"Simple rules, living fantasy, dragons without initiative rolls."
Dungeon World is a fantasy tabletop RPG powered by the Apocalypse engine (PbtA), created by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel (2012). Classic D&D trappings — classes, races, dungeons — with narrative mechanics: roll 2d6, partial success, failure as XP. Rules released under Creative Commons. One of the most influential PbtA games, spawning dozens of hacks and derivatives.
Classic fantasy — dungeons, dragons, taverns. Not so much a world as a situation: the GM describes the scene, players decide what to do. The world is born at the table through GM questions and player answers.
PbtA Mechanic (2d6)
Roll 2d6 + modifier: 10+ is a full success, 7–9 is a partial success (success with complication), 6- is a miss (= XP). Simple but deep math.
GM Never Rolls Dice
GM describes consequences through GM moves (Separate them, Deal damage, Show signs of an approaching threat). Players are the only ones who touch the dice.
Bonds Between Characters
Character creation starts with ties to others: '___ has my back when things go wrong.' End of session — resolve a bond and gain XP.
Fronts and Threats
Fronts are threats to the world that develop while players aren't acting. Each front has grim portents and dire outcomes. The world lives beyond the players' sight.
Open in Session Zero to let every player vote and see the results.