Ruleset: Fate Points (Patreon)

The Fate Points is a ruleset we introduced in the Hardcore campaigns of D&D - also known as the “Fate Fragment” system.

The Fate Point ruleset is a great way to add some variety to your leveling up outside of the usual mechanics - adding some variety and choice - while allowing players a chance to ‘rewrite fate’ as it were.

This system works best for rulesets that allow for the rolling of stats and hit points - and works very well with the Hardcore Ruleset.

Every time a character levels up, they are rewarded a Fate Point.  They can choose to expend that Fate Point at that level up or reserve it for the next level up.  Fate Points can only be expended during level-ups.  You can only keep a maximum of 3 Fate Points.  If your character dies, all Fate Points accrued are removed from your character.

You may expend Fate Points for the following during Level Up.  Any reroll made - you can choose if you want to take the new result.

1 Fate Points

• Reroll an Ability Score the same way as you created your character.
• Reroll a Hit Dice
• Hero Point : You gain 1 Hero Point.  You can expend a Hero Point to grant you advantage on a d20 check or impose disadvantage on an opponent's d20 check.
• Relearn a Spell/Class Ability/Feat: You can choose a new class feature, spell, or feat from what you’ve already learned.  This new selection replaces the old one.  This allows for a sort of ‘respec’ within the game.
• Injury Removal (Hardcore) : You may choose an ongoing injury and remove it.  Evidence of the previous injury will still remain, a reminder of what you had once lost.
• Injury Prevention (Hardcore) : You are given an Injury Prevention.  When you would normally receive an injury, you can expend the Injury Prevention, preventing it instead.

3 Fate Points

Those who reserve their Fate Points are given more options for their characters.  Each option must still be approved by the GM.

• Learn a new Feat. This can be taken multiple times.
• Acquire a Magic Item
  • Roleplay-wise, this could be a lost heirloom rediscovered by your character, or perhaps a crafting project they had been working on in the background the entire time.
  • This can be taken multiple times.  The first item’s rarity is uncommon, and the rarity limit increases every time this selection is taken (Uncommon > Rare > Very Rare > Legendary).
    • You can select an item up to the rarity limit - meaning even if you have the ability to select a Rare item, you can choose an Uncommon item instead.

Next week, we will go over carving and crafting, an expanded system that will be introduced in our next book - Fiendish Forge!

Brett