Action point per encounter

[Alisair Longreach]

A couple of paragon paths and a couple of epic destinies grant extra Action Points.

The pps are Adroit Explorer and Warchanter from PHB2.

The Warmaster ed from martial Power also do something with Action Points.

 

[BobTheNob]

If you make AP a per encounter thing, wouldn't a character always have one at maximum?

Truth is, there really isnt much at all that allows you to spend more than one per combat anyway regardless of how many you have saved up. The Warchanter can, might be others, but I havent found them.

In the case of the warchanter and the Adroit explorer both of them have said action point abilities converted to a "Once per day, you can spend a section action point in an encounter. You still cannot spend more than one point in a turn". Not exactly the same power in either case, but close enough than intention and power levels are maintained, and it sets a precedent for other conversions.

 

[unan oranis]

I just started doing this...

Works great; ditching the milestone system has saved time and energy.

My players typically just hoarded their points before.


Whats this other rule from stalker? Only one AP on a given characters turn?, or only one AP spent in a given round? (bilbo cant spend an AP because frodo did this round allready?)

 

[BobTheNob]

I just started doing this...

Works great; ditching the milestone system has saved time and energy.

My players typically just hoarded their points before.


Whats this other rule from stalker? Only one AP on a given characters turn?, or only one AP spent in a given round? (bilbo cant spend an AP because frodo did this round allready?)

Im not sure. The way I interpreted (and am choosing to play) is that players can only spend one on their action, regardless of whether they can spend multiple in an encounter (which my rule changes for Warchanter and Adroit explorer would allow) Meaning Both bilbo and frodo can spend an action point in the same round, but neither can spend more than one even if they have rules that allow for multiple AP in one encounter

 

[Stalker0]

I just started doing this...

Works great; ditching the milestone system has saved time and energy.

My players typically just hoarded their points before.


Whats this other rule from stalker? Only one AP on a given characters turn?, or only one AP spent in a given round? (bilbo cant spend an AP because frodo did this round allready?)

My game works differently from this system, and I misinterpreted the OP when I first posted.

In my game, I give out 1 AP per encounter and allow players to spend any number of AP per encounter, but only one per turn. So they could save 5 AP for the big fight, but can only use one each round.

 

[makeshiftwings]

The main thing I'd dislike about the OP is that it takes away one of the few reasons to strive to hit a milestone rather than go to sleep. And in my opinion, the game needs more built-in reasons to encourage players to not camp out after every encounter or two.

Stalker's idea seems interesting because it does give you a reason to keep fighting without sleeping, because you can build up AP's and use them all in one battle, so maybe the three AP's you've saved up are worth pushing forward into one more encounter even though you're down a few surges and dailies. But at the same time, I'd be a little worried about nova potential. I'm currently playing in a melee-heavy party with a bravura warlord (everyone gets an extra melee basic attack when using an action point), and I've got Slaying Action (deal Sneak Attack twice in a round if you use an action point). If the ranger and I saved up three action points and used them three rounds in a row, we'd be doing way more damage than the game expects... it would tilt the battle pretty badly.

 

[BobTheNob]

Point taken. Hourses for courses I guess.

We have been going for over a year now in 4th ed and truth is my players really dont need the milestone "carrot on a sitck". I find that as long as I keep the adventure unfolding nicely, level progression consistent and loot allocation paced well, people show up week after week without the need for this mechanic.

We have even elliminated daily gear usage rules in place of encounter. We have bugger all left tied to the milestone system.

Maybe it reflects the differences in groups play styles, but so far, for our game, milestones have proven an administrative overhead that have contributed nothing to the games progress or enjoyment.

 

[Nikosandros]

We have even elliminated daily gear usage rules in place of encounter. We have bugger all left tied to the milestone system.

Since I'm also not very fond of the milestones/daily items interaction, I'm interested in this. How do you handle item uses in an encounter?

 

[BobTheNob]

Since I'm also not very fond of the milestones/daily items interaction, I'm interested in this. How do you handle item uses in an encounter?

Its simple. No daily items whatsoever. It all becomes encounter.

This does need some tweeking. Predominantly (rules of thumb)
* Anything that offers healing to a surge value now requires the use of a surge (for instance, dwarven armor is now once per ecounter spend a healing surge as a free action, and our tank LOVES that armor)
* Anything that allows the recovery of a used encounter power (like a battlemasters weapon) requires the use of an action point (giving this a VERY strong tie in with the original proposition of this thread)
* Recovery of channel divinity does not mean the re-use of a prviously used divinity power, just the option to use a different one

There is also a new slot called the "trinket" slot on a character which they can place wonderous items in (i.e. you can only call upon one wonderous item in an encounter...not as many as you carry in your backpack)

and after that, case by case tweaking, and tell your players to NOT have any expectation that an item in a source book is utilizable as written.

Also, up the anti on encounters, cause your player do become more powerful overnight

Players love it because they get to use items all the time (making that drop of an item with a power a real smile time event) and from a GM'ing perspective, its one less thing to keep track of.

I dont do milestones what-so-ever.

 

[Zinovia]

Allowing multiple action point use per encounter seems like it would *drastically* increase the nova potential of a group, especially if you reward an action point per encounter. Have you found this to be a problem in play? Do your big fights go too easily for the players, or have you adjusted them to make them harder to compensate? I could see perhaps allowing 2 points to be spent in an encounter, but I'd be afraid that people would save them up for a massive nova if they could spend as many as they liked. Perhaps not though, as I do allow an AP to be spent to allow a reroll.

As for daily item uses, I allow the use of a daily item power 1/2/3 times per encounter at heroic/paragon/epic , with a given item still being usable only once per day. I found the group just wasn't using their daily item powers when it was restricted to 1/day with additional uses gained by milestones. It has made items with daily abilities more desirable than they were before.