This is my second serious attempt at a new Monster-of-the-Week play book “The Operative” a former covert monster hunting operative burned by his Bureau for mysterious reasons and hoping for payback. I would very much like the Roadhouse to review and would love play test feedback. I can tell you the feedback on my Gumshoe and play testing was the reason the revised version will hopefully be in the rules expansion. Play testing is really key to playbooks. I’m willing to write a short mystery for the Roadhouse dedicated and inspired by the gaming group with the best play test report or some other reward as per their desire.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=109IuXQlPIkB04I4galcNbsDbcH_bMvIe
1) For one, if they are burned by default, call it “The Burned Operative”.
2) Not a fan of “You may add one or both of the following”; make it a list of three, so one more in addition to Lost and Kill List, and have them choose one. “Compromised”, maybe, or “Erased from all Records” (in a bad way). If one of these backgrounds has a move, all of them should.
3) Wilderness of Mirrors is a good idea, with problematic execution. So the Burned Operative cannot even sacrifice themselves for the team? They have to come back? That seems like an imposition. And isn’t it already a dark secret that the MHB even exists? How much darker can it get? And is that secret in any way related to the mysterious reasons why the Burned Operative was kicked out in the first place? Those “mysterious reasons” need to be better tied in to the rest. I only found out at the end of the playbook under the advancements that they are in fact linked. That needs to be called out earlier.
4) Tinker Tailor Soldier Monster is too restricted; this might literally never come up.
5) Dangle is a neat idea, but won’t it always be used to ask “so, buddy, what are you allergic to now?”
6) I like the moves in general, but I think you could have more fun with them, especially the “once per mystery” ones. How so? Remove “once per mystery”, add, “if you use this move, hold 1 Exposure. When you gain your second Exposure, roll 2d6+Exposure, and every time afterwards.
On a 10+, you have been spotted, and people are on their way to kill you.
On a 7-9, some signals have been triggered. Choose two:
– you don’t remove one exposure
– you cannot use the move that gave you that exposure again for the rest of the session/mystery.
– people have begun looking for you, but aren’t close to you yet. If you choose this again, treat as 10+.
On a 6-, you’re fine. Remove one exposure.
(or something like that. a bit more flexibility and drama, at a cost)
7) Stat lines are fine, I guess.
8) The antique sword better be 3-harm.
Felix Girke Appreciate all the Feedback!