Resharing here, because naturally!
Originally shared by Jamie Frost
Taking a crack at a custom move for #MasksRPG (although this particular mission has already been accomplished; good hustle on the #halcyonjailbreak everyone!).
When you dramatically proclaim “This must be the work of _____!”, you’re right, it totally is. If you make your declaration while…
…your powers flare dramatically, roll +Freak.
…smashing your fist into a nearby inanimate object, roll +Danger.
…cradling a wounded civilian, roll +Savior.
…pointing accusingly in an appropriate direction, roll +Superior.
…displaying open signs of fear or concern, roll +Mundane.
On a hit, you are not caught off-guard when the force behind it all is inevitably brought to bear against you. On a 10+, the GM will also ask you a question about what you’ve figured out; whatever you answer, that is the truth of the matter.
I am not a fan of the move but I can’t really explain why. It’s just not something players should be able to do normally.
I get that Masks is all about cooperative storytelling, but what if the villain you name really isn’t behind things? Does the ST have to change their plans to suit this move?
It depends. If you have nothing planned than this is okay. If you have a front prepared you get into trouble. As a GM you should exploit your prep and with that kind of a move you can’t. Thanks William Eastman for making that more clear.
That all makes perfect sense. The move would certainly work better without that first “you’re right” bit; the ST can offer any blank spaces they actually have with that 10+ question, and it still leaves room for the PCs to be wrong (which is generally more interesting).
Randomshare: I was coming at this after binging a lot of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, where they do this thing a lot: “[Random phenomenon]? This must be the work of an enemy Stand!” There, it’s treated more as… I guess like an initiative check than an investigation, if that makes sense? The specifics are thematically off-kilter from the superhero genre, though.