[Houserule] Keep your 20s - PEACH

[Altair_the_Vexed]

I thought up a small, but possibly significant, rule to apply to d20 games. I think it will add some of the flavour of other game systems where a high roll result brings extra success (beyond the critical hit system that d20 already has). I've got two variants, either one of which give you a bonus, but one is more powerful than the other.

Have a look, and let me know what you think - which one is better, are they both awful, whatever! Please Evaluate And Criticise Honestly/Helpfully.

Keep your 20s
When you roll a natural 20, apply the result as normal, but also set the die aside. You may re-roll this die to replace any d20 roll - but you must keep the new result. Once used in this manner, the d20 is discarded.
You can keep as many d20s in this manner as you have class levels, up to your Charisma score.

Variant
When you roll a natural 20, apply the result as normal, but also set the die aside. You may re-roll this die alongside any subsequent d20 roll, and keep the better result. Once used in this manner, the d20 is discarded.
You can keep as many d20s in this manner as you have class levels, up to your Charisma score.

[MrNobody]

First thing that comes to my mind is the effect on crit confirmation roll.
20, critical. Set the die aside.
Roll to confirm, not enough. Roll the die again.
As a result you are way more likely to confirm a critical attack each time you score a threat with a 20.

Saying that you can reroll BEFORE knowing the positive or negative result of the roll would fix this up a little.

On a second note: how can you stack this abiliy? If you set a die aside, reroll a d20 roll and get a 20, you can set that die aside again?
If you already rerolled a dice (by effect of a luck feat, for example) you could use the die set aside to gain a second reroll on that roll?

[johnbragg]

Sounds fun in a beer and pretzels (or Doritos and Mountain Dew, if you're underaged) way.

My "Yes, and..." is just make it a full-fledged Cheat Point. Redeemable for a re-roll, or for an extra action on your turn, or to jump the initiative order, or similar effects.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Thanks for your answers so far!


First thing that comes to my mind is the effect on crit confirmation roll.
20, critical. Set the die aside.
Roll to confirm, not enough. Roll the die again.
As a result you are way more likely to confirm a critical attack each time you score a threat with a 20.

I'm happy with that idea - it was the first thing I thought of doing... but not the last. If you want to use this rule to enhance your criticals, then you can do just that. There are always other reasons to save up your re-rolls, though.


Saying that you can reroll BEFORE knowing the positive or negative result of the roll would fix this up a little.

I know that is a fairly standard rule, but I don't like it much (and in my home games, we rarely bother using it). Because relatively experienced players have a very good idea what their die results are going to mean in practice, the concept feels a bit false to me. Like if I roll a 2, and I have a only a few things to add to that, I can be confident I've failed. Just because no-one has officially declared that I've failed doesn't mean I don't know it.

That's why I didn't apply it here. Not saying it isn't a valid rule to use, and that it doesn't fit well with my proposed rule - so I'll add it in as an optional extra.


On a second note: how can you stack this abiliy? If you set a die aside, reroll a d20 roll and get a 20, you can set that die aside again?
If you already rerolled a dice (by effect of a luck feat, for example) you could use the die set aside to gain a second reroll on that roll?

I intended it to mean that every time you get a 20, you get to keep it (unless you already reached your limit of kept d20s).

Now that I've cleared that up, do you think it seems too powerful?



Sounds fun in a beer and pretzels (or Doritos and Mountain Dew, if you're underaged) way.

My "Yes, and..." is just make it a full-fledged Cheat Point. Redeemable for a re-roll, or for an extra action on your turn, or to jump the initiative order, or similar effects.

I like cheat points, but they're hard to adjudicate fairly. Negotiating for their use can slow things down a bit. Maybe it's because I tend to swing between hard-nosed bastard and conciliatory push-over :smalleek:

[MrNobody]

If you are not worried about the augmented confirmed critical rate and the "roll before" thing (a rule i rarely use myself) i don't think it will turn out to be too powerful at your table (i can't be sure in other contexts).

Still, i'm still bothered by rerolls stacking. How you handle this could make the difference between OP or not.
I will allow to reroll a dice only once or, at least, only once per source: you roll a 2, reroll via "luck" domain; you get a 4; you use a luck feat, and get 2 again; angry as hell, you use one of your "set aside" dices. You get a 6. And you have to keep it.

Another question: how is this rule supposed to work for DMs? They get "set aside dices" too?
If the answer is yes, they have to keep track of the "set aside dices" or every NPC (a lot of work!), or they a pool they can spend as they like (max 5 points, maybe?)?

And what about other creatures linked to players, like Cohorts, familiars, animal companions. They have their own pool or add dices to their master's one?

Sorry the "rain of questions": it really looks a nice and funny rule, i want to help you to flesh it out right!

[johnbragg]

Another question: how is this rule supposed to work for DMs? They get "set aside dices" too?
If the answer is yes, they have to keep track of the "set aside dices" or every NPC (a lot of work!), or they a pool they can spend as they like (max 5 points, maybe?)?

I wouldn't track them for NPCs at all. Boss monsters have a certain number of them, just for symmetry.


And what about other creatures linked to players, like Cohorts, familiars, animal companions. They have their own pool or add dices to their master's one?

I think it's easier to share them with the PC. The player has so many Cheat Points. (in my version).

[jqavins]

Keep your 20s
When you roll a natural 20, apply the result as normal, but also set the die aside. You may re-roll this die to replace any d20 roll - but you must keep the new result. Once used in this manner, the d20 is discarded...

Variant
When you roll a natural 20, apply the result as normal, but also set the die aside. You may re-roll this die alongside any subsequent d20 roll, and keep the better result. Once used in this manner, the d20 is discarded...First, your gaming store owner will love this, since you keep having to buy new d20s to replace the ones you discarded. :smallbiggrin:


Saying that you can reroll BEFORE knowing the positive or negative result of the roll would fix this up a little.The "roll together" variant also helps fix it. You use one of the stored dice on a key roll to improve your chances, before you know what the first roll would have been.

All in all, it seems fine if you like that sort of thing, but I don't think I'd use it myself.

[Eater of Souls]

If you want to do something a little more karma-balancing, why not keep your 1's?

[nonsi]

.
If you wish to simulate cases where one is "In the Zone" or "Having a Bad Day", I'd suggest the following:
During an encounter...
- When someone scores a natural 20 on a d20 roll, the next time the same action is taken, roll twice and take the higher result. If the higher result is 20 - re-apply this behavior.
- When someone scores a natural 1 on a d20 roll, the next time the same action is taken, roll twice and take the lower result. If the lower result is 1 - re-apply this behavior.