DM corner: Luck and karma

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I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting. Bascially,
this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?

 

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"Ubiquitous" <weberm@polaris.net> wrote in message
news:cin198$jen$3@news.utelfla.com...
>I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
> game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting.
> Bascially,
> this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
> to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
> a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?
>

If you can get a hold of Dragon #118 there is an article called "A Hero's
Reward - The hero point system for the AD&D game" on page 59. I've been
using it and it proves to be rather creative.

--
Tarrax Ironwolf
psyberwolfREM@VEiwon.com
-------
"We played Dungeons & Dragons for three hours! Then I was slain by an
elf." -- Homer Simpson


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[Guest]

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"Ubiquitous" <weberm@polaris.net> wrote in message
news:cin198$jen$3@news.utelfla.com...
> I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
> game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting.
Bascially,
> this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
> to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
> a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?
>
You can check the Action Point system in d20Modern, which is also in
Unearthed Arcana.

Erik

 

[augustus]

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"Ubiquitous" <weberm@polaris.net> wrote in message
news:cin198$jen$3@news.utelfla.com...
> I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
> game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting.
Bascially,
> this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
> to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
> a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?

Warhammer FRP has a "Fate Point" system which works in a similar way (use it
up to reroll a bad roll or save your life if it would have been a lethal
blow... though some GMs up the power of the fate point and make them
scarcer)

You could probably work something into the d20 system along the lines of
some kind of fate or karma points... you give them sparingly and PCs can use
them to reroll failed results or avoid bad effects (like the monster they
are fighting misses instead of hits)

You might start the PCs off with 1 or 2 points... or even make it random as
something like 1d3 or something. And then give them out at the end of a
long adventure, a complex adventure, a dangerous adventure, a very dangerous
encounter or as a reward when the PCs do something remarkable or
extraordinary

You might need to work things out... like can the PC just use the fate/karma
point to reroll a failed roll? Or do you want it to be a bonus (ie: use a
point for a +5 or +10 to a d20 roll or to apply a -5 or -10 to the opponents
roll)

One thing to keep in mind is that something like this can make things less
challenging for the PCs, especially if you give them out too much... also
you might consider giving them to the bad guys as well, either individually
(for the 'big baddie') or as a group (the group of 10 orcs has 3 points
amongst themselves)

 

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Ubiquitous wrote:
> I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
> game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting. Bascially,
> this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
> to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
> a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?

Check out Eberron's action point system
--

-Bill

 

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In rec.games.frp.dnd Ubiquitous <weberm@polaris.net> screamed out in pain:
: I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
: game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting. Bascially,
: this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
: to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
: a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?

See "Action Points". Both mechanics discussed in "Unearthed Arcana" and
"Eberron".

As for how to use it, use it how you like. Spend the points to add dice
to a roll, reroll failures, or buy success - depending on your particular
likes and dislikes.

--
Jeff Stewart | "Princess Di is wearing a new dress."
downtym@cc.gatech.edu | - Matt Alexander, speaking the
| TRUTH!

 

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weberm@polaris.net (Ubiquitous) wrote:

>I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
>game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting. Bascially,
>this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
>to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
>a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?

Mythus had an award system where the players could trade in their XPs for a
variety of things, one being Joss points. These points were sort of like luck
points in that they could influences or even replace dice results, or even just
call in help from the DM.

If you really need something like that in d20, it should probably be tied to
class levels or Hit Dice, e.g. everytime you go up a level you get a "luck
point" worth a +1 that you can spend as you like on individual dice rolls until
they're all gone.


--
"Justice is as strictly due between neighbor nations as between neighbor
citizens. A highwayman is as much a robber when he plunders in a gang, as when
single; and a nation that makes an unjust war is only a great gang."

--Benjamin Franklin

 

[Guest]

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weberm@polaris.net (Ubiquitous) wrote in message news:<cin198$jen$3@news.utelfla.com>...
> I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
> game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting. Bascially,
> this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
> to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
> a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?

In most game systems we play we borrow the chip system from Deadlands.
For d20, we have two types of chips, "little", and "big". Small
chips can bump up the die face (not the number, important for
crits/misses) by 2, and even surpass 20. Big chips are rerolls.
Small chips carry over from game to game, big chips are handed in for
an xp award at the end of the game. Chips can be earned for problem
solving, good roleplay, being on time, staring death in the face even
though you know it's stupid but your character would, etc.

For my OA mini-campaign that I'll be getting to Real Soon Now, I'm
considering making action points/whatever into a secret stat (called,
appropriately enough, _karma_). Karma can be gained through good
deeds and lost through bad ones. Players may spend all the Karma they
wish, no limit. BUT, once they surpass their actual Karma total, bad
guys get to start spending that negative Karma against them.

 

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In article <nYD3d.10988$__.2609@newssvr31.news.prodigy.com>,
psyberwolf@ameritech.net wrote:
>"Ubiquitous" <weberm@polaris.net> wrote:

>> I am looking for a way to implement the karma mechanic of the Shadowrun
>> game into my D&D campaign but am finding the task a bit daunting.
>> Bascially,
>> this allows players to save up points for rerolling failures or adding
>> to their die roll. Has such a system been implemented before or is there
>> a d20 system already in place? How would you do it?
>
>If you can get a hold of Dragon #118 there is an article called "A Hero's
>Reward - The hero point system for the AD&D game" on page 59. I've been
>using it and it proves to be rather creative.

Hmm, I shall check it out!

--
======================================================================
ISLAM: Winning the hearts and minds of the world, one bomb at a time.

 

[Guest]

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In article <cinm48$qs0$1@solaria.cc.gatech.edu>, downtym@cc.gatech.edu wrote:

>See "Action Points". Both mechanics discussed in "Unearthed Arcana" and
>"Eberron".
>
>As for how to use it, use it how you like. Spend the points to add dice
>to a roll, reroll failures, or buy success - depending on your particular
>likes and dislikes.

Well, it appears that Eberron isn't a total waste of paper after all; I shall
take a look next time I'm at the store.

--
======================================================================
ISLAM: Winning the hearts and minds of the world, one bomb at a time.

 

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In article <20041003235318.07907.00001213@mb-m24.aol.com>,
cloveclone@aol.comdotcom wrote:

>Mythus had an award system where the players could trade in their XPs for a
>variety of things, one being Joss points. These points were sort of like luck
>points in that they could influences or even replace dice results, or even
>just call in help from the DM.

I had totally forgotten about that! I'm sure my Mythus books are around here
somewhere...

>If you really need something like that in d20, it should probably be tied to
>class levels or Hit Dice, e.g. everytime you go up a level you get a "luck
>point" worth a +1 that you can spend as you like on individual dice rolls
>until they're all gone.

I was thinoing along the lines of sing them as a substitute for plot XP or
perhaps giving one per n XP earned.

--
======================================================================
ISLAM: Winning the hearts and minds of the world, one bomb at a time.

 

[Guest]

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In article <slrncmmjm8.p50.kjdavies@kjdavies.kjdavies.org>,
kjdavies@kjdavies.kjdavies.org says...

>The karma system I was using granted karma for:
>
>. Significant Events. This might be the completion of a story arc or
> substory
>
> In the Northlands arc, karma points were gained:
>
> [seven story goals]
>
>. Superior Roleplaying. When a player roleplayed something notably
> well, he'd get a personal bonus.
>
>. Style. If you managed to pull off something impressive that you had no
> right succeeding at, with style, you can gain a point. This also
> included particularly appropriate -- usually funny -- comments during
> play (not necessarily be in character, but generally wouldn't be funny
> out of context)

Ah, thanks for the example!