Hoping for some feedback on custom moves
Hoping for some feedback on custom moves
I’ve read a lot of PBA stuff and played a decent amount, but I’ve never tried to write custom moves before. I was hoping for some feedback.
The first relates to one of the Corps in our game, a company that breeds and manufactures animals. I wanted a move to introduce the uncertainty and potential for mishap anytime your mission brings you into contact with an animal.
When an animal is getting in your way, roll +Cool
On a 10+, you deal with it without complication
On a 7-9 choose 1:
• There’s a commotion (advance the Legwork/Mission clock)
• You’re forced to take lethal action
• An ally must assist you
• It harries you, take -1 ongoing until you’re rid of it
I like the choices I’ve given here, but I’m not sure if this move is too generic or dry for players to be excited to roll it. Given there’s something a little alien about animals in any cyberpunk setting I wonder if there’s something I can do to ratchet up that feeling of uncertainty? Also I wonder if in practice the ‘It harries you’ choice will be the most commonly taken by a fair way
The second relates to another Corp, a private security firm. I wanted to give them a custom move to make them inherently more threatening than most combatants the players might encounter. I think they’re better trained and more coordinated, which is why a Move feels more appropriate than having them do more harm to characters.
When Argus Security attempt to detain, restrain or assault you, roll +Meat
On a 10+, they fail to gain the upper hand
On a 7-9, choose one:
• They relay info about you up the chain (advance the Legwork/Mission clock)
• They gain info about you for their database (advance the Argus Corporate clock)
• They bring their force to bear on you (take harm as established by the fiction)
• You’re cornered, pinned down or trapped
I think I’ve achieved my goal of making Argus Security more threatening, and I like the fact that the players get to choose an interesting variety of ways for them to be screwed. My only reservation is that this maybe looks a bit too similar to the Mix It Up basic move?