One Move Games

Make a Bold Move

A one-move romance game, for two players… (at least?)

By Emma.

Propose something audacious you’ll have us do, and roll 2d6 + risk (you chose how much risk to take, between +0 and +3).

On 10+, I’m charmed and accept without thinking it through. For each risk you took, tell me how you lied to me. I’ll find out later.

Between 7 and 9, I can’t help but consider, giving you time to seduce me with 3 perspectives. For each risk you took, I can clearly see how one might turn out poorly. The other are enticing.

On 6−, I’m put off by your attitude and leave immediately. You’ll have to ask again later if you insist. For each risk you took, I name something you’ll first have to mend to even consider using this move with me again.

Throw Yourself At It

A one-player one-move game of fighting a desperate fight.

By Tiamat.

When you throw yourself at it, roll as many dices as you dare, once.

For each 6, say how you put a dent into it, how you chip it, how you bruise it, or how you briefly stagger it.

For each 2 to 5, say how you lose blood, stumble back, shudder under impact, or briefly put a knee to the ground.

For each 1, say how you feel a bone break but grit your teeth, tumble limp before raising again, lose hope but keep fighting, abandon sanity, or forget your name and the very reason you're fighting.

Approach Combat

A one-move game of rock-paper-scissor and military tactic.

I maneuver to attack you, secretly choosing an approach, and forcing you to secretly choose an approach too.

• I keep my distances. I gain advantage upon you if you rush in, either with a long range attack or by advancing with knowledge of your position. If we both chose to keep our distances, this fight will be a very long game of who flinches first, of who truly has time on their side.
• I rush in hot. I gain advantage upon you if you advance with care, either by cutting you short, outpacing you, or surprising you with unexpected attacks. If we both chose to rush in, this fight will be a brief and uncertain contest of fury and might.
• I advance with care. I gain advantage upon you if you keep your distances, either by shielding your long-range attacks, getting the jump on you, forcing your hand, or luring you into the fray. If we both chose to advance with care, this fight will be a long and uncertain game of guessing and moving.

Extract Inkblood

A not-so-self-contained move to gather a strange resource…

By Emma.

Roll 2D6 ; add +1 for each of the following.

• You have at your disposal an altar and suitable tools.
• Your subject is inert or properly restrained ; you won’t be disturbed and you have as much time as necessary.
• Your subject is alive, or it’s both whole, intact, and was still alive 24h ago.
• You have more than a decade of practice.

In any case, nobody will be able to extract a droplet of inkblood from this subject anymore, unless it survives one week or more.

On a 7 or less, you gather just enough to fill a blackheart, and if the subject was alive, you must choose between killing it, or renouncing the inkblood and inflicting it a severe wound.

Between 8 and 10, you gather enough to fill one blackheart for each consequence you choose.

• If your subject was alive, you kill it.
• You are covered in inkblood.
• Hostile inklings surge from the filled blackhearts.
• Your own heart receives a blackstain.

On 11 or more, you gather more inkblood than you can contain, and suffer all previous consequences.