Advice from a player on the Official Savage Worlds Facebook group.
Advice to New Savages - A key part of the game is the 'Bennie Economy'. Bennies are resources that allow you to change the reality of the game. They're simultaneously Hit Points, die modifiers, and 'do-overs'.
When your GM burns a Bennie to Soak a Wound, be glad, because it's just like scoring a big hit on a monster. Players, make him or her burn those Bennies.
When players have stacks of Bennies, they get cocky and do the things they'll talk about for years to come. GMs, don't be stingy with the Bennies.
(A couple of recent posts reminded me that the role of the Bennie isn't always explicitly understood by new players.)
Sean Patrick Fannon (You might remember his name from the cover of the Savage Rifts books) said:
One of the reasons for my "Nomination Chip" house rule - everyone has at least one opportunity to award someone else a Bennie.
Another player added:
Typical exchange at my table:
GM: You're seriously going to do that?
PLAYER: Yeah!
GM: Okay, here's a Benny.
PLAYER: Thanks!
GM: You're gonna need it…
Another GM observed:
Here's my problem: I'm pretty generous with bennies, but my players usually end up with an abundance at the end of a session. Too much roleplaying and not enough rolling? Any insight on what encourages a fast and furious benny economy would be greatly appreciated.
To which someone else said:
Yeah! Spend the GM Bennies, give enemy Wild Cards the No Mercy Edge, have them keep re-rolling damage until they Ace!
So expect that! There's no need to be stingy. If you see a roll going poorly, spend a Benny for a reroll! Just remember its for every die in that particular pool you were doing.
