Luck Attribute in My D&D 5e Campaign

I've been running a long-term 5e campaign and wanted a way to represent those moments where fate, coincidence, destiny, or sheer dumb luck influence the story.

I added a Luck attribute.

How it works?

At the start of every session, each player rolls: 1d20 + their Luck modifier

The result determines their Luck score for that session.

Luck is intentionally volatile. A character can be blessed by fortune one week and cursed by it the next.

Spending Luck

During the session, players can spend Luck points to influence events.

Typical uses include:

• Rerolling a failed ability check. Slightly altering circumstances in their favor.
• Finding a mundane but useful item they reasonably could have acquired.
• Having a fortunate coincidence occur.
• Avoiding a minor narrative complication.

The more dramatic the request, the more Luck it costs.

The final decision is always up to the DM.

Gaining Luck

Players can gain temporary Luck during play when:

• They do something particularly clever.
• They lean into their character flaws.
• They make the table laugh.
• They take risks that create memorable moments.
• They advance personal story arcs.

This encourages roleplay and creativity rather than just optimizing combat.

Luck Checks

Occasionally I'll call for a Luck check when no other ability score feels appropriate.

Examples:

• "Is there a loose plank here?"
• "Does the guard happen to know my family?"
• "Did the villain overlook this clue?"
• "Was there a merchant selling exactly what we need?"

The player rolls: d20 + Luck modifier

The result doesn't determine success or failure in the traditional sense—it determines how favorable fate is in that moment.

Why I Like It

The system gives players a resource that feels different from Inspiration.

Inspiration is usually a reward from the DM.

Luck feels more like a character's relationship with fate itself.

creates memorable moments, gives players a little narrative agency, and provides a mechanical way to represent destiny, fortune, and coincidence without completely overriding the story.

I'd be interested to hear how other DMs handle luck, fate, or narrative control in their campaigns.