I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man's. I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.

- William Blake

Monday, July 27, 2020

Lucky Number Seth

There is an entire post to be written about how wasteful is to use a die with 20 sides to only get two or three meanings (hit, miss, or critical hit)... but I'm not writing that today.

Today is just one example.

So, here is Set (or Seth), an Egyptian god of many roles... some of them related to chaos or defeating chaos. Which is fitting.



If a player character becomes a follower of Set, roll a d20. This is now the number of Seth.

Say you've got a 12. Every time you roll a 12 with that PC, Set intervenes. He has his own goals in mid... but if you have been a faithful follower, he is very much inclined to help you out. Of course, he has his own, sometimes inscrutable, motives.

Extrapolate from this little mechanic. The possibilites are endless. For example:

- For clerics, the usefulness is obvious. Yes, you can sin against Set from time to time... but better not roll his number while doing it!
- The DM rolls in secret, and tells the PC when Set intervenes. Maybe he only does it once until you've got the time to pray again. But did Set really intervene? Or would that 12 have killed the monster anyway?
- You could form a pact with a deity, and use this help until you fulfill it.
- Maybe you can worship two deities? Well, roll a new die. Now you have two lucky nubmers! But whose goals are you following now? And you better not roll the same number twice - you soul might get ripped apart by jealous deities...
- Of course, it works differently for non-clerics. Maybe once a day, etc.

And so on.

5 comments:

  1. Maybe you did know this, but in french, "seven" is "sept", which is pronounced exactly like "Set". Lucky number Set indeed :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe I was just... lucky! Ba dum tss!

      (Sorry :D . Yeah, it was intentional. Thank for the comment!)

      Delete
  2. This has cool possibilities, as you mentioned.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 13th Age Fighters do some of this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, good one. 13th Age is an amazing game. I'm not sure about the Fighter particularly, I didn't enjoy it at the time, mostly because to me it felt a bit like the dice telling you what you can attempt. But then again maybe it is the presentation I dislike. Overall, a great game.

      Delete