If biff doesn't want to resume playing after a bit, there's a third option - make Diamond a threat (with all that entails).

All of the options seem good, though. Try talking to biff and seeing which one he prefers, if you have no preference?

What's enough, then? More than 5-7 cascading moves? Something other than a [large number] of cascading moves?


Also, Fifi has already rolled act under fire and lost (because otherwise he'd not be there all helpless and drugged). Can he still act under fire now that he's asleep and drugged and helpless? Can you get an under fire roll whenever you're in danger just by virtue of being a PC?

I'd say no. Because? To do it, do it. You can't do "it" if you can't do anything.

Other stuff about realism and such... I don't know enough about human anatomy to know whether that's true or not. But I don't think that matters - the whole argument is just one example of a more general "PC1 makes PC2 helpless, then proceeds to make sure that PC2 is dead in some way that would definitelly kill a dude" argument. There's definitelly some kind of situation where that comes up. Right?

One idea that has to go is that player characters have special considerations in the system when it comes to death. A dude's a dude, even if he's an especially interesting dude who's adventures you're comitted to following.

Moves are not the primary means of doing stuff in Apocalypse World. Doing stuff is the primary means of doing stuff. You do not make moves when the other dude is a PC. You make moves when the in-fiction situation demands it, and attacking a defenseless person warrants neither of the two of AW's basic violence moves.

Now, sure, the other dude gets to do his own moves when the situation warrants it (and in the example, it is implied he did do a bunch of them, and failed enough of them to end up in the situation he is in). No player character gets to roll as many times as he wants until he finally succeeds, though.

There is no conflict between making apocalypse world seem real and being a fan of a character here... Being a fan means being interested in what they do, not in being committed to them staying alive.


This is quite possibly an icky social issue at the table (which should be solved by social means), but I'm pretty sure the only thing in the game as written to lessen that is the fact that you really need a *bunch* of roll failures for a PC to get completelly incapacitated. But yeah... You fail enough, you become helpless. You become helpless? Anyone can kill you because by definition you can't do anything about it.

Actually forgot, it's possibe to get even more armor in with Daredevil.

So as long as you're naked, protected by god, and disregarding the safety of yourself and those around you, you're pretty much only vulnerable to explosions that could level large buildings.

And teflon coating.

That is a cool idea and I am definitelly going to use it first chance I get.

One nitpick I do have is that it lacks that list-form most other AW moves have that spurs the imagination, and that it forces a player to think up stuff potentially harmful to his character (without any initial spark or constraints).

Maybe the player who resets Hx gets to ask a question, *any* question, and the other one must answer truthfully?

But that's a bolted addon to an idea that's brilliant to begin with.

Some thoughts in no particular order.

Q. A gunlugger has guns but those aren't cheap! That makes no sense, does it?

A. "Six men came to kill me one time. And the best of 'em carried this. It's a Callahan full-bore auto-lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge. It is my very favorite gun. I call it Vera." The wasteland is much more a cage match than an economy, ain't it?

Q. My stuff doesn't match my character concept, what do I do?

A. So don't have the stuff. Negotiate with the MC for something in exchange for the stuff. I once had a car as my operator's "signature weapon", sacrificed barter at chargen to get extra brainer gear, all kinds of things.

Q. The name of the playbook doesn't really fit my concept.

A. It doesn't have to. A playbook is not necessarily the name that everyone calls you in-fiction. You could just be called "the tough guy". The group does probably naturally gravitate towards calling her "your gunlugger", so if you want that to change, express your wishes clearly.


Oh, and are you sure you wouldn't rather be playing a Battlebabe? There seems to be a vibe!

I PC-ified a member of my operator's crew once, and it was fun. There is no reason not to PC-ify a recurring NPC you like (unless there are! Check with your MC, he might need that NPC for something), and there is a reason to do it - if you're adding in new characters that late in the game, it might be better to get one that already has some kind of history with all of the rest of the PC cast.

Naturally enough, if it's another person's ally or crewmember, you check with that other person as well as the MC before you PC-ify it.

How about you treat harm as hold and allow a shopping list approach? For 4-harm+, you'd get:

"You're bloodied and torn and head is ringing like hell, and fuck, what? You're missing a digit, where did it go?"

"Your head exploded. From the nose up."


Warning, opinion:

As an MC, I don't really need help in determining how to end a character's existence (which a lot on the 4+ section does). I'm a roleplayer, creative ways of describing death and mutilation is in my blood already!

Now, complicating stuff for the players, on the other hand... "And then THIS happens and my god, what are you going to do?" is hard and I need help with it. 0-3 harm does that for me, 4+ does not.