The Gambler
The Gambler is a person ruled by fates, omens and fortunes. They perceive everything through the lens of luck and chance. For a Gambler, everything happens for a reason. For a Gambler Luck: is as real as a baked potato; is cat-fickle and has a mood; is flattered by rituals and appeased by signs; is consistently unpredictable; is offended and implacable; is passionately for or against you; is never fair; is dangerous to define; is like your best friend’s lover.
Class restrictions
This bolt-on class is open to persons of physical dare-do, i.e. fighters or thieves.
Current Luck State
Every session roll 2D6 using the navigation Hex (see below) to determine the Gambler’s current Luck State (LS). The new LS Hex is determined by moving from the current LS Hex to the new LS Hex in the 2D6 navigation direction. LS is also determined if the player rolls a ‘crit’ or ‘fumble’; there’s a gamble, or if anything unusual/significant happens in the game (i.e. there is a shift in the fates).
Hex Flower Engine:
Luck Points
When the Gambler levels up, they: gain ‘Luck Points’ (LPs) equivalent to the PC’s level (so 5 LPs a gained upon attaining 5th level); any previously hoarded LPs are lost; and they may exchange their current LS Hex for Hex 10.
LPs are used to help change the outcome of the 2D6 navigation roll, hence the current Luck State. That is, after the 2D6 navigation roll is made, the player must decide if they are going to spend any LPs, to lock in the current Luck State. Spending LPs moves the 2D6 navigation direction by 1 face per LP spent. So, spending 3 LPs would in effect reverse the navigation direction. Halflings get +1 LP per level, but must take on an extra superstition at first level.
Superstitions
Each level the Gambler acquires a new superstition, e.g. three at 3rd level. Preferably, the superstition should be based on an event that happened during the levelling up period. Each superstition should be significant and indexed to character level, and hence should be more onerous than the last. DM input may be required here.
Breaking a superstition – all LPs are lost. If LPs are already at zero, then move to Hex 1.
Background
If you’ve got no idea what this post is about, the below links give some context:
- Link to the ‘theory’ (or at least rational) behind this idea: 2D6 + 19-Hex Power Flower
- Link to more examples of 19 Hex Power Flowers (with some being quite silly/fun): Hex Power Flower (HPF)
- Link to the original posting about using the 19 Hex Power Flower as a Hex Crawl Engine: HPF – What the Hex’s Next?
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Goblin's Henchman 