W ell T ravelled

Neutral Evil

Discern Realities

Arcane Music (Cha)

BondS Moves Other

BondS XP

Parley

Fill in the name of one of your companions in at least one: I have a long-standing bargain with _______________. I sang stories of _______________ long before I ever met them in person. _______________ is often the butt of my jokes. I am writing a ballad on the adventures of _______________. _______________ trusted me with a secret. _______________ does not trust me, and for good reason.

Bardic Lore

Charming

BondS HOLD

Who do you serve? What do you wish me to do? How can I get you to ______? What are you really feeling right now? What do you most desire?
When you gain a level from 2-10, choose from these moves. You gain the Dutiful Prayer and Cast a Spell cleric moves. Count your Cleric level starting at your current level. You gain the Spellbook, Prepare Spells and Cast a Spell wizard moves. Count your Wizard level starting at your current level. When you meet someone youve met before (your call) you take +1 Forward to Discern Realities about them. When you give a generous gift, physical or otherwise, without strings attached, you take +1 Forward with the recipient. When you successfully Aid someone you take +1 Forward as well. When you use Arcane Music, you choose two effects instead of one. When you Spout Lore or Discern Realities, if you allow the GM to ask you a question from the list, you can ask an extra question from the list. When you Parley with someone, on a hit you also take +1 forward with them. When you perform your art before an interested audience, roll+Cha. On a 10+ hold 2, on a 7-9 hold 1. Spend Hold to name an NPC in the audience and choose an option. This person must meet me This person must have my services This person loves me This person must give me a gift This person admires my patron

Divine F avor

When you meet someone for the first time, roll+Cha. On a 10+, tell the GM two things theyve heard about you. On a 7-9, tell the GM one thing theyve heard, and the GM tells you one thing. When you hear an enemy cast a spell the GM will tell you the name of the spell and its effects. When you use Charming and Open you may also ask How are you vulnerable to me? When you heal with Arcane Music, you heal +2 damage. When you grant bonus damage with Arcane Music, you grant an extra +1 damage. When you Hack and Slash, you take +1 Armor forward against that enemy. When you cast an arcane spell, you may use Cha instead of Int. When you Spout Lore and ask Whats its value? you also get to ask And who would pay more than that?. When you formally introduce yourself to someone for the first time you can ask their player one question off the Charming and Open list without them asking you a question back. When you formally introduce an ally to someone for the first time your ally takes +1 forward to their next Cha roll against that person. Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.

Reputation (Cha)

Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move. Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move.
Multiclass Initiate Multiclass Master
Arcane Caster F amiliarity Kind

Sharp Ear Devious

Healers T une

Helping Hands

Vicious Melody Parry F orce

Arcane Chords Open Book

Personality Mind

Bamboozle

on the

Artful (Cha)

Personal

Matchmaker

Multiclass Dabbler

BondS Gear

Your Load is 5+Str. You can use Simple or Hard weapons and Simple armor. You start with 17 Gold in tips and gifts, use it to buy equipment.

BondS NAMES

Elf: Astrafel, Daelwyn, Feliana, Damarra, Sistranalle, Pendrell, Melliandre, Dagoliir Human: Baldric, Leena, Dunwick, Willem, Edwyn, Florian, Seraphine, Quorra, Charlotte, Lily
Choose one for each Kind Eyes Sharp Eyes Sad Eyes Tonsure Shorn Hair Bald Flowing Robes Habit Common Clothes Thin Body Knobby Body Flabby Body

Cleric

Choose a racial move You are one with stone. You can ask to be granted a special version of Speak with Unliving as a first level spell, it only works on stone. Your faith is diverse. Choose one wizard spell, you can cast and be granted it as if it was a Cleric spell. You start with these moves
Choose two precepts of your religion: Your religion preaches the sanctity of suffering, add Petition: Suffering Your religion is cultish and insular, add Petition: Gaining Hidden Knowledge Your religion has important sacrificial rights, add Petition: Offering Your religion believes in trial by combat, add Petition: Personal Victory
When you put the dead to rest or bring a friend back from the brink mark XP. When you disturb the dead mark XP.

Good Evil

T urn/Command Undead
When you hold forth your holy symbol and say a prayer for the undead, roll+Wis. On a hit you may either distribute 1d12 damage or give a short command to undead whos total level is less than your result.

Divine Guidance

When you fulfill one of your religions petitions, your deity grants you some useful knowledge or boon related to their domain, the GM will tell you what.

Shattering Chains Empower
When you use a spell to heal someones damage, you may take damage and heal the target of twice the amount of damage you take (armor does not apply). When you do damage with a spell, you deal +2 damage. When you cause someone to fulfill your religions petition, they get the same benefit you would. You ignore the first -1 penalty from maintaining spells. If you have Serenity as well, you ignore the penalties from two spells. When you heal damage, you heal +your level.

Martyr

Vicious Piety

Inquisitor Life

Prayer

Knowledge

Providence Saintly

Divine Protection

Banishment
Compassionate Healer Serenity

Guidance

Religious Studies

Righteous Fury

Greater Ready Healing Multiclass Dabbler Confession

Reaper

Penitence
Your Load is 5+Str. You can use Simple weapons and Simple or Hard armor. You start with 18 Gold in donations, use it to buy equipment or give it as a sacrifice to your god.
Dwarf: Durga, Aelfar, Gerda, Rurgosh, Bjorn, Drummond, Helga, Siggrun, Freya, Human: Wesley, Brinton, Jon, Sara, Hawthorn, Elise, Clarke, Lenore, Piotr, Dahlia, Carmine

Cleric Spells

Level 1 Spells
Level 1 You deity smiles on the target, they take +1 forward.

Animate Dead

Level 3 Spells

Cure Light Wounds

Level 1 Wounds scab and bones cease to ache. Heal an ally of 1d8 damage.

Command Undead

Level 1, Death You get 1d4 Hold. Choose an undead creature and spend hold equal to its level to give it a command which it follows as best it can.
Level 3, Death A risen zombie acts for you. It has +1 modifier for all stats and 1 hitpoint. You may make any move except Cast a Spell through the zombie instead of yourself. You can only have one zombie at a time. You get 1d4 of these effects: The zombie is talented, give one stat a +2 modifier The zombie is durable, it has +2 hitpoints for each level you have The zombie has a functioning brain and can complete complex tasks The zombie is not obviously evil

Revelation

Level 5 Spells
Level 5 Ask the GM any one question about something or someone you can see. When acting on the answer, you take +1 Forward.

Cure Critical Wounds

Level 5 Heal an ally of 4d8 damage.

Divination

Bears Endurance

Detect Evil

Level 1 The next time you Discern Realities, you can also ask What here is evil? Take +1 forward to Discern Realities.
Level 3 The target takes +1 when rolling Con until you dismiss this spell. Until you dismiss this spell you take -1 to Cast a Spell.
Level 5 Name the person, place or thing you want to learn about, they do not have to be present. Make a Discern Realities and Spout Lore roll about the target and their location with +1 to both. You get to ask one extra question (even on a failure you get to ask one question).

Inflict Critical Wounds

Detect Magic
Level 1 The next time you Discern Realities, you can also ask Whos magic is at work here? Take +1 Forward to Discern Realities.

Bulls Strength

Level 3 The target takes +1 when rolling Str until you dismiss this spell. Until you dismiss this spell you take -1 to Cast a Spell.
Level 5, Damaging You cause horrific harm. Deal 1d8+1d4 damage.

Speak With The Unliving

Inflict Light Wounds Magic Weapon
Level 1, Damaging You open wounds. Deal 1d8 damage to the target. Level 1 The weapon you select does +2 damage until you dismiss this spell. Until you dismiss this spell you take -1 to Cast a Spell.

Cure Moderate Wounds

Level 3 You staunch bleeding and set bones through magic. Heal an ally of 2d8 damage.
Level 5 You can speak with the target of this spell even if it is dead, undead, or has never been alive. Ask the target three questions from the Discern Realities or Spout Lore lists.

Tongues

Inflict Moderate Wounds
Level 3, Damaging You break bones and leave gushing wounds. Deal 1d10 damage.

Sanctuary

Level 1 The next time a monster causes you to Defy Danger or make a Saving Throw, you may use Wis instead of Con or Dex. Take +1 forward to Defy Danger and Saving Throw. When you Hack and Slash, Volley, or Defend you lose this bonus.

Level 9, Damaging Every creature must ask your leave to enter your presence, and you must speak permission for them to enter. Any creature that you deny permission takes an extra 1d10 damage whenever they take damage in your presence.

Consume Unlife

Symbol of Death
Level 7, Death Choose a type of creature. You inscribe runes matching that type of creature. The next mortal creature of that type to look on the runes is immediately slain.

Resurrection

Level 9, Death Choose undead creatures whos total level is less than or equal to your level. These creatures are destroyed. You steal the death energy that powers these creatures and can use it to heal an amount of damage equal to the destroyed creatures current HP, or deal damage equal to the destroyed creatures current HP to any living creatures nearby.
Level 7 Tell the GM you would like to resurrect a corpse you have laying on or in ground holy to your deity. The GM will tell you yes, you can resurrect them, but. and then one to all of the things from this list: Its going to take days/weeks/months First you must ____ Youll need help from ____ It will require a lot of money You must sacrifice ____ to do it
Level 9 Choose one traumatic memory in the targets past. The targets memory of that event is calmly erased. If the target is a PC, they must be willing.
Choose one for each Hard Eyes Dead Eyes Worn Eyes Wild Hair Shorn Hair Bald Calloused Skin Tanned Skin Scarred Skin Built Body Lithe Body Flabby Body

Fighter

Choose a racial move When you share a drink with someone, you may Parley with them with Con instead of Cha. Choose one weapon, such as the long sword, you can always treat weapons of that type as if they had the Precise tag. When you make a Saving Throw because of damage from someone larger than you, take +1. When you deal damage to a group, you deal +1 damage. You start with these moves

Dwarf Elf

When you defend those weaker than you mark XP. When defeat a worthy opponent mark XP. When you kill a defenseless or surrendered enemy mark XP.
Frighteningly big. +1 damage, but +1 weight. Sharp. +2 piercing. Perfectly weighted. +precise. Vicious barbs. +1 damage. Glows in the presence of one type of creature, your choice. Huge. +messy, +forceful. Well crafted. -1 weight. Choose a look: Ancient Unblemished Ornate Blood-stained Sinister

Halfling Human

Bend Bars, Lift Gates (Str)
When you use pure strength to destroy an obstacle, roll+Str. On a 10+, choose 3. On a 7-9, choose 2. It doesnt take a very long time Nothing of value is damaged It doesnt make an inordinate amount of noise You can fix the thing again without a lot of effort
Choose at least one statement and fill in the name of one of your companions. _______________ owes me their life. I have sworn to protect _______________. I worry about the ability of _______________ to survive in the dungeon. _______________ is a weakling, but I will make them tough.

Underestimated

You count as one level higher for the purposes of the Saving Throw move and being attacked by higher level enemies. An enemy must be two levels higher than you to force you to make a Saving Throw just by dealing damage.

Signature W eapon

This is your weapon. There are many like it, but this one is yours. Your weapon is your best friend. It is your life. You master it as you master your life. Your weapon, without you, is useless. Without your weapon, you are useless. You must use your weapon true. Choose a base weapon: Sword Axe Hammer Mace Flail Fists Your base weapon is 2 weight. Choose two enhancements:
When you gain a level from 2-5, choose from these moves. When you deal damage, deal +1 damage. When you wear simple armor or no armor, you gain +1 Armor. You take damage as if you were a crowd. When you hurl insults at an enemy to draw their attention you may Defend with Cha. When you consult the spirits of your ancestors which reside within your signature weapon, roll+Cha. Your ancestors will give you an insight relating to the current situation, and might ask you some questions in return. On a 10+, the GM will give you good detail. On a 7-9, the GM will give you an impression. You always know your signature weapons location. You can also ask the GM for an impression of your signature weapons surroundings at any time. When you grab and hold someone, roll+Str. On a hit, you hold them until you decide to let them go. On a 7-9, they get a chance to deal damage to you in the process. When you fight before a crowd of spectators, deal +1 damage. Choose one extra enhancement for your signature weapon. When you Discern Realities during combat, you take +1. You count as an additional level higher for the purposes of Saving Throw. Only enemies three or more levels higher than you force you to make a Saving Throw when they deal damage.

Merciless Iron Hide

When you Hack and Slash an enemy, you take +1 damage Forward against that enemy. You can graft the magical powers of a weapon onto your signature weapon. This process destroys the magical weapon. Your signature weapon gains the magical powers of the destroyed weapon. If you had already given your signature weapon magical powers through this process, the previous powers are wiped out by the new ones. When you look over an enemys weaponry, ask the GM how much damage they do. Get one move from another class. Treat your level as one lower for choosing the move. When you meet someone new and mention your military service, roll. On a 10+, they served for the same military as you and treat you as a brother in arms. On a 7-9, they were protected by your military and treat you with respect. When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these moves or the level 2-5 moves. When you fight with your comrades, at the end of the battle increase your Bond with one of them by one. When you throw your shield at an enemy, you deal 1d10 + your level damage. Your shield doesnt come back to you. While you have someone grappled, you may choose to split damage with them, half and half. When you go into a dangerous situation, roll+Cha. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend your hold to make eye contact with an NPC

Knightly Order

Choose at least one statement and fill in the name of one of your companions. I have worries about the soul of _______________. _______________ has stood by me in battle and is one of my closest friends. I respect the beliefs of _______________ but hope they will someday see the true way. _______________ is a brave soul, I learn much from them.
You are part of an order of knights sworn to divine service. By default: Your order has an outpost in every town of 1,000 or more. Your order has many junior members. Surplus: Hirelings Choose one: Your order is commonplace. It has an outpost in every settlement. Your order is rich. Add Surplus: Gold. Your order is well armed. Add Surplus: Gear. Your order has many secrets. Add Surplus: Knowledge. Your order has an ideal that it values above all others. Choose it:
Power. Petition: Dead enemies Honor. Petition: Captured enemies Knowledge. Petition: Secrets Charity. Petition: Money
When you gain a level from 2-10, choose from these moves. You gain the Dutiful Prayer and Cast a Spell cleric moves. Count your cleric level starting at this level. When you Spout Lore or Discern Realities on a creature you may also ask What evil acts has this person committed recently? When you deal damage to a creature you know is evil you do +1 damage. When you use divine power against the undead, roll+Wis. On a 7+ you distribute 2d6 damage amongst undead whos total level is less than your result. When you strike the killing blow against a creature you know is evil mark experience. When you Defend against evil, take +1 Forward to Defend. When you lead the charge into combat, those you lead take +1 Forward. When you Defend you always get +1 Hold. Even on a failure, you get 1 Hold. When you Hack and Slash, choose an ally. Their next attack against your target does +1 damage. You get +1 Armor against creatures you know are evil. Take +1 to Order Hirelings.
When Turning Undead, take +2.

of the

Undead
Penetrating Stare Smite Evil
When you Turn Undead, you distribute +2 damage. When your Parley while fully armed and armored, you get +1 Hold on a hit. When you deal damage to a creature from the lower planes, you deal +2 damage. Choose a type of weapons: swords, axes, maces, or flails. When wielding a weapon of that type, you deal +1 damage. When you heal an ally, you heal +4 damage. When you speak aloud your promise to defeat an enemy, you deal +1 damage against that enemy and -1 damage against anyone else. This effect lasts until the enemy is defeated or you admit your failure before your order. When you Defend you may also spend hold to hamper the attacker, giving them a -2 penalty to damage until they leave your presence. You can only hamper a creature once. When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these moves or the level 2-5 moves. Your allies also gain the benefit of your Holy Protection. When you see divine magic as it happens, you can ask the GM which deity granted the spell and one question about that deity or their followers.

When you follow a trail of clues left behind by passing creatures, roll+Wis. On a hit, you follow the creatures trail until theres a significant change in its direction or mode of travel. On a 10+, you also choose 1: Gain an impression of the target as accurate as if you were able to observe them briefly from several yards away Determine what caused the trail to end

T rack (Wis)

When you speak a command to your animal companion roll+Loyalty. On a hit, it does as you say and grants you the benefit of the Trick of your choice. On a 7-9, it also gives in to one of its natures.

Called Shot (Dex)

When you attack a defenseless or surprised enemy at range, you can choose to deal your damage or name your target and roll+Dex. Head - 10+: Maximum damage; 7-9: Next move against them is at +1. Arms - 10+: As 7-9, plus your damage; 7-9: The target deals -your level damage. Legs - 10+: As 7-9, plus your damage; 7-9: +1 to Defy Danger and Saving Throw against them ongoing.
Choose at least one statement and fill in the name of one of your companions. I have guided _______________ before and they owe me for it. _______________ is a friend of nature, so I will be their friend as well. _______________ has no respect for nature, so I have no respect for them. _______________ does not understand life in the wild, so I will teach them.

Animal Companion

You have a supernatural connection with a loyal animal. Name your animal companion, it has half your HP and 1 Armor. Choose a base: Dog Hawk Owl Wolf Cougar By default you animal companion is: Skittish. Nature: Panic. A skilled tracker. Trick: +1 forward to follow a trail. Loyalty +1
When you gain a level from 2-5, choose from these moves. You can speak with and understand animals. When you Spout Lore about a monster you use Wis instead of Int. When you Discern Realities you may also ask Where is the nearest fresh food and water? You can use any two melee weapons of total Weight 3 at once. When you deal damage you deal both weapons damage, added together. When youre in natural surroundings, enemies never spot you until you make a move. Choose a type of creature: goblinoids, aberrations, orcs, giants, or dragons. When you Discern Realties, you always get to ask if creatures of that type are present or nearby. You take +1 Forward against someone whos trail you follow. Choose another favored enemy from the favored enemy list. Add another option to you animal companion. You get the Clerics Dutiful Prayer and Cast a Spell moves. Count your Cleric level starting at this level. When your animal companion is attacking someone, the damage you deal to them has +1 Piercing. When you fight side by side with your animal companion, you gain +1 Armor.

Thieves (Cha)

Youve mastered the care and use of a poison. That poison is no longer dangerous for you. When you apply a poison thats not dangerous to you to your weapon, its tag instead of applied. When you take time to make a plan to steal something, name the thing you want to steal and ask the GM these questions, when acting on the answers you and your allies take +1 forward. Who will notice its missing? Whats its most powerful defense? Who will come after it? Who else wants it? When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these moves or the level 2-5 moves. Choose another poison, that poison no longer has the dangerous tag for you. You can throw any melee weapon, using it to Volley. A thrown melee weapon is gone, you can never choose to reduce ammo on a 7-9. When you make a show of flashing around your most valuable possession, choose a person present. They will do anything they can to obtain your item, or one like it. When youre outnumbered, you have +1 Armor. When youre in too deep and need a way out, name your escape route and roll+Dex. On a 10+ youre gone. On a 7-9 you can stay or go, but if you go it costs you: leave something behind or take something with you, the GM will tell you what.

Poisoner

Envenom Heist
Whenever you arrive in a new town, village, or city, ask the GM whos in charge of criminal activity there. You know these people and they know you. When you avoid an attack through whatever means necessary, you can reduce the damage by 5 and take -1 forward. When you Backstab and deal damage, you deal an extra +1 damage.

Connections

Quick Learner

Defensive Roll Assassin

Evasion Life

Precision

Poison Master Throw

Cautious

Use Device

Opportunist

W ealth

T aste

Eye F Money or Shoot First

Underdog

Escape Route
Your Load is 5+Str. You can use Simple weapons and Simple armor. You may also use any Precise weapon. You start with 27 gold you stole, use it to buy equipment or loan it out to further your interests.

Greater Invisibility

Level 1, Ongoing A single creature can do nothing but stand and drool. The spell persists until the creature is directly threatened or you end the effect. While the spell is ongoing, you take -1 Ongoing.
Level 3, Ongoing You take the form of an ally of your choice, you can use their stats and moves. The spell persists until you take damage or choose to return to your own form. While the spell is ongoing, you lose access to all your own moves except Cast a Spell.
Level 5, Illusion, Ongoing No one can see you. The spell persists until you Cast a Spell or dismiss the effect.

Polymorph

Mirror Image
Level 1, Divination The next time you Spout Lore you get to ask Is it magical? for free (even on a failure). You can also choose to ask Where did this magic come from?
Level 3, Illusion Youre surrounded by illusory afterimages of yourself. The next 1d4 attacks against you deal no damage.

Telepathy

Level 1, Divination You connect your mind to another, holding a short mental conversation. You can Parley with the target without speaking to them, and you take a +1 to Parley with them.
Level 3, Enchantment Up to four creatures of lower level than you, or one creature of your own level, are put to sleep.

Summon Lesser Monster

Identify
Level 1 The next time you Spout Lore about an item you get two free questions. You may also choose questions from the Discern Realities list.

Invisibility

Level 1, Ongoing, Illusion No one can see you. The spell persists until you make a move or dismiss the effect.

Magic Missile

Level 1, Evocation Projectiles of pure magic spring from your fingers. Deal 2d4 damage to one target.
Level 3, Ongoing, Summoning A monster appears and aids you as best it can. Choose the type of monster by choosing 1d6 statements from the list below, the GM will tell you the type of monster you get based on your choices: The monster is intelligent The monster is not reckless The monster is happy with you The monster follows one command The monster is a vicious combatant The monster is charismatic The monster has some useful adaptation The creature remains on this plane until it dies or you dismiss it. While the spell is ongoing, you take -1 to Cast a Spell.
Level 5, Enchantment, Ongoing You modify the targets body, shaping it through magic. They remain in the shape you craft until you dismiss this spell. While the spell is ongoing you take -1 to Cast a Spell. You gain 1d6+1 hold to modify the target; spend your hold, 1 for 1, on these effects: Additional organs: Increase one of the targets stats by 1 Chop: Decrease one of the targets stats by 1 Attachment: Give the target one of your moves or one of your allies moves Dismemberment: Remove one of the targets moves Empower/Enfeeble: Change the targets HP by an amount up to your level

Summon Monster

Level 5, Summoning, Ongoing A monster appears and aids you as best it can. Choose the type of monster by choosing 1d8 statements from the list below and the Lesser Summon Monster list, the GM will tell you the type of monster you get based on your choices: An extra controllable monster is summoned The monster is especially helpful: choose one move, the monster grants you +1 to that move. The creature remains on this plane until it dies or you dismiss it. While the spell is ongoing, you take -1 to Cast a Spell.

Dominate

Level 7, Enchantment You push yourself into the targets mind. If the target is an NPC, you Gain 1d4 Hold over them. You may spend Hold at any time to make the target to take one of these actions: Speak a few words of your choice Give you something they hold Truthfully answer one question If used on a PC, tell the PC what you want. They mark experience if they do what you want and are Defying Danger otherwise.

Antipathy

Level 9, Enchantment, Ongoing Choose a target and describe a type of creature or an alignment. Creatures of the specified type or alignment cannot come within sight of the target. If a creature of the specified type does find itself within site of the target, it immediately flees. This effect continues until you leave the targets presence or you dismiss the spell. While the spell is ongoing, you take -1 to Cast a Spell.
Level 9, Divination Describe an event. The GM will tell you when that event Level 7, Divination, Ongoing occurs, no matter where you are or how far away the event You see all things as they truly are. When you first lay eyes is. You can only have one Alert at a time. on something, you may ask one question from the Discern Realities list for free. This effect persists until you tell a lie Soul Gem or dismiss the spell. While this spell is ongoing, you take Level 9 You trap the soul of a dying creature within a gem. The -1 to Cast a Spell. trapped creature is aware of its imprisonment, but can still Shadow Walk be manipulated through spells, Parley, and other effects. Level 7, Illusion All moves against the trapped creature are at +1. You can The shadows you target with this spell become a portal for free the soul at any time, but it can never be recaptured you and your allies. Name a location, describing it with a once freed. number of words up to your level. Stepping through the Shelter portal deposits you and any allies present when you cast the spell at the location you described. The portal may only Level 9, Evocation, Ongoing You create a structure out of pure magical power. It can be be used once by each ally. as large as a castle or as small as a hut, but is impervious Contingency to all non-magical damage. The structure endures until you Level 7, Evocation, Ongoing leave it or you end the spell. Choose a 5th level or lower spell you know. Describe a Perfect Summons trigger condition using a number of words equal to your level. The chosen spell is held until you choose to unleash Level 9, Summoning it or the trigger condition is met, whichever happens first. You teleport a creature to your presence. Name a creature You dont have to roll for the held spell, it just takes effect. or give short description of a type of creature. If you While you have a contingent spell, you cant gain another named a creature, that creature appears before you. If you described a type of creature, a creature of that type one. appears before you.

Miasma

Level 7, Summoning, Ongoing A portion of the atmosphere from another plane crosses over, filling the immediate area. Whenever a creature in the area takes damage, it takes an extra 1d4 damage. This spell persists so long as you can see the affected area, or until you dismiss it.

Advancement

Nothing ever stays the same in Dungeon World, and that includes the characters. As their adventures progress, player characters gain experience, XP, which leads them to greater power and more dangerous adventures. Advancement, like everything else in Dungeon World, is both prescriptive and descriptive. Prescriptive means that, when a player changes their character sheet, the character changes. Descriptive means that, when the character changes, the player should change the character sheet to reflect that. This isnt a benefit for the players or the GM: its not an excuse to gain more powers or take them away. Its just a reflection of life in Dungeon World. Malles gained her Knightly Orders surplus from the chapter in the city of Kerlend before. After a very public battle with Duke Ormland, Malles order is banned from the city. Even if she arrives in Kerlend with her Petition, she wont get the surplus since theres no chapter in Kerlend anymore. Ciar, despite being a wizard, has risen to the notice of Lenoral, the deity of arcane knowledge. After being blessed by an avatar of Lenoral, Ciar is always under the deitys watch. He can fulfill Petitions and gain boons like a Cleric. Descriptive changes only happen when the character has clearly gained access to an ability. Befriending a stray dog does not have the same benefits as an animal companion. deal with threats of lower level, challenged by threats of their level, and at a disadvantage against threats of higher level.

Marking XP

XP is tracked in the XP tracker at the top right hand corner of the character sheet. To mark XP means to put a check in the next open box in the XP tracker. There are three things that make a player mark XP: highlighted stats, bonds, and moves. Whenever a player rolls their highlighted stat, they mark XP, simple as that. When a characters Bond would go up to +4 or down to -4, they instead mark XP and reset to +1 (if it would have gone to +4) or -1 (if it would have gone to -4). Some moves tell a player to mark XP. The most common ones are the alignment moves, but some others may as well.

A monster is made up of just a few things:
The best way to create a monster is to come up with each in order. Just go down the list.

A Cool Idea

This is the most important part, without a good idea the monster wont be worth anything. Think about what the monster is doing, why they are a thorn in the side of the heroes. Boil down your cool idea into a short description, a sentence or two long, just enough to remind you what this thing is all about.

An Instinct

A monsters instinct is a reminder of how to play it. An instinct is what drives the monster to action, why it comes into conflict with the players. Dont think about a specific monster, think about them as a type. Orcs seek bloody conquest, goblins fight to prove their worth. In play, a monsters instinct is how you decide what it does, moment-to-moment. Orcs, in play, want to conquer. That doesnt mean theyre stupid about it: an orc might still fall back for reinforcements, or negotiate. It just means that, in the dark corners of every orcs
heart, it seeks to crush its foes and take whats theirs. This guides their every action.
amount of HP A monsters HP is a measure of how tough it is. Monster HP doesnt go up much with higher levels, a higher level monster is more threatening because it can do worse things, not because it has a larger pool of HP to whittle down. A weak monster will have 1-10 HP. These creatures will often fall in a single blow. A standard monster has 10-20 HP. They can often survive a single attack, but still must rely on numbers to pose a significant threat. Tough monsters, those that can face a hero in single combat, have 20-30 HP. Even just a couple of these creatures are dangerous. Creatures with more HP than that will often require cunning plans or significant advantages to defeat. These numbers can vary a little depending on the level of the monster, feel free to adjust them a bit for higher level creatures. Remember that your monster is a bullet, resist the urge to load your creation with HP just so it sticks around longer.
higher amount of damage, go with it. The heroes are resilient, and running away can be an interesting choice. Since getting away from a monster isnt simply moving on a grid, it can cause the characters to Defy Danger, make Saving Throws, maybe Defend to buy someone else time. Running away and making a better plan for another fight is certainly in line with your Agenda and Principles. Weak monsters do around their level in damage. At low levels, this may be entirely absorbed by armor, and even at high levels its unlikely to be a problem, except maybe to the Wizard. The typical monster does between 2 and 3 times its level in damage. These are threatening amounts of damage, even to the Cleric and Thief. Powerful monsters can do more damage than that, up to about 6 times their level. When using damage this high, make sure to use moves to make this apparent, in particular Show Signs of Doom. Damage at this level can kill the unprepared in a single blow.

How Should Game Genres be Classified? Introduction The study of genres is a relatively minor field in game studies. The most widely-accepted genre titles and descriptions have generally been developed by players and journalists, rather than academics. Terms like Point-and-Click or Bemani are quite commonplace in comparative discussions about games, but their colloquial origins mean they are far from ideal in academic debate their definitions are far from defined! Game studies has yet to formulate a sufficient taxonomy of genres; certainly not one that could dislodge the laymans cornucopia of phrases and buzzwords. In this essay, I will explore the systems by which genres are defined, in games and other media, and propose a system that attempts to define genres in a relevant and meaningful way. In the context of computer game studies, a game is an interactive work of computer software in which players make choices or face challenges in an attempt to achieve some form of objective. Because this can take an extremely wide variety of forms, discussion about games often focuses on specific genres of game. In game terms, genre is a shorthand term that describes a particular set of design features that adhere to a common trend. The identification of these genres comes not from directly observing games themselves, but from observations of the way that audiences (players) and authors (designers) relate to them. One typically-referenced game genre is the First-Person Shooter, a term that refers to games where the player views the game world as if through the eyes of their character (ie. from a first-person perspective), and shoots other characters with a gun seen at the bottom-centre of the screen (as if it were held by, and pointing away from the player). The term First-Person Shooter carries a great number of connotations that are not adequately defined by the term itself; it would be conceivable to

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put guns into a game like Dungeon Hack (1993) to combine a first-person perspective with shooting, but this would not generally be considered a true First-Person Shooter. For example, one major gameplay element that is highly characteristic of the genre is that players manually aim and fire weapons at their targets. Common gameplay actions such as hunting targets, making use of cover, and managing health and ammunition levels, have led to the phrase First-Person Shooter being used to describe games as diverse as Thief (1998), Counter-Strike (1999), Deus Ex (2000), and Serious Sam (2001). The specific gameplay tropes that define genres are observed as a result of author and audience reactions to works. In terms of games, this reaction is normally determined by their perception of the typical gameplay experience. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002) often involves gameplay that resembles a First-Person Shooter (such as when assaulting a monsters lair, armed with a crossbow), but because the typical gameplay experience is generally considered to concern character developing your characters attributes and exploring an open fantasy world, it is most often placed within the Role-Playing Game genre. Game studies concerns itself with genre classification because it offers an insight into the impact and location of games within a broader cultural environment. The defining features of a particular genre are derived from societys collective cultural identification with the games they play; the existence of the First-Person Shooter requires identification with such cultural elements as shooting and perspective, for example. Secondly, genres are a form of attribute-indexing, which society uses to rapidly sort through the overwhelming mass of information it creates. This is used by the individual (who wants to absorb important information quickly), and by the collective (who want to transmit important information quickly). Film studios, for example, have been using simple genre summaries (such as comedy, horror or drama) as an advertising tool for decades, describing
the typical viewing experience in widely-understood terms, without giving away the details of the story. Genres are therefore both drawn from, and are influences upon, societys collective cultural identity. Society can only define a genre in terms that it can comprehend, and this definition will itself be added to the collective cultural language and used to define further genres. Game genres should therefore be of interest to game studies academics, as they serve to indicate where games are located with the wider socio-cultural landscape. Game Studies and Genre Academics in the field of game studies have repeatedly attempted to define a taxonomy of game genres. One early example can be found in Chris Crawfords The Art of Computer Game Design (1982), demonstrating many of the common problems that have recurred in later studies. Firstly, the boundaries between definitions are often poorly defined, and sometimes seem quite arbitrary Crawford, for example, differentiates between Adventure games ([moving] through a complex world, accumulating tools and booty adequate for overcoming each obstacle, until finally the adventurer reaches the treasure or goal) and D&D Games (based on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game system, in which players move through a complex world, accumulating tools and booty adequate for overcoming each obstacle, etc). This is partly a terminological problem ignoring Crawfords own definitions, there are few who would argue that D&D games are not a virtual adventure but even taking authorial definitions into account, the differences between proposed genres can sometimes appear negligible. Secondly, the genres defined can only relate to the body of games known to the author at the time of writing. This is particularly obvious in Crawfords work, in which there are only vague hints as to how modern games such as World of Warcraft (2004), Guitar Hero (2005) and Knytt (2006) 3 owengrieve.com

should be classified. Crawford himself acknowledges this with the inclusion of a catch-all Miscellaneous genre, but this does not address the root of the problem! Thirdly, there is an apparent desire to create a complete set of genre definitions. This too is implied by Crawfords Miscellaneous genre recognising that his list is by no means exhaustive, he has added this undefined category simply to include the games that dont fit into the defined alternatives. We cannot reasonably condemn Crawford for failing to predict the evolution of gameplay systems for decades to come, but it is notable that these same problems still occur in modern academic writing. In The Medium of the Video Game (2001), Mark JP Wolf attempts to create a taxonomy of game genres based specifically on gameplay a major element of audience experience that is unique to games. Yet, despite his freedom to define genre forms that are simply not present in other forms of media, Wolf encounters similar problems to those Crawford faced 19 years previously. Wolfs definitions are generally much more developed than Crawfords. For example, the difference between an Adventure and a Role-Playing Game is explained in terms of stats-based representation, which is relatively easy to understand - compare the SNES games Flashback and Shadowrun (both 1993); broadly similar games1, but clearly identifiable as an Adventure and a Role-Playing Game within Wolfs definitions. There are still, however, some grey areas. How do we define a game like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)? With heart pieces, sword upgrades and new armours and shields improving the players health, attack power and defence rating, as well as the myriad of other item-based attribute changes, it could certainly be argued that Zelda operates on a stats-based system, even if those stats are not presented to the player as a table of numbers.
A man wakes up in an unusual place, with no memory of how he got there, and must explore a futuristic sci-fi gameworld in an attempt to uncover his past. After talking to former associates, solving item-based puzzles and battling hostile enemies, he learns that he had discovered a shady group of powerful conspirators, which led to his initial situation. The game ends after he assaults their headquarters and kills them all. Or so he thinks!
This would not be an issue, had Wolf simply placed Zelda in its appropriate category. Yet strangely, the examples cited at the end of each category are often surprisingly antiquated of the 12 games cited in the Shoot em Up genre, the most recent example is Doom (1993), which was eight years old at the time of publication. Does this reflect a bias in Wolfs personal experience? If the genres he defines are based largely on an observation of games from the 1980s, their relevance to the current state of gaming development is questionable. This seems unlikely; some genres such as Rhythm & Dance draw from a thoroughly modern range of titles, and the smattering of references to Soul Edge (1995), Mario Kart 64 (1996) and Unreal Tournament (1999) in other categories suggests that Wolf is at least aware of modern games, even if he tends not to refer to them. Finally, a wealth of questions arise surrounding Wolfs categorisation system. Should Collecting, Catching and Capturing be divided as strictly as Strategy and Rhythm? Does the extreme overlap between some genres such as Adaptation and Card Games, Tabletop Games, Sports, and many others not suggest that they are far too indistinct? And do categories such as Demo really qualify as a gameplay archetype? All of these issues could be said to arise from Wolfs desire to create an exhaustive taxonomy made plainly clear from his inclusion of non-game categories such as Utility. In summary, Wolfs analysis of game genres delves deeply into the nature of gameplay the differences between Collecting and Capturing are slight, but they certainly exist. At the same time, however, he overextends himself to include vague categories such as Demo and Education, which simply do not describe gameplay. Yet it seems reasonable to observe that game demos share a notably different stylistic form to their retail counterparts brief samples of gameplay that suggest notable absences of experience that players will find within the full retail game.

Genre Studies and Games How can the inconsistencies in Wolfs gameplay-defined taxonomy be resolved? The broader field of genre studies may provide an answer. In Robert Allens Channels of Discourse, Reassembled (1992), Jane Feuer notes that there are typically three different approaches to genre classification: aesthetic, ritualistic, and ideological. The aesthetic approach is to view genre as a system of artistic conventions, against which an author can assert their individualism. For example, Dungeon Keeper (1997) turns the established Dungeons & Dragons-inspired Role-Playing Game genre on its head, by putting the player in charge of managing a dungeon full of fantasy monsters and co-ordinating its defence against invading heroes. The ritualistic approach is to view genre as a system by which authors and audiences negotiate a collective interpretation of their work. Establishing a genre creates a contextual framework within which the audience appraise an associated work. In this regard, Space Giraffe (2007) could be said to demonstrate an inadequately developed genre critics and audiences focused on its similarities to Tempest (1980) within the broad Shoot em Up genre, because there was no adequately-established Tube Shooter genre framework available with which to appraise their specific differences. The ideological approach is to view genre as a system of socioeconomic control, in which authors assert the dominant ideology of capitalist society. The Dragon Quest (1986 onwards) and Final Fantasy series (1987 onwards) have played a major role in establishing a game genre in which progression is a reward for the completion of repetitive tasks such as slaying monsters; it has also established a commercial model whereby a long series of broadly similar games can be sold to the same group of consumers without complaint.
A combination of these three perspectives can be used to assess Wolfs genre definitions. The Demo genre, for example, can be defined by particular gameplay tropes insofar as they relate to its ideological position as a marketing device; the specific adaptation genres, such as Card Games, could be seen as an attempt to situate such games within the broader ritualistic framework of their real world counterparts. Wolf has made his gameplay observations from multiple theoretical perspectives, creating the definition inconsistencies described earlier. Studying Game Genres Framing Wolfs definitions within different analytical approaches afford a new perspective on the issue of game genres. Instead of demanding a single, consistent approach to defining genres, it could be more accurate to describe games as a bundle of genres from different perspectives. Torus Trooper (2004) could be described aesthetically and ritualistically as a Shoot em Up (assuming the absence of an adequately-established Tube Shooter genre, as discussed earlier), and ideologically as an Indie Game (carrying its own situational implications a non-commercial game does not need to seek mass appeal, for instance). Indeed, once game classification has been established as defining a bundle of relevant genres, there is a compelling argument that these bundles should contain a greater number of more specific genres. Halo (2001), for instance, could be given a string of genre tags across a range of theoretical approaches, such as Tactical Combat, First-Person Perspective, Shoot em Up, War, Sci-Fi, Mass-Market Commerciality, etc. This technique could also address some of the other, more general issues with genre classification. The dichotomy that plagues other taxonomies making definitions specific enough to be meaningful, but broad enough to be relevant would be softened by the greater flexibility of this system. Games like Flashback and Shadowrun could be grouped together in some respects and differentiated in others, within a single, consistent model. This 7 owengrieve.com

greater flexibility would, hopefully, do away with catch-all genres like Abstract or Miscellaneous, by breaking their contents down into constituent genres. Would it also address the issue of organic genre definitions? To some extent, this system seems to allow new genre classifications to be added without upsetting the classification of previous games although Chris Crawford doesnt mention rhythm games in his early taxonomy, a new genre could be added at a later date without having to ring-fence an artificially broad set of gameplay requirements to justify it. However, it remains true that the formation of genres is a social activity, and as we have seen with Space Giraffe a gameplay trope must be identified across a sufficient number of games before it can be understood as a distinct genre. In this respect, the genre classification of games would likely become an even thornier issue, as they would have to be defined from a range of perspectives, based on current definitions, at any given time. Furthermore, it creates a new uncertainty of where to stop subdividing gameplay. If Wolfs Collecting and Capturing genres are viably different, what about the difference between Collecting games where all tokens are visible on screen, and those where they must be discovered? Does this describe a sibling Foraging genre, or a separate Exploration genre that could be combined with Collecting? Conclusion Reassessing existing game genre taxonomies using advanced genre study techniques can resolve many of the inconsistencies in their implementation. That the more advanced models of specialist genre theorists should prove more robust than those used by game theorists should hardly come as a surprise, but the fact that these advanced models do not streamline the initial genre-definition process is notable.
That said, there is no real reason to think that a definitive model of game genre classification would ever become feasible, or even necessary. Genre definition is an organic process that evolves from the cultural and economic interplay between authors and their audience while the FirstPerson Shooter is currently enjoying widespread popularity, it could quite feasibly divide into two separate genres called Single-Player Shooter and Deathmatch, if given enough time. It is therefore difficult to predict the longterm evolution of genres, as they are so greatly affected by artistic creativity and broader social trends. The two biggest issues facing game genre studies at present would appear to be disagreement over terminology, and more importantly disagreement over the nature of gameplay. Whereas terminology can generally be agreed upon through academic debate and the popular adoption of particularly well thought-out notations, the definition of gameplay will prove more of a challenge due to the organic nature of genres. To put it another way: defining gameplay in itself sounds quite feasible, but defining gameplay with respect to genre would be a Sisyphean task under continual review. The process of collaborative negotiation between artists and audiences creates an unstable, unpredictable evolution of genres that academics would perpetually chase. In conclusion, there will most likely never be a definitive taxonomy of game genres, but there could quite possibly be a definitive system by which to create a taxonomy of game genres. Creating this system would require much clearer collective definitions of gameplay elements, but this is not beyond the realms of possibility. By assessing the current trends in game experiences, and identifying the key gameplay tropes they represent, a reliable snapshot of genres could be made for a given point in time.

References Books: Crawford, C. (1984). The Art of Computer Game Design Berkeley, CA: Osborne/McGraw-Hill Wolf, M.J.P. (2001) The Medium of the Video Game Austin: University of Texas Press Feuer, J. (1992) Genre Study. In R. Allen (Eds.) Channels of Discourse, Reassembled (2nd ed.) (pp. 138 160). London: Routledge. Games: Counter-Strike (1999) Valve Software Deus Ex (2000) Ion Storm Inc. Doom (1993) id Software Dragon Quest series (1986+) Chunsoft / Heartbeat / Level-5 Dungeon Hack (1993) DreamForge Entertainment Dungeon Keeper (1997) Bullfrog Studios The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002) Bethesda Game Studios Final Fantasy series (1987+) Squaresoft / Square Enix Flashback (1993) Delphine Software International Guitar Hero (2005) Harmonix Halo (2001) Bungie Studios Knytt (2006) Nifflas The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991) Nintendo Mario Kart 64 (1996) Nintendo Serious Sam (2001) Croteam Shadowrun (1993) Beam Software Soul Edge (1995) Namco Space Giraffe (2007) Llamasoft Tempest (1980) Atari Thief (1998) Looking Glass Studios Torus Trooper (2004) Kenta Cho Unreal Tournament (1999) Epic Games / Digital Extremes World of Warcraft (2004) Blizzard Software