Two players in my game have the Luck Power.
(No-one has Unluck disad, but if they did
it would be the reverse of this system.)
Here's how I handle it.
At the beginning of the play session they roll
their Luck Dice, and count the body.
Then I hand them that many Cards from a special deck.
In addition, when I as the GM want to really get a character,
or its inappropriate for the villain to miss, I hand the target player
(any one, not just players with the luck power)
a card, and then I give the villain a re-roll.
This card is for future use, and cannot be used
in this particular scrape.
The cards may be used for several purposes:
- Re-Roll any failed dice roll.
- Force a re-roll on an enemy.
- nudge a success into a critical success.
- nudge an enemie's simple failure into a blunder (critical failure)
- Character may abort their phase to protect/help a desperate team-mate.
- use the flavor text on the card to alter flow of events.
For example, the players are in jail, without weapons.
they cannot defeat the tough guards.
Lucky Player hands me the "Misplaced Trust" card,
and voila, on the next shift, the guards are rank newbies.
Guards are beat up and players escape. (of course they're
still in prison garb and have no equipment)
Once in a fantasy hero game, the players wanted to
get in the fabled library of Alexandria.
But the permit to enter is a costly thing
(yes its a Library Card for Alexandria)
Rich Character ponies up the cash.
Religious Character gets a writ from his church.
Noble Character calls in a Favor.
Wizard Character trades in a magic bauble in trade for his card.
Thieving Character picks pockets to pay for his card.
Then we get to the dumb brick fighter.
Player plays the Pity card. So the clerk
just stamps out a free card for the poor semi-literate slob.
Cards can affect combat, role-play, storylines, and skills.
I pretty much ignore the "luck levels" in the Hero rulebook
unless the player hands me TWO cards at a time, when
they desperately want something to happen their way
Unused cards are handed back to GM at end of session,
unless very special circumstances in effect.
Players seem happy with it.
They control their luck, don't have to wait
on me to remember they are lucky.
And most all of them are good sports to play along
when I "screw them with a villain" but hand them a
luck card for later usage.
Here's some samples of the cards:
Abrupt Change of Events
Suddenly things are not happening the way they were a moment ago. Alliances switch, secrets are revealed, and new information surfaces.
Added Animosity
The ill-will between characters grows past current levels. This animosity can be openly expressed or harbored secretly in the heart.
Bad Tidings
Someone gets bad news. It might affect play or it might be news of distant and still important events.
Bizarre Coincidence
Two or more things come together against incredible odds. Old friends (and enemies) run into you in the supermarket, you just happen to have the rare item you need in your closet, etc.
Pity
Sympathetic sorrow for another person affects a character's actions. This pity might provoke action or merely set a mood.
Change of Heart
A character's feelings change and alter a decision. Pirates spare prisoners and hassled innkeepers decide to make room for you after all.
The cards are long out of print and I have made my own set,
even adding some of my own devising.
Would you require a Weapon Element "Use art with Telekinesis"? In comparison, a weapon is normally used with Standard Maneuvers at no additional cost beyond the WF (and/or the cost of the weapon in superheroic games); to use it with Martial Maneuvers the appropriate Weapon Element must be purchased.
radioKAOS got a reaction from James Gillen in Musings on Random Musings
radioKAOS reacted to Storn in Storn's Art & Characters thread.
