Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)
For years, I've given my players an XP award for showing up, sort of as
an added incentive. But I am growing dissatisfied with that idea, since
I don't like the idea of giving them experience for parking their cars
on my lawn.
Anyway, I was toying with alternative ways of spicing up the game, and
moving away from the XP thing. That's when I got the idea for
one-shots. They replace XP awards, and are usable only once (hence, the
name). A one-shot does something like allow you to reroll a bad roll,
avoid a bad saving throw, succeed at a tough lock pick, intimdate
someone when you REALLY need to do so, and so on.
The idea is this: At the start of each session, players roll for
one-shots. They get at least one, plus one for every four character
levels they have. They roll d% for them and select them from the table.
(The table doesn't have 100 of them yet, but I'm working on it.) If
they roll one inappropriate to their class, they roll again. One-shots
cannot be traded or sold.
They have to use the one-shot during that session. If they don't it
goes away. If the one-shot gives them money or something tangible like
that, they can keep it, but the one-shot itself goes away.
As soon as you use the one-shot, it goes away. You can only use it
once. Finally, with very few exceptions, you have to declare that
you're going to use the one-shot up front. If a one-shot buffs an
attack roll, you have to declare that you're using it before you make
the roll. If, however, the one-shot allows you to reroll a failed
attack, it will say so.
So what do you guys think? Is it too uber? Would you use it? If not,
why not? If you would, how would you improve it?
The list of one-shots I have so far are below. Each has a name and a
description. I know that they are not all balanced, but I'm not really
sure how worried I am about that.
==================================================
Accidental Hero: If you attack an opponent and miss, you may redeem
this one-shot to treat the attack as a successful hit. The attack deals
half normal damage (rounded down to the nearest whole number).
Adamantine Nads: You gain a +4 bonus against a single save versus fear.
Adept Lockpick: If you have ranks in Pick Locks, you automatically
succeed at one attempt. You may not use this one-shot to pick a lock
that you have already failed to pick.
Artful Dodger: You gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC for one round.
Burst of Strength: You gain a +2 bonus to one Strength check or melee
attack roll.
Check Out My Speedo: You gain a +4 bonus to a single Swim check.
Close Call: You succeed at one failed Reflex saving throw.
Expensive Noose: You find a pearl necklace worth 1d6×10gp.
Flawless Scribe: You automatically succeed at an attempt to scribe a
spell into your spell book.
Fleet of Foot: You may take one extra 5-foot step in a single combat
round without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Fortuitous Casting: You cast one spell without using up its material
component.
Glancing Blow: A melee attack that would normally have struck glances
off your armor or clothing. You take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage
instead of the weapon's normal damage. If the weapon would normally
have dealt nonlethal damage, that damage is halved. You must take at
least 1 point of nonlethal damage.
Imposing Presence: Your appearance scares the bejeezus out of a single
opponent. That opponent acts as though under the effect of a fear spell
for 1d2 rounds.
Inner Strength: Heal 1hp each round for the next 1d10 rounds. If you
have nonlethal damage, it is healed first.
Jedi Mind Trick: You gain a +4 bonus to one Diplomacy check.
Keen Negotiator: When purchasing equipment, supplies, or services, you
negotiate artfully for a better price. You get your purchase for 75% of
its normal price. You may not use this one-shot to purchase magic
items, including scrolls, potions, rods, staves, and wands. You may,
however, use this one-shot to pay for magical services including
healing, blessing, buffs, resurrections, and so forth.
Luck's Blessing: You may reroll 1 failed saving throw.
Lucky Break: If you have no ranks in Pick Locks, you get really lucky
and discover that an item that appeared to be locked wasn't locked
after all.
Lucky Find: You find 1d20 copper pieces, 1d10 silver pieces, 1d6 gold
pieces, and 1d3 platinum pieces strewn about on the road.
Magic's Blessing: The next spell you cast does not count against your
daily casting total, and does not slip from your memory. You may not
have more than one of this one-shot.
Martial Luck: Your attacks for the next round are made at a +1 bonus,
and deal 1 additional point of damage. The weapon is not considered
magical during this round.
Master of the Obscure: You gain a +4 bonus to a single Knowledge check.
Nerves of Steel: You automatically succeed in a save against a fear
effect.
Nice Recovery: You miraculously land on your feet when you would
otherwise be knocked prone, or rendered flat-footed.
Nothing to See Here: You gain a +4 bonus to a single Hide or Move
Silently check.
Pot o' Gold: You find 50cp in loose change.
Quick Learner: For the duration of this gaming session, you gain a +1
bonus to one skill. This bonus disappears when the session ends.
Quick Observation: You gain a +2 bonus to any one ranged attack roll,
search check, or spot check.
Ready for Anything: If, during combat, the DM determines that you were
caught by surprise, you may redeem this one-shot. Doing so permits you
to act normally during the surprise combat round, and you are not
flat-footed.
Scream Like a Girl: Move at twice your max speed during a full retreat
action.
Sneaky! You may redeem this one-shoot in order to gain surprise on an
enemy.
Soft Landing: If you would normally take falling damage, you land in
such a way that the damage is halved. This one-shot cannot reduce the
amount of falling damage below 1 hp.
Spastic Bastard: Your behavior is so erratic and distracting that
enemies suffer a -2 penalty to attacks for the next 1d4 rounds.
Surge of Power: Add 2 to your caster level for one casting.
That was Close! You may spend this one-shot to force an opponent to
reroll an attack that successfully hit you. However, if the second roll
hits, you must accept its outcome, even if it is a critical hit.
Uncanny Reaction: Gain a +4 bonus to your next initiative roll.
Would I Lie to You? You gain a +4 bonus to a single Bluff check.
For years, I've given my players an XP award for showing up, sort of as
an added incentive. But I am growing dissatisfied with that idea, since
I don't like the idea of giving them experience for parking their cars
on my lawn.
Anyway, I was toying with alternative ways of spicing up the game, and
moving away from the XP thing. That's when I got the idea for
one-shots. They replace XP awards, and are usable only once (hence, the
name). A one-shot does something like allow you to reroll a bad roll,
avoid a bad saving throw, succeed at a tough lock pick, intimdate
someone when you REALLY need to do so, and so on.
The idea is this: At the start of each session, players roll for
one-shots. They get at least one, plus one for every four character
levels they have. They roll d% for them and select them from the table.
(The table doesn't have 100 of them yet, but I'm working on it.) If
they roll one inappropriate to their class, they roll again. One-shots
cannot be traded or sold.
They have to use the one-shot during that session. If they don't it
goes away. If the one-shot gives them money or something tangible like
that, they can keep it, but the one-shot itself goes away.
As soon as you use the one-shot, it goes away. You can only use it
once. Finally, with very few exceptions, you have to declare that
you're going to use the one-shot up front. If a one-shot buffs an
attack roll, you have to declare that you're using it before you make
the roll. If, however, the one-shot allows you to reroll a failed
attack, it will say so.
So what do you guys think? Is it too uber? Would you use it? If not,
why not? If you would, how would you improve it?
The list of one-shots I have so far are below. Each has a name and a
description. I know that they are not all balanced, but I'm not really
sure how worried I am about that.
==================================================
Accidental Hero: If you attack an opponent and miss, you may redeem
this one-shot to treat the attack as a successful hit. The attack deals
half normal damage (rounded down to the nearest whole number).
Adamantine Nads: You gain a +4 bonus against a single save versus fear.
Adept Lockpick: If you have ranks in Pick Locks, you automatically
succeed at one attempt. You may not use this one-shot to pick a lock
that you have already failed to pick.
Artful Dodger: You gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC for one round.
Burst of Strength: You gain a +2 bonus to one Strength check or melee
attack roll.
Check Out My Speedo: You gain a +4 bonus to a single Swim check.
Close Call: You succeed at one failed Reflex saving throw.
Expensive Noose: You find a pearl necklace worth 1d6×10gp.
Flawless Scribe: You automatically succeed at an attempt to scribe a
spell into your spell book.
Fleet of Foot: You may take one extra 5-foot step in a single combat
round without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Fortuitous Casting: You cast one spell without using up its material
component.
Glancing Blow: A melee attack that would normally have struck glances
off your armor or clothing. You take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage
instead of the weapon's normal damage. If the weapon would normally
have dealt nonlethal damage, that damage is halved. You must take at
least 1 point of nonlethal damage.
Imposing Presence: Your appearance scares the bejeezus out of a single
opponent. That opponent acts as though under the effect of a fear spell
for 1d2 rounds.
Inner Strength: Heal 1hp each round for the next 1d10 rounds. If you
have nonlethal damage, it is healed first.
Jedi Mind Trick: You gain a +4 bonus to one Diplomacy check.
Keen Negotiator: When purchasing equipment, supplies, or services, you
negotiate artfully for a better price. You get your purchase for 75% of
its normal price. You may not use this one-shot to purchase magic
items, including scrolls, potions, rods, staves, and wands. You may,
however, use this one-shot to pay for magical services including
healing, blessing, buffs, resurrections, and so forth.
Luck's Blessing: You may reroll 1 failed saving throw.
Lucky Break: If you have no ranks in Pick Locks, you get really lucky
and discover that an item that appeared to be locked wasn't locked
after all.
Lucky Find: You find 1d20 copper pieces, 1d10 silver pieces, 1d6 gold
pieces, and 1d3 platinum pieces strewn about on the road.
Magic's Blessing: The next spell you cast does not count against your
daily casting total, and does not slip from your memory. You may not
have more than one of this one-shot.
Martial Luck: Your attacks for the next round are made at a +1 bonus,
and deal 1 additional point of damage. The weapon is not considered
magical during this round.
Master of the Obscure: You gain a +4 bonus to a single Knowledge check.
Nerves of Steel: You automatically succeed in a save against a fear
effect.
Nice Recovery: You miraculously land on your feet when you would
otherwise be knocked prone, or rendered flat-footed.
Nothing to See Here: You gain a +4 bonus to a single Hide or Move
Silently check.
Pot o' Gold: You find 50cp in loose change.
Quick Learner: For the duration of this gaming session, you gain a +1
bonus to one skill. This bonus disappears when the session ends.
Quick Observation: You gain a +2 bonus to any one ranged attack roll,
search check, or spot check.
Ready for Anything: If, during combat, the DM determines that you were
caught by surprise, you may redeem this one-shot. Doing so permits you
to act normally during the surprise combat round, and you are not
flat-footed.
Scream Like a Girl: Move at twice your max speed during a full retreat
action.
Sneaky! You may redeem this one-shoot in order to gain surprise on an
enemy.
Soft Landing: If you would normally take falling damage, you land in
such a way that the damage is halved. This one-shot cannot reduce the
amount of falling damage below 1 hp.
Spastic Bastard: Your behavior is so erratic and distracting that
enemies suffer a -2 penalty to attacks for the next 1d4 rounds.
Surge of Power: Add 2 to your caster level for one casting.
That was Close! You may spend this one-shot to force an opponent to
reroll an attack that successfully hit you. However, if the second roll
hits, you must accept its outcome, even if it is a critical hit.
Uncanny Reaction: Gain a +4 bonus to your next initiative roll.
Would I Lie to You? You gain a +4 bonus to a single Bluff check.
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