r/PBtA • u/Entire_Impress7485 • 17d ago

Investigation move in Thirsty Sword Lesbians?

Is there any move or similar action in Thirsty Sword Lesbians that lets you investigate situations, not just people? I haven’t been able to find one in the rule book. If one doesn’t exist, how does a GM avoid the need for that? I’ve found it narratively essential in games like DnD and Monster of the Week.

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u/RollForThings 17d ago

I see two options:

  1. The basic move Defy Disaster is for situations that want a move but that other moves don't cover. Using this would probably be +Heart or +Wits, depending on the situation. Just keep in mind that for this move to apply, the PC needs to be achieving something extraordinary, and there needs to be stakes involving something the PC is willing to sacrifice. It's called defy disaster; it's not a move about simple lore curiosity.

  2. Figure out what the stopping point is, and resolve it based on the nature of the stopping point.

  • Is the player just unsure about what to do next, and is looking for information so they can have confidence to act? If so, just give them more information about the scene so they can act. Provide some ideas or ask about their character if they're really stuck.
  • Is the player asking to make an Investigation check because nothing is happening in the game? If so, it's your time to make a GM move. Get something happening for the players to act on.
  • Is there something mysterious with stakes involved, that the player wants to proactively uncover? Use the GM move 'Offer what they want at a high cost'. "You can nab the schematics from Admiral Thornheart's computer, no move needed, but it will trip the alarms and the place will be swarming with Thornbots in moments. What do you do?"
  • Is a situation based on mysterious circumstances, which the player wants to bring to light? Ask them how exactly they do that. IMO, "Investigation" skill rolls often translate to "let the mechanics skip and/or abstract me actually engaging with the mystery so the GM can tell me the answer". If a player wants to solve a mysterious situation, I think it's boring for them to just know the answer because of a roll. Drill down to what the PCs actually do to solve a mystery, and channel that into the gameplay. Do they interview/interrogate people (Figure Out a Person)? Do they persuade others to reveal secrets (Entice)? Do they defeat someone in a duel to get info (Fight)? Not having a "passively figure it out" move directs the game to what it's about, taking personal, intimate action.
    • As a related aside, the Alien RPG, which heavily features avoiding and hiding from alien danger, doesn't have a Stealth skill. The game explicitly doesn't let you roll Stealth and call it a day for ensuring your safety. Instead, you have to get into what exactly you're doing to avoid the aliens, which reinforces the horror aspects of the game.