Deus Ex Machina: A Mosaic Strict Luck Mechanic
I very much like luck mechanics. That is, to say, I like mechanical systems in TTRPGs that represent the ephemeral force of luck. I also very much like mechanics that force the player to make and lay in their own bed. So I wrote up a little mechanic to fit both of those criteria. Itβs also part of a little hack of Micah Andersonβs Dagger! that I wrote up relatively recently just to stretch my game design muscles.
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PCs have 3d4 Fortune points at character creation.
When things are looking down, and you have no options, you may turn to the fickle forces of fate to save you.
Say what you fear will happen if your luck fails you, and what you hope will happen. The GM may replace your fear if they deem it more interesting to do so. Roll 1d12, trying to get under your current number of Fortune points. If you succeed, what you hoped for will happen, and you permanently lose one Fortune point. If you fail, your fear will come to pass. If you roll a value on the d12 equal to your number of Fortune points, both things happen.