Author: Ray Otus

Monster block elements in order of importance (to me). Does your priority list differ? Tell me about it.

1. Name: e.g. Beholder, not “Theodore,” a good name can conjure up a picture. If I have to, I can totally bullshit the rest. Come up with moves and quick stats, that is.

2. Moves (and/or Instinct): what does it do? Some might say Instinct here and I sympathize with that. The point is I need to know how it behaves. Moves and instincts both do that in different ways, but I see moves as a bit more useful/layered.

3. Stats: when is it dead, how much damage does it do? This is so easy to build on the fly that it’s almost not important.

4. Tags: I look here if I need to know something in context. How many more will show up if I use the creature’s “call for reinforcements” move? Is it intelligent enough to know that the wizard is casting spells? Is it planar or magical or religious?

5. Description: this is more for thinking away from the table. It often gives me ideas about stories to build around the creature.

Running, climbing, swimming. Defy Danger+CON (enduring) or +STR (powering through)?

Who loves the Immolator and why? Tell me what you love about that class, if anything. Maybe tell me about when a time it was cool in play.

Has anyone used the text in the Dungeon World book describing what you do “Beyond 10th level?”

Beyond 10th Level

Once you’ve reached 10th level things change a little. When you have enough XP to go to 11th level instead you choose one of these:

• Retire to safety

• Take on an apprentice

• Change entirely to a new class

If you retire you create a new character to play instead and work with the GM to establish your place in the world. If you take on an apprentice you play a new character (the apprentice) alongside your current character, who stops gaining XP. Changing classes means keeping your ability scores, race, HP, and whatever moves you and the GM agree are core to who your character is. You lose all other class moves, replacing them with the starting moves of your new class.

Help me out. I think Stun damage has been discussed before. How do you all read and apply this chunk of rules text (DW p24)? “Stun damage is non-lethal damage. A PC who takes stun damage is defying danger to do anything at all, the danger being “you’re stunned.””

I’m interested in focusing on that part, but if the rest of the paragraph helps you, here it is:

This lasts as long as makes sense in the fiction—you’re stunned until you can get a chance to clear your head or x whatever stunned you. A GM character that takes stun damage doesn’t count it against their HP but will act accordingly, staggering around for a few seconds, fumbling blindly, etc.

Originally shared by Ray Otus

I have often thought it would be great to put all the Dungeon World basic moves, special moves, class moves, spells, and GM moves on cards. Well… I counted today and you would need at least 400 cards!! 450 to do it right. And another 150 for monsters. Sometimes “portability” is a book. Actually all I take to run DW is playbooks and the basic/special moves playsheet. And some dice of course. … And this tennis racket, and these tennis shoes. That’s all I need. And this statue thing, I need that too. That’s all I need. And …