tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post3206873773985904062..comments2024-03-28T14:06:07.040-05:00Comments on Spouting Lore: How to handle "boss" monsters in DWJeremy Strandberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12368234512580275279noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-78930744916695532822021-07-14T07:00:12.271-05:002021-07-14T07:00:12.271-05:00And thankyou Rob for pointing me at this post :-)And thankyou Rob for pointing me at this post :-)Mr Nissenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07806077904249724694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-63308871156383589522020-11-30T16:33:00.434-06:002020-11-30T16:33:00.434-06:00This is such a great article, thank you!This is such a great article, thank you!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09950382026897674783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-18117140676317007952020-08-27T10:56:16.860-05:002020-08-27T10:56:16.860-05:00Thank you for that detailed explanation. It was ve...Thank you for that detailed explanation. It was very helpful.<br /><br />McWyrmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08818468409338455395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-68191865964549729312020-04-21T09:28:22.723-05:002020-04-21T09:28:22.723-05:00TL;DR version:
• Technically, Volley triggers when...TL;DR version:<br />• Technically, Volley triggers when you aim and shoot, regardless of your ability to do harm. <br /><br />• If it’d be obvious that their shot would have no effect, tell them that up front. <br /><br />• But if it’d be a surprise, I think you can justify the move triggering and the 7+ revealing the invulnerability. <br /><br />• If you disagree, just skip the roll and tell them they take the shot, reveal the unwelcome truth, and maybe follow-up with a soft move to put them on the defensive.<br /><br />• If you still don’t feel comfortable just saying “no damage on a 7+,” then you can give yourself permission by writing a custom move for it. Jeremy Strandberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368234512580275279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-91495585234121324562020-04-21T09:27:33.430-05:002020-04-21T09:27:33.430-05:00Yeah, that one’s admittedly controversial. Here...Yeah, that one’s admittedly controversial. Here's my thinking.<br /><br />First, that example assumes the sorcerer has some special quality (“fiery ward against projectiles”) or move (“incinerate incoming projectiles”), one of the “blocks” that I describe above.<br /><br />The issue hinges on how you present the “block” in play. If it’d block the _trigger_ of the move, then I definitely, 100%, wouldn’t even have them roll the move. If the trigger can still be met, just with negligible results, then it’s less clear. <br /><br />H&S’s explanation has that qualifier of “an ‘attack’ [must have] a chance of causing physical harm.” If the monster’s huge and “made of stone” and the PC tries to stab it with a sword,” then no H&S. Tell them the consequences (“your sword isn’t gonna do squat, you still stab it?”). If the monster’s invulnerability was less obvious (say, a drake with impenetrable scales), I’d let them fictionally commit to the attack but reveal an unwelcome truth instead of having them roll H&S. “You move in and slash it, but it’s like hitting a big bronze bell, just like WHUUMM and your arm goes numb.” Probably follow it up by putting them in a spot (“and as you recover, it rears and chomps at you, dagger-sharp teeth like YAW, what do you do?”).<br /><br />Volley‘s trigger is “When you take aim and shoot at an enemy at range.” No mention of an “attack” in the trigger, no qualifier in the explanation text of having to be able to actual harm it. <br /><br />So: H&S specifically says that it doesn’t trigger if you can’t hurt them; Volley doesn’t. If there’s a fictional qualifier like “sorcerer protected by a fiery ward that incinerates projectiles” and the PCs don’t know that it’s there, then I’m okay with “roll to Volley.” A 10+ means that they *do* have a clear shot, but then I describe what the fiction demands—the arrow bursting into flames before it can hurt the sorcerer. <br /><br />Also: Volley is a “safer” move than H&S. The 7-9 result risks dealing less damage, or expending ammo, or exposure to a (usually) soft move. Compare that to H&S where you suffer a hard GM move on a 7-9. Even on a 6-, the Volley is mitigated by range (and maybe with cover), whereas a on a 6- to H&S you’re exposed to all sorts of harm. Because Volley is less-risky, I’m more comfortable letting them roll it and exchanging “deal damage” on a 7+ for “revealing important tactical information.” I wouldn’t do that on a H&S.<br /><br />With that said: I get where you’re coming from, and I would do this sort of thing sparingly. More often, I’ll tell them the requirements/consequences BEFORE they commit to the Volley roll. If the foe is a 12’ tall animated bronze statue, I’ll say “your arrow won’t do squat, you still want to Volley?” Even with this fire-warded sorcerer, I’d describe the heat shimmer around the sorcerer, hint that there’s something strange going on before they commit to the Volley. <br /><br />I also recognize that players might feel cheated if they get to roll Volley only to find out “no, this foe was protected by a fiery ward against projectiles.” If you feel that way, or think that your players might, than take the same approach that I suggest for a H&S: don’t ask for the roll, just say that they take the shot and tell them what happens (arrow burst into ash). Probably follow that up with a soft move (e.g. sorcerer flings a burst of flames back at the ranger, what do they do?). <br /><br />If you’re still thinking “How can the GM re-write the rules of a core move like that?” Write a custom player-facing move! Something like: “When you would harm the sorcerer with a projectile, you don’t. It bursts into harmless flames a few feet from his body instead.” Reveal the move the first time it’s triggered.<br /><br />If you want something more mechanical, you could give the sorcerer a custom move/special quality like “Fiery Ward: the first 20 HP of damage done by projectiles or missile weapons are negated by the ward, the attack reduced to cinder and ash.” That gives the PCs an option to overwhelm the ward with some effort, and makes their damage roll not “meaningless.”Jeremy Strandberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368234512580275279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-62272836478222583572020-04-20T08:28:31.934-05:002020-04-20T08:28:31.934-05:00When the Ranger takes aim and shoots, on a 10+ you...<em>When the Ranger takes aim and shoots, on a 10+ you reveal the flame ward surrounding the sorcerer. The arrow bursts into ash. On a 7-9, if the Ranger chose to draw danger or attention, you also have the sorcerer gesture towards him and unleash an expanding wave of fire, coming at the Ranger (and the Cleric next to him) like a wall, what do you do?</em><br /><br />Help me out here. The rules for Volley are like this:<br /><br /><em>When you take aim and shoot at an enemy at range, roll+Dex.<br />On a 10+, you have a clear shot—deal your damage .<br />On a 7–9, choose one (whichever you choose you deal your damage):<br />You have to move to get the shot placing you in danger as described by the GM<br />You have to take what you can get: -1d6 damage<br />You have to take several shots, reducing your ammo by one</em><br /><br />On a 10+ on Volley, the PC deals their damage. How can the GM re-write the rules of a core move like that?McWyrmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08818468409338455395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-12309618877930812162019-12-08T20:25:12.200-06:002019-12-08T20:25:12.200-06:00Oh, it's not abandoned at all! I'm just f...Oh, it's not abandoned at all! I'm just focused on getting a full draft of Stonetop completed. Expect more in the future, hopefully soon!Jeremy Strandberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368234512580275279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-10823344424182760872019-12-08T20:22:31.976-06:002019-12-08T20:22:31.976-06:00I'm so glad I've found this blog, but a li...I'm so glad I've found this blog, but a little sad to see it kind of abandoned. I hope to see more in the future, because this is golden! Kudos to you!Exequielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15650991543631815839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4388201247937029815.post-40319976729667230552019-06-20T04:01:14.319-05:002019-06-20T04:01:14.319-05:00Thank you for digging that up from the G+ archives...Thank you for digging that up from the G+ archives and polishing it into this post - very informative and actionable!Rob Rendellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09221664395840742891noreply@blogger.com