Do Their Thing

Summary

Do Their Thing is a follower move from The Perilous Wilds supplement that allows a character to command their follower to perform a task within the follower's capabilities. The move is resolved by rolling 2D6 and adding the follower's quality stat. In Session 4, this mechanical framework governs [when Cat orders Monster to track by scent](timestamp://86cd404c-d3fc-4850-9eff-ab865b388df9/00:00), using the frozen nilik as a starting point. The roll represents leveraging a follower's special abilities through direct command.

Details

Do Their Thing operates as a structured resolution mechanic for follower actions. When invoking the move, the controlling character directs their follower to use one of their established abilities. The roll is calculated as 2D6 plus the follower's quality rating, which represents their competence and reliability. As one participant notes during Monster's tracking attempt: "So this is 2D6 plus monsters quality, which is 2."

The move follows the standard Dungeon World resolution framework, where higher results indicate greater success. When Cat uses the move [to have Monster track the scent trail](timestamp://86cd404c-d3fc-4850-9eff-ab865b388df9/00:00) from the frozen nilik, the roll produces a 14—a strong success that allows Monster to successfully pick up and follow the trail. This outcome demonstrates how the move translates a follower's narrative capabilities (in this case, Monster's tracking by scent) into mechanical resolution.

The move's design specifically addresses situations where a follower possesses skills or abilities that the controlling character may lack, making it distinct from having the character themselves attempt the same task. It provides a framework for followers to contribute meaningfully to campaign challenges while maintaining the uncertainty inherent in dice-based resolution.

History

Session 4

Do Their Thing appears in Session 4 as the mechanical structure for Monster's tracking attempt. After the group discovers a frozen nilik, Cat commands Monster to use scent tracking to follow the trail. The move is rolled with Monster's quality stat of 2, resulting in a total of 14. This strong success allows Monster to successfully track the scent, demonstrating the practical application of the move when a follower's specialized ability (tracking by scent) is called upon to advance the group's investigation.