Is there an AW class that is a Lawman?
In a recent Fate Accelerated game, I wound up playing the long arm of the law. A Johnny Dollar or Matt Dillon type.
I had legitimate authority, was pretty dangerous, and well known due to prior actions. The best I've thought of in vanilla AW is the Touchstone. A secular Paladin from DW, perhaps. The Professional from MoTW would be close, too.
So, internet. Is there any sort of sheet that pulls in legitimate authority in AW, or is it always based on the biggest guns?
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Hard Holder would probably be your best bet I'd think.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Chopper, if the gang is well disciplined.
ReplyDeleteSean Nittner's Deadwood hack "Dead World" has a sheriff playbook, iirc.
ReplyDeleteI think any of the books could make an interesting sheriff, so the sake of a creative challenge, I'm going to say the angel.
ReplyDeleteI'd agree with Yanni Cooper on the Hardholder: you get authourity, a gang of people (deputies), and you could ask the MC nicely if you could buy a combat-capable move ASAP (depending on the length of the game). Until then, read the person and sitch a whole bunch for combat bonuses.
ReplyDeleteOr, hack a whole bunch of moves together to make your own lawman... ;)
Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteYanni Cooper , Kevin Farnworth and Brendan Quinlivan : I'd thought of both Chopper and Hardhholder. Maybe we have different visions for what a Marshall would look like fictionally. While deputies may be important, just as often the character is operating alone, far from a base of operations. That'd Dodge City, and that's Johnny Dollar (the man with the action packed expense account).
Michael Harrel The Dead World looks like the right overall theme. I like the xp for bringing in the wanted, too.
David Rothfeder You, sir, are complicated. And as much as you're saying any could be a sheriff, you also imply that none are perfect for it.
ReplyDeleteI think part of the point of Apocalypse World is that there is no legitimate authority any more. Society has collapsed. No gods or government can grant authority.
ReplyDeleteThe closest you might get is someone holding onto remnants of the old world (the Chopper could have a gang in police uniforms, and there's the Quarantine), but who says how much weight they still have in this world, except for the authority they take? Choppers and Hardholders don't necessarily need to take their authority by force, they could just be the ones that know how to give their people food and medicine. And there are cult leaders, people who are willing to do what you say because they believe in your vision, in which case Touchstone or Maestro'D are good choices.
Lots of characters can have authority, but I don't believe any of them can have legitimate authority; that went away with 'grass' or the idea that you could drink water.
William Nichols, I would disagree as I feel any could be perfect for it depending on the character your trying to play. A play book does not dictate the role a character plays in the remnants of society, but the ways that person is a badass. Some play books make it seem like they push in one direction (Mastro D, chopper, angel, skinner, hardholder) but it surprisingly does not restrict. For instance, you could play a Mastro D sheriff who is effective because they always have a posse ready to go in thier establishment. Actually, now I want to play that character.
ReplyDeleteAfter giving it much more thought, I have decided that Andy Griffith is totally an angel sheriff.
ReplyDelete... and Johnny Dollar would work as an Operator, actually. He's an independent insurance investigator, going where the dough is. Sometimes with his crew and contacts, and always looking for scratch.
ReplyDeleteOperators also cause so much conflict, all on their own. They're a gift to the MC! (wistful sigh)
ReplyDeleteBrendan Quinlivan They are! The character I've got I envision as a Touchstone -- and the Hope being brought is Law. It just about works.
ReplyDelete