Action Point Limits?

[Runestar]

It might be possible to benefit from archer's glory every encounter, though this would require you to spend your action point every short rest.

What alternatives are there which allow you to channel your action point to get some other benefit outside of battle?

 

[theNater]

Just seems to me that if it works the way you describe (and I'm not necessarily saying it doesn't), it would be more fitting as a Daily Power instead of an Encounter Power that can't actually be used every encounter.

An encounter power is a power that cannot be used more than once per encounter. Getting a "once every other encounter" effect with a daily power would take some fairly complicated wording. Also note that this effect can happen many, many times in a given day if the party goes through a lot of encounters.

 

[frankthedm]

This is a good question that I hope wotc adresses in the next printing of the PHB.

 

[toxicspirit]

An encounter power is a power that cannot be used more than once per encounter.

My point is that it shouldn't really be an Encounter Power if it is not actually possible for it to be used each and every encounter.

 

[Fedifensor]

I'd have to do searching to find the designer quote, but action points were allowed to be used more than once per encounter until it was changed during development (because people were hoarding them for the big boss fights). I'm guessing the class mechanics that give action points were developed before this change, and weren't adjusted afterwards.

 

[Zurai]

Well, my first thought was that these powers didn't overrule the once per encounter rule. Somebody however pointed out that the wording says you HAVE to spend these actions points by the end of the round. This could imply that you have no choice in the matter, and that it's a matter of the specific overriding the general....normally you couldn't spend a second action point but this power is not allowing it, it's requiring it.

No. An example:

You are given $200 by a friend and told you MUST buy a Wii with it. However, there are no Wiis for sale anywhere you look. Thus, you cannot buy a Wii, despite "having to".

"Must" does not equate to "can". Being forced to do something does not mean you are capable of doing it.

 

[Zurai]

My point is that it shouldn't really be an Encounter Power if it is not actually possible for it to be used each and every encounter.

It is possible for it to be used in each and every encounter. There's no rule stating that you MUST use all your action points as soon as possible. You could use Archer's Glory ever encounter you fell a foe in and just not use your normal APs.

Furthermore, why should they make an entirely new "Daily but multiple uses per day" power type, when an Encounter power works perfectly well?

 

[toxicspirit]

I never at any time asked for a 'Daily-but-multiple-use-per-day' Power. I stated that it seemed to be more fitting as a Daily Power (usable once a day as normal), being that as an Encounter Power, it is not really usable every encounter.

As for your assertion about using it every encounter and holding on to your normally accumulated Action Points, to what purpose? You lose them all when you take an extended rest, so there is no point at all in hording them, as they serve no purpose. And if you use them in an encounter, then Archer's Glory is useless for that encounter, or any encounter where an Action Point is used.

 

[OpsKT]

I house-ruled that you can only use action points for an extra action once per encounter, but can use them for other purposes or a +1d6 to a combat related d20 roll as much as you want till you run out.

 

[Zurai]

As for your assertion about using it every encounter and holding on to your normally accumulated Action Points, to what purpose? You lose them all when you take an extended rest, so there is no point at all in hording them, as they serve no purpose. And if you use them in an encounter, then Archer's Glory is useless for that encounter, or any encounter where an Action Point is used.

To the end of encounters where you might not get the chance to use Archer's Glory because there aren't easily disposable creatures in the encounter. For example, encounters with elites or solos. If you start the adventuring day with a couple minion-heavy encounters, but end it with two triple-elite encounters followed by a solo-and-elite encounter, you're going to wish you had the extra action point from using Archer's Glory in fight 2.