First Impressions and Request for first play help

Well, I'll start with my initial impressions of the Dungeon World Red Book Rules.  It is as close to what I have wanted in a rpg system as I think I can get.  I enjoy how it is rule light, and lets you do what you want to do, and find a rule to fit your action.

I am currently playing in a Pathfinder Kingmaker Campaign, and I get the feeling from that like I am basing all of my actions on my skills etc, and leaving the role-playing at home.  I think the Dungeon World would be a fantastic system to learn how to role-play and that it could only make your experience with other systems better.

With that being said, I am very new to playing rpgs, and have have only GM'd once years ago when D&D 3.0 came out.  So I would like to have a lot more examples in the Dungeon World's rule book to help out those of us who are new to role-playing.

Some things don't quite make since.  The thing that I am still a little confusing are how to create a fighters weapon and how a GM should play with the NPC's.  For example with the fighters weapon...as it seems to me now, I could create a spear that hits in hand range.  That just doesn't seem right.  And as far as the GM playing the NPC's...I think I will just have to work that one out.

I'm going to play it for the first time with my kids this weekend.  I want to get all of the bugs worked out of it before I pitch it to my regular group.  I would hate to sour a system to them because I don't know what I'm doing.  My kids, who are all fairly young, but I think will do fine with this system, are very excited about role-playing.  I am planning on having them create the world that they play in during the initial questioning of them and go smash some goblins from there. My 9 year old daughter is planning on playing a Wizard, my 7 year old son wants to be a fighter, and my 5 year old son wants to be a super sneaky thief.  I will take it easy on them and not play to many hard moves, but will throw lots of action their way.

So anyway, does anybody have any pointers to a first time Dungeon World GM?  Anything will be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

kaph

The fighter's weapon is subject to justification. If the player makes a hand-range spear, ask them: "So how does that work?" If they have an explanation, go with it. If they don't, work with them to make the weapon they want.

As for NPCs, and NPC is just another part of the fiction. Play them honestly, as real (fictional) people. If they have particular abilities, portray them honestly, and consider making them moves as well. A elementalist wizard is first and foremost a personality you present to the players, then a fictional set of abilities like turning rock to mud, then (maybe) a source of moves like "turn the ground beneath them to mud."

G'day Kaph! Welcome to Dungeon World!
Sage gives fantastic advice (as always), and he also has revealed the true rpg heart of DW (via AW) - That the fun of the game comes from 'the conversation'. This talking is about the story, the mechanics follow after. So the players (and your kids will love this) are always asking and describing narrative prompts, rather than mechanical ones.

Your kids character concepts are great! Just work through the playbooks together, asking the bond questions and couching all the player playbook choices in the world that you are creating. Since you will probably be writing a lot of stuff down (or maybe your 9 year old can have some scribe duties) its a good idea to have some generalised questions about the setting ready. Sorta like in the bloodstone idol module, or the goblin hole.

I like to have a few of Tony's maps available too, or if you have some old dungeon tiles, make a rough 'map' in concert with your kids as they spout lore or discern reality about the dungeon.

Visual aids are great to have on hand for atmosphere: Posters, character portraits, fantasy artbooks, ephermera etc, just stuff to get the imagination flowing. A monster manual is excellent for reference, mainly for the 'fluff', but you can always extrapolate a monster move from the D&D stat blocks too if it isn't already in the beastiary. Focus on one big bad as the main opposition (this could be an NPC rather than a 'monster') and make sure you give them a simple motivation based on a need / body part and follow through in their actions via your moves as GM. This will give you lots of ideas / stakes for fronts in the second and subsequent sessions.

Print off the Basic moves in large print and laminate them, as a quick reference for you and your kids in play. Do the same for your GM moves and principles too. Grab a couple of D&D minis or legos or something as a 'doll' for their character.

Ask lots and lots of questions! If you are stumped or the players ask you a question that you draw a blank for, throw it back at them. 'I don't know? Maybe you could spout Lore and tell everyone else all about it?'

Have Fun! Let us know how it goes. :)

Well, what I have planned is for them to also create the world that they want to adventure in.  I started a basic map, with their home village and some basic detail and will let them build the rest of the map by having them answer some questions during character creation.  I have posted a link to the scanned map I drew up below.

http://i863.photobucket.com/albums/ab193/kaph_82/Dungeon%20World/CampaignMap.jpg


I am planning on leading them to an easy custom adventure where they will smash some goblins/goblin leader/and a potential caged ogre who just might try to kill everybody he can including the goblins.  Not sure where it will lead from there.

I still need to get the questions written down on the adventure sheet, but the night is still young.

Thanks for the help.

kaph

Who is Tony, and where are his maps?

Also does a wizard have to role dice to cast a cantrip?

Thanks again

kaph

Wow that went really well.  I guess I just don't give kids enough credit.  They role-played the snot out of that.  It was a complete success, looks like I now have two rpg groups.  The first play answered many questions, but more came up.

Do monsters have to role to attack and do damage?  I see that some of the monsters have damage 5 (sword).  I presume that they just always do 5 damage.  But if a PC roles a 7 and a monster attacks them, does the monster do the 5 damage or do they have to role to see if they do damage?

Thanks for the help and the great game.

I will put a full review and AP on the RPGGeek website.

Kaph

Also does a wizard have to role dice to cast a cantrip?

Yes, for any spells, the Wizard will need to use the Cast A Spell move.

Do monsters have to role to attack and do damage?  I see that some of the monsters have damage 5 (sword).  I presume that they just always do 5 damage.  But if a PC roles a 7 and a monster attacks them, does the monster do the 5 damage or do they have to role to see if they do damage?

As the GM you'll never roll dice. Monsters/NPCs will do their full damage (minus armor). Most often you'll do damage as a hard move or in response to a PC getting a low hit on Hack & Slash.

Who is Tony, and where are his maps?
Thanks again

Hey Kaph. Tony Dowdler started the whole Dungeon World thing going, and handed it over to Sage. His wonderful blog (full of maps) is here:
http://blog.microdungeons.com/

Dyson has a heap of maps too, plus a lot of random geomorphs :)
http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/maps/

They are some amazing 'kickstarters' for a game of DW, just add a big bad, some underlings through spout lore and off you go.

http://rpggeek.com/thread/708916/because-we-want-to-save-the-world

the link to my session report on rpg geek

kaph

That sounds great, Kaph! Make me want to have kids so I can game with them!