For my brother’s bachelor party, we ran a quick DW delve with an X-COM 2 flavor.

For my brother’s bachelor party, we ran a quick DW delve with an X-COM 2 flavor.

For my brother’s bachelor party, we ran a quick DW delve with an X-COM 2 flavor. In preparation, I reskinned and streamlined 5 of the base DW classes, trimming extraneous things (stats vs modifiers, item weights) so that new folks didn’t have to spend time on fiddly stuff. Also tried to focus on narrative moves instead of numerical buffs. The reskins are:

* Fighter > Assault

* Thief > Assassin

* Paladin > Psi-Op

* Ranger > Sniper

* Bard > Engineer

https://drive.google.com/open?id=16v6hs4JG1e-jplmPJ73ks4A9GCnqHABB

Hello, Tavern!

Hello, Tavern!

Hello, Tavern! Following up on the Sorcerer playbook I created back in January, I’d like to present the 3rd and final version of the Warlock playbook I’ve been working on since then. It’s now up on DriveThruRPG for free!

The class has evolved quite a bit over the last 5 months, going from a more standard “three specialties” approach (similar to the sorcerer), to having a 2-page layout including custom patron moves, to a more spacious 3-page layout that allows for more patrons and less terse move wordings.

Unfortunately, I’m a perma-DM in my groups, so this is very much in need of some love and playtesting! I’d offer to give free copies to anyone who provides feedback, but it’s already free, so… feedback still appreciated!

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/186902/The-Warlock-Dungeon-World-Playbook

Hello, Tavern!

Hello, Tavern!

Hello, Tavern! I’ve thrown a few versions of my sorcerer playbook up over the last year, so this isn’t totally new — but I have done another round of extensive tweaking and polish. I threw it up on DriveThruRPG (for free) as a way to keep it in one spot.

The latest changes do two things: reduce the reliance on vanilla hireling rules in favor of simpler commands for familiars; and approach the design as a trio of Class Warfare-style specialties, which keeps the class from feeling one-trick-pony.

I’m usually the DM for my Dungeon World games so I still haven’t gotten a chance to play this, but I’d love to hear any feedback.

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/170949/The-Sorcerer-Dungeon-World-Playbook

Hopefully it’s not out of place to mention this, but my brother and I have been working on a card game with some…

Hopefully it’s not out of place to mention this, but my brother and I have been working on a card game with some…

Hopefully it’s not out of place to mention this, but my brother and I have been working on a card game with some Norse-inspired flavor that’s now made it to Kickstarter. While the game isn’t DW-esque in the slightest, I’ve used the flavor and art as a huge omnibus of inspiration for my current DW campaign, which is set in a Norse-ish archipelago.

I’ve turned this into a few campaign resources, including a map, a bunch of history docs, some fronts, and plenty of NPCs. That last part has been particularly fun, as you can rifle cards out of the playtest deck to insta-generate characters.

In addition, the worldbuilding I’ve done around this has been more divided by faction lines than racial ones. Each card’s “type” (might, lore, craft, faith) ended up as the basis for a section of the map, with races then filling minor roles and being scattered everywhere.

Anyways, when I started out I drew up a map and threw random flavor-appropriate names at it until I ran out of ink. Then I drew rough faction lines, added capital cities, fleshed out some crude history for ~2% of the locations, and boom. We started the campaign.

We printed the map out and day 1 in full color on an 8×11 sheet of cardstock, and it’s been really, really cool to lay it down before the players and say “You can go anywhere.” Since I’m not overprepping, the whole map is largely “blank spots” from my side of the table, but because I’ve got faction lines I can usually rough out an event for any destination they pick.

Case in point, to start the campaign I made them all choose home towns for their characters. The towns they chose had no initial backstory, but later I used those as hotspots to steer them towards. When they got close to one player’s town, I sent her a private message and asked, “What’s this town known for? What’s your history there?” and used the answers to create a session or too.

Compared to some of the previous campaigns I’ve run and played in, it’s been enjoyable having a world where race doesn’t automatically equate to faction. Not every elf is a ranger, not every ranger’s an elf, and most importantly (to me), most of the NPCs are human without all blending together. Just by telling my players what “color” a character roughly aligns to, they get a pretty good flavor of what that character looks like, acts like, values, resents, etc.

For anyone who wants to check out some of the other resources I’ve been using as world-building inspiration, there’s a site with a pretty decent gallery here (http://norsaga.meromorph.com/resources/) and a Kickstarter page here (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/meromorphgames/norsaga) which seems to be adding additional art. Not all of the hero card names+images are available (at least not yet, to my knowledge) but it already serves as a decent gallery for creating characters. There are also plenty of boss-style creatures that I’ve been running to when I need a more epic confrontation.

Finally, if anyone finds this map useful, I can toss up a link to the “other world” version. Think the Feywild, but aligned with Yggdrassil. I’ve also made a version that has a randomly generated set of “overlay” points between the two maps, to really bend my players’ minds.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-fRgMcAOKp5ejN0WHEyaXJzc3M/view?usp=sharing

I could use a bit of brainstorming help.

I could use a bit of brainstorming help.

I could use a bit of brainstorming help. One of my players is using the Psion playbook (by Sears Poncho, I think?) in a Norse-style setting. She has recently discovered that she may be the Goddess of Wisdom, who in this setting holds mastery over realms such as the mind, magic, fate, time, and reality.

I’m trying to create a compendium class to represent this new level of power, without going overboard. Unfortunately, the psion class already does a lot of these things (mind control, telekinesis, reality altering, prophecy). In fact, her choice of the psion playbook has directly sculpted the nature of this goddess.

If anyone has an interesting concept for where to start on a Goddess of Wisdom compendium class that would add to the psion without repeating its existing strengths, I’d love to hear it.

How do your players typically handle their bonds?

How do your players typically handle their bonds?

How do your players typically handle their bonds?

My group of 5 players filled out every bond during the first session, averaging 4 bonds per character and usually with 1 bond to each other character. This lead to a lot of great backstory and world-building. However, since that time they’ve been very hesitant to finish bonds, and they often tiptoe around them instead of really pushing on them when they come up in play.

For example:

* Player A is afraid that Player B might discover A’s terrible secret. However, when B read his mind and A got to choose a secret to divulge, he tossed out something minor and unrelated.

* Player C thinks player D is weak. Over 6 sessions, C has watched D and generally said, “Yes, this is good evidence to support changing my mind… but I need a little more.”

Early on, the players expressed worry that resolving their bonds would dry up the reasons they have for adventuring together, or that making new bonds beyond the initial world-building session would be awkward. I assume neither of those facts are true, but we still haven’t bumped into it.

So I’m looking for feedback on how others (both GMs and players) deal with bonds on a session-to-session basis, and maybe even some ways to help show my players how resolving their bonds more often can be a good thing.

I’m always scouring the Tavern for interesting #relic ideas, so to return the favor, here’s a selection of items…

I’m always scouring the Tavern for interesting #relic ideas, so to return the favor, here’s a selection of items…

I’m always scouring the Tavern for interesting #relic ideas, so to return the favor, here’s a selection of items from my campaign. Feel free to adapt them for your own purposes.

Seastone Trident (1 weight)

Once belonging to an elven mariner, this practical trident has been enchanted with deflecting wards. When you slash the air with the trident, roll+INT.

On a 10+, a wave of force knocks any projectiles aimed at you back towards their origins.

On a 7-9, the projectiles are scattered towards your allies instead.

Baneblade (hand, messy, 1 weight)

A wickedly curved alchemist’s dagger. When plunged into a wound, it will slowly draw out any poison and store it within the blade. The stored poisons can be released by stabbing a healthy person, or by washing them out with an all-night ritual.

Inkblotter’s Cutlass (1 weight)

Merfolk forged this blade from seafoam and adorned it with a bronze kraken hilt. When you stab someone with the blade, roll+CHA.

On a 10+, ink leaks from the blade and stains you both. Swap appearances for an hour.

On a 7-9, as above, but the transformation scars both of you.

Nocturnomicon (0 weight)

An iron-bound book locked shut with a huge chain. When you cast a cleric spell, on a 12+ your spell takes on a life of its own.

Rattleshirt (worn, 1 weight)

This crude armor is made from tied bones and produces an unsettling rasping sound which undead are insidiously drawn to. Take +1 to parley with someone when you intimidate them.

Shinefold (worn, 0 weight)

A blindfold made of starry black satin. In total darkness, it becomes translucent and grants night vision.

Orn’s Earring (worn, 0 weight)

Shaped like a pearl set in silver, this tiny ear stud emits a steady background hiss when the object of its wearer’s desire is nearby. The sound can only be heard by the wearer, and its volume increases with proximity, from the barest whisper at a mile away to a deafening cacophony when in the same room. Changing targets requires the earring to recharge its power; this can take several days, during which it remains nearly silent.

Naut (worn, 0 weight)

An elven ring of pale white moonstone, which glows with inner light. Tiny constellations of a foreign sky are etched into the band. When you tap the master ring against a hard surface, it creates a copy of itself. Everyone wearing a copy can communicate mentally with the bearer of the master ring, and vice versa. While you wear the master ring and copies are in existence, take -1 ongoing to Constitution.

Brimstone Cloak (worn)

A smoldering fur-trimmed cloak. At a word or a spark, the cloak bursts into flames. However, the protective magic is unstable; whenever you roll a 6-, the flames singe you for d8 damage.

Shard of the Past (0 weight, slow)

A cloth-wrapped piece of glass broken from what was once a full-length mirror. The Goddess of Wisdom has touched the glass; when you hold it up, you see the reflection of times long past.

Dreaming Fire (1 use, 4 weight)

Inside this locked iron sphere is a coiled chemical bomb. When it touches the water, the sphere bursts into an unquenchable pyre which will incinerate ships or towns.

Runestones (0 weight)

These black rune-carved stones are said to be congealed fragments of the future. When you cast them straight up into the air, name a thing. You may discern realities as though it were here. On a miss, the stones shatter without divulging their secrets.

Homebrew Potion (1 use)

Village alchemists brew these healing potions from whatever herbs they have on hand. When you drink it, heal 10 damage and roll d6. On a 1-5, you lose one of your senses for an hour. 1: eyesight; 2: hearing; 3: smell; 4: taste; 5: touch. On a 6, your senses go into overdrive instead.

When I started making content for my first DW campaign, I was really taken with the idea of player choices with…

When I started making content for my first DW campaign, I was really taken with the idea of player choices with…

When I started making content for my first DW campaign, I was really taken with the idea of player choices with long-term or drastic consequences. This lead me to create the following item:

Maul of Winter Eternal (2 weight)

This enormous hammer is crafted from unmelting ice, twisted black metal, and the horned skull of some ancient beast. When you swing it, roll+CON.

* On a 10+, the air before you freezes.

* On a 7-9, as above, but one of your limbs succumbs to frostbite until you warm up.

* On a miss, as above, and lose the limb.

Last session a player acquired it, and I can tell from his face that he’ll never swing it. I’ve tried to encourage him by emphasizing the potential scope of the item’s power (e.g. flash-freezing a powerful dragon, freezing the entire sea, etc), or suggesting ideas to reduce the downside (replacement limbs from an artificer, having an enchanter build in failsafes) but the response doesn’t seem enthusiastic.

How would you encourage an item like this to be used, and convey that the risk/reward balance is worth it?

One more base class idea for my (first) upcoming #DungeonWorld  campaign: the sorcerer.

One more base class idea for my (first) upcoming #DungeonWorld  campaign: the sorcerer.

One more base class idea for my (first) upcoming #DungeonWorld  campaign: the sorcerer. I wanted another arcane class whose magic goes narrow + deep (master of one trick), as opposed to the wizard who seems to go broad + shallow (every trick under the sun).

As before, feedback to help improve and wrap my head around the game is greatly appreciated.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-fRgMcAOKp5Y1V4NnRJLTZQdms/edit?usp=sharing

Blade Dancer base class concept for #DungeonWorld, inspired by one of my upcoming player’s desires to play a “bravo”…

Blade Dancer base class concept for #DungeonWorld, inspired by one of my upcoming player’s desires to play a “bravo”…

Blade Dancer base class concept for #DungeonWorld, inspired by one of my upcoming player’s desires to play a “bravo” characters. The fighter was too beefy and the thief was too poisonous.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-fRgMcAOKp5R1Y2RjdDUVZLLTg/edit?usp=sharing