New item:
Powdered Rust Monster 3 uses, 0 weight
This thick red slime will rust instantly any metal it comes into contact with. The slime is kept in a brown burlap and silk bag with the lining of a cockatrace’s skin. 1 use is enough to cover a 2 foot square steel or iron object. Roll+Dex, On a 10+ the item rusts away instantly, 7-9; The item rusts but choose one: one of your metal items is affected; You use 2 uses instead of one; the rust slime has gained life and is now a tiny rust creature that could grow. on a 6 or less, the rust get everywhere, choose 2 of the previous.
I like the last option on the 7-9 the best, creating a rust eating ooze for the players to deal with but it may be impractical. Could be powerful but may not be.
Roll isn’t needed. Just the effect. They either apply it directly, which doesn’t need a roll, or they throw it, which is a volley.
Sure, you could stop on the description prior to the Roll+Dex. Just thought it might be fun for something extra, but thanks for the feedback.
Matrix Forby I notice this a lot with people, they think everything needs a roll; all monsters need to have stats, which just isn’t true.
The genie isn’t defeated when you shot X arrows at him. He’s defeated when you smash his lamp. The witch might be able to cast powerful and deadly spells, but she’s to old and frail to defending herself from your sword, so you don’t need to roll a hack and slash.
When making Items just ask yourself:
“What does this item do?” (Item’s move)
“Do they already need to make a move to use it?” (do they need to volley or hack and slash)
“Can it be safely used?”
“If it backfires, can the fiction explain why the player messed up?” (Remeber players get exp for learning from their mistakes, so it doesn’t make sense to give exp because they lost the lottary)
True, not everything needs to roll. One fact of gaming is that people LIKE to roll dice. It gives them a sense of power, a sense of fate, a sense that all the plastic polyhedrals were not worthless to buy, and for those that fiddle it gives something to play with. Some people like toys. They like things. Now, this doesn’t excuse the over use of dice as many games do but sometimes a player feels cheated if they cannot have the possibility of a bigger result through rolling. To just have it happen, that sometimes feels too easy for them. Hence, using the Move system, we create moves, add a bit of seeming randomness and bring happiness to the players that need it. Even if the dice mean nothing in the end, some want to roll. I sometimes have them roll when I already have the situation in hand. This does 2 things, it buys some time to think and it gives the player a feeling of power or potential power.
Yes, the items don’t need rolls. Yes, the roll part can just be dropped. And finally, Yes, we sometimes overdue it. But when some creative thing can be added with a roll the answer is: eh, Why not? I tend to not worry about it if it adds to the play.
I tend to only have an item with a roll mechanic if it
1. Gains some kind of hold to be used.
2. Has some dangerous side effect that could happen with use.
I think Matrix Forby is going for #2 in his item, which is fine for how he wants the fiction to go in his game. I also think Patrick Schenk has valid points as far as statless monsters and everything goes. I like a fair amount of rolling in my games personally, but also some nice, sturdy “do what you want them to” items to fall back on in a pinch. 🙂
Edit: As far as my own personal taste goes for the 7-9 choices goes, I think a “You get it somewhere you hadn’t intended” would make a good blanket “but” for it. I’d leave the 6- open for GM interpretation myself.