Apocalypse World: the other guys part 2

Originally published December 11, 2013

Last time I talked about the idea that the names of the playbooks have some in-game meaning. That while your character might be the Hardholder there might be other people called hardholders.

The question this raised was what would happen if you took the playbooks of Apocalypse World and turned them around? What does an NPC hocus look like?

This time around we will look at the rest of the standard playbooks as well as some of the limited edition playbooks. As always the PCs are the focus of the game and these NPCs should never outshine their opposite number.

So let's look at the necessary traits for each group (i.e. what makes a gunlugger) as well as some possible custom moves for them. To distinguish between PC and NPC versions we will capitalize Playbook types and use lower case for NPCs.

hocuses

These are your cult leaders and religious crazies. They and their cult are probably a Brutes threat (or perhaps they themselves are a Warlord or Grotesque). In any case the label is assigned to people with a cult and the ability to motivate it.

Mechanically there isn't much needed here to differentiate them from the average NPC. But a couple of custom moves come to mind:

Mind of the Mob: when the hocus proselytizes to a mob that your character is part of (such as a gang or group of his or her followers) and you choose not to join it willingly, roll+cool. If you aid the mob in the end, mark experience. On a 10+ act as you would desire, the mob hasn't noticed your dissension yet. On a 7-9 if you act against the mob you are acting under fire. On a miss you are recognized as an unbeliever and the mob turns on you.

Voice of Prophecy: when the hocus makes a prediction, mark experience if your character helps it come to be. Anyone trying to stop it is acting under fire.

operators

operators are the guys with connections, the ones who can get the job done. Like gunluggers and choppers, they are defined more by their stuff, gigs and connections, than moves. Give them some sources of income, a crew, and a reason to stir up trouble and that should define the character.

Here is a custom move based on the idea that the operator knows how to do their job(s):

Master Plan: when working a gig, the operator has things planned in advance. Until that plan comes unraveled they have the edge. When acting against the operator on a gig take -1 forward.

savvyheads

savvyheads, uniquely, are people who make new things in Apocalypse World. Unless the Savvyhead in your game needs a rival, I would avoid making an NPC who treads on that same ground. But with a game without one, an NPC savvyhead could make sense. If the alternative is the hardholder not building his tank, offer him a choice. Just make sure he pays for it.

I think the main difference would be to make convincing the savvyhead another condition to the workspace rules. Plus to point out the low-level of work use these moves:

Shoddy Workmanship: when you get a savvyhead to repair something for you roll+sharp. On a 10+ choose 1. On a 7-9 choose 2. On a miss all three.

• Fixing it costs extra.
• It will break down at the worst time.
• It takes twice as long to get done.

Prototype: when you have a savvyhead make you something new, spend up to 3-barter. Then roll+barter. On a hit the savvyhead can make it. Use the workshop rules to work out the other requirements. On a 10+ that is all there is. On a 7-9, also use Shoddy Workmanship. On a miss, the prototype explodes on the first real use.

skinners

Finally we have the skinners or the people who make life less primitive and dreary. skinners have their place as people others want to control or possess. At the same time they will likely become a threat of their own, manipulating others to do their dirty work.

To help with that you might rework Hypnotic to be a threat move:

Hypnotic: when the skinner has time and solitude with you, roll+cool. On 10+, you hold 2 over them. On a 7–9, they hold 1. On a miss they hold 3. If you have hold over them they can spend your hold, 1 for 1, by:

• giving you something you want
• acting as your eyes and ears
• fighting to protect you
• doing something you tell them to

While you have hold over them they can’t act against you. If they get hold over you, at any time they can spend their hold, 1 for 1:

• you distract yourself with the thought of them. You are acting under fire.
• you inspire yourself with the thought of them. Take +1 right now.

Limited Edition Playbooks

The limited edition playbooks are an interesting case. Even move than the regular playbooks I would avoid including them as NPCs. As befits the "limited" tag, they should be unique in Apocalypse World. Neither solaces nor touchstones should exist as NPCs. Both bring a sense of judgment and purpose which should really coming from the players and not the MC.

Most are based on a simple if strange concept and need nothing more than that. hoarders just need a hoard of things for others to covet. macaluso are a brute or grotesques threat that happens to be a hivemind. maestro d's and space marine mammals are defined by the stuff for the most part.

None of these require much in terms of additional moves. But here are a few where I can see a need or desire for them and the custom moves I would use to aid the fiction.

the faceless

I could see introducing a faceless, just to add that extra bit of horror movie weirdness ot the game. I would build them with the ideas outlined for gunluggers. These are tough folk wear creepy masks.

It does bring to mind a possible custom move:

Not Dead Yet: when you kill a faceless, no matter how messily, they come back. Reintroduce them at a later point in the story and remove this move.

quaratines

This is the limited edition playbook that makes the most sense to include. Assuming that the Quarantine playbook itself is in play. quarantine is the descriptor for Tammy and the other people in suspended animation. They are vulnerable to Ψ-harm which makes them unreliable and dangerous.

In terms of custom moves, Disciplined Engagement and Leave No One Behind can be used as is. Here is another one:

Mysterious Past: when opening your mind to the quarantine roll+weird. On hit ask one of the following questions. On a 10+, no one gets hurt. On a 7-9, your focus exposes either yourself or the quarantine to Ψ-harm. You choose. On a miss don't ask a question but you both still get exposed to Ψ-harm.

• Where they when the world ended?
• Do they know whose fault it was?
• What were the first signs that the world was ending?
• Who did it hit worst?
• Was it sudden or gradual?
• What was the first year like?
• What did they try that failed?
• Who did they lose?
• Who seemed safe, but wasn't?
• What’s the worst thing they saw?