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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gorgon Zee" data-source="post: 6178664" data-attributes="member: 75787">For the icon dice rolling, I'd suggest that you not worry too much about trying to make a big effect, and instead look for something more character-based and fun, rather than mechanically powerful. For example, I liked what you did with the dwarf king's training including the correct way to minimize poison damage for that poison. One suggestion I might make is that when you have any mostly roleplaying encounter, that is a great time to bring out the effects. So, with the Elf Queen 6, the caravan master might say "Ah, I heard about you from an elven ambassador I took on my last trip, glad to have you aboard" and preferentially treat that character, give them a mechanical bonus like a +2 to all caravan diplomacy, or even have him lend the player something fun -- or let them know about his secret stash of potions in case of emergencies.Here's a set of effective techniques that work well for a "random" sort of effect, where you have nothing planned* Instant flashback. Stop the action at a critical point, and describe how the player recalls a detail from their training / previous adventures / whatever. Ask them to narrate how that knowledge translates into the natural 20 roll their dice has suddenly become ...* Scary! Some monsters might be scared of an icon, for an obvious or unknown reason. Have them just run in terror from the character, dropping all their stuff and running! Or pull out some gold / items /mcguffin / whatever and say something like "I don't want to piss off the Elf Queen. Here, have the damn thing" and run. Good for finishing a fight that's getting boring.* Hey we have a friend in common! So have a bonus on all interaction with that person / people* Tip-off. The elven-featured man approaches you discreetly and whispers in your ear "Goblin ambush, up ahead. Two left, four right behind a bluff"* It's just better. When you use anything appropriate (for example the magic item that the Elf Queen roll came up with this adventure), it works better. Maybe the first 1 roll gets re-rolled?* You are the star. Today you just look better, have a certain glow, whatever. Everyone assumes you are the leader. Or rich. Or very evil. Whatever the icon might be, they assume you are and interact with you first* Dreams. Next sleep you get a vaguely prophetic dream, courtesy of your icon.* Secret knowledge. The two thieves thought they were being smart, talking in elven high poetry riddles, but you know that stuff. Or the trap uses a dwarven twist rune.-----Basically, I'd suggest not sweating it much, and playing it more for "cool" than "mechanics". The 6 and 5 rolls will come up a lot, so I'd save the big guns for MULTIPLE successes and for a single 5 or 6, just have a minor affect for the adventure, or a major effect for a single scene.</blockquote>

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