Spycraft Action Dice in 3E D&D

[Victim]

In Spycraft, high end feats allow for critical results without the expenditure of action dice. Using action dice in DnD would probably require similar feats, otherwise fighters - especially those based around crits - would get screwed.

I've thought a bit about using Spycraft elements in a low magic game, but just adding AD into an otherwise normal DnD game is kind of unnecessary. As Wulf points out, there are already tons of bonuses in a high magic DnD game.

Also, Spycraft tends to use AD as good ways to resolve non combat odd things. I watch an online game, and lots of AD get spent on favor checks, finding things and dumb luck. For example, the group is looking for a speed boat to effect a quick escape. For one AD, they find an occupied speed boat and must find someway to take it. For 2, they find one with the keys left in it. Without similar uses in DnD, they'll probably have too much of a combat effect.

 

[Rodrigo]

My take on them

I personally think they are good... but only if you begin using them from the beginning of the campaign. Let me show you my character for example:

I have a 10 Sorcerer / 1 Fatespinner. I have Bloodline of Fire, Focus Evocation, Greater Focus (or whatever it's called) Evocatio, and Iron will. My only offensive spell at 4th level or higher is Phantasmal Killer.

So basicly unless I can get my fighters to use up all of my DMs action dice there is not much I can cast offensively that can't be easily offset by the use of 1 action die from the DM at this point in my career. The DM's action dice also completely offset my fatespinner abilites, but that is admittedly an unusual situation

Also the crit thing does nothing but screw those players that play with the crit threat as their focus.

I was a long time Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay player. In that world you did not get resurrected but you did have fate points. These were rather like a cat's 9 lives and could basicly counteract something bad that just happened to you. You would start out with 3 or 4 for the life of your character. You could gain one by doing something like saving the world but when you were at 0 that was a good time to think about retirement.

I would simply do this:

Get 1 action die per level you advance and 1 per heroic deed. Heroic deeds maybe a great self sacrifice or completing an adventure where you save the world.

Action dice do not refresh every night.

The die type is your level rounded down. ie. 4, 6, 8, 10, 12.

These can be used to retroactively modify a roll YOU have made. But not modify someone else's roll.

The GM does not get action dice. We are the heroes after all.

Get rid of Resurrection. That's for pussies. But that is another arguement entirely.


These kinds of things will help offset the occasional save of 1 vs that disintegration spell but won't save you against them forever.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

You guys complaining about Action Dice don't seem to understand how they work at all---if you aren't having fun with them, you're using them wrong.