D&D 3E/3.5 Action Points. (3.5)

[Alexander123]

Actions Points were introduced in Eberron to allow PCs to accomplish heroic things. I use action points and I wanted to know whether you use them and why? If you don't use them, what are your reasons?

 

[Jhaelen]

Actions Points were introduced in Eberron to allow PCs to accomplish heroic things. I use action points and I wanted to know whether you use them and why? If you don't use them, what are your reasons?

I used them in my (non-Eberron) 3e campaign. They were extremely useful in the early-mid levels and very well received. After a certain point, say, level 14, they can become a bit annoying, particularly since pcs get so many of them.

My reason for using them was mainly to allow pcs a better chance at making critical saving throws. I don't enjoy save-or-die abilities, and using action points is an excellent method to reduce lethality.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I use them, taking from UA (which I think is pretty close to the Eberron rules). My thinking is to encourage the PCs to try exciting things and keep them out of turtle mode.

I also modify the number of action points gained each level by the character's Cha mod, giving all characters more of a mechanical raeson to value Charisma.

 

[Thanael]

I think the UA Action Points predate the Eberron ones.

 

[Alexander123]

I don't have it modified by charisma because I think that it has a tendency to create MAD.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I don't have it modified by charisma because I think that it has a tendency to create MAD.

For me that's percisely the point. I want rounded characters. To each his own.

 

[Jhaelen]

I think the UA Action Points predate the Eberron ones.

They do. The UA variant also offers more options on how to spend your APs. Eberron has a lot of feats that grant additional ways to spend APs, though.

 

[irdeggman]

d20 Modern also had Action Points.

 

[Magesmiley]

I use action points in my games (by the Eberron rules rather than UA). Originally I decided to allow them as I thought they might help the players deal with a bad streak of luck. Now... the players have very different styles of using them. Some use them up with every little attack that they do. Others conserve them for emergencies, and others weigh whether using them will tip things. I think that the players wouldn't do with out them at this point.

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

As they're written? I don't use them. I find them to basically be worthless; only getting them back when you level simply encourages players to hoard them until the very last minute.

If you're looking for an "OMG!! I need to avoid character death right now!" sort of thing, I guess they're ok. As a mechanic for "encouraging" actiony stuff, they're a failure in my experience.

Moving them to a limited pool that refreshes per session on the other hand... that's worked much better for me.