I finally failed my save vs. “Buy yet another dungeon crawling RPG”. Still waiting for the actual book, but eagerly reading the epub version on my phone.
This group seems to be an awesome resource for fledgling DW DMs.
I just hope I can convert my gaming group. They like dungeon crawling, but aren’t very fond of AW. And the gamers I know who like AW don’t seem to like dungeon crawling very much.
I had a very resistant player, after the first season he was willing, after the third he was excited.
Make sure you follow the first session advice, this will help sell the game to your players.
It’s hard to go back to other RPGs after you’ve dug in with Dungeon World. Trust me: one session with some willing players is ALL you need.
Yeah we had the wrong group for AW but I’ve yet to have a bad or even just OK game of dungeon world.
DW does a pretty good job of selling itself— I’ve converted two Pathfinder groups so far plus a few of my friends who are absolutely new to RPGs. DW seems particularly great with a mix of vets and newbs.
The great thing about DW is that it allows much more than just dungeon crawling.
“yet another dungeon crawling rpg” HOW DARE YOU
I would suggest not framing it as “converting.” Instead, run something like a mini-series to show off the system. If you know that dungeon crawling won’t be a big selling point, focus on the narrative control features and partial success system.
With groups familiar with other games, I’ve asked “Tell me about the last time we played AD&D / Pathfinder / 4e” and listened to them reminisce. They’ll tell me about the amazing adventure they had – enemies battled with aplomb, daring chasm leaps, that last minute genius idea that saved the party. I’ll note, when they’re done, how they didn’t remember the rules but what actually happened in the game, to the characters. They remember the fiction.
Then I say “want to try a game that feels like that when you play, not just afterward?” and usually it’s an easy sell from there.
(also thanks for buying Dungeon World, Dan Algstrand!)
Lots of good suggestions. Thanks. Also: I tried to make my group tired of Moldvay, so today I killed of 75 percent of the party…
Adam Koebel That is some truth for real, but sometimes we also have that breathless discussion that goes “Oh man yeah, I built this Gunslinger and he’s so OP, throwing out 80 dpr at like 5th level! We 2-rounded a CR 9 black dragon and got like 10k in lewtz!”
Funny thing is, when I play DW with those people (and I include myself in this camp), nobody cares about how much damage they do or the value of the loot they get. Different systems set different expectations. I don’t think there are “Narrative people” and “Crunch people…” Just open-minded or close-minded to new systems!
I don’t think converting a campaign is necessary or recommended depending on what your players like about the game you are playing. Narrative games have a certain feel and limitations beyond just having less crunch.
For me DW wont be my only game or a longer campaign game. This has as much to do with my problems with D&D as well as the few flaws I have with DW.
However DW excels as a pick-up game when there wasn’t time to prep or not everyone can make the regular game. Before DW I would say Spirit of the Century was my favorite pick-up, but it has a bigger learning curve. This can be up and running in minutes.
Instead of trying convince everyone to convert a current game to it maybe just try Dungeon World as a one shot.