Good evening everyone, I just started playing Dungeon World and I have some doubts, I hope you can help me:
In the “Summon Monster” spell, “Useful Adaptation” is written:
1) It can be chosen several times for the same creature? (I thought so)
2) Can you use it to increase the monster damage die or add a numerical value to the damage? for example 1d4 + 2? (I thought not)
3) Can it be used to increase damages in an “indirect” way? for example adding “N Piercing”? (on this I have no idea)
4) Can it be used to give “quality” to the type of damage? such as “Forceful” and “Messy”? (I thought so)
5) Can you use it to give “Special Abilities” as “Healing Magic” (obviously without exaggerating with the power of the same), Flight, Magic or Special Movements?
Thank you for your help
I’ve always assumed “useful adaptation” to mean “some narratively useful thing that the monster can do”, almost like a monster move, like “see in the dark” or “healed by fire” or “prehensile tongue” or “adaptive camouflage” or “immune to the song of the siren” or “four arms” or “doesn’t need to breathe”. I guess this would be your #5.
Given that you roll a d6 and there are less than six choices, #1 must be true.
Since the spell is really “your monster gets 1d6 things that make it cooler”, probably 2-4 are valid (if dull) choices.
Lester Ward
Thanks for answering me.
allow me a further consideration: if what you say is also valid for point 2; why does magic increase the damage die even with another option?
Moreover, if the point 2 is valid, there is no risk of having too much power on the part of the creature, thus focusing all the fiction on it at the expense of the players?