Dungeon World

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Dungeon World
« on: June 25, 2010, 10:26:36 PM »
With loving thanks to Tony Dowler's Apocalypse D&D hack, and Vincent Baker for the whole game in general. I had a long day at work in a post where I just get to sit down and not do much, and these thoughts were what resulted.

Character Creation:

Distribute points between the stats (cool, hard, hot, sharp, weird) such that they total to +3. The first +2 just costs you +2 points, each other +2 costs +3. Keep stats between +2 to -2 at character creation, and don't have more than one stat at -2.

Next, pick a race and a class. You've got 3 special moves to choose: unless you're a human, pick at least one from your race. Unless you're a hero, pick at least one from your class. ("Hero" is sort of intended to replicate the option in old books of your entire character concept just being 'elf' or 'dwarf' or such.)

Basic moves are what they are in Apocalypse World. There's no psychic maelstrom though: weird is pretty much only used in special or custom moves, but almost all moves that resist magical effects will invoke it, so put it at -2 at your own risk.

(Note: "Training" means to take +1 to any going aggro or seizing by force rolls when you're wielding the weapon in question. You can be trained in unarmed combat, of course.)

DWARF
* Dwarven Weapons Training: You're trained in all axes and hammers.
* Pack Horse: Dwarves laugh at puny encumberance issues! Take +1 to all provisions-spent rolls. Also take +1 to all barter moves that involve a roll, you've always got a little something extra you can throw in to sweeten the deal.
* Hardiness: You've got +1 armor on top of whatever you're wearing, take -1 to rolls when you suffer harm, and +2 to any rolls reflecting resisting the effects of poison.

ELF
* Keen Senses: When you enter a place where there's something hidden, the DM will tell you to roll +sharp. If you get a 10+, you notice it, clear as day. If you get a 7-9, your suspicions are raised. You don't know what or where, but your gut's telling you there's something there. On a miss, if it's a monster or a trap, you're taken by surprise.
* Elven Weapon Training: You're specialized in long-swords and bows.
* Nature Magic: As Divine Magic, except you commune with nature, rather than a god (or gods).

HUMAN
* Perseverance: Whenever you fail a roll, take +1 ongoing until you roll a 7+. This stacks with itself, so if you fail three rolls in a row, for example, take a +3 to your next roll.
* Jack of All Trades: Pick a special move from a class other than your own.
* Specialist: Choose a special move from your class moves that requires a roll: take +1 ongoing to that roll. Alternatively, increase the bonus a special move gives you by +1.

(More races to come, probably?)

CLERIC:
* Divine Magic: Through the medium of extended prayer, you can commune with your god (or gods), and use both the 'read a person' and 'seduce or manipulate' basic moves. Breaking any promises you make your god isn't quite recommended.
* Healing Touch: As the angel move.
* Divine Blessings and Curses: You can roll +weird instead of +hx to help or interfere.

WIZARD:
* Ritual Magic: Say what you want to accomplish with magic, then roll +weird. On a 10+, choose two, on a 7-9, choose one.
  ~Quickly: If you don't choose this, the DM will tell you how long it will take to do.
  ~Cheaply: If you don't choose this, the DM will tell you what it will cost you.
  ~Masterfully: If you don't choose this, the DM will tell you what the side effects the spell has, in addition to achieving your basic intention.
* Recall Lore: Roll +sharp to see what you know about a place or thing. On a hit, the DM will tell you something useful, and on a 10+, you can ask up to three yes/no questions as followup.
* War Magics: Choose an energy type or two (fire, cold, lightning, acid, etc). You can wield these energies as a weapon in battle, (2-harm close loud reload magic).

FIGHTER
* No Stranger to Pain: Take -2 to all 'when you suffer harm' rolls.
* Weapons Master: Pick three types of weapons. You're trained in all of them.
* Battlefield Tactics: Take +2 instead of +1 whenever you act on a read situation.

THIEF
* Traps expert. Whenever there's a trap, the DM will tell you to roll +sharp. On a 10+, choose both, on a 7-9, choose one: What does it do? What sets it off? On a miss, you're unaware, but you won't necessarily set it off, unless you're going in front and that happens to be enough.
* Stealthy: When you try to do something sneakily, roll +cool. On a 10+, both, on a 7-9, one: You pull it off. Nobody notices the attempt.
* Sly: Take +1 to all attempts to manipulate people, and all attempts to interfere with anybody trying to read you.

HERO:
* Teamwork: Take +2 instead of +1 whenever somebody helps you. When you help somebody else, they take +2 instead of +1.
* Reputation: As the operator move.
* Exemplar: Choose a stat. Take +1 in that stat. (Max +3) ((If you're a human hero, you can take specialist in exemplar for a +2 to any stat, but the max is still +3.))

I have some ideas for extra moves, but I want to wait until I have a few more before I give, say, fighters and clerics bonus moves to choose from while the other classes still only have 3. Suggestions welcome!

Re: Dungeon World
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2010, 03:10:56 AM »
Replace War Magics with:

When you gather destructive energies to wield as a weapon in battle, roll +weird. By default, they are (2-harm close loud reload magic). On a 10+, choose 3, on a 7-9, choose one:

* +1 harm
* +1 harm, +messy
* +far
* +area
* -loud
* -reload
* Roll +weird instead of +hard to go aggro or seize by force with said energies.

On a miss, you take 1-harm channeling the energies, choose none, and get +messy.

Re: Dungeon World
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2010, 10:53:54 AM »
Replace War Magics with:

When you gather destructive energies to wield as a weapon in battle, roll +weird. By default, they are (2-harm close loud reload magic). On a 10+, choose 3, on a 7-9, choose one:

* +1 harm
* +1 harm, +messy
* +far
* +area
* -loud
* -reload
* Roll +weird instead of +hard to go aggro or seize by force with said energies.

On a miss, you take 1-harm channeling the energies, choose none, and get +messy.

Wow. Nice. I'm probably gonna be stealing this to mold into my game.

Re: Dungeon World
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2010, 12:46:03 PM »
Agreed! War Magics are awesome.

Re: Dungeon World
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2010, 07:32:58 PM »
Thanks!

Another small tweak: For the Hero move "Reputation", add "Except roll +hot instead of +cool."

Another race idea I had:

HALFBREED
* Mixed Ancestry: Choose a move from your father's race.
* Mixed Ancestry: Choose a move from your mother's race.
* Stranger To Both Worlds: Take -2 to any attempt to seduce or manipulate a member of either of your parent's races. Mark experience if you fail the roll.

Re: Dungeon World
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2010, 09:04:41 PM »
For the DM:

Whenever you roll on a random table, written before the start of the session, and use the first result rolled, hold one.

I don't know what you spend the hold on yet (something pretty minor, or maybe something like spend 3 hold to give any PC -1 to a roll?), but I like the idea of encouraging the creation and use of random tables. One of my favorite bits of Apocalypse D&D was "Roll on a random table" being there on the DM's moves, and it's definitely something I want to take further in Dungeon World.

ORC
* Bloodlust: Inflict +1 harm whenever you do damage.
* Fearless Heart: When rolling to resist the effects of fear, you automatically get the 10+ result.
* Ugly SOB: -1 hot, +1 hard (max +3).