Ankh-Morpork Guard
First Post
I have to say, I prefer the Force Point system in Star Wars. I like that it limits non-Force users to only 5, and you sure are careful with holding onto them. Its a really fun mechanic. 
Eberron and Action Points - Opinions?
- Thread starter Greatwyrm
- Start date
Creeping Death
First Post
Ankh-Morpork Guard said:I have to say, I prefer the Force Point system in Star Wars. I like that it limits non-Force users to only 5, and you sure are careful with holding onto them. Its a really fun mechanic.
I agree, however I am not saying that I do not like the other systems. Fact is, I've never played the other systems. So, my opinion is based on what I've read.
I do not like the system/style where you can action points back every session. While it can make for a more cinematic style of play, I want to stay more closer to baseline D&D, maybe a little grim n' gritty.
I like the mechanic where if you do extrememly heroic stuff, you get an action point.
I like what I heard about AU giving a +20, I really like Star Wars, where it scales with level. I don't know if I like having an action point restore a spell, give an extra rage/smite/etc, etc....
Question I have, are these action points available to NPC's and/or monsters? I know in Star Wars the force points are available to just about every sentient being.
(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
In D20 Modern, only classed NPCs get action points, and only if they have heroic levels. Of course, that includes basically all BBEGs.
AP = half total levels, rounded down.
Players usually get a lot more.
Unfortunately, APs don't seem to apply to defense. You can get high Defense and low attack values in D20 Modern quite easily (no magic weapons but class bonuses to defense tend to do that), but the damage output is so high that I'm still seeing this as a mistake.
AP = half total levels, rounded down.
Players usually get a lot more.
Unfortunately, APs don't seem to apply to defense. You can get high Defense and low attack values in D20 Modern quite easily (no magic weapons but class bonuses to defense tend to do that), but the damage output is so high that I'm still seeing this as a mistake.
Carnifex
First Post
Henry said: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.
I'm rather fond of AU's hero points too. Last session in my Warhammer d20 game, the mage threw himself in a last ditch effort at the skaven warlock engineer clunking around in heavy, powered, gadget-laden armour who had just taken out the party meat-shield, and poured acid into the warpstone engine by hand. BOOM! He got a hero point for that one, since he only had a fifty/fifty chance of even hitting and if he'd failed he would have died for sure - but it seemed to be the only way to save the day at the time.
So yeah, I like hero points
Nine Hands
Explorer
Oh, cool. I've been using action dice from Spycraft in D&D for a while now. Its great. We allow rerolls, recovery of spells, spontaneous casting of spells, heck you can spend them on other people for a slightly higher cost. Pretty much anything you can come up with I will have an action die cost. Its added a bunch to the game and when they are being spent, the party knows that bad things are coming.
I ran a second edition Shadowrun campaign for four years, and my group really came to like the SR2 karma dice pool. Closer to per session than per level, but not exactly. The idea in SR2 is the dice pool would 'refresh' after each major encounter. I personally liked to refresh after each mini-boss type ecounter, and just before a major, big-juju-type showdown. Whatever would crank up the dramatic tension.
The thing I liked about this, is the refresh was left entirely up to the GM. I could throttle back excessive use simply by waiting for a dramatically appropriate moment to declare a refresh. I always kept my players guessing about when they'd get a refresh. In this way, it balances control between the players and the GM.
One other feature that added gameplay was the team karma pool. In Shadowrun, party members can voluntarily, permanently sacrifice a karma point into a team pool. So in additon to the individual player karma strategies, there were also group strategies as well. My players kept the team pool mostly in reserve, used the team points only with broad consesus, and generally increased their interest in acting together as a team.
There's no reason why a d20 action point system can't work the same way.
The thing I liked about this, is the refresh was left entirely up to the GM. I could throttle back excessive use simply by waiting for a dramatically appropriate moment to declare a refresh. I always kept my players guessing about when they'd get a refresh. In this way, it balances control between the players and the GM.
One other feature that added gameplay was the team karma pool. In Shadowrun, party members can voluntarily, permanently sacrifice a karma point into a team pool. So in additon to the individual player karma strategies, there were also group strategies as well. My players kept the team pool mostly in reserve, used the team points only with broad consesus, and generally increased their interest in acting together as a team.
There's no reason why a d20 action point system can't work the same way.
Ranger REG
Explorer
Combine d20m action point allotment per level, with Spycraft increasing die result to rolls, that's gift to munchkins.
Still, I doubt Wizards is going to use that OGC from AEG on Eberron. And peculiar, but I notice many are embracing this like it's a good thing, sorta like ecstasy. Try not to get addicted to it.
Still, I doubt Wizards is going to use that OGC from AEG on Eberron. And peculiar, but I notice many are embracing this like it's a good thing, sorta like ecstasy. Try not to get addicted to it.
