Powered By The Apocalypse-A Few Questions For A Newb

[JNAProductions]

Where do I find the basic PbtA rules?

How does it work?

Any general advice for someone who's never played it?

Anything else?

[Koo Rehtorb]

PbtA isn't a game. It's a family of games built off the framework Apocalypse World invented. Generally speaking, you roll 2d6+mod. 10+ is a success, 7-9 is a partial success. 6- is a failure and the GM gets to do a bad thing. The GM never rolls dice for anything.

You should decide what sort of game you want because there's a lot of different options.

[JNAProductions]

PbtA isn't a game. It's a family of games built off the framework Apocalypse World invented. Generally speaking, you roll 2d6+mod. 10+ is a success, 7-9 is a partial success. 6- is a failure and the GM gets to do a bad thing. The GM never rolls dice for anything.

You should decide what sort of game you want because there's a lot of different options.

So... I'm guessing that's NOT the entire system. Where can I find this framework?

[Koo Rehtorb]

So... I'm guessing that's NOT the entire system. Where can I find this framework?

To be clear, the question you're asking doesn't make sense. PbtA covers literally dozens of different games each with their own rulesets, that share a few general design principles.

[ImNotTrevor]

So... I'm guessing that's NOT the entire system. Where can I find this framework?

Ok. You know how there's no official D20 System? Like, there's several games that claim to utilize it but you can't just go out and buy the D20 System Book to build on?

Literally the same thing here.

Basically, you would need to play Apocalypse World, and several other systems in the PbtA family of systems, and then distill the most essential pieces from there.

There's no PbtA framework book to buy, same as there is no official D20 System book to buy.

[Yora]

The original game is Apocalypse World. All the other games are heavily customized versions of that system.

However, the AW rulebook is written in a way that doesn't make it particularly accessible, both in the way it is organized and the terminology it uses, and also the very peculiar setting it paints, which is very over the top and deliberately provocative. Both these factors don't make it necessarily the best way to get an impression of what PbtA games can have to offer.

The best approach is probably to decide what kind of game you're most interested in and finding the variant that is the best fit for that. Though for the fantasy campaign I am preparing now I am still going with a reskin of Apocalpyse World instead of using Dungeon World, as there's actually quite some differences between the rules.

[YohaiHorosha]

General Advice:

1) lead with the story. You don't generally, as a player or GM, start off by thinking "I'm going to make a move."

2) the game supports narration, and the style of play is influenced by it. Very different style than playing DnD, Savage Worlds, or that style of game

3) the system is based off of skins (as player characters). Each skin is customizable, but generally fits a role in the narration. Skins aren't generally replicated in a party. Not in "the party won't be balanced" kind of way, but in a "the narration doesn't support it" kind of way.

4) experience - you generally mark experience through failure, not by winning. Counter examples: dnd when you defeat a monster, fate when you hit a milestone, savage worlds when you complete a session. Pbta: you fail to make a roll 7+. Character improvement is also based on gaining more moves or adding upon a stat.

5) moves - each setting has moves you can do, based off your stats. As mentioned 2-6 is failure, 7-9 is success with a cost, 10+ is a great success. 2d6 dice mechanic.

Since there are so many pbta settings, the general consensus is that Monster of the Week (MotW) is a great entry into the system. It's does the trope exactly as you would imagine it, is very fun in the process, well written, and is a great intro to the mechanics.

If you're looking for specific genres/settings, I'd recommend starting another thread. It would be too much to parse in this thread.

[YohaiHorosha]

Also, the GM generally doesn't make moves, and thus rarely rolls the dice, which makes for a different storytelling experience.

[ImNotTrevor]

Also, the GM generally doesn't make moves, and thus rarely rolls the dice, which makes for a different storytelling experience.

No no, the GM makes moves ALL THE TIME.

They just function differently from the ones the players do. But you are right in that they do not roll.

[YohaiHorosha]

No no, the GM makes moves ALL THE TIME.

They just function differently from the ones the players do. But you are right in that they do not roll.

Very very fair distinction. And correct.

[CharonsHelper]

However, the AW rulebook is written in a way that doesn't make it particularly accessible, both in the way it is organized and the terminology it uses, and also the very peculiar setting it paints, which is very over the top and deliberately provocative. Both these factors don't make it necessarily the best way to get an impression of what PbtA games can have to offer.

This. I tried to read through the AW book, but I gave up. It feels like it's written by a grumpier version of the kid from Catcher in the Rye (which I consider to be extremely overrated myself).

Though - many of the mechanics are interesting, and it comes at things from a different angle from most. I especially liked the intimidation rules (it helped to inspire my own).

[Yora]

Took me about five times of reading it front to back until I really understood how the game works. Which is sad, because it's a fantastic system.

[kyoryu]

The core of the system really boils down to this:

GM: "This is the untenable situation you're in. What do you do?"
Player: "I do a thing."

---- if the thing is not a move:

GM: "Okay, this is the new untenable situation you're in."

---- if the thing is a move:

Player: <roll 2d6, add stat>
10+: The player gets all or most of what they want, with few if any complications
7-9: The player gets some of what they want, or get complications
6-: The player gets screwed

GM: "Okay, this is the new untenable situation you're in."

=============================================

By "untenable" I mostly mean that there's something that requires action. You're not "at peace". Maybe that "something" is a looming threat that will get bad sooner than later. Maybe it's someone pointing a gun at you. But the GM should constantly be reminding you of what it is that's not "okay". That's basically what the GM moves are - not-okay things to lob at players.

[DonEsteban]

Here is a list of PbtA games.
Here is Apocalypse World, the one that started it all.
Here is the Dungeon World SRD. It contains almost everything you need to know to play Dungeon World, a PbtA game that should appear familiar to you. I still recommend buying the book, it's a great read. Also, here is the Dungeon World Guide, a very good text about playing DW from a GM's perspective. I suggest you start from bottom to top. It will improve your gaming, whether you continue to play PbtA games or not.