This thread is really interesting. I haven't seen a Solace in play yet, but I can see that it is possible to have this character in play yet the relationships still be dysfunctional.

I'm convinced that some gaming groups can have what I call coercive teamwork, where players/characters could have a natural, healthy story-building kind of antagonism that gets squashed because everyone has to get along. Or the round-robin kind of play where everyone takes their turn to do their personal quest, which can be fine unless the story doesn't make sense to do so, and that player gets his/her personal interests squashed because it's just not being a "team player."

The Solace looks like this kind of player in a meta way. He/she is squashing conflicts that might seem natural and force people to talk it out. Problem is that those who are naturally charismatic or have a more aggressive personality gets their way (Hot) and those who don't, don't. In a way, there is violence being done, a violence of social compact where everyone has to agree and probably compromise.

I'd be interested in seeing a situation where the Solace is being pushed into (or willingly) intervening where the violence is justified. Like a gang or cult who has been preying on people in a "non-violent" way and the PCs have to get rid of them, but the only way is through violence. Does the Solace intervene? What happens when the Solace intervenes inconsistently? Will people get pissed off at the Solace when he/she seems to favor some people's violence over others?

There appears to be a lot of possibilities, but I can see it requiring a complete point of view change in playing and MCing a Solace game.

The playbook as a move there, "you can go into your hoard and look for something useful." The trick is the MC decides what genuinely useful thing you get. The Some Interesting Crap is a suggestion of some possibly useful things if the situation is appropriate.

And I have found that the Hoarder is completely opposite from passive. Once they get a high enough hunger, if inevitably activates that beginning of session move, and suddenly the MC is dangling XP and the hoarder is getting into trouble just to get that extra XP.

In fact, I find the hoarder can be super active, in the sense that the hoarder now becomes a source of problems for the other players, since he/she is doing everything to get their "fix."

Take this with a grain of salt, but I think there is something compelling about a playbook that is the anti-hardholder, a playbook about constantly being on the move. The Driver has potential to be like that, but a playbook explicitly about moving on might be interesting.

In post-apocalyptic fiction, there is the archetype of a character who is trying to get to some place because they think it's salvation or paradise, like Shell Beach in Dark City, the kids dreaming of paradise in Beyond Thunderdome, etc.

I'd think it'd be interesting if a wanderer-style playbook had Quarantine-like questions about this rumored paradise.

Duuuuuuuude, on a miss you could have someone else do the Mask's bidding.

The Mask can become a threat on its own.

How did I not realize this before?

Squee!

(Faints.)

I'd like to hear how it goes with the playbook. What worked and what didn't.

Thanks!

Placards are good. Note cards are good too.

I bring a large drawing pad to use as notes and a relationship map. It serves as a good visual cue to determine if a player needs more attention than not. If one player has very little notes next to him/her and another has a lot, then it reminds me to pay attention to the first player.

And it also helps to draw lines to connect NPCs or things to the PCs.

I have run several games, some at conventions. I had good games and not-so-good games. So I can give you more advice on what not to do. :)

Prep:
I have mixed feelings about pre-set scenarios versus a First Session freeform session. Both has worked but both have their own problems.

I would not recommend Mr. Baker's Hatchet City scenario for a first-timer. There is a lot going on in that scenario and it will require everyone, including you, to have absorbed all those options and backstories, and I think it's a little too much.

The "easiest" is to run it like a First Session since there is no real prep. But you will be working double time in the first hour or two trying to ask questions and nail down some narrative to see what the session will be about. This is exactly what a First Session is supposed to be, but if you haven't done one, it will be daunting.

I would write down several generic but provocative questions based on the playbooks used in the game. I would limit it to certain playbooks (see below).

If you really wanted to run a preset scenario, I'm sure there are people on this board, myself included, that could send you something to work with.

But I would recommend running a First Session.

The Session Itself:
I generally open the session with a paraphrased version of the book's Page 16. Why Play and Page 96. Say This and Say Often so people will know what the tone and setting is like for Apocalypse World.

I then go directly to the basic mechanic of 2d6, 10+ you get what you want, 7-9 you have to compromise, and 6- I tell you what you get, and you won't like it.

I then show them some "basic" playbooks. If this is your first rodeo, I would keep it very simple, probably 1 more playbook than the number of players. I know my limit is 4 people, so that makes 5 playbooks.

I would go for the ones that are iconic, such as Hardholder, Gunlugger, Angel, Battlebabe, and Brainer. Describe the playbook and note the strengths and problems of the playbook. The Brief Intros at Page 97 are really good snippets. (It's best too if you are familiar with the playbooks and understand how they work.)

Get started with the questions right away. Always be asking questions.

Make NPCs and tie them to the player characters. Make a relationship map if that helps.

When everyone has chosen their playbook, I quickly go over the basic moves (make sure you have printed a sheet for each player and one for yourself too). Keep it brief. Don't go into detail on the options of each move, just state what each move does, and emphasize that the game will run on these moves.

Character creation is pretty simple, except when you get to the Hx section. This will most likely be the part that will trip everyone up. I would simply the process, maybe distill from each playbook the Hx as a set of three options. You'll lose some of the vital pre-set storytelling Hx will give you, but having to explain the your turn, on other's turn is very confusing until you grok how it's supposed to work. Again, I can give a few pointers that have helped me.

Edit: At this point, you will hopefully have some NPCs, a holding, and one or two problems that have popped up from not only the Hx, but from details of the playbooks.

The Actual Session Itself:
This is where you will probably have to study up on the Principles and MC Moves. If you have ever run a game off the top of your head with no prep, you have probably already used some of these "Moves" in some fashion or another.

if you follow these Principles and Moves and keep the game moving, then it should work out.

In Summary:
- Limit the playbooks. Understand how each playbook plays so you can help yourself and the players if they get stuck.
- Encourage players to make moves either by looking at the sheet or just describe what they want to do so you can figure out the move
- Ask questions. Always ask questions. Encourage the players to answer and make up whatever they want as long as they think it's cool.

Pitfalls:
- The Hardholder and Battlebabe isn't as obvious as it seems, at least to my players.
- Do not artificially have the players fight against each other. If they create a narrative organically to put their characters at each other's throats, then that's ok.
- Understand how the moves Go Aggro, Seize By Force, and the MC Move Trade Harm for Harm encompasses all of the different modes of violence in the game.
- Understand that Seduce/Manipulate can quickly resolve verbal conflict between player characters and reassure the players that it is not a insta-convince on one side or another. (But be sure you understand how it works.)

I have more advice of course. Anyone else on this board will probably have more awesomer things to say, but I'm glad to offer other ideas and tips.

What I think is interesting is that despite the seemingly rigid MC Moves, each MC I've played with has implemented them in a different yet valid way. Find things what work for you that still follows the principles of the game.