So, The Druid

The problem that I see is a 10+ isn't really a full success: either you get hurt or lose control.

Also, "druid magic" has always just been a boring element of their character - they're either crippled clerics or shitty mages.  We decided that "transformation" is the watchword of the Druid.

Also, if you shapeshift into a sword, you're just a sword.  You can't fly around or anything - but then, a sword isn't a "inanimate, natural object" is it?  The Thing-Talker move is meant to allow stone or tree-forms.  Shambling mounds of weeds and thorns.  That sort of thing.  Combine it with Chimera and you're a stone lion or a crystal dinosaur.

The problem that I see is a 10+ isn't really a full success: either you get hurt or lose control.

On a 10+ you can choose "I get what I want and I am unharmed" and you still have the task performed to your specifications but when it's done, you don't banish the forces you've called up.  It's much more tense if there's no easy out.

Can you cast spells (if you have access to them) while in animal form? I'm just curious.

Depends on the fictional circumstances, yeah? So the Cast a Spell you'll likely get, the Cleric one (through the Ranger's God Amidst the Wastes) says "when you unleash a spell [...]" so if you can find a way to unleash a spell while in animal form, sure! I think this will come down to GM/player discussion. The cleric I played cast spells with holy words, so if that's your style then you probably can't (except maybe as a parrot?). If you cast spells with careful movements it probably depends on the shape. A monkey probably can make the same movements, but a snake?

In some circumstances I could even see "Cast a spell" being one of the monster moves the GM gives you.

Can you cast spells (if you have access to them) while in animal form? I'm just curious.

Depends on how you cast spells to begin with - material components and hand-waving?  Probably not.  Can a cat pray to a god?

I read Elemental Mastery as "the Land is thirsty".  As in you have to open a vein and let the elemental drink in order to bind it.  And if you don't, it might do what you want, but it might do it's own interpretation...

Also:

 Can a cat pray to a god?

Bast certainly believes so.  As does Morpheus... >_>

I read Elemental Mastery as "the Land is thirsty".  As in you have to open a vein and let the elemental drink in order to bind it.  And if you don't, it might do what you want, but it might do it's own interpretation...

That's absolutely one way you could take it.  You call up a horrible conflagration to burn your foes, but you want to send it away when you're done, so you give it your blood and take some damage (or sacrifice something valuable or some other method of harm) and you can send it back to the elemental mess it came from.  If you can't pay the price, the leash comes off...

Again, it was written with that intent.  Don't house-rule it until you've tried it as-is!

Quote from: sage on June 14, 2012, 03:59:20 PM

The problem that I see is a 10+ isn't really a full success: either you get hurt or lose control.

On a 10+ you can choose "I get what I want and I am unharmed" and you still have the task performed to your specifications but when it's done, you don't banish the forces you've called up.  It's much more tense if there's no easy out.

Yes, but it's also breaking the rules. If that's the way the move is meant to be we should change it. Having three options and only letting you choose two makes a 10+ feel like a partial success. If the best you can do is some unintended consequences then this is probably the way to do it:

When you call on the elemental forces roll+WIS. On a 10+ they do as you command until they finish the task or a few minutes passes. On a 7-9 they do as you command, but you are swept up in the elemental power and are damaged or endangered in some way, the GM will describe it. No matter the result the elemental powers are ultimately wild: the GM will add an unintended consequence.

Yes, but it's also breaking the rules.

We'll see.  I'll take another look at it.  Let's take this discussion to the working doc.

I know this isn't a democracy, but I'd like to weigh in.  I think the Elemental Mastery move is excellent as is.  I get that you shouldn't be able to roll a 10+ and not have a full success.  But the only way that I see that happening is if you choose the last two options on the list.  Any pair of the three that includes the first one means you hit it, but there's a cost. 

But lots of moves have a cost even if they're not so obviously baked into the move.  Even stuff like going aggro in AW almost(?) always means that you're spending social capital.

You're right, Christopher. It's just important that any cost gets baked clearly into the move. Giving you two of three options will always feel like a failure.

Hi!

Just to see if I understood the Elemental Mastery move right: if I'm the druid and the party is closed in a long distance arrow-fight with a horde of goblins inside a huge underground cave, I could call the spirits of the earth to shake the cave and make it crumble onto the goblins, thus ending the fight with just that move, right?

If that's the case, I like the that you can only have choose two of the three options, it makes the move powerful, but with consequences. I agree that they should probably be baked inside the move in some way, but that's just a wording-thing.

Then, a little clarification on the Shapeshifting move: how would a pc use a monster (animal, in this case) move? Basically, the monster moves are there to use when a pc fails a roll, so they can just be a description of what happens, but a pc should always roll anyway? It shouldn't be allowed to "rend an enemy apart" (monster move invented on the spot) without rolling, right? If that's the case, how would a pc use "rend an enemy apart"?

What about a generic move like defy danger where you plug in the monater move, determine the most appeoprate stat, and then roll.  10+, you pull it off.  On a 7-9, you pull it off but you lose yourself in the form and you must make another of the monster's before you find yourself.

Also, "druid magic" has always just been a boring element of their character - they're either crippled clerics or shitty mages.  We decided that "transformation" is the watchword of the Druid.

I like shapeshifting. Focuses the druid as someone different. And has a Warcraft 3 vibe.

Hi!

Just to see if I understood the Elemental Mastery move right: if I'm the druid and the party is closed in a long distance arrow-fight with a horde of goblins inside a huge underground cave, I could call the spirits of the earth to shake the cave and make it crumble onto the goblins, thus ending the fight with just that move, right?

Yep - that's a perfect example of the Elemental Mastery move.  I'm not sure if it would end the fight right then and there, but those goblins would definitely have a hurt on 'em.  You might, too!  The elements are dangerous to play with!

Then, a little clarification on the Shapeshifting move: how would a pc use a monster (animal, in this case) move? Basically, the monster moves are there to use when a pc fails a roll, so they can just be a description of what happens, but a pc should always roll anyway? It shouldn't be allowed to "rend an enemy apart" (monster move invented on the spot) without rolling, right? If that's the case, how would a pc use "rend an enemy apart"?

Technically, the move in this case is "Spend 1 hold to make a move" and that's the whole of it, there.  The shifting is where you take a risk, the hold is your payoff currency.  It'd be unfair to make a player pay twice.  If one of your moves as an animal is "rend a foe apart" well, that's what you do.  You already took a risk to earn that Hold and you only get 3!