Jeremy757
First Post
Here is a new Fate/Taint of Evil mechanic I am thinking about adding to my heroes of horror game (soon to be converted to 4e) that I will be running again after the first of the year.
Under the 3.5 rules I used the Taint of Evil rules as written in Heroes of Horror. I would throw points at the PCs and give them taint when I thought it was appropriate. This time around with 4e I really wanted to put some of that into the hands of the PCs by adding something that would give the game a sense of temptation and corruption.
I have come up with these Fate rules, inspired by Deadlands, that supplement the Taint of Evil mechanics and replace the Action Point rules. I haven't gotten to converting the corruption or depravity effects or the Tainted feats, but hope to soon. Let me know what you think about these rules.
If you are interested in knowing more about my game you can read about it HERE
Set up
Before the game session the DM puts a series of different kinds coins/tokens in a bag. There are four kinds of fate coins: heroic, dark, righteous, and karma.
The DM should put 4 heroic fate coins and two dark fate coin in the bag for every player. In addition he should add two additional dark fate coins and a single righteous fate coin to the bag. There should also be two karma coins for each player and the DM, but the karma coins are set to the side.
If there are more than six players in the group a second righteous fate coin should be added to the bag.
Getting the Coins
At the beginning of the game session the bag is passed around and each player randomly (without looking) takes three coins from the bag.
During the game you can also take another coin from the bag anytime you reach a milestone or take an extended rest. If you have no more fate coins when you take an extended rest, you may draw two coins instead of one.
Once per game session a player may tempt fate. He may place two coins he doesn't want back into the bag to pull a single coin out, if he does this the DM gains a karma coin to use.
The most coins a player may have at one time is four. Once he has four coins he may no longer draw from the bag until he uses one or more.
Using the Coins
The player may only use one coin per turn.
Heroic Fate Coin - These coins when used during the game can give you an action point, healing surge, or allow you another use of a magic item. You can not cheat fate with a heroic fate coin and the DM gains no karma coins from it. You may only use one heroic fate coin per encounter.
Dark Fate Coin - These coins call upon the powers of darkness, evil and malice. They can do everything that a heroic fate coin can do plus they can also be spent to regain the use of a daily or encounter power or to cheat fate. When you use a dark fate coin you must make a saving throw, failure results in one point of Taint gained. Anytime someone uses a dark fate coin the DM gains a karma coin. You may use as many dark fate coins per encounter as you want.
Righteous Fate Coin - This coin calls upon the power of honor, valor and virtue. It also can be used as if it were a heroic fate coin or a dark fate coin, but you don't gain any Taint from its use. The possessor of the righteous fate coin can spend it on himself or one of his allies. Anytime someone uses a righteous fate coin a player of the users choice (including himself) looses a point of Taint and the DM gains a karma coin. You may only use one righteous fate coin per encounter.
Karma Coin - The universe tries to balance itself out whenever possible. The karma coin is like a righteous fate coin the DM can use on NPC's. It can also be used to make a PC automatically fail at something, but cannot be used to trump another fate coin. He may use these as many times per encounter as needed.
Cheating Fate
Dark and righteous fate coins and karma coins allow you to cheat fate. When you use a coin to cheat fate it allows you to critically succeed at an attack, skill, or saving throw roll, no roll is necessary and attacks do critical damage. You can use the coin before or after you have already made a roll to change the results. When you use a dark fate coin to cheat death by reversing a failed death saving throw, instead of rolling to see if you gain Taint you automatically gain 2 points.
Discarding
Whenever a player uses a coin it is placed back into the bag with the exception of the righteous fate coin which is set aside. If during play a single player gains three dark fate coins he may place those three coins back into the bag to buy a discarded righteous fate coin.
End Game
At the end of the game session any unspent coins are placed back into the bag. No coins may be carried over from game to game.
Also any player who still possess a dark fate coin gains a number of experience points equal to defeating a minion for resisting temptation and they also gain a virtue point. When a player has collected three virtue points he automatically starts the next game with the righteous fate coin. When this happens he only makes two pulls from the bag at the beginning of the game.
Under the 3.5 rules I used the Taint of Evil rules as written in Heroes of Horror. I would throw points at the PCs and give them taint when I thought it was appropriate. This time around with 4e I really wanted to put some of that into the hands of the PCs by adding something that would give the game a sense of temptation and corruption.
I have come up with these Fate rules, inspired by Deadlands, that supplement the Taint of Evil mechanics and replace the Action Point rules. I haven't gotten to converting the corruption or depravity effects or the Tainted feats, but hope to soon. Let me know what you think about these rules.
If you are interested in knowing more about my game you can read about it HERE
Set up
Before the game session the DM puts a series of different kinds coins/tokens in a bag. There are four kinds of fate coins: heroic, dark, righteous, and karma.
The DM should put 4 heroic fate coins and two dark fate coin in the bag for every player. In addition he should add two additional dark fate coins and a single righteous fate coin to the bag. There should also be two karma coins for each player and the DM, but the karma coins are set to the side.
If there are more than six players in the group a second righteous fate coin should be added to the bag.
Getting the Coins
At the beginning of the game session the bag is passed around and each player randomly (without looking) takes three coins from the bag.
During the game you can also take another coin from the bag anytime you reach a milestone or take an extended rest. If you have no more fate coins when you take an extended rest, you may draw two coins instead of one.
Once per game session a player may tempt fate. He may place two coins he doesn't want back into the bag to pull a single coin out, if he does this the DM gains a karma coin to use.
The most coins a player may have at one time is four. Once he has four coins he may no longer draw from the bag until he uses one or more.
Using the Coins
The player may only use one coin per turn.
Heroic Fate Coin - These coins when used during the game can give you an action point, healing surge, or allow you another use of a magic item. You can not cheat fate with a heroic fate coin and the DM gains no karma coins from it. You may only use one heroic fate coin per encounter.
Dark Fate Coin - These coins call upon the powers of darkness, evil and malice. They can do everything that a heroic fate coin can do plus they can also be spent to regain the use of a daily or encounter power or to cheat fate. When you use a dark fate coin you must make a saving throw, failure results in one point of Taint gained. Anytime someone uses a dark fate coin the DM gains a karma coin. You may use as many dark fate coins per encounter as you want.
Righteous Fate Coin - This coin calls upon the power of honor, valor and virtue. It also can be used as if it were a heroic fate coin or a dark fate coin, but you don't gain any Taint from its use. The possessor of the righteous fate coin can spend it on himself or one of his allies. Anytime someone uses a righteous fate coin a player of the users choice (including himself) looses a point of Taint and the DM gains a karma coin. You may only use one righteous fate coin per encounter.
Karma Coin - The universe tries to balance itself out whenever possible. The karma coin is like a righteous fate coin the DM can use on NPC's. It can also be used to make a PC automatically fail at something, but cannot be used to trump another fate coin. He may use these as many times per encounter as needed.
Cheating Fate
Dark and righteous fate coins and karma coins allow you to cheat fate. When you use a coin to cheat fate it allows you to critically succeed at an attack, skill, or saving throw roll, no roll is necessary and attacks do critical damage. You can use the coin before or after you have already made a roll to change the results. When you use a dark fate coin to cheat death by reversing a failed death saving throw, instead of rolling to see if you gain Taint you automatically gain 2 points.
Discarding
Whenever a player uses a coin it is placed back into the bag with the exception of the righteous fate coin which is set aside. If during play a single player gains three dark fate coins he may place those three coins back into the bag to buy a discarded righteous fate coin.
End Game
At the end of the game session any unspent coins are placed back into the bag. No coins may be carried over from game to game.
Also any player who still possess a dark fate coin gains a number of experience points equal to defeating a minion for resisting temptation and they also gain a virtue point. When a player has collected three virtue points he automatically starts the next game with the righteous fate coin. When this happens he only makes two pulls from the bag at the beginning of the game.
