To drive or not to drive.

What happens, then, if other players start taking the No Shit Driver move? Is there a potential balance issue here?

I don't see it as a balance issue. The Driver gets No shit driver from the start, and the other characters will have to spend an advance to get it. The time it takes for them to do so, the driver can get a +1stat and they'd be on the same page. Plus, you get a limited "other playbook move" advances, so taking No shit driver means not taking another move.

If that's still an issue for you, we play with a houserule that says that taking a move from a playbook already taken by another player means asking that player the permission to do so. That way, if the resident driver ressent not being the only one having No shit driver, they can veto anyone else doing so.

The natural check on this is that all of the PCs have different relationships and goals. So, the Driver's niche isn't just being a No Shit Driver, but also that favor he's doing for Wisher or the fact that Shazza wants him.

What happens, then, if other players start taking the No Shit Driver move? Is there a potential balance issue here?

What do you all think?

I think that other characters can't take the move unless they have an advance that says 'get No Shit Driver and a car'. You can't take the 'automatic' moves as generic moves from another playbook: Leadership, Pack Alpha, Moonlighting, Fortunes, etc. They just aren't available.

It's a balance issue in the sense of the fictional balance, mostly, but also in general those moves tend to be pretty mechanically powerful, and certainly No Shit Driver can pack a lot of punch.

I think that other characters can't take the move unless they have an advance that says 'get No Shit Driver and a car'. You can't take the 'automatic' moves as generic moves from another playbook: Leadership, Pack Alpha, Moonlighting, Fortunes, etc. They just aren't available.

I don't see that limitation in there at all; those "automatic" moves are still moves and are fully available for anyone to take, but you'll notice that those specific instances of the move don't include the car, followers, gang, or gigs needed to actually use the move!  The PC has to acquire them some other way and doesn't get them automatically, so it's a "lesser" choice many times.

I can totally see a Maestro 'D taking leadership or pack alpha to keep their security gang in line, if needed.  Or a Chopper taking No Shit Driver to be an even more ultimate bad-ass on a bike!

I'm with Chroma, the advantage of the Driver playbook is similar to the Chopper. First, you have automatic access to something that everyone else has to work or Advance for (gang or car). Then you have moves that make you even better with that resource. A Driver gets a car and No Shit Driver as part of the starting package. That's two advances for anyone else, one for the Move and one for either a workspace with a truck or one of the Driver's vehicle providing moves. In the same way, the Chopper gets a gang and Pack Alpha (available as an advance to some playbooks) but also has Fuckin' Thieves, which requires that Gang to work.

As for letting everyone else drive: sure. I'd certainly let PCs be a member of The Chpper's gang if they wanted, just like they can be in the Operator's crew or the Maestro D's venue. Beyond that, though, they'd need to come by a vehicle somehow (proscriptive or descriptive) and I'd probably give them a bit more trouble than the Driver when it comes to things like fuel, maintenance etc. The fronts mentioned above are a good example.

I added this custom move to my game to give people a bit more reason to rely on the Driver to cross the burnlands. Since its +sharp he's got a natural advantage. Plus, you probably want a no shit driver behind the wheel if you do run into trouble!

When you hit the road, roll+sharp. On a 10+ you get where you are going. On a 7-9 you get there but the MC offers you a worse outcome, a hard bargain or an ugly choice. On a miss, pick 2:
      - you make it there
      - you dont find someone looking to harm you
      - you dont lose something
      - you dont pick something up