Princess Bride Fight in Dungeon World

Owen Kerr on the PbtA Facebook group is trying to think of what the Princess Bride fight might play out as in Dungeon World.  This is by no means definitive, just my thoughts, but it seems like it might go like this:

The DM tells Wesley, that there is a giant cliff with a rope hanging down and that he'll need to climb it to catch up with Buttercup's kidnappers.  As he tries to climb, someone cuts the rope!  This is a Keeper Move Put Someone in a Spot:  Wesley is in danger of falling... Now, how will he deal with it (as per the description in the move)...he'll jump to the wall.  Defy Danger, Dex.

Assuming he doesn't roll a 6 or lower here, he'll get to that wall.  On a 10+, he's at the wall no problem.  On a 7-9, he gets to the wall, but the forces above are still there to hamper him.  Let's assume he's in the 7-9 range here.  The DM makes a move: Show Signs of an Approaching Threat: Inigo Montoya who could easily drop rocks on Wesley.  How will Wesley deal with it?

Interestingly enough, through Cha.  They banter and Wesley finds out that Inigo Montoya is an honorable and powerful swordsman.  Again, I'm assuming a 7-9 on that roll and I'm Revealing an Unwelcome Truth, which is this: Inigo Montoya is the kind of swordsman that you have to figure out to beat.  Ergo, if you don't figure him out, and he lands a hit, it's death.  Harsh?  Yes.  But it sets up the next scene.  Wesley player now knows he has to figure out Inigo Montoya to be able to beat him in combat.  He can't just Hack and Slash.

He gets to the top of the cliff, and decides during the rest to get a bit of the 'figuring it out' done during the low stakes part of the encounter.  This sounds like Parley.  Wesley can offer interesting conversations about swordsmanship.  Maybe he Spouts Lore to make it all the more witty.  He learns about the six fingered man and Montoya's backstory.  Here's the mechanical dilemma.  Every roll at this point on of 7-9 confirms the awesomeness of Inigo Montoya (he gains an "Awesome Point").  As the DM, you fluff that up good with phrases like, "unless your opponent has studied my Agrippa, which I have."  That confirmation of awesomeness is Reveal an Unwelcome Truth.  The Unwelcome Truth being that you are not going to land blows on Inigo Montoya.  Mechanically, for each 7-9 you get, Inigo Montoya can use an "awesome point" to turn a 10+ into a 7-9 on Hack and Slash (or any Move, if you're feeling particularly challenging).  Remember the Unwelcome Truth revealed earlier:  if Montoya lands a hit, it will kill you.  He's now, also, hard to hit.

Important: at this stage, whenever hack-and-slash goes to 7-9, do not Deal Damage as a Hard Move.  Instead, Offer the Character an Opportunity with a Cost.  Sure, you can hit Montoya, but if you do, he may hit back and kill you (Defy Danger to get in there past the Soft Move with the appropriate soft banter by Wesley, or straight up Hard Move if you don't think the characters have really done much to figure the swordsman out and have decided to go in Windmilling).  Any time the character rolls a 6 or below, more of Montoya's awesomeness might be revealed, and he gains an "Awesome Point" though I would set a maximum of 1 or 2 there or else the fight will just drag out.  If Wesley is full up, on a 6 or below, Deal Damage, Break A Sword, Separate the character from their sword (like in the movie). Personally, I'd avoid Deal Damage.  Inigo is already capable of dealing a killing blow, and, from strictly rule-oriented view, he's more capable of doing that the more rolls he can force Wesley to make.

So, in order for Wesley to win this fight, he has to score a 10+ and Inigo Montoya has to run out of "Awesome Points."  How does Wesley reduce Montoya's "Awesome Points"?  Well, by rolling a 10+ in hack and slash (which will go to 7-9), but maybe also by defining that swordplay differently.  Could swordplay be considered Parley?  Could Wesley test out Inigo's defenses be Defy Danger. Basically, allow ingenuity (with corresponding witty banter), that has, as its goal, undoing the awesomeness of Inigo.

When Inigo is reduced to 0 Awesome Points and the 10+ is rolled, allow the final hit which disarms Montoya and leaves him at Wesley's mercy.

Note: one of the problems with this scene is that I assume Inigo is the opponent and that Wesley is the PC, and I'm not sure if that's correct.

By the way, if you like Swashbucklers, the playbook can be found at DrivethruRPG...

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