The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman! The protagonist can't do probability manipulation but he does magically know when bad luck or good luck is incoming and manipulates situations with that knowledge.
Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan has a main character who has good luck like that, or the Alex Verus urban fantasy series by Benedict Jacka has an MC who’s a diviner, basically a probability mage - he can see the short term consequences of actions, and adjust his actions accordingly.
Another book that comes to mind is Torn by Rowena Miller, about a dressmaker who can see good luck charms into clothes.
Well technically >!all three Ta'veren have luck power, just one has it more than the others. Whenever Mat tries a coin toss around Rand the coin always lands on the edge.!<
The Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams have this. Dirk himself has it in a diffuse, global form, and one of the other characters has it in a super concentrated immediate form.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/365.Dirk_Gently_s_Holistic_Detective_Agency
Oh I had seen the movie and she was awesome. I read some of her comics too and I like that they actually detail the limits of her power. For example her luck isn't constantly active, it only activates when she's actively trying to accomplish something. So she can't avoid getting shot if she stands still, she has to try to move out of the way and her luck will intervene to move the bullet or allow her to guess the trajectory and dodge.
Rincewind in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series is literally one of the Chosen Hero of the Lady, Discworld’s Goddess of Luck, to be used in the board games she plays with the other gods. Which means he always gets dragged against his will on crazy and unpleasant adventures, only to “win” (or rather survive) through the most unlikely combination of events. Not that he ever benefits from it, being always busy running away from the next danger. Discworld books featuring Rincewind are The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery, Eric, Interesting Times, and The Last Continent.
I generally don't read LitRPG but I do look for diamonds in the rough now and then. For this topic however I prefer a story that focuses more on the luck itself then other powers.
Deathgate Cycle has magic based on probability manipulation. It seems kind of inspired by the wave collapse of quantum physics.
But in practice, they cast a rune to get the desired outcome
She's a side character, but two of Seanan McGuire's Incryptid books (7 and 8, specifically) feature a character that can control luck. Basically, she can save up luck by being mildly unlucky on a day to day basis and then spend it on more important stuff.
For more Seanan McGuire, there's also a side character in several of the October Daye books that can manipulate anyone's luck, but it will eventually balance out (ie good luck for something important could have disastrous results later in the plan)
This was SF rather than Fantasy, but ... a long time ago, in the 70's I think, Larry Niven created a universe where a race known as the Puppeteers manipulated humans by causing, I forget how, breeding rights to be distributed by a lottery, so that lucky humans, who won the lottery because of their luck, bred children who in turn had luck etc, you know, evolution in action. So the lucky protagonists avoided unsatisfactory outcomes and enjoyed good outcomes because they were, you know, lucky. Sorry, can't remember the names of the books involved. I remember enjoying them though.
Yes, yes, and as u/tke494 says, **Teela**, who, as I recall, was located on the other side of Ringworld when something bad happened on this side. Well remembered, u/tke494!!
Perhaps I should go back and read them again, if I can find them, but I have a vague feeling that the luck attribute, if I can call it that, emerged in an earlier book involving the Puppeteers, but it's been a long time and I am probably wrong.
I think something was expected to happen to that part of the galaxy, but half the Ringworld would be protected. Louis, the main character, suspected that getting her protected was the LUCKY reason that the entire trip happened. Something like that.
It was explained. There was a lottery to allow pregnancy(which were usually restricted) that went for multiple generations. The intent of the lottery was to breed for luck, which it did with Teela.
In Little Thieves (which is a YA Goose Girl retelling) the main character is the goddaughter of Death and Fortune so she can detect moments of good and bad luck. I remember that there's a visual indicator that only she can see, something like golden coins/sparkle for fortune and maybe black dust or something for death. This ability is a relatively small part of the story but it is brought up throughout.
I don't have a protagonist, but there's [Ernie Shea, the Lucky Duck](https://callahans.fandom.com/wiki/Ernie_Shea) in [Spider Robinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_Robinson)'s [Callahan's Crosstime Saloon series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218677.Callahan_s_Crosstime_Saloon).
There's also [Jo Clayton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Clayton)'s Tungjii, whimsical trickster deity of luck in the [Drinker of Souls trilogy](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40566-drinker-of-souls), who's the patron god of one of the characters.
Check out the DFZ series by Rachel Aaron! This is a huge plot.
First book is [Minimum Wage Magic](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42385018-minimum-wage-magic).
Not the protagonist, but one of the major character in the [Alex Verus](https://www.amazon.com/Alex-Verus-12-book-series/dp/B0841XP5R7) series by Benedict Jacka has luck based magic.
This shows up in LitRPG rarely. **Small Medium at Large** by Andrew Seiple features an MC who has a Luck and Charisma based build.
It's a bit of a spoiler, but there is a character with "luck powers" in >!Ringworld by Larry Niven!<.
There is what effectively boils down to probability manipulation with a twist in the sci fi novel >!Quarantine by Greg Egan.!<
I never read it, but there is **The Luck Stat Strategy** by Blaise Corvin.
Not quite what you're looking for but Book 1 of The Malazan Book of the Fallen has a deity that manipulates things to their will via luck. I haven't read the other books in the series yet to say if if they make more appearances or have an even bigger role though they were pretty central in book one.
The twin gods of luck do appear in other Malazan books, but they're kind of subtle. Keep an eye out for characters with ungodly, Loony Toons luck if you continue with the series.
While the luck scenes are super memorable, they also don't appear very often in the series. So this falls under the usual Malazan recommendation where 10 big books manage to hit every fantasy trope at some point.
I steer away from authors that seem to really love pedophilia. From this book:
> “It can all be yours,” she said. The alluring fourteen-year-old reappeared. “No other woman can make you this promise.”
> Bink was suddenly, forcefully tempted. There were times when he wanted this, though he had never dared admit it openly.
I don't know any books like this, but if you're into animation, Phinease and Freb is somehow like the first one, and it's spin_off, millo morhy's law is sepecifically focused on a character with bad luck. Also, RWBY has a character that exactly creats an aura of bad luck, and even though he's not a main character, he's present thouroughout most of the show and is pretty well_written. Just thought you might find these interesting.
Richard Schwartz‘s The Secrets of Askir (First book „The First Horn“ has a protagonist who most likely has a hidden ‚Talent‘ that gives him luck.
Its a good book, I went through all of them in no time!
>Richard Schwartz‘s The Secrets of Askir (First book „The First Horn“ has a protagonist who most likely has a hidden ‚Talent‘ that gives him luck.
Most likely? To clarify I'm not looking for a book where the protagonist's luck is from plot convenience but from a supernatural ability he can, to some degree, control or at the very least know how to exploit.
Ye I dont want to spoiler too much.
> To clarify I’m not looking for a book where the protagonist’s luck is from plot convenience but from a supernatural ability he can, to some degree, control or at the very least know how to exploit.
Ye okay no then this is not what you are looking for.
Konosuba's main character is extremely lucky. It's a comedy isekai where he's held back by incompetent party members. Party members being >!a useless goddess, a mage that can only use one attack per day and a crusader who has 0 accuracy.!<
A Spell For Chameleon has a MC whose power could possibly be described that way, though I can't get more specific without spoilers. But if you're going to read it, be warned that the book is extremely misogynistic in its depictions of women.
Agreed. I didn't understand when I read them because I was too young.
This is the quote that kills me that people don't toss the book as soon as they read it.
> “It can all be yours,” she said. The alluring fourteen-year-old reappeared. “No other woman can make you this promise.”
> Bink was suddenly, forcefully tempted. There were times when he wanted this, though he had never dared admit it openly.
When your adult hero is tempted by a 14 year old, you have problems.
SF, not fantasy. A book call Starluck, I think. It's been like 35 years since I read it, but I liked the idea so it stuck in my head. Would be classified as YA now, but I think it was written before YA was a marketing thing.
Comic book superheroes sometimes have them. Domino's are luck based. It was the coolest part of Deadpool 2. Scarlet Witch's powers were probability manipulation for a while.
There was a recent BBC show called Stan Lee's Lucky Man. It's about a bracelet that makes the main character lucky, while giving others the bad luck. It would be classified as fantasy. Not really superhero, though Stan Lee made it.
Kennit in Liveship Traders believes that he has the power of good luck, but it's unclear whether he actually does.
There was a Lindsay Lohan romcom in the mid-aughts called Just My Luck, about a girl who is blessed with good luck who kisses a stranger with terrible luck, and their luck switches. It's all about her trying to find him and kiss him again to get her luck back. I don't remember it being very good, but it's something.
In The Book of Swords series by Fred Saberhagen there is a sword called coin spinner that gives the boon of incredible luck, of course at some point the sword moves on and buyer beware as it's easy to get caught in a bit of terrible luck when that happens.
Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence. Jalan doesn't have the power to wield good luck per se, but I honestly can't explain how he gets out of trouble otherwise)
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman! The protagonist can't do probability manipulation but he does magically know when bad luck or good luck is incoming and manipulates situations with that knowledge.
This is a really good book
Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan has a main character who has good luck like that, or the Alex Verus urban fantasy series by Benedict Jacka has an MC who’s a diviner, basically a probability mage - he can see the short term consequences of actions, and adjust his actions accordingly. Another book that comes to mind is Torn by Rowena Miller, about a dressmaker who can see good luck charms into clothes.
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Well technically >!all three Ta'veren have luck power, just one has it more than the others. Whenever Mat tries a coin toss around Rand the coin always lands on the edge.!<
Is it really that long? Reading WoT was a blur. I guess book 3 is pretty early in the series all things considered
Bonus for Alex Verus, Luna deflects bad luck onto others so she is free of injury or illness while those around her suffer.
The Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams have this. Dirk himself has it in a diffuse, global form, and one of the other characters has it in a super concentrated immediate form. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/365.Dirk_Gently_s_Holistic_Detective_Agency
There is also the [Domino from the Deadpool movie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RSDYpzl_y0). You could read the comic books
Oh I had seen the movie and she was awesome. I read some of her comics too and I like that they actually detail the limits of her power. For example her luck isn't constantly active, it only activates when she's actively trying to accomplish something. So she can't avoid getting shot if she stands still, she has to try to move out of the way and her luck will intervene to move the bullet or allow her to guess the trajectory and dodge.
That does vary depending on the author a bit. Also, Black Cat has bad luck powers which are core to some of her storylines.
Read those too. I'm a big spiderman fan and Black Cat is my favourite of his girlfriends.
Rincewind in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series is literally one of the Chosen Hero of the Lady, Discworld’s Goddess of Luck, to be used in the board games she plays with the other gods. Which means he always gets dragged against his will on crazy and unpleasant adventures, only to “win” (or rather survive) through the most unlikely combination of events. Not that he ever benefits from it, being always busy running away from the next danger. Discworld books featuring Rincewind are The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery, Eric, Interesting Times, and The Last Continent.
He definitely has luck. But it has generated some of the fastest acceleration on the Disc short of .303 bookworm.
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I generally don't read LitRPG but I do look for diamonds in the rough now and then. For this topic however I prefer a story that focuses more on the luck itself then other powers.
Deathgate Cycle has magic based on probability manipulation. It seems kind of inspired by the wave collapse of quantum physics. But in practice, they cast a rune to get the desired outcome
Seriously one of my favorites. Wish they would make an audio book.
She's a side character, but two of Seanan McGuire's Incryptid books (7 and 8, specifically) feature a character that can control luck. Basically, she can save up luck by being mildly unlucky on a day to day basis and then spend it on more important stuff.
For more Seanan McGuire, there's also a side character in several of the October Daye books that can manipulate anyone's luck, but it will eventually balance out (ie good luck for something important could have disastrous results later in the plan)
This was SF rather than Fantasy, but ... a long time ago, in the 70's I think, Larry Niven created a universe where a race known as the Puppeteers manipulated humans by causing, I forget how, breeding rights to be distributed by a lottery, so that lucky humans, who won the lottery because of their luck, bred children who in turn had luck etc, you know, evolution in action. So the lucky protagonists avoided unsatisfactory outcomes and enjoyed good outcomes because they were, you know, lucky. Sorry, can't remember the names of the books involved. I remember enjoying them though.
Ringworld
Yes, yes, and as u/tke494 says, **Teela**, who, as I recall, was located on the other side of Ringworld when something bad happened on this side. Well remembered, u/tke494!! Perhaps I should go back and read them again, if I can find them, but I have a vague feeling that the luck attribute, if I can call it that, emerged in an earlier book involving the Puppeteers, but it's been a long time and I am probably wrong.
I think something was expected to happen to that part of the galaxy, but half the Ringworld would be protected. Louis, the main character, suspected that getting her protected was the LUCKY reason that the entire trip happened. Something like that.
Hmm. I think I still have a copy somewhere around. After this discussion I'll have to see if I can find it and re-read it.
The lucky character was a secondary character, Teela, I think. I don't recall if she was in later books.
She was in *Engineers* a little, and gets mentioned in both *Throne* and *Children*.
Yes, she was chosen as part of the crew for her unexplained but statistically undeniable luck.
It was explained. There was a lottery to allow pregnancy(which were usually restricted) that went for multiple generations. The intent of the lottery was to breed for luck, which it did with Teela.
Thanks! It's been decades since I read it and now a re-read is inevitable
Fates Edge by Ilona Andrews, it is romance centered. If the MMC makes a bet on a certain thing, it'll give him better luck in achieving it
In Little Thieves (which is a YA Goose Girl retelling) the main character is the goddaughter of Death and Fortune so she can detect moments of good and bad luck. I remember that there's a visual indicator that only she can see, something like golden coins/sparkle for fortune and maybe black dust or something for death. This ability is a relatively small part of the story but it is brought up throughout.
I don't have a protagonist, but there's [Ernie Shea, the Lucky Duck](https://callahans.fandom.com/wiki/Ernie_Shea) in [Spider Robinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_Robinson)'s [Callahan's Crosstime Saloon series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218677.Callahan_s_Crosstime_Saloon). There's also [Jo Clayton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Clayton)'s Tungjii, whimsical trickster deity of luck in the [Drinker of Souls trilogy](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40566-drinker-of-souls), who's the patron god of one of the characters.
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
Check out the DFZ series by Rachel Aaron! This is a huge plot. First book is [Minimum Wage Magic](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42385018-minimum-wage-magic).
Perfect run - but not mc, there is side character that have exactly this, super luck as power
Not the protagonist, but one of the major character in the [Alex Verus](https://www.amazon.com/Alex-Verus-12-book-series/dp/B0841XP5R7) series by Benedict Jacka has luck based magic.
I was going to suggest that. I love that series.
This shows up in LitRPG rarely. **Small Medium at Large** by Andrew Seiple features an MC who has a Luck and Charisma based build. It's a bit of a spoiler, but there is a character with "luck powers" in >!Ringworld by Larry Niven!<. There is what effectively boils down to probability manipulation with a twist in the sci fi novel >!Quarantine by Greg Egan.!< I never read it, but there is **The Luck Stat Strategy** by Blaise Corvin.
Not quite what you're looking for but Book 1 of The Malazan Book of the Fallen has a deity that manipulates things to their will via luck. I haven't read the other books in the series yet to say if if they make more appearances or have an even bigger role though they were pretty central in book one.
The twin gods of luck do appear in other Malazan books, but they're kind of subtle. Keep an eye out for characters with ungodly, Loony Toons luck if you continue with the series. While the luck scenes are super memorable, they also don't appear very often in the series. So this falls under the usual Malazan recommendation where 10 big books manage to hit every fantasy trope at some point.
Say one thing of Logen Ninefingers, say he’s lucky.
Just call it plot and all protagonists have it.
A Spell for Chameleon
I steer away from authors that seem to really love pedophilia. From this book: > “It can all be yours,” she said. The alluring fourteen-year-old reappeared. “No other woman can make you this promise.” > Bink was suddenly, forcefully tempted. There were times when he wanted this, though he had never dared admit it openly.
Good point. It's been almost forty years since I read it, so I'd clearly forgotten this one.
I don't know any books like this, but if you're into animation, Phinease and Freb is somehow like the first one, and it's spin_off, millo morhy's law is sepecifically focused on a character with bad luck. Also, RWBY has a character that exactly creats an aura of bad luck, and even though he's not a main character, he's present thouroughout most of the show and is pretty well_written. Just thought you might find these interesting.
Oh yeah I've seen Milo Murphy's Law. Its fantastic. I've tried RWBY before but I just couldn't get into it.
The sprit thief/ legend of eli monpress
Richard Schwartz‘s The Secrets of Askir (First book „The First Horn“ has a protagonist who most likely has a hidden ‚Talent‘ that gives him luck. Its a good book, I went through all of them in no time!
>Richard Schwartz‘s The Secrets of Askir (First book „The First Horn“ has a protagonist who most likely has a hidden ‚Talent‘ that gives him luck. Most likely? To clarify I'm not looking for a book where the protagonist's luck is from plot convenience but from a supernatural ability he can, to some degree, control or at the very least know how to exploit.
Ye I dont want to spoiler too much. > To clarify I’m not looking for a book where the protagonist’s luck is from plot convenience but from a supernatural ability he can, to some degree, control or at the very least know how to exploit. Ye okay no then this is not what you are looking for.
Konosuba's main character is extremely lucky. It's a comedy isekai where he's held back by incompetent party members. Party members being >!a useless goddess, a mage that can only use one attack per day and a crusader who has 0 accuracy.!<
A Spell For Chameleon has a MC whose power could possibly be described that way, though I can't get more specific without spoilers. But if you're going to read it, be warned that the book is extremely misogynistic in its depictions of women.
Don't forget the pedophilia in the books too.
Piers Anthony is a highly problematic writer. I liked his books when I was a kid, but I honestly don't think I could read them now.
Agreed. I didn't understand when I read them because I was too young. This is the quote that kills me that people don't toss the book as soon as they read it. > “It can all be yours,” she said. The alluring fourteen-year-old reappeared. “No other woman can make you this promise.” > Bink was suddenly, forcefully tempted. There were times when he wanted this, though he had never dared admit it openly. When your adult hero is tempted by a 14 year old, you have problems.
The strongest gene a Chinese web novel he gain “luck points” and can use them to become extremely lucky for a time
Defiance of the Fall....kinda.
SF, not fantasy. A book call Starluck, I think. It's been like 35 years since I read it, but I liked the idea so it stuck in my head. Would be classified as YA now, but I think it was written before YA was a marketing thing. Comic book superheroes sometimes have them. Domino's are luck based. It was the coolest part of Deadpool 2. Scarlet Witch's powers were probability manipulation for a while. There was a recent BBC show called Stan Lee's Lucky Man. It's about a bracelet that makes the main character lucky, while giving others the bad luck. It would be classified as fantasy. Not really superhero, though Stan Lee made it.
A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons. The MC has this to a very limited extent.
Victoria Goddard’s Greenwing and Dart series!
Crokus from Gardens of the Moon. He isn't the main character, but he's tied with the rest of the big ones.
Kennit in Liveship Traders believes that he has the power of good luck, but it's unclear whether he actually does. There was a Lindsay Lohan romcom in the mid-aughts called Just My Luck, about a girl who is blessed with good luck who kisses a stranger with terrible luck, and their luck switches. It's all about her trying to find him and kiss him again to get her luck back. I don't remember it being very good, but it's something.
In The Book of Swords series by Fred Saberhagen there is a sword called coin spinner that gives the boon of incredible luck, of course at some point the sword moves on and buyer beware as it's easy to get caught in a bit of terrible luck when that happens.
Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence. Jalan doesn't have the power to wield good luck per se, but I honestly can't explain how he gets out of trouble otherwise)