08-23-2014, 11:09 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Luck or Impulse Buys
I'm starting a fairly low-magic set in Scandinavian Folktales-land soon, and the characters are chosen by destiny. Now, in PowerUps 5 we learn that Destiny can be represented by something we might as well call Fate Points - they'd get 3 of those. Or I could give them Luck (15 points). Both would essentially be campaign features - PCs get them for free. Standard rules from PU5 will be followed if I go the Fate Points route. Game sessions would be 4 to 5 hours long, if that matters.
What would the result be on campaign flavor for either option?
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“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius |
08-23-2014, 11:42 AM | #2 |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
I've only used Impulse Buys with real character points that I lost if I used. A ground of friends have used a mechanic a lot more like Destiny Points, and found that there's a tendency to time-fill late in a session when they're out of points, to avoid doing anything dangerous without a safety net. Time-based Luck doesn't do that.
Both Luck and Impulse Buys make characters more willing to take risks, mostly by not worrying about bad outcomes, because they can avoid them. |
08-24-2014, 02:30 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
My problem with using character points is that it rewards people who use a passive, no-risk style. I want my characters to take risks - I just want them to survive when they forget my maxim of RPG playing.
__________________
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius |
08-24-2014, 03:10 AM | #4 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Platform Zero, Sydney, Australia
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
Quote:
That's a peculiar maxim. |
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08-24-2014, 03:51 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
Know when to hold'em
Know when to fold'em Know when to walk away Know when to run You never count your money while you're sitting at the table there'll be time enough for counting when the dealing's done
__________________
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius |
08-24-2014, 04:46 AM | #6 | |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
Quote:
Impulse Buys make it possible in theory to do things that your character is unskilled in by buying successes on default skills, but you burn a lot of points doing that, and it isn't really cost-effective. |
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08-24-2014, 06:44 AM | #7 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Platform Zero, Sydney, Australia
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
Quote:
Personally, I like Destiny Points for the way they only come back 1 per session, so spending them all in one session is still risky for their next. |
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08-24-2014, 10:09 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
I had a thread on serendipity in which I found the error of my ways. I'll see about digging that up for you.
Edit: My bad, it was about modifying the recharge interval. Not specifically useful, but if you want here it is
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Last edited by Dwarf99; 08-24-2014 at 10:26 AM. |
08-24-2014, 02:04 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
Quote:
__________________
“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius |
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08-24-2014, 02:54 PM | #10 |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
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Re: Luck or Impulse Buys
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Tags |
luck, power-ups 5 |
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