I’m running my first World of Dungeons game tonight (as a holiday special one-off).

I’m running my first World of Dungeons game tonight (as a holiday special one-off).

I’m running my first World of Dungeons game tonight (as a holiday special one-off). I’m very comfortable at improv and asking questions, but coming in general from more trad OSR/D&D style games (my players too), is there something i should watch out for? I’m wondering about turn and initiative-less combat for example.

I’m running a few sessions of Dungeon World for some new players at my workplace next week and I was wondering what…

I’m running a few sessions of Dungeon World for some new players at my workplace next week and I was wondering what…

I’m running a few sessions of Dungeon World for some new players at my workplace next week and I was wondering what advice you might have.

Most of the players have never played DW and a few of them have never roleplayed before. My main aim is for us to have fun and for them to see that the stories that we can create together in a TTPRG like DW can be personal and dramatic.

I have 8 players interested so I’m thinking of splitting it into two sessions of 4 each. There might be the opportunity for us to play more than session (for one or both groups) as well, and I’d like to come up with something that really shows off DW’s ability to weave a complex narrative in that short time – one that really builds and is centred around the PCs.

I was thinking I’d either run a Dungeon Starter or go with something like Brian Holland’s excellent Adventure Builder. The Starter would give me more to lean on if the players are expecting more of a cohesive ‘plot’ but I expect it would make the adventure feel less personal. Building the plot at the table would almost certainly give them more ‘skin in the game’ but it may be lacking a sense of mounting drama during the session(s).

What do you reckon?

Sudden character details and talent reveals.

Sudden character details and talent reveals.

Sudden character details and talent reveals.

I have talked before about asking players questions to get them to volunteer for a scene or add details. For instance: Do any of you happen to speak the old languages of the elves? Who looks like the biggest threat? Have you had any run-ins with the local law before?

Sometimes there is a lot of hesitation on the players part and I have to assure them that I am prepared to continue regardless of their answer. Maybe no one can speak to the elf, or everyone can. Maybe I change the question to who looks weakest or the attackers target everyone equally. Maybe there is no true law enforcement here or an outside bounty hunter has tracked you down. When I ask the players these questions I am mostly looking to get them more involved with the story making process and help it move along smoothly.

Today I want to talk about players volunteering character details and talents. I’ve thought about this in the past but I recently listened to Ray Otus podcast, Plunder Grounds (one word?), where he mentioned a situation where a character who wasn’t a bard and had not previously described themselves as having musical talent should auto-fail an attempt to play the piano (or maybe to play it impressively). I highly recommend the podcast and might be misunderstanding (I am not trying to call anyone out and don’t believe in any ONE TRUE WAY to RPG) but I have to differ slightly with that idea. I would probably find it delightful if my barbarian player, Kurg the skull smasher, suddenly revealed a talent for song. Who is to say that the thief hasn’t had dealings with all sorts of unlikely customers and speaks fluent drow. I want to learn more about their stories, especially the unlikely and unexpected bits. I generally don’t approve of anything but the briefest prepared backstories at character generation, but I think reveals like this are great places to explore the characters more and mesh them with the setting.

To be clear, a reveal like this should always lead to questions. (Where did you learn that? How come it’s never come up before? Is there anything else you’ve been hiding?) Also it should probably not be contrary to already established details. (I thought you said you were raised by elves, how are you also raised by dwarves?) But that’s not to say characters cant lie about their past, or offer an explanation for a truly unlikely reveal. Also I am not opposed to occasionally retconning, especially if the original story has not come up yet in an interesting way. The players will still have the mechanical opportunity to roll and fail so I am not overly concerned about abuse of this power. And there are some obvious limits. (did i mention that my character is also a level 20 wizard because I went to Hogwarts one summer, or that I am 30 ft tall, was dipped in the pool of invulnerability as a child and also the world’s most famous brain surgeon?) Generally I would much rather assume they have the means to engage the story rather than not. And finally, it’s just fun to find out more details about the players.

What do you think? Is it giving the players to much power? Or asking for abuse? Is it unrealistic or game breaking? Am I only focusing on good examples? Have you ever been surprised / delighted / upset by such a reveal

So I forget to make enough copies of the Basic Moves for a Funnel World session, and I think it actually helped play…

So I forget to make enough copies of the Basic Moves for a Funnel World session, and I think it actually helped play…

So I forget to make enough copies of the Basic Moves for a Funnel World session, and I think it actually helped play at the table not having them available. Wonder if others have found that, especially with those new to pbta games. Occasionally I had to hand them the options for Discern Realities, but otherwise all they knew was they were rolling+STAT for the most part after they described what they wanted to do.

How do others provide the Basic and Session moves at the table? extra sheet of paper, moves written on notecards, crammed onto the character sheet?

Was it just my players, or do people tell better story action if they aren’t combing the basic moves sheet when you ask them ‘what do you do?’

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope those of you on holiday are having a good one.

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope those of you on holiday are having a good one.

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope those of you on holiday are having a good one.

I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for system-agnostic setting books. If such a thing exists, I’m thinking particularly of any that break down the world (places, peoples, history, etc.), provide guidelines for creating PCs regardless of the system you’re using, and provide either adventures or story starters to help the GM. Bonus points if the book has instructions or guidelines on “how to use” it, such as what it covers and at what points you’ll need to consult your chosen system to complete a process.

I’m getting ready to edit a project along these lines and wanted to get a sense of how it’s done. Thanks in advance for your help!

I’ve been trying to come up with a template for prepping my Dungeon World sessions for a while now.

I’ve been trying to come up with a template for prepping my Dungeon World sessions for a while now.

I’ve been trying to come up with a template for prepping my Dungeon World sessions for a while now. I tried to make something that would guide me so that when I sit down cold to prep I can get straight into it.

Drawing on good advice from this community and particularly the Discern Realities podcast I am currently using the following. If you find it at least a little bit useful, interesting or inspiring then I’m happy. 🙂

If you have comments or suggestions they are welcome!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DHILrUeX0ardO5xlHWOSA8mIlAF4QFpzWEuDwZ9KpJk/edit?usp=sharing

You’re sitting down to run a session of a game (and it’s not the first session).

You’re sitting down to run a session of a game (and it’s not the first session).

You’re sitting down to run a session of a game (and it’s not the first session).

You usually have some establishing questions in mind that you want to ask the players.

You also have some nice in medias res text you intend to read to the players to (a) remind them where you left off the previous session and (b) give them a dramatic “in” for this session.

So what order do you do these in?

Me, I’m conflicted.

If I do the questions first it can often result in interesting conversations (well, you’d hope so wouldn’t you!?) and possible action, and then the medias res bit can subsequently seem a little railroad-y or forced.

If I do the in media res first, I forget to ask the questions.

Hey all, looking to crowdsource/brainstorm ideas a little.

Hey all, looking to crowdsource/brainstorm ideas a little.

Hey all, looking to crowdsource/brainstorm ideas a little.

In Stonetop (my “hearth fantasy” Dungeon World hack), the fae are established as residing in the Great Wood near town. See the image for the text I’ve written on them so far.

One of my playtesters asked me for advice on portraying the fae in play, and I realized that I’m not very good at it myself.

So… What tips or ideas do you have for portraying fae like this? For making such alien-yet-familiar creatures “pop” on screen? And for emphasizing their strangeness?

If it helps, elements associated with the fae in Stonetop include:

1 Beauty/wonder/awe

2 Ugliness/horror/disgust

3 Fluidity of time and space

4 Illusion/glamor/pretense

5 Singing/poetry/art

6 Debts/vows/obligations

7 Strange, fickle customs & etiquette

8 Callousness/cruelty/indifference

9 Yearning/passion/desire

10 Dancing/revelry/sex

11 Wondrous food & drink

12 Tiny in size

Also, their history involves them having been bred, long long long ago, by the Green Lords, giants who bred and cultivated and experimented with life. I’ve sort of got in my mind that the Green Lords bred the fae at least in part to attend them in their false afterlives, which is why the fae are creatures of spirit and dream as much as flesh and blood.

It’s also established that fae rebelled from the Green Lords, and drove the Green Lords to embrace the utterly corrupt and evil Things Below, but that the fae ultimately won.

Thanks!

So I have a meat space DW in a few weeks – yeah found so,e gamers in north Houston.

So I have a meat space DW in a few weeks – yeah found so,e gamers in north Houston.

So I have a meat space DW in a few weeks – yeah found so,e gamers in north Houston. They will all be first time DW players so pressure is on. Most of the time I play with kids or others who have played DW. My style is pretty fluid.

Couple of questions

1 what is the immolator? I just listened to DR and saw link to recent playbooks. Mine are from sons ago, and didn’t have the immolator. What is this persons story or background flavor – I know all the other tropes.

2. What do you do when players run out of rations?

Listening to DR I think maybe some things I have missed in past play.

Peace,

Keeper of the Rose Warden’s Garden