Barf Forth Apocalyptica
barf forth apocalyptica => brainstorming & development => Topic started by: Willow on November 01, 2010, 11:07:51 PM
-
It's 1875. It's the Apocalypse.
Take one part Apocalypse World, one part Deadlands, and maybe a teensy sprinkle of the Dark Tower, and you have APOCALYPSE WEST.
-
The Saint
“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.”
Revelations 1:14
The world might be dead, and God, or the gods, or the spirits, or what have you might have moved on. But the Saints haven't. The holy man who refuses to give up hope in the face of darkness, the tribal shaman, warring against strange creatures, or the retired schoolmarm, running the orphanage because someone has to look after those kids- these are the people that are looking out for you.
If you're going to pray, pray for a Saint.
Stats
Choose one:
Cool =0 Hard -1 Hot +1 Sharp +1 Weird +2
Cool +1 Hard +1 Hot -1 Sharp =0 Weird +2
Cool =0 Hard -2 Hot =0 Sharp +2 Weird +2
Cool +1 Hard =0 Hot -1 Sharp +1 Weird +2
Basic Moves
You get all the Basic Moves
Saint Moves
Pick two of the following:
Armor of Faith: Your faith counts as Armor 1. If you're wearing conventional armor instead, use that instead.
Consecrate: When you perform rites of your faith to consecrate an item for a certain task, roll + Weird. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. Anytime any character makes a roll while using the item for the named task, they may spend 1 hold to gain +1 forward for that roll.
If the consecrated item is a weapon, a character may spend a hold when inflicting harm with it to treat the weapon as whatever the target is vulnerable to, if it happens to have a specific vulnerability or weakness.
A character can only Consecrate one item at a time. On a miss, you may not Consecrate any more items this session.
Flock: You gain a small following or congregation, your flock. At the beginning of each session, roll + Sharp. On a 10+, your flock has surplus. On a 7-9, they have surplus, and choose 1 want. On a miss, they are in want. If their surplus lists barter, that's your share, padre.
Lay on Hands: When you put your hands skin-to-skin on a wounded person and open your soul to their injuries, roll + Weird. On a 10+, they heal 1 segment. On a 7-9, they heal 1 segment, and you are acting under fire from their injuries On a miss, you've opened up both your souls to the mystic wasteland. Treat it as though you've made that move and blown the roll.
Voice of God: When you speak with the voice of authority and faith, you may roll + Weird instead of + Hot to manipulate someone.
Watchful Healing: You know techniques for speeding the healing process. Characters healing under your care heal in twice the time.
Flocks:
If you have a Flock, by default it's about 10 followers, loyal to you but not fanatical. They have their own lives, and live in the community. They occasionally give you tithes and gifts. (Surplus: 1 Barter, Want: + Anxiety.)
Choose 2:
*Your flock is involved in a useful business or commerce. Surplus +1 Barter.
*Your flock is willing to fight at your call, and counts as a gang with harm and armor appropriate to the situation.
*Your flock contains some wise individuals who you can call upon for council. Surplus: + Insight.
*Your flock is willing to uproot and follow you if you demand it (and if they're in a good mood). Surplus: + Mobile
*Your flock is big, about 20 followers. Surplus +1 Barter, replace Want: Anxiety with Want: + Desertion.
And choose 1:
*Your flock is isolated from the community. They're really more like a cult. Want: + Outsiders.
*Your flock is tiny, like a half dozen people. Surplus -1 Barter.
*You aren't entirely in control of your flock. Want: Judgment.
*Your flock is held together only by your strong personality. If you are not physically with your flock at the start of the session, take -2 to your roll.
Gear:
You get a practical weapon, fashion suitable to your look (but no armor), and 1 barter.
Hx:
On your turn, if any character is a member of your flock, tell them +2. Otherwise, tell them =0. You're pretty strange.
On the others' turns, choose one or both of the following:
*You gave that person sanctuary once when they needed it. Whatever number they tell you, ignore it and write +3.
*You've seen the darkness that lurks in their heart. Whatever number they tell you, ignore it and write +3.
Everyone else, you're a darn good judge of character. Take the number they tell you, and add +1 to it.
Saint Special
Saints don't have sex. Carnal pleasure for it's own sake violates the temple of the body, and it would be a sin to bring a child into this broken world. A Saint who has sex with another character must immediately change playbooks.
(The Saint is in some ways a cross between an Angel and a Hocus (duh), but I think in practice the special move will make it very different.)
-
Introducing...
The Gambler
"The only business in the world bigger than gambling is religion...but gambling is not nearly so corrupt." - J. R. Miller
“You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away, know when to run
You never count your money, when you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin', when the dealin's done.” - Kenny Rogers, The Gambler
Let lesser men gamble their coins, their chips, their papers. You play the greatest game, wagering your soul. The walls dividing this physical realm from the spiritual are thin now, and even a rake like yourself can perform 'miracles.' It's all very simple really: project your consciousness into the mystic wastes, find a spirit, and cheat it out of its powers. What could possibly go wrong?
Stats
Choose one:
Cool +1 Hard =0 Hot +1 Sharp -1 Weird +2
Cool -2 Hard +1 Hot +1 Sharp +1 Weird +2
Cool =0 Hard =0 Hot =0 Sharp +1 Weird +2
Cool =0 Hard +1 Hot -1 Sharp +1 Weird +2
Basic Moves
You get all the basic moves.
Gambler Moves
Choose two of the following:
Cardsharp: In your hands, a simple playing card is a deadly and accurate thrown weapon. (2 harm close, infinite)
Cardswarm: Sometimes, a Gambler needs a distraction to make a speedy exit. All you have to do is pick up a deck of cards, and shuffle them just so. Roll + Weird. On a hit, a barrage of cards flies out, blanketing the whole area in cards, which flutter slowly to the ground, granting -1 forward to all rolls made to do things like fire into or out of the area. On a 10+, choose either:
*Increase the penalty to -2 forward.
*The effect is particularly long lasting, enough to last for an entire battle.
Devil's Bargain: You've sold part of your soul to the things that lurk in the mystic wastes. You may spend 1 experience before making a roll to gain +1 forward.
Hellfire: When you call up hellfire, roll + Weird. On a 7-9, hold 2, on a 10+, hold 4. While you have hold, your hands blaze with hellfire (your fists do 2 harm, hand, ap, fire) You can spend one hold to shoot a blast of fire (2 harm, close/far, ap, fire), or two hold for a burst (2 harm, close, area, ap, messy, fire) You can let go of your hold at any time.
Satan's Little Helper: When you conjure up a spirit to do your bidding, roll + Weird. On a 7-9, hold 2, on a 10+, hold 3. Spend your hold, 1:1 to order your spirit to do a number of tasks, such as spying, sneaking somewhere, stealing something, sabotaging something, hexing someone, or reporting back. If you miss, you think the spirit's under your control, but it's not.
Shortcut: Choose one: shadows, mirrors, or doorways. When you enter your chosen portal with a destination in mind, roll + Weird. On a hit, you can emerge from a similar portal anywhere in the general area. On a 10+, you can emerge anywhere, as long as you have seen the location previously. On a miss, you show up... somewhere else.
Gear
You get a cheater's weapon, a deck of cards, fashion suitable to your look, (possibly including armor), and 3 barter.
Gambler Special
When you have sex with someone, roll + Hx. (Or + Hot for an NPC). On a 7-9, you gain +1 Hx with them, and they lose -1 Hx with you. On a 10+, you gain +1 Hx with them, and take +1 forward. On a miss, you lose -1 Hx with them, they gain +1 Hx with you, and you take -1 forward.
(The Gambler is totally Deadland's Huckster, with a little bit more of the Faustian angle thrown in there.)
-
How about some previews of coming attractions?
The Hardholder is likely to make it through intact, perhaps even keeping the name. The Chopper gets a horse instead, but the gang boss remains a conceit. (Black Hat? Renegade?)
The Driver gives us Lone Rider, and the Gunlugger, the Gunslinger. These are perhaps reinterpretations of the playbooks. The Savvyhead certainly informs the design of the Junker, and the Skinner has its similarities to the Siren. Both the Junker and Siren have all new sex moves picked out.
(I want an Operator analog, but I'm having trouble coming up with the right schtick.)
The Law Dog is a wanderer, meting out justice in an unfair world. And then there's the Revenant, but that's going to have to wait.
-
Introducing... The Lone Rider
“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death.”
Revelations 6:8
There aren't many you can count on in this world. But you can always count on your horse.
Stats
Choose One:
Cool +2 Hard +1 Hot =0 Sharp +1 Weird -2
Cool +2 Hard -1 Hot +1 Sharp =0 Weird =0
Cool +2 Hard =0 Hot -1 Sharp +1 Weird =0
Cool +2 Hard =0 Hot -1 Sharp =0 Weird +1
Cool +2 Hard -1 Hot -1 Sharp +2 Weird -1
Basic Moves
You get all the basic moves.
Lone Rider Moves
You get this one:
Born on Horseback: When on horseback, you get the following:
*When you Act Under Fire, add your Horse's Spirit to the roll.
*When you Go Aggro or Seize by Force, add your Horse's Power to the roll.
*When you Seduce or Manipulate someone, add your Horse's Looks to the roll.
*When you Open Your Spirit to the Mystic Wastes, add your Horse's Spirit to the roll.
*When you Help someone, add your Horse's Power to the roll.
*When someone Interferes with you, they add your Horse's Weakness to the roll.
Then choose one:
Animal Lover: When you Read an Animal, roll + Sharp. On a hit, you may ask questions as if you had used the Read a Person move on them.
Change Horses: You get two additional horses.
Iron Horse: You get an extra horse that's special in some way- maybe it's a dead horse, a clockwork Junker invention, or even one of the four Horses of the Apocalypse. Pick one of the following profiles:
Looks +2, Power +2, Spirit +2, Weakness +2
Looks +1, Power +3, Spirit +2, Weakness +2
Make up an appropriate Strength, Look, or Weakness.
On the Trail, Forever: When you breathe life back into your dead horse, it gets back up. Add +1 to its weakness, and +1 to its Looks, Power, or Spirit (max +2).
Scrapper: When you Seize By Force, roll + Cool instead of + Hard.
Wander the Wastes: When you travel alone into the wilderness, roll + Cool.
On a 10+, hold 4. On a 7-9, hold 2. You can travel to any named location you've ever heard of, and spend your hold accordingly to alter the journey:
*You can travel to any named location, even one you haven't heard of.
*The journey takes you twice as fast as you normally would.
*The journey takes a single day. (3 hold)
*You can lead other people there (1 hold per person).
*You arrive in an advantageous position, take +1 forward.
Gear:
You get one trail weapon, fashion suitable to your look (including armor if appropriate), goods worth 1 barter, and a superior horse.
Superior Horses
Chose one of the following profiles:
Looks +2 Power +1 Spirit +1 Weakness +1
Looks +1 Power +1 Spirit +2 Weakness +1
Looks +1 Power +2 Spirit +1 Weakness +1
Choose its Strength or Strengths, as many as its power.
Fast, Rugged, Nimble, Smart, Loyal, Workhorse, Healthy, Fierce, Huge, Independent, Breeder
Choose its Look or Looks, as many as its looks.
Compact, Huge, Mangy, Deformed, Pretty, Sleek, Well-Bred, Awe-Inspiring, Scarred, Thin
Choose a Weakness:
Filthy, Fickle, Gluttonous, Horny, Lazy, Mean, Nervous, Picky, Sickly, Slow
Lone Rider Special
When you have sex with another character, roll + Cool. On a 10+, they inspire you, you take +1 forward ongoing while fighting for them the next day. On a 7-9, it's awkward, they get +1 Hx with you, but you lose -1 Hx with them. On a miss, you ride away while they're sleeping.
-
I'm a bit conflicted over Devil's Bargain. On the one hand, I really like the idea, but it seems far too weak as written. 1 xp for +2, on the other hand, seems really strong- too strong?
-
Nice!
-
There are lots of really good flourishes here. That The Gambler gets a "cheater's weapon" is brilliant.
-
Introducing... The Siren
Beauty, grace, raw sex appeal. How many will you lead to their dooms?
Stats
Choose One:
Cool +1 Hard =0 Hot +2 Sharp +1 Weird -1
Cool =0 Hard -1 Hot +2 Sharp +1 Weird +1
Cool -1 Hard -1 Hot +2 Sharp =0 Weird +2
Cool =0 Hard +1 Hot +2 Sharp =0 Weird =0
Basic Moves
You get all the basic moves.
Siren Moves
Pick two:
Artful & Gracious: When you put on a performance or place your art on display in front of its intended audience, roll + Hot. On a 10+, hold 3, on a 7-9, hold 1. Spend all your hold to name an NPC member of the audience and choose one of the following:
*This person must meet me.
*This person must have my services.
*This person loves me.
*This person must give me a gift.
*This person admires my patron.
On a miss, you gain no particular benefit, but no particular downside either.
Black Widow: When you Go Aggro, roll + Hot for NPCs and + Hx for PCs.
Fascinating: When you have time and solitude with someone, they become fascinated with you. Roll + Hot. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. They can spend their hold, 1 for 1, by doing any of the following:
*Giving you something you want.
*Acting as your eyes and ears.
*Fighting to protect you.
*Doing something they tell you to.
NPCs cannot act against you while you have hold over them. For PCs, anytime you like, you may spend your hold, 1 for 1:
*inspire them with the thought of you; they gain +1 forward now.
*distract them with the thought of you, they are acting under fire.
On a miss, they know what you were trying to do, and do not appreciate it.
Silver Tongued Devil: You can talk anyone into just about anything. When you Seduce or Manipulate a person, you don't have to have any kind of leverage.
Siren's Song: When you sing, anyone who does anything other than watch and listen is acting under fire.
Welcome to My Parlor: You have a safe haven. When you are in your Parlor, any move you use that generates Hold gets +1 Hold.
Gear:
You get:
One sexy little weapon, two items of luxury, goods worth 1 barter, and fashion suitable to your look.
Siren Special:
Whenever you and another character have sex, choose one of the following three options:
*Turn their sex move back on them- they use their sex move, and you use their sex move.
*Commit their sex move to memory.
*Use any sex move you've previously learned.
-
The siren's sex move is sweet.
-
Introducing... The Gunslinger
"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with my eye.
I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with my mind.
I do not kill with my gun; he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my heart."
-Stephen King, the Gunslinger
There's gunslingers, and then there's Gunslingers, toughened warriors who pack hard calibers and live for the showdown at high noon. A Gunslinger does not wield death; he is death.
Stats
Choose one:
Cool =0 Hard +2 Hot +0 Sharp +1 Weird =0
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot -2 Sharp +1 Weird +1
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot -2 Sharp +2 Weird -1
Cool +2 Hard +2 Hot -2 Sharp +1 Weird -1
Basic Moves
You get all the basic moves.
Man With No Name
When you make your character, you may choose to be a Man With No Name. If you do, you have no name, and do not have access to the Seduce or Manipulate move, and that move cannot be used against you.
Gunslinger Moves
You get this one:
Aim With My Eye, Shoot With My Mind: When you read a charged situation, on a hit you may immediately make another move. On a miss, the MC does not get to make a hard move.
Choose 2 of the following:
Fan the Hammer: Any Revolver you wield gains the Area and Reload keywords.
Killer's Heart: Whenever you inflict harm, inflict +1 harm.
One Man Gang: In battle, you count as a small gang, inflicting harm and having armor as appropriate.
The Stare: When you enter a battle or duel, roll + Cool. On a hit, make eye contact with an NPC, who hesitates and cannot take action until you break off the stare. On a 10+, the duel is sacrosanct, onlookers cannot interfere with either or you. On a miss, everyone involved identifies you as their biggest threat.
Tough Customer: While you are injured, you gain +1 Armor.
True Grit: When you act under fire, roll Hard instead of Cool.
Gear:
You get one hard caliber weapon (name it), one solid weapon, and two backup weapons. You get Armor 1, and goods worth 1 barter.
Gunslinger Special:
If you and another character have sex, you get +1 forward. At your option, they also take +1 forward.
(Yeah, the Gunslinger is pretty much the Gunlugger. Armor's a little scarcer in Apocalypse West than Apocalypse World.)
-
This is way cooler than anything I've been working on. Cheers! It looks super rad.
-
"The Stare" is my favorite addition to the Gunslinger v. the Gunlugger. That's perfect for a western duelist!
-
Introducing... THE LAW DOG
There was forty feet between them when they stopped to make their play
And the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about to-day
Texas Red had not cleared leather when a bullet fairly ripped
And the ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip
It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered round
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
Oh he might have gone on living but he made one fatal slip
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip
-Big Iron, Johnny Cash
The States are gone, and law and order with them. Each town is a State unto itself, and an outlaw can evade justice by riding hard to the next hold over. Maybe you were a lawman before everything went to Hell, or maybe you're just standing up for what's right, but you know one thing for sure. Justice comes from the barrel of a gun.
Stats
Choose one:
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot +1 Sharp +1 Weird -2
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot =0 Sharp +1 Weird -1
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot -1 Sharp +2 Weird -2
Cool +2 Hard +2 Hot -1 Sharp +1 Weird -2
Hangin' Crimes
A number of Lawdog moves refer to Hangin' Crimes: Crimes normally punishable by hangin' throughout the west. The Hangin' Crimes are: murder, arson, grand theft, cattle theft, horse theft, rape, and witchcraft.
Basic Moves
You get all the Basic Moves.
Lawdog Moves
Choose two.
Always Get Your Man: When you follow the trail of someone you know is guilty of a crime, roll + Sharp. On a 10+, you will inexorably track them to their destination, and choose one:
*You catch them on even footing.
*You catch up to them before they reach their destination.
*You beat them to their destination, and can prepare for their arrival.
On a 7-9, you track them to their destination, but the MC chooses one:
*When you catch up to them, they have the advantage.
*The journey is long and arduous.
*To catch them, you have to ride ahead of your companions.
Hunchin': When you Open your Mind, roll + Sharp instead of + Weird.
Judge of the Guilty: When you Read a Person, you have two extra questions you can ask:
*Have you committed any Hangin' Crimes in the last year?
*Have you ever committed (name a particular Hangin' Crime)?
Justice Comes From the Barrel of a Gun: You do +1 Harm to those you know are guilty of a Hangin' Crime, and you get +1 Armor against their attacks.
Rally the Townsfolk: When you speak to a mob about a threat that concerns their livelihood, roll + Cool. On a hit, they unite and will fight for you as a gang (2 harm, 0-armor, Vulnerable: Desertion, size appropriate). On a 10+, add +1 harm, +1 armor to the gang, or lose Vulnerable.
On a miss, congrats, you're the scapegoat.
Welcome Reputation: When you enter a community with your badge of office revealed, roll + Cool.
On a hit, they welcome you into the community, and tell you their sorrows. On a 10+, you take +1 forward for dealing with members of the community. On a miss, they don't trust you, and close themselves off to you.
Gear
You get one Big Iron, a solid weapon, and a backup weapon. You also get a badge of office, a sturdy noose, 1 Armor, a horse, and goods worth 2 barter.
Horses
Chose one of the following profiles:
Looks +1 Power +1 Spirit +1 Weakness +1
Looks +2 Power +1 Spirit +1 Weakness +2
Looks +1 Power +2 Spirit +1 Weakness +2
Looks +1 Power +1 Spirit +2 Weakness +2
Normally, your Horse's profile won't matter, unless you pick up the Born On Horseback move.
Choose its Strength or Strengths, as many as its power.
Fast, Rugged, Nimble, Smart, Loyal, Workhorse, Healthy, Fierce, Huge, Independent, Breeder
Choose its Look or Looks, as many as its looks.
Compact, Huge, Mangy, Deformed, Pretty, Sleek, Well-Bred, Awe-Inspiring, Scarred, Thin
Choose a Weakness or Weaknesses, as many as its Weakness:
Filthy, Fickle, Gluttonous, Horny, Lazy, Mean, Nervous, Picky, Sickly, Slow
-
And also introducing... THE BLACK HAT
"Can't you hurry this up a bit? I hear they eat dinner in Hades at twelve sharp and I don't aim to be late." - Black Jack Ketchum, Last Words
"A jail is just like a nutshell with a worm in it, the worm will always get out." - John Dillinger
"Listen, your job is to back me up, because you'd starve without me. And you, your job is to shut up." - Butch Cassidy.
These days, all a man needs to make his mark on the world is a horse, a gun, and a gang of thugs willing to do all kinds of foulness at the slightest provocation. Fortunately, none of those things are in short supply.
Stats
Choose one:
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot +1 Sharp =0 Weird -1
Cool =0 Hard +2 Hot +1 Sharp +1 Weird -1
Cool =0 Hard +2 Hot +2 Sharp -1 Weird -1
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot +1 Sharp +1 Weird -2
Basic Moves
You get all the Basic Moves
Black Hat Moves
You get these two:
The Boss: When you impose your will on your gang, roll + Hard. On a 12+, all 4. On a 10+, choose 3. On a 7-9. choose 2. On a miss, none of them, and someone in your gang will try to make a dedicated attempt.
*They do what you want.
*They don't fight back over it.
*You don't have to make an example of one of them.
*You don't have to pay them extra.
Liars and Thieves: When you have your gang turn out their pockets and saddlebags for something, roll + Hard. It has to be something small enough to fit.
On a 10+, one of your guys has just the thing, or close enough. On a 7-9, one of them has something pretty close. On a miss, one of them had it, but some asshole stole it.
Your Gang
By default, your gang consists of about 15 violent thugs, murderers, and reprobates with decent armaments, no armor, a couple of horses, and no fucking discipline at all. (2 harm 0 armor gang small savage).
Choose 2:
*Your gang consists of 30 or so violent bastards. Medium instead of small.
*Your gang is well armed. +1 Harm.
*Your gang has solid armor. +1 Armor.
*Your gang is disciplined. Remove Savage.
*Your gang is self-sufficient, and does lots of raiding and scavenging. +Rich.
*Your gang has horses enough for everyone. +Mobile.
Choose 1:
*Your gang is loose-knit, with members coming and going freely. Vulnerable: Desertion.
*Your gang is in significant debt to someone powerful. Vulnerable: Obligation.
*Your gang consists of infamous criminals, with large bounties of goods on your heads. Vulnerable: Reprisals.
*Your gang is fucking filthy. Vulnerable: Disease.
*Your gang is unusually superstitious. Vulnerable: Spooked.
Gear
You get 2 solid weapons, a horse, fashion, including Armor 1, and goods worth 1 barter.
Horses
Chose one of the following profiles:
Looks +1 Power +1 Spirit +1 Weakness +1
Looks +2 Power +1 Spirit +1 Weakness +2
Looks +1 Power +2 Spirit +1 Weakness +2
Looks +1 Power +1 Spirit +2 Weakness +2
Normally, your Horse's profile won't matter, unless you pick up the Born On Horseback move.
Choose its Strength or Strengths, as many as its power.
Fast, Rugged, Nimble, Smart, Loyal, Workhorse, Healthy, Fierce, Huge, Independent, Breeder
Choose its Look or Looks, as many as its looks.
Compact, Huge, Mangy, Deformed, Pretty, Sleek, Well-Bred, Awe-Inspiring, Scarred, Thin
Choose a Weakness or Weaknesses, as many as its Weakness:
Filthy, Fickle, Gluttonous, Horny, Lazy, Mean, Nervous, Picky, Sickly, Slow
Black Hat Special
If you and another character have sex, their Hx with you changes to +3, and they choose whether you gain +1 or -1 Hx with them.
(Yup, it's the Chopper. Gang rules are a little different, and I think The Boss will be good for the longevity of some of its members. Or maybe not.)
-
In my excitement, I failed to give the Law Dog a sex move. Any suggestions?
How do folks feel about how The Boss compares to Pack Alpha? Would they rather play a character with the later, or the former?
-
The Homesteader
"It was a hard land, and it bred hard men to hard ways." -- Louis L'Amour
"If I owned Hell and Texas I'd rent out Texas and live in Hell." - General William Tecumseh Sherman
For years, you worked this land, and made it your own. It's a hardscrabble life, full of backbreaking labor and little reward. But it's your life, and you'll be damned if man or monster will take it from you.
Stats
Choose one:
Cool =0 Hard +1 Hot +1 Sharp +2 Weird -1
Cool -1 Hard +1 Hot =0 Sharp +2 Weird +1
Cool +1 Hard +1 Hot =0 Sharp +2 Weird -1
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot -1 Sharp +2 Weird -2
Basic Moves
You get all the basic moves.
Homesteader Moves
You get this one:
Bounty of the Land: At the start of the session, if your Homestead is secure, roll + Sharp. On a 10+, you have surplus on hand and available. On a 7-9, you have surplus, but also choose one want. On a miss, or if your Homestead is in chaos, your Homestead is in want.
And pick one:
Dinner Conversation: When you sit down to have dinner with friends and family, gain Insight.
Hard Land, Hard Life: When you roll to Act Under Fire, you can roll Hard instead of Cool.
Head of Household: When you roll to help another character, you can roll Sharp instead of Hx.
This Is My Land: When you are fighting for your home, gain +1 Armor and inflict +1 Harm.
Western Hospitality: When you cook a meal for guests with all the fixin's, they get +1 Forward and you mark experience.
Homesteads
By default, your Homestead has
*15-20 people living and working on it.
*For potential work, a mix of rough farming and hunting. (Surplus 1 Barter, Want: Hunger)
*A wooden house large enough for you and your family to live in relative comfort, and a few wooden outbuildings for farmhands and animals.
Any Surplus of Barter is your share of the Homestead's profits.
Choose 2:
*Your Homestead produces some manufactured crafts, like textiles. Surplus: +1 Barter, Want: Idle.
*Your Crops are particularly Fertile. Surplus: +1 Barter, Want: Locusts
*You large pastures for Cattle or other grazing animals. Surplus: +1 Barter, Want: Cattle Theft.
*You have a secure and fresh water source. Gain +1 to rolls for Bounty of the Land.
*Your House is well fortified, made of stone and well positioned. Anyone trying to defend the house gets +1 Armor.
*Your lands have a clearly demarcated perimeter, with a sturdy fence, and your farmhands keep an eye out for suspicious activity. If anyone trespasses on your land, you will be aware of it.
*You have a particularly large population on the Homestead, but that many mouths can be hard to feed. Surplus: +1 Barter, Want: Famine instead of Hunger.
*Your Homestead is located on or near a functioning trade route. Folk can spend goods to speed a thing on its way as if they were at a marketplace while they're at your Homestead.
Choose 2:
*You don't have a clean water supply. Want: +Disease
*You have few farmhands. Surplus -1 Barter, change Hunger to Anxiety.
*You owe protection tribute to a powerful Hardholder, or several warlords. Surplus -1 Barter. Want: Obligation.
*There aren't any actual buildings on the land, just a bunch of tents.
*Your Homestead is in the middle of nowhere. Want: Isolated.
*Your Homestead's borders aren't clearly defined, and wind through difficult territory, making them hard to keep an eye on. Want: Poaching.
Gear
You get one home defense item, and fashion suitable to your look.
Homesteader Special
When you and another character have sex, you gain +1 forward for the next time you make your Bounty of the Land move. If they make a move at the start of the next session, they gain +1 forward for one of those moves (their choice which one.)
-
Introducing... The Drifter
There's lots of folk out there just trying to make ends meet, wandering from hold to hold with the clothes on their back, a pack of supplies, and the grit in their stomach. Prospectors with no mines, Chinese railroad workers with no rails, farmhands with no farms. That's you there, pardner.
Stats
Choose one:
Cool +2 Hard =0 Hot +1 Sharp +1 Weird -1
Cool +1 Hard +2 Hot -1 Sharp +1 Weird =0
Cool +1 Hard -1 Hot +2 Sharp =0 Weird +1
Cool +1 Hard -1 Hot =0 Sharp +2 Weird +1
Cool +1 Hard +1 Hot +1 Sharp +1 Weird =0
Basic Moves
You get all the basic moves.
Drifter Moves
You get this one:
Moonlighting: You get Juggling 2. Whenever there's a stretch of downtime, either during a session or at the start of one, choose any number of gigs to work, up to a maximum of your Juggling. Roll + Cool. On a 10+, you get profit from all the chosen gigs. On a 7-9, if you only worked one gig, it pays out profit, otherwise, one of your gigs results in a catastrophe and the rest pay out profit. On a miss, each gig yields catastrophe.
Whenever you get a new gig, add +1 Juggling.
And choose one:
Drifter's Escape: Name your escape route and roll + Cool. On a 10+, you're gone, just like that. On a 7-9, if you leave, you have to take something with you, or leave something behind- MC's call what. On a miss, you're caught half in, half out.
Flow of Riches: Whenever you spend at least 1 barter, mark experience.
Lucky Bastard: Once per session, when you would make any roll, roll + Cool instead.
Preparedness: When you declare retroactively that you've set something up, roll + Barter spent. On a 10+, it's just like you say. On a 7-9, you set it up, but the MC will introduce some hitch or delay. On a miss, you set it up, but since then things have seriously gone south- all bets are off.
Well-Rounded: Increase any stat by +1 (Max +2).
Start with 3 paying Gigs, and one obligation Gig.
Gear
You get a simple weapon, goods worth 1 barter, and fashion suitable to your look.
Drifter Special
Whenever you and another character have sex, you gain a new obligation gig: Keeping them Happy. You Keep them Happy/ You Screw It All Up.
If you have sex with them again, you don't get another gig. Just the first time.
-
I don't have anything constructive to add, but this continues to look awesome. I especially like the homesteader, what a good combination of moves to hit the archetype. "Dinner Conversation" is brilliant.
-
Thanks Jeff! Actually just popping in to say you think things look cool is constructive to me- gives me a reason to do this.
-
You know, I think I read through the Drifter three times before I noticed there was no list of names. That's just too awesome.
-
These playbooks aren't finished yet- most of them don't have Look, or Hx, but for a western game I'm intending on having a single list of period first and last names.
-
The Junker
“What hath God wrought!” - Samuel Morse, first telegraph.
Things aren't what they once were. Raillines broken, telegraph lines cut, factories burnt, locomotives scrapped, mines empty. You take the Junk, and you turn it into something worthwhile.
Stats
Choose one:
Cool +1 Hard +1 Hot +1 Sharp -2 Weird +2
Cool -2 Hard -1 Hot +1 Sharp +2 Weird +2
Cool +1 Hard -2 Hot -1 Sharp +2 Weird +2
Cool -1 Hard +1 Hot -2 Sharp +2 Weird +2
Basic Moves
You get all the Basic Moves
Junker Moves
You get this one:
Machinist: When you go into your Workspace, and dedicate yourself to making a thing, fixing a thing, investigating a thing, or working on something, decide what you're doing and tell the MC, who will respond, “sure, no problem, but,” and then 1 to 4 of the following, possibly with some “ands” and/or “ors.”
*It's going to take hours/days/weeks/months of work.
*First you'll need to get/build/fix/figure out ____.
*You're going to need help from ____.
*You'll need supplies worth __ barter.
*It's going to have some downside or flaw.
*It's going to mean exposing yourself to serious danger.
*You're going to have to take ____ apart to do it.
Once you accomplish that, you finish the task itself. The MC will do whatever's called for at that point.
Plus, choose two of the following:
Jury-Rig: When you touch a nonfunctioning device, roll + Weird. On a hit, hold 2, or 4 on a 10+. Spend your hold 1 for 1 to either:
*Make the device work for an hour.
*Make the device work above normal capacity for 15 minutes.
On a miss, you almost mostly fix it, but it will break during a crucial moment.
Mystic Telegraph: When you concentrate on sending someone a message through the Mystic Wastes, roll + Weird. On a 7-9, they get the message, mostly intact, with only a little static from the Mystic Wastes. On a 10+, they get the message, crystal clear, and you can even get an emotional sense of how it was received. On a miss, you've just bared your Mind to the Mystic Wastes.
Scavenger: At the start of each session, or when you have a chance to scavenge during play, say what you're looking for and roll + Sharp. On a hit, you find something neat. On a 10+, pick 3, on a 7-9, pick 2, on a miss, pick 1.
*It's in working condition.
*It's more or less what you were looking for.
*It serves a potent and useful purpose.
*It doesn't belong to anyone else who might come looking for it.
Surgery: When you perform Surgery on a character who is severely injured (at 9:00 or more, but not past High Noon), spend 1 Barter worth of Medical Supplies and roll + Sharp. On a hit, the character recovers to 6:00, but the MC will choose a downside (1 on 10+, 2 on 7-9)
*They need to be physically stabilized.
*They are fighting back, even with sedation, you're Acting Under Fire.
*They'll be drifting in and out of consciousness for at least 24 hours.
*They'll be bedridden for at least a week.
*They'll need constant care and monitoring for at least 48 hours.
On a miss, the target either chooses to take 1 harm (and not be healed), or be healed, but mark a Debility.
If you try to heal someone past High Noon, roll + Barter spent. On a hit, they recover to 6:00 as above, but the MC will add an additional downside. On a miss, you do everything you can, but they die anyways.
Also, if you have a Workspace, you can work on People in it.
Technobabble: When you describe a plan of action, using “scientific principles,” that you, as a player, just made up, whoever acts on that plan takes +1 forward.
Weird Science: When you use any Junker creation or other artifact of strange science, roll + Weird instead of what you would normally roll to use it.
Gear
You start with a Workspace, a Junker Weapon, fashion appropriate to your look, and goods worth 3 barter.
Workspaces
Your workspace starts with three of the following:
A machine shop, a darkroom, controlled botany environment, chemical laboratory, skilled labor and assistants, a carriage with driver and team of horses, wierd-ass steampunk clockwork stuff, a working telegraph machine, a weapons range, a strange science artifact, extensive supplies, a large steam engine, a medical infirmary.
Junker Weapon
You start with a custom weapon.
Frame (choose 1)
Small (2 harm close reload tech)
Large (3 harm close reload tech)
What's it Shoot? (choose 1)
Fire (+1 harm, hand/close, messy)
Electricity (S-Harm)
Bullets, Lots of Them (+1 harm, close/far, loud)
Laser Beams (ap, close/far)
Other Options (choose 1)
Scope (+1 harm at Far)
Ammo Backpack (-Reload)
High Powered (+1 harm at Close)
Attached Bayonet (2 harm hand)
Burst Fire (+area, +loud)
Automated (+remote)
Junker Special
Whenever you and another character have sex, you have an Augury into the Mystic Wastes. Whoever you're having sex with can help or interfere with your Weird roll.
-
Willow, I've been enjoying reading these as you post them. They're great! Once you're done with the "playbooks" are you going to write more of a hack (different agenda/principles etc.) or kind of leave it to the basic rules of AW?
-
Willow, this is easily my favourite of all the hacks I've read through so far! Really nice work.
-
Introducing... The Revenant
“This will be the plague the Lord strikes all people with who warred against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.” Book of Zechariah 14:12
“When hell is full, the dead will walk the Earth.” -Dawn of the Dead, often misattributed to the Book of Revelations.
It's going to take a hell of a lot more than a bullet to keep you down. You were a big damn hero, with lots of unfinished business, and you clawed your way out of Hell to finish what you started. Lord have mercy on those who stand in your way.
An Advanced Playbook
You cannot start out the game playing a Revenant. If your character dies during play, and you had achieved five or more advances, you may choose to change playbooks to Revenant. Cross off the 'change playbooks' advancement option (if it isn't already), and erase your character's experience track. Also cross off the “retire your character to safety” option. That's just not going to happen.
Taking Revenant Moves
Revenant moves cannot be taken with the “Take a Move from another Playbook” advance, unless the character has had a near death experience: hitting High Noon on the wound track (but not going past), and receiving care from either the Saint's Lay on Hands or the Junker's Surgery move.
Revenant Moves
When you become a Revenant, take the following move:
Borrowed Time: When you become a Revenant, draw a new countdown dial on your character sheet, Borrowed Time, starting at 0:00. At the start of each session, roll + Cool. On a 10+, do nothing, or choose the 7-9 result. On a 7-9, fill in the next segment, and mark experience. On a miss, fill in the next segment. Each time you fill in a segment take a new Curse. When the dial reaches High Noon, take the Marked for Death Curse.
Plus, take three of the following moves:
Grave Vengeance: You gain +1 forward, forever, against whoever killed you, or anyone that puts you to High Noon on the harm track. (You can't get more than +1 forward against the same person with this move.)
Immune to Pain: When you take harm, you do not have to roll the Harm move.
Shadowwalk: When you attempt to physically enter or leave the Mystic Wastes, roll + Weird. On a hit, choose 2. On a 10+, choose 3. On a miss, choose 1.
*You don't take 1 harm (ap).
*You don't attract the attention of any supernatural entities.
*You have a clear route to a specific location in the Mystic Wastes or the physical world.
*You can take someone else with you.
Supernatural Aptitude: You gain +1 to any Stat. (Max +3)
Supernatural Skill: Advance all seven basic moves.
Unnatural Healing: You heal supernaturally fast- wounds at 9:00 or less heal at a rate of one segment per day. Wounds past 9:00 heal at the rate of one segment per week. A Wound at High Noon heals after two weeks. This assumes rest and food- heavy activity or poor nutrition (as it is for Revenants) may slow down the healing period, up to double.
Unnatural Weaponry: Your hands are killing weapons. Maybe you have nasty, retractable claws, or you can suck the life right out of people. Choose one: 2 harm hand messy, or 1 harm ap hand.
Curses
Each Revenant has its Curse, the price it pays for coming back from the dead. It's also a temporary deal; most Revenants get worse over time, and eventually go out in a blaze of glory- or become horrible monsters.
Each Revenant starts with one Curse, and the Borrowed Time move will cause you to gain more.
Angst: At the start of each session, or anytime there's significant downtime in play, you take -1 forward ongoing until you roll 12+ on any die roll.
Frenzy: Whenever you might lose your temper, roll to Act Under Fire, with a -1 penalty to the roll.
The Hunger: You have to eat regularly, and it has to be raw meat or other (once?) living things.
Losing Control: When you roll your Borrowed Time move, take a -2 penalty to the roll.
Mystic Beacon: Your mere presence riles up monstrous inhabitants of the Mystic Wastes. Wherever you go, monsters break through into the physical world with extreme frequency.
Rotting Flesh: Your body is starting to rot, and is obviously no longer living.
Degeneration: Choose another curse you have, and double it's potency. This might include it's mechanical consequences (like for Angst or Frenzy), or its narrative consequences (The Hunger might involve a Hunger for blood... or human brains.) You can take this curse twice, for two different curses.
Marked For Death
When your Borrowed Time track reaches High Noon, your character is Marked For Death. You get +1 forward, ongoing, to all rolls you make during the session. However, at the end of the session, if your character is still alive, it loses its humanity, becoming a Threat under the control of the MC.
Hx
When you become a Revenant, all other characters lose -2 Hx with you. (If this brings them to -4 Hx, they reset to -1 and mark experience.) The exception is if another character killed you- they change their Hx with you to -3 instead. Remember that you get Hx with them for them dealing you harm.
(The Revenant is totally Deadland's Harrowed. No two shakes about it.)
-
That pretty much wraps up the playbooks. (There's a hardholder, but it's the same as Apocalypse World, so I didn't bother writing it up.)
Next step is going to be a PDF will all the complete playbooks, and maybe a MC playbook with some notes on barfing forth Apocalyptic West.
-
(The Revenant is totally Deadland's Harrowed. No two shakes about it.)
Yeah, except way better! Seriously, I was thinking as I read this whole playbook "man, this is way better than the undead guys in Deadlands". I especially like that the focus is on your character's burning need to exact vengeance, rather than random or manitous or whatever. In your MC guidelines, I might include that the Revenant is okay for one-shot games, because I think he'd bring in all kinds of juicy situation generation and escalation right there. Oh, and of course 'Marked for Death' would automatically be in play in that situation.
So, by way of critique, the one thing that jumped out at me was the "Supernatural Skill". I get the impulse here, but when thinking about specific moves, some of them don't seem to mesh. Like, why does your zombie hell power give you the ability to get allies on a seduce or manipulate roll? Are you just that intense? Also, Shadowwalk seems a little vague, but I imagine there's more about the mystic wastes in the hack rules in general that makes them make more sense? Or is it meant to be vague to let your group figure out what the mystic wastes are like and what it means to physically enter them?
The only other thing that comes to mind right now is that the ability to take Revenant moves after a near-death experience (Sweet!) should maybe be coupled with some supernatural downside? I dunno, like "You can only use the "take a move from another playbook advance" to gain a Revenant move if you've had a near death experience. If you do take one, also take a curse". Even without the downside, I love the fact that having such sweet moves available will tempt players into damn near getting their characters killed :)
If you can't tell, I'm really excited about this hack.
-
All Supernatural Skill really does is save your character an advance, it's not as cool as the other moves by far, and I wouldn't pick it in most situations, but I could conceive of a character for which it would be a good move to take.
-
Hey Willow, do you have any playtest experience with this hack? It's on my list of things I want to run at my next con now!
-
You have made me very happy. Were you aware?!
This is awesome. Thank you for this!
-
I'm fixing to run this with a heaping helping of Dark Tower. I'm going to call the psychic maelstrom "the dream gone wrong" as a kind of dark reflection of "the world moved on"
-
Is there room for changes to the basic Fronts? It seems like there'd be room for ... I don't know, something different. Like a war between factions motivated more by clashing ideals than by scarcity (i.e. American civil war in miniature?)
-
Very keen to play this. Any advance on a PDF version?