Help noob with custom move

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Help noob with custom move
« on: August 16, 2013, 10:35:27 AM »
I'm a total noob to Dungeon World. For my first session, I'd like to offer a trek through a dangerous forest as a possible way for the adventure to go. Thought I'd take a crack at a custom move. Tell me what you think:

When you trek through the old dark forest roll + WIS:

10+ all three
7-9: choose 2
  • Don't get attacked by something foul
  • Don't get the attention of something tricky (sprites, dryads, etc)
  • Don't get lost and lose valuable time
6+ none

Any feedback is welcome. I should note that one of the issues for the party might be getting somewhere quickly.

*

Jeremy

  • 134
Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2013, 12:12:59 PM »
Why use this instead of Perilous Journey?

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2013, 12:51:42 PM »
The structure here is pretty close to the Perilous Journey basic move.  You could either present it as Perilous Journey with some locale-specific flavor, or create auxiliary moves specific to the locale that modify Perilous Journey. Here's an example of one for the quartermaster role.

---

When you act as quartermaster while undertaking a Perilous Journey through the old dark forest, use the following results instead:

On a 10+, you have partaken of the hospitality of the fey within the forest without any negative repercussions. You require no rations of your own for this journey, and feel rested and fresh at the end of your journey.
On a 7-9+, you have partaken of the hospitality of the fey within the forest without any negative repercussions, but your party is under the effect of a magical geas while you remain in the old dark forest. Consume 1 less ration.
  • Harm no creature of the forest, in self-defense or otherwise
  • Drive away the <insert creature here> that invades the forest
  • ...
On a 6-, you have run afoul of the inscrutable requirements of fey etiquette in the old dark forest, and your Perilous Journey comes to an end. Until you find a way to fulfill your obligation or escape the magic that binds you here and prevents you from acting against any denizen of the forest, you're going nowhere and likely in constant danger.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2013, 12:57:29 PM by ScottMcG »

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2013, 01:03:46 PM »
Well, I didn't think of using perilous journey, because it was more in the context of "We could get to the village faster if we cut through the old forest." I was thinking of it as a few hours, not a long overland trek.

But I see how you could just shrink down the peril journey to a shorter time period.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2013, 01:26:12 PM »
Ah, I get what you mean now.  For moves in general, I tend to avoid having one of the 7-9 options essentially be a failure.  In this case, the whole point of getting through the forest is to save time. Even though getting through forest at all, if a bit delayed is properly a "partial success".  If the other two options are likely to slow you down anyway (fighting or getting in a protracted rap battle with rhymin' redcaps), then all three partial successes could lead to delays depending on how the play develops. I'm not experienced enough to say whether my instinct in this is solid or not. It may be that it's totally valid to give the party a choice for that.

How about:

When you take a short-cut through the old dark forest roll + WIS:

10+ you make it through the old dark forest, making good time. The hair on the back of your neck remains on end as long as the edge of the forest is still in sight. It knows you now.

7-9: choose 2

    Don't get attacked by something foul
    Don't get the attention of something tricky (sprites, dryads, etc)
    Don't lose some equipment on a wild ride / mad dash through the thorny underbrush.

6+ Oh crap, whose idea was this?

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2013, 02:20:45 PM »
Hmm. That does make me think.

I wonder if it should be more focused on time.

When you cut through the old forest to save the village roll +WIS.

On 10+ you get there well ahead of the danger
7-9: Choose two
Spend time avoiding danger but arrive just in the nick of time instead of early
Encounter something foul
Encounter something tricky
Lose valuable equipment or take minor damage in a mad dash through the underbrush

6: this was a bad idea

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2013, 08:33:00 PM »
In the lastest iteration, it seems like you would never not choose the first option, so why not build that into the setup of the 7-9 option?
Something like:

7-9: You spend time dealing with a danger, but still manage to arrive in the nick of time. Choose one.
Encounter something foul
Encounter something tricky
Lose valuable equipment or take minor damage in a mad dash through the underbrush

*

noofy

  • 777
Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2013, 10:04:19 PM »
I'd come at the problem from defy danger. (The danger being whatever you like from the old forest)
Depending on how the players narratively say they are traversing the old forest - fiction first always -  suggest the characteristic they are defying danger on and make the danger clear, transparent and present. That way on a 7-9 you can offer any of the suggestions listed above as hard bargains, ugly choices, difficult spots or perilous consequences. On a miss, well just make the hardest move you like.

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2013, 11:23:32 PM »
The last forest encounters I ran were stage by stage with the ranger scouting ahead. This allowed room for 10+ avoiding trouble altogether or setting an ambush on the encounter. Fiction first had them itching for a fight as they were smarting from the wild elves in a previous encounter getting the drop on them. They got a 10+ so the 7-9 wasn't under too much consideration really. Figured I'd allow the ranger to do a solo ambush without time to get the rest of the party prepared if he liked (ranger spotlight) or lose a potential advantage by going back to warn the party of the orc encampment ahead. I don't think the custom moves out too far in advance.

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2013, 03:22:01 PM »
In the lastest iteration, it seems like you would never not choose the first option, so why not build that into the setup of the 7-9 option?
Something like:

7-9: You spend time dealing with a danger, but still manage to arrive in the nick of time. Choose one.
Encounter something foul
Encounter something tricky
Lose valuable equipment or take minor damage in a mad dash through the underbrush

Well, the idea was the choice between getting there early (in order to have more time to prepare) and getting there just in the nick of time (with no time to prepare.) But yeah, I can see how that is a bit confusing and maybe not a compelling or interesting choice.

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2013, 03:23:52 PM »
I'd come at the problem from defy danger. (The danger being whatever you like from the old forest)
Depending on how the players narratively say they are traversing the old forest - fiction first always -  suggest the characteristic they are defying danger on and make the danger clear, transparent and present. That way on a 7-9 you can offer any of the suggestions listed above as hard bargains, ugly choices, difficult spots or perilous consequences. On a miss, well just make the hardest move you like.

I can see some of the wisdom in this. Hard choice: "Your instincts detect movement or danger ahead, but if you choose to navigate around it, you'll lose valuable time getting to the village."

Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2013, 03:24:55 PM »
In the lastest iteration, it seems like you would never not choose the first option, so why not build that into the setup of the 7-9 option?
Something like:

7-9: You spend time dealing with a danger, but still manage to arrive in the nick of time. Choose one.
Encounter something foul
Encounter something tricky
Lose valuable equipment or take minor damage in a mad dash through the underbrush

I think I like this. More focused and a little less hard to understand.

*

Scrape

  • 378
Re: Help noob with custom move
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2013, 06:05:23 PM »
If you really want it to be about timing, I'd drop the extraneous stuff entirely. Keep it tightly focused, like what is this move <I>really</I> about?

When you try the shortcut through the dark forest, roll +WIS (or even +DEX if it's strictly speed)
On a 10+, you arrive early.
On a 7-9, you arrive in the nick of time.
On a Miss, you arrive just barely too late.

You don't always need a list with a custom move, only if there's multiple things they're trying to accomplish.