Author: Ferrell Riley

By actively affording control over character creation to the other players, Apocalypse World encourages players to explore levels of experience outside of their usual frame of reference and to approach the narrative from a position of collaborative improvisation.

http://killscreendaily.com/articles/i-fell-love-sex-ninja-end-world/

“Habitual Ritual”

or

“I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”

(with thanks to Thomas Roberts for soundboarding)

Mage, Wizard, spellcasters of all ranks share a common bond:  the ability to reshape the world around them.  With a few words in languages that shatter men’s minds, and movements that defy the limitations of mortal men, a magic user can turn their enemies to dust, restore the broken, and erase time itself in an instant!

Sadly, with all the magic that flys around at the table, the most humble but powerful of tools from the magic arsenal is left covered with dust, except for the occasional nibble by a beloved mule:  The Ritual Move

Per p. 147 of the DungeonWorld Handbook, “Ritual effects are always possible…”, which gives the magician enormous power within the game world!  

Army of Darkness at your doorstep?  A simple dash of Ritual will send them home to mummy!

Pirates abandoned you on a deserted island?  Mearly apply Ritual, and you’ll be giving them just desserts!

Compared to the list of spells for the Wizard, or to the invocations of the Mage, Ritual is a powerful ability that can and should be used liberally.  Mechanically, it allows you to “avoid” a hard move by guaranteeing success, with the “downside” being that the GM will tell you what it will take, and that you must find a place of power in order to perform it.  It exemplifies the flexibility of Dungeon World, allowing a mage to create small rituals such as creating a small flame to light a torch, to World-Shattering Epic Demon Summonings, in return for a little effort and time.  Finally, a use for those illithid tongues and jars of ogre snot while everyone else catches a nap, or for making things just a little nicer around the home, and definitely impressing those rubes while you carouse at the inn.  

Best of all, the only hard requirement is that it be performed in a place of power.  “But Ferrell, that means I have to travel all the way out to an area” I hear you say.  Ah, in 3.5 maybe this would be a supreme effort requiring rolling a million dice, but in Dungeon World?  Easily located, right in your own backyard/dungeon.  The fact that you are seeking a place of power should register with both the GM and the group, and while it may not be given to you on a silver platter, it should be close at hand.  Though guarded, with some traps, a few monsters, and may require you to evict the current resident practitioner of witch-craft.  Things you were going to do anyway, right?  And who knows what rituals they may have ongoing that you can just walk right in and “borrow”.

Maybe though you want to try a more peaceful manner?  Perhaps you can barter with your old master?  Or speak with your local Druid/Ranger, for many places of power are lost in the wilderness!  Get your party involved, because not only can you help yourself, you can help them!  Sneaky thief shoes, fiery swords and the grace to charm the horns off a devil,  all can be had!  Yes friends, Ritual should always be in the back of your mind for when you want something that lasts longer than a fireball.  Your friends, and those closer than friends, will always appreciate that longer lasting effect.

Grant Howitt tells us how not to suck with such choice phrases as: “You are the Health and Safety Inspector of roleplaying games, and you need to stop talking, because you are sucking the fun out of the game.”

To be fair, I’m guilty of 7 though

http://lookrobot.co.uk/2013/06/20/11-ways-to-be-a-better-roleplayer/