Quick question: Is there a difference between a Class Playbook and a Compendium Class?
Quick question: Is there a difference between a Class Playbook and a Compendium Class? I’ve seen people using that title, but I don’t know what it is. Thanks.
I asked the Paladin in my DW game last night to think of a God he’d like to follow.
I asked the Paladin in my DW game last night to think of a God he’d like to follow. Here’s the email I just got. I love my players!
I am thinking Luther will be a follower of Dionysus, The God of Opulence and Partying :- )
Religious Facts:
– Partying is fun!
– Looking good is fun!
– Being rich enough to throw even bigger parties is fun!
– Chasing (and catching) girls is fun!
– Wine makes everything more fun!
– Being awesome is fun!
– Acquiring things is fun!
– Slavery is not fun! Unless it is for fun…
– Being poor is not fun!
– Looking like a hobo is not fun!
– Throwing your guests into a pit is not fun!
– Being thrown into a pit is not fun!
– Stealing is not fun! It is better to acquire them. Stealing means you got caught.
– Being rich and not throwing parties is not fun!
Doing not fun things is sacrilegious, and it is a well known fact that the moment Dionysus sobers up he will decide where you fall on the fun scale. Those who are deemed irredeemably unfun will have their wealth and party tool removed, and no one wants that!!
You gotta keep things simple for Luther, he struggles a bit with the more difficult things in life, like why so many people don’t seem to want to party with him.
Now that my group has decided to fully commit to DW, what extras do I absolutely need to enhance my game?
Now that my group has decided to fully commit to DW, what extras do I absolutely need to enhance my game? I’ve downloaded the play books for the Barbarian, the Mage, and an excellent Monk. Are there more “must-have” play books? Rules supplements? Settings? Thanks.
Okay, why is the DW book on Amazon.com a hundred bucks?
Okay, why is the DW book on Amazon.com a hundred bucks?
Is it out of print? Damn, I wanted a hard copy.
First Game Report:
First Game Report:
Wow! I’ve never seen my players light up like they did after our first game of DW. We’ve been gaming together for years, playing such games as D&D 4th, 5th, Pathfinder, Fate, and Call of Cthulhu. They LOVED Dungeon World. I have got to tell you, I have a tough group. One is a Mechanical Engineer, one a Computer Network Specialist, and the third a freaking college professor at Western Washington University. They ate it up and begged for more.
I didn’t know if the whole creation process would appeal to them and they were skeptical at first, but I could see them warming up as we started introducing the characters and creating bonds. By the time character creation was done they were laughing and mocking each other and acting like they’ve played these characters for years. It was brilliant. The game, though, really came alive as I put them in a position of stress and started asking questions. The creative juices were really flowing and they were on fire. So, the setup….
The players began the game kneeling at the lip of a huge pit. They were naked save for loincloths and bound hand to foot with chains. On a raised Dais was a man of obvious wealth and importance along with a retinue of personal guards. A few other important figures were there as well. The whole procedure was being witnessed by a throng of what appeared to be villagers. From there I started asking questions. Here’s what I got:
The wealthy and important man was the Lord Duke Graffly Pridesmoor, Duke of Dragonspine. His personal guard is called the Black Drakes and they are led by Sir Brack Middlesex. We are currently in a town called Crag Keep and the men with the Duke were the Mayor, Reginald Belknapp and the Sheriff, Lord Carlyle Cockspur. The Duke lives in a manor called Sentinal Hall about 20 miles from Crag Keep. A small village has sprung up around Sentinal Hall called Humbletown. The Duke is known to have a personal servant who, some say, is also an assassin. He is called Manderly the Mute for nobody who has ever heard his voice has lived to tell.
Follow-up Questions:
1. Why did the Duke have you arrested? – The Duke had been clear-cutting the trees of his realm, Dragonspine, which is a mountainous realm and so trees are scarce and valuable. The party ranger, Grendis, attempted to foment a rebellion among the Duke’s slaves (apparently he is a slave-holder. Imagine my surprise) in retaliation for the clear-cutting.
2. What secrets do you know about the Duke? Will, the party mage, slept with the Duke’s wife, Rose, and learned a secret exit from Sentinal Hall. Lucas, the Paladin, found out that the Duke impregnated one of his slaves and so had her thrown into the Pit. She gave him the Duchess’s most valuable gem for safekeeping, which she had stolen.
3. What do you know about the prison known as “The Pit”? – Nobody has escaped in recent memory and there is tale of a hideous and ingenious trap therein.
4. Has anyone ever escaped the Pit? – Legend says a great warrior named Tarell escaped the pit. People use the tale of Tarell to inspire children and some people claim a cult has sprung up surrounding his legend.
5. What do you know about Crag Keep? – Fantastic Food (they can’t all be winners!)
6. How did you end up in Crag Keep? – Grendis the Ranger was hired as a guide to lead Will to Crag Keep to conduct “Wizard Business” Luther came along for the hell of it.
7. What is interesting about Mayor Belknapp? – He lost his leg rock-climbing and is said to have a clockwork limb now. Nobody has seen it though.
8. What is known about Sheriff Cockspur? – He has a hair-trigger temper and spends a great deal of time with the Duke.
9 What secrets do you know/have that you hope will not be discovered before you are thrown into the pit? Grendis: Knowing arrest was coming, I threw my spear into the pit days ago. Will: I stashed my spellbook with a local merchant whom I can trust. Luther: I’ve squirreled away the Duchess’s gem on my body. Don’t ask where.
After the question session we realized that the Paladin had not completed his oaths. He immediately claimed his oath dictated that he had to slay the Duke, who was a foul and oppressive tyrant to his people. It could not have worked out better.
So, going in with nothing I now have a town in the mountains with a mayor and sheriff, a Duke who is the over-arching villain. The Duke’s wife who is sleeping with a party member, a group of elite warriors who protect the Duke, and a small keep and village.
Gameplay:
The game flowed very well and everyone had a great time. I made some mistake, but the players didn’t seem to mind or notice. They had several major fights. The first was with a couple of giant fire beetles. It was brutal and savage. What would have taken a couple of rounds in D&D turned into a desperate struggle for survival against truly terrifying foes. That was nothing, however, as the next fight was with a Roper. One party member ended up wrapped in tentacles and, with both feet braced on either side of the thing’s maw, struggled to prevent the thing from devouring him. The players were on the edge of their seats and all came very close to death. Again, in D&D it would have been a tough fight, but nothing like it turned out in DW.
Thank you all for your help getting me ready for this. It was a tremendous success and it wouldn’t have been without your guidance. On that note, anyone have any ideas where I can go with the campaign once the players escape from The Pit? I’m going to re-read the campaign/fronts section and see what I can come up with.
Thanks again.
You know what’s exciting for me about DW?
You know what’s exciting for me about DW? I’m throwing my players into a prison pit tonight and I can’t wait to find out why and by whom! For the first time in my gaming career as a DM even I don’t know what is going to happen!
So…surprise in DW.
So…surprise in DW. If it’s the players surprising a monster, that seems straight forward, but if it’s a monster surprising the party? Since all DM moves come from player results, how do i adjudicate a surprise attack on the players when they are completely unaware of the threat? If it is an attack do I just give them damage? If it’s an ambush designed to ensnare them in a trap are they then ensnared with no resistance? I’d love some examples of how you guys have dealt with this. Thanks.
One final question if I may beg your indulgence.
One final question if I may beg your indulgence. My players will be starting with no equipment, cast into an undergroud prison/cavern complex. I’m sure they will attempt a Hack and Slash maneuver while unarmed. Should I allow class damage as if armed, or perhaps have all damage be stun based, so long as the target is able to be stunned? Thanks guys, you’ve really helped me prep for this unexpected but not unwanted excursion into Dungeon World.
It seems to me that DW would be an excellent vehicle for a Shadow Run game. Has anyone explored this?
It seems to me that DW would be an excellent vehicle for a Shadow Run game. Has anyone explored this?
I want to thank the Dungeon World community for helping me find my iPhone.
I want to thank the Dungeon World community for helping me find my iPhone. It is a work phone and I carry it on a belt-clip. I was carrying a ladder through some tall grass, bushes, and trees when I realized it was gone. I looked frantically for a while and couldn’t find it. As I was about to give up I heard the distinctive chime of a Google+ notification, followed by another and another. I was able to track the phone down and find it. You guys answering my questions about DW not only helped me prep my game, but saved me an ass-chewing for losing my phone! THANKS!