Post by drsamsara on Nov 10, 2008 16:11:32 GMT -5
As I said in my RPG.Net review, I like all kinds of thing about S&S and one of them is that it retains the OD&D friendliness to mucking about with the rules. This idea hit me yesterday:
Heroic Effort: a character may alter the results of certain class-appropriate rolls to grant himself a better result. To do so, he uses up some of his vitality and luck i.e. Hit Points. HP’s can be sacrificed to raise the dice result on a one-for-one basis plus an additional 1d6-1.
[This means that Heroic Effort is an uncertain action. Lower levels characters are unlikely to use it much since it could easily kill them (although they may do just that for an heroic death scene). But that’s okay since 1st level schlubs aren’t big damn heroes yet anyway.]
Characters can only use Heroic Effort to affect certain class-appropriate rolls:
I like this idea for several reasons. First, it layers on top of existing rules without changing anything.
Second, it uses the abstract nature of Hit Points.
Third, unlike many “Hero Point” mechanics, it reinforces class-archetypes.
Fourth, and also unlike most Hero Point mechanics, it has a cost beyond opportunity cost. That is, with most of these types of mechanics, the only cost to using them is that you can’t use them some other time. With Heroic Effort, you don’t get anything for free. It’s isn’t really giving PC’s a boost-up; rather it just let’s them have little say in the narrative while still suffering the nature of the randomizer.
What do you thinks, sirs?
Heroic Effort: a character may alter the results of certain class-appropriate rolls to grant himself a better result. To do so, he uses up some of his vitality and luck i.e. Hit Points. HP’s can be sacrificed to raise the dice result on a one-for-one basis plus an additional 1d6-1.
[This means that Heroic Effort is an uncertain action. Lower levels characters are unlikely to use it much since it could easily kill them (although they may do just that for an heroic death scene). But that’s okay since 1st level schlubs aren’t big damn heroes yet anyway.]
Characters can only use Heroic Effort to affect certain class-appropriate rolls:
- Warriors: Attack rolls, Strength Saves
- Wizards: Casting rolls (including dispelling), Intelligence and Charisma saves
- Clerics: Casting rolls, Turning Undead, Wisdom Saves
- Thieves: Thief Abilities, Dexterity Saves
I like this idea for several reasons. First, it layers on top of existing rules without changing anything.
Second, it uses the abstract nature of Hit Points.
Third, unlike many “Hero Point” mechanics, it reinforces class-archetypes.
Fourth, and also unlike most Hero Point mechanics, it has a cost beyond opportunity cost. That is, with most of these types of mechanics, the only cost to using them is that you can’t use them some other time. With Heroic Effort, you don’t get anything for free. It’s isn’t really giving PC’s a boost-up; rather it just let’s them have little say in the narrative while still suffering the nature of the randomizer.
What do you thinks, sirs?
