Using Action Points

[Nebulous]

I first started using AP's when i bought Grim Tales. I liked the way they broke it down into a) activating a critical, b) emulate a feat, c) add d6 to a roll, etc. Other systems had used them prior but i never had.

Anyway, the other day i was thinking about tweaking the system further. With the glut of feats and abilities in d20, it doesn't usually make sense that a character or monsters 'can't' use an action because they don't have a stupid feat. While this is used for checks and balances, it can seem unreasonable that through superhuman effort, PC's (or even villians for that matter) can't go above and beyond what's written on their character sheet.

GT lets you emulate a feat you meet the prerequisites for for 1 round by spending an action point. I proposed to my players that if, for example, an ogre wanted to use Improved Critical on a PC, but didn't meet the preques, I could reward the character 1 ACTION POINT PER PREREQUISITE NEEDED for the ogre to enact the feat. And this is despite whether he hits or misses. In the case of a kobold trying to whirlwind attack a group of PC's, I could see this getting sort of ridiculous with around 5 AP's awarded per player, with the kobold probably missing anyway.

Has anyone else experimented with alternative ways to use action points that works well?

 

[Ferret]

Hmm, interesting idea.... Definately worth thought.

 

[GlassJaw]

Post this in the OGL with a nice and big GRIM TALES tag in the subject. I'm sure Wulf will chime in on this.

I know he has a lot of ideas for using AP's in GT.

 

[GreatLemur]

That actually reminds me of an alternate Action Point system for Mutants & Masterminds. I forget where the thing was published (or even if it was), but the upshot of it was that the characters start an adventure or session with either zero or very few Action Points (Hero Points in M&M, actually), and then are given points not for triumphing but in compensation whenever the GM hands them some bad luck or breaks the rules to hinder them.

The idea here is that this mechanism will help sessions follow the familiar dramatic structure of "hero gets smacked around, suffers mishaps and defeats, and then finally--through pathos or preparation--finds the strength to utterly beat his adversaries, no matter how superior they previously seemed."

(It's worth noting here that PCs always get their default Hero Points refilled at the beginning of a session, and extra points are not carried over to the next session. So there's no point-hording in M&M.)

 

[DonTadow]

I first started using AP's when i bought Grim Tales. I liked the way they broke it down into a) activating a critical, b) emulate a feat, c) add d6 to a roll, etc. Other systems had used them prior but i never had.

Anyway, the other day i was thinking about tweaking the system further. With the glut of feats and abilities in d20, it doesn't usually make sense that a character or monsters 'can't' use an action because they don't have a stupid feat. While this is used for checks and balances, it can seem unreasonable that through superhuman effort, PC's (or even villians for that matter) can't go above and beyond what's written on their character sheet.

GT lets you emulate a feat you meet the prerequisites for for 1 round by spending an action point. I proposed to my players that if, for example, an ogre wanted to use Improved Critical on a PC, but didn't meet the preques, I could reward the character 1 ACTION POINT PER PREREQUISITE NEEDED for the ogre to enact the feat. And this is despite whether he hits or misses. In the case of a kobold trying to whirlwind attack a group of PC's, I could see this getting sort of ridiculous with around 5 AP's awarded per player, with the kobold probably missing anyway.

Has anyone else experimented with alternative ways to use action points that works well?

I don't know. I use action points significantlly and have gathered rules from 3rd party sources and wotc. I have four different books that use it that says specifically that npcs should not and do not receive action points (Eberron handbook, UA, Spectacular Stunts, Grimm, Dragonmech) Your pcs are heroes and action points represent the times they go ...truly go... above and beyond their abilities. When an action card is operated during my game, the players are asked to describe the action in depth. If you give them to NPCs it takes away from the hero's only benefit of action points. You take the focus off of the pcs and players. The point is to show that your players are better than the common npc. The action points are that extra exclamation.

Plus you don't want to do that to yourself. YOu're talking about more tracking on your part.

 

[Quickleaf]

I allow several uses for action points, depending on the PC and events in game:

- Emulating a feat that you meet the pre-requisites for. IMC, I limit certain feats from being emulated in this fashion.

- If a PC takes a personality feat (Dynasties & Demagogues) and earns an action point by fulfilling their personaltiy during play, they may expend it to gain extra EXP at the end of the session. This is as if they had faced a challenge with a CR equal to the average level of the party.

- If a PC attempts something behind the scenes that would normally take a long time (e.g. spreading rumors about Prince Humperdink, or crafting a magic item), they can spend an action point for "fuding time." I fudge the passage of time, to allow for continuity of the adventure. I'm still debating whether or not this should be allowed...

- IMC feats don't have set requirements and neither do PrCs; in other words the requirements are up for negotiation. If a PC really doesn't meet the requirements of a feat or PrC, but it would fit their character/story for them to take said feat/PrC, then I allow them to spend an action point for access.

- Boosting Defense: 1 action point as a free action when fighting defensively to double normal benefits.

- Extra attack at your highest attack bonus, melee or ranged.

- Spell Boost: Increase ECL of one spell by 2.

- Stabilize: Anytime a character is dying, he can spend an action point to become stable.

- Surge: Gain an extra move action

- Dramatic editing from Adventure d20. This allows the players to create plot twists like the villains forgot to remove your boot knife when they searched you, or the floor of the burning building supports your weight. Typically costs 1 action points (though could be more), and requires a group vote (majority must support the dramatic edit).

- I try to tie in action points to milestones encountered during the adventure. For example, if the party allies with a group of ghosts, I might allow them to use an action point to call upon a ghost for a short time, or for a ghost to use one special ability.

 

[DonTadow]

Here are my action point rules http://www.chrystaria.com/aactions.htm

 

[Nebulous]

Those are all some good ideas. The AP system certainly is flexible and has a lot of options. I hope to see it fully implemented one day in 4th edition, although I'd probably houserule it anyway.