Location Based Move
Stone Guardians
When you pass through an area of the evil overlord’s keep, roll+3, minus the number of treasures you have looted from the keep so far (gold coins or other individual items count as one treasure). On a 10+ choose 2. On a 7-9 choose 1:
• The guardians turn to flesh, making them easier to harm.
• The guardians are slow, stupid or easy to predict.
• The guardians reveal their special ability to you before they attack, describe it.
EDITED
Would this be for every/multiple rooms ore areas or just once?
Would this be for every/multiple rooms ore areas or just once?
On the one hand, I like the “punishment” for looting the evil overlord’s keep, that’s some good flavor.
On the other hand, it seems like the successes all make the guardians less interesting. I really like three hard choices, two on a success, one on a mix. Maybe you could use the implications of not choosing an option more interesting. So instead of saying, “The guardians have no special abilities,” you could say something like, “The guardians eye-lasers are deactivated.” Because then the players have to decide if they would rather deal with eye-lasers, or titanium skin, or dagger-wings – and if they fail, they know they’re going to be dealing with some pretty dangerous cybergolems. But if they succeed, they’re getting the choice of which threat their characters need to deal with, and it just so happens that one of the things they looted from the evil overlord was a polished chrome hubcap that would serve as a pretty good shield against those eye-lasers.
“The guardians have no special abilities” has more room for spontaneous creativity and lets the GM have a bit more flexibility, but if you already know what sort of guardians the evil overlord defends his keep with (stone), then providing some more transparent and evocative failure implications (their fists have crystal shards that can pierce armor) might make for a more interesting custom move.
Love this move’s framework and core concept though!
On the one hand, I like the “punishment” for looting the evil overlord’s keep, that’s some good flavor.
On the other hand, it seems like the successes all make the guardians less interesting. I really like three hard choices, two on a success, one on a mix. Maybe you could use the implications of not choosing an option more interesting. So instead of saying, “The guardians have no special abilities,” you could say something like, “The guardians eye-lasers are deactivated.” Because then the players have to decide if they would rather deal with eye-lasers, or titanium skin, or dagger-wings – and if they fail, they know they’re going to be dealing with some pretty dangerous cybergolems. But if they succeed, they’re getting the choice of which threat their characters need to deal with, and it just so happens that one of the things they looted from the evil overlord was a polished chrome hubcap that would serve as a pretty good shield against those eye-lasers.
“The guardians have no special abilities” has more room for spontaneous creativity and lets the GM have a bit more flexibility, but if you already know what sort of guardians the evil overlord defends his keep with (stone), then providing some more transparent and evocative failure implications (their fists have crystal shards that can pierce armor) might make for a more interesting custom move.
Love this move’s framework and core concept though!
As many as you describe as having stone guardians in it I suppose. I wouldn’t use it more than once in a dungeon myself, but that’s left to the GM and their group.
As many as you describe as having stone guardians in it I suppose. I wouldn’t use it more than once in a dungeon myself, but that’s left to the GM and their group.
Michael G. Barford what if that option said, “The guardians reveal their special ability to you before they attack, describe it.”? I think that would give them an impending sense of danger and allow the players to contribute.
Michael G. Barford what if that option said, “The guardians reveal their special ability to you before they attack, describe it.”? I think that would give them an impending sense of danger and allow the players to contribute.
Scott Selvidge I love that!
Scott Selvidge I love that!
I kind of like the idea of there being multiple guardians, sort of as a dungeon theme. and every time the players roll, if they do poorly then the guardians reveal more and more abilities.
alternatively you might throw in a choice between “the guardians powers are obvious and devastating” and “The true danger of the guardians is devious and unexpected” sort of stolen from the monster creation text. i like the idea of the party preparing to fight this giant statue only to have the room fill with poisonous snakes.
I kind of like the idea of there being multiple guardians, sort of as a dungeon theme. and every time the players roll, if they do poorly then the guardians reveal more and more abilities.
alternatively you might throw in a choice between “the guardians powers are obvious and devastating” and “The true danger of the guardians is devious and unexpected” sort of stolen from the monster creation text. i like the idea of the party preparing to fight this giant statue only to have the room fill with poisonous snakes.
Daniel Fowler “Snakes… why’d it have to be snakes?”
Daniel Fowler “Snakes… why’d it have to be snakes?”
Not totaly relevent to this conversation but…
I remember playing Baldur’s Gate 2 spoiler alert and there was a secret room in a keep with one door opposite a treasure chest. walking from the door to the chest you passed 5 apparently inert golems. two stone, two iron, and one adamantium. the moment you took treasure from the box these things would activate and stomp you. This was early in the game so it seemed like you were probably supposed to leave it untill you got higher level but my brother and I found it hilarious to send one hasted dude in there, grab everything and run. none of the golems could fit through the door.
Not totaly relevent to this conversation but…
I remember playing Baldur’s Gate 2 spoiler alert and there was a secret room in a keep with one door opposite a treasure chest. walking from the door to the chest you passed 5 apparently inert golems. two stone, two iron, and one adamantium. the moment you took treasure from the box these things would activate and stomp you. This was early in the game so it seemed like you were probably supposed to leave it untill you got higher level but my brother and I found it hilarious to send one hasted dude in there, grab everything and run. none of the golems could fit through the door.
Daniel Fowler OMG I loved Baldur’s Gate 2! My favorite shenanigan was playing a solo monk and killing liches by casting a protection from undead scroll on myself and beating them to death lol
Daniel Fowler OMG I loved Baldur’s Gate 2! My favorite shenanigan was playing a solo monk and killing liches by casting a protection from undead scroll on myself and beating them to death lol
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