Action Points--How are they used?
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WayneLigon
Adventurer
The current game I'm playing in is the only one I've ever played with Action Points. We're using a house rule or variant for Action Points within 3.5 D&D.
Usually it's 'save my bacon' usage, though we have had a few 'heroic' uses, where a certain action simply has to succeed. Rarely though does it matter; the ones where 'the action has to succeed' don't, because it's still a roll - rolling is still involved and more often than not it seems that that's the time the action dice come up '1'. But they are useful sometimes, especially when it's used for 'um, give us a hint as to what we should do?'. I've played a character to 11th, so far, so I've seen a fair amount of action point usage.
Hero Points in Arcana Unearthed were much different. Since you could only gain them with heroic actions instead of just by leveling, people attempted more heroic actions. Over the course of a 14 month campaign, they probably received hero points twice over all. Because they are so rare, they were used for dramatic effect - I let someone bring someone back from the dead with her healing aura because she spent a Hero Point. Another was used to live through blowing up an evil alchemist's tower - he found the room where all the explosive powder was being made, set it afire, then jumped out of a ten-story window as fire blew out around him.
Usually it's 'save my bacon' usage, though we have had a few 'heroic' uses, where a certain action simply has to succeed. Rarely though does it matter; the ones where 'the action has to succeed' don't, because it's still a roll - rolling is still involved and more often than not it seems that that's the time the action dice come up '1'. But they are useful sometimes, especially when it's used for 'um, give us a hint as to what we should do?'. I've played a character to 11th, so far, so I've seen a fair amount of action point usage.
Hero Points in Arcana Unearthed were much different. Since you could only gain them with heroic actions instead of just by leveling, people attempted more heroic actions. Over the course of a 14 month campaign, they probably received hero points twice over all. Because they are so rare, they were used for dramatic effect - I let someone bring someone back from the dead with her healing aura because she spent a Hero Point. Another was used to live through blowing up an evil alchemist's tower - he found the room where all the explosive powder was being made, set it afire, then jumped out of a ten-story window as fire blew out around him.
Nebulous
Legend
I think feat substitution is an underused aspect of action points. Althought the "saving the bacon" is what i usually see. We're actually playing Arkham Horror right now (great game btw) and spending clue tokens (action points basically) lets you roll another d6 to try and save your ass (it's Cthulhu, so it's usually something pretty nasty).
Kelleris
Explorer
Should be a multiple-choice poll. My players usually use them to perform daring acts of heroism to save their butts. 
Example from last night - a super-strong fishman (skum rogue with 18 starting strength) was mauling the werewolf scout with a silver short sword. The changeling rogue snuck up behind the thing, was about to sneak attack, and decided to save the wolf-boy instead by flinging herself on the weapon and wresting it away from the skum. She blew the roll, though - but I let her use an action point to suffer an attack of opportunity to really throw herself on the weapon. The bonus put her over the top and the day was saved!
Until the demonically-empowered serial killer showed up. That's when the running and the hiding began. Can't let them get away with everything, after all.
Example from last night - a super-strong fishman (skum rogue with 18 starting strength) was mauling the werewolf scout with a silver short sword. The changeling rogue snuck up behind the thing, was about to sneak attack, and decided to save the wolf-boy instead by flinging herself on the weapon and wresting it away from the skum. She blew the roll, though - but I let her use an action point to suffer an attack of opportunity to really throw herself on the weapon. The bonus put her over the top and the day was saved!
Until the demonically-empowered serial killer showed up. That's when the running and the hiding began. Can't let them get away with everything, after all.
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Equal parts heroism and butt-saving, but then I use once-per-level "Hero Points" designed to be butt-saving rather than Action Points per Eberron or other games.
And we'll distribute diaglo's points elsewhere, since he doesn't care for them ... though he's used them a lot recently to guarantee saving throws!
And we'll distribute diaglo's points elsewhere, since he doesn't care for them ... though he's used them a lot recently to guarantee saving throws!
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