Since the wizard's polymorph spell is so flexible and places most of the design work for the abilities of the new form into the hands of the wizard's player, while giving the GM the ability to tweak it for balance, I thought it would be fun creative exercise to design some possible forms that you can suggest to your GM for your wizard to polymorph things into.

I'll start, feel free to join in.

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Half-troll form:

Half-trolls are humanlike creatures created by using a ritual to replace the heart of a human with the heart of a troll.

Your typical half-troll isn’t as strong or vicious as a real troll and they can’t regenerate as well, but they retain the intelligence and most of the personality of the original human, and are less ugly, allowing them to blend in somewhat with normal humans.

Some wizards use them as bodyguards and shocktroopers, because they’re easier to control than real trolls while still bringing some of the benefits.

While the permanent transformation requires a ritual, some wizards use the polymorph spell to replicate the effect temporarily. Usually as a means of strengthening themselves or their allies or as a makeshift healing spell.

Strengths:

• +1 to strength based rolls.
• +1 to constitution based rolls.
• Trollblood: When you take a moment to focus on bringing forth the regenerative powers of your transformed blood, roll +Con.
  
  • On a 10+, heal yourself for d8 damage.
  • On a 7-9, heal yourself for d4 damage.
  • On a 6-, you can’t maintain your focus and end up standing there like an idiot.

Weaknesses:

• -1 to wisdom based rolls.
• -1 to charisma based rolls.
• You get irritated easily and gain a vicious streak.
• You gain a weakness to fire and acid.

I don't currently have any kind of RPG group going, and I'm a novice roleplayer so I don't have the confidence to GM anything yet, so unfortunately I can't help with playtesting unless someone is willing to set up something online.

I have a suggestion on the setting material though. Since the Dark Souls story is mostly told through item and other descriptions, it would be cool if you structured the setting chapter as an in world encyclopedia that used the ingame descriptions readily available in the Dark Souls wikis. You'd just have to figure out what order to put in the descriptions, trim the redundant material and add the tabletop stats, a foreword by a fictional sage (or maybe one of the mage NPC:s from the original game), a table of contents and an index.

You could make it a separate file which the GM could print out or link to the group and give it out as loot during the first session to give the party an in character setting book that they could reference during the game.

I didn't necessarily mean to put it forward as a correct answer, so much as a method to bring the resurrection mechanic that is so integral to the console/computer game into play and still have death mean something.

The core and the whole flow of the original game is the try>die>learn>repeat until you succeed>move on>try the next challenge>die again cycle, and I think the tabletop version would lose something if that wasn't preserved.

I mean since the way the mechanics of the original game are so strongly intertwined with the malleable reality of Lordran, if you want to take the tabletop game out of that setting, it becomes a question of how much you want to replicate the feel of the original mechanics.

The resurrection mechanic is integral to the original game, the game's tagline is "Prepare to die.", so the question becomes how important do you consider the resurrection mechanic to be for the hack. You'll need to make some decision on how the death and the world works outside of Lordran either way.

Couldn't you word the multiclass spelcasting rules so that you can both start at "level 1" spellcasting and reach "level 9" spell casting.

Something like:

You gain the [preparation move] and the [casting move] and count your level in the [spellcaster class] as level 1. Every time you (successfully/fail to/both?) cast a spell increase your [spellcaster class] level by one to a maximum of your level -1.

This would preserve the feeling of starting your spellcasting ability from scratch, but put you on a fast track to level 9 casting that would allow you to catch up to another multiclass character who had taken spellcasting earlier.

How's that sound?

Thanks.

By the way, the I noticed I made a small error in the fortuneteller's Insightful Block move. It's Supposed to replace Insightful Parry, not Insightful Defense, which was the old name.

Also I've revised "I can read you like a book" to read as follows instead, to make it clear that it's your opponents who take more or less damage, not you.

"While you focus on predicting the actions of a single opponent and ignore everything else around you, take +1 ongoing to all rolls and deal +1d4 damage ongoing when you act against that opponent, but take -1 ongoing to all rolls and deal -1d4 damage ongoing when doing anything else. This effect lasts until you dismiss it or until something causes you to lose your focus."

Also trivia: The fortuneteller's name lists come from wikipedia's lists of occultists and astrologers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_occultists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_astrologers

I just picked fancy names for elves, cool but normal sounding names for humans and nordic and germanic sounding names for dwarves.

Hi all.

I can see that Dungeon World is an awesome game, despite the fact that I've never played it and am a newbie roleplayer who has only ever played in one saga edition and one 4e campaign.

I can also see that It is really easy to hack.

So here, have some amateur game design that I've banged together.

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Compendium Class: Godslayer

When you slay a mighty foe by exploiting their weaknesses, you can take this move the next time you level up.

--

If it bleeds, kill it

When you discern realities, you may add the following questions to the list.

*How can I reach my foe?
*How can I slay my foe?
*How can I avoid being slain by my foe before I can slay them?
*How can I make sure that my foe stays slain?

--

Once you've taken "If it bleeds, kill it" You may pick the following move in addition to your class moves when you level up.

--

Make it bleed, then kill it

When you discern realities, you may add the following question to the list.

*How can I slay my foe, right here, right now? The GM is not allowed to answer that it is impossible, even if the foe would normally be beyond mortal concepts.

----- -----

Class: Fortuneteller

You've seen the signs and portents, they are all around you. You've read omens in the celestial lights and the babbling brooks, in the crackling flame and the glimmering crystal, in the dice and the cards, in the entrails of birds and the patterns of the bones scattered on the table. They all point towards one thing.

The world is going to hell in a handbasket and needs someone with perspective to guide it towards a better future.

And who would have a wider perspective than you, with your all seeing eyes.

-----

Names:

Elf: Aleister, Cassandra, Cornelius, Evangeline, Marsilio, Sybil

Human: Edgar, Grigori, Irene, Marie, Pamela, Robert, Ursula, William

Dwarf: Antero, Erik, Frieda, Gerina, Gustav, Leila, Linda, Wilhelm

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Look:

Wise Eyes, Piercing Eyes or Crystal Lensed Glasses

Tied-up Hair, Curly Hair or a Wide Brimmed Hat

Fancy Clothes, Plain Clothes or Ragged Clothes

Thin Body, Stocky Body or Bent Body

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Stats:

You start with 8+Constitution HP.

Your base damage is d6.

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Starting Moves:
Choose a race and gain the corresponding move:

Elf:

*You hear the song of the cosmos. When you divine something by methods involving dreams, hallucinations or the natural world, take +1.

Human:

*You are good at dealing with people and their secrets. When you divine something by methods involving people, their things or via tools crafted by them, take +1.

Dwarf:

*The earth speaks to you in all of it's forms. When you divine something by methods involving the earth, it's forms and behaviours, the stone and minerals and so on that it consists of, or things made of those things, take +1.

--

Cast Fortune

When you spend a ten or so minutes to cast your or someone else's fortune, roll +Wis. They don't have to be present, but you need something that belongs to them.

*On a 10+ hold 3.

*On a 7-9 hold 1.

*On a 6- the results of your fortunetelling are contradictory or completely nonsensical, take -1 forward.

The kind of fortune the target has depends on whether you rolled an even or odd number.

*On an even result, the target has bad fortune, you may spend your hold 1-for-1 to warn them how to avoid, or to engineer them to suffer from some calamity or danger.

*On an odd result, the target has good fortune, You may spend your hold 1-for-1 to tell them how gain, or prevent them from benefitting from a lucky break.

When you spend hold tell the GM what you are doing or did beforehand to ensure that the moment of fate goes your way.

--

Speed Divination

When you take a few heartbeats to hastily read omens in the environment, name a specific medium term goal you wish to accomplish in the current situation and roll +Wis.

*On a 10+ hold 3.

*On a 7-9 hold 1.

*On a 6- you are distracted by conflicting results. You take -1 forward and may end up in some kind of unfavourable situation due to your distraction.

You may spend your hold 1-for-1 to take +1 forward to any roll you make to further your goal. In addition whenever you spend your hold, you take -1 forward to any roll that doesn't further your goal.

You lose all of your hold when your goal is either completed or rendered irrelevant.

--

True Divination

When you spend an hour or so performing a through divination about something, roll +Wis. The GM will tell you the results of your divination.

*On a 10+ you gain detailed vision of the subject, and may Spout Lore or Discern Realities about it.

*On a 7-9 you gain a vague or murky vision of the subject, and may Spout Lore or Discern Realities about it.

*On a 6- the results of your divination are contradictory or completely nonsensical.

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Alignment:
Choose an alignment:

Good: Prevent a calamity from befalling someone or something.

Lawful: Work to bring a prophecy to pass.

Neutral: Discover something that has been hidden or forgotten.

Chaotic: Work to avert what has been ordained by fate.

Evil: Engineer a calamity upon someone or something.

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Gear:
Your load is 4+Strength.

You start with:

*A travelers outfit of thick cloth and heavy leather (1 Armor, worn, 1 weight)
*A tablecloth of purple velvet (0 weight)
*A box of dark wood, describe what kind of fortunetelling tools it contains (3 weight)
*Dungeon rations (5 uses, 1 weight)

Choose your weapon:

*A hooked sacrificial dagger etched with measuring lines (Hand, Messy, 1 weight)
*An ornate rapier inscribed with the words "The Knight of Swords" (Close, Precise 1 weight)
*An ironshod staff with "The King of Staves" carved into it (Close, Two-handed, Forceful, 1 weight)

Choose two:
*Adventuring Gear (5 uses, 1 weight) and Dungeon Rations (5 uses, 1 weight)
*Bandages (3 uses, 0 weight), Poultices and Herbs (2 uses, 1 weight) and a dose of antitoxin (0 weight)
*A Bag of Books (5 uses, 2 weight) and some Halfling Pipeleaf (5 uses 1 weight)
*2 Healing Potions (0 weight)

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Bonds:
Fill in the name of one of your companions in at least one:

My divinations have shown that _____ has a great destiny ahead of them.
_____ thinks me a charlatan, I'll show them.
_____ has entrusted me with their troubles, I shall try to advice them as I can.
My divinations have uncovered something about _____ that they'd rather keep secret.

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Advanced Moves
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When you gain a level from 2-5, choose from these moves.
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Fortune favours the bold

When you do something completely reckless, hold 1d4. You may spend your hold 1-for-1 to take +1 forward to a roll you or your allies make to get you out of whatever mess you got yourself into. Once the situation has been resolved, you lose all hold.

--

A fool and his money...

When you use divination to cheat at games of chance, roll +Wis.

*On a 10+ you win big and nobody is any wiser.

*On a 7-9 you still win, but your opponents will refuse to play against you and your unnatural "luck" in the future.

*On a 6- your opponents accuse you of cheating, with or without proof.

--

Dangersense

You're never caught by surprise. When something dangerous happens, you are the first to act. Your GM might ask you what kind of omen clued you in.

--

Feng Shui Practitioner

When you intentionally make a significant alteration to your immediate environment to improve your fortune, hold 1d4. You may spend your hold 1-for-1 to take +1 forward to a roll you or your allies make. When you leave the affected area, you lose all hold.

--

Multiclass Dabbler

Get one move from another class. For the purposes of Multiclass Dabbler the Wizard's Spellbook, Prepare Spells, and Cast a Spell moves count as one move. The Cleric's Commune and Cast a Spell moves also count as one move. If you gain the ability to cast spells you cast them as if you were one level lower.

--

Legend Lore

When you Spout Lore about obscure legends, take +1.

--

Doomsayer

When you Parley, you can always use prophecies of impending doom, real or imagined, as leverage.

--

Insightful Parry

When you spend hold from Speed Divination, you take +1 armor forward.

--

Insightful Attack

When you spend hold from Speed Divination, you deal +1d4 damage forward.

--

Insightful Disruption

When someone is casting a spell and you are in a position to stop them, you may spend your hold from Speed Divination, 1-for-1, to interfere with their casting and negate the spell. Tell the GM what kind of maneuver you perform to accomplish this.

--

Insightful Defender

When you perform the Defend move, you may use your hold from Speed Divination as a substitute for the hold from the Defend move.

--

Clear-Sighted

When you carefully study your conversation partner, you may spend your hold from Speed Divinaton, 1-for-1, to detect whether you are being misled or lied to.

--

Councelor

When you listen to another player's character telling you about their personal problems and offer them advice, you both mark experience.

--

Timely Advice

When you provide timely advice to an ally, you may spend your hold from Speed Divinaton, 1-for-1, in the following additional ways.

*The ally may take +1 forward to any roll they make to further your stated goal.
*The ally may benefit from any Insightful Parry/Block/Attack/Assault moves you may have as if they had spent hold.

--

Domino Effect

When you attempt to cause something to happen in the immediate area around you by causing a chain reaction, roll +Wis.

*On a 10+ the chain of events goes off without a hitch.

*On a 7-9 the chain of events goes spectacularily awry, but ends up benefitting you anyways. The GM will tell you how.

*On a 6- the chain of events goes spectacularily awry and you end up in some kind of danger.

--

Apothecary

When you strenghten a healing item with other ingredients, roll +Int.

*On a 10+ choose one benefit, OR two benefits and one drawback.
*On a 7-9 You choose one benefit and the GM chooses one drawback.
*On a 6- You cause a small explosion and gain a GM assigned debility.

Benefits:

*The new item will heal the target +5 HP, in addition to it's normal effects.
*The new item will cure the target of one poison, debility or disease, in addition to it's normal effects.

Drawbacks:

*It will take a long time.
*It will require rare ingredients.
*It will require advanced equipment.
*You will need to obtain the recipe from somewhere.
*The effects of the new item are temporary.
*The new item will have side effects.
*The new item is short lived or volatile and requires careful preservation and handling.

--

Placebo Effect

Requires: Apothecary

When you mix random ingredients into a fake medicine, you can perform the Apothecary move without using healing items. If you do, roll +Cha instead of +Int.

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When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these moves or the level 2-5 moves.
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Witch's Brew

Requires: Apothecary

Replace the list of benefits in the Apothecary move with the following.

*The new item has some kind of magical effect, describe it. The GM has the option to choose an extra drawback.
*The new item will heal the target +10 HP, in addition to it's normal effects.
*The new item will cure the target of one poison, debility or disease, in addition to it's normal effects.

--

Chaos Theory

Requires: Domino Effect

When you use Domino Effect, you are no longer restricted to the immediate area.

--

Multiclass Initiate

Required: Multiclass Dabbler

Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.

--

Feng Shui Master

Requires: Feng Shui Practitioner

You no longer lose your hold when you leave an area where you've used Feng Shui Practitioner.

--

Insightful Block

Replaces:Insightful Defense

When you spend hold from Speed Divination, you take +2 armor forward.

--

Insightful Assault

Replaces: Insightful Attack

When you spend hold from Speed Divination, you deal +1d8 damage forward.

--

True Seer

Requires: Clear-Sighted

When you open your mind's eye, you may spend your hold from Speed Divinaton, 1-for-1, to briefly see all things as they truly are.

--

Master Diviner

You take +1 to Spout Lore or Discern Realities about your visions.

--

I can read you like a book

While you focus on predicting the actions of a single opponent and ignore everything else around you, take +1 ongoing to all rolls and +1d4 damage ongoing when you act against that opponent, but take -1 ongoing to all rolls and -1d4 damage ongoing when doing anything else. This effect lasts until you dismiss it or until something causes you to lose your focus.

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Any comments?