Instead of having X uses per day, what about rolling a dice after each use to see if it runs out?

[Moppy]

I'd like a power to be permanently on, but I understand that if it's a numerical adjuster, it breaks the game because it will allow the party to take more encounters per day than designed.

What if, example rule, we rolled a dice after you used it, and if the score was < the number of times you'd used it today, it ran out?

[Fuzzy-Wuzzy]

As long as the expectation value of the number of uses you get out of it is also X, or very close to it, I don't see any problem with putting in randomness. Admittedly I also don't see how that's closer to a permanently-on power than a straight X uses/day, so maybe I'm missing something.

[Moppy]

The difference; lore wise "you're always glowing" not "you glow for a minute after you drink this" and mechanics wise "you do not have to spend an action drinking this first"

I was wondering if some players would react to the unpredictability of having the power run out randomly. With 3 potions you are guaranteed 3 uses; with this maybe you get 2, maybe you get 4, and you might be "afraid" to take risks early in case it ran out.

[Fuzzy-Wuzzy]

Oops, I missed that it'd save you actions. That could be a pretty big deal in itself---if that's not part of the aim, I'd increase the number of actions it takes to activate the power accordingly.

The silly "overcharge" wand mechanic has inspired a lot of negative feedback, but I think it's been focused on the huge penalty for bad luck, not on luck being a factor at all. And with your method the luck portion comes in before the "extra" use, so you can do at least some planning based on it, not have the <whatever> blow up in your face.

[rainzax]

Fuzzy-Wuzzy wrote:

As long as the expectation value of the number of uses you get out of it is also X, or very close to it, I don't see any problem with putting in randomness.

I would echo this feedback.

Using a Flat Check to "Lose Potency" mechanic, this could result in something like:

DC 17 = Almost half "Twice"
DC 11 = Almost Twice Expected Daily Uses
DC 5 = Almost double "Twice"

Assuming "first use is free" (no check)...

Without getting into very complicated math, nor straying too far from how mechanics that have precedence in the game are being used.

Cheers!