20 thoughts on “I don’t think I really understand the Solace playbook. Any thoughts?”

  1. I think of the Solace as somebody who is acutely aware of the psychic maelstrom and it’s effect on people. They either use it to their advantage or finds ways of working around it, depending on the Solace moves one takes.

  2. In what way? I just read it recently and quite liked it as another Playbook very much focused on ‘fixing’ things, like the Touchstone, but without the same commitment to a sweeping vision.

  3. This is based on my 0 playings of Apocalypse World, but they are a charismatic gravity well – people flock to them – because they bring about something better. They are the shepherd. But the flock will be culled by wolves.

    The Solace’s powers stretch beyond the characters and into the DMs space. Advancing Seduction/Manipulate and choosing what ability to mark.

  4. Most of the stuff in AW is destructive or at least attempting to hold on to some form of status quo (even though that isn’t possible), the Solace is (or can be) a force of construction. They push back and tell the chaos to fuck off. A dream team setup might be a Quarantine to figure out where the Psychic Maelstrom came from, a Touchstone to form a vision of how to fight it, and a Solace to bend the world around them to the Touchstone’s vision.

  5. The Solace is a spring of peace. You have a Brainer with psycho mindfuck, and a skinner with hypnosis, and an angel with healing powers… So, you have a Solace who is an anchor for tranquility. It’s another super power. The Solace causes rationality to grow, and they’re hunted by the maelstrom for it — implying the maelstrom’s agenda is contrary to peace. Kind of implying that everything is savage cause the maelstrom wants it that way?

  8. What do you do with these answers?

    • Where could I hide here?

    • If I had to make a stand here, where would be best?

    • What does this place or these people have to offer me?

    • How could I gain access to this place’s  or these people’s secrets?

    • How could I gain the undivided attention of all present?

    • How could I best become accepted as a part of this place or these people?

    • What or who is the source of the most pain here?

  9. I believe it is also for everyone. That is if the Solace picks that, everyone can start making allies.

    The Solace, regardless of interpretation, calms shit down. By the nature of the game this also stirs shit up. If you’ve got a piece of paradise, others are going to want it. This is explicitly drawn in with the wolves element. It is inescapable that your efforts to bring calm are going to draw trouble via jealousy and retribution from those that thought they owned the people now listening to you.

    If desired, the Solace is also a source of information on the truth of the world. As easily they’re views on the maelstrom and so on can just be their own issues, which others buy into because as a Hot character the Solace is damn persuasive and appealing.

  11. Oh, interesting. I was assuming it was about all of one “player’s characters” each time it’s selected. I am aware now that I was misreading, thanks.

  13. I kinda see the Solace as the last person to fall to the Apocalypse.  It is assumed that the Apocalypse is a violent hard life that is filled with fear, anger, and violence.  I’d like to point out that every NPC is considered a threat unless they are an ally to a PC.  Every NPC is also in danger of dying at any given moment unless they are a an ally to a PC.  Radiant makes it so there are a lot more ally’s in the game making the environment a safer more pleasant place for everybody.  Disarming Presence, Alive in the World, An Understanding, and A higher standard all encourage the PC’s to solve problems with less violence and more empathy.  Cooperative is about working with others, and Self-possessed takes power from the world back into your hands.  So the Solace is the anathema to everything the Apocalypse represents.  Worse yet is a Solace spread’s their influence (they can give up to 3 solace moves to others).  How does the psychic maelstrom cope with a threat to a threat to the world it knows?  Simple, make some inhuman monsters to kill/kidnap/demotivate/coerce/or chase away the Solace until it get’s its way.

  16. Well Chris, when you think about the world today, people still aren’t trustworthy, it’s just that a Solace is more likely to manipulate a town into getting his way rather than beating up a child for a loaf of bread.

  17. Oh, sure. But that’s not, you know, a spring of peace. 

    Even the allies thing isn’t the witch’s tits. Ask Europe* about alliances. 

    I’d love to do a post about … ah, I’ll just do it. Tonight. Probably.

    *No, not the band.

  18. Yeah, I can see how the Solace isn’t peaceful.  As a matter of fact I think they are likely to be paranoid (perhaps violently so) and can often come off as crazy.  “Are you a person, or is there a wolf under your face. TELL ME!  TELL ME NOW OR I BLOW YOUR FACE OFF WITH THIS SHOT GUN TO FIND OUT!  Oh your not.  Good.  Wait.  Are you lying?”

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