Category: Dungeon World Tavern

Just read over the “Concept Elemental” monster and had an idea for a magic item.

Just read over the “Concept Elemental” monster and had an idea for a magic item.

Just read over the “Concept Elemental” monster and had an idea for a magic item. Thought I’d take a crack at it and see what everyone thinks:

Mind Seed: There are places far stranger and far more removed from our realm than the astral plane. Infinitesimal realities born and destroyed in the faint thoughts and vague emotions of all sentient life. Mental energy crashing violently in locations unknowable, giving rise to life unobservable. Only recently have scholars begun to categorize the beings formed within these ephemeral micro-verses. Creatures known as ‘Concept Elementals.’

The brilliant point of light which now hovers gently in your palm is the unborn progeny of such a creature. Pure embryonic concept. Crush it between your fingers to infect those around you with an idea of your choosing. All it will cost is the life of a single un-had thought.   

When you destroy the mind seed and make a single sentence statement roll + CHA *on 10+ sentient creatures within the immediate area will accept the statement as a truth, and will act on it to the best of their ability. *on 7-9 those affected by the mind seed immediately recognize that their will is not their own and may trace the alien thought to you. * On a miss, you’ve lost control of the nascent concept, and your statement mutates uncontrollably before infecting those around you like a virus.   

Here’s a second draft of my mentalist class, renamed the Mindweaver.

Here’s a second draft of my mentalist class, renamed the Mindweaver.

Here’s a second draft of my mentalist class, renamed the Mindweaver. Much thanks to the folks who provided commentary and perspectives that led me to a better realization of just what it is I’m trying to do here.

Just played our third DW session of Steading of the Hill Giant Chief – and our first PC fatality!

Just played our third DW session of Steading of the Hill Giant Chief – and our first PC fatality!

Just played our third DW session of Steading of the Hill Giant Chief – and our first PC fatality! Xiola Zenwaith, elven wizard, fell during a lethal battle against two hill giants and four dire wolves as the party attempted to retreat from the Steading to rest up before staging a direct attempt to attack the chief. We also had our first level up – Felix Pook (aka Pook i’the Hood), the thief, took a +1 Dex and the Cheap Shot Advanced Move. Interesting GM snippet was basically escalating a notional “adventure front” I was pretty much making up as we went along – how was the Steading reacting to the PCs’ intrusion. I’ll be writing that up more formally for future sessions. 🙂

There’s one area of play where I really lack confidence in my judgments and would like to see some examples, and…

There’s one area of play where I really lack confidence in my judgments and would like to see some examples, and…

There’s one area of play where I really lack confidence in my judgments and would like to see some examples, and that’s the open-ended rituals – stuff like the Wizard’s Ritual move, and counterparts in various other playbooks. Would some of you please write up examples of what conditions you’ve set, and how you feel they worked in play?

One of my players and I think that the basic formula for prepared spells is too stingy.

One of my players and I think that the basic formula for prepared spells is too stingy.

One of my players and I think that the basic formula for prepared spells is too stingy. The RAW formula is that you prepare your level+1 in spell levels. So this means when you hit, say, level 7 and get access to that juicy new level 7 spell, you can prepare it…and “Detect Magic.” And that’s it.

To me, that isn’t as fun as having more choices, and it doesn’t seem to fit the old-school vibe. We’re experimenting with your levelx2 as a new formula (still can’t prepare any spell level>your level). Just wondered if other people had tried any other variations here, or if there’s something I’m overlooking.

My first Dungeon World adventure front based on a classic AD&D adventure is now available on RPGNow.

My first Dungeon World adventure front based on a classic AD&D adventure is now available on RPGNow.

My first Dungeon World adventure front based on a classic AD&D adventure is now available on RPGNow. DW-U1: The Haunting of Highcliffe is based on the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. I’ve put a price of $.50 on the RPGNow version (to keep One Bookshelf happy plus give people a chance to help support the development of more of these), but if you’d like a free version, there’s a link on the product page on RPG Geek.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/109379/DW-U1-The-Haunting-of-Highcliffe

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/109379/DW-U1-The-Haunting-of-Highcliffe

Has anyone tried to run a more sandbox’ish campaign with Dungeon World? Tell me about your thoughts / experiences!

Has anyone tried to run a more sandbox’ish campaign with Dungeon World? Tell me about your thoughts / experiences!

Has anyone tried to run a more sandbox’ish campaign with Dungeon World? Tell me about your thoughts / experiences!

When players Discern Realities, I have a tendency to think that their questions will imply relevance.

When players Discern Realities, I have a tendency to think that their questions will imply relevance.

When players Discern Realities, I have a tendency to think that their questions will imply relevance. For example, if a players asks “what here is not what it appears to be?”, then I take it that there must be something that isn’t what it appears to be.

The reason is that I feel that I cheat the players by answering in the negative. “Nothing” is a boring and dissatisfying answer. Giving answers they already know is also pretty dull, and it doesn’t add to the story.

The hardest question to answer, I think, is often “What should I be on the lookout for?”, at least without telling them something obvious they knew beforehand.

Have other people had problems improvising when a player Discerns Realities?