Fate Points

As is painfully obvious, player characters are extremely special beings.  As such, they can do extraordinary things.  This system will help track when your character uses up some of the grace 'the world' has extended to them.  Remember, some NPCs may have a pool of Fate Points to work with too.

Each player starts with 1d6 Fate Point plus the following modifiers:

• Human, Half-elf, Halfling, Dwarf, Gnome, Half-orc, + 1

• Elf, + 2

• Non-neutral alignment, + 1

• Cleric, Druid, Bard, Paladin, + 1

• Wizards & Sorcerers, + 2

• Certain feats, such a Luck of Heroes, + 1

We will roll for Fate Points at the beginning of the first session.

How to Use Fate Points

At any give time, you may expend a fate point to do something 'heroic'.  Primarily, you may use fate points to cheat death.  If your character reaches zero hit points for whatever reason, you may use two Fate Points to avoid death (the DM will probably resurrect your character but leave them at 1 hit point, as usual).  If one of your fellow PCs can cast Resurrection or Raise Dead, you will only need to use one Fate Point.  You can also use fate points as a sort of 'take 20'.  At any time you would like your character to try something--picking a lock, figuring out a puzzle, identifying a bad guy in a crowded room--that you have previously failed a dice roll on, you may expend a fate point to complete the task.  There may be some things that are impossible to do, in which case the DM will inform you that you have failed.  No fate points will be deducted if you fail in this way. 

Fate Points can be used to correct for incredibly poor decision-making on the part of the players.  If the players choose a course of action that would normally bring the campaign to a screeching halt, the DM may require that the party 'pay' a number of Fate Points to get it back on track.  It may happen that the DM may automatically deduct these points without explanation--in order to keep certain IC information unavailable to the PC.

Fate Points will be kept by the DM.  PCs should keep track of their use as well, but shouldn't share that information with other players. So don't ask, don't tell!

How to Get Fate Points

Fate points are very difficult to gain, but you can expect to accumulate more over the course of the campaign. Basically, you get fate points by doing something heroic.  This will need to be something that is risky, impresses your character's patron god, involves some amount of personal sacrifice.  Occasionally, the entire party may earn Fate Points for their heroic deeds.  The DM is the final arbiter.  

Zero Fate Points

If you are reduced to zero Fate Points, your character is still playable but, should they fall in battle, they are dead.  Hit the 'Respawn' button and your character will be whisked off to eternity.  It's time to make a new character.  

I stole the idea for Deb.

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