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| Dungeon World |
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| Average Rating:4.6 / 5 |
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Fast, fluid, and simple to play, Dungeon World is an interesting take on the dungeon crawl genre. Having almost enough elements of the Most Popular RPG to be called a "retroclone", Dungeon World takes a left turn when it replaces the core engine of the traditional d20 game with Apocalypse World's mechanics. The result is an interesting hybrid that gives you much of the best of both worlds, with only a few of the faults.
Apocalypse World's engine is wonderful for it's quick and simple character creation and advancement, it's extremely solid move-based core mechanic, simple NPC design, easy and friendly structure of game plot, and the shared narrative structure of world creation where the setting starts sparse and gets richer as both the MC (or DM) and players add to it. Dungeon World does a great job of taking these elements, and melding them with the D&D atmosphere that old-fashion gamers will love. The classes that are presented are archetypal, and the use of one-sheet characters is absolutely excellent, being exponentially easier for newcomers to try this game as opposed to an actual Edition of D&D. The game-bogging mechanic of initiative has been axed, instead allowing players and DMs to determine pacing for themselves... which seems confusing but turns out to be very fluid and fun (especially since the game is designed so that the DM will rarely if ever roll). Lastly, the use of tags simplifies both rule management and tactical play, grinding down the usual exact measurements that D&D required during movement and action down to descriptive terms that define range, effects and a whole lot more.
Unfortunately, it does fail at points. While we are all used to the traditional six attributes of D&D, they almost seem forced into the design structure of Dungeon World, and at times don't feel like they fit well. An extreme lack of uses for attributes like Charisma and Wisdom, though in the vain of recent iterations of D&D, are a weakness for the game even if it is homage. Polyhedral damage dice almost seem like a forced mechanic (as Apocalypse World was lauded for only requiring the easily-accessible d6), and the game would have been better served with fixed damage from attacks or the use of d6s rather than using this holdover. Spellcasters still have an excessive amount of power if prepared the right way, and even sometimes have a tendency to run out of spells less often than they did in D&D, making them in many ways more dangerous. More so to the point, the Defy Danger mechanic (an Apocalypse World-styled replacement for saving throws) is terribly explained and organized, leaving many playgroups assuming that these rolls will occur all the time throughout the game.
These failings don't detract much from the experience, and most of them are just as rampant in various iterations of D&D that the sheer number of improvements leave it still a refreshing and great experience.
The game tries to be a complete and full panoply of options for playgroups, but it doesn't always fulfill that role. Some character options alluded to in the book (like compendium classes) are completely absent, leaving you to make them yourself or find some other product with them in it. I don't mind this to an extent, but it still would have been nice to get at least a small set of samples of this concept, rather than just a reference on what they are and how they are made. Hopefully this is just a sign that this book is the start of something, and definitely something good.
All in all, I highly recommend Dungeon World. It injects new life and ideas into a roleplaying genre that is over 40 years old, and does so while still paying deep homage to its roots. Grab yourself a pile of dice, a character sheet, and get into the game!
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This game is almost exactly what I was looking for. And I didn't even know it. It's a ruleset that was designed to play the way I had been hacking other versions of D&D to play for decades. I've said in the past, Castles & Crusades is the best version of D&D ever written. Well, this game is probably the best non-D&D iteration I've seen. Unlike C&C that looks feels and smells like classic AD&D, but with all the pointy bits filed smooth, this game plays just like you remember D&D playing when you were 10 years old, because, well you had no idea what the heck you were doing. Other reviewers have done a great job of explaining just how the rules work, how they're unique and why they're fun. So go read those reviews. Then buy this book. (or, avoid the mistake I made, and buy the hardback first, because at the time of this review, it comes with the PDF for free and I think you're going to want a hardcopy if you're like me).
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I'm split on the stars for this game, so I will solidly middle ground it. The rating will be determined by how much experience you have gaming and how much you like story game vs dice game (or traditional, I guess).
As I read through the game I kept asking myself what this game does that other games don't. The answer is that it doesn't. Everything in here is stuff that any good gamemaster already does with their own system of choice. Sure, it's written a little different and changes the words around, but the advice is, or should be, well known by now.
If I were to rate this from my own perspective I would give the game one star. I found nothing of value in the product.
If I were new to the hobby, unsure of what I was doing, new to gamemastering, etc, I would give the product 5 stars.
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Dungeon World saved gaming for me. As I get older, taking time to prepare games and be a dad don't really mix. DW offers a great way to weave a story with minimal effort. I've now purchased Apocalypse World as well, all thanks to the intro DW provided.
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Remember the fun parts about playing D&D "back in the day", then drop all of the not-so-fun parts like unnecessary charts, rules that make no sense, and DM/GM railroading. Do that, and you pretty much have Dungeon World.
A few notes about playing DW: Other reviews already covered the mechanics (roll 2d6, and either fail, succeed with complications, or succeed outright). It's so simple, so basic, and so powerful. Something I'm not really sure that people are talking about as much is the concept of "to do it, do it" that comes from Apocalypse World.
The language in the Dungeon World rulebook is slightly different, but basically means the same as in AW: "When a player describes their character doing something that triggers a move, that move happens and its rules apply. If the move requires a roll, its description will tell you what dice to roll and how to read their results."
Unlike certain popular "RPGs" which people have been playing for the last decade or so, where a player might stare at his character sheet after counting how many "squares" their mini is from each monster mini or whatever, then eventually declare something like, "Since I'm one square too far away to do what I wanted to, I'm going to use my 'Uber Cleave' on that green guy over there. Rolling... Hit! That guy takes x damage", a DW player is encouraged to describe what their character is ACTUALLY DOING, and the GM and other players should notice when a "Move" is happening, and call for a die roll. A DW player would not need to consult their sheet nearly as often during what should be a fast-moving scene (such as a combat), and would be more likely to say something like "Rolf raises his mighty warhammer and swings it with all of his might at the nearest goblin." The GM should then say something along the lines of "That sounds like 'Hack and Slash'. Roll to see what happens." If the player just skips straight to "I'm going to do 'Hack and Slash', the rules state that the GM should be responding, "Ok, but HOW are you doing that?" rather than just having the player roll dice.
And, yes, I realize that some people or groups can still play D&D with all of its unnecessary maps, minis and rules complexity, and still manage to throw some imagination and good storytelling into the mix, but unfortunately those players/groups are few and far between at this point. I believe that the current rules have a lot to do with this. Along those lines, if you set any random few players together with the DW rules, you're far more likely to see a group of people having a fun time weaving an exciting story together, and less time counting squares on maps or tracking how many times per day they can perform a Feat or whatever.
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This has to be one of the best roleplaying games that I've seen in some time. The rules system itself is extremely light, but has enough to spawn plenty of ideas. There are a lot of innovations, and rethinking of how things are done. Maybe some GMs are already doing this, but for me the GMing advice in particular was an eye opener. The core mechanic of the game is 2d6+stat modifier. A 10+ is a perfect success, a 7+ is a success but something went wrong. a 6- is something went really well for the GM, but here's an exp as a consolation prize. And the only person that rolls for success is the player.
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A modern thinking game that every serious role player should own a copy of; there is simply nothing to dislike in this game.
I'm not a keen fan of any DnD rule set these days but I have fond memories of growing up playing games using those classic classes and powers associated with that rule set.
This game brings all of those iconic classes with it but wraps them up in a great narrative game.
Experienced role players may need to "unlearn" a thing or two, and GMs need to come at this with a different mindset but once your group get it....boy is it good.
As a GM, I've never had so much fun with so little prep!
I hope lots of people buy this product so that the writers will produce more for it - we'll done to everyone involved in Dungeon World
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It's a very good treatment of the dungeon fantasy genre. The Apocalypse World Engine is well-adapted and simplified here, which I believe is appropriate. I would say Dungeon World is a better introduction to AWE than Apocalypse World itself, due to its simplicity and nostalgic familiarity. AWE is much lighter in DW than in Apocalypse World, but I think the omission adds to the game in this particular case.
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As stated in other reviews, DW does a very good job of what it set out to do. I'm not a fan of D&D in spite of getting my gaming start there. But, they really found a some excellent ways to bring the power of the Apocalypse World engine and the rich game of D&D to a place that is arguably better than both.
You start out as heroes!
You level without the crazy power creep of D&D!
So many of nostalgic touches remain from D&D!
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This is pretty much near-perfect for what it sets out to do - a D&D inspired hack of the ApocWorld engine. It is chock-full of examples on how to get a game going and the writing is fluid and fits the style of game. Perhaps because of what it is imitating, I found it a lot easier to digest then ApocWorld, though it is also simpler in scope and less ambitious in what it sets out to do.
The end of the book includes some very useful insight in how the various Moves were arrived at to help players customise the rules for their game world and setting.
At this price, I highly recommend anyone to pick this up if only for a read for ideas to apply to other games.
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Dungeon World Review
Gygaxian Goodness or Mazes and Monsters?
Read the original review here: http://agameofwhits.blogspot.com/2012/12/dungeon-world-revie
w.html
Summary
The newest foray into the fantasy dungeon crawler is Dungeon World, a game which emphasizes narrative flow and player participation for fast action and old-fashioned fun. It is based on Vincent Baker's Apocalypse World, and Dungeon World carries on the design aesthetic and accessibility that its source provided. It has a few bumps and minor issues in the rules, but these are dwarfed by the originality and loyalty to the feel of the original Dungeons and Dragons.
In-depth Read-through
In terms of the overall structure, Dungeon World has a nice artful introduction. The opening text immediately impresses the aesthetics of the game and a notable focus on the unique character each class in Dungeons and Dragons. A simple one-column design and legible fonts provide a clean look, if a little sparing. We can see the influence of the role-playing game as party game style, reminiscent of titles like Fiasco, in the accessibility and brevity of the what is role-playing section. This continues in the basic play section, which outlines the mechanics of what makes Dungeon World work. This is a nicely written section, but is badly in need of the basic moves cheat sheet being moved right to the start, so that we have a depiction of the moves before laying out mechanics that depend on them strongly.
Dungeon World, like Apocalypse World before it, runs on a core mechanic of player-facing, player-guided rolls, with a GM painting the landscape, foes, and supporting characters just ahead of the players, as well as pasting together any gaps in the narrative. Moves are the basic unit in this rule system, a set of bins into which an action is categorized before dice start rolling. This is not unlike many other games, but the mechanic is player-facing, actions in the game are focused on the player characters rather than round-based with a lot of NPC actions.
Further, a player essentially knows what the roll result means, based on the move they took. This shifts a lot of the work off the GM once you have players used to the system. It also gives the players a lot more freedom to shape the narrative.
On this core framework Dungeon World layers on the flavor and combat mechanics needed to evoke the flavor of dungeon-crawling without a huge rules infrastructure to support it. Almost all of these add interesting flavor to the game, like the awesome henchman mechanic which can help with player absence, a fun camping move, or the flavor of classic spell-casting differences between classes. A few fall a little flat and seem to clash with the simple flavor, like Alignment or Encumbrance. I see that the idea with alignment was to emulate the source material, but it feels like the moral restriction clashes with the free choice aesthetic in the game, and allowing Evil PCs is perhaps more problematic as they can earn XP by clashing with other players. Encumbrance, similarly, seems out of place. Why are we tracking every piece of equipment when most of us house-ruled it away in most D&D editions? These could be easily fixed with some house rules, and perhaps this is just my personal taste, but a few rules seem like odd additions. Overall the flavor added by these secondary mechanics are evocative and fun.
On the GM side we have a ton of advice on how to run the game. This is quite helpful if you are not used to running as more of an improvisational GM. The GM section guides you on what to worry about and what to not sweat. There is also a nice list which tells the GM what their moves should be. In practice you might not need this at all, as many GMs do these things naturally, but it can be helpful if you are lost or hit a writer's block in the middle of a scene.
A nice structuring tool called Fronts is also described. A front builds up multiple tracks of unfolding events which come to a dramatic conclusion. Its a good solution for a GM if their players have a tendency to meander when given a lot of plot control. This is further supported with advice on campaign design and some neat rules for populating a campaign world as the players move to a larger and larger scale. Similarly, monster building is given a thorough treatment with an eye toward challenging the party. There is also a beefy section describing all the beasties, followed by the loot you might "liberate" from their corpses.
Finally, we close out with a few forward-thinking sections that really make this product. The first covers how to hack the system to do different things, everything from how to make a special set-piece to an adventure with unique moves to make on it, to creating brand new moves and even classes from scratch. It's neat to see the authors taking time to explain their ideas and design philosophy, and its a cool nod to its progenitor, Apocalypse World.
We also have several appendices to aid play, but I'll focus on adventure conversion. What long-time gamer doesn't have a favorite dungeon delving quest they'd love to scrabble through one more time? It's great to have a very explicit guide on what to use from the Dungeon World book, what to convert wholesale, and what to recast or omit. I think this is a good example of a small amount of extra work giving exactly what the fans want.
Overall, I recommend Dungeon World for a new take on a well-worn genre, good for a quick night of fun or a full-fledged revisiting of a classic dungeon adventure.
Note that this review reflects the full 410 page book, rather than the open license or demo versions.
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Dungeon World is the RPG I've been looking for. I, personally, can't stand metagaming, number crunching, and rules lawyering. I have felt that a lot of RPG groups I've known have fallen into the "mechanics abyss" of their games and end up taking way too long to look up or dispute a rule. Certain games I play suffer this: Pathfinder, Shadowrun, D&D (only sometimes). I love those games. I love the atmosphere and fluff provided by them but I hate numbers. My group hates numbers. Halfway through most character creations they will give up and use a stock character and let's not mention creating a campaign and the all consuming time sink that can be. We just want to play the game. Enter Dungeon World.
Dungeon World can be set up and ready to go in about a half hour with a competent enough GM. You don't have to look through pages and pages of a character creation book, you don't have to bloody your palms climbing over the mountain of spells, there are no build points to count, and there are few numbers. This game gets right to the heart of what RPG's should be about. You know...the ROLE PLAYING! I am so happy with this system that I plan on using it for any game I pick up: Pathfinder, Shadowrun, D&D (only sometimes), because it's incredibly easy to take something from any other ruleset and apply it to Dungeon World or to take Dungeon World and apply it's rule system to any RPG. It might take some jimmy-ing and lateral thinking, but if you're already a role-player, then this should be easy, shouldn't it?
This book has a ton of potential within it. It even explains how to GM in a way that is excellent for beginner GM's. In fact, I think I learned the most on GM-ing through this book. It does have instances of confusing language and some parts I wish were more descriptive or had more detail. The character creation seems a little limited as well but these are easy fixes.
This rulebook alone could allow for some GM-less gameplay as well. Combine this with something like the Hyper Halflings Book of Lists and you have yourself a mini GM-less campaign.
Overall, it's simple and I like simple. Some of the most elegant things are simple things. The best 10 dollars I have ever spent on gaming.
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I had a chance to try out the game with three players, one of whom really has very little gaming experience and the other two with a great deal of experience.
I made the decision not to distribute the list of "moves" to the players and instead just gave them their character sheets, and as we played, asked what they did in given circumstances. Depending on their character and the situation, I figured out which move applied, and simply asked them to make a roll. I then conveyed what happened using the appropriate move and we carried on that way. It was so freeing not to have players agonize over which "move" or "action" to take and instead imagine what was happening and react freely to it. This is the way role-playing games should work.
Interestingly enough, that freedom was a little overwhelming at first for players who are so used to being boxed in to 4e or most other RPGs, but as the game moved on, we managed to have a far more realistic fight scenes with the heroes in a knock down drag 'em out fight that would be painful to simulate in most other game systems.
I really enjoyed this rule set and I think if it seems incomplete that is only true in the most minor of senses. I have added "step down" damage dice for unarmed fighting (unless fists are your weapon as in the case of the fighter) and that's really the only other rule I've needed to add. Otherwise it's really up to your imagination.
For a fantasy role-playing game, Dungeon World is my new go-to game and I'm going to be hacking it to suit other settings as well.
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This is a good product - I do think the presentation is rather shaky, and some of the rules are "game changey" more in a show-off sort of way than in a really useful sense, but overall I think it was a good read for me.
I would recommend this if you are an experienced role player, especially a GM, as I think the book has a lot of good ideas and a thought experiments that might improve your way of GM:ing and playing. If you'll do it with this system or not doesn't really matter, in my opinion.
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This game feels a little like it's unfinished and was rushed to publication, but because the rules are Creative Commons I love this. It leaves a lot of room for people to modify and create their own rules for the system which they can then publish. The writers sound like they know what they are doing and the artwork is professional. I don't think this game would be good for newbies since the rules are pretty vague in parts which will surely trip them up. While reading the monsters all I could imagine were new GM's using the descriptions to wipe out party after party. The loose free flowing form of this game absolutely screams out to be used with the GM less system in Mythic and they would be a perfect marriage. I would recommend this game for experienced role players and for people looking for a system to build their own game/campaign/system off of because it has the best licence yet for something of this caliber.
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