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5th edition design notes: Per Round powers and triggered actions
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<blockquote data-quote="mkill" data-source="post: 5259094" data-attributes="member: 55985"><p>5th edition design notes... is a collection of threads on how I would make the rules system more concise and easier to use in 5th edition (expected around 2015)</p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px">Action economy</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px">Per round powers / features</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"></span></p><p><span style="color: Orange"> Problem: Some powers or class features work best if you can use them exactly once per round. However, there is no straightforward way to express in the current rules framework.</span></p><p><span style="color: Orange"></span> </p><p>Example: Sneak Attack and other striker bonus damage features, many "temporary attacks" granted by daily power stances</p><p></p><p>Solution: Introduce "per round" as a 4th type of usage between "at-will" and "per encounter"</p><p></p><p>Definition: </p><p><span style="color: Orange"> Usage: Per Round</span></p><p>If you expend a "per round" power, you regain it at the start of your next turn.</p><p></p><p><em>Note that it is not useful to make all at-will powers "per round". Sometimes, you want to use an at-will attack several times per round. Even with a standard action power, this can be done with action points, or attacks granted by a leader.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px">Triggered Interrupt / Triggered Reaction</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px"></span></p><p><span style="color: Orange"> Problem: The game currently uses 4 different action types to describe actions that are triggered by a certain event (Immediate Interrupt, Immediate Reaction, Opportunity Action and Free Action with a trigger). This is confusing.</span></p><p><span style="color: Orange"></span> </p><p>Example: The difference between a Fighter's Combat Superiority vs. Combat Challenge</p><p></p><p>The main reason the game uses free actions with a trigger and other workarounds instead of immediate actions is the limit of one immediate action per round, imposed on all immediate action powers as a whole (This is by the way a legacy of the 3rd edition swift action). This is a major issue especially for defenders, who need to reserve their immediate action for their class role to function. Many powers and features that should have the "immediate action" type are therefore free actions instead. Opportunity actions complicate this even more.</p><p></p><p></p><p>The solution: Remove immediate interrupt, immediate reaction, opportunity action and (triggered) free action.</p><p>Create two new types: Triggered Interrupt and Triggered Reaction.</p><p></p><p>Replace one immediate action per round with one action per triggering event.</p><p>This solves a second problem, that one event can trigger several free actions (like Feychargers who could do several attacks on one charge).</p><p></p><p><em>Note that with this change, many immediate action power will change from "at-will" to "per round". That way, there is still a limit on them, but they stop interfering with each other.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>See below how the opportunity attack fits into this scheme.</em></p><p></p><p>---------------------------</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Orange"><strong>Triggered Action</strong></span> (NEW!)</p><p></p><p>Trigger: Each power (or feature) that is a triggered action defines a specific trigger. You can use the power when the trigger occurs in the game, regardless of whether it is your turn or not. A trigger can be your own action, an ally's action, an enemy's action, or an event in the environment.</p><p>A triggered power can have more than one trigger. In this case, you can use the power on each trigger.</p><p></p><p>One triggered action per trigger: You can only take one triggered action on each trigger, even if you have different powers with the same trigger available.</p><p></p><p>No trigger chains: A triggered action cannot be a trigger for another triggered action.</p><p></p><p>There are two types of triggered actions - triggered interrupt and triggered reaction.</p><p></p><p>Interrupt: A triggered interrupt occurs before the action that triggered it is resolved. If an interrupt invalidates the triggering action, that action is lost.</p><p><em>For example, an enemy makes a melee attack against you, but you use a power that lets you shift away as a triggered interrupt. If your enemy can no longer reach you, the enemy’s attack action is lost.</em></p><p><em></em> </p><p>Reaction: A triggered reaction occurs after the action that triggered it is resolved.</p><p></p><p>After you use a triggered action it is expended. When you regain the power depends on its usage type (at-will, per round, per encounter or daily)</p><p></p><p>--------------------------</p><p></p><p><em>Note: Triggered reactions and moves need special attention. A trigger should never be "an enemy moves", but "an enemy enters an adjacent square" or "an enemy leaves an adjacent square".</em></p><p><em></em></p><p></p><p><strong>Example: Sneak Attack</strong></p><p></p><p>SNEAK ATTACK (4th edition)</p><p>Once per round, when you have combat advantage against an enemy and hit that enemy with an attack that uses a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling, the attack deals extra damage. If you have dealt Sneak Attack damage since the start of your turn, you cannot deal it again until the start of your next turn. You decide whether to apply the extra damage after making the damage roll. As you advance in level, your extra damage increases.</p><p></p><p>Level Sneak Attack Damage</p><p>1st–10th +2d6</p><p>11th–20th +3d6</p><p>21st–30th +5d6</p><p></p><p></p><p>SNEAK ATTACK (5th edition)</p><p>Rogue Class Feature</p><p>Per Round</p><p>Triggered Reaction</p><p>Trigger: You hit an enemy with an attack while you have combat advantage against that enemy.</p><p>Required: You must be wielding a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling</p><p>Effect: The attack deals 2d6 extra damage. Increase the damage to 3d6 at 11th level and 5d6 at 21st level.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Example: Aegis of Shielding</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p>Aegis Mark (5th edition)</p><p>You create an arcane link between you and an enemy.</p><p></p><p>At-Will - Arcane</p><p>Minor Action - Close burst 2</p><p>Target: One creature in burst; two creatures at 11th level; three creatures at 21st level</p><p>Effect: You mark the target.</p><p></p><p>(* 5th edition should include a general rule that you can mark one enemy per tier, i.e. one at heroic, two at paragon and three at epic. This will remove a lot of necessary rules text (= confusion) about how new marks invalidate old etc.</p><p>Mass marking powers could still override that rule if desired.)</p><p></p><p></p><p>Aegis of Shielding (5th edition)</p><p></p><p>You blunt an enemy's attack against your ally.</p><p></p><p>Per Round - Arcane</p><p>Triggered Interrupt - Close burst 10</p><p>Trigger: An enemy you marked hits an enemy with an attack that doesn’t include you as a target</p><p>Target: The triggering enemy</p><p>Effect: You reduce the damage dealt by the attack by an amount equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier.</p><p>At 11th level, reduce the damage dealt by 10 + your Constitution modifier. At 21st level, reduce the damage dealt by 15 + your Constitution modifier.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Example: Opportunity Attack</strong></p><p></p><p>Opportunity Attack</p><p>General Power (*= a power available to everyone)</p><p>Triggered Interrupt</p><p>At-will (Special)</p><p>Trigger (1): An adjacent enemy leaves its square with a move</p><p>Trigger (2): An adjacent enemy makes a ranged or area attack</p><p>Effect: Make a melee basic attack against the triggering enemy.</p><p>Special: This power can be used once per each enemy's turn.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="mkill, post: 5259094, member: 55985"] 5th edition design notes... is a collection of threads on how I would make the rules system more concise and easier to use in 5th edition (expected around 2015) [SIZE=5]Action economy [/SIZE] [SIZE=4]Per round powers / features [/SIZE] [COLOR=Orange] Problem: Some powers or class features work best if you can use them exactly once per round. However, there is no straightforward way to express in the current rules framework. [/COLOR] Example: Sneak Attack and other striker bonus damage features, many "temporary attacks" granted by daily power stances Solution: Introduce "per round" as a 4th type of usage between "at-will" and "per encounter" Definition: [COLOR=Orange] Usage: Per Round[/COLOR] If you expend a "per round" power, you regain it at the start of your next turn. [I]Note that it is not useful to make all at-will powers "per round". Sometimes, you want to use an at-will attack several times per round. Even with a standard action power, this can be done with action points, or attacks granted by a leader. [/I] [SIZE=4]Triggered Interrupt / Triggered Reaction [/SIZE] [COLOR=Orange] Problem: The game currently uses 4 different action types to describe actions that are triggered by a certain event (Immediate Interrupt, Immediate Reaction, Opportunity Action and Free Action with a trigger). This is confusing. [/COLOR] Example: The difference between a Fighter's Combat Superiority vs. Combat Challenge The main reason the game uses free actions with a trigger and other workarounds instead of immediate actions is the limit of one immediate action per round, imposed on all immediate action powers as a whole (This is by the way a legacy of the 3rd edition swift action). This is a major issue especially for defenders, who need to reserve their immediate action for their class role to function. Many powers and features that should have the "immediate action" type are therefore free actions instead. Opportunity actions complicate this even more. The solution: Remove immediate interrupt, immediate reaction, opportunity action and (triggered) free action. Create two new types: Triggered Interrupt and Triggered Reaction. Replace one immediate action per round with one action per triggering event. This solves a second problem, that one event can trigger several free actions (like Feychargers who could do several attacks on one charge). [I]Note that with this change, many immediate action power will change from "at-will" to "per round". That way, there is still a limit on them, but they stop interfering with each other. [/I] [I]See below how the opportunity attack fits into this scheme.[/I] --------------------------- [COLOR=Orange][B]Triggered Action[/B][/COLOR] (NEW!) Trigger: Each power (or feature) that is a triggered action defines a specific trigger. You can use the power when the trigger occurs in the game, regardless of whether it is your turn or not. A trigger can be your own action, an ally's action, an enemy's action, or an event in the environment. A triggered power can have more than one trigger. In this case, you can use the power on each trigger. One triggered action per trigger: You can only take one triggered action on each trigger, even if you have different powers with the same trigger available. No trigger chains: A triggered action cannot be a trigger for another triggered action. There are two types of triggered actions - triggered interrupt and triggered reaction. Interrupt: A triggered interrupt occurs before the action that triggered it is resolved. If an interrupt invalidates the triggering action, that action is lost. [I]For example, an enemy makes a melee attack against you, but you use a power that lets you shift away as a triggered interrupt. If your enemy can no longer reach you, the enemy’s attack action is lost. [/I] Reaction: A triggered reaction occurs after the action that triggered it is resolved. After you use a triggered action it is expended. When you regain the power depends on its usage type (at-will, per round, per encounter or daily) -------------------------- [I]Note: Triggered reactions and moves need special attention. A trigger should never be "an enemy moves", but "an enemy enters an adjacent square" or "an enemy leaves an adjacent square". [/I] [B]Example: Sneak Attack[/B] SNEAK ATTACK (4th edition) Once per round, when you have combat advantage against an enemy and hit that enemy with an attack that uses a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling, the attack deals extra damage. If you have dealt Sneak Attack damage since the start of your turn, you cannot deal it again until the start of your next turn. You decide whether to apply the extra damage after making the damage roll. As you advance in level, your extra damage increases. Level Sneak Attack Damage 1st–10th +2d6 11th–20th +3d6 21st–30th +5d6 SNEAK ATTACK (5th edition) Rogue Class Feature Per Round Triggered Reaction Trigger: You hit an enemy with an attack while you have combat advantage against that enemy. Required: You must be wielding a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling Effect: The attack deals 2d6 extra damage. Increase the damage to 3d6 at 11th level and 5d6 at 21st level. [B]Example: Aegis of Shielding [/B] Aegis Mark (5th edition) You create an arcane link between you and an enemy. At-Will - Arcane Minor Action - Close burst 2 Target: One creature in burst; two creatures at 11th level; three creatures at 21st level Effect: You mark the target. (* 5th edition should include a general rule that you can mark one enemy per tier, i.e. one at heroic, two at paragon and three at epic. This will remove a lot of necessary rules text (= confusion) about how new marks invalidate old etc. Mass marking powers could still override that rule if desired.) Aegis of Shielding (5th edition) You blunt an enemy's attack against your ally. Per Round - Arcane Triggered Interrupt - Close burst 10 Trigger: An enemy you marked hits an enemy with an attack that doesn’t include you as a target Target: The triggering enemy Effect: You reduce the damage dealt by the attack by an amount equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier. At 11th level, reduce the damage dealt by 10 + your Constitution modifier. At 21st level, reduce the damage dealt by 15 + your Constitution modifier. [B]Example: Opportunity Attack[/B] Opportunity Attack General Power (*= a power available to everyone) Triggered Interrupt At-will (Special) Trigger (1): An adjacent enemy leaves its square with a move Trigger (2): An adjacent enemy makes a ranged or area attack Effect: Make a melee basic attack against the triggering enemy. Special: This power can be used once per each enemy's turn. [/QUOTE]
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