Hero Points in Depth
Start with 1/session, earn more from the GM (max 3). Spend 1 to reroll any d20. Spend all to avoid death. Don't carry over between sessions.
Hero Points are a meta-resource that gives players narrative agency and a safety net against death.
Earning Hero Points: Each player starts every session with 1 Hero Point. The GM awards additional Hero Points during play for heroic deeds, clever solutions, great roleplaying, or actions that embody the character's ideals. A player can hold a maximum of 3 Hero Points at a time.
Spending Hero Points:
- Reroll a Check (1 Hero Point): After rolling a d20, you can spend 1 Hero Point to reroll. You must use the second result, even if it's worse. This can be used on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, or any d20 roll.
- Avoid Death (all Hero Points): When your dying condition would reach the value at which you die (typically dying 4, or lower if doomed), you can spend ALL your remaining Hero Points (at least 1) to stabilize at 0 HP. Your dying condition is set to 0, you remain unconscious, and you're stabilized.
GM Guidelines: The Core Rulebook recommends awarding about 1 Hero Point per hour of play per player. This keeps the supply flowing without making them trivially abundant. Hero Points do not carry over between sessions — use them or lose them.
Strategic Use: Rerolling is powerful on high-stakes checks (save-or-suck spells, critical attack attempts against a boss). But hoarding 1 Hero Point as death insurance is wise, especially in dangerous encounters. The tension between spending for advantage now vs. saving for survival is a deliberate design feature.