104. PC vs PC

I spoke in passing in my last post about the way the MC agenda items and principles align the interests of the MC with those of the other players. As far as aligning the interests between other players goes, the game isn’t overly concerned about it because for the most part it anticipates the characters are working together, even if uncomfortably at times. Obviously, PvP came up often enough after the first edition of Apocalypse World was released that the Bakers had to put some official rules in place for the second edition. But you can tell by the writing, that PvP is not something the game delights in or encourages. PvP is something the rules deal with.

Here are the PvP rules in the second edition:

First of all, emphasize that we have rules for this and we’re going to follow them. When it turns to PC vs PC, everybody wants to start shouting all at once and race to be the first to roll their dice, and that’s no good.

Then go around the table to find out what everybody’s going to do, but have them hold onto their dice. Don’t let them roll yet. Everybody gets a turn to say what they’re doing, and they can change their mind if they need to, and nothing happens until everyone’s had their say. Include your NPCs. (This is based closely on the “free and clear” phase in Ron Edwards’ game Sorcerer.)

Once you know what everyone’s going to do, have them roll dice in the order that makes sense to you, taking turns or rolling simultaneously as you think best, always following the logic of the moves themselves.

Sometimes a character’s action won’t count as a move. That’s okay. Don’t have the player roll, just acknowledge what they do and say what comes of it or how it affects everyone else’s actions.

Sometimes a character’s action counts as more than one move. That’s okay. Have the player roll them all, in the order that makes sense to you.

After everyone’s done what they’re going to do, and you’ve resolved everyone’s actions and overseen everyone’s moves, sum up how the situation has changed. If it’s resolved, move on. If it hasn’t, go around again, having everyone say what they’re going to do and hold onto their dice until you’re ready to have them roll (132-133)

The thing that sticks out to me most about this passage is its tone. There is nothing in this passage that wants to sell you on how cool PvP can be in Apocalypse World. The rules are functional and reasonable, and that is precisely how they are presented. In fact, in this passage, the Bakers sound like parents who are fully prepared to turn this car around if we in the backseat don’t stop misbehaving: “we have rules for this and we’re going to follow them.” Yes, Sirs!

Each sentence that follows is a direct, no-nonsense statement that tells us exactly what we need to know and no more. The “that’s okay”s in the third and fourth paragraphs don’t communicate the usual calming, “you got this” tone. There’s nothing playful or encouraging, just orderly and instructive. It’s like talking to the IT woman who has had a long day and is ready for you to just follow her instructions and stop fucking up your computer.

There is no encouragement about snowballing here, no enticement of the sweet things that can happen if the main characters go at each other’s throats. Instead, we get, “If it’s resolved, move on.” And that pretty well captures the spirit of this passage: PvP is something to resolve and move on.

If you own or have access to Urban Shadows, compare this passage to the one there, on pages 207-208. Hell, compare it to just about any other passage in Apocalypse World and you’ll see how dry this is, leeched of humor, poetry, and general excitement. This steak doesn’t sizzle. It’s properly cooked and meets the required nutritional and health requirements as mandated by local ordinances, but that’s about it.