Questions tagged [dungeon-world]
Dungeon World is a heroic fantasy game mixing old school aesthetics and cutting edge game design based on the Apocalypse World system. In Dungeon World the narrative always drives the mechanics allowing players to focus on being their characters first and the GM on building and adjudicating the world.
329
questions
5
votes
5
answers
395
views
Does this trigger violate GM principles? Can it be fixed?
I have been working on homebrew class replacements for dungeon-world, and as part of this we have added "class triggers". Class triggers look like the compendium class triggers. However ...
- 4,287
8
votes
1
answer
230
views
In Dungeon World, is the Bard's Arcane Art subject to the same failure outcomes as other spells?
Because Arcane Art is a spell with multiple utilities for the Bard, if 1-6 risks them forgetting it, it feels quite a brutal outcome compared to a wizard suffering a similar consequence.
As a result I'...
- 83
8
votes
3
answers
177
views
How do the Wizard's racial bonuses affect the number of spells and cantrips known?
In Dungeon World, the "Spellbook" section of the Wizard's playbook explicitly says:
You start out with three first level spells in your spellbook
However, when creating a Wizard, one of ...
- 851
18
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Are players supposed to interrupt each other if they want to do something?
Context:
Neither my group nor I have played Dungeon World before. We have a few years of experience with D&D 5e though. Therefore, we're used to rather clear rules regarding initiative and ...
- 750
35
votes
3
answers
5k
views
What can I do about players who "cheat" when answering the end of session questions?
At the end of a Dungeon World session, the GM has to ask to the players 3 questions. They win 1 xp if they answer positively. The questions are:
Have you discovered something about the world?
Have ...
- 453
11
votes
3
answers
2k
views
How far is it acceptable for the GM to interfere with a PC's background?
Me and some friends are organizing a DW game right now with most of us being completely new to tabletop RPG (including me, the GM) and I think I made a mistake while we were establishing their bonds.
...
- 113
7
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Dungeon World: Can 1 GM and 2 players work?
I really would love to play Dungeon World but I have very small group, me and 2 others. That's 3 people in total. So, one game master, me, which I'm perfectly happy with, and 2 players.
Is this ...
- 71
11
votes
2
answers
291
views
How does a character change position ("move") between ranges?
How does a character change position between ranges?
e.g. "move" near to far
... appreciate that "move" is a key word in Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA)
Appreciate this question ...
- 7,900
4
votes
1
answer
151
views
When do you choose the spell for the Prodigy move?
The description of the Prodigy move reads:
Choose a spell. You prepare that spell as if it were one level lower.
Is this spell chosen when you get the move? Or can you change this choice each time ...
- 1,811
32
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How can I prevent Discern Realities from being an info dump?
A monster approaches, with signs of an approaching threat. The plucky hero scans the situation, examining it in depth, triggering Discern Realities. A 10+, of course:
On a 10+, ask the GM 3 questions ...
- 3,869
7
votes
2
answers
173
views
What's the duration of a touch poison applied to a weapon?
I'm playing a thief, and I'd like to apply a touch poison to my weapon. How long before I use it do I need to apply it?
Can I put in on my dagger and wait a week before stabbing somebody? Or do I need ...
- 1,811
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How can a player smoothly transition from death to playing a hireling?
When a you roll last breath "On a miss, your fate is sealed. You’re marked as Death’s own and you’ll cross the threshold soon. The GM will tell you when."
Sometimes, the fictional ...
- 459
7
votes
2
answers
277
views
Reintroducing a character to a campaign after a leave of absence
A couple of weeks ago a session I was GMing left of on a bit of a cliffhanger with all of the party members scattered across different planes.
The wizard, Teoru is in the overworld.
the Druid Siobhan ...
- 4,287
3
votes
2
answers
171
views
Is there a move to increase the level of a hireling's skill?
Hirelings can change loyalty.
"A hireling’s loyalty may be permanently increased when they achieve some great deed with the players. A significant failure or beating may permanently lower the ...
- 459
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can the Henderson Scale apply to Dungeon World; if so, how and if not, why not?
The Henderson Scale of Plot Derailment measures how far a character action has diverted the plot of a game. It was named after a collection of anecdotes regarding a Trail of Cthulhu player who 'beat' ...
- 459
14
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How to punish a character while not punishing the player?
In my last session where I am GM, an accident happened. My player attacked unwillfuly an NPC who wants to punish them for that. As they are actually my best player, I really don't want ruin their fun. ...
17
votes
1
answer
256
views
How am I supposed to handle disruption in a Perilous Journey?
Undertake a Perilous Journey is perhaps my least favourite basic move.
The intention seems to be to abstract the specifics of a perilous journey, which is useful. My issue comes with the fact that a ...
- 4,287
42
votes
5
answers
6k
views
How do I move forward when an impending doom was stopped by accident?
I'm having an issue in a campaign I am running where an impending doom that was part of a front was stopped by the players pretty much by dumb luck.
In order to both prevent any of my nosy players ...
- 4,287
14
votes
2
answers
866
views
Where is the 'Show the true face of Death' move detailed?
The sidebar at the foot of page 225 (section dealing with 'Making Monsters') refers as follows:
Oh yeah, dead and
ghostly is disturbing.
That gives it the
Terrifying tag and I’ll
give it the move “...
- 496
10
votes
1
answer
198
views
Can Dungeon World's sanctify make salt water drinkable?
The description of Sanctify is,
Food and water you hold in your hands while you cast this spell is consecrated by your deity. In addition to now being holy or unholy, the affected substance is ...
- 103
16
votes
2
answers
626
views
So what do I do when a player gets bad luck at the start of the session?
As an introduction, I am a novice- ah hem, trainee GM. A pro D&D/Dungeon World player has been helping me, but I ran into a problem while running Dungeon World.
One of my player characters (a ...
- 197
26
votes
5
answers
7k
views
How do I kill the party?
I have twice before had a game in which, for story reasons, I wanted to kill the entire party all in one go. Once because I needed the players to enter the afterlife, the second because I wanted the ...
- 4,287
10
votes
3
answers
675
views
Defy Danger or Golden Opportunity
In Dungeon World, if the GM describes a hazard and a player disregards it should that trigger the Defy Danger move or be considered a Golden Opportunity that triggers a GM move?
For example:
GM: The ...
- 305
16
votes
4
answers
1k
views
How do I handle bonds that don't resolve?
So my first game of Dungeon World has hit the ground and we're all having fun, but something seems off in handling Bonds at the end of session.
One of my players has the bond, "Able always has my ...
- 9,569
23
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Playing to find out "Why X" and not "Will X"?
I've been brushing up on DW rules in anticipation of a game I might be running soon.
One thing that's got me scratching my head is the Stakes in your Fronts/Dangers. So I can cut to the chase, I'm ...
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Am I correctly understanding the number of spells a wizard can prepare?
Looking at the Dungeon Worlds's Wizard playbook Prepare Spells move, it seems quite clear how it works at the first reading:
When you spend uninterrupted time (an hour or so) in quiet contemplation ...
19
votes
4
answers
5k
views
How do "monsters" attack if the PCs don't engage in combat first?
I'm not a total newbie to DW, and have played 'solo' DW with my partner for at least two years. We both have a number of level 3 characters who we run through GM-less scenarios we generate from ...
- 496
6
votes
3
answers
614
views
How should this murder committed by a PC be resolved?
I have a female fighter (level 3) just starting a personal quest to find her 'missing' twin sister.
For the whole game to evolve it has to start with her openly committing murder in a crowded Tavern.
...
- 496
12
votes
1
answer
668
views
Do I add an ability modifier to base damage?
In Dungeon World, if you succeed with Hack n Slash or Volley is the damage just the base damage or is the damage base damage plus the relevant strength or dexterity modifier?
- 121
10
votes
2
answers
371
views
When you change entirely to a new class after the 10th level, do you get the new class's damage die?
When you have enough XP to go to 11th level, the book says that you can "change entirely to a new class."
The book says this about what that means (in this section, under "Beyond 10th Level"):
...
- 702
11
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How does Thief's Poisoner move work?
Quoting from the official playbook, Poisoner says:
You’ve mastered the care and use of a poison. Choose a poison from the list below; that poison is no longer dangerous for you to use. You also ...
- 213
12
votes
4
answers
842
views
Discern Realities — are players supposed to ask their questions before or after dice roll?
The book is pretty clear on this subject:
When you closely study a situation or person, roll+Wis.
✴On a 10+, ask the GM 3 questions from the list below. ✴On a 7–9, ask 1.
So, when you trigger the ...
- 64k
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How does it affect the game if PCs have lower maximum HP?
The book uses Constitution score, not modifier for determining maximum HP:
Your maximum HP is equal to your class's base HP + Constitution score. You start with your maximum HP.
Maximum HP is ...
- 64k
13
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Aside from Encumbrance and HP, what mechanical problems arise from removing raw ability scores and only using the modifiers?
I started to look at DW to see how well the move and general rules work out in real life. Looks good, but one thing bothers me: Why do the stats need a 3-18 value if 9 out of 10 moves and/or rules ...
- 3,449
10
votes
2
answers
412
views
In Dungeon World, can the Make Camp move be aborted or interrupted?
The Make Camp moves begins as follows:
When you settle in to rest consume a ration. If you’re somewhere dangerous decide the watch order as well. If you have enough XP you may level up. When you ...
- 305
3
votes
1
answer
119
views
Mage Spell Telepathy : Comunication with Intelligent Beings
After a Dungeon World Session a mage asked me if using telepathy enables him to speak to a lizardman (pyromancer character). The lizardman doesn't speak common language. So far, only the druid can ...
- 133
14
votes
2
answers
374
views
Avoiding all or nothing on "short-lived" partials
A sort of common trope I encounter in pbta games is moves with a partial that has you succeed but with the effect "lasting only a moment" (or some similar phrasing). The example I am going to work ...
- 4,287
17
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What does "Be a fan of the characters" mean?
My group is currently planning to switch system from DnD 5e to some other system. One of the system I've been eyeing is Dungeon World, from the reviews of my community in Discord.
Right now I'm ...
- 32.2k
9
votes
1
answer
388
views
Does adding the 'piercing' tag to warhammers require further tweaks from the GM?
Realistically speaking, war hammers were used specifically for breaking through armor:
War hammers were developed as a consequence of the prevalence of surface-hardened steel surfacing of wrought ...
- 64k
11
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Does adding the 'precise' tag to daggers require further tweaks from the GM?
The precise tag is a defining characteristic of a classic "roguish" weapon, technically it means you can use DEX when Hack and Slash with it.
Default weapons list is very short in Dungeon World, and ...
- 64k
13
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Establishing bonds with NPCs
We're at the point in our 2-players-and-a-GM Dungeon World game where one of the PCs is working with a rather regular cast of friendly NPCs in addition to the other PC. This means that the PCs don't ...
- 11k
8
votes
2
answers
503
views
Does a Paladin's fire immunity decrease Fireball's damage?
I have looked around and could not find a definitive answer either way.
Scenario:
Paladin is surrounded by a bunch of goblins hacking them. I cast a fireball at the Paladin who has 3 armor and an ...
15
votes
2
answers
989
views
Do you need to have the original move to take a "Replaces:" move?
When leveling in Dungeon World, if you choose a move that has a "Replaces: X", do you need to have the X move?
For example, a thief wants to take the move "Dirty Fighter". It states "Replaces: Cheap ...
- 1,811
8
votes
2
answers
566
views
Does the GM get to make a move with every partial success by default?
Defy danger is quite clear, but unless everyone is looking at the GM or there exists a golden opportunity, does the GM get to make a (soft) move with every partial success? For example, volley 7-9, ...
- 523
5
votes
1
answer
285
views
How does "Stun damage" work on NPCs?
In Dungeon World, if a PC deals "stun" damage to an NPC by using a weapon with the 'Stun' tag, what are the mechanical effects?
I believe the rule book states that a character that has taken stun ...
- 193
3
votes
1
answer
306
views
Amount of chests in Dungeon World?
I wanted to ask a question about chests and loot in general.
There is a table in the DW rulebook where you can roll if you think a monster has a chest with it.
I noticed that the amount of coins is ...
14
votes
2
answers
817
views
Dungeon World: can a Druid multi-class through Ranger to Wizard?
Can my Druid in Dungeon World, through use of the Hunters Brother move and Stalkers Sister move, take the following two Ranger moves: Animal Companion and Special Trick. We are accepting as a given ...
- 193
8
votes
1
answer
167
views
When does the extra damage from Cheap Shot occur?
I have a question about Cheap Shot. The Backstab move gives you several options, only one of which is to cause an extra +d6 damage.
Cheap Shot says "When using a precise or hand weapon, your backstab ...
- 89
7
votes
3
answers
686
views
How am I supposed to limit what my players can Spout Lore about?
I'm looking at Spout Lore and it seems really overpowered:
When you consult your accumulated knowledge about something, roll+Int. On a 10+ the GM will tell you something interesting and useful ...
- 39.6k
18
votes
2
answers
4k
views
My Druid wants to transform into a blink dog. How do I rule this?
I'm running a Dungeon World adventure in a forested location, and my party had an encounter with some displacer beasts hunting down a blink dog.
An interjection: I was unaware blink dogs were ...
- 39.6k