My GM instinct is to give bonus fortune dice on a check when PCs do something that would give them an advantage (e.g. getting the high ground in a swordfight, playing upon the vanity of the duchess, improvising a pulley system to help them open the door to the ruin).

But I've realized that WFRP provides a better solution. Instead of giving PCs a fortune die to the check, give the party a fortune point. That way, the player can spend a point of his fortune if his PC needs the bonus, conserve it if he doesn't, or even pass it on to someone else. Fortune is a party resource, so players encourage each other to think creatively and act in ways that generate fortune, and the table has more energy.

I used this method at a one-shot game recently, and it worked great--players roleplayed their characters really well, took some risks they might have otherwise not*, and spend fortune much faster that they otherwise would have.

*but still wisely ran away from the deadly horde of beastmen at the end of the session. This is Warhammer FRP, not Dungeons and Dragons.

To an extent, I agree.

Rewarding the party itself whenever an individual does something in game which adds to the enjoyment of all other players is a great idea. It both reinforces the "Party" and "Team" concept, while still giving them a tactile reward for their efforts.

On the other hand, there are in-game modifiers for certain circumstances which should grant a PC an extra fortune die or two. In other RPGs (2nd ed WFRP and Dark Heresy, for example) getting the higher ground against a foe is usually worth some kind of immediate bonus to their attack or defense rolls (like, +10 or something). Dnd has this as well.

I tend to award fortune points when the players do something creative, or come up with a interesting scheme to solve whatever problem lies in front of them. In combat, they may have devised some tactical plan that will aid their defeating their enemies.

I tend to award fortune dice for external factors that affect the dice roll (perhaps the NPC is distracted when the PC is sneaking up for example, or they do have the higher ground bonus in combat).

HedgeWizard said:

That's how I roll.