Tag: Jeremy Strandberg

And here’s the first playbook for The War.

And here’s the first playbook for The War.

And here’s the first playbook for The War. 

Honor? Pageantry?  The Glory of the Crown?  Save it for the nobles, son.  A soldier’s life is monotony and drill and misery, interrupted by moments of sheer, bloody terror.  And in the thick of it, you don’t push through for King and Country. You do it for the unlikely lads at your side.

That is why we fight, boy. Not for the glory. Not for the thrill.  But for each other.

More coming soon. 

Here’s an idea for someone to use in an AW hack: MC moves that are “unlocked” when PCs are suffering from conditions.

Here’s an idea for someone to use in an AW hack: MC moves that are “unlocked” when PCs are suffering from conditions.

Here’s an idea for someone to use in an AW hack: MC moves that are “unlocked” when PCs are suffering from conditions.  (Somewhat inspired from the harm moves in Monster of the Week.)

Define a handful of Conditions up front (ala Mouseguard or Torchbearer).  For example: Miserable, Angry, Confused, Afraid, Exhausted, Wounded, Dying.  I’m thinking these are ranked (or at least bucketted) from less severe to more severe.

The standard sort of MC/GM moves would always be available (e.g. announce badness, seperate them, tell them the requirement/sconsequences & ask, etc.)  Also have an MC/GM move of inflict a condition.

If a PC is suffering a condition, new moves become available to the MC for use against that PC.  (I was originally thinking there’d be a different list for each condition, but found there was a lot of overlap.)  Examples:

If a PC is Miserable (or worse):

 – Overstate the consequences or requirements, then ask

 – Make them push themselves to act

If a PC is Angry, *Confused* or Afraid (or worse):

 – Understate the consequences or requirements, then ask

 – Give them a false impression

 – Reveal something they overlooked

 – Ask them to hold steady unless they _

If a PC is Exhausted or Wounded (or worse):

 – Show them their limits

 – Inflict lasting harm

 – Take them out of the action

 – Advance them to Dying

If a PC is Dying:

 – Kill them

(I’m seeing push yourself and hold steady as some sort of basic moves, one to act despite the odds and the other to stand fast in the face of adversity.)

I’m picturing a spot on the GM/MC moves sheet with these listed, and space to jot down which PCs are affected by which conditions. 

Now, much like Threat moves, these aren’t strictly necessary.  But like threat moves, they prompt the MC/GM to do things that they might not do otherwise.

Any immediate thoughts?  Useful?  Overly complex for little benefit?