So, I’ve been working on a couple of things over the last couple of weeks, and thought I would share.

So, I’ve been working on a couple of things over the last couple of weeks, and thought I would share.

So, I’ve been working on a couple of things over the last couple of weeks, and thought I would share.  I know it’s just a “redo” of other’s work, but I wanted something in my “style” for my campaign.  

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0xa4atra2b7hxgy/MovesSheet.pdf?dl=0

So, I’ve been playing around with this idea for the better part of six months or so.

So, I’ve been playing around with this idea for the better part of six months or so.

So, I’ve been playing around with this idea for the better part of six months or so.  

I’ve always wanted to expand the bonds system to cover more than just the bonds between characters.  This is my first “official” draft.  Love to hear your feedback.  

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vwpa87x8pwu4zo3/Worldbuilder%20Bonds.pdf?dl=0

I’m admitting up front, this is a stream of consciousness post and shouldn’t be construed as hard and fast rules or…

I’m admitting up front, this is a stream of consciousness post and shouldn’t be construed as hard and fast rules or…

I’m admitting up front, this is a stream of consciousness post and shouldn’t be construed as hard and fast rules or even worthy of play value yet. 

I have been thinking about a war supplement for a long, long time.  I think I’ve come at the idea of how to do large scale battles from 80 different angles — and not a damn one of them did I think any dedicated DW player would enjoy in the least.  Each one of them focused on trying to ascribe values to armies, and then backwards to steadings to try to grok some way to make it all make sense.  And it didn’t.  Not once.  

Here’s the thing.  I’ve been struggling with trying to understand why creating a supplement for war would be so tough.  Why would something that’s been the origin of our overall game style be so difficult to replicate in DW?  Well, last night it hit me — okay, more accurately at 4am this morning — because to accurately reflect all of the variables (troop types, quantity, quality, logistics, terrain, battlefield conditions and so forth) requires you to make a simulator.  And DW is decidedly NOT a simulator.  

So maybe the whole idea of a warfare simulator isn’t going to really ever work.  Instead, perhaps war is just a front.  Perhaps it’s a front with a countdown clock… or maybe even two — or a number line of positive and negative results.  Call them the tides of war… One side for the “attackers” and one for the “defenders”.  And perhaps actions taken, or thwarted, by the players helps move the clock back and forth?  Maybe war is nothing but a backdrop — a set dressing.   Heck, I could see the entire process of seeing what happen with the war effort this season with a couple of fate dice and some slight modifiers for what our heroes have or haven’t done. 

Because, really, isn’t the goal of the game to tell really awesome stories?  And really, do we want to stop to telling of really awesome stories in order to play out a turn of warfare?   Or do we want to play to find out what the heroes do to pull their side out of the clutches of defeat?  

So, perhaps “missions” are accomplished that impact the war effort with successes bringing a +1 forward to the next Tides roll.  Perhaps threats emerge, like “if you don’t raise 10,000 coins, some of your troops will leave the battlefield and you’ll be at a -1 forward to your Tides roll.  

How are you making warfare work for you games?  

Jason Lutes I’d like to suggest an additional “danger level” tag based on reading through the monster list again.

Jason Lutes I’d like to suggest an additional “danger level” tag based on reading through the monster list again.

Jason Lutes I’d like to suggest an additional “danger level” tag based on reading through the monster list again.  I think you should include “Wilds” — it’s not dangerous because of people or monsters, but it’s not under anyone’s control, either. 

Well, my idea worked!  In fact, it couldn’t have gone better!

Well, my idea worked!  In fact, it couldn’t have gone better!

Well, my idea worked!  In fact, it couldn’t have gone better!  

We played a one shot of DW last weekend for a friend’s birthday.  I found a few images and set them up to rotate through as we talked a little about DW (first time for several players).  Then,  before we selected characters I let them choose which picture was most compelling to them.  The one here is the one they decided on. 

It was a great game — dodging cultists and a demon of decay in order to rescue the Arc of Purity.  Little did they know their Paladin would have to make the ultimate sacrifice to power the Arc, but if they didn’t get it the hordes of undead coming from the North would all but destroy the world.  In the end, Vander the Paladin’s soul became Seraphim Vander, while his body lay mummified in the Arc, destroying undead with it’s purity.  

All of the background was made up on the fly, asking questions… Why are you here?  What do you have to do?  Who sent you?  What happens if you fail?  What happens if you succeed? 

I’ve run D&D5 and 13th Age with these guys, but I keep coming back to DW.  I don’t ever feel like I’m fighting the rules to tell a great story. 

Hi Jason Lutes!

Hi Jason Lutes!

Hi Jason Lutes!

First off, I have to tell you I LOVE where you are going with Perilous Journeys.  I’ve rarely had the actual sense of “shut up and take my money”.  

One thing I want to mention to you is that when I printed the glossary and collab mapmaking rules, I found the letters were very chippy using a Brother laser printer — as it in made this 40-something guy wonder what was wrong with his eyes all of the sudden.  It looks fine in PDF. 

Sage LaTorra Adam Koebel  Guys, any chance we could get an update on the War supplement?

Sage LaTorra Adam Koebel  Guys, any chance we could get an update on the War supplement?

Sage LaTorra Adam Koebel  Guys, any chance we could get an update on the War supplement?  Is there a problem?  Is there something holding it up?  Other than being patient, is there something we can do to help?  Not trying to be pushy, but it sorta seems like it’s been a long time coming for the KS backers and since the last update.