Luck Points

Luck points represent the ebb and flow of a party's fortunes throughout a session. A string of bad luck sees a party gaining points, and they can be spent to tip the odds in their favor when it counts. Each player has their own pool of luck points, in addition to a shared pool that is replenished each session. Luck points are transient, and go away after each session (with some exceptions).

Gaining Luck Points

Session Start

At the start of each session, 2 luck points are added to the shared pool of points. These points are removed at the end of each session.

Extra Effort

Any player who brings snacks, summarizes the previous session for any who missed it (or forgot it), or goes above and beyond in a small to moderate way (like writing up a summary of the session for the site, drawing a portrait of a character or scene, filling in some character backstory, roleplaying outside of the normal session, tracking monster HP for the DM, etc) will be awarded one or more luck points at the start of the session.

Bad Luck

Any player who experiences a particularly bad run of luck, whether it be missing several attacks in a row, critically fumbling an attack, or missing an important save or skill check, will be awarded a luck point in consolation.

Good Roleplaying

Any player who does a particularly good job of getting into their character for a scene, does something that aligns with their character's personality at the expense of their well being, or suffers the consequences of a character flaw will be awarded a luck point.

Spending Luck Points

What a luck point can be spent on depends in part on where it is coming from. A luck point from a player's individual pool can only be spent on a roll that impacts them directly, whereas a luck point from the party's pool can be spent on any eligible roll. Eligible rolls include any attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw rolled by a player or DM. Any given roll can only be modified once by luck points.

Minor Inspiration

By spending 1 luck point, the players can receive a hint on how to resolve a dilemma or overcome a challenge they are currently facing. This hint can be meta-gaming in nature, involve a reminder of a piece of information they may have forgotten about, or an automatic success on a spot check to notice something they have thus far missed. The information given is not a guarantee, but the point will not be collected in a situation for which the DM has nothing of value to give to the players.

Advantage/Disadvantage

By spending 1 luck point before an eligible roll, that roll can be made with Advantage or Disadvantage, at the spending player's choice.

Modify Roll

By spending luck points after an eligible roll, the roll can be modified. The points are spent after the result of the roll is determined, but before its effects are adjudicated. The amount the roll can be modified is shown in the Luck Point Modifiers table. The players may not know the exact amount the roll needs to be modified by to change the outcome, but will know if success is possible before committing the points.

Stroke of Fortune

Sometimes a character has just the right answer to a problem, but they need a specific set of circumstances for it to work out. These circumstances may cover the entire range from downright probable to outright impossible. An example might be a swashbuckler surrounded on a stairway, who could make a daring escape if only there was a rope holding up a heavy chandelier on the wall next to him, or a cleric who could stop that troll from regenerating if only there was a bottle of acid on the shelf in the supply closet across the hall, or a party who really wishes the weather was gusty after having a fog cloud cast over them. Whenever a player wants for a specific circumstance to exist in their favor, they can make a luck roll for it. The DM decides the DC of the check, based on the table below. Before rolling the check, Players may spend up to 5 luck points to add +5 to the check per point spent. If the roll fails, the player may spend luck points (either personal or from the shared pool) to change it to a success. The average DC, along with number of points required to change the outcome is in the Stroke of Fortune Table. In order to be worthy of a roll, the circumstance must add to the scene in some way rather than subtracting from it. The evil overlord keeling over dead from a heart attack just before the big fight may not be strictly impossible, and would definitely help the players, but deflates all the tension and excitement of the scene, and so would not warrant a roll. The DM can veto any roll if they determine the outcome to take away from the fun of the session.