The system is very simple really. The moves written on your character's playbook do what they say on the tin. To a large extent they are the rules, with a thin layer of supportive rules acting like connective tissue, holding the game together.
Take this move from the Moon Witch playbook:
Whither shall they wander?: when you whisper someone's name into the spirit world, roll+wyrd+phase. On a hit, they come to you, with or without any clear explanation why. On a 10+, take +1forward against them. On a miss, the MC will ask you 3 questions; answer them truthfully.
Rolls are always 2D6, modified by a stat (in this case wyrd, the magic stat) and the lunar phase modifier because this is Lunar magic. A hit is a success. With moves you roll for, a 10+ is the best level of success, 7-9 is partial success with a substantial down side and 6- is bad news. On a miss the MC gets to push the character around a bit.
Characters get moves from their playbook, but there are also about a dozen basic moves that all characters can make.
A key idea in the AW system is that the MC (Master of Ceremonies) never rolls dice. Never. Player characters make moves in response to the situation the MC narrates. They are the focus of the action so it how cool they are and how they respond to the situation in the story that we care about.
Moves are always consequential. They always result in something important happening, for good or ill. Making a move in AW is a risk and they always have rewards. The game system is an engine that continuously propels the narrative forward.
Simon Hibbs
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