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Message: <blockquote data-quote="amnuxoll" data-source="post: 4998879" data-attributes="member: 13028">A common issue with fantasy RPGs is remembering temporary bonuses andpenalties.  For example, having a "-2 to attacks, saves and skills for4 rounds" is easy to say but, in practice, it's difficult for people tokeep track.  Some players have found semi-effective ways to deal withthis. (The best solution I've seen is to sheath your character sheetin a wet-erase-marker-capable sleeve.) But ultimately, even aneffective accounting system slows down the game and reduces the fun.I'd like to propose a more fundamental change that will greatly reducethis problem.  (I'm posting it here instead of in a "House Rules" forumbecause it applies to multiple rules systems.)  It goes like this:Every PC has three pools of tokens:- Power tokens represent a boost in a character's physical power.- Speed tokens represent a boost in a character's agility, reaction  times and mental quickness.- Insight tokens represent a boost in character's creativity,  comprehension and social acumen.Anything that normally grants a bonus to attacks, defense, saves,skills now grants one or more tokens instead.  As a rule of thumb, each+1 bonus grants 1-3 tokens depending upon the duration of the effect.This does mean that a bonus may not "last" as long as originallyintended but this made up for by the fact that tokens are moreflexible (see below).Anything that normally applies a penalty now removes tokens from aPC's pool.  If the PC has no tokens in that pool, it removes tokensfrom another pool of the player's choice.  If the PCs has no tokens atall then there is no effect.USING TOKENSWhen you take an action, you can spend as many tokens from your poolas you want to proactively add a bonus to a die roll. Similarly, if acreature attacks you, you can proactively spend tokens to increaseyour defense:Power Tokens:  +1 to one Str-base or Con-based attack or skill  +1 to Fortitude defense against a specific attack  +1 to damage dealt by a successful attackSpeed Tokens:  +1 to one Dex-based or Int-based attack or skill  +1 to AC or Reflex defense against a specific attackInsight Token:  +1 to one Wis-based or Cha-based attack or skill  +1 to Will defense against a specific attack  +1 to a single saving throwBy proactive, I mean that the tokens must be spent before the die isrolled.  However, tokens can be spent retroactively at a rate of3-per-1: three tokens must be spent to retroactively get the samebonus as 1 token would have granted proactively.In some circumstances, you can also spend your tokens on other PCs' actions:- If your PC is adjacent to another PC, you can always spend tokens to  aid that PC's actions.- If you are adjacent to the same enemy as another PC, you can spend  tokens to aid that PC's actions as long as they deal directly with  that enemy.  For example, if your fighter is flanking a troll with the  rogue, he can spend tokens to increase rogue's defense against that  troll's attacks.- Other circumstances at the DM's discretionDURATIONBy default, tokens remain in your possession until you spend them orthe current encounter ends.  In combat, you can also gain tokensduring your turn that are "temporary." Temporary tokens last onlyuntil the BEGINNING of your next turn.  Thus, they are usually spentimmediately.Temporary tokens do not stack.  If you have temporary tokens from twosources that could apply to the same action, you may only use thetokens from one of those sources.PCs can not horde tokens between encounters.  When a new encounterbegins, each PC always starts with exactly two tokens in each pool.TOKEN-SPECIFIC ACTIONSRefocus: A PC can spend a standard action to gain two tokens of aspecific type.Aid Another: A PC can spend a standard action to grant an adjacentcreature 2 tokens of a specific type.Any in-combat circumstance that normally grants a temporary bonus(e.g., cover, concealment, flanking, prone, higher ground, fightingdefensively, etc.) instead allows you to gain an equivalent number oftemporary tokens of an appropriate type.  If the circumstancegenerally has no action associated with it, then the PC must spend afree action to gain these tokens.Optional: If you spend a standard action to attack and miss, you can grant atoken to one ally who is adjacent to your target as a free action.(This is designed to ease the sting of a miss a little and encourageteamwork.)Optional: If you end your turn adjacent to a foe, and that foe does not move onits turn then you can use a free action during your next turn to gainone temporary speed token.  (This is designed to encourage combatantsto be mobile.)MONSTER AND NPC TOKENSMonsters and NPCs don't start encounters with tokens like PCs do.However, circumstances can grant tokens to such creatures and they canuse them in such circumstances.When there are multiple NPCs or monsters on the battlefield, trackingwhich tokens belong to which creature is an issue.  In the case oftemporary tokens, their short duration means that this should be easy.In the case of non-temporary tokens, the DM should simply put alltokens of the same type in a communal pool that is shared by all thecreatures under his control.  The DM is also expected to avoid usingthis privilege to gain an unreasonable advantage.  Additionally, a DMcan only spend a maximum of two tokens on any one action and may neverspend tokens retroactively.Thoughts?</blockquote>

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