So I’m moving my #Technoir game to Apocalypse World. Some of the PCs seem fairly easy to transition.
Mack didn’t translate across well so we’ve start hacking up a playbook especially. He’s a pilot and engineer with a drone called “Bessy”. At first I though the Driver would fit, but it actually just doesn’t cut it. So I’m building a playbook that’s cross between the Beast Master and the Juggernaut:.
Here’s my first cut.
My first draft of:
The Drone Master
Name
Mack, Gumball, Trooper, Ace
Stats
Cool=0, Hard+1, Hot-1, Sharp+2, Weird+1
Cool-1, Hard+1, Hot=0, Sharp+2, Weird+1
Cool+2, Hard-1, Hot-1, Sharp+2, Weird=0
Cool+1, Hard=0, Hot+1, Sharp+2, Weird-1
Moves
You get all the basic moves. You get Command Prompt and then choose a second Drone Master move.
Hx
Look
Gear
In addition to your drone(s), you have:
• 1 drone repair kit (3 uses)
•
•
Improvement
Whenever you roll a highlighted stat, and whenever you reset your Hx with someone, mark an experience circle. When you mark the 5th, improve and erase.
Each time you improve, choose you can’t choose it again.
[ ] get +1cool (max +2)
[ ] get +1hard (max +2)
[ ] get +1wired (max +2)
[ ] get a new drone master move
[ ] get a new drone master move
[ ] get another drone design (in addition to original
[ ] get a tech shop (acts as a workspace for your drone)
[ ] get a move from another playbook
[ ] get a move from another playbook
——-
[ ] get +1 to any stat (maximum stat+3)
[ ] retire your character (to safety)
[ ] create a second character to play
[ ] change your character to a new type
[ ] choose 3 basic moves and advance them
[ ] advance the other 4 basic moves
Drone Master Moves
Command prompt: When you command your drone to do something or get something for you (a person, a vehicle, a weapon, etc…) roll +sharp. On a 10+ the drone does exactly what you want or comes back with what you wanted, no problems. On a 7-9, choose 2:
• The drone doesn’t do exactly what you wanted it to do, but its close (MC’s call)
• The drone is distracted by one of its impulses
• The drone has to fight someone or through something, its harmed
On a miss, one or more of its impulses completely distract it from completing the task.
I See It All: Improve your sharp from +2 to +3.
All Tuned Up: When you get the chance to spend some time tinkering and tuning before an op, roll +sharp: On a 10+ hold 3, on 7-9 hold 1. You can spend your hold one for one to take +1 on a roll during that op. On a miss, something’s gonna break down, the MC decides what and when.
Bug: When you try to find something out using your drone, roll+sharp. On 10+, ask the MC 3 and on 7-9 ask 1:
• where is a particular person, vehicle or place?
• what’s the best way to get from here to there?
• what’s something new it spotted?
• what is a particular person or group doing?
On a miss, it’s got lost, caught, or smashed up.
Spare parts: Add 2 drones with 2 strengths each in a design you already have.
Dustbin lid: When you allow a drone to take a blow meant for you, negate the damage and your drones become highly distracted by one or more impulses. If they are already distracted then you can’t use this move. After you spend some time alone with your drones, their impulsive behaviour will settle back to normal levels.
DRONE MASTER SPECIAL
When you have sex with another character, you each can ask the other a question that they must answer truthfully. This can be spoken in character or just between players.
DRONE
Your drones are semi-automonous robots you communicate with through am encrypted channel or something. By default they have a cam, a mic and 1 armour. They never count as a vehicle for the no shit driver move.
Choose drone design:
• Infestation. Frame: insect-sized (infinite, max 2-harm weapon) Impulse: hide
• Surveillance. Frame: bird-sized (flight, max 3-harm weapon) Impulse: wait
• Infilitration. Frame: human-sized (mimic) Impulse: vanity
• Armament. Frame: bear-sized (obvious, +1 armour) Impulse: threaten
Choose look:
jury-rigged, delicate, biomechanical, military, hi-tech, chunky
Choose a weakness:
breakdowns, fragile, fucking heavy, guzzler, deafening, slow
Choose strengths; either one drone with 3 strengths or three drones with 1 strength each.
• weapon mount. Impulse: butcher
• heavily armour (2-armour). Impulse: reckless
• stealth. Impulse: mischief
• superior cunning (+insight). Impulse: endanger
• wire tap (+augury). Impulse: consume
• fast. Impulse: escape
• sensor (choose magnification, thermal imaging, sonar, or decoder) Impulse: analysis
Nice work. Looks like a solid base for Mack.
Special: When you have sex with another character you each can ask the other a question that they must answer truthfully. This can be spoken in character or just between players.
Also totally cool that you are hacking the Playbook i worked on 🙂
Cheers for the special move.
well it’s lifted from the Monsterhearts Ghost. I just think it fit’s with someone who is about spying people. You could also use the sex move to say something about the Character it is based on, i don’t know enough about him to say something like that.
I’m going to borrow from Dungeon World with:
Dustbin lids
When you allow a drone to take a blow meant for you, negate the damage and your drones become highly distracted by one or more impulses. If they are already distracted then you can’t use this move. After you spend some time alone with your drones, their impulsive behaviour will settle back to normal levels.
Nice stuff. Some good ideas for the Shadowrun AW we are starting soon.
Hey Michael Maconachie have a look at this.
I thinking of replacing Drone Master move Command Prompt with this:
Auto-pilot: When you send your drone on an operation, roll+sharp. 10+ hold 3. 7–9 hold 2 but the GM holds 1. You can spend hold 1-for-1 during play to make a drone move, just like that; the GM can spend hold 1-for-1 to distract the drone with one of its impulses. On a miss, hold 1 but the GM holds 3.
O, and the drone can do stuff not covered by its moves, just not on auto-pilot. Make the appropriate move on their behalf.
And the DRONE section would be modified as follows:
Choose a drone design:
Infestation drone (insect-sized, infinite, max 2-harm weapon)
– dart across a space to cover
– find a gap
– bite through
Impulse: hide
Surveillance drone (bird-sized, flight, max 3-harm weapon)
– record an event or person
– follow someone unnoticed
– ram at speed
Impulse: wait
Infilitration drone (human-sized, mimic)
– imitate a cultural stereotype
– pass unnoticed
– stab in the back
Impulse: vanity
Armament drone (bear-sized, obvious, +1 armour)
– guard or defend something
– provide cover fire
– ram at speed
Impulse: threaten