Unluck

Unluck is a resource that chaos gremlins (Chaos Vermin table, result 6) inflict on the party. It poisons the die-explosion mechanic that expert players rely on.

Gaining Unluck

At the end of every turn while chaos gremlins are present in the room, all characters gain 1 Unluck point.

Unluck points persist after combat until actively removed.

Effect of Unluck

If a character has 1 or more Unluck points, their dice cannot explode. When a die would normally explode (roll equal to its maximum), instead:

1. Do not roll again.
2. Remove 1 Unluck point from that character.

This can stack badly — a character with 3 Unluck effectively needs to bleed off 3 would-be explosions before dice can explode normally again.

Clearing Unluck

| Method | Effect | |---|---| | Blessing spell | Removes 2 Unluck from the target character | | Halfling Luck point | Removes 2 Unluck from the halfling |

Tactical Notes

• Prioritize killing gremlins quickly — every turn spent in combat with them adds a point of Unluck to the whole party.
• A party with a halfling can mitigate Unluck using Luck points, which are otherwise a defensive resource.
• Wizards and clerics who rely on explosive spell rolls are hit hardest; consider using a Blessing offensively on your spellcaster rather than a wounded fighter if gremlins are present.