The D&D Hermit's Guide to Dungeon World
Dungeon World is a Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) game created by Adam Koebel and Sage LaTorra. As your guide through the wonderful and inspiring world of Tabletop RPGs, I figure starting where I started once I branched out beyond playing only D&D would be a good way to ring in this series. Interestingly enough, I was like many, a D&D hermit, resting snugly in the comfortable, crunchy, bosom of Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 and Pathfinder. I was a little obstinate to try it out, but eventually I caved, and tried this game, and it was radically different than any RPG experience I had at the time, in a radically good way. Back then, I wasn't quite the same RPG philosopher/archmage I am now. I was still very new to the whole universe of RPGs, but I was pleasantly surprised. Andy ran a couple different games of Dungeon World for me and a few other players, and I took away a lot more
from it than I would have ever imagined that I might. The most important lesson I learned may be summed up as, "More rules aren't always more fun."
Of course, I am not prohibiting you from playing Dungeons and Dragons, but I do hope to inform and inspire you and maybe your play group to try Dungeon World out. If you want a game that is directly committed to supporting the collaborative storytelling aspect of RPGs while mechanics provide structure rather than stumbling blocks, Dungeon World is worth a shot. The Dungeon's Layout
Dungeon World is, at its core, a rules light system that allows to tell stories similar to what you might expect from Dungeons and Dragons, with one major difference: The rules are simple and the story, or fiction as it is referred to, is king. Albeit, D&D's fifth edition is pretty digestible, but Dungeon World, even more so. For those of you that haven't played a PbtA game, the main mechanics are pretty easy. There are a list of basic "moves" each character can use that cover all the aspects of adventuring, from fighting to exploring and recalling lore. In order to do anything, you state what and how you want to do something, and the GM equates it to a move, either a basic move, or one of the moves on your character sheet. You then roll 2d6, adding any relevant modifier (rarely more than +3). On a 10 or higher, it is a total success, you get exactly what you asked for as approved by the GM. On a 7-9, the GM gives you a choice, or bargain, offering you a partial success. Sometimes the move you use gives guidelines for these partial successes in its description. On a 6 or lower, it is a failure. This may sound very close to D&D, but keep in mind, the GM is not going to interpret the roll for the player. The player has already determined what and how they are doing the action. It is entirely in those details and those parameters that the fiction of the game is set. For example, in a fight against an evil wizard wielding a wand of lightning bolts, I described that with a flick of my wrist and one swift motion of drawing my sword, I wanted to try to cut the wizard's hand off, literally disarming him. Andy bid me to roll a Hack n' Slash roll with my rapier, and sure enough, I rolled higher then 10. I was a little surprised, and I asked Andy, "Do I roll for damage now?" With a smile he replied, "No, buddy. You did the damage, you lop his hand right off." The narrative I offered, the dice roll, and the GM's narration were very much rolled into one. It is that dynamic that you can expect from a game of Dungeon World.
Character building is simple, the game's website offers character sheets specific to each class with all the potential character options on it. You use a standard array of ability scores, using a sharper Z-score based modifier system with the highest modifier being a +3. You choose a starting move, and your gear, but where character creation really shines is that it does not ask you much about your character other than your appearance, race, and alignment (broken down into law, chaos, good, evil and neutral). Your race gives you an additional boon based on your choice and your alignment gives you a way of earning additional xp. For instance, an evil dwarf fighter can use the Parley move while drinking and use his Constitution rather than Charisma because he's a dwarf, and gains additional XP from killing defenseless or surrendered enemy because he's evil. What I think may be most interesting and helpful to players and GMs alike, is that you choose at least one bond with another character at the table. By resolving the story arc that your bonds imply you gain additional XP. Character creation is fast and easy with the mechanics rarely being verbose or difficult to understand.
Game mastering in Dungeon World takes an interesting form because it acknowledges the GM as a player of the same game. In the rules of Dungeon World, the GM is given a full list of principles to abide by in a simple bulleted list:
Draw maps, leave blanks
Address the characters, not the players
Embrace the fantastic
Make a move that follows
Never speak the name of your move
Give every monster life
Name every person
Ask questions and use the answers
Be a fan of the characters
Think dangerous
Begin and end with the fiction
Think offscreen, too
Of course, this list is expanded on, but there is something refreshing about being handed a list of guidelines in such a direct way. Although the GM never rolls dice, they are given a full list of moves that they can use to pepper the story with complications, setbacks, twists and turns to push the players into a truly heroic adventure. As it would take me an entire article to talk about the moves offered to the GM, the main point behind every GM move is that it is a structured form of putting obstacles in the players' way. By using moves that deal damage, further the plot towards an impending doom, or even temporarily split the party, the GM is given the tools to construct the fiction with the players' help. Because the GM does not roll any die, they have the freedom to translate the fiction into play as they see fit without having to worry about balance thanks to their moves and guidelines. Monsters are little more than a number of descriptions, a general damage die and their health, and the tactics and special moves they posses which usually develop into expansions on the fiction rather than an immediate evocation of die and number mechanics. The GMs are very concisely given tools to tell a story that they and the players will want to tell without getting lost in math, balance, and the threat of anything being "OP".
Exploring the Dungeon
For anyone playing Dungeon World, player or GM, the mechanics quickly fade into a supporting role while the fiction takes precedence. As the game goes on, the GM and players bounce ideas off each other to flesh out the story that they have embarked upon. The main conceit, or principle, of this game, as I have previously stated, is that the fiction is king. Players and the GM alike are encouraged to go into great detail as they contribute to the story. As players dictate to the GM what they want to do, they resolve in one of two ways: the GM decides that a player move is triggered and the player or players roll dice to see what happens, or what the player sets out to do just happens at the GM's discretion. The relationship between the players, the GM, and the narrative are what brings Dungeon World to life. Players contribute to lore and story ideas just like the GM, and they are encouraged to do so because it is their story too. Some basic moves allow the players to directly find out more about the world around them. For instance, if you use the Spout Lore move, when successful, the GM tells you about a bit of information about your current situation, and in the case of complete success, exactly how it is useful. The catch? The GM expects you to tell them and the rest of the table, truthfully, how your character has learned of that information. Maybe your character overheard it while delivering parchment to a mage's college as a teenager, or you learned it while drinking with a bunch of dwarves, either way. It is obviously up to you what your backstory is, but there are prompts that allow you to expand your character there on the spot.
Encounters like chases and combat are fluid in the narrative. Common aspects such as damage is abstracted to being attached to the character class, so whether or not you punch someone, hit them with a chair, shoot them with a bow, your damage remains the same. Weapons and equipment have tags that have narrative aspects as well as mechanical. Precise weapons have the typical weapon finesse, while messy weapons contribute more to the narrative in helping the GM and players weave their presence into the narrative. Initiative is nowhere to be found. As problems, challenges, and situations arise, it is up to the players to take the initiative (no pun intended) and act as story elements come up. If an orc is swinging his cleaver at one of the adventurers, that player gets to decide how to deal with it. A dodge, a counterattack, a spell, they all are valid choices with the results being established by the dice rolls.
Dungeons and Differences
It might be challenging for some players and GMs coming from D&D to try Dungeon World. Admittedly, not every game is for everybody. I have met people who don't like Dungeon World for reasons that are purely mechanical. I think that is the greatest obstacle for people who are used to the D&D model of a roleplaying game. Some people have a hard time abandoning volumes of text for rules and guides to resolutions to play a rules light game. One may not be necessarily more fun than the other, but it depends heavily on the type of player or GM you are. You can't exactly treat them as the same game. D&D is based in a structured, action economy driven, mechanics heavy system, while Dungeon World seeks a narrative approach. If you come from a D&D table where you and your friends seek to create a story together you'll fit into the mold of Dungeon World just fine. However, if you come from a more strategic hack and slash table where you want to roll a lot of dice, you may a little out of your element. I wouldn't say it is impossible for a D&D Hermit from that kind of game to get used to Dungeon World, but I'd recommend leaving the expectations of the typical D&D game behind.
My three tips to a new Dungeon World player are:
Go with the flow, and be ready to improvise. "I don't know" is never an answer and your character sheet doesn't hold all the answers.
Your character is bound to the other characters some how. Be a team player and contribute to their story.
The GM isn't just the "rules guy" the narrative should be more like a discussion than being told how it is. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Treasure from the Dungeon
Once you return to your D&D table, if you are a GM or player and you know your table is prepared, you can begin using your experience from Dungeon World to influence your game of D&D. You can easily pick up the narrative cues from Dungeon World and begin to blend the rules of D&D with the story you are trying to tell. The best lesson you may take away from Dungeon World is that the rules of a game are not necessarily your game. It's like the difference between playing your Playstation 4, and playing Skyrim. You can use an XBox One, or PC to play Skyrim, but in order to play Skyrim on a PS4, the game assets have to fit the console's system. Your rules system is not the game, your rules system is your vehicle for playing your game. Some systems are better suited for some games than others, while some games you can port aspects from. If I were to suggest taking these prompts from Dungeon World for GMing a D&D game, I would recommend these:
When rolling checks of any kind, make them more interesting for the players and the characters. Offer more partial successes if a roll was close enough and make those trade-offs fun. If anything is true, players like overcoming challenges. Players hate failing too much, and succeeding to easily.
Treat ability/skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls, like they are in Dungeon World. If a character succeeds a Dexterity saving throw, ask them how they do so. Do they roll out of the way, temporarily hit the deck, raise their shield in time? Illustrate these answers and weave them into the narrative.
Don't hesitate to add more to a situation just because a rule doesn't mention it. If your player wants to make a called shot, let them, and communicate what effects it may have and don't treat their character sheets and spell descriptions as exhaustive uses. Treat them as guarantees that the player can count on and build from there.
Moves like Spout Lore, Discern Realities, and Parley are a good example of ways you can put Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma checks into the hands of the players to accomplish their goals and encourage their use. Study these and see how you can port them into your game.
This is not an exhaustive list. Regardless of what you take away from Dungeon World, enjoy it for what it is. It is a fun game that lets the players create a story together that they all can enjoy. I don't think that I can prepare you any further. It is up to you now, traveler. Dungeon World awaits you.
Ultimately, learn what you can from your experiences from other games. Hopefully, expanding your horizons doesn't just add to repertoire of games, but also expands your abilities as a player and GM in your home game as you and the rest of your table grow together. Even if you don't like a game you try, don't regret it. You have only helped yourself understand your enjoyment of the wide multiverse of TRPGs. If you want to continue our journey through said multiverse, come back next week as a special guest helps guide us through Cypher System.
Til then, happy gaming!