Prophecy Points - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dieffenbachj Mar 16, 2010 23:56:04	So I was thinking (and read someone else's thread on another forum regarding essentially a Get Out of Jail Free card the DM allows the party to use once per campaign) about the Prophecy, and Destiny Points from Star Wars: Saga Edition... and wondering if I could somehow graft that system onto my Eberron 4E games. For those who don't know, in Star Wars: Saga Edition, you select a destiny your character is heading towards, be it destruction (like Darth Vader destroying the Emporer) or Education (like Obi-Wan teaching Luke the ways of the force). You know what your destiny is in terms of that one-word description, and gain its benefits (more on that in a second) but only get hints on what it is in minor bonuses as you approach completing your Destiny. A sample destiny reads like this: Redemption: Blah blah blah, your destiny is to redeem a character corrupted to the dark side, examples include Luke and Vader, or Revan and Bastila. Destiny Bonus: You gain a Force Point (3.5 Action Point) Destiny Penalty: You lose one Force Point. If you have no Force Points to lose, you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls until you gain a level. Destiny Fulfilled: The Dark Side Score of the redeemed character is reduced to 1, and he loses any remaining Force Points. You gain a number of Force Points equal to 3 + the number of Force Points the redeemed character lost.
#2 superdeadsmurf Mar 17, 2010 10:01:59	This seems like a great idea - I might recommend you tie it into the epic destinies the characters are planning on taking too somehow.
#3 Alas Mar 18, 2010 4:40:33	I was really fond of those destiny points, too. Characters in 4th ed already have encounter resources and daily resources, and milestones now serve as "session resources"; Prophecy points would be something like a "per level" or campaign resource. That's a design space I think has a lot of potential. In the same way that epic destinies bend the rules, Prophecy points could be used to temporarily divert them. I like the options already suggested (automatic critical, take someone else's damage). Just brainstorming, a Prophecy point might also: Perform a ritual faster, without components, or with a big skill bonus (when relevant) Get a one-time use of an encounter or daily class power the character hasn't taken Get a one-time use of a class feature the character hasn't taken (so your fey pact warlock gets to act like an infernal pact warlock for a round) Call in some other narrative favor that strains existing rules (like your Lyrandar character gets a free airship ride, or your Karrnathi veteran gets a skeletal adjutant for a mission) They're all kinda wacky, sure, but presumably the DM and player will already be on the same page if they're involving Prophecy in a character's life.
#4 dieffenbachj Mar 18, 2010 10:32:52	I like the narrative benefit idea a lot: it seems the most Prophecy-related of all options mentioned by either you or me... because if you're destined to fulfill a Prophecy, luck tends to be in your favor for the purpose of asking favors. "I tell the Orien staff that I'm an important member of the Dark Lanterns and need to take a teleporter today, for free, not with one week of advanced notice and a huge lump of cash." "That's normally impossible... even if you were a ranking member of House Orien, they'd still make you wait several hours if not days." "I spend a Prophecy point." "...it just so happens that a large delegation traveling to Sharn walks up behind you and tells the staff members you're talking to that they are canceling their trip, leaving a several minute gap where the teleporter is primed and paid for, but not in use." "Wee."

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

dieffenbachj

Mar 16, 2010 23:56:04

So I was thinking (and read someone else's thread on another forum regarding essentially a Get Out of Jail Free card the DM allows the party to use once per campaign) about the Prophecy, and Destiny Points from Star Wars: Saga Edition... and wondering if I could somehow graft that system onto my Eberron 4E games.

For those who don't know, in Star Wars: Saga Edition, you select a destiny your character is heading towards, be it destruction (like Darth Vader destroying the Emporer) or Education (like Obi-Wan teaching Luke the ways of the force). You know what your destiny is in terms of that one-word description, and gain its benefits (more on that in a second) but only get hints on what it is in minor bonuses as you approach completing your Destiny. A sample destiny reads like this:

Redemption:
Blah blah blah, your destiny is to redeem a character corrupted to the dark side, examples include Luke and Vader, or Revan and Bastila.
Destiny Bonus: You gain a Force Point (3.5 Action Point)
Destiny Penalty: You lose one Force Point. If you have no Force Points to lose, you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls until you gain a level.
Destiny Fulfilled: The Dark Side Score of the redeemed character is reduced to 1, and he loses any remaining Force Points. You gain a number of Force Points equal to 3 + the number of Force Points the redeemed character lost.

superdeadsmurf

Mar 17, 2010 10:01:59

This seems like a great idea - I might recommend you tie it into the epic destinies the characters are planning on taking too somehow.

Alas

Mar 18, 2010 4:40:33

I was really fond of those destiny points, too. Characters in 4th ed already have encounter resources and daily resources, and milestones now serve as "session resources"; Prophecy points would be something like a "per level" or campaign resource. That's a design space I think has a lot of potential.

In the same way that epic destinies bend the rules, Prophecy points could be used to temporarily divert them. I like the options already suggested (automatic critical, take someone else's damage). Just brainstorming, a Prophecy point might also:

Perform a ritual faster, without components, or with a big skill bonus (when relevant)

Get a one-time use of an encounter or daily class power the character hasn't taken

Get a one-time use of a class feature the character hasn't taken (so your fey pact warlock gets to act like an infernal pact warlock for a round)

Call in some other narrative favor that strains existing rules (like your Lyrandar character gets a free airship ride, or your Karrnathi veteran gets a skeletal adjutant for a mission)

They're all kinda wacky, sure, but presumably the DM and player will already be on the same page if they're involving Prophecy in a character's life.

dieffenbachj

Mar 18, 2010 10:32:52

I like the narrative benefit idea a lot: it seems the most Prophecy-related of all options mentioned by either you or me... because if you're destined to fulfill a Prophecy, luck tends to be in your favor for the purpose of asking favors.

"I tell the Orien staff that I'm an important member of the Dark Lanterns and need to take a teleporter today, for free, not with one week of advanced notice and a huge lump of cash."
"That's normally impossible... even if you were a ranking member of House Orien, they'd still make you wait several hours if not days."
"I spend a Prophecy point."
"...it just so happens that a large delegation traveling to Sharn walks up behind you and tells the staff members you're talking to that they are canceling their trip, leaving a several minute gap where the teleporter is primed and paid for, but not in use."
"Wee."