Luck Points! Feel Lucky, Punk? Well, do ya?

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Here's a little system I whipped up by combining d20 Shadowchasers and AEG's Spycraft Lite d20 rules with a few ideas of my own. Please tell me what you think!
_________________________________________________

LUCK POINTS (LP)
PC/NPC: 1d4+1 LP per level.
Monster (no class levels): Half hit dice in LP, rounded down.

Description:
Luck Points represent the character’s luck in the face of extreme danger; ordinary people and
monsters (most NPCs) do not have luck points. Rather, luck points are reserved for those of special
importance in the game.

Effect:
Luck Points are used to favorably influence a task resolution roll (either an attack roll, a skill
check, an ability check, or a saving throw). You must declare you are using a Luck Point prior to rolling
the d20. To determine your Luck bonus, roll 1d6 and add the result to the roll you declared you wanted to
influence. Once spent, Luck Points are gone. No more than one Luck Point may be spent on any given
action.

________________________________________________

Luck points may also be spent in any of the following special situations:

You may spend a luck point to automatically stabilize your character if he is reduced to -1 to -4 hp; you must spend two luck points to automatically stabilize your character if he is reduced between -5 and -9 hit points. At -10 hit points, your character is dead and luck points cannot be used to change this fact.
________________________________________________

Anytime you roll a natural “1” (critical failure), you may spend a luck point to turn it into a normal failure
instead.
________________________________________________

Anytime you roll a natural “20” (critical success), you may spend a luck point to turn it into an even better
result.

Combat Critical: For a critical hit, you may add 1d6 to your critical hit roll to determine bonus damage,
hit location or wound severity. You may add this bonus to only one roll and must announce to which roll
you will add it to. If added to damage, you do an additional +1d6 damage on top of your regular critical
hit. The bonus 1d6 damage is not multiplied and your Strength modifier is not added to it.

***If you are not using a critical hit location/severity table (such as DnDChick's Critical Effects), then ignore those options. Critical hits do +1d6 extra when you spend a luck point.
_____________________________________________

Saving Throw Critical: For a critical success, you may opt to spend a luck point to receive no damage
(unless the DM determines this to be impossible, in which case you take only 25% normal damage).
______________________________________________

Skill Check Critical: For a critical success, you may opt to spend a luck point to obtain the maximum
result of your actions, such as convincing an enemy to switch sides, convert an unbeliever to your faith, or
make wealthy merchant’s daughter fall in love with you, etc. If you do not spend the luck point, your roll
is treated as a normal success.
________________________________________________

Extra Luck Points [General Feat]
You are luckier than normal.
Benefit: You get 1d4+1 luck points.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

...

Hi,

thats a really good system (if you've seen my post on the crits thread, you'll know why I like it!)

I think you'd need to clear up how evasion abilities interface with the saving throw critical. And you do kind of ass-u-me that people are using critical success and critical failure rules - but those bits are easily snipped for those of us who see fumble rules as the spawn of satan!

Personally I'd be inclined to add some along the lines of reducing an enemies critical to a normal hit, auto-pass on stabilisation rolls etc. (some of those things where you really could do with being lucky!)

I must say I really like the feat; for those who don't like luck rules its really weak ("but i get more next level anyway") but for those who like them, or fancy playing a lucky character, it lets them rely more on their luck; fantastic!

Congratulations; this is the first house rule I've seen on these boards that will actually make it into my game!

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Thanks! I'll revise these rules a bit later on tonight taking your suggestions into account.

 

[peterka1]

Why not adding luck point to missed rolls ? You'll need more per level, but a 19 will be the 20 you need for criticals, a 1 will trun 2, etc.

Or just use it for non-critical hits/fumble. The missed-by-one save will then succeed...

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Why not adding luck point to missed rolls ? You'll need more per level, but a 19 will be the 20 you need for criticals, a 1 will trun 2, etc.

Or just use it for non-critical hits/fumble. The missed-by-one save will then succeed...

If you don't want to take any chances on blowing the roll, declare you are spending a luck point and you get to add +1d6 to whatever you roll. Doesn't guarantee a success, but it's better than nothing! I'm trying to avoid "auto-success" situations due to luck point expenditure. Luck should not be a barrier to the random nature of the game. Enemies should still be able to crit normally, or if not, then those enemies could always block your character's crits by spending their own luck points! I bet you wouldn't like that!

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Finally got around to revising the Luck Rules: added in auto-stabilization rules as requested.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Comments on revised rules?

 

[Cheiromancer]

Just to clarify: when a luck point is used, it is gone forever?

In other words, if you blow all your first level luck points and don't buy more with feats, you can use one luck point per level thereafter?

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Just to clarify: when a luck point is used, it is gone forever?

In other words, if you blow all your first level luck points and don't buy more with feats, you can use one luck point per level thereafter?

Used luck points are gone forever, but you get 1d4+1 Luck Points at first level and each level thereafter. So, say you spend all your luck points at 1st level, you will get another 1d4+1 at 2nd level. Unused luck points can accumulate, so if for example, you have 1 luck point left and then level, you have 1d4+1 plus 1 (remaining from last level) luck points.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I think luck points should recharge. That way it is easier to determine how much luck an NPC will have, or a wandering monster. You wouldn't have to review its whole history, just the last little while.

Of course, then you would pretty much need to reduce the number of luck points that characters get. 1d4 to start with, and another 1 every level? Luck points regenerate 1 point a week, maybe?