D&D 5E (2014) 5Eing Action Points, Drama Points, Fate Point, Hero Points, Etc.

[Izumi]

They belong as optional cool bits for those that love such things. I don't like them though. I wouldn't even play with the "advantage" mechanic.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

Savage Worlds has bennies, and the greatest thing about them is that I can use them to reward players without giving permanent benefits (such as awarding XP does).

Second, they can be tangible objects (I use poker chips), so they have the feel of a real reward and resource.

As for what they do? A simple reroll on a d20 is best. Rolling poorly is dejecting, which makes using the benny rewarding.

One thing I like to do is find excuses to give pity bennies to a individual player when the dice hate him or her during a session.

 

[Sunseeker]

I'm a big fan of both "Action Points" as an extra standard action, and "fate points", ala Deadlands. I think a "fate point" pool to adjust "really close" rolls would be a great system, but to counter I think it'd have to be more difficult to stack hit values. You can make some mean hit-monsters who never, ever miss, and if they do, it's against things they shouldn't even be going against to begin with.

I would say though there should be a limit of points spent per round, or even per encounter though. Using up a whole pool of points would just get silly.

 

[amerigoV]

Savage Worlds has bennies, and the greatest thing about them is that I can use them to reward players without giving permanent benefits (such as awarding XP does).

Second, they can be tangible objects (I use poker chips), so they have the feel of a real reward and resource.

As for what they do? A simple reroll on a d20 is best. Rolling poorly is dejecting, which makes using the benny rewarding.

One thing I like to do is find excuses to give pity bennies to a individual player when the dice hate him or her during a session.

I'm big on Savage Worlds, but I am kinda "meh" on AP for D&D. For SW, the system is built around them. From a D&D perspective, SW took the "Luck" out the HPs and gives them to the players as Bennies. So then the player can decide how to spend that luck (avoiding damage via Soaking, or ensuring success via rerolls). Also, tying getting more Bennies to Hindrances also enhances the feel, but is outside of traditional D&D norm (Hindrance?!?! Why I am Player Character and have no flaws!).

I like the concept when the system is built around them, but I am not all the enthused when it is an add-on.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I want M&M Hero Points and Complications.

While I wouldn't say I WANT them, I do like the way that M&M does hero points and complications (essentially when a complication or disadvantage comes into play, you get a hero point as compensation IIRC)

Of the various ways I've seen action points used in the past:

• Add 1d6 to a roll Doesn't help a bad roll, but can help you turn a just missed into a success, or help you exceed your normal limits. I like this as a 'pushing yourself beyond the normal bounds' mechanism.
• re-roll Very good at improving bad rolls, doesn't help good roles much. Mathematically improves consistency, BUT in practice I don't like them - it is too much like rewinding time and having another go, it breaks me out of the flow of the game.
• extra action I like this option a lot - it broadens rather than deepens capability
• narrative change I first saw this one in Conan OGL, and really liked it there - stuck in prison you spend a fate point to spot a dropped key or charm a serving wench who luckily is passing to let you out. GM's are encouraged to give over fate points when he screws the party over (ship sinks, all your possessions washed overboard - everyone have a fate point). Obviously that would get right up some peoples noses, but it creates genre-appropriate stories!

Cheers

 

[Greg K]

Here is why I like M&M Hero Points and True20 Conviction

1. Re-Roll: mprove a roll and take the better of the two (add +10 bonus if the reroll is 10 or less). You must announce the re-roll before the DM tells you the result of the roll. In D&D this would apply to d20 rolls (attacks, saves, skills)

2. Heroic Feat: Duplicate a feat you don't have as long as you meet the pre-requisites.

3. Dodge Bonus: retain your dodge bonus if you could still otherwise act.

4. Surge: take an additional stake move action

5. Cancel Fatigue: Cancel the effects of fatigue (including from spells and extra effort*) by one level.

5. Recover
a. immediately, shake off being stunned or fatigued
b. if exhausted become fatigued
c. Trigger a second Wind if you have taken damage, but are not disabled or dying. If disabled, you can take a strenuous action with out getting worse.
(In D&D, this would be tied to whether or not you failed the first death and dying roll)

6. Escape Death: Stabilize a dying character (You or someone you are aiding)
7. Inspiration: once per session get a hint or clue from the DM
8. Dramatic editing (optional): with GM approval you can spend a hero point to dramatically edit a scene to grant an advantage. Find



*Extra Effort: The character gains the benefit of one of the following as a free action, but becomes fatigued on the following round (if already fatigued they become exhausted and , if already exhausted, they fall unconscious. See spending a hero point to cancel fatigue above)
1. +2 bonus on a non-attack roll
2. +5 to strength to determine how much a character can lift/carry for 1/round
3. double movement for one round
4 Will Save: Gain an immediate Will Save to shake off an ongoing effects that allow for Will Save (including from Supernatural abilities)

M&M also allows extra effort to temporarily either boost the power of a spell or add the equivalent of a metamagic feat.

While I wouldn't say I WANT them, I do like the way that M&M does hero points and complications (essentially when a complication or disadvantage comes into play, you get a hero point as compensation IIRC)

Of the various ways I've seen action points used in the past:

• Add 1d6 to a roll Doesn't help a bad roll, but can help you turn a just missed into a success, or help you exceed your normal limits. I like this as a 'pushing yourself beyond the normal bounds' mechanism.
• re-roll Very good at improving bad rolls, doesn't help good roles much. Mathematically improves consistency, BUT in practice I don't like them - it is too much like rewinding time and having another go, it breaks me out of the flow of the game.
• extra action I like this option a lot - it broadens rather than deepens capability
• narrative change I first saw this one in Conan OGL, and really liked it there - stuck in prison you spend a fate point to spot a dropped key or charm a serving wench who luckily is passing to let you out. GM's are encouraged to give over fate points when he screws the party over (ship sinks, all your possessions washed overboard - everyone have a fate point). Obviously that would get right up some peoples noses, but it creates genre-appropriate stories!

Cheers