Eberron and Action Points - Opinions?

[Greatwyrm]

Action Points, from 3e's cousin D20Modern, will be a part of Eberron. According to the preview in Dragon, you'll be able to boost d20 rolls, recall spells, and get extra uses of class abilities (e.g. rage).

I kinda like the idea. Having run Spycraft, with its similar Action Dice mechanic, I thought it added a fun element to the game. I was already thinking about using them in regular D&D.

Playing a bit of Devil's Advocate, what do you think of this? Is it too much for a setting already high in magic? Is it the extra swashbuckling feel the game might need? Are you a "purist" of some sort that wants those pesky D20Modern mechanics to stay on their own side of the room?

 

[Desdichado]

I'm certainly not a purist, and I like swashbuckling. I think this is a good thing. I'm actually getting more excited about Eberron the more I read of it. Who's writing the first novels, I wonder?

 

[Psion]

I think Spycraft's action dice mechanic is superior. The results are more sensible, and relying on per session instead of per level, it works much better if you share the commonly held opinion that default advancement in D&D is too fast.

 

[Henry]

I like the idea of action points, but I hate d20 Modern's interpretation of it. For instance, the whole "at high level, roll 3d6 but only choose the best one die to use" is kind of silly - why not just say "you can have no roll poorer than X"?

I would prefer a mechanic that offers fewer points, but offers greater benefits - a la Monte Cook's AU Hero points. Spend your point, and get a +20 to hit, succeed at a task you normally wouldn't, bend the rules a bit, etc. But the trick is, you rarely get them, and you must do something heroic without them to earn them.

 

[d20Dwarf]

I like action dice. I'm using them in Sherwood, although the exact implementation hasn't been decided upon yet. I tend to agree with Psion that Spycraft's action dice are better, and that's probably the model I'll use. I like per session instead of per level, and I want action dice to activate abilities and allow for, well, actions that the rules normally prohibit or make very difficult.

 

[2WS-Steve]

I like the fact that Spycraft's action die mechanic gives you interesting things to do with the action dice. It sounds, however, like Eberron is expanding the range of uses for action points so that's a good thing.

I'm torn on the replenish each session vs. replenish on levelling issue. In the past I've mostly used per session methods for similar mechanics and it promotes sitting around towards the end of the night whereas the replenish per level promotes actively going out and getting something accomplished. Still, if players have a tough time at the beginning of a level they can go through a long dry spell.

Perhaps some kind of middle ground would be better--full allotment every level plus one free Action point each session (that's lost if not used).

 

[Desdichado]

I like something in between; each session is a bit much for me, but each level is not nearly enough (especially since I don't like the fast levelling assumptions of d20.) So I'd do each level, but be pretty liberal on giving our extra Action points as rewards for in game stuff. Kinda like a karmic debt repayment thingy.

 

[Aaron L]

I hate the implementation in D20 modern, where you use them and they're gone. Other than that, I'm fine with action dice.

 

[d4]

i much prefer d20 Modern's implementation over Spycraft's for two main reasons.

2WS-Steve mentioned one of them: replenishing per session means in order to get more action dice, all you need to do is stall for the remainder of the session, not do anything too dangerous, and you'll get them back next time you play. replenishing per level means that in order to get more action points, you actually have to go out and do something, something that will earn you experience.

secondly, i hate, hate, hate that you have to expend action dice to confirm criticals in Spycraft.

 

[Aaron L]

In D20 Modern, you have to spend action dice to activate some class powers, I hate THAT. It's like hit points or spell points that you spend permenantly.