Hero's Fate [Archive] - Wizards Community

Hero's Fate [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
EzraTwitch
01-03-08, 11:53 AM Quick and easy rule/character feature I am thinking about implementing.

Each level a character gains 1 x lvl /2 Fate points round up. (including one at first level) Fate points are non-renewable, once used they are gone forever.

A character can spend one Fate point maximize any dice roll. Treat the roll as if it had been a naturally rolled maximum. In addition treat these rolls as "over-the-top" successes, possibly adding additional effects such as confirmed critical, bleeding damage, or other rewards for skill based Destiny uses (Cant think of any at the moment).

Also whenever a character fall below -10HP in a single attack they may use a fate point to automatically stabilize at -9 HP

I like the idea of this because I believe it will encourage a little more effort when it comes to the "story-telling" part of the game, As I have no problem with the PC's prematurely overcoming some encounter as long as it is done cinematically enough.

The main reason however is that in my campaigns character death is irreversible by anything save divine intervention (6 years since I implemented this and it has only happened once). However this has lead to 9 out of 10 characters dying around mid-level, and campaigns seldom achieving the higher levels. So in the end I am actually instituting Fate Points is as a kind of fail safe for higher level play (Save or Die becomes a little less threatening when characters can automatically choose to overcome and save).

Anyway long story short, do to the fact that the points are non-renewable (every ones luck runs out eventually) I don't see to much room for abuse, the main thing I am worried about is the point formula (1 x lvl / 2 round up, at every level) . I originally had as: gain a number of fate points equal to your new level at every level but that turned out to be way to many (210 points total), but one point a level just doesn't seem to be quite enough.

Make a long story short thought I'd run it by the forums to see if people could help me balance it in the long term, or do think it is good as is?
UAMDB
01-03-08, 01:00 PM A few questions about this.

Do you have to use it before the dice are rolled, or must you declare before hand?

Does the maximun allowed mean that if I use it to hit does it become a crit?

How many can you use per round? Can I use one to get a crit, and another to do max damage with all dice?

The problem is if it is not once per level, then it can make some of the dramaitc situations not so dramatic. Party needs to roll high inorder to jump the gorge to save the princess... We use a fate point to successed.

But for balance issues, I have played with things like this, and it does not break the game.
Roog
01-03-08, 01:21 PM Each level a character gains 1 x lvl /2 Fate points round up. (including one at first level) Fate points are non-renewable, once used they are gone forever.

In my (limited) experience, which is with fate points that can be used after a roll...

If fate points accumulate and are non-renewable, then players will hoard them until they feel that they absolutely must use them to survive (or to achieve their most vital character goals). This will help keep the characters alive, but does not encourage cinematic actions.

Personally, I use fate points that refresh back to their base level every session or adventure as appropriate, with the proviso that points spent non-heroically will not renew for one period, and the potential for characters to earn extra temporary points at the next renewal if they perform especially heroic actions.
Werral
01-03-08, 04:24 PM Maybe you can only regain fate points through cinematic, in character, dramatic actions or self sacrifice..

So you don't get fate for killing a beholder - you get XP but no fate. You do get XP for rolling under a beholder, grabbing the peasant child from under the monsters belly and shielding the child with your own body.

Also you could have fate points gained as a kind of karmic rebound for really bad luck.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
EzraTwitch 01-03-08, 11:53 AM	Quick and easy rule/character feature I am thinking about implementing. Each level a character gains 1 x lvl /2 Fate points round up. (including one at first level) Fate points are non-renewable, once used they are gone forever. A character can spend one Fate point maximize any dice roll. Treat the roll as if it had been a naturally rolled maximum. In addition treat these rolls as "over-the-top" successes, possibly adding additional effects such as confirmed critical, bleeding damage, or other rewards for skill based Destiny uses (Cant think of any at the moment). Also whenever a character fall below -10HP in a single attack they may use a fate point to automatically stabilize at -9 HP I like the idea of this because I believe it will encourage a little more effort when it comes to the "story-telling" part of the game, As I have no problem with the PC's prematurely overcoming some encounter as long as it is done cinematically enough. The main reason however is that in my campaigns character death is irreversible by anything save divine intervention (6 years since I implemented this and it has only happened once). However this has lead to 9 out of 10 characters dying around mid-level, and campaigns seldom achieving the higher levels. So in the end I am actually instituting Fate Points is as a kind of fail safe for higher level play (Save or Die becomes a little less threatening when characters can automatically choose to overcome and save). Anyway long story short, do to the fact that the points are non-renewable (every ones luck runs out eventually) I don't see to much room for abuse, the main thing I am worried about is the point formula (1 x lvl / 2 round up, at every level) . I originally had as: gain a number of fate points equal to your new level at every level but that turned out to be way to many (210 points total), but one point a level just doesn't seem to be quite enough. Make a long story short thought I'd run it by the forums to see if people could help me balance it in the long term, or do think it is good as is?
UAMDB 01-03-08, 01:00 PM	A few questions about this. Do you have to use it before the dice are rolled, or must you declare before hand? Does the maximun allowed mean that if I use it to hit does it become a crit? How many can you use per round? Can I use one to get a crit, and another to do max damage with all dice? The problem is if it is not once per level, then it can make some of the dramaitc situations not so dramatic. Party needs to roll high inorder to jump the gorge to save the princess... We use a fate point to successed. But for balance issues, I have played with things like this, and it does not break the game.
Roog 01-03-08, 01:21 PM	Each level a character gains 1 x lvl /2 Fate points round up. (including one at first level) Fate points are non-renewable, once used they are gone forever. In my (limited) experience, which is with fate points that can be used after a roll... If fate points accumulate and are non-renewable, then players will hoard them until they feel that they absolutely must use them to survive (or to achieve their most vital character goals). This will help keep the characters alive, but does not encourage cinematic actions. Personally, I use fate points that refresh back to their base level every session or adventure as appropriate, with the proviso that points spent non-heroically will not renew for one period, and the potential for characters to earn extra temporary points at the next renewal if they perform especially heroic actions.
Werral 01-03-08, 04:24 PM	Maybe you can only regain fate points through cinematic, in character, dramatic actions or self sacrifice.. So you don't get fate for killing a beholder - you get XP but no fate. You do get XP for rolling under a beholder, grabbing the peasant child from under the monsters belly and shielding the child with your own body. Also you could have fate points gained as a kind of karmic rebound for really bad luck.