U.A.: Action Points. Have you tried them?
- Thread starter FCWesel
- Start date
FCWesel
First Post
So which of the following do you wind up allowing your players to do with them?
* Add to dice rolls
* Activate Class Abilities
* Boost Defense
* Emulate Feat (I assume no)
* Extra Attack (I assume no)
* Spell Boost (I assume no)
* Spell Recall (I assume no)
* Stable
* Enhancing Feats listed in the book. (I assume no)
* Add to dice rolls
* Activate Class Abilities
* Boost Defense
* Emulate Feat (I assume no)
* Extra Attack (I assume no)
* Spell Boost (I assume no)
* Spell Recall (I assume no)
* Stable
* Enhancing Feats listed in the book. (I assume no)
Last edited:
Galethorn
First Post
* Add to dice rolls
* Boost Defense
* Stable
* Cause a critical hit by an attacker to not be confirmed 50% of the time (the attacker rolls a threat, and confirms it, so the player spends an action point, forcing the attacker to flip a coin to see if they fail or not). This is because we use WP/VP (which makes for very deadly criticals).
* Boost Defense
* Stable
* Cause a critical hit by an attacker to not be confirmed 50% of the time (the attacker rolls a threat, and confirms it, so the player spends an action point, forcing the attacker to flip a coin to see if they fail or not). This is because we use WP/VP (which makes for very deadly criticals).
Howling Coyote
Explorer
It's a perfect little boost when in a tight spot. I use them, and my players love them. Although I allow every option, my players generally only use them to add to die rolls.
The exception being one player who fell in love with the power attack boost instantly. Yes it's sick, but if he wants to deal lots of damage in a round I usually don't mind at all. Especially since my encounter usually push them to their limits anyway.
The exception being one player who fell in love with the power attack boost instantly. Yes it's sick, but if he wants to deal lots of damage in a round I usually don't mind at all. Especially since my encounter usually push them to their limits anyway.
dvvega
Explorer
I have been using Action Points ever since d20 Modern came out in my D&D games. I had another system in place before that carried over from Deadlands (the original not d20 version).
It went through many iterations, even allowing players to store up points and "spend" them for an ability boost or some other cool thing.
The UA version has expanded the d20 modern version, but I do agree that some of the "Extra" things are a bit too extra for my liking.
Apart from that it gives players a chance to "Break the rules". They almost always spend it on a save nowadays (they're around 13th level) since most of the party spellcasters have large DCs and they realise that I can easily create an NPC comparable to them.
It went through many iterations, even allowing players to store up points and "spend" them for an ability boost or some other cool thing.
The UA version has expanded the d20 modern version, but I do agree that some of the "Extra" things are a bit too extra for my liking.
Apart from that it gives players a chance to "Break the rules". They almost always spend it on a save nowadays (they're around 13th level) since most of the party spellcasters have large DCs and they realise that I can easily create an NPC comparable to them.
I've been using something I've called Hero Points since I started a new campaign in the fall of '02. I hand out cards during play, each of which costs 1 or more hero points to use. A hero point can be used like an action point in that it can add 1d6 to any d20 roll, but the cards are used by my players a lot.
Here are some of the cards that players like:
Hovering at Death's Door: Cost 1. If anything takes you to less than 0 hit points, you may immediately play this card and auto-stabilize at either your current total or -9, whichever is higher.
Sharpen Your Weapons: Cost 2. If you use a P or S weapon, the damage die improves by 1 step for the next minute (i.e. d6 becomes d8, etc.).
Save Me: Cost varies. For every 3 hero points you spend you gain a +1 to any saving throw roll you've made and failed. You may spend as many hero points as you'd like with this card.
The Power of One: Cost 3. If you roll a 1 on d20 for an attack or save, and it would have worked but for the "1 always fails" rule, then you may play this card and ignore the "1 always fails" rule for this roll.
Automatical Critical: Cost 3. If your roll is a threat, you may play this card instead of rolling another d20 for confirmation.
Maximum Critical: Cost 3. If you confirm a critical, you can play this card to obtain maximum damage from that critical.
I have about 30 such cards. They vary in cost from 1 to 5 (with some that are variable). The players can keep them, trade them in for xp (each is worth 500xp, except Hovering at Death's Door which is worth 250xp), or trade them with each other. If a player has more than one character, he has to write the character name on the back of a card so he knows which character it goes with, and he cannot have his characters trade cards (i.e. only trading between players is allowed). A player can play more than one card at a time if he'd like (some cards make awesome combinations). There are some cards that a player can play outside of his turn (like the saving throw cards), including one that a player can play to help another player's character.
Characters get 5 hero points per level until 12th level. At 13th level and beyond they get 9 per level. I also have some feats that cost hero points to activate, but the prerequisite for each is that the character has to be at least 13th level. Characters also get hero points during play. Sometimes a player thinks of something really great, or does something really clever, or role plays really well. In such cases, instead of bonus xp, I'll often give a card to the player, or I'll give some bonus hero points.
Dave
Here are some of the cards that players like:
Hovering at Death's Door: Cost 1. If anything takes you to less than 0 hit points, you may immediately play this card and auto-stabilize at either your current total or -9, whichever is higher.
Sharpen Your Weapons: Cost 2. If you use a P or S weapon, the damage die improves by 1 step for the next minute (i.e. d6 becomes d8, etc.).
Save Me: Cost varies. For every 3 hero points you spend you gain a +1 to any saving throw roll you've made and failed. You may spend as many hero points as you'd like with this card.
The Power of One: Cost 3. If you roll a 1 on d20 for an attack or save, and it would have worked but for the "1 always fails" rule, then you may play this card and ignore the "1 always fails" rule for this roll.
Automatical Critical: Cost 3. If your roll is a threat, you may play this card instead of rolling another d20 for confirmation.
Maximum Critical: Cost 3. If you confirm a critical, you can play this card to obtain maximum damage from that critical.
I have about 30 such cards. They vary in cost from 1 to 5 (with some that are variable). The players can keep them, trade them in for xp (each is worth 500xp, except Hovering at Death's Door which is worth 250xp), or trade them with each other. If a player has more than one character, he has to write the character name on the back of a card so he knows which character it goes with, and he cannot have his characters trade cards (i.e. only trading between players is allowed). A player can play more than one card at a time if he'd like (some cards make awesome combinations). There are some cards that a player can play outside of his turn (like the saving throw cards), including one that a player can play to help another player's character.
Characters get 5 hero points per level until 12th level. At 13th level and beyond they get 9 per level. I also have some feats that cost hero points to activate, but the prerequisite for each is that the character has to be at least 13th level. Characters also get hero points during play. Sometimes a player thinks of something really great, or does something really clever, or role plays really well. In such cases, instead of bonus xp, I'll often give a card to the player, or I'll give some bonus hero points.
Dave
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