The Would-Be Hero

Most people hope for a quiet life. They spend their days a-worrying: about a leaky roof, a sick child, their crops. But you aren't like most people — you're on a different path. A path to adventure! There's greatness in you. Let's hope you live long enough for everyone else to see it.

Damage: d6 · HP (max 16)

Stat-less — there are no stats to assign. When a move says "roll," you push your luck (see 00-core-loop/dice-and-moves.md).

Background (choose 1)

Destined

Fate has laid her hand upon you. Choose 3–4 of the items below to describe your destiny: anointed -- marked at birth -- your coming foretold -- destroy -- discover -- free -- protect -- restore -- unify -- blood -- civilization -- darkness -- earth & stone -- fire -- ice -- light -- life -- storms -- war -- water -- the Fae -- the gods -- the Makers -- the Stone -- the Things Below

After you Keep Company, roll, and you may increment one die in the final roll by 1 for each Omen you hold. On a success with a 6, lose all Omens, and the GM will describe a vision or portent that points toward your fate and/or clarifies your current situation — and you may ask the GM a follow-up question and get a clear, helpful answer. On a success with no six, lose all Omens, and the GM will describe a vision or portent that points toward your fate and/or clarifies your current situation. On a bust, don't mark XP, hold +1 Omen, and tell us of your recent nightmares or a troubling vision, and how your fears play into them.

Until your destiny is fulfilled, treat a bust on Death's Door as a success with no six, and a success with no six as a success with a 6.

Impetuous Youth

Your steading has always been home, but you chafe at the demands of mundane life and have always longed for more. Excitement! Danger!

When you make a move and come up short, you can give it your all and turn a bust into a success with no six, a success with no six into a success with a 6, and a single-six success into a success with 2+ sixes. But if you do, pick 1 (the GM will fill in the details):

• You get hurt (2d4 damage and an actual injury).
• You cause collateral damage, endanger others, or otherwise escalate the situation.
• Something on your person is lost or breaks.

Driven

You once led a simple life, but something happened. Something changed you, burdened you with terrible purpose. What was it? (Choose 1)

• A loved one was killed or abducted.
• Someone gave their life to save you.
• Your idol sacrificed themselves to save many.
• You stumbled upon a dark mystery.
• You must make amends for a terrible mistake.

You always have the option of Burning Brightly: you can spend 2 XP after you roll to increment one die in the final roll by 1, even if you don't have enough XP to level.

Instinct (choose 1)

• Defiance — To refuse to back down, give up, give in.
• Doubt — To question yourself, your actions, your worth.
• Earnestness — To prove yourself, to yourself and others.
• Optimism — To assume the best, and that things are simple.
• Sacrifice — To put the needs/wants of others above your own.

Appearance

Choose 1 on each line, or make something up:

• still a child -- young & beautiful -- all grown up
• confident voice -- earnest voice -- quiet voice
• big -- scrawny -- sinewy -- slender -- thick
• back unbowed -- jaw firmly set -- soulful eyes

Place of Origin & Name

Your steading is your home, or close enough. Pick one region and a name to match (or make up something similar):

• Example names: Anwen, Caradoc, Dafyd, Glenys, Madoc, Morwenna, Siwan, or Wynfor
• Barrier Pass: Bala, Cotota, Ganzorig, Gerelma, Ibahka, Jungshoi, Mukhali, or Taichu
• Steplands (Hillfolk): Annic, Cosette, Denl, Hugenne, Jag, Marc, Oanz, or Sandre
• Closest Trade Connection: Bridin, Clian, Engis, Fearghul, Lan, Neasa, Nill, or Una
• Far, Far Away: Chara, Davud, Korina, Omid, Parvaneh, Tamir, Takish, or Yannis

Moves

You start with Anger Is a Gift, Potential for Greatness, and 2 other moves of your choice.

★ Anger Is a Gift

When you burn with righteous anger (see Fear & Anger section), hold 2 Resolve. You can spend your Resolve 1-for-1 to:

• Set aside fear and doubt to do what must be done.
• Act suddenly, catching them off-guard.
• Inspire allies or bystanders to follow your lead.
• Strike hard (+1d4 damage, forceful).
• Keep your footing, position, and/or your course despite what befalls you.

★ Potential for Greatness

Once per level, when you roll a move and get a success which includes sixes, you may mark the move to one of the following (note the level during which you marked it). You don't have to mark them in order, and repeats are allowed. (Requires the Would-be Hero.)

• ☐ Whenever you trigger the ___ move, you may increment a die in the final roll by 1 (at level ___)
• ☐ Whenever you trigger the ___ move, you may increment a die in the final roll by 1 (at level ___)
• ☐ Whenever you trigger the ___ move, you may increment a die in the final roll by 1 (at level ___)
• ☐ Whenever you trigger the ___ move, you may increment a die in the final roll by 1 (at level ___)
• ☐ Whenever you trigger the ___ move, you may increment a die in the final roll by 1 (at level ___)
• ☐ Whenever you trigger the ___ move, you may increment a die in the final roll by 1 (at level ___)

Speak Truth to Power

When you demand that someone does what is clearly good and right, you have advantage to Persuade. If they refuse, gain +1 Resolve. (Requires Anger Is a Gift.)

Better Part of Valor

When you are outnumbered or facing a foe bigger than you, you have advantage to hide from, escape from, or sneak past them.

I Get Knocked Down

When you take damage despite your best efforts to avoid it, you can choose to halve the damage but pick 1 of the following:

• You lose something (footing, grip, etc.).
• Something on your person breaks.
• You're out of it for a moment.

Whatever you choose, the GM will describe the details.

But I Get Up Again

When you use I Get Knocked Down, you have advantage on your next roll against whatever dealt the damage, and your next blow against them does +1d4 damage. (Requires I Get Knocked Down.)

Improved Trait

Each time you take this move, choose one of your traits and work with the GM to make it more powerful — lean into the fiction. (A trait that says "increment one die" becomes "increment two dice"; narrative traits take real creativity — that's the fun.)

In Over Your Head

When your companion or another follower rescues you from danger, mark XP.

Iron Will

When you are subject to mind control or magic that affects your feelings, you can take 1d4 damage (ignoring armor) to disregard its influence.

Inquiring Minds

When you seek out and receive honest advice, gain advantage on your next roll to follow that advice.

Never Gonna Keep Me Down

When you have 5 or fewer current HP, you impose disadvantage on any damage you take.

When you are at Death's Door, don't roll — you get a success with a 6 (you return to 1 HP). (You must Keep Company before you can reuse this particular effect.)

Resourceful

When you Defy Danger and roll a bust, ask the GM a question from Seek Insight after they describe what happens. Gain advantage on your next roll to act on the answer.

Something to Remember Me By

When you spend Readiness (from Defend) to strike back at an attacker, you deal +1d4 damage and scar, mark, or diminish them in some way (the GM will say how, or ask you to).

Tough Love

When you honestly think your companion is in the wrong and call them on it, they won't like it, but they gain double Loyalty next time you Strengthen your Bond.

Underestimated

When you first make your move against an enemy who underestimates you, you have advantage.

As long as you avoid overt hostility, no enemy will consider you a threat.

Up With People

When you converse with someone (PC or NPC) you can hold 2 Rapport with them. If you do, they hold 1 Rapport with you. During the conversation, either of you can spend 1 Rapport to ask the other player one of the following and get an honest answer:

• What weighs you down or holds you back?
• What drives you forward?
• What lesson would you have me learn?
• What do you think of me, truly?

Versatile

Choose a move from any other playbook, as long as you meet its requirements. You can pick from a different playbook each time. (You can't take Improved Trait or Superior Trait.) (Requires level 2+ and the Would-be Hero.)

A Force to Be Reckoned With*

When you Defy Danger against something trying to harm or constrain you, on a success with 2+ sixes you turn the tables on them (the GM will say how, or ask you to). (Requires level 6+; replaces Underestimated.)

Any intelligent creature who looks you in the eye or hears the steel in your voice instinctively knows that you are a force to be reckoned with, and treats you appropriately.

Big Damn Hero*

When you first leap into danger to protect someone, don't roll to Defend. Instead, treat it as though you rolled a success with a 6. (Requires level 6+; replaces In Over Your Head.)

When you Defend, you can spend 1 Readiness to lock eyes with an attacker; they have disadvantage on damage rolls against you and your ward for the rest of the fight.

Superior Trait

Choose a trait you have already Improved, and work with the GM to boost it even further — a significant, fiction-driven leap that should feel like a real capstone. (Requires level 6+.)

Undaunted*

When you are outnumbered or facing a foe bigger than you, you get +1 armor and deal +1d6 damage. (Requires level 6+; replaces Better Part of Valor.)

Voice of Experience*

When another PC comes to you for advice and you tell them what you think is best, they have advantage on their first roll to follow your advice. (Requires level 6+; replaces Inquiring Minds.)

When you Seek Insight, you can always ask "What is about to happen?" for free, even on a bust.

The first time you use any move marked with an asterisk (*), cross off "Would-be" on the front page.

Special Possessions

(Pick 2)

• ☐ A heap of expectations: of little use.
• ☐ A good dog, follower (retriever or herder, keen-nosed, clever); HP 6; Damage d6 (hand, grabby); Instinct to play; Cost: affection.
• ☐ Husbandry tools: brushes, muzzles, collars, feed, whips, bridles, etc. Gain advantage to Persuade domestic beasts (livestock, dogs, etc.).
• ☐ Smithy (or access to it): iron goods, ingots, thick gloves, tongs, bellows, an anvil, etc.
• ☐ Stoneworker's tools: chisels, drills, prybars, spikes, block & tackles, wheelbarrow, etc.
• ☐ Personal token, fraught with meaning (pick 1):
  • A shield, bearing ___'s crest
  • A wool cloak, woven just for you by ___
  • A letter, spattered with tears & blood
  • A flute, a gift from someone you loved
  • A fine locket, holding a strand of hair
  • A tinderbox, lovingly engraved
• ☐ Tannery (or access to it): lime, acid, salts, thick gloves, a boiled leather cuirass (1 armor), etc.
• ☐ (discuss with GM)

Fear & Anger

What do you fear most? (choose 1, maybe 2)

• Fire, burning, the smell of charred flesh
• That they won't take you seriously
• That you really aren't cut out for this
• The death of your family or loved ones
• Being alone and helpless
• Violence, bloodshed, and pain
• Monsters
• What you're capable of
• What you must do

What makes you burn with righteous anger? (choose 2, maybe 3)

• Bullying, slavery, and oppression
• Wanton cruelty and unnecessary suffering
• Injustice and inequality
• Cowardice, treachery, and selfishness
• The despoiling of beauty and innocence
• Threats to your loved ones
• Violence to children, animals, the innocent
• Perversions of nature

When did your fear or anger last cause you trouble? What did you do? How did it turn out?