Just what is Luck to you?

[Spence]

After running small one shots an other RPG one shots at my FLGS, I have reached the point of being asked to fire up a regular campaign. Everyone who has played in my sessions has enjoyed themselves and like my GMing style so far.

 

One of the people who will be one of the core players (a very good GM and player) is already bouncing character ideas around and one of the items he will be using is Luck. He may not have said so so far, but most of the concepts scream "luck". Since I haven't really had to deal with a PC with luck in a LONG time, I thought to knock the dust off my Luckyness with a general question about it.

 

The method I had always used in the past was the old "GM makes secret role to see if anything lucky happens whenever the GM thinks it may apply". Sure, that method may cut back on luck abuse, but it never really set right with me.

 

So here is the question, and I am not looking for a 'rule mechanics' style answer, but rather a 'in your games' answer.

 

How do you apply/use luck in your games?

 

Do you roll for the hero in secret as needed? Do you only apply it if the player asks? Only at the beginning of the scenario as a guide. Every-time something happens. Rarely. etc.

 

What worked for you? What worked for your players? And more importantly, what didn't.

 

I feel the need to adjust my method and since I have some time I thought I'd ask Herodom Assembled

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

I typically allow the player to roll Luck, and in my game one of the PCs is Serendipity, who has 5d6 Luck. In her case, some of her stuff as Requires a Luck roll as a Limitation, so that makes sense. Outside of that, though, Luck rolls are relatively infrequent.

 

I've used Luck to help along a slow-moving plot. ("Serendipity, make a Luck roll. Okay, as you guys are discussing your options, you notice a guy up on the rooftop watching you...") I don't, however, let it serve as Deus ex Machina to solve major problems. For example, it doesn't cause the roof to fall on a villain's head in the middle of combat.

 

I don't typically allow the players to *request* a Luck roll, so I haven't had any real Luck abuse in my games.

[Sketchpad]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

I've been using Luck as a point system ... so if a player has 1d6 Luck, they roll a d6 and gain that many luck points. Makes it easier and faster to run with IMHO ...

[Boll Weevil]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

TheQuestionMan has a pretty cool homegrown Luck house rule. Do a search for Champions of Vancouver. i think he described it in a campaign log.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

TheQuestionMan has a pretty cool homegrown Luck house rule. Do a search for Champions of Vancouver. i think he described it in a campaign log.

 

I found it detailed here: http://thenewchampionsofvancouver.wikispaces.com/HOUSE+RULES+

 

And rep to you for bringing this to my attention.

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

My group usually uses luck as a metagame effect. You can request to roll it on occasion, but the GM has the final say. With reroll luck (from the APG) we allow a player to know if they are succeeding or failing before rerolling the dice.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

We use the variant where, at the start of a session, you roll your Luck Dice, count the 'stun', and can use those points to change your 3d6 task resolution rolls over the course of the night, in addition to sometimes rolling it for the sake of 'stuff happens'.

[Badger]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

Hmm, it really depends per character. But, as a rule I'd say at player's request with the condition that the GM can overrule (though that should rarely happen, but I think the GM needs to have that condition to prevent abuse or when it is clearly an inappropriate time for using it.)

[Tech]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

Often our GM uses creative ways to use Luck (and Unluck). If a villain rolls high amounts of Luck, when a character attacks him, the GM announces "You miss, regardless of what you could roll. Luck roll." It works both ways, for both players and the GM who's using the villains.

 

This is a new house-rule our campaign is testing right now. In addition to the usual description of what happens when Luck is rolled, I created the following:

 

During the beginning of the game, anyone with Luck gets 1 point for each die of Luck they have, i.e. 2d6 of Luck gives you 2 pts. For each point, you may pick from the following options:

a) Use 1 pt to add +1 OCV for one attack roll

Use 1 pt to add +1 DCV for one attack roll

c) Use 1 pt to change 1 die roll of damage rolled to a 6

d) Add a bonus to any Skill or Characteristic roll = to number of points used. Announce how many points to want to use before the roll. You still might not make your roll.

 

This is still in the testing stage right now.

[yamamura]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

I think I want to give TheQuestionMan's luck chit a try.

[Spence]

Re: Just what is Luck to you?

 

Been away for a bit,

 

A lot of really great ideas. One of the great things about Herodom is all the ideas that float around...

 

I thing TQM's luck chit idea is awesome, but I don't know if I want to go to it right away. It takes some thinking.

 

Of course I was just re-reading Heroic Action Points, which is giving me some ideas.

 

All in all this has been a great read,

 

Thanks all