Action Points -- Too Good?

[Atavar]

Hello Everyone,

I was wondering what everyone's general feelings are on the use of Action Points (e.g. from Eberron). I DM a Shackled City campaign based in the Eberron setting. We are still relatively early in the campaign, but to me it seems like action points are making things a little too easy for the players, even though there are only five players and the adventure was written for a party of six. I've lost track of how many times the players spent a critical, well-used action point at just the right moment. I don't know if the "problem" (if indeed there is any) is inherent to action points themselves or if my players (all of whom are quite experienced) are simply making optimum use of action points and tend to be lucky with their rolls.

So, what do you think? Do action points make things too easy for the players? What else do you think about action points?

Thanks,

Atavar

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"Alwaysless." - Bizarro Raven

 

[Crothian]

I think they are not all that useful. They allow the possibility of a failure to become a success, and perhaps later in levels when there are save and die effects they can help a little on that might make a differnece. But so far for the 4 levels of Eberron I haven't been that impressed.

 

[Psion]

I use the UA variant vice the Eberron variant.

I really like the emulate feat bit. I like the feel that it creates in making hard limits softer and letting characters stretch themselves.

I don't think I'd run a home game without them again.

 

[Shade]

I love 'em. They've added a much-needed "luck element" to my games. They don't unbalance the game, in my experience.

Like Psion, I doubt I'd ever go without them again.

 

[werk]

I used to agree that action points were simply too good to be available to players.

Now I just see them as an excuse to make players USE them.

 

[Crothian]

I use the UA variant vice the Eberron variant.

Okay, I do like that variant a lot better and hopefully my DM will allow us to use it.

 

[Mallus]

I use an Action Point system in my CITY campaign and its been a clear success. AP's can be spent to modify any task-resolution die role by 1d6 per point spent, with no limit on points spent per round.

They can also be used in a more general way to "hack" the game environment. One spellcaster player has used a bunch to more or less instanteously create new spells and magic items. And recenty we started using "Shilsen's Rule" --use 3 Action Points to prevent PC death.

Players can trade and pool Action Points as they like. They get 1 each time they level, and extra whenever they threaten me with bodily harm, err, whenever I deign to give them out.

 

[megamania]

I have had no issues with it except for the paperwork of tracking them. Its easy to forget to mark it and even easier for me to forget they used one within a level. The balancing factor is the the use of them by certain villians (BBEG).

I like them.

 

[iwatt]

I use the UA variant vice the Eberron variant.

I really like the emulate feat bit. I like the feel that it creates in making hard limits softer and letting characters stretch themselves.

I don't think I'd run a home game without them again.

I use the UA, but without the emulate feat ability. Too many options make my head hurt. Some people woudl bog down the game because they couldn't choose between all the options.

 

[Psion]

I use the UA, but without the emulate feat ability. Too many options make my head hurt. Some people woudl bog down the game because they couldn't choose between all the options.

Might I recommend a chess timer?