Action Points/Dice in D&D

[Davelozzi]

Do you use action points (d20 Modern), action dice (AEG's Spycraft and Good), drama dice (other AEG games), homebrewed hero points or anything similar in your D&D game?

Vote and discuss.

Personally, I haven't used any in my D&D games so far but I am considering introducing them after I see them in use a bit more in other d20 games.

 

[Storminator]

I have them in a game I play in, and I'm thinking of introducing them into a game I DM.

I probably won't use many in the game I DM. I think they should be used for special occasions. It's all very conjectural right now tho.

PS

 

[Henry]

I personally would NOT use them in any D&D game, because D&D has many things that Modern does not: easier access to magic items, tons of powerful ability boosting spells, and very powerful class abilities. In a standard NON-magical d20 modern game, you don't have much magic to fall back on, if at all, so some mechanic to give you a boost, but needing an expendable resource, is required. This is the purpose of action points in d20 Modern, and the purpose of Force points in d20 Star Wars.

 

[2WS-Steve]

I started using action points in D&D after I axed raise dead and similar powers.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Well, in D20 Modern you can die if you take more than 10 hit points of damage. So "bullet time" or "extra effort" is needed just to make it to second level or to keep your 20th level character from dying to a 1st level scrub.

I guess I'm saying I don't see the need for them in regular D&D

 

[maddman75]

I don't have any of those games...someone want to fill me in? I might like such a mechanic should I ever get my renissance level low magic Ravenloft game going again.

 

[Tonguez]

Yes Hero points are great and really allow the PCs to do - well - Heroic things.

So the PC is now plunging to their death because they didn't make the last 10 ft of the wall - hero point - and wow the catch a random silica outcrop and are able to pull themselves back up again...

 

[Davelozzi]

I don't have any of those games...someone want to fill me in? I might like such a mechanic should I ever get my renissance level low magic Ravenloft game going again.

Basically, you can cash in an action point/die to add the roll of a d6 or to other die to your d20 roll to improve your chances in a dramatic situation. In d20 Modern you get about 5-6 per level and in Spycraft you get about 4 per session. That way you can try something cool and heroic that might otherwise have a slim chance of succeeding but actually hope to pull it off.

Variants include hero points that you can cash in for a 'get out of jail free' as Tonguez described, poker chips that you cash in for a re-roll (Gospog's rule) and things like that.

 

[nopantsyet]

Hero Points are given out one per session, two per level, and as rewards for good roleplaying, inventive actions, or contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game.

Use one to add 1d6 to any skill check, attack roll, saving throw, initiative roll or ability check.

Use one to reduce the damage of any single attack by 1d6.

Use one to maximize damage for a single die of damage inflicted in a successful attack.

Two may be used to reroll any skill check, attack roll, saving throw, initiative roll, ability check or damage roll. The second result must be taken even if it is lower than the original.

My players really like this, but they always save their points for when things turn really bad. They are rare enough that they can't be used as a crutch or to powergame, so I don't see a balance problem.

 

[Crothian]

I used to use a Hero Points system that was basically alternate form of XP. You could use the points for rerolls or something like that or save them up for skill points and feats. So, I had a level based, point based version of d20 going there for a little while. It was heavier on the level based side since the players loved to use them for the simple stuff.