airwalkrr
Adventurer
I am currently designing my own D&D system with the intent to simplify the rules a bit and make play more streamlined. Towards that end, I have developed a new action system that effectively eliminates the need for things like free actions and full-round actions and the confusion derived therefrom. This primarily effects metamagic and base attack bonus.
Actions
There are now four types of actions in the game. Each character receives three actions on their turn, a standard, a move, and a swift.
Swift: This is a simple action that does not take long to perform such as casting a quickened spell or taking a 5-foot step. A character who uses an immediate action loses his swift action on his next turn.
Immediate: Like a swift action, but it can be performed at any time. Using an immediate action uses up your swift action on your next turn.
Move: More involved than a swift action, a move action can be used to move your speed, pickup an item, or do a number of other various things. A character may take a swift action instead of a move action if he wishes.
Standard: These are the most time-consuming actions. They typically involve attacking, casting a spell, or other similarly vigorous activity. A character may take a move or swift action instead of a standard action if he wishes.
Metamagic
One of my goals with the metamagic system was to make all forms of metamagic feats potentially useful to any caster, regardless of level. Each metamagic feat requires a certain number of swift actions to "charge" before it is usuable that is based on the type of metamagic and the level of the spell. When using a metamagic feat, a character must spend 1 or more swift actions preparing the metamagic. A character may spend up to three swift actions per round in this way (although this precludes the character from doing anything else that round), but a character must always use at least one swift action each round to charge the metamagic or all previous rounds of preparation are lost. Once metamagic has been charged, the character must apply it to a spell before the end of his next turn or the metamagic is lost. A character may only prepare one kind of metamagic at a time unless he has the Combined Metamagic feat.
The cost to charge a form of metamagic is equal to the level of the spell plus the modifier based on the type of metamagic being used. The following modifiers apply to metamagic feats.
Quicken - 4
Maximize - 3
Widen - 3
Empower - 2
Silent - 1
Still - 1
Heighten - the number of spell levels by which you wish to increase the spell to a maximum of the highest level spell you can cast
For example, a caster wishing to cast a maximized 1st-level spell would need to spend four swift actions over a period of no more than four consecutive rounds to prepare the metamagic. The caster could spend three swift actions on his first turn, followed by a swift action and a standard action to cast on his next turn. Quickening a 9th-level spell would require 13 swift actions (but it would be possible for any caster capable of casting 9th-level spells)!
Some of the side effects of this system are that casters get an advantage when they have time to act before making a surprise action. Additionally, clerics who cast healing spells outside of combat will have the chance to maximize such spells, making them more useful. There are possibly some other unforeseen consequences. Please enlighten me if you can think of any.
The following feat is added.
Combined Metamagic
When preparing metamagic, you may add the cost of two metamagic effects together and add the spell level to determine the total number of swift actions required. Once you have spent all the necessary swift actions to prepare the metamagic, you may use the two metamagic effects on the same spell.
Base Attack
I've never liked the fact that iterative attacks are practically worthless unless you are fighting an ooze or undead. Plus, in my high level (18th-19th) game it has consistently bogged down combat because the attacking character has to calculate numerous bonuses to his attacks. This becomes worse when adding Power Attack into the mix. So the existing rules for extra attacks for a high base attack bonus are changed.
Any character can make a melee or ranged attack as a standard action. Once a character's base attack bonus is +8 or higher, the character gains the ability to make an attack as a move action. Once a character's base attack bonus is +16 or higher, the character gains the ability to make an attack as a swift action. A character may make up to three attacks in a round in this way. This opens the door for high-level characters to do more things while attacking. For example, a 16th-level fighter could use a swift action to attack, a move action to move, and a standard action to drink a potion.
Monks work a bit differently. At 1st level and higher, a monk may use a move action to make an extra attack using flurry of blows (no penalty). At 6th level, a monk may use a swift action to make an extra attack with flurry of blows. At 11th level, a monk may make two attacks each time he spends a standard action to attack. As usual, these attacks only apply to special monk weapons or unarmed strikes. Attacks with other weapons must be made using the base attack rules above.
Extra attacks such as from haste or a speed weapon follow a similar progression. If a character is hasted or using a speed weapon then he may make his attacks as if his base attack bonus was one tier higher. For example, a 3rd-level fighter may make two attacks, one as a move action, the other as a standard action. A 16th-level fighter may make four attacks, one as a swift, one as a move, and two as a standard. An 11th-level monk may make up to five attacks if using flurry of blows, one as a swift action, two as a move action, and two as a standard action. In the theoretical case of a character who can already make five attacks each round gaining an additional attack from haste, that character would be able to make two attacks as a swift, move, or standard action, a total of up to six attacks each round.
Actions and New Action Types
Actions typically follow the rules found on table 8-2 of the Player's Handbook, although there are a few exceptions.
Sunder - may be made in place of an attack
Total defense (parry) - a character may attack while using total defense (which is renamed parry) if he may make an attack as a move or swift action
Load a hand crossbow or light crossbow - a move action (swift with Rapid Reload)
Full attack - this option no longer exists
Charge - Move + Standard (may still make an attack as a swift action if the character has a high enough bab)
Load a heavy or repeating crossbow - Standard (move with Rapid Reload)
Use touch spell on up to six friends - Standard + Move
*most other full-round actions take only a standard action to perform
Cast a quickened spell - Swift
Cease concentration on a spell - no action
Drop an item - Swift
Drop to the floor - Swift
Prepare spell components to cast a spell - Swift
Speak - no action
5-foot step - Swift
Actions
There are now four types of actions in the game. Each character receives three actions on their turn, a standard, a move, and a swift.
Swift: This is a simple action that does not take long to perform such as casting a quickened spell or taking a 5-foot step. A character who uses an immediate action loses his swift action on his next turn.
Immediate: Like a swift action, but it can be performed at any time. Using an immediate action uses up your swift action on your next turn.
Move: More involved than a swift action, a move action can be used to move your speed, pickup an item, or do a number of other various things. A character may take a swift action instead of a move action if he wishes.
Standard: These are the most time-consuming actions. They typically involve attacking, casting a spell, or other similarly vigorous activity. A character may take a move or swift action instead of a standard action if he wishes.
Metamagic
One of my goals with the metamagic system was to make all forms of metamagic feats potentially useful to any caster, regardless of level. Each metamagic feat requires a certain number of swift actions to "charge" before it is usuable that is based on the type of metamagic and the level of the spell. When using a metamagic feat, a character must spend 1 or more swift actions preparing the metamagic. A character may spend up to three swift actions per round in this way (although this precludes the character from doing anything else that round), but a character must always use at least one swift action each round to charge the metamagic or all previous rounds of preparation are lost. Once metamagic has been charged, the character must apply it to a spell before the end of his next turn or the metamagic is lost. A character may only prepare one kind of metamagic at a time unless he has the Combined Metamagic feat.
The cost to charge a form of metamagic is equal to the level of the spell plus the modifier based on the type of metamagic being used. The following modifiers apply to metamagic feats.
Quicken - 4
Maximize - 3
Widen - 3
Empower - 2
Silent - 1
Still - 1
Heighten - the number of spell levels by which you wish to increase the spell to a maximum of the highest level spell you can cast
For example, a caster wishing to cast a maximized 1st-level spell would need to spend four swift actions over a period of no more than four consecutive rounds to prepare the metamagic. The caster could spend three swift actions on his first turn, followed by a swift action and a standard action to cast on his next turn. Quickening a 9th-level spell would require 13 swift actions (but it would be possible for any caster capable of casting 9th-level spells)!
Some of the side effects of this system are that casters get an advantage when they have time to act before making a surprise action. Additionally, clerics who cast healing spells outside of combat will have the chance to maximize such spells, making them more useful. There are possibly some other unforeseen consequences. Please enlighten me if you can think of any.
The following feat is added.
Combined Metamagic
When preparing metamagic, you may add the cost of two metamagic effects together and add the spell level to determine the total number of swift actions required. Once you have spent all the necessary swift actions to prepare the metamagic, you may use the two metamagic effects on the same spell.
Base Attack
I've never liked the fact that iterative attacks are practically worthless unless you are fighting an ooze or undead. Plus, in my high level (18th-19th) game it has consistently bogged down combat because the attacking character has to calculate numerous bonuses to his attacks. This becomes worse when adding Power Attack into the mix. So the existing rules for extra attacks for a high base attack bonus are changed.
Any character can make a melee or ranged attack as a standard action. Once a character's base attack bonus is +8 or higher, the character gains the ability to make an attack as a move action. Once a character's base attack bonus is +16 or higher, the character gains the ability to make an attack as a swift action. A character may make up to three attacks in a round in this way. This opens the door for high-level characters to do more things while attacking. For example, a 16th-level fighter could use a swift action to attack, a move action to move, and a standard action to drink a potion.
Monks work a bit differently. At 1st level and higher, a monk may use a move action to make an extra attack using flurry of blows (no penalty). At 6th level, a monk may use a swift action to make an extra attack with flurry of blows. At 11th level, a monk may make two attacks each time he spends a standard action to attack. As usual, these attacks only apply to special monk weapons or unarmed strikes. Attacks with other weapons must be made using the base attack rules above.
Extra attacks such as from haste or a speed weapon follow a similar progression. If a character is hasted or using a speed weapon then he may make his attacks as if his base attack bonus was one tier higher. For example, a 3rd-level fighter may make two attacks, one as a move action, the other as a standard action. A 16th-level fighter may make four attacks, one as a swift, one as a move, and two as a standard. An 11th-level monk may make up to five attacks if using flurry of blows, one as a swift action, two as a move action, and two as a standard action. In the theoretical case of a character who can already make five attacks each round gaining an additional attack from haste, that character would be able to make two attacks as a swift, move, or standard action, a total of up to six attacks each round.
Actions and New Action Types
Actions typically follow the rules found on table 8-2 of the Player's Handbook, although there are a few exceptions.
Sunder - may be made in place of an attack
Total defense (parry) - a character may attack while using total defense (which is renamed parry) if he may make an attack as a move or swift action
Load a hand crossbow or light crossbow - a move action (swift with Rapid Reload)
Full attack - this option no longer exists
Charge - Move + Standard (may still make an attack as a swift action if the character has a high enough bab)
Load a heavy or repeating crossbow - Standard (move with Rapid Reload)
Use touch spell on up to six friends - Standard + Move
*most other full-round actions take only a standard action to perform
Cast a quickened spell - Swift
Cease concentration on a spell - no action
Drop an item - Swift
Drop to the floor - Swift
Prepare spell components to cast a spell - Swift
Speak - no action
5-foot step - Swift
