Luck
Luck
Major characters — player characters and major NPCs — have a Luck stat, and a certain number Luck Points. Player characters acquire one luck for free, and can purchase more Luck during Character Creation. Luck represents an extra edge, an extra bit of fortune and favor that characters can use to make sure they get the job done despite the odds.
A player’s Luck stat is the maximum number of luck points they can have (and the number of Luck Points they start with). The number of luck points they currently have will fluctuate over the course of a game.
Players may spend Luck Points to do the following:
- After a check:
- “Flip” a check result (i.e. replace a 94 with a 49)
- Upgrade their result
- Before a check:
- Ignore the negative modifiers to a test
Players have several ways to regain luck points:
- Players regain 1 luck point at the start of a session.
- Players may be awarded 1 luck point for achieving a major success that contributes to one of their motivations.
- Players may be awarded 1 luck point for excellent roleplaying.
Finally, players may lose luck points for:
- A major failure relating to one of their motivational goals
- A major failure at roleplaying, such as acting against a character’s motivations
As far as the rules go, there is no set limit: a player could spend a point of luck to remove all penalties, then spend a luck point to flip a test from an 81 to a 18, and then spend a luck point again to upgrade that result to an exceptional success.
GMs who want a tougher game for their players — or who don’t want their players to dump Luck Points at the end of each session — may limit their use of luck, allowing only one point to be spent on a test (for example). If you decide to do this, you should make this decision before an adventure starts and inform your players about it, so that they can take this into account during character creation — players may very reasonably decide to buy less Luck.