Grabbing to immobilize

I had a moment in the first game I GMed where a thief ignored guards who had been ordered to grab him and pickpocketed another NPC for keys. He got the keys with a roll, then I said "Two guards grab you."

On his next move the Thief declared he would try to slip free from their grasp. We decided this was defy danger with DEX. He rolled and got an 10, so I ruled he slipped free from both captors.

I felt this was too easy! In my mind the two guards were tough and had a good grip on him because he had been totally engaged in pickpocketing. I know that it's against the intent of the rules to give difficulty modifiers, but I wonder how else I might have made it more difficult. I can think of several possibilities I could have taken:

1) disallow the escape, just as a Hand weapon cant attach at Reach range.
2) give him -1 ongoing until he escapes.
3) up the consequences of failure.

What would you have done?

Pick pockets or not get grabbed would have been a hard choice.  Choosing to pick pockets meant getting the keys and accepting being nabbed.  I'd make them wait for a change in the fiction to allow them the roll to escape.

So in your mind it wasn't very likely that the thief could escape? Then it sounds like maybe the thing to do is clarify the fiction more.

Player: I slip out of their grasp by moving fast and sliding out. That's Dex, right?

Me: Wait a sec, I don't think it's that simple. These guys already have a grip on you, you're pretty locked down, I don't think moving fast helps you. How're you using your speed and reflexes to get free?

Player: Hmm, okay, can Gregor see me?

Me: I don't know, Gregor, are you hanging around?

Other Player: Sure, the guards aren't after me.

Player: Okay, great. I give Gregor a wink and give a little nod to the guards. Then I'm going to play dumb and go along with them so that Gregor can club them once we're out of the market square and there's fewer people to see.



Obviously that's just one way it could happen. Maybe the player has some smart ideas on how to use his speed to slip free. Maybe he can talk his way out of it (though remember Parley requires leverage). Maybe he's stuck!

Remember that moves are triggered by the fiction. Just like it's not Hack and Slash to attack someone who isn't aware and able to defend themselves, it's not Defying Danger when there's no way you can avoid it or get out of it. If the guards are holding the thief well enough that speed and reflexes isn't enough to get him out there's no roll.

Remember that moves are triggered by the fiction. Just like it's not Hack and Slash to attack someone who isn't aware and able to defend themselves, it's not Defying Danger when there's no way you can avoid it or get out of it. If the guards are holding the thief well enough that speed and reflexes isn't enough to get him out there's no roll.

This is super super important, right here. There is nothing in the rules that says you have to use a Move. Sometimes, things just happen without a Move being applied. The next time the player tries this, you can totally just say, "Oh, this isn't like those two-bit guards that caught you before- these guys are burly and they've got you in a vice-like grip here. You're gonna need some help."

It is totally legit to do this!