Generating and using the Luck stat from S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

I'm sure I'm late to the party when it comes to Fallout, the video game. I knew a bit (and played the original Wasteland as a kid, a LOT), but didn't really know about the stats system used until I started watching the series. I've always been a fan of anagrams and acronyms, and I was in shock when I learned what S.P.E.C.I.A.L. meant.

Now, since each attribute maps to a D&D attribute, either directly (Strength, Intelligence), or comparatively (Dexterity -> Agility, Wisdom -> Perception), it makes sense that they could be used for D&D... well, except for that elusive Luck stat.

So, I'm here to see if what I'm planning to do with it, would work, with folks around here being all brainy and whatnot.
*Note, I'm not using the Fallout version of base 5 with 5 points to spend, this is the standard 4d6dL of 5th Ed D&D)

If we map the 6 attribute modifiers for D&D to SPECIAL, you get:

Strength (Strength)
Perception (Wisdom)
Endurance (Constitution)
Charisma (Charisma)
Intelligence (Intelligence)
Agility (Dexterity)

What I'm thinking of doing is adding the attribute modifiers together, to generate a whole number that equals your Luck pool.

So, if your attributes and mods were:

S: 16 (+3)
P: 10 (+0)
E: 14 (+2)
C: 8 (-1)
I: 15 (+2)
A: 14 (+2)

Your Luck pool would be 3+0+2-1+2+2=8

So, what does a Luck pool do? It allows you to add up to your current pool amount, to any d20 roll you make. So, with 8 points, you might add 2 to an attack roll, reducing your pool to 6. You might then add 4 to a saving throw, leaving 2. Then add those two to a skill check later on.

Luck would then restore the full pool on a short rest.

I could see a couple additional options. Perhaps spend 5 Luck to make a roll with advantage (or burn 5 Luck to force an enemy to roll with disadvantage) akin to a Paladin Lay on Hands granting different forms of healing for 5 points. In this regard, I'd turn the Lucky feat into a bonus pool of 15 Luck points, which still allows for their use to create advantage, but also to tip a miss into a hit, or a failed save into a made one.

The only lingering question I have is how to determine when you can use the pool. I'm thinking after the roll is made and the result is known, so you can 'push Luck' into a success (or force a reroll for disadvantage just before an attack hits). This is obviously a bit more powerful than 'after the roll, but before the result', but that doesn't feel like luck, but a gamble. Closely related, but not the same. Also, even with a short rest recharge, the pool won't be so large that Luck can be used willy-nilly.

Thoughts?

In the system you describe, I would also want to know how much "luck" I would need to spend to push a failure into a success. It doesn't feel quite as "lucky" to me as the rerolls from the Lucky feat (luck and gambling do go together as concepts for me), but I think I would have fun with the system.

In point buy, most characters would have close to the same amount of luck, right? Vanila PHB human could make out pretty well, though.

I like the way it rewards classes that are naturally more MAD. Classes like monk and barbarian would end up with more luck because of pushing more stats higher for their class which is a good balancing factor. However, it creates a kinda odd paradox where classes like rogue that fit the luck theme better are more SAD and would likely have lower luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Theodoxus

I'm sure I'm late to the party when it comes to Fallout, the video game. I knew a bit (and played the original Wasteland as a kid, a LOT), but didn't really know about the stats system used until I started watching the series. I've always been a fan of anagrams and acronyms, and I was in shock when I learned what S.P.E.C.I.A.L. meant.

Now, since each attribute maps to a D&D attribute, either directly (Strength, Intelligence), or comparatively (Dexterity -> Agility, Wisdom -> Perception), it makes sense that they could be used for D&D... well, except for that elusive Luck stat.

So, I'm here to see if what I'm planning to do with it, would work, with folks around here being all brainy and whatnot.
*Note, I'm not using the Fallout version of base 5 with 5 points to spend, this is the standard 4d6dL of 5th Ed D&D)

If we map the 6 attribute modifiers for D&D to SPECIAL, you get:

Strength (Strength)
Perception (Wisdom)
Endurance (Constitution)
Charisma (Charisma)
Intelligence (Intelligence)
Agility (Dexterity)

What I'm thinking of doing is adding the attribute modifiers together, to generate a whole number that equals your Luck pool.

So, if your attributes and mods were:

S: 16 (+3)
P: 10 (+0)
E: 14 (+2)
C: 8 (-1)
I: 15 (+2)
A: 14 (+2)

Your Luck pool would be 3+0+2-1+2+2=8

So, what does a Luck pool do? It allows you to add up to your current pool amount, to any d20 roll you make. So, with 8 points, you might add 2 to an attack roll, reducing your pool to 6. You might then add 4 to a saving throw, leaving 2. Then add those two to a skill check later on.

Luck would then restore the full pool on a short rest.

I could see a couple additional options. Perhaps spend 5 Luck to make a roll with advantage (or burn 5 Luck to force an enemy to roll with disadvantage) akin to a Paladin Lay on Hands granting different forms of healing for 5 points. In this regard, I'd turn the Lucky feat into a bonus pool of 15 Luck points, which still allows for their use to create advantage, but also to tip a miss into a hit, or a failed save into a made one.

The only lingering question I have is how to determine when you can use the pool. I'm thinking after the roll is made and the result is known, so you can 'push Luck' into a success (or force a reroll for disadvantage just before an attack hits). This is obviously a bit more powerful than 'after the roll, but before the result', but that doesn't feel like luck, but a gamble. Closely related, but not the same. Also, even with a short rest recharge, the pool won't be so large that Luck can be used willy-nilly.

Thoughts?

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Given modern sensibilities on balance, shouldn't Luck go the other way? i.e., the lower your other Abilities, the higher your Luck?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HephaistosFnord

Given modern sensibilities on balance, shouldn't Luck go the other way? i.e., the lower your other Abilities, the higher your Luck?

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Possibly, though I'm not sure what the baseline Luck should be in that case.

I've done a pretty massive overhaul of the basic plan for attributes for the OSR I'm tinkering with.

Taking a beat from 2nd Editions Skills and Powers, I've split each attribute into two components:

Strength: Muscle and Stamina
Perception: Intuition and Willpower
Endurance: Health and Fitness
Charisma: Appearance and Leadership
Intelligence: Knowledge and Reason
Agility: Aim and Balance

Then, to generate your actual attributes, each sub-attribute gets 1 point in one or the other (so, you might have Muscle 1 and Stamina 0).
You then get 6 points to spread as desired (even bumping one sub-attribute by 6, if you'd like). You can also lower sub-attributes down to a minimum of -2, to gain more sub-attribute points.
Your race will provide 3 points as well.
Once the sub-attributes are finalized, add each sub-attribute pair together to obtain the attribute's modifier.
Luck is then the total of all your attributes, as described in my OP. So, outside of any feats, everyone starts with 15 Luck.

Then, I have Derived Stats from the attributes:
Accuracy (Strength + Perception)
Brawn (Strength + Agility)
Damage Resistance (Perception + Endurance)
Encumbrance (Endurance + Intelligence)
Glamour (Endurance + Charisma)
Health (Endurance + Agility)
Initiative (Perception + Agility)
Intimidation (Strength + Charisma)
Mental Resistance (Perception + Charisma)
Physical Resistance (Strength + Endurance)
Psicraft (Perception + Intelligence)
Speed (Strength + Intelligence)
Spellcraft (Charisma + Intelligence)
Strain Resistance (Charisma + Agility)

Skills are based on two sub-attributes, like Acrobatics is Fitness + Balance; Empathy is Intuition + Willpower.
There are 66 skills based on every paring, and proficiency is based on successful uses - you can even start learning new skills just by trying them. Leveling is based on skill proficiencies rather than experience points, so it's generally recommended taking at least one combat skill to help advance levels quickly.

My stab at adding Luck to D&D (not fallout inspired) merged Str and Con into Brawn, then added Luck.

Luck added to HP (instead of Brawn) on even levels (and at level 1, as I had a level 0 d8 HD).

Luck was used for:
1: Death saves. 20+ means you get up with 1 HP. (I also have death-save for damage instead of auto-fail, which actually makes being down MORE lethal because as the DM I can aggressively not pull punches: everyone stabs a downed foe once unless they are running.)
2: Prof bonus times/long rest you could replace a roll (attack, save or check) with a luck save after you made it.
3: You could instead roll a Luck Save against an enemy roll (try to beat it) to make it fail.
4: Crit fails/successes on Luck Saves are extra big.
5: Fighters and Barbarians have Brawn/Luck saving throws (instead of Brawn/Brawn)
6: Rogues have Dex/Luck (instead of Dex/Int). Slippery Mind adds Wis and Int saving throws to Rogues.

This is less of a resource point system - the only thing you count are "prof times per long rest" - and more of an attribute.

Your adaptation of the SPECIAL attributes from Fallout into a Luck pool for D&D is a brilliant idea! It adds an exciting twist to character creation and gameplay, offering players a unique resource to enhance their rolls and make clutch saves. Your proposal to use attribute modifiers to generate the Luck pool is intuitive and adds strategic depth to decision-making. Additionally, the suggestion of spending Luck points for advantage or altering enemy rolls further enriches player options. Allowing Luck to be used after the roll is made adds tension and excitement to gameplay. Overall, this concept promises to enhance D&D campaigns with its innovative mechanics and thematic coherence. Well done!

My inclination is to say that anything called "luck" shouldn't let you get a result higher than the maximum you would otherwise be able to obtain. Instead, it should just make it more likely that you'll get the highest result you'd otherwise be able to obtain.