Came across a playbook on DTRPG called The Alchemist.
Came across a playbook on DTRPG called The Alchemist. It makes two references to terms I am unfamiliar with. Does anybody know what these mean?
1) Starting Move: Mutagens -> Disadvantages
– Any attacks against you are b[2dx].
2) Advanced Moves – Fire In The Hole
– When a bomb or other explosion would deal damage to you or an ally, it does w[2dx] to them.
Discern Realities.
Discern Realities. I’m curious about the list of questions the move has. Do you always try to shoehorn whatever somebody is asking into one of these questions? Do you allow any old question to be asked instead? I’m finding many questions that children ask often do not really line up neatly with those provided by the move.
Hey guys!
Hey guys! Long time, no see. I’m doing a one-shot with DW later this week and wanted to brush up on the investigative side of location/room exploration.
I know that Discern Realities is the default way of handling a PC checking out a dungeon room or non-hostile location for clues, tips, information, items, etc… The player describes what their character is doing and you describe what they detect using their senses, truthfully of course.
1) What constitutes triggering the DR move? At what point in their description do you go “Sounds like DR, roll!”?
2) Does your group use something other than DR for this sort of situation, a custom move or a different ideology?
I’m trying to capture the “I trust nothing, fear everything, but am too curious not to check this place out…” mentality and experience that I’m accustomed to in Classic D&D. I know DW is supposed to be different and is designed differently. Just curious if anybody else has had any luck capturing this style and atmosphere in their games.
I have really enjoyed my time in this community and my experience with DW.
I have really enjoyed my time in this community and my experience with DW. Some major changes in my life are prompting me to free up more time which means my hobbies need to go by the wayside for a bit. I just wanted to let you guys know that I won’t be around so much anymore.
Should anybody need to contact me you can do so through G+ or email TablaSaura over at the gmail. I’ve had a fantastic time conversing with all of you and wish you all gaming bliss in the future. Take Care!
I’m sorry if this is obvious but some of the more recent comments in the group look like folks may be using Inverse…
I’m sorry if this is obvious but some of the more recent comments in the group look like folks may be using Inverse World. Was the PDF finally released to backer or?
A quick question about Messy and Forceful.
A quick question about Messy and Forceful. I have a player with a sword that can resize, small as a dagger, big as 8 ft long/1 ft wide. It also has the messy and forceful tags.
She had just tied up an Orc for interrogation. Almost immediately he has wiggled out of his bonds and she turns just as he is getting back on his feet.
Player: “My sword shrinks to the size of a tiny dagger and I throw it into his left thigh.”
Me: “As the dagger sinks into his flesh you hear a large crack as his femur breaks, followed by a tiny explosive shockwave that sends the lower half of his leg flying. He is now rolling around on the ground, screaming bloody murder, and making an awful mess.”
Player: “Seriously… seriously WTF?!”
Me: “You shouldn’t have used your signature weapon. Forceful create a shockwave that shattered his bone and messy rode that shockwave resulting in the amputation. Your weapon sunk into the dead center of his leg, so…”
I’ll stop here. My question is, is my messy too messy, my forceful too forceful? Or does this sound about right?
I’m thinking about, for stat progression, of only focusing on the modifiers.
I’m thinking about, for stat progression, of only focusing on the modifiers. Just let players pick where they want those +1s. I’m considering giving the players a +1 every other level (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) to put wherever they want. This creates a small problem though.
You start with +2 +1 +1 +0 +0 -1. Using the standard rules you could end up with +3, +3, +1, +1, +0, +0 or +3, +3, +2, +0, +0, -1. Using my method it would be possible to end up with +3 +3 +3 +0 +0 -1. Do you think having three stats with +3 would be way to overpowered?
Is it possible for me to purchase the classes for Pirate World right now?
Is it possible for me to purchase the classes for Pirate World right now? I checked the kickstarter and it said 4 of the 7 classes were completed, the remaining three were to be finished within days. Have all of the classes been completed now? I ask because I’m considering running a game of Razor Coast by Frog God Games and I could use some Pirate themed classes ^_^
Are you a GM and your first session of Dungeon World is coming up?
Are you a GM and your first session of Dungeon World is coming up? Are you seeking advice or curious what you need to bring to the table? Here is some basic information for those just getting started.
The Dungeon World Guide (http://goo.gl/54Pyxj) is going to be your best friend. You really only need to read to page 27 as the second half refers to more advanced topics you’ll cover after your first session.
The official Basic Moves and The GM sheets can be found here (http://goo.gl/rP6lJz), pages 1, 2, and 25 respectively. One of the best GM cheat sheets I’ve found is this one (http://goo.gl/DE0hpY). It sums up everything you could possibly need for reference at the table.
For your first session you do not need a lot of traditional prep. You won’t need an adventure or any concrete plans for what should happen during the session. An opening scene and making sure to end the fiction with “What do you do?” will take you to many wonderful places.
However, many folks find they are more at ease if they have some starting information already laid out. I would consider two approaches if you want to have some prep done up front:
1. You can use an Adventure or Dungeon/Adventure Starter. Here is a list of free products (http://goo.gl/7DgIku) that will serve this purpose. While any of these is suitable, the two I see used the most around here are The Slave-Pit of Drazhu (http://goo.gl/OxEAma) and The Indigo Galleon (http://goo.gl/gLb6ZB).
2. You can create a basic adventure outline, grab a few monsters, and try to be loose and open. I had my first session not to long ago. I started an adventure with my family (http://goo.gl/9QQCPp) and one with just my wife (http://goo.gl/AwKwrg). This format and these adventures in particular, have both worked extremely well for us.
If you need a quick map for a random dungeon I highly recommend DavesMapper (http://goo.gl/QeLrSm). Also, simple 5-room dungeon adventures are available here (http://goo.gl/bjMW3P).
The most common advice for any new game is to begin by asking questions. This is a great way to get players invested, connected, interested, and interacting with the world. Some people ask two or three basic questions to get started, others (like myself) have a five minute interview where I ask them about their PC’s history, personality, motivations, goals, and desires.
Johnstone Metzger wrote two articles full of questions and alternate bonds which I personally found useful in my pre-game interviews; Setup-Up Material (http://goo.gl/Ra93f8) & Setup Questions for Non-Humans (http://goo.gl/WXN3Ti). He also created a slimmed down and reorganized version of the Dungeon World rulebook called Truncheon World (http://goo.gl/30wHXA). I personally recommend it for personal reference.
It is a common practice to begin your game in media res. This means start in the middle of the action. Several great examples can be found here (http://goo.gl/wkhc6N) and 19 more here (http://goo.gl/0gm21R). The idea is to start in a situation that demands immediate decision making on the players part. This makes it extremely easy to “Begin and end with the fiction”, “Ask questions and use the answers”, “Fill the characters’ lives with adventure” and “Play to find out what happens”.
Following combat in your head can be a little confusing if you are not used to the Theater of the Mind gaming style. In our games we try our best to simply describe what is going on. Though, when there are a lot of people involved or a combat is particular complex, I tend to have a notebook and some mini’s nearby to make things clear. Different people enjoy different styles, no single style is “the correct way to play.”
This should cover all of your bases for your first session. I recommend having a Basic Moves sheet for each one of your players as well as yourself. Print out the GM Screen if you think the information on it will be helpful to have as a reference. I always have a notebook that I draw maps on. These are simple but extremely helpful and often it adds to the fun.
Many people use Index Cards for notes or to keep certain information on hand (like ready to go monsters). Pencils, erasers, dice, and character sheets. Each player will need 2D6. Non-NPC/Player caused damage (pg. 21) is rolled on a D4, D6, D8, and D10. You can have one set for the whole table (since it wont be all that common) or each player can have these on hand as well.
Once you get your first game out of the way there is an entire world of possibility for Dungeon World. I highly recommend you take a look at this post (http://goo.gl/2j14xM) to learn of the major DW resources. Also don’t miss the pinnacle of DW narration, A 16 HP Dragon (http://goo.gl/XHBke9). I wish you the very best of luck! Happy Gaming ^_^
Note: This deviates heavily from standard DW.
Note: This deviates heavily from standard DW. I don’t mind, my players are requesting it. Please don’t flame me for doing something different. I’m well aware of the heresy I’m committing. I still love you DW!
My wife is a fan of MMO’s. She has requested that treasure and currency be similar to MMO design (think WoW, LOTRO, or even a non-MMO like Baldur’s Gate or Torchlight). This means added a little bit of min/maxing and munchkinism.
Primarily the goal is to start with super mundane equipment and to horde cash in an attempt to buy ever increasing (in power/capability) equipment. I’m trying to figure out how to handle this in DW.
I think DW portrays an epic tier of play. Tags are what separate the mundane from the spectacular, but there isn’t enough room in the tag space for ever escalating item capability. Obviously adding modifiers isn’t a possibility for emulating this. So how about tag reliability as a solution?
The idea is that mundane weapons have no tags. A slightly better version has a tag, but it has a X in Y chance of activating/applying when the weapon hits or armor negates damage. Better gear provides modified damage and/or the tag is reliable 100% of the time.
Example: Sword of Knocking
Ver 0: Class dam / no tag [Grey] (technically just a sword)
Ver 1: Class dam / Knockback 1 in 4-12 chance [White]
Ver 2: Class dam / Knockback 1 in 1 (always) [Green]
Ver 3: Class +1 dam/ Knockback 1 in 4-12 chance [Blue]
Ver 4: Class +1 dam / Knockback 1 in 1 (always) [Purple]
Ver 5: Class +2 dam / Knockback (always) [Orange]
Example: Armor of Negation
Ver0: Armor is decorative only [Grey]
Ver1: 1 in 4-12 chance of Armor 1 {White]
Ver2: 1 in 1 (always) of Armor 1 [Green]
Ver 3: Armor 1, 1 in 20 chance to avoid any dmg [Blue]
Ver 4: Armor 1, 1 in 15 chance to avoid any dmg [Purple]
Ver 5: Armor 1, 1 in 10 chance to avoid any dmg [Orange]
I will use MMO item color codes. She gets that awesome feeling when finding awesome loot, plus is able to quickly surmise what was valuable/junk. In the case of items, # of uses separate poor from heirloom. Selling to a merchant would be fast; “I sell these 8 items, here is my loot list.” I have a table for converting loot to currency based on item type, rarity, and category of tag.
Grey = Poor (crap you throw away)
White = Common (useful but unreliable)
Green = Uncommon (standard DW item)
Blue = Rare (very hard to come by)
Purple = Epic (complete big adventure for)
Orange = Heirloom (once in a campaign)
I’ll switch to slot based encumbrance using containers to limit her ability to horde everything she finds. Part of MMO’s is crafting and improving items through tradesman. I’m working on a CC style professions (she gains levels in CC on top of normal DW leveling). NPC services too; blacksmith costs lots but that 1 in 8 chance for knockback just became 1 in 6.
Currency primarily exists to better gear or to affect the fiction, e.g.: carousing in hopes of gaining information or making friends OR purchasing NPC aid, quest specific items, maps/information, real estate property, a seat on a caravan, etc…
The biggest issue I face is trying to balance the money she makes, finds, and earns with prices of commodities in the setting. What do you think of this approach? Any other ideas for emulating MMO style play?