Halflings and Luck

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reverenddak
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Halflings and Luck

Post by reverenddak »

... a halfling doubles the bonus of a Luck check. For every 1 point of Luck expended, a halfling gains a +2 to his roll.
I think I know what it means, but I'm realizing that's not what is written. The intent is there, when halflings burn Luck, they get 2x the bonus to the roll. But that first sentence reads, twice the bonus of a Luck check. One can read it as being a halfling (using the roll-under Luck check) with a Luck of 12, needs to roll a 24 or lower... Or, they get their 2x their Luck mod on their Luck checks? That's just weird. It probably should read:

First, a halfling doubles the bonus of Luck burned. For every 1 point of Luck expended, a halfling gains a +2 to his roll.
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Randall
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Re: Halflings and Luck

Post by Randall »

Another thing I've wondered, and I apologize if it's been covered elsewhere: Does the double luck bonus apply to Luck points burned by the halfling on other characters' behalf?
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Re: Halflings and Luck

Post by Rick »

http://www.goodman-games.com/forums/vie ... 192#p85192
goodmangames wrote:The intent of the rules was that any Luck burned by a Halfling grants a 2:1 benefit. So 1 point of Luck burned grants +2 to a roll by either the Halfling or an ally.
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Re: Halflings and Luck

Post by Randall »

Thanks! I ran the Free RPG Day adventure with the pregens and having that 16 Luck halfling really saved the party a few times, and I wasn't even doubling the bonus.
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Re: Halflings and Luck

Post by Cthulhuoid »

The way I always took this class ability is that it has 2 parts, it has only come up a couple times in my games.

1. Making an actual luck check, he doubles his modifier or any special/situational modifier for rolling under his luck. (eg potential -4 for a +2 bonus situational modifier)
2. For luck burned for the Halfling himself, its a total of 2 points each time he burns a luck point for any roll he's using it on. (eg burning 2 points of luck to help his roll to jump the chasm garners him +4 to his roll)

Granted, I let my players use their luck ability modifier to help roll under their luck - I don't see a specific area where this is allowed, but I think it is what was meant.
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Re: Halflings and Luck

Post by GnomeBoy »

Cthulhuoid wrote:Granted, I let my players use their luck ability modifier to help roll under their luck - I don't see a specific area where this is allowed, but I think it is what was meant.
So long as you're intending that those with a high Luck will be getting an even easier deal by getting the benefit of their modifier, and those with a really low Luck will be getting penalized by their low modifier, all is well.

Generally, I'd think (for example) that someone needing a 5 or less to make is bad enough, and that bumping them down to needing a 3 or less after applying their modifier is too much. It does make hanging onto Luck more significant, which may be what you're going for...
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Re: Halflings and Luck

Post by Pesky »

Randall wrote:Thanks! I ran the Free RPG Day adventure with the pregens and having that 16 Luck halfling really saved the party a few times, and I wasn't even doubling the bonus.
I'm the author of that adventure, and Thyll (the pregen you refer to) is still alive in the campaign that I run. However, last night he burned his luck from 4 to zero in order to save the party by boosting a cleric's spellcheck; to their credit, he and the cleric did save the party from an (almost) certain TPK. The odds of him making it out of the dungeon alive with a zero luck are negligible. Resting isn't much of an option, because wandering encounters will happen to such an unlucky PC. So, burn some luck for Thyll...his player will appreciate it. :D
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Re: Halflings and Luck

Post by Cthulhuoid »

GnomeBoy wrote: So long as you're intending that those with a high Luck will be getting an even easier deal by getting the benefit of their modifier, and those with a really low Luck will be getting penalized by their low modifier, all is well.

Generally, I'd think (for example) that someone needing a 5 or less to make is bad enough, and that bumping them down to needing a 3 or less after applying their modifier is too much. It does make hanging onto Luck more significant, which may be what you're going for...
What I meant was that if he has to roll under his luck, the modifier helps the roll, reducing the number on the dice. So if the halfling had a 5 luck (must be the laughing stock of the burrow hehe), there would not be a modifier, as I read the ability as a bonus, not a penalty. But if he had a +2 luck bonus, it would reduce the die facing making it easier to roll under it for luck checks (listening, etc).

I dont know if I would apply it for "roll over" death saves - as this would make a Halfling with a high luck bonus practically immortal.
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