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Messages - Antisinecurist

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61
blood & guts / Re: Vincent: Why stat substitution moves?
« on: January 06, 2014, 01:17:37 PM »
@Marsh_Fauna: Might be best to break out y'r ideas into a separate thread, when you have'em. I love seeing new custom moves!

- Alex

62
Apocalypse World / Re: how do brainers impulses work?
« on: January 06, 2014, 01:16:16 PM »
John's right.

For example, a hunting pack has the impulse to victimize anyone vulnerable.
If you can guess (or somehow figure out!) whether some group is a hunting pack, you can for sure make use of that info.

How? Show them someone vulnerable?
Vulnerable how? Well, you'll have to figure that one out.

- Alex

63
blood & guts / Re: Vincent: Why stat substitution moves?
« on: December 19, 2013, 04:13:19 PM »
Quote from: Marsh_Fauna on December 19, 2013, 02:46:30 PM
I've always wanted to know why there are no moves that allow one to roll weird for cease by force. I tried cajoling my MC into letting me create a custom move for my brainer that would allow her to do that, but they tabled the issue. It was their view that if it was a balanced idea, Vincent would have put it in the game, and that we could add the move later if it came naturally from the fiction. I agreed, but still, ceasing by force with weird would be awesome.

Oh, I don't think it's necessarily unbalanced, although perhaps boring!
Still, ideas.
Storm's Eye: When you let loose with vicious psychic energy, set your harm to 2 ap area messy, ignore all gang bonuses/penalties, and roll+weird to seize by force. On a 7-9 or miss, in addition to whatever else goes down, there'll be collateral damage.

Battle Foresight: When you seize by force, roll+weird.
More interesting, I think, is stuff that complements but doesn't modify SBF itself...
Bullet Time: When you go into a battle, roll+weird. On a hit, hold 1; on a 10+, hold 3 instead. Spend your hold 1-for-1 to...
... when you take harm, take 1-less harm.
... when you do harm, do +1-harm
... impress or awe someone (an NPC) who can see you
... move somewhere before your foes can react

Mad Disregard: When you take harm, roll-weird. You've begun to cast off human concepts of pain and fear.

I've wandered a bit afield of the original concept, but you inspired me!
- Alex

64
Dungeon World / Re: foreign newbie questions
« on: December 13, 2013, 05:18:57 PM »
It's an abstraction.
For specific number of arrows, I don't know, you can estimate a number, like maybe 20 arrows / ammo?
But don't bother making anyone count them.
It's really a "how long until I run out of arrows?" clock :)

- Alex

65
Dungeon World / Re: foreign newbie questions
« on: December 13, 2013, 02:00:49 PM »
Quote from: SirTrollZor on December 13, 2013, 01:41:20 PM
How does ammo work?
On a 7-9, the player can spend 1-ammo instead of choosing another bad option.
On any given hard move, the GM can use up ammo if appropriate.
A player without ammo can't attack with the appropriate weapon.

Quote from: SirTrollZor on December 13, 2013, 01:41:20 PM
How does rations and distances work?
Estimate how many days the trip will work, depending on travel method, conditions, terrain, etc.
For each day, they have to spend 1-ration.

Quote from: SirTrollZor on December 13, 2013, 01:41:20 PM
Since the manual dosen't address the topic, how should I handle mounted combat? If I a PC gets to ride a dragon, what do I do? Do I just follow the fiction?
Follow the fiction, of course!
You can also make a custom move or a few, like...
When you mount the unruly dragon, roll+cha. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a 10+, hold 3. On a miss, if you offer him something he wants, still hold 1. Spend your hold to...
- have him breath fire
- have him soak attacks for you
- have him get in close and attack

When you spend your last hold, if he likes you, he'll carry you until he can safely land but that's it. If he doesn't... hope you can land on your feet!
Quote from: SirTrollZor on December 13, 2013, 01:41:20 PM
Also how do I handle with large scale battles like sieges or just plain field battles between realms?
There's no one way to handle it.
You can play much like any situation of course - tell the PCs what's going on, ask them what they do, tell them what happens next, loop and repeat.

To add some helpful hints, though, think about the overall course of the battle if the PCs don't interfere.
Think about, broadly, how it'll play out.
Maybe even make a clock/countdown or a few of them for different parts of the battle.

Then, give the PCs a chance to sway things (or just foul it up, if they're the sort).
You can also use a custom move or a few, like...
When you strike a blow against the enemy forces (kill or capture an important figure, seize high ground, destroy a siege engine, or the like) and everyone sees it, roll+cha. On a hit, hold 1. On a 10+, hold 3 instead. Spend your hold to:
- frighten or awe a group of enemies
- order your allies to seize a point
- order your allies to focus their attacks
- order your allies to support your maneuver

Whatever you choose, your allies fight to the best of their abilities, emboldened by your success.

- Alex

66
Apocalypse World / Re: Custom moves
« on: December 13, 2013, 01:25:28 PM »
Alrighty! That makes a lot more sense, then.
:)

67
Apocalypse World / Re: Custom moves
« on: December 13, 2013, 10:18:05 AM »
Quote from: Rubberduck on December 13, 2013, 07:28:13 AM
USING THE JEEP
Every third time the jeep is used, the GM gets to make a hard move.

Most of your moves are dope, but this one seems kind of weak.
The concept of a "hard move" isn't really player-facing, and I'd much rather just give the Jeep some tags, and use the normal soft->hard move flow.

They use the jeep, give them a small sign of some problem.
They use the jeep again, it gets worse.
They use the jeep yet again, it breaks or whatever bad thing happens.

You could even make it a three-segment clock.
But as it is, it seems arbitrary, detached from the fiction, and not in line with other move structure.

- Alex

68
Apocalypse World / Re: Combat turns
« on: December 10, 2013, 11:16:48 AM »
Quote from: metroidgeek21 on December 09, 2013, 09:18:05 PM
i just got an interesting question for myself: i know you're not supposed to plan any fronts 1st session (and i'm not) but im curious as to how many fronts is good, just in general? if it helps at all, im thinking a world of disease, decay, and rot. zombies and grotesques, afflictions, just...really gross, gritty, putrid things
and question about the forum..um...can i edit the title at all?

I usually shoot for 1-4 plus the home front. You want to have enough so the players feel like they're juggling a few concerns, without overwhelming yourself or the players.

- Alex

69
Apocalypse World / Re: Combat turns
« on: December 09, 2013, 05:12:13 PM »
I'd recommend offering those as advancements, not off the bat (for two or three reasons, I can expand if you care to hear). Act under fire is the general catch-all-stat for "trying to do something involving danger or risk of failure", so that should be your fallback for, oh, doing things fast where it matters. But, don't forget, say, sharp (read a person, particularly "What are they about to do?" is super useful for making a character feel quicker than anyone else).

The key difference, for me (you can see more here on the forums, under "Apocalypse World" and "Blood & Guts") is that the stats here aren't really "What are you doing?" or even qualities of the character (like D&D or other RPGs), but actually how you're doing something (which explains, of course, the stat sub moves). So, I could see a hard character being fast, as he grits his teeth and pushes his body to it's limit, or a hot character using grace and speed, or so on.

I would recommend checking out Dungeon World if you're players find they like Apocalypse World's mechanics but also want a fantasy, D&D-esque game (I love both!)

You're welcome, by the way, glad to help! :)
- Alex

70
Apocalypse World / Re: Combat turns
« on: December 09, 2013, 04:43:27 PM »
How and why do they want to be fast?

In terms of actually how fast they are (and general things), I always assume a baseline of a pretty average human, then adjust for diet, training, general healthiness, weirdness (like a super-soldier quarantine with embedded adrenaline boosters, hardened skeletal system, and lab-grown muscles; or a jaguar-human hybrid mutant; or a brainer whose maelstrom impulses push her to the limits of human condition).

If no other PC even cares, then I'd just say of course - within human limits - he's the fastest guy around. If someone does, they all and you should, of course, discuss it like reasonable adults.

If they're envisioning a fast, nimble character (especially in a fight!), I'd probably recommend the Battlebabe. But, any character with a good cool would be ideal. You should also check out eye on the door, graceful and deadly, maybe some skinner moves (I don't have the book in front of me at the moment!).

You can also write up custom moves to play up their fastness, regardless of playbook, like so...
When you draw your handgun in the blink of an eye, roll+sharp. On a hit, you can of course get your gun out and fire off some shots before anyone else. On a 7-9, the MC will also choose one and ask if you still want to hit the trigger:

- it's messy, and anyone in the general area of the target is open to incidental harm
- you don't as such harm them, but distract, shock, cow, or suppress them (they're stunned)
- someone else is just a half-step behind you, and maybe your eyes aren't on them

On a miss, you still get your gun out right-quick, but the MC will give you some dearly bad news, like: it's unloaded, someone's come between you and your target, it backfires, or the like.
When you set your eyes on a location, ask the MC what's between you and it, then tell him how you're going to get over or around those things. Barring extenuating circumstances, like a broken leg or someone spraying the area with bullets, you can get there. If you need to get there before anyone else, roll+cool. On any result, you do. On a 7-9, the MC will tell you one. On a miss, he'll say two.
- you had to push yourself damn hard to do it, and you take -1-forward
- you suffered a minor injury, like a twisted ankle, muscle strain, cuts and bruises (1-harm ap if you're at 3-o'clock or better, s-harm if not)
- no one beat you there, but someone or something unwelcome is waiting for you when you get there all the same
Whenever someone you can see and hear acts, their player should ask you first: "What do you do before that?". If you can't or won't do a thing, tell them to carry on.
The important thing about moves like these (I think, but I've been wrong!) is they preserve the sense of being the "best" at something, while still allowing a variety of (not-all-good) outcomes. A miss on these two isn't saying, ever, you weren't fast enough.

- Alex

71
Apocalypse World / Re: Obligation Gigs: How do people get 'em?
« on: December 05, 2013, 02:14:55 PM »
Quote from: noclue on December 04, 2013, 07:47:39 PM
Quote from: sully the raptor on December 03, 2013, 09:27:08 PM
Realistically, they have 3 juggling because they've gotten good at doing lots of things at once. If they've managed to settle an obligation gig for good, why should the be less good at that?

Your job is to make apocalypse world seem real and be a fan of the players characters, not deny them things they want or could use.
I don't see it this way at all. He starts out with 2 juggling, which means he can work his starting obligation gig and one other, or two gigs and ignore his obligations if he's willing to suffer the consequences. He then sleeps with 3 characters and gets 3 more gigs. If juggling stayed the same, he'd be swamped by obligation gigs that he couldn't work even if he worked no profit making gigs, that's a big disincentive for getting new gigs, and a disincentive for triggering the sex move. But since juggling goes up by 3 for the new gigs, there's no mechanical trade off. Obligation gigs may cause all sorts of headaches but the moonlighting roll is the same. So, no disincentive.

Now, if you get to keep the plus one juggling every time you sleep with someone, that's a poweful incentive for the sex move, but I'm not sure it's intended. And that's what I'm thinking about. There's already an advancement effect built into the moonlighting move when you improve Cool, after all.

I don't see much connection between juggling going up after sex and how real things seem. I also don't think being a fan of the character means they don't ever lose things, even if it would be spiffy to be able to work 5 gigs and profit from 4 of them on a 7-9. It might be being a fan of the character to enjoy seeing how the operator deals with a world of scarcity, where they have to make hard choices about how they spend their precious time.

Hm! Yeah, I didn't much account for the sex move. Yeah, that's a weird one.

- AD

72
Dungeon World / Re: First Time DM
« on: December 05, 2013, 11:57:24 AM »
Fronts!

Fronts/threats/portents are just an organization tool (plus some inspiration, I guess) for your prep.
You don't need to worry about them at all until after the first session, and even then, they're more... there if you need them.

(In 20+ sessions of DW, I think I've used fronts... twice?)

The most important thing to get down is the flow of play, the moves, asking questions, interacting with the players.
But, once you know the rules (move structure, basic moves, flow of play, some peripheral stuff, damage and healing), just present an interesting, exciting, dangerous situation to your players and go from there.

And then, use fronts if you want them, if you think it'll help. But, don't let them get in your way.
Oh, but, if you have some questions about fronts or want to learn more, do feel free to ask. I mean, not me, I don't really know them well and don't really use them, but I bet someone here can help. :)

- Alex

73
Apocalypse World / Re: Obligation Gigs: How do people get 'em?
« on: December 04, 2013, 10:10:44 AM »
Quote from: sully the raptor on December 03, 2013, 09:27:08 PM
Realistically, they have 3 juggling because they've gotten good at doing lots of things at once. If they've managed to settle an obligation gig for good, why should the be less good at that?

Your job is to make apocalypse world seem real and be a fan of the players characters, not deny them things they want or could use.

The raptor has the right of it, I think. Getting gigs adds juggling, but I don't think the gaining of a gig and the +juggling are tied together in, say, the way gaining a gun and being able to shoot someone is.

Juggling is, right, "I can handle this many things on my plate at once.". As an operator gains gigs, he also learns to push himself, throwing more things on more burners. Just because he resolves some one particular thing (obligation or plain gig even), I don't think he'd suddenly not be able to handle as much.

OTOH, I'd be totally justified in saying an operator lost a juggling if, say, they started giving 24-hour attention to some other thing, neglecting some or all of their work, sure.

- Alex

74
Apocalypse World / Re: Obligation Gigs: How do people get 'em?
« on: December 03, 2013, 05:31:55 PM »
Quote from: noclue on December 03, 2013, 04:42:45 PM
Gigs are prescriptive and descriptive, like everything else on the character sheet. The obligation gig is gone (so is the +1 juggling in Moonlighting)

I'm not sure I agree with the last bit... (loss of +1 juggling).
Doesn't sit right, doesn't make much sense.

- Alex

75
Dungeon World / Re: Defend Action question
« on: December 02, 2013, 11:42:49 AM »
My advice for all those spend-and-hold things, if it says you do something, you do it. No move made (or, more properly, that *is* your move).

Now, if some other thing also applies or interferes, you might have to defy danger. I'm pressed for an example at the moment, but something separate from the actual source of damage.

So, they spend hold to redirect an attack, they say how they're doing it, it happens (and they take the damage).

As to your second question, I usually allow late application of the redirect. So, if there is any attempt by someone else to avoid the damage, they can do that. If they fail, then the defender can take the blow.

- Alex

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