WFRP Style Fate points in BRP?

[Simlasa]

Originally Posted by AikiGhost

Perhaps if you wanted to use MPs as fate points you could do a Marvel Supers FASERIP style "I will make a special" type system.

You declare before an important roll what kind of success you want to make, then roll the dice, for each 10 points you miss by you spend 1mp, and even if you succeed you spend the minimum 1mp for the roll.

That reminds me of a description I saw somewhere of the way one group uses fate points... to represent an exceptional effort... 'I know this is really important so I'm gonna put my all into it'. Spending the point before hand to influence, but not insure, the roll about to be made. Kind of like betting... making that final exertion at the end of the race.

Using them that way appeals to me somewhat... for some sorts of games (Raymond Chandler is only borderline noir for me... my idea of 'Film Noir' is much more along the lines of 'Blast Of Silence' or 'Out Of The Past'... and not much of anybody lived through those.).

[dracopticon]

Several years ago, I gamemastered my own BRP-clone of EBROS in a campaign that lasted one year and a half, during which time I had a value on the character sheet called "Tanj" (from the Ringworld abbreviation "There Ain't No Justice"). This were my label on the Hero/Fate Points of my system. But the criteria was that they could do only so much.

For example, a character got three crossbow bolts in his chest in one combat round, and each was quite deadly (of course). So the player choose to use up three fate points (one for each bolt). And that really cost him, but it should!

The Tanj points could not reverse a gods decision, for instance, or something as heavy. But I plan to use the Tanj points again, since my view on characters are: they're heroes!

Erik Brickman.

[frogspawner]

Originally Posted by dracopticon

But I plan to use the Tanj points again, since my view on characters are: they're heroes!

However, are they the only heroes around? Yesterday, some NPCs used (my equivalent of) Fate Points to escape damage in combat - "But we're the heroes!" the players howled. Was that 'Justice'?

BTW, how do your 'heroes' earn their Tanj?

[Nightshade]

Originally Posted by frogspawner

However, are they the only heroes around? Yesterday, some NPCs used (my equivalent of) Fate Points to escape damage in combat - "But we're the heroes!" the players howled. Was that 'Justice'?

BTW, how do your 'heroes' earn their Tanj?

At best, people in games with hero point style mechanics should expect major opponents to get to use them too. I've rarely seen a game with that kind of mechanic where that wasn't true.

[frogspawner]

Phew! That was my thought - thanks for your support!

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by frogspawner

Phew! That was my thought - thanks for your support!

Yeah ditto here. I have seen some games differentiate the points somewhat though. For example, the James Bond game gave heroes "hero points" and villains "survival points". The distinction being that survival points could only be used defensively. That made a lot of sense too, since if a PC spends 3 points to blow a bad guy away it doesn't disrupt the campaign as much as the bad guy spending 3 points and blowing a PC away. Especially since the PCs would be spending points going through the adventure to get to the bad guy, while the villain was usually safe "off camera".

Most games also tend to limit the points to significant NPCs though, or limit the points for extras and other minor characters. Otherwise a squad of 20 stormtroopers becomes almost unkillable. Twenty guys even with 8 POW for being clones probably have a big advantage over a group of PC heroes.

Generally the idea behind hero points is to tone down the lethality a little for the players to allow then to act like larger than life heroes. Handling out the same number of points to every NPCs does just the opposite.

[Hedgehobbit]

I remember reading a game a few years back that had Hero points but when you used them, you got this kind of negative Hero point in return. Kinda like Doom points. These points the GM could use to cause you trouble later on down the line.

Anyone seen anything like this?

[frogspawner]

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

Most games also tend to limit the points to significant NPCs though, or limit the points for extras and other minor characters.

And normally I would too. It's just I'm calling this ability Defence, and the NPC stats I was using gave had the baboons listed with "10% Defence", so... (yeah, I know it's GM laziness, not reworking the stats - I've been busy, ok? ) Good way to test the new rule, though!
(Edit: I should explain I'm giving Defence x PP spent chance to avoid damage. Again - thanks for the idea, Atg!)

Originally Posted by Hedgehobbit

I remember reading a game a few years back that had Hero points but when you used them, you got this kind of negative Hero point in return. Kinda like Doom points. These points the GM could use to cause you trouble later on down the line.

Not seen it, but nice idea!

[Atgxtg]

Originally Posted by frogspawner

Again - thanks for the idea, Atg!)[/i]

Whadido?

[frogspawner]

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

Whadido?

Suggested the 'spending PP' part. Upthread, I thought, but can't find it now - maybe in another one. Ta, anyway. It's currently under playtest...