Good idea or bad idea, I want to make the final boss of my DW campaign as difficult as I can since my group has beaten every challenge in their path. Should I make the boss have its own class and literally play the monster itself as my own character? They seem to push through every obstacle I place in front of them so quickly and without any true challenge 😑
Good idea or bad idea, I want to make the final boss of my DW campaign as difficult as I can since my group has…
Good idea or bad idea, I want to make the final boss of my DW campaign as difficult as I can since my group has…
That could be interesting! Personally, though, I would get confused by GMing so differently, and I’m not sure it would serve the stated goal of ratcheting up challenge. I think a more surefire way to introduce challenge is to make an enemy so scary and dangerous that straight-up attacking it simply is not possible. Like, you are defying danger by even trying to get into attack range; its armor is so high (unless you reveal the weak point) that attacks do practically no damage; its attacks are messy so getting hit means losing an arm; etc. Telegraph how dangerous the thing is before PCs even get close so it doesn’t feel like you’re suddenly changing the rules on them. And don’t forget that the monster gets to act not just when the players flub a roll, but potentially any time you make a move, which also includes (a) when they hand you a golden opportunity, like charging the monster you told them definitely would take an arm off if they got any closer, and (b) when they look to you to find out what happens, which happens constantly. (At least, I think DW borrows the AW rules for that kind of thing.)
That could be interesting! Personally, though, I would get confused by GMing so differently, and I’m not sure it would serve the stated goal of ratcheting up challenge. I think a more surefire way to introduce challenge is to make an enemy so scary and dangerous that straight-up attacking it simply is not possible. Like, you are defying danger by even trying to get into attack range; its armor is so high (unless you reveal the weak point) that attacks do practically no damage; its attacks are messy so getting hit means losing an arm; etc. Telegraph how dangerous the thing is before PCs even get close so it doesn’t feel like you’re suddenly changing the rules on them. And don’t forget that the monster gets to act not just when the players flub a roll, but potentially any time you make a move, which also includes (a) when they hand you a golden opportunity, like charging the monster you told them definitely would take an arm off if they got any closer, and (b) when they look to you to find out what happens, which happens constantly. (At least, I think DW borrows the AW rules for that kind of thing.)
Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for the advice!
Obligatory: https://www.latorra.org/2012/05/15/a-16-hp-dragon/
latorra.org – A 16 HP Dragon | LaTorra.org
Obligatory: https://www.latorra.org/2012/05/15/a-16-hp-dragon/
latorra.org – A 16 HP Dragon | LaTorra.org
You can also make an easy encounter a lot more difficult using the environment! I ghost might not be too scary but if it pulls the PCs into the spectral realm that could be much more dangerous and interesting.
Play to Find out did a good episode about encounters: https://play.google.com/music/m/Darahcjvvvmm2ezlaz5b4xsvvaa?t=Random_Encounter-Play_to_Find_Out
You can also make an easy encounter a lot more difficult using the environment! I ghost might not be too scary but if it pulls the PCs into the spectral realm that could be much more dangerous and interesting.
Play to Find out did a good episode about encounters: https://play.google.com/music/m/Darahcjvvvmm2ezlaz5b4xsvvaa?t=Random_Encounter-Play_to_Find_Out
Jamie Frost beat me to it… But I’ll link to this as addendum… https://discernrealities.libsyn.com/dungeon-world-basics-02-combat and http://gauntletpodcast.libsyn.com/episode-21-quiet-whispers
discernrealities.libsyn.com – Discern Realities: Dungeon World Basics 02 – “Combat”
Jamie Frost beat me to it… But I’ll link to this as addendum… https://discernrealities.libsyn.com/dungeon-world-basics-02-combat and http://gauntletpodcast.libsyn.com/episode-21-quiet-whispers
discernrealities.libsyn.com – Discern Realities: Dungeon World Basics 02 – “Combat”
Not sure how numbers on a page affect the difficulty of a combat when I’m already controlling all of the reality of the fiction.
Not sure how numbers on a page affect the difficulty of a combat when I’m already controlling all of the reality of the fiction.
Peter Cobcroft Because if you’re doing your job right, you’re saying what honesty and the rules demand, so ‘numbers on a page’ absolutely affect combat difficulty.
Peter Cobcroft Because if you’re doing your job right, you’re saying what honesty and the rules demand, so ‘numbers on a page’ absolutely affect combat difficulty.
Jamie Frost numbers have nothing to do with situation, circumstances or context. Apparently they are indicative on when folk should feel entitled apparently.
Jamie Frost numbers have nothing to do with situation, circumstances or context. Apparently they are indicative on when folk should feel entitled apparently.
🙄 Okay dude, you’re entitled to remain misinformed about things if you like.
🙄 Okay dude, you’re entitled to remain misinformed about things if you like.
Fellowship, a PbtA game, has some interesting ideas for multi-stage bosses and set pieces. Sort of like “take out this part of the colossus before you take out the next part, etc.”
Fellowship, a PbtA game, has some interesting ideas for multi-stage bosses and set pieces. Sort of like “take out this part of the colossus before you take out the next part, etc.”