Tag: William Gerke

PbtA games are becoming the go-to for my gaming circles, and we had a couple interesting DW conversations.  

First, one player commented that he’s less worried about character death in the DW game I’m running because “I feel so involved in the creation of the setting.”  My takeaway is that loss of his PC doesn’t feel like the end of a story (as it often does) but a chance to make a new PC and explore another aspect of the larger story.

The other was when a friend, who DMed DW for the first time a little bit ago, commented that she found the first session hard because the players kept asking detailed setting questions.  One of the players in my game casually answered, “Why didn’t you just turn the question around on them?”  I must be doing something right if that’s how my players think the game should go.

Ran a really fun first session last week, but one of my regular players couldn’t make it.  I need to add him in next Monday and I’m looking for advice / tips on adding a new player after the first session (e.g. how do you handle bonds?).  Thanks!

I’m probably running Dungeon World in two weeks for one of my regular groups (we’re short handed, so I thought it would be fun to try).  I’m looking for some feedback on my “kick-off.”  I figured I’d start with character creation and bonds, and then I would tell them: “For three months, you have pursued the thief across the Known Kingdoms and have caught up with him at last in the Forsaken Lands.”

Then follow up with various of the following questions:

⁃ What did he steal?  What is so important about it?  What does it do / what is it for?

⁃ Who sent you after him?

⁃ What did [the person who sent you] tell you separately that you haven’t shared with the others?

⁃ What do you know about [what was stolen] that you have kept to yourself? (probably to a Wizard, Bard, or Cleric)

⁃ You know the thief’s name because you met before.  What is it and where did you meet?

⁃ Who else is pursuing the thief?  What do you know of their motives?

⁃ Who used to live in the Forsaken Lands?

⁃ Why were they forsaken?

⁃ What is the terrain like?  Desert? Jungle? Etc.

⁃ What is the most dangerous thing in this part of the Forsaken Lands?

⁃ You catch up with the thief as he’s approaching a structure.  It’s not natural. It looks constructed.  What kind of building is it?  What can you tell about the builders?

Leading up to, “You see the thief enter the building.  What do you do?”

Any thoughts?  Feedback?  Different or better ways to phrase the questions?