Goodman Games

I am curious about how some of you use luck...especially any house rules regarding it. Some questions to get this started:

1. Do you let spellcasters avoid corruption by spending luck? I know this is the rule, but I figure nobody would ever get corruption then, so if they roll too low, I stick em with the corruption regardless.

2. Do you let players know their target number before they decide to spend luck? For spells, the target is obvious, but for DC checks it isn't. I use the method I learned from Judge Jeffrey Tadlock (Spellburn/Iron Tavern) on his AP podcast...and ask them "are you happy with that roll?"

3. Do you let halflings get two points per luck spent if they spend it on themselves or only when they share it?

4. How much luck do you give out to replenish it? When do you do it?

5. Birth augers: If the luck modifier is negative, do you penalize whatever action the auger refers to, or just have no effect?

6. Warriors and the lucky weapon: If they have a negative modifier, do you penalize them on a weapon or just have no bonus?

7. Are there any rolls that you do NOT allow them to modify with luck? (e.g. can they spend luck to help someone on a turn the body roll, intelligence check to spot secret doors, deed die roll, during a spell duel, or on an initial Patron Bond or an Invoke Patron check?)

8. Do you follow the "only one halfling in the party can be the luck sharer" rule or do you let all halflings in the party share luck in the adventure? I am kind of torn on this rule. Can you swap to a second halfling if the first one depletes his luck?

9. How much discussion about how to spend luck do you allow at the table (i.e. metagaming the spending of luck).

10. As luck is burned down, do you reduce the modifier for everything, or are there some things that the luck modifier is permanently fixed at (like birth augers, lucky weapons, etc.)?

11. Is your initial luck score your max, or can you earn luck in an adventure that puts you over what you initially rolled?

Any answers to any of these questions are much appreciated.

1. I let them. A wizard with low luck won't risk burning Luck to avoid corruption. It has far better uses than that, like avoiding DEADLY things.
2. I give them a hint if they would miss a roll by few. That's usually enough to figure out how much luck to burn.
3. I didn't have halfling class in my game, but yeah, I would. It's already a weak class, why take that advantage too from him?
4. One or two after every big thing, but I usually don't hand out much money or Luck.
5. Penalize. Bad luck is a thing, it would be lame and totally un-DCC to ignore penalties.
6. See #5. The warrior is unlucky with that weapon. Better choose something he would never use.
7. I don't recall any.
8. Well, four hobbits in the Fellowship weren't enough to save Boromir... They probably didn't create a hobbit Luck pool.
9. I don't see why spending Luck needs any discussion, it goes like this: "You've fucked up your saving throw by a few points!" "Oh, sh*t, I burn x points of Luck!" "K, you narrowly escaped the fireball."
10. I reduce the modifier for whatever it's not permanently fixed - like criticals and fumbles, those use the current Luck modifier.
11. I let it grow beyond the starting value. If you do heroic stuff without burning Luck, you deserve to accumulate favor and get more lucky over time.

1. Huh, I didn't know about that rule.
2. Sometimes...I usually run at cons with people who aren't really familiar with the system, so sometimes I try to remind them of the luck burning mechanic. If they roll close, but fail, I'll be like "You can spend two points of Luck to succeed..." Especially if it's a funnel...I like the characters to have low Luck when they hit first level and get their class-based Luck bonuses.
3. Yes, pretty sure that one's explicitly stated in the rules.
4. I usually run one-shots. So I haven't had to deal with this.
5. Penalize!
6. Penalize them! Though I still let them pick the weapon, so they usually pick one they have no intention of ever using.
7. Anything that's a standard d20 roll (roll d20, high results are good) I allow Luck on. That means no for recovering the body.
8. Never had to deal with more than one Halfling in the group. I'd probably rule that whichever Halfling has the highest current Luck is the good luck charm. So it'll change as they spend it.
9. Some. I've never had anyone abuse it yet.
10. I usually play that birth augurs and class Luck bonuses are fixed, but everything else fluctuates.
11. You can earn higher than your starting Luck. When a character earns Luck, it's usually due to magic, a deity/patron, or just good karma. These things do not know human limitations.

1. Yes.
2. Often. I used not to do so, and I usually let them know if they are close. In game, I imagine that a near miss is obviously a near miss anyway.
3. Yes.
4. I give out Luck from time to time. I also make players reroll Luck from time to time.
5. Yes. Sometimes you are faster due to Wild Child; sometimes you are a bit lame from an accident in your youth.
6. Yes. Pick a weapon you just suck at.
7. Hit Points.
8. There can be only one. When his Luck has run out, too bad, so sad. BTW, I don't allow the halfling to spend Luck to avoid corruption or fumbles (see Warrior), either, but merely to modify rolls.
9. Go for it.
10. Some things, like Birth Auger, are fixed at starting Luck by the rules.
11. You can go over, but if you keep hoarding it, I will sooner or later make everyone re-roll their Luck.

Thanks for the detailed responses, I appreciate the insight from all of you!