Hello humans!
I’ve got a line of inquiry that requires some really creative minds like yours. I’m gonna run a game of DW here in the next week for the podcast and a friend wants to play a Druid. I’ve been thinking about the moves for the Shapeshifter and how to make them engaging instead of something like extra damage or piercing because they have teeth or something. In short: what created moves for the shapeshifter have been evocative for you?
Thanks team!
Z
Ah, there recently had been a discussion again around the Druid playbook on the Gauntlet Slack.
When I played the Druid I took care that animal instincts played an imporant role. I think it totally makes sense to ask every time a player transforms in what sense they see reality now differently as being that animal and how does it affect their decision making.
Ah, there recently had been a discussion again around the Druid playbook on the Gauntlet Slack.
When I played the Druid I took care that animal instincts played an imporant role. I think it totally makes sense to ask every time a player transforms in what sense they see reality now differently as being that animal and how does it affect their decision making.
I took a great many ideas from Jim Butcher’s Goodman Grey character in Skin Game. Albeit, Grey is an all-purpose shapeshifter, I think the Butcher has some clever applications of his powers. In particular, partial shapeshifting for specific tasks.
Perhaps give your druid the opportunity to shapeshift their ears into dog ears for a boost on the Discerning Realities move? I’m new to DW so maybe I’m off target here. Grain of salt and all that!
I took a great many ideas from Jim Butcher’s Goodman Grey character in Skin Game. Albeit, Grey is an all-purpose shapeshifter, I think the Butcher has some clever applications of his powers. In particular, partial shapeshifting for specific tasks.
Perhaps give your druid the opportunity to shapeshift their ears into dog ears for a boost on the Discerning Realities move? I’m new to DW so maybe I’m off target here. Grain of salt and all that!
It’s good to write one combat specific and one non combat specific move. I often try to focus on fictional positioning that the new creature will give, or in non combat, the move the creature might do to help a situation with its natural ability. So a mole would have something like bite and dig in deep. Bite would be a sort of attack, but the dig in deep would have many more fictional applications.
It’s good to write one combat specific and one non combat specific move. I often try to focus on fictional positioning that the new creature will give, or in non combat, the move the creature might do to help a situation with its natural ability. So a mole would have something like bite and dig in deep. Bite would be a sort of attack, but the dig in deep would have many more fictional applications.
Something that might provide some fun action that isn’t specifically combat is the set of skills needed for herding. Have you ever seen a cutting horse in action or the various dogs (even wolves) that are very good at sorting out members of a group? Maybe a move around the ability to pull someone out of a crowd?
Something that might provide some fun action that isn’t specifically combat is the set of skills needed for herding. Have you ever seen a cutting horse in action or the various dogs (even wolves) that are very good at sorting out members of a group? Maybe a move around the ability to pull someone out of a crowd?
Despite having never gotten to play one, I love the Druid. I’ve DMed many games of Dungeon World with a Druid in the party.
I agree completely with David LaFreniere’s suggestion about including a combat and non-combat move, except when the form chosen is clearly not a combatant – a rabbit or something similar.
I’ve always offered up the most obvious move I could think of on short notice – if the Druid changes into a wolf, she gets “Track them by scent” or something similar. If an Eagle, maybe “Escape to the air” or “Claw their eyes out.” Then, I asked the Druid’s player to try to come up with one as well – usually they have some idea of what they hope to accomplish by shapeshifting into a snake or whatever. Unless they suggest something plainly ridiculous I usually just go with it. Sometimes we’ll add a third move if someone throws out a great suggestion and it seems to really fit.
If the Druid spends a hold to make that move, it just happens. In the case of a combat move, it might or might not deal the Druid’s damage die depending on what makes sense in the fiction. Something like “Claw their eyes out” has a profound enough fictional consequence that the d6 damage probably isn’t terribly interesting, but I suppose you could include it regardless.
Despite having never gotten to play one, I love the Druid. I’ve DMed many games of Dungeon World with a Druid in the party.
I agree completely with David LaFreniere’s suggestion about including a combat and non-combat move, except when the form chosen is clearly not a combatant – a rabbit or something similar.
I’ve always offered up the most obvious move I could think of on short notice – if the Druid changes into a wolf, she gets “Track them by scent” or something similar. If an Eagle, maybe “Escape to the air” or “Claw their eyes out.” Then, I asked the Druid’s player to try to come up with one as well – usually they have some idea of what they hope to accomplish by shapeshifting into a snake or whatever. Unless they suggest something plainly ridiculous I usually just go with it. Sometimes we’ll add a third move if someone throws out a great suggestion and it seems to really fit.
If the Druid spends a hold to make that move, it just happens. In the case of a combat move, it might or might not deal the Druid’s damage die depending on what makes sense in the fiction. Something like “Claw their eyes out” has a profound enough fictional consequence that the d6 damage probably isn’t terribly interesting, but I suppose you could include it regardless.
How about making friends? A charming dog can easily set a nice tone with new people.
How about making friends? A charming dog can easily set a nice tone with new people.
I generally do not write down animal moves and just ask for a hold whenever the character does something unique to that creature or uses abilities it has that they do not. (flying, calling a pack, squeezing through a crack, following a trail..)
Also the most interesting part about being an animal is the different ranges of what is a plausible roll. your character might have only 10 strength but as a polar bear i will allow you to roll with STR to knock over a stone column. as a mongoose I might allow you to simply dart your way through a trap filled corridor trusting your reflexes (roll with DEX or maybe no roll). as a bat you may be able to spot a hidden opening in a dark cave (DR). that sort of thing…
I generally do not write down animal moves and just ask for a hold whenever the character does something unique to that creature or uses abilities it has that they do not. (flying, calling a pack, squeezing through a crack, following a trail..)
Also the most interesting part about being an animal is the different ranges of what is a plausible roll. your character might have only 10 strength but as a polar bear i will allow you to roll with STR to knock over a stone column. as a mongoose I might allow you to simply dart your way through a trap filled corridor trusting your reflexes (roll with DEX or maybe no roll). as a bat you may be able to spot a hidden opening in a dark cave (DR). that sort of thing…