So let’s imagine a different sort of Hack & Slash, shall we?
So let’s imagine a different sort of Hack & Slash, shall we?
HACK & SLASH
When you fight in melee, make clear your intent and roll +STR. On a 10+, your maneuver works as well as can be expected, deal your damage if appropriate. On a 7-9, your maneuver works but there’s a catch:
• You’re exposed to the enemy’s attack
• It costs you something (your weapon, your footing, you position, etc.)
• It’s less effective than you planned (if dealing damage, you have disadvantage)
• You cause unwanted harm, peril, or collateral damage
If you fight from a position of relative strength or safety, you chose. Otherwise, the GM chooses.
We gain a move more grounded in the fiction, both in its inputs and outputs. We get a move that can be about fighting for position at least as much as doing damage, which can make disappointing damage rolls less disappointing. We also get a fun little incentive to improve your tactical position when fighting, because of the control it gives you on a 7-9.
We lose the fun choice on the 10+, where the player has to decide if that extra d6 damage is worth the damage/harm, or if if it’s character. We also lose some of the move’s simplicity.
We also potentially lose moves that interact with Hack and Slash as written. Like, how would Smash or Superior Warrior interact with these? Or various magical items?
What do you think?