hopelessly outnumbered or outgunned and want to sacrifice yourself heroically for a person/cause, you trigger this move…
Your attack damage equals max damage + level 2X (does not affect accuracy)
All damage is halved against you
If using ranged Ammo, you don’t run out
But after a number of attacks equal to your level +2 have passed, or all your enemy(ies) are slain, you collapse without last breath roll.
(Dramatic option let’s you roll 1d100 with a 1% chance of coming back to life or returning in dramatic way later)
This is a rough draft, any critique or similar moves are welcomed. Thanks. Also feel free to comment favorite last stands in movies or literature.
“But after a number of rounds equal to level +2 have passed…” Doesn’t really work in DW, as there’s no clearly defined round.
If you’re going to do this, probably better to treat it as “hold X, where X equals your level +2.” And spend hold to…
* Halve damage you take
* Add your level +2 to damage you deal
While you have hold, you can’t run out of ammo.
When you run out of hold, or when the assault ends, you instantly take your Last Breath but treat a 10+ as a 7-9.
But I’d also probably make the heroic stand be triggered by dropping to 0 HP or otherwise suffering a calamity and vowing to make a heroic last stand.
Spend the hold 1 for 1 to:
* Ignore the damage and keep fighting at 1 HP
* Add your level +2 to any damage you deal
* Maintain your position, your footing, and your senses despite what befalls you
When the assault ends, or you run out of hold, or you stop fighting, take your Last Breath. On a 10+, treat it as a 7-9.
If you have the Grim World sourcebook, I would highly check out the Death Moves in it. I believe the Fighter’s is something similar to this.
I’d definitely make the move far less mechanical, when you’re making a last stand all that matters is the drama! It should be entirely narrative, the player describes how the arrows pierce them but can not stop them, you narrate how the berserkers charge only for the player to narrate how they stand their ground with shield aloft and hold them off, for just long enough.
Numbers ensure fairness but this doesn’t need to be fair. The character pays the ultimate price, their life, anything they get in exchange is fair enough.
Elliott Ambrosetti I know I know. I’m not always good with writing narrative as much as I love flavor. It’s clearly needs better narration and details. I just want to provide the crunch guidelines, and make the player do a little rolling to work for the deathblow, even if they get narrative control.