Limitations on super luck

[Dingle]

I want to make a variation on super luck available to players, but I do not know how to price it.

In a Cinematic campaign, I'd like to make it possible for players of casual badasses to ensure a critical success if it was reasonably likely in the first place.
Or merely succeed at something reasonably unlikely.

I intend to do this by modifying super luck to mot allow the player to dictate 3 or 4, leaving 5 as the lowest die roll possible.

In effect, this guarantees a success for effective skill 5 to 14, and a critical success for effective skill 15+ as opposed to the original advantage which gave a critical success for effective skill 3+

What discount might you suggest for Super Luck (can't dictate 3 or 4)?
What other limitations and variations have you seen applied to Super Luck?
How were they priced?

[GodBeastX]

I would go with a -5% to -15% modifier. Essentially, doing a quick idea of the math in my head, you are taking away a substantial chance of critical success by making it where it can only happen when effective level is 15+.

This is impossible to calculate how often that would be, but my gut feeling tells me you are effectively turning it off for a majority of rolls for critical success.

Still, it's not limiting it's functionality enough to be crippling for the Advantage since failures can still succeed and there's still possibility of criticals. And since the % chance of rolling 3 or 4 vs 5 is only about 2% we're not looking at a major change.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

I would go with a -5% to -15% modifier. Essentially, doing a quick idea of the math in my head, you are taking away a substantial chance of critical success by making it where it can only happen when effective level is 15+.

he's also stripping the ability of the player to alter non-skill based die rolls, which (anecdotally) is where I've seen it used most often.

[Dingle]

I hadn't considered non-skill rolls, what else do you find it used for?
I think it can still be used for dodge, HT, etc. by deciding that you will roll a 5 on the 3d6.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Dingle

I hadn't considered non-skill rolls, what else do you find it used for?

Any die roll.

Personally I used it most often for rolls on Crit Tables and First Impressions (I used Ridiculous Luck to get the crits), and I've seen another player use it on their damage rolls.


However for this application, Dingle, you might want to consider using Impulse Buys and give the Players Impulse Points usable every session or hour specifically for turning regular hits into crits.

[Edges]

I agree that Impulse Buys are the way to go. If you get these kind of points from wildcard skills, they are already restricted to skill rolls*. If you get them from the Destiny advantage, you could say that it costs 4 points per level (instead of 5) since it can only be used on skill rolls.

As for the idea that only the really skilled can buy crit success:
Normally, 1 impulse buy point can turn a failure into a success and 2 can turn a success onto a crit success. You can just make a house rule that says the latter is only available if you have an effective 15+ in the skill in question.

*EDIT: With some exceptions that can be ignored if you like.

[evileeyore]

Or just say: These points (tokens, jelly beans, etc) may be used to turn a skill 15+ roll into a Crit and then give as many per session as you want to see crits.

Since you were initially looking at Super Luck sounds like 1, with a 1 hr refresh rate.


If it's not meant to be a genre convention, but only something a few characters buy, then I'd call it -80% as it's only slightly better than regular old Luck (and in many cases not as good).

[smurf]

Fickle is a good one.

Chi based or other power modifiers.

Only effects 'x'

[Dingle]

I'm intending to use this as a recommended advantage for the most badass of badass normals (the merely badass will have to rely on regular luck), so that outright supernatural characters can be created on the same point total.

"buying success" and "player guidance" are a very good alternate route to the same effect, but I don't know how to price "X bonus points per session/hour of play, only for buying success and player guidance "

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Dingle

"buying success" and "player guidance" are a very good alternate route to the same effect, but I don't know how to price "X bonus points per session/hour of play, only for buying success and player guidance "

I started my current group with 5 Impulse Points (spendable as CP on specific Advantages or Impulse Buys) and have awarded them 1 per session (roughly a four hour block).

So far one has spent a few here and there to bolster low skill rolls and the others are saving for Impulse Advantages (Luck, Destiny, Serendipity, Hard To Kill, etc).