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Plot Armor: Difference between revisions
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== Tabletop Games ==
* A lot (by now) of games integrate
** ''FATE''/''FUDGE'' uses fate points for rerolls and many Stunts allow many more ways to spend fate. "Compels" (DRAMA! related to the character's traits) allow to recharge fate points. Also, extra Stunts are taken at the expense of Refresh, thus calling for more DRAMA! to regain fate points.
*** ''Spirit of the Century'' adds more.
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** ''[[Hackmaster]]'' has Luck Points (Thief's class feature) and sometimes Honor Points working this way.
** ''d6'' system uses both Fate Points and Character Points this way, with different mechanics.
**
** Plot Points in ''[[Firefly|Serenity]]''
** Chips in ''[[Deadlands]]''
** ''[[The World of Darkness]]'' games generally don't have this but in ''[[Kindred of the East]]'' [[Half Vampire|Dhampyr]] actually do have Plot Armor in the form of Passive Joss, which is a form of involuntary luck that sometimes stops them being hit by throwing freak events in the way.
** ''[[Legend of the Five Rings]]'' has Void Points pool, representing potential for harmony. They mostly are spent to boost important rolls and replenish through rest, meditation (if the character has relevant skill and sufficient free time) or tea ceremony (if one of the characters involved has relevant skill and they all have relevant implements and sufficient free time). Since mechanics is this close to [[In-Universe]] understanding, there of course are abilities powered by Void Points.
** The Games Workshop ''[[Lord of the Rings]]'' game gave major characters Fate points, allowing them to shrug off wounds just ''because'' they're major characters. The number of fate points a character gets is determined by how good their final fate in the films and books is—for instance, Aragorn, Sam, Gandalf the White etc. have high fate point counts, whereas Boromir, Denethor, Grima Wormtongue etc have low counts.▼
*** The Decipher ''[[Lord of the Rings]]'' game also had several traits that allowed heroes to survive because they're heroes. One was even called "Armour of Heroes," which allowed an unarmored PC to claim protection equal to leather armor. This went away if the PC put on actual armor (you must *trust* the script immunity!), though shields were allowed. Temporary bonuses could also be gained through Courage points. And how do you gain/regain Courage points? Act like a hero!▼
** ''[[Shadowrun]]'' has a "karma pool" for each character. You can "burn" one or more dice to give yourself a bonus to some challenging roll at a moment of dire need. The karma is gone once used, but survive long enough and you'll get more.▼
*** ''Shadowrun'' also has a related rule called Dead Man's Trigger. The character will still die, but by using up their entire Karma pool, they can enact one last action before expiring. This can result in the last hero standing shooting the [[Big Bad]] dead just before succumbing to all the wounds taken during the final climactic battle, making it literal plot armor... it protects the plot, even if it doesn't manage to protect the character.▼
* The first edition of ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' described Hit Points as a combination of toughness, luck and other factors.
** This is still true as of the game's ''fourth'' edition, which also (a) gives starting characters (though, to be fair, standard monsters as well) rather more hit points than ever before and (b) introduces the concept of 'minions' -- adversaries that [[Red Shirt|specifically exist]] to be taken out by [[One-Hit-Point Wonder|the first hit]] to be scored against them and thus explicitly lack any plot armor whatsoever.
▲* The Games Workshop ''[[Lord of the Rings]]'' game gave major characters Fate points, allowing them to shrug off wounds just ''because'' they're major characters. The number of fate points a character gets is determined by how good their final fate in the films and books is—for instance, Aragorn, Sam, Gandalf the White etc. have high fate point counts, whereas Boromir, Denethor, Grima Wormtongue etc have low counts.
▲* The Decipher ''[[Lord of the Rings]]'' game also had several traits that allowed heroes to survive because they're heroes. One was even called "Armour of Heroes," which allowed an unarmored PC to claim protection equal to leather armor. This went away if the PC put on actual armor (you must *trust* the script immunity!), though shields were allowed. Temporary bonuses could also be gained through Courage points. And how do you gain/regain Courage points? Act like a hero!
* In ''[[GURPS]]'' there's an option to play a "cinematic campaign", which basically allows the DM to run the show based on [[Rule of Cool]]. Characters start out with ''twice'' the normal point allowance (and they're considerably more badass than ordinary people to begin with), they get special bonuses in combat, and they can save an unspent character point or two to shake off a bad injury as "just a flesh wound."
▲* ''[[Shadowrun]]'' has a "karma pool" for each character. You can "burn" one or more dice to give yourself a bonus to some challenging roll at a moment of dire need. The karma is gone once used, but survive long enough and you'll get more.
▲** ''Shadowrun'' also has a related rule called Dead Man's Trigger. The character will still die, but by using up their entire Karma pool, they can enact one last action before expiring. This can result in the last hero standing shooting the [[Big Bad]] dead just before succumbing to all the wounds taken during the final climactic battle, making it literal plot armor... it protects the plot, even if it doesn't manage to protect the character.
* Invulnerable saves in ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' and Ward saves in ''[[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]]'' are usually justified as superior agility, magical wards, or force fields, but for some people they are explained as luck or fate.
* The newer d20 ''Star Wars RPG'' has "Force points" which can be spent on temporary bonuses.
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