The beginnings of a James Bond PbtA game…
When you try to kill someone you’ve never met before, roll+deadly. On a 10+ you do it quickly, without drawing too much attention and without getting roughed up yourself. On a 7-9 choose 2. On a 6- the GM will introduce complications.
When you fight someone you’ve met before, describe how you overcome them. If you do it by:
Exploiting their weakness, roll+sharp.
Taking a beating and pressing on, roll+tough.
Humiliating them, roll+suave.
Using your superior fighting skills, roll+deadly.
On a 10+ you take them out, describe the end result. On a 7-9 they’re down or out, but it will cost you; the GM will tell you the price. On a 6- there is a serious complication – you get captured or something equally nasty.
When someone tries to kill you, roll+sharp. On a 10+ you totally saw it coming. On a 7-9 you get a little roughed up but it’s no big deal. On a 6- there is a serious complication; you’re hurt or captured or some other nasty thing the GM comes up with.
When someone tries to get you to talk, describe how you turn the tables on them at the last second. If you do it by:
Clever planning or exploitation of your environment, roll+sharp.
Surprising them when they think they’ve crushed your spirit, roll+tough.
Convincing them to let you go, roll+suave.
Getting rescued by allies, roll+connected.
On a 10+ you get free and gain some information from them. On a 7-9 you get free but fail to gain any useful info. On a 6- you reveal something important before you escape.
Once you’ve had the mission laid out, swing by Q branch and roll+Connected. On a 10+ hold 4. On a 7-9 hold 3. On a 6- hold 2. During the mission you can spend your hold, 1-for-1, to have exactly the gadget you need to solve the problem at hand.
Stats
Deadly: hurting and killing people
Suave: looking cool and getting people to do what you want
Sharp: noticing everything and knowing what to do about it
Tough: taking a beating without compromising the mission
Connected: recognizing people and being able to call in favours from them
James Bond heroes never actually lose do they? That’s why actually dying isn’t even and option when someone tries to kill you?
Yep, that’s the idea. It’s an attempt to create some dramatic tension without having complete failure as an option…
Nice work!
Rather than making it an enemy you know, I’d make it an enemy you know or have surveilled.
I really like the know your enemy mechanic but I think you want a surveillance move that triggers first.
Yeah, Stuart McDermid that’s what I was intending, but you’re right, it doesn’t come across as written. I’ll tweak it.
Nice! Bond World seems to be a perfect fit to the Moves-engine 😀
I love how the dice decide who gets to be an anonymous mook and who becomes a named villain. Play to find out!
Exactly, Craig Vial! I’m glad the intent is coming across. Gotta love this community.
Stuart McDermid how about this wording for the enemy you know move:
When you fight someone you’re familiar with, describe how you overcome them…
And here’s an additional move to round out the usual Bond maneuvers:
When you need a local expert, roll+connected. On a 10+ you find someone with exactly the skillset you need, you find them quickly, and they happen to owe you a favour. On a 7-9, choose 2. On a 6- they might help, but it’s not gonna be pretty.
On a 7-9, choose two:
It won’t cost you in favours or cash.
They have the exact skills required.
You find them quickly and without danger.
I think it would depend on how you define “local expert”. In the movies the local experts Bond connects with don’t resolve anything on their own, they just provide info, resources or further connections to drive the plot.
I think “owe you a favour” might be too strong though. Maybe something like: “is willing to help you without making unreasonable demands.”
Do you think it’s still too powerful in that context?
Yep. Too powerful but more than that, it dodges an RP opportunity.
Choose 2
You can convince them reasonably easily.
It won’t cost you in significant favours or cash.
You find them without complication.
They have the exact skills you need.
Now it’s a hard decision. What do you think?
Ok, I like where that’s going. Maybe 10+ choose 3, 7-9 choose 2?
Yep. That’s the ticket. James Bond is awesome because of how he deals with complications not because they don’t happen.
Is it time to look at a surveillance move?
Does James Bond really bother with surveillance? He just kind of shows up with the intel Q gives him and makes a target of himself, waiting for the bad guys to come to him.
It feels more like a move you can select from your playbook rather than as a basic move.
Hey! Really stupid playbook idea – Connery; Lazenby; Moore; Dalton; Brosnan; Craig.
ps Anybody who bags Lazenby can go to hell
Craig Vial that is inspired. To do that idea justice I’m afraid I’ll just have to watch every Bond movie for research purposes – again.
My wife may never forgive you 😉
You should be wary of my advice. I’d end up turning it into the Austin Powers game.