Source
r/rpg•
drcolossal

New to DW, need some help interpreting the rules (mostly on spell prep/usage)

EDIT: originally wrote this for the Dungeon World subreddit, forgot to change the title

  1. If you roll a 6 when casting a spell, do you forget it?

  2. Can you prepare the same spell more than once? If yes, how does that work with level-0 spells?

  3. Not spell related, but how do you do deal with a failure where the party isn't able to fail? Like they're trying to get into a wizards tower by climbing a chain, and the plot cant progress without them getting in, how would a 9 differ from a 2?

Posted Nov 3, 2013, 6:14 AM UTC

28
yourfriendlane•

  • A 6- is always an opportunity for the GM to make as hard a move as he likes, not a predefined outcome. The easiest and most common move to make for a failed spell is to Use Up Their Resources by having the character forget the spell, but that's not always going to be the case.

  • Climbing a chain is Defying Danger. On a 7-9 the GM offers a worse outcome, hard bargain, or ugly choice - perhaps that someone drops a pack while climbing. A 6- is the opportunity to make as hard a move as he likes - it could be as hard as Use a Monster while they're still hanging from the chain, or it could just be to Deal Damage to represent the physical strain it takes to climb.

5
drcolossalOP•

1 - ok, thanks, that's a satisfying answer.

2 - so the difference between a 9 and a 2 in this scenario is how hard a move the GM makes? both rolls will give partial success?

1
yourfriendlane•

If it makes sense. If outright failure is an option that fits the story, then figure out how to make a move in that direction instead. A botched roll is the GM's time to narrate as he sees fit (while still using the GM moves).

3
drcolossalOP•

awesome, thanks

1
siebharinn•

  1. If you roll 9- you forget it. If you roll 6-, the spell fails, you forget it, and the GM gets to make a move.

  2. I would say sure for regular spells, no for cantrips. You already get all of those.

  3. They succeed with consequence. The chain is clanking against the side of the tower so loudly that it alerts monsters. Or they drop stuff. Or they slip and take damage.

One of the most profound things about Dungeon World is moving from "failure" to "success with consequence".

2
drcolossalOP•

  1. if you roll a 9, i thought you can choose to forget it, or take -1 ongoing on spell casting, or put yourself in a spot? Wizard - cast spell?

  2. i thought 7-9 was partial success, and 6- was failure? how would a 2 differ from a 9 in that chain climbing scenario?

EDIT: Also, thanks for answering

1
siebharinn•

Looks like u/yourfriendlane covered my lack of detail already.

Oops, looks like you're right on the 7-9, sorry about that. It's interesting that we've been playing with the 7-9 results the wrong way for a while. I think it's because the Wizard was always choosing to forget the spell, and that option just stuck. Anyway, sorry about that.

A 6- is only a failure in the sense that things happen that the characters don't want. The GM can use a move to make your lives more...interesting. If the GM wants the plot to move forward by having the characters complete the climb, then they do so; but they are also subject to a GM move.

2
BMErdin•

On a 6-, the GM can make as hard a move as the story entails. Maybe they forget it, maybe something else happens, maybe both.

In my game, we decided that you can't memorize a spell twice, mainly because you can't memorize something two times.

A fail can be whatever it needs to be. Heck, maybe they can't get in via the chain. Show the weakness of their equipment or classes. If it's a soft hit, introduce some complication, check the dangers of your fronts.

1