Classes

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The Bard

The teller-of-tales who lives the story instead of retelling it — smooth tongue, quick
wit, hidden dagger, writing the tale of their own heroism.

• HP: 6+Con. Damage: d6. Load: 9+Str.
• Race moves: Elf — ask the GM one fact from the history of any important location
  (your call). Human — when first entering a civilized settlement, someone honoring
  minstrel hospitality takes you in as their guest.
• Starting moves:
  • Arcane Art — weave a performance into a basic spell: heal 1d8, +1d4 forward
    damage, shake an enchantment clear, or boost the next aid to +2. Roll+Cha; 7–9 draws
    unwanted attention or reverberates to other targets.
  • Bardic Lore — pick an expertise (spells, undead, histories, bestiary, planar
    spheres, heroes, gods); on first encountering an important subject within it, ask the
    GM one question, answered truthfully.
  • Charming and Open — speaking frankly, exchange one truthful question from the
    list with another player (whom do you serve? what do you desire? …).
  • A Port in the Storm — returning to a settlement you've visited, say when you
    were last there; the GM tells you how it's changed.
• Alignments: Good — perform your art to aid someone else. Neutral — avoid or defuse
  a conflict. Chaotic — spur others to significant, unplanned decisive action.
• Distinctive advanced moves: healing/bonus-damage upgrades to Arcane Art (+1d8/+2d8,
  +1d4/+2d4), It Goes To Eleven (crazed performance makes a target flail and damage
  a random creature nearby), Metal Hurlant (shattering note: 1d10 damage + deafen),
  Eldritch Chord (two effects, one doubled), Reputation and Unforgettable
  Face, Devious ("How are you vulnerable to me?"), duelist armor-forward parries,
  multiclass options.

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The Cleric

The godless world's answer — proselytizing with sword, mace, and spell. God lives at the
edge of a blade.

• HP: 8+Con. Damage: d6. Load: 10+Str.
• Race moves: Dwarf — Commune grants a stone-only Words of the Unspeaking rote.
  Human — choose one wizard spell; cast it as a cleric spell.
• Starting moves:
  • Deity — name your god and domain (healing, conquest, civilization, hidden
    knowledge, the downtrodden, what lies beneath), plus a precept that adds a Petition.
  • Divine Guidance — petitioning per your precept grants useful knowledge or a boon
    tied to your domain.
  • Turn Undead — roll+Wis with holy symbol aloft: 7+ keeps undead at bay while you
    pray; 10+ dazes intelligent undead and routs mindless ones. Aggression breaks it.
  • Commune — an hour of quiet: lose granted spells, gain new ones (total levels ≤
    level+1), prepare all rotes.
  • Cast a Spell — roll+Wis. 10+ casts without revocation. 7–9: cast, but choose —
    unwelcome attention, -1 ongoing until next Commune, or the spell is revoked until
    you Commune again.
• Alignments: Good — endanger yourself to heal another. Lawful — endanger yourself
  following your church's precepts. Evil — harm another to prove your church's
  superiority.
• Distinctive advanced moves: Chosen One/Anointed (spells granted a level lower),
  Divine Intervention hold to negate damage, Penitent/Martyr (embrace pain for casting
  bonuses), Empower (double effects/targets), Divine Protection (armor without armor),
  Apotheosis (permanent divine physical feature), Devoted Healer.
• Spells: rotes (Light, Sanctify, Guidance) always available; signature spells include
  Bless, Cure Light/Moderate/Critical Wounds, Speak With Dead, Animate Dead (zombie with
  1 HP and chosen traits), Sanctuary, Hold Person, Resurrection (GM sets conditions),
  True Seeing, Word of Recall, Heal (up to your max HP), Harm (2d8 to them, 1d6 to you),
  Storm of Vengeance, Repair, Divine Presence, Plague — up through 9th level.

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The Druid

Born of soil and spirit, wearing the earth's marks, walking the old ways among city
folk whose gods are children and whose steel is false protection.

• HP: 6+Con. Damage: d6. Load: 6+Str.
• Race moves: Elf — the Great Forest is always considered your land. Human — may
  always take the shape of any domesticated animal. Halfling — healing songs of spring:
  +1d6 healing when you make camp.
• Starting moves:
  • Born of the Soil — attuned to a Land (forest, plains, desert, mire, delta,
    depths, islands, sea, mountains, frozen north, wasteland); shapeshift into any
    animal of that land. Choose a tell — a physical mark of the spirits that stays
    in every form.
  • By Nature Sustained — never eat or drink; ignore ration costs.
  • Spirit Tongue — understand the animals of your land.
  • Shapeshifter — roll+Wis to change shape: hold 3/2/1. Perfect copy of the
    species, with its abilities and weaknesses; normal stats, but some moves are harder.
    Spend 1 hold to trigger the form's animal moves (call the pack, escape to the air);
    out of hold = back to natural form.
  • Studied Essence — contemplate an animal spirit to add its species to your shapes.
• Alignments: Chaotic — destroy a symbol of civilization. Good — help something or
  someone grow. Neutral — eliminate an unnatural menace.
• Distinctive advanced moves: Red of Tooth and Claw (d8/d10 damage in dangerous
  forms), Barkskin (+1 armor on the ground), Eyes of the Tiger (see through a marked
  animal's eyes), Shed (revert to negate damage), Thing-Talker/World-Talker (shapeshift
  into plants, rocks, then pure elements), Elemental Mastery, Balance (damage taken
  becomes healing held), Doppleganger's Dance (copy specific individuals), Chimera
  (merged three-shape form), Weather Weaver (you decide the day's weather).

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The Fighter

A beast of iron — you are steel while your friends merely carry it. The wall that lets
every danger smash itself to nothing. The last one standing.

• HP: 10+Con. Damage: d10. Load: 12+Str. The toughest, hardest-hitting class.
• Race moves: Dwarf — parley with Con after sharing a drink. Elf — one weapon type
  always counts as precise. Halfling — +1 to defy danger using your small size. Human —
  once per battle, reroll any single damage roll.
• Starting moves:
  • Bend Bars, Lift Gates — roll+Str to destroy an inanimate obstacle; choose 3 (or
    2) of: quick, nothing valuable damaged, quiet, easily repairable.
  • Armored — ignore the clumsy tag on armor. Precise weapons let you hack and slash
    with Dex instead of Str.
  • Signature Weapon — your weapon, your life. Base (sword/axe/hammer/spear/flail/
    fists), a range (hand/close/reach), two enhancements (+1 damage, +2 piercing,
    precise, messy+forceful, extra range, glows near a creature type, …), and a look.
• Alignments: Good — defend those weaker than you. Neutral — defeat a worthy
  opponent. Evil — kill a defenseless or surrendered enemy.
• Distinctive advanced moves: Merciless/Bloodthirsty (+1d4/+1d8 damage on every
  damage roll), Armor Mastery (negate damage by grinding down your armor's value),
  Heirloom (consult the spirits in your weapon), Interrogator (parley with Str via
  threats), Scent of Blood (escalating bonus damage against the same foe), Blacksmith
  (graft a magic weapon's powers onto your signature weapon, destroying it), Evil Eye
  (freeze an NPC with eye contact), Through Death's Eyes (name who lives and who dies),
  Superior Warrior (12+ hack and slash impresses or frightens).

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The Paladin

Eyes, hands, and sweet killing blow of the gods. Righteousness, justice, and a purity of
intent your companions lack — salvation for a wastrel world.

• HP: 10+Con. Damage: d10. Load: 12+Str. Human only.
• Race move: praying even for a moment and asking "What here is evil?" gets an
  honest answer from the GM.
• Starting moves:
  • Lay on Hands — touch, skin to skin, and pray: roll+Cha; 10+ heals 1d8 or removes
    a disease; 7–9 heals but transfers the damage or disease to you.
  • Armored — ignore the clumsy tag on armor.
  • I Am the Law — order an NPC by divine authority, roll+Cha: on 7+ they do what
    you say, back away and flee, or attack you; 10+ also gives +1 forward against them.
  • Quest — dedicate yourself through prayer and ritual to a mission (slay / defend
    / discover); choose up to two boons (unwavering direction, invulnerability to
    something, mark of divine authority, lie-piercing senses, universal voice, freedom
    from hunger/thirst/sleep) — and the GM assigns vows you must keep to maintain
    the blessing (honor, temperance, piety, valor, truth, hospitality).
• Alignments: Lawful — deny mercy to a criminal or unbeliever. Good — endanger
  yourself to protect someone weaker.
• Distinctive advanced moves: Divine Favor (gain cleric Commune and Cast a Spell,
  leveling as a cleric), Smite (+1d4/+1d8 damage on a quest), Exterminatus (declare an
  enemy: +2d4 against them, -4 against everyone else, until redeemed), Bloody Aegis
  (take a debility instead of damage), Charge! (led allies take +1 forward), Staunch
  Defender (+1 hold even on a miss), Hospitaller (heal +1d8/+2d8 more), Perfect Knight
  (three quest boons).

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The Ranger

Guide, hunter, creature of the wilds — the one who knows the secrets of the
spaces-between. Without you, they'd be lost.

• HP: 8+Con. Damage: d8. Load: 11+Str.
• Race moves: Elf — on a perilous journey through wilderness, your job succeeds as
  if you rolled a 10+. Human — making camp in a dungeon or city costs no ration.
• Starting moves:
  • Hunt and Track — follow a trail, roll+Wis: 7+ follows it to a significant change
    in direction or travel; 10+ also learns a useful fact about the quarry or what ended
    the trail.
  • Called Shot — attacking a defenseless or surprised enemy at range: deal your
    damage, or name the target and roll+Dex — head (stun), arms (drop what
    they're holding), legs (hobble); 10+ adds your damage.
  • Animal Companion — a loyal animal that always acts as you wish. Build it:
    species (wolf, cougar, bear, eagle, …), a stat base (Ferocity/Cunning/Armor/
    Instinct), strengths equal to Ferocity, trainings equal to Cunning, and
    weaknesses equal to Instinct.
  • Command — working with your companion on its training: add its Ferocity to your
    damage when attacking the same target, its Cunning to tracking/discern/parley rolls,
    its Armor to yours when you take damage, its Instinct to others' interference.
• Alignments: Chaotic — free someone from literal or figurative bonds. Good —
  endanger yourself to combat an unnatural threat. Neutral — help an animal or spirit
  of the wild.
• Distinctive advanced moves: Wild Empathy/Wild Speech (speak with animals, then
  any non-magical creature), Half-Elven (first advancement only — gain the other race's
  move), Viper's Strike (+1d4/+1d8 off-hand damage), Camouflage (unspottable while
  still), Man's Best Friend (companion takes your blow; ferocity drops to 0), Blot Out
  the Sun (spend ammo for extra targets), God Amidst the Wastes (gain cleric spellcasting),
  Strider (two journey roles, use the better roll for both), Unnatural Ally (your
  companion becomes a monster), Heist-style planning via Observant.

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The Thief

The one who knows Dungeon World's true secret: filthy, filthy lucre. Without them the
party would have been dissected by flying guillotines and dead on ancient needle traps
long ago.

• HP: 6+Con. Damage: d8. Load: 9+Str.
• Race moves: Halfling — +2 damage with ranged weapons. Human — +1 to spout lore or
  discern realities about criminal activities.
• Starting moves:
  • Trap Expert — survey a dangerous area, roll+Dex: hold 3 (or 1) to ask — is there
    a trap, what activates it, what does it do, what else is hidden here?
  • Tricks of the Trade — pick locks, pockets, disable traps: roll+Dex; 7–9 works
    but comes with suspicion, danger, or cost.
  • Backstab — attacking a surprised or defenseless enemy in melee: deal your
    damage, or roll+Dex and choose two (one on 7–9): stay out of melee, deal
    damage+1d6, create an advantage (+1 forward), or cut their armor by 1.
  • Flexible Morals — tell alignment detectors any alignment you like.
  • Poisoner — master one poison (Oil of Tagit sleep, Bloodweed damage drain,
    Goldenroot false ally, Serpent's Tears attackers roll twice take better); brew three
    uses free given time and a safe place.
• Alignments: Chaotic — leap into danger without a plan. Neutral — avoid detection
  or infiltrate. Evil — shift danger or blame onto someone else.
• Distinctive advanced moves: Cheap Shot/Dirty Fighter (bigger backstab dice),
  Shoot First (never surprised), Poison Master/Envenom/Brewer/Alchemist (poison mastery
  curve), Underdog (+1 armor when outnumbered), Connections (the criminal underbelly
  provides, roll+Cha), Escape Route (name your way out), Disguise, Heist (plan a theft:
  who notices, what defends it, who comes after it, who else wants it), Evasion (12+
  defy danger transcends the danger), Strong Arm True Aim (throw any melee weapon).

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The Wizard

Seeker of power — the power to boil a man's blood in his veins, call the thunder, and
shrug off the rules the world holds so dear.

• HP: 4+Con. Damage: d4. Load: 7+Str. The frailest class in the game.
• Race moves: Elf — Detect Magic is a cantrip for you. Human — cast one cleric spell
  as a wizard spell.
• Starting moves:
  • Spellbook — three first-level spells plus cantrips inscribed; add a new spell of
    your level or lower every level.
  • Prepare Spells — an hour of quiet contemplation: lose prepared spells, prepare
    new ones from the book (total levels ≤ level+1), cantrips always free.
  • Cast a Spell (Int) — 10+ cast, spell kept for later. 7–9: cast, but choose —
    unwelcome attention, -1 ongoing to cast until next Prepare, or the spell is
    forgotten until prepared again.
  • Spell Defense — end an ongoing spell to subtract its level from incoming damage.
  • Ritual — draw on a place of power: any effect is possible, but the GM imposes
    one to four conditions (takes days/weeks/months, requires help or money, lesser and
    unreliable, endangers you, must disenchant something first).
• Alignments: Good — use magic to directly aid another. Neutral — discover something
  about a magical mystery. Evil — use magic to cause terror and fear.
• Distinctive advanced moves: Prodigy/Master (prepare spells a level lower),
  Empowered/Greater Empowered Magic (maximize effects or double targets), Arcane
  Ward/Arcane Armor (+2/+4 armor while holding a prepared spell), Counterspell and
  Protective Counter (stake a prepared spell to counter arcane magic), Enchanter
  (learn what magic items do), Ritual mastery via Self-Powered (create your own place
  of power), Ethereal Tether, Spell Augmentation, Mystical Puppet Strings.
• Spells: cantrips (Light, Unseen Servant, Prestidigitation) always prepared;
  signature spells include Magic Missile (2d4), Charm Person, Invisibility, Alarm,
  Fireball (2d6 ignoring armor), Sleep, Mirror Image, Dispel Magic, Polymorph, Summon
  Monster (1 HP + chosen traits), Cage, Dominate, Contingency (hold a spell on a
  trigger), Shadow Walk, Cloudkill, and 9th-level workings like Shelter, Soul Gem, and
  Perfect Summons.