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The GM starts by providing the players with a list of traits to assign scores to. Character traits range from +3 to -2, though they are capped at +2 at character creation.
One possible set of traits is included below, but it assumes the game is going to have a large focus on combat and physical activity. The GM is encouraged to alter the list to fit their game better or even create their own list of traits for the players to use. (See Appendix A for a list of traits from other systems.)
Athletics
Melee Combat
Persuasion
Physical Awareness
Ranged Combat
Social Awareness
Stealth
Streetwise
Cultural Knowledge (history, religion, customs, etc.)
Dungeoneering (knowledge of dungeon environments)
Languages*
Magic
Magic Lore
Magic Resistance
Nature (plant and animal knowledge, foraging, handle animal, navigation, and tracking)
Thievery (disable traps, open locks, pick pockets, and sleight of hand)
Galactic Knowledge (planetary customs, history, xenobiology, etc.)
Hacking**
Languages*
Psionics*
Psionic Lore*
Psionic Resistance*
Repair**
Starship Use (Piloting, Gunnery, Astrogation)
Vehicles (knowledge, driving/piloting, repair, operation)
*Optional
**Depending on the setting, the GM may wish to combine Hacking and Repair into a single Technology skill.
The GM may wish to split the traits Magic and Psionic into smaller categories to match whatever metaphysical system the setting uses.
No trait should be obviously more or less useful than any of the other traits. If the trait is too specific, or the setting won't naturally challenge that trait, the GM should alter it to be more broadly applicable or just remove it. Conversely, if the trait is too useful compared to other traits it should be split up into multiple traits. As an example I found myself calling for perception rolls too often in my games, so I split it into social perception and physical perception.
It's recommended that the GM split the traits Magic and Psionic into smaller categories to match whatever metaphysical system the setting uses.
Once the final list of traits has been determined, the GM should take the trait table below and figure out the minimum number of columns necessary, starting from the left, to fit all of the traits into the table. Any extra columns should be removed. This is to ensure an even spread of traits between +2 and -2. The GM should then give a copy of the adjusted trait table to each player and have them assign traits to each score.
+2:
[________________]
+1:
[________________] [________________]
0:
[________________] [________________] [________________]
-1:
[________________] [________________] [________________] [________________]
-2:
[________________] [________________] [________________] [________________]
3-5 traits: 1 column
6-9 traits: 2 columns
10-12 traits: 3 columns
13-14 traits: 4 columns
15+ traits: 4 columns plus as many -2 slots as necessary.
Optional rule:
With the GM's permission, a player may trade a trait for two traits of the next level down. E.g. one +2 trait for two +1 traits, one +1 trait for two 0 traits, etc.
PCs start the game with room for three minor conditions and three serious conditions. Minor conditions go away any time a character has a few minutes to tend to themselves. Serious conditions require the player to spend a significant amount of time resting, but once they do they get to clear all of their conditions.
A traditional game could use the condition track to measure PC health like this:
Minor injury [_][_][_]
Serious injury [_][_][_]
However, not all games use injuries as the primary measure of whether a PC is able to continue. For example, a game about bargaining with dark forces for power could track corruption instead of injuries, and a game about social conflict at cocktail parties could track embarassment.
When all of a player's conditions are checked off the character is either taken out of the scene or taken out of the game, depending on how serious the consequences for repeated failure should be.
If the player is only taken out of the scene they return with at least one of their minor consequences cleared once the scene shifts away from the conflict. The exact number is up to the GM but should be established before the game starts.
The GM is free to customize anything about the condition tracks, such as the number of different conditions the tracks track and what those conditions are, how many boxes each condition has, how long it takes the different boxes to recover, and what causes each track to recover.
For example, a game where players investigate mind-shattering elder gods and the cults that worship them might have only two boxes for injury (indicating that physical combat is something to be avoided) and a separate track for mental health that uses 6 conditions (3 minor, 3 serious).
Optional rule:
The GM may leave the condition labels blank and decide what each condition is when it's taken by the PC. The condition should be written next to the box and erased when the condition is cleared.
Optional rule:
By default, players only mark off one condition box at a time. However, the GM may wish to allow for conflicts that check off more than one box at a time. In this case, the GM can assign numbers to different strengths of conditions. For example:
Mediocre effect: 1 box
Fair effect: 2 boxes
Good effect: 3 boxes
Great effect: 4 boxes
Superb effect: 5 boxes
Using this table, getting punched might mark off one injury box while getting shot or stabbed might mark off four.
The GM may wish to give the players more condition boxes to compensate.
When a player attempts to do something and there are interesting consequences for failure, they must make a trait check. The GM should only call for a trait check if there are interesting consequences for failure. Otherwise, the GM should their knowledge of the situation and their principles and agenda to determine if the player succeeds or not.
A trait check is performed by the player rolling 2d6 and adding their relevant trait.
A result of 10 or more is a clean success. The player succeeds at their task without complication.
A result of 7-9 is a partial success. The PC accomplishes what they attempted to do, but there was some drawback, penalty, or unforeseen complication.
A result of 6 or below is a miss. The GM can make things as unpleasant for the PC as they wish. This doesn't necessarily mean the PC failed at their task, but the results are always worse than they would have been on a partial success.
When the player wishes to attempt an action but no trait seems appropriate: any trait that everyone should have some skill at (e.g. fighting, climbing, basic math) defaults to 0, while any trait that requires specialized knowledge and/or training (e.g. particle physics, helicopter piloting) defaults to -2.
There are two types of magic: minor magic and ritual magic. Minor magic requires a roll of the player's relevant magic trait. A minor magic spell cannot affect anything for longer than about half a minute, it cannot affect more than a small group of people per casting, it cannot affect anything further away than an average person could throw a stone, and it cannot check or uncheck more than a single condition at a time.
If your game uses the optional rule that allows more than one condition to be marked off at a time, minor magic cannot check or uncheck more than two boxes (equivalent to a fair effect) at a time.
Ritual magic doesn't have those limitations, but it does have requirements that must be met before the spell can be cast. The GM will tell you what needs to be done to get the effect you want. Some examples include:
It has to take place at a certain location.
It requires a specific ingredient or ingredients.
It requires the assistance of a specific person or people.
The GM may require more than one of these.
Ritual magic does not require a roll to trigger the magic. Once the requirements are met and the ritual is performed, the magic takes effect.
-2 to -1: 1 XP
-1 to 0: 2 XP
0 to +1: 4 XP
+1 to +2: 8 XP
+2 to +3: 16 XP
A player can improve multiple traits per session, but they may only improve each trait by one level per session. The methods of obtaining XP are given below. The GM may use more than one method to dispense XP, but does not have to.
The costs given on the advancement table should be multiplied by the average amount of XP the players are likely to obtain per session.
Players gain 1 XP at the end of every session.
Keys are PC-specific behaviors that reward the players with XP. They are determined either through collaboration between the player and the GM, or by the player selecting one or more from a GM-provided list. (See Appendix B for a list of example keys.) The GM can award 1 XP any time a player hits their key, or 1 XP per key at the end of the session, or just 1 XP at the end of a session for hitting any key.
The player may, with the GM's permission, swap out one or more of their keys if they feel that it doesn't fit the type of character they wish to play.
By selecting a key or keys the player is telling the GM what sort of situations they're interested in getting into, so the GM should make sure to give them plenty of opportunities to hit their keys.
The GM will provide the PCs with a list of questions for them to answer at the end of each session. For each "yes" answer the player gains 1 XP.
Every time a player rolls 6- they gain 1 XP. This is meant to incentivize players taking risks, even with their weaker traits, and take some of the sting out of failing a roll.
The GM may choose to impose in-character requirements for a PC to improve their trait, as described in the "Yes, but" rule in the Gamemastering section. This may or may not be used in conjunction with XP requirements.
The GM may give the PCs 1-5 Luck Points at the beginning of the first session.
The GM should establish which of these uses the player may spend Luck Points on:
If using Luck Points (LP), the GM will need to answer the following questions:
Both XP and Luck Points can be used as a reward to encourage specific behavior from PCs. Luck Points should be awarded when the GM wants to give the players one-time out-of-character bonuses, while XP should be awarded when the GM wants to represent long-term in-character character improvement.
Just don't make the player choose between XP and LP. It can lead to players hoarding XP because they don't want to trade a permanent asset for a temporary boost. Those players would then advance faster than the players that spend more LP, leading to imbalanced characters later on.
Characters get a broad trait (class, occupation, etc.) and two narrower traits (specific skills). Any one of the three traits may be +2, while the other two are +1. If the character has magical abilities or superpowers, that must be the broad trait unless they are very narrowly defined. The GM may also require each PC to have a fault.
Characters are defined by 3 player-defined traits. One should describe their motivation and be ranked +2, one should describe their fighting style and be ranked +1, and one should describe their profession and be ranked 0. The GM may also require each PC to have a fault.
Players don't have to decide on their traits before play starts. The player may decide a trait's score at any time. When the GM calls for a trait check the player must decide what level that trait is at, filling it in at the appropriate spot.
As the GM your role is bound up in your agenda, principles, and moves. The agenda is your goal for the game. The principles are guidelines for carrying out the agenda, and GM moves are specific actions you as the GM should take to carry out the agenda.
If it can't be found in one of those three, then as the GM you shouldn't be doing it.
Sum up the sort of game you're running in just a few words. "Fantastic", "gritty and real", "political and dark", "like a comic book", etc.
This agenda item can be altered to match the game you wish to run. A game about dungeon crawling and fighting monsters might have "fill the characters' lives with adventure", while a game about teenage superheroes might have "make the player characters' lives superheroic".
To GM this game properly you shouldn't pre-plan what the story will look like. You can't expect the PCs to, for example, face the monster, save the princess, and bring her back to the king for their reward. Unexpected misses and partial successes can and should drag the story in unexpected directions, and one of your GM Principles is "Ask the players provocative questions and build on the answers."
You can pre-plan parts of the setting, if you want, with the monster, the princess and the king, and you can loosely sketch out general locations (leaving plenty of room for improvisation), but leave room for the story to go in unexpected directions.
Maybe the princess is secretly best friends with the monster. Maybe the king has no intention of letting the PCs or the princess live, and now they have to deal with an army out to kill them. Maybe the princess's soul has been trapped in the monster's lair and now the PCs need to find a wizard to help revive her. Play the game to find out.
What the principles demand
What the rules demand
What honesty demands
What your prep demands
Describe the world around the players vividly.
Address the characters, not the players.
Moves happen because of the fiction.
Make your move, but never speak its name.
Name everyone, make everyone human.
Ask the players provocative questions and build on the answers.
Be a fan of the PCs.
Think offscreen too.
Sometimes, disclaim decision-making.
GMs wishing to customize their game should choose choose additional principles that reinforce the intended themes and play experiences. (See also Appendix C: Example Principles.) Some examples:
Dungeon World, a medieval fantasy game, has the principle "draw maps, leave blanks". This encourages the GM to create some details of the setting while leaving space for group collaboration and on-the-fly decision-making.
Monsterhearts, a game about teen drama, has the principles "embrace melodrama", "make labels matter", "give everyone a messy life", "find the catch", and "give side characters simple, divisive motivations". All of these are ways for the GM to create drama for the players.
Apocalypse World, a game about post-apocalyptic life, has the principle "Look through crosshairs". In contrast, Masks, a game about teen superhero drama, has "Treat human life as meaningful".
As the GM it's your job to keep the players engaged. GM moves are how you do this. A GM move is an action chosen from a list of things that can force a reaction from the players.
This list can be adjusted by the GM to fit the tone of the game they are running, adding and/or removing moves as needed.
For comparison, here is a set of GM moves I wrote for a slice of life, non-combat, low-conflict setting I ran for my mom:
A soft move is something that will cause problems if isn't handled. A hard move is that problem actually occuring. Seeing a fist coming towards you is a soft move. It gives you time to deal with it. Getting punched and marking off an injury is a hard move. The problem happened and it's too late to do anything about it.
When a player looks to you to see what happens you should make a soft move. If a player ignores a soft move or fails a roll, that's your cue to make as hard a move as you like. It doesn't have to be a hard move, but it can be.
To make a GM move, look at the list of GM moves and pick one that is appropriate to the situation. Then make it happen to the PCs.
Never say the name of the move. (That's one of your principles!) Make it something that actually happens within the fictional world. Don't say, "I reveal an unwelcome truth." Say, "It turns out the bridge wasn't as stable as you thought! You hear a loud cracking noise from the stone under your feet."
After every move ask a player or the players, "What do you do?"
One of Christine Cassiopeia's behaviors is "Let your flunkies take care of things."
GM: "Christine scoffs at you. 'Whatever, loser,' she says. 'Will one of you be a dear and take care of this wretch for me?' Two well-built men in tuxedos step forward with grins on their faces. One of them cracks their knuckles ominously. What do you do?"
An unwelcome truth is anything a PC wishes wasn't true. It doesn't have to be something that was previously established. As the GM you could make up a new story element on the spot, as long as it fits the established tone and setting of the game.
GM: "You punch him in face. The skin tears and pulls away, revealing the grinning skull of a Lich. What do you do?"
GM: "You successfully crafted the cloaking device, but even with your best efforts you couldn't make it work perfectly. The machine is unstable, prone to malfunctions, and the resulting invisibility will be temporary at best. What do you do?"
GM: "The doorknob rattles as somebody attempts to open it. You hear the jangling of keys on the other side. The house's owner must have come home early. What do you do?"
GM: "Looking through the telescope you see the telltale flashes of light that indicate missile fire and two tiny blobs that grow larger at an alarming rate. They'll arrive in less than a minute. What do you do?"
GM: "Alex swings the crowbar wildly, painfully clipping your head. Mark off an injury. What do you do?"
GM: "His path takes him right underneath you and he doesn't seem to have noticed you perched on the overpass. You could drop onto him, but you'd take an injury doing that. What do you do?"
GM: "Nobody's eyes are on you. If you wanted to grab the amulet, now would be the time. What do you do?"
GM: "Your foot is stuck and the giant counterweight is swinging towards you. What do you do?"
GM: "The snarling monster swipes at the overturned car, trying to get at the woman trapped inside. You hear her scream in terror. What do you do?"
GM: "'You want this sword?' the man asks. 'Sure, if you can beat me in a duel.' What do you do?"
GM: "The guard is willing to look the other way while you sneak into the palace, but in exchange he wants that golden statue you obtained earlier. What do you do?"
GM: "I'm making a countdown of 6 boxes. When the last box is marked, the building collapses. If you're still inside when that happens, your character will die. What do you do?"
GM: "The mermaid punches you in the gut. Bubbles of air leak out of your mouth despite your best efforts. Mark off a box on the oxygen countdown. What do you do?"
Combat is almost exactly the same as the rest of gameplay: the GM makes GM moves as appropriate, the players react to them, and the GM moves the spotlight around as needed.
A failed player roll in combat can mean that the player takes damage, but remember that dealing damage is only one of many possible moves the GM could make.
The GM in this example is running a D&D-style game, using the traditional 6 stats (strength, dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, charisma, and constitution) as the player's traits.
GM: The cultist waves his staff ominously over the altar, but the more immediate threat are his two warg rider cronies who are rapidly approaching you. The goblins have wicked curved blades and they cry for your blood. How do you react to their charge?
PC: I cast a flash cantrip to blind them.
GM: What's your intelligence at?
PC: -1.
GM: Okay, roll it.
The player rolls 2d6. The result is a 7, which would be a partial success, but since their intelligence trait is at -1 it brings the result down to 6, which is a miss.
GM: The spell backfires and goes off in your face, temporarily blinding you. You can hear that the warg-riders are almost upon you. What do you do?
PC: I try to jump out of the way.
GM: Dexterity check.
The player rolls 2d6. The result is 3. Their dexterity trait is also at -1, which brings the result down to 2. Miss.
Though, in this case, not even a +3 would have saved the player.
PC: Augh!
GM: Blinded, you run straight into the wall. While you are disoriented the goblins attack you from warg-back with their swords. You feel the blades slice through your armor. Mark off an injury.
PC: That's my last minor injury. Freaking hell.
GM: Okay, the temporary blindness has worn off. The warg-riders come around for another pass. What do you do?
PC: I vault onto the nearest warg to knock the goblin off his perch.
GM: That'll require a dexterity check, followed by a strength check to knock the goblin off.
They roll 2d6 and get a 7. Again, their -1 trait brings the 7 down to a 6, making it a miss.
PC: Crap.
GM: You actually make it onto the warg.
PC: I do?
GM: Yes, but because of your fumbling the goblin got a free shot at you. The goblin does one more point of damage. Mark off a serious injury.
PC: Crap!
GM: Okay, now for the strength check.
The player rolls 9 on 2d6. They have a strength of +1, which brings the result up to 10. A clean success.
GM: And down the goblin goes!
Injuries only apply to NPCs in situations where the NPC is able to respond to the threat. If an NPC is disabled or caught unaware they can be knocked out or killed regardless of their condition track.
Conversely, if an enemy is too well-protected fictionally, the player cannot roll to deal damage to them. A large dragon or a military tank won't be injured by some guy randomly swinging a sword, no matter how well the player rolls.
For more information on GM moves and the flow of combat, please see the fanmade Dungeon World Guide, linked to from the Dungeon World website.
NPCs have a condition track and any traits the GM wants them to have. Traits that don't have a modifier attached to them are called gifts (when positive) and faults (when negative). NPCs also have behaviors that can be used as GM moves.
NPCs that aren't supposed to be serious obstacles to the PCs should only have 1 or 2 boxes in their condition tracks. NPCs with more narrative importance can have larger condition tracks, up to the size of a PC's.
Depending on their personality, some NPCs may try to end a conflict without winning it (ie. running away or giving up). They don't always have to fight to the end.
Setting: Modern-day upper-class.
Gift: Super-rich.
Fault: A super-bitch.
Behavior: Make snide comments about somebody else's outfit. Let your flunkies take care of things.
Setting: Xianxia (fantasy China, but with assholes everywhere).
Description: A qi cultivator.
Gift: Capable of superhuman feats.
Fault: Has a very thin skin when it comes to perceived disrespect.
Behavior: Avenge any insults. Stand proud and boastful, even in front of a stronger foe. Steal cultivation resources from others.
Setting: Survival horror/action.
Description: Human flesh over a robot body. Easily capable of passing for human.
Gift: Virtually indestructible robot body.
Fault: Vulnerable to incredibly high pressures or temperatures.
Behavior: Track down and try to kill one specific human.
Setting: Medieval fantasy.
Description: Big. Dumb. Strong.
Gift: Quick regeneration. On a failed player roll the troll may regain a condition.
-and/or-
Gift: Slow regeneration. The troll comes back to life a certain amount of time after dying (minutes, hours, days), eventually coming back to full health. Limbs regenerate, etc.
Fault: Pretty dumb.
Fault: Fire attacks and acid attacks both permanently deal damage to the troll.
Fault (optional): Permanently turns to stone in sunlight.
Behavior: Grab things, pick them up, and smash them against other things. Do the same thing to people.
Settings: Medieval fantasy, horror.
Gift: Paralyzing venom in fangs.
Gift: Webspinning.
Behavior: Create sticky webs to catch prey, inject a paralytic venom with your fangs, then wrap your prey in a coccoon before sucking their fluids out.
Setting: Medieval fantasy.
Behavior: Loot, pillage, and plunder. Obey your leader. Attack the innocent. Take by force.
Setting: Medieval fantasy.
Behavior: Command your followers. Reward obedience. Crush any challenges to your authority. Boast recklessly.
Setting: Medieval fantasy.
Gift: Spellcasting. Spells known: Fireball, Flamethrower.
Gift: Immunity to his own flames.
-OR-
Gift: Immunity to all flames
Behavior: Burn all the things! If anybody tries to stop you, burn them as well!
Setting: Space opera.
Gift: Psionicist. Psionic abilities: Telepathy/empathy, Telekinesis, Physical Augmentation (acrobatic jumps, fast movement), Suggestion.
Gift: Plasma Sword.
Behavior: Defend the weak. Destroy the wicked. Be at peace in all your actions.
Setting: Space opera.
Gift: Psionicist. Psionic abilities: Telepathy/empathy, Telekinesis, Physical Augmentation (acrobatic jumps, fast movement), Lightning.
Gift: Plasma Sword.
Behavior: Let your anger and hatred flow through you. Crush your enemies. Show no mercy.
Setting: Any action setting.
Behavior: Mob the heroes, die in droves.
A roll resolves the question of "can I do this thing?" Sometimes, however, the GM may want to make the answer to the question part of the ongoing plot, taking longer to resolve than just a simple 2d6 roll. In that case the GM will tell the PC what complications are in the way of accomplishing their goal. If the PC can overcome the complications they get the outcome they wanted.
This is an expansion of the "Tell them the requirements or consequences and ask" GM move.
Situations where "Yes, but" could be appropriate include, but are not limited to: crafting equipment, giving medical treatment, creating a new magical spell or effect, and improving traits.
The GM may allow the player to choose between different combinations of complications. ("Either it will take a lot of money and several weeks, or you can swallow your pride and ask Jorgen for help." "Never!")
Whenever something may happen in the future but hasn't happened yet, the GM can create a countdown for it. A countdown is just a series of boxes that get checked off when certain criteria are met. Once all the boxes are checked off, the thing happens.
Countdowns are incredibly versatile. The condition track technically counts as a player-facing countdown. Countdowns also can be used as Apocalypse World/Dungeon World Fronts, as skill challenges with success and/or failure conditions, and as a visible "ticking clock" to spur players into action.
Front countdown
Trigger: players fail to act against the kobold menace.
[_] Kobolds attack the town
[_] Kobold Mage steals the Tome of Dragons
[_] The Dragon Lord Awakens
"Ticking clock" countdown
Trigger: one round passes (each player gets one action per round)
[_] [_] [_] [_] Stairwell collapses, limiting access to the second floor
[_] [_] [_] [_] Building creaks ominously. Players are informed it's about to collapse.
[_] House collapses, incapacitating anybody still inside.
Skill challenge countdown
Goal: get funding for a new spaceship
Trigger: make enough successful skill rolls to the relevant people
[_] [_] [_]
Skill challenge with linked failure countdown
Goal: get funding for a new spaceship
Trigger: make enough successful skill checks to the relevant people
[_] [_] [_]
Result: get the funding
Trigger: fail the relevant skill checks
[_] [_] [_] [_]
Result: get kicked out of the embassy
Apocalypse World, a game about a gritty post-apocalyptic world:
Cool, Hard, Hot, Sharp, Weird.
Blades in the Dark, a game about criminal activity and trying to rise to the top of the criminal hierarchy:
Insight, Prowess, Resolve.
Epyllion, a high fantasy game about young dragons drawing on the power of friendship to hold back encroaching darkness:
Heart, Charm, Courage, Cunning
Monsterhearts, a game about the awkward and messy lives of teenage monsters filled with emotional issues:
Hot, Cold, Volatile, Dark.
Masks, a game about teenage superheroes and their struggles with supervillains and their own identities:
Danger, Freak, Savior, Superior, Mundane.
Night Witches, a game about a regiment of Soviet airwomen during World War II:
Guts, Luck, Skill, Medals
Spirit of '77, an alternate history game set in the '70s:
Might, Hustle, Smooth, Brains, Soul.
The Sprawl, a classic dystopian Cyberpunk game:
Cool, Edge, Meat, Mind, Style, Synth
Worlds In Peril, a superhero game:
Smash, Influence, Maneuver, Protect, Investigate
BESM: Body, Mind, Soul
Dungeons and Dragons: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma
Cortex+: Physical, Mental, Social
Eclipse Phase: Cognition, Intuition, Coordination, Reflexes, Savvy, Somatics, and Willpower
Fate Accelerated: Careful, Clever, Flashy, Forceful, Quick, Sneaky
FASERIP: Fighting, Agility, Strength, Endurance, Reason, Intuition, Psyche
Legend of the Five Rings: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Void
Numenera/Cypher System: Might, Speed, Intellect
One Roll Engine: Body, Coordination, Sense, Knowledge, Charm, and Command
Paranoia: Brains, Chutzpah, Mechanics, Moxie, Violence
Savage Worlds: Agility, Smarts, Spirit, Strength, Vigour
Key of Bloodlust: Hit your key when you overcome an opponent in battle.
Key of Conscience: Hit your key when you help someone in trouble or improve someone's life with your compassion.
Key of the Coward: Hit your key when you avoid danger, or stop a battle by means other than violence.
Key of Faith: Hit your key when you defend your faith or convert another to your faith.
Key of Fraternity: Hit your key when you are influenced by your friend, or show how deep your bond is.
Key of Glittering Gold: Hit your key whenever you increase your wealth.
Key of the Guardian: Hit your key when you are influenced by your ward, or show how deep your bond is.
Key of the Impostor: Hit your key when you actively fool someone with your imposture.
Key of the Masochist: Hit your key whenever you are injured, physically or emotionally.
Key of the Mission: Hit your key when you take action to complete your mission.
Key of the Outcast: Hit your key when the fact that you are an outcast is highlighted in the scene in some manner.
Key of Renown: Hit your key whenever you add to your reputation, by words or by deeds.
Key of Power: Hit your key whenever you gain power or status, either by improving your own situation or weakening a rival's.
Key of Vengeance. Hit your key when you strike a blow against those who wronged you.
Key of the Vow: Hit your key when your vow significantly impacts your decisions.
Key of the Paragon: Hit your key when you demonstrate your superiority or when your noble traits overcome a problem.
Key of the Commander: Hit your key when your orders are obeyed.
Key of Hidden Longing: Hit your key when you make a decision based on your secret affection or when you somehow show it indirectly.
Key of Greed: Hit your key when you steal something cool or score a big payoff.
Key of the Daredevil: Hit your key when you do something cool that is risky or reckless (especially piloting stunts).
Key of Banter: Hit your key when your character says something that makes the other players laugh or when you explain something using highly technical jargon.
Key of the Traveler
Hit your key when you share an interesting detail about a person, place, or thing or when you go somewhere exciting and new.
Key of the Broker: Hit your key when you bargain, make a new contact, or exchange a favour.
Key of the Tinkerer: Hit your key when you repair, design, or modify technology.
Key of the Pirate: Hit your key when you impress someone with your piratical capers or add to your notorious reputation.
Key of the Chaotic Barbarian: Eschew a convention of the civilized world.
Key of the Neutral Barbarian: Teach someone the ways of your people.
Key of the Good Bard: Perform your art to aid someone else.
Key of the Neutral Bard: Avoid a conflict or defuse a tense situation.
Key of the Chaotic Bard: Spur others to significant and unplanned decisive action.
Key of the Good Cleric: Heal another.
Key of the Lawful Cleric: Follow the precepts of your church or god.
Key of the Evil Cleric: Harm another to prove the superiority of your church or god.
Key of the Chaotic Druid: Destroy a symbol of civilization.
Key of the Good Druid: Help something or someone grow.
Key of the Neutral Druid: Eliminate an unnatural menace.
Key of the Good Fighter: Defend those weaker than you.
Key of the Neutral Fighter: Defeat an opponent.
Key of the Evil Fighter: Kill a defenseless, beaten, or surrendered person.
Key of the Lawful Paladin: Deny mercy to a criminal or unbeliever.
Key of the Good Paladin: Protect someone weaker than you.
Key of the Chaotic Ranger: Free someone from literal or figurative bonds.
Key of the Good Ranger: Combat an unnatural threat.
Key of the Neutral Ranger: Help an animal or spirit of the wild.
Key of the Chaotic Thief: Leap into danger without a plan.
Key of the Neutral Thief: Avoid detection or infiltrate a location.
Key of the Evil Thief: Shift danger or blame from yourself to someone else.
Key of the Good Wizard: Use magic to directly aid another.
Key of the Neutral Wizard: Discover something about a magical mystery.
Key of the Evil Wizard: Use magic to cause terror and fear.
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
Embrace melodrama.
Address yourself to the characters, not the players.
Make monsters seem human, and vice versa.
Make labels matter.
Give everyone a messy life.
Find the catch.
Ask provocative questions and build on the answers.
Be a fan of the main characters.
Treat side characters like stolen cars.
Give side characters simple, divisive motivations.
Sometimes, disclaim decision making.
Display the city, from skyscrapers to slums.
Address yourself to the characters, not the players.
Push the characters together, even across boundaries.
Put the characters at the center of conflicts, political and personal.
Cloak your moves in darkness.
Name everyone, give them all drives.
Treat everyone according to their station.
Ask loads of questions and build on the answers.
Be a fan of the players' characters.
Give the players the chance to weigh in (time to think).
Dirty the hands of all involved.
Give everything a price, even friendship.
Barf forth apocalyptica.
Address yourself to the characters, not the players.
Make your move, but misdirect.
Make your move, but never speak its name.
Look through crosshairs.
Name everyone, make everyone human.
Ask provocative questions and build on the answers.
Respond with fuckery and intermittent rewards.
Be a fan of the players' characters.
Think offscreen too.
Sometimes, disclaim decision-making.
Describe like a comic book
Address yourself to the heroes, not the players
Make your move, but misdirect
Make threats real
Give up to fight another day
Treat human life as meaningful
Make supers seem outlandish, creative, and cool
Give villains drives to feature their humanity
Make adults seem childish and short-sighted
Support people, but only conditionally
Ask provocative questions and build on the answers
Be a fan of the PCs
Treat your NPCs like hammers: square peg, round hole
Remind them of the generations that came before
Think in the gutters between panels
Sometimes, disclaim decision-making
The entirety of this document except for the Appendices is released under WTFPL, the Do What The Fuck You Want To Public License.
The appendices are too close to copyright infringement for me to be comfortable letting other people copy them.
DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO PUBLIC LICENSE
Version 2, December 2004
Copyright (C) 2004 Sam Hocevar <sam@hocevar.net>
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim or modified copies of this license document, and changing it is allowed as long as the name is changed.
DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO PUBLIC LICENSE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION AND MODIFICATION
0. You just DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO.