Snuffed - A Morbid Hack

I'll cut you a deal, you can mess around with Swarm however you like, if you'll proofread this move for the Skinjacker:

When you come into direct skin contact with a viable host, even for an instant, you can switch bodies. Roll+sly. On a 10+, choose 1, on a 7-9, choose 2. On a miss, you can still switch if you want. If you are really, really sure.
- Spend 1 Creep
- Your new body is stunned for a moment
- Your old host isn't stunned for a moment, and realises they've been 'jacked
- Anyone paying close attention notices the switch

Not sure if this would be a normal move, or a signature. I just feel it needs it.

Regarding the social vs. aggro, perhaps encouraging RP etc. while in the Afterlife would be more in line through mechanics would be appropriate, because every single one of these playbooks is either a killing machine, or has a significant mind control/influence shtick.

I am perfectly fine with this.

You said it yourself: B-movie horror flick. Keep repeating that to yourself, and you'll see that everything is fine. The Afterlife is backstage. While in the mortal realm, things die. Things die hard, and messy, and in various hilarious and creepily creative ways.

This is a good thing.

Addendum: Have you asked any of your players how they felt it went? Confide in them that everything went off the rails (for you at least), and perhaps whether what they did resulted in that. See what responses you get. I'd certainly be interested.

Neat. I'd actually just finished tinkering with the Swarm playbook as you posted.

The Skinjacker move is a nice idea - the guy playing that skin never really had much a problem there, but I agree that maybe the skin needs more fleshing out. It suits a non-punchy player fine, but it could do with being a bit more adaptable.

Regarding the downtime/afterlife thing, that's definitely something that needs to be addressed if and when I can get a campaign rolling with this. As it stood, everyone behaved themselves while over there, and it all seemed to work out fine. They were well aware that this was a fragile build and there wasn't any point in hammering on the walls to see what broke. I'm very much in favor of letting the players work out the rules and locations, etc, of the world, much like your usual PBTA system game. If people decide to try and start a fight while over there, that's on the MC to say how that shakes out.

I basically don't want to rule anything out too quickly, because after all, in the mortal world, very few NPCs can inflict Arcane or Sacred harm. In the Afterlife, that's all anyone CAN inflict...

Regarding the after-game breakdown, I immediately admitted that things went off the rails, to which they all agreed that it was pretty clear, but it was still a fun ride to go through. The strength of the player's ability to get in character really helped, and for the most part, other than the Vessel's player getting salty that I allowed the Swarm to attack him (he'd marked the +Tasty Grudge against him, after all), I didn't get too many complaints outside of what I'd already discovered myself.

More prep, better wording and balance in the skins, a little refinement on NPC generation and I think we'll have something fun. It's just going to take a wee while to hammer it all out.

This looks much better. Perhaps reword Engulfed to: If you inflict harm using more than two bodies at the same time, add +1 harm for each controlled body, and +1 harm for every two uncontrolled bodies.

I like the balance between harm and swarm size. It seems like a pretty vicious nerf, but each extra body effectively grants an extra harm buffer... Hm. I don't know whether I like the new Exponential Horror move. I just feel that doing specific, detailed tasks like that requires controlled bodies. I find vague, but constrained moves are often the most powerful for players and MC alike. The lines about acting upon or against instinct in particular. Yes, this one has the numbers and specific actions, but... eh. I don't feel it.

I really like Rat Up the Drainpipe, thats just perfect in every way.

Tweaked Exponential Horror again to something a bit more flexible.

On a 10+ pick 3
On a 7-9  pick 1

o They're on the job, quick as a flash
o They pile in, regardless of the danger
o They do it without fuss, noise or complaining
o You don't have to send in a Controlled body to lead the way

On a miss, you over-commit yourself, expose yourself to harm, attract unwanted attention or lose track of your objective, the MC will tell you which.

Looks much better. I love the implied 'but if you don't choose this option, then... good luck!' The 'act vaguely upon instinct' is still in there somewhere, right? Part of the creation process. It needs that.

Yo. Tweaked a bunch of stuff, updated the playbooks, and accidentally spawned another.

I liked the idea of playing a lackey to some kind of far greater evil, so I threw together The Harbinger.

Reckon you could whop out a changelist? Just so I know what stuff to redownload

Double post because OMG THOSE SIGNATURE MOVES.

I have no idea whether to play it straight, make everything a hilarious exaggeration or JUST MURDER EVERYTHING.

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD, SKULLS FOR THE SKULL GOD, MILK FOR THE KHORNE FLAKES!

I love it.

The changes were mainly to the Swarm, just tweaking some wording. The Gloom had some Creep costs added to their signature moves, as they felt a bit too powerful to just freely spam.

I had a lot of fun with the Harbinger, I really wanted something that could be played any which way, but still be effective.

Oh God I did another one.

This is what I get for re-watching Constantine.

The Diabolist - Because some mortals think they can play in the big leagues. How wrong they are.

Moar! Moar!

You left in some stuff with the Harbinger, which have me another idea: take ancient secrets or unholy power, play it hard and fast, die, then come back as a disciple of your power source.

Also, with the Harbinger, can I get a move that allows you to get spiritual supply packages? Like, spend a use of Conduit for a weapon that does 1 Physical, 1 Sacred at a range you specify. Lasts for a while. Or maybe armor, or get 10+ on a manifestation.

I just have 40K on the brain, and want undead shock troopers dropping in from space/the afterlife with the glory of the Emperor and a MASSIVE gun.

In fact, I may start writing The Crusader soon.

By all means, dude, go for it.

Where as the Harbinger is kind of a give and take between the Master and the Servant, the Crusader is a devoted worshipper of their master, and whenever... wait, whats that? HERESY!? SMITED!

^ is what happens a lot. Going for the Mad Paladin approach.

So, is this less 'I am an instrument of a higher power' and more 'I am an instrument of an ideal/cause'?

Hm. I'd say more the difference between "I am an instrument of a higher power, but only because I want a share." and "I am an instrument of a higher power, because I truly worship it. Anything I get out of the deal is just gravy, or things to help me worship better."