End of Session Move

Summary

The end of session move is a Dungeon World mechanic used to award experience points at the conclusion of each session. The GM poses a series of standard questions to the party, and each affirmative answer grants experience points to all characters. Players earn experience from various sources including failing rolls, fulfilling alignment requirements, and these end-of-session questions. The mechanic requires seven plus current level in experience points to level up, meaning level 3 characters need 10 XP total to advance.

Details

The end of session move follows a fixed structure. The GM asks the party three questions:

1. "Did we learn something new and interesting about the world?"
2. "Did we overcome a notable monster or enemy?"
3. "Did we loot an interesting or memorable treasure?"

For each question the group answers "yes," every character in the party receives one experience point. This creates a shared pool of experience based on collective achievements rather than individual actions.

After resolving the group questions, each player checks their character's alignment. If a character fulfilled their alignment's requirements during the session, that character earns an additional experience point. This portion of the move is individual rather than collective.

The mechanic requires collaborative discussion, with players debating whether their experiences meet the criteria. The determination of what counts as "new and interesting" or "memorable" is subject to group discussion and debate. Common cultural items or standard equipment typically do not qualify as memorable treasure.

The move serves multiple purposes: it provides a structured moment for reflection on the session's events, ensures consistent experience progression, and encourages behavior aligned with character motivations through the alignment check.

History

Session 5

Shawn initiated the end of session move after the party's encounter with the Gordian. The GM began by asking about alignment, then proceeded to the three standard questions.

For the first question—whether the party learned something new and interesting about the world—the group identified Gordians and Money Pumpkins as their discoveries. The second question, concerning overcoming a notable monster or enemy, was answered affirmatively due to the Gordian fight. For the third question about looting memorable treasure, the party cited the pumpkin seeds they had acquired.

All three questions received positive answers, granting three experience points to each party member. The GM then asked if anyone had accumulated enough experience to level up, and checked individual alignment fulfillment to determine if any characters earned the additional experience point from that source.

Session 7

During the end of session review, the party worked through the standard questions. The party debated whether they learned anything new and important about the world. They discussed the general vibe of New Smoke, mushroom drinks, and Game Boys being confiscated by guards, but the players remained uncertain whether this information qualified as sufficiently important.

When considering memorable treasure, the group examined whether a monkey-sized negotiating hood counted. They concluded it did not, reasoning that "these hoods are a very common cultural item. Like, it seems like everybody that does business business has one." The commonplace nature of the item disqualified it from being memorable treasure.