D&D 5E Using Inspiration to Perform Stunts!

[mips42]

Here is the thing, yes the examples I gave can all be accomplished using improvised actions. That is all well and good. The issue however with improvised actions is that they usually require your action to perform them. This means that you normally cannot also make an attack in the same round as you attempt one.

This stunt system allows you to perform these awesome stunts as a bonus action. This means you can perform the stunt and still get your bonus action. These stunts also should be more likely to succeed if not automatically succeed. These stunts are limited by your inspiration points meaning you probably won't even get one every encounter.

So yes, you can perform lots of these stunts by improvising. That isn't the point here. The point is that when you spend an inspiration point to perform a stunt, your stunt should just work and still give you an opportunity to take your action.

I understand your point. In my opinion, you are being too literal with the term 'action'. To take a simple example (from my own play experience with 4e, which had no rules for improvised actions either), consider the following:
A character passes by a doorway and hears two NPC's discussing the buying and selling of slaves. Now this PC's family was sold into slavery to pay off a family debt, so this is kind of a 'hot button' for them. The player said 'my character yells "YOU DON'T SELL PEOPLE!" Runs into the room, jumps up on the table that I see there, then leaps onto the pair, trying to attack them or knock them prone.'
To me, this is playing your PC for better or worse. Using 5e rules and my idea of how it works, I tell the player that I'll give them an inspiration point (if they don't have one already), allow the player to use part of their movement for the run to the table, ask for a Athletics or Dex check to jump on the table, then, after conferring with the player and determing it's more of a rage than an 'attack', have them make a grapple roll to land on the NPC's. I make sure the player knows that there are two places where this can go horribly wrong and, if they want to go through with it, roll and go. If they choose to use inspiration on either of the two rolls to gain Advantage, that's fine.
In the system you propose (as I understand it) you would grant inspiration, allow for partial movement, then automatically succeed on the *jumping on on the table and tackling* stunt (if the player used their Inspiration).
Neither is 'right' or 'wrong', just different ideas on how to use the system. All I'm saying is, in my opinion, you don't need to add complexity or another mechanism to deal with these situations. You already have Inspiration and Advantage/Disadvantage.
However, to repeat: If you want to give Advantage (or Inspiration, or a +1 or whatever) because it's cool? Go for it. Want to give Disadvantage because conditions seem to warrant it? Do it. If you want to add a pool of luck points that the characters (and monsters) can use to shape things to their advantage, do it.
The 'rules' are a starting point, not the ending point.
If you want to allow players to use inspiration to 'auto-succeed' on a stunt, do it. Just make sure your players understand what you're doing, how to use it and, if it gets abused, you'll take it away and find other ways to say 'yes' when they try to do things.
In the end, it doesn't really matter what the rules are, as long as all the participants agree to them and have fun. (Added emphasis mine).
Oh, and BTW, I sincerely hope you have a great time playing. I get to have my first session this Sunday and I'm seriously looking forward to it.

 

[The Hitcher]

On a related note, this document is worth a look: http://esix.pbworks.com/f/RaisingtheStakes.pdf

It's designed for 4E, but easily adaptable. I'm going to be using the 'raising stakes' stuff.

 

[Wrathamon]

I dont think this would use up your action?

they have free actions as part of another action already in the system

opening a door for example or drawing a weapon, I think most of these would be "as part of your attack" or "as part of your move"


Also, is it meant to be this specific. Here are the list of things you can do with a "point" to create a bonus action? Or is this stuff meant to be "Hey DM I want to run down the dinosaurs back and do a backflip to the cliff above him? I dont have enough movement to make it but can I get extra for the slide and flip, also I am about to die, so I want to make sure I dont fail this, can I?"

If you want to give all players a bonus action to do crazy stuff (stunts) during combat I wouldnt use the inspiration system, which is meant for out of combat.

To be honest, this stuff sounds like a feat (or class feature) that grants a bonus action to do one of these things (or several of them that are similar) or give you a benefit during an attack or move.

If you want to add a resource mechanic to keep track of (and use as rewards) like inspiration to do specific combat stunts (like bulls rush, charge, trip, disarm, etc) then I would first wait for the DMG (cause they probably have a lot of this in that) or make them a Feat, or create something else to go with Inspiration & Action Points. One is used out of combat and the other in. But, I dont think the game needs that. I think the Checks and Saves system covers most of the player coming up with cool ideas and the feat system covers the specifics.

Still its a cool idea and the reason why I don't feel it's needed is to keep the systems light and not add more complexity to a light fast system.

 

[Wrathamon]

On a related note, this document is worth a look: http://esix.pbworks.com/f/RaisingtheStakes.pdf

It's designed for 4E, but easily adaptable. I'm going to be using the 'raising stakes' stuff.

i'll have to check this out!

 

[Tormyr]

If you want to give all players a bonus action to do crazy stuff (stunts) during combat I wouldnt use the inspiration system, which is meant for out of combat.

Maybe I am reading this wrong, but using inspiration points is for lots of situations including combat.

"If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you makean attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending
your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll."

 

[Wrathamon]

I missed the attack roll part, I haven't started using it yet and since I thought it was earned by roleplaying I incorrectly assumed it was meant for ability checks and saves.

If you wanted to make inspiration a use to gain advantage or list of awesome things. I would include a bunch of out of combat uses including stuff for exploration and during npc interactions to offset. IT shouldnt just be about combat maneuvers.

But, I still think it that is adding a list of things the player can do which easily turns into the things the player can only do, because they forget they can "make stuff up". It also becomes a much more complex system of inspiration granted bonus actions that need more system rules to govern. It could be a cool rules mod for people lookng for more complexity. I also think they probably have stuff like this for the DMG.

I would just say use inspiration to do something awesome that you describe and give them advantage on the ability check to do it. Main reason is that more specific actions means more decisions points for the player, after awhile they forget all the "action" types they can do (remember the long list of what causes an aoo or what is a free action, etc) and you end up can I use inspiration to do this maneuver issues. Keep it simple.

You want to do a Inspirational Stunt describe what you want to do and gain advantage on the roll to succeed in doing it. I wanto to pray to my deity for divine intervention to save our asses. Ok 1 point gone and two rolls to see if you can get hit a DC 25 (or 30) Wisdom check or would it be a save

 

[Ashkelon]

I missed the attack roll part, I haven't started using it yet and since I thought it was earned by roleplaying I incorrectly assumed it was meant for ability checks and saves.

If you wanted to make inspiration a use to gain advantage or list of awesome things. I would include a bunch of out of combat uses including stuff for exploration and during npc interactions to offset. IT shouldnt just be about combat maneuvers.

But, I still think it that is adding a list of things the player can do which easily turns into the things the player can only do, because they forget they can "make stuff up". It also becomes a much more complex system of inspiration granted bonus actions that need more system rules to govern. It could be a cool rules mod for people lookng for more complexity. I also think they probably have stuff like this for the DMG.

I would just say use inspiration to do something awesome that you describe and give them advantage on the ability check to do it. Main reason is that more specific actions means more decisions points for the player, after awhile they forget all the "action" types they can do (remember the long list of what causes an aoo or what is a free action, etc) and you end up can I use inspiration to do this maneuver issues. Keep it simple.

You want to do a Inspirational Stunt describe what you want to do and gain advantage on the roll to succeed in doing it. I wanto to pray to my deity for divine intervention to save our asses. Ok 1 point gone and two rolls to see if you can get hit a DC 25 (or 30) Wisdom check or would it be a save

I don't agree that having a list of things you can do with inspiration limits your ability to perform those stunts without inspiration. I have seen mages improvise with their spells since I started playing 2e, so I simply do not get why people think that codified abilities harms improvisation.

Furthermore, the stunt system I propose doesn't allow you to make ability checks to perform stunts, it allows you to automatically succeed at certain stunts. Anyone is welcome to initiate a contest using the games improvisation rules to tumble between an ogres legs, swing from a chandelier, slide down a banister, throw sand in someones eyes, etc. Spending an inspiration point means you perform the stunt without needing to roll.


I guess I can put a disclaimer at the end of my original post stating that everyone can attmpt the suggested stunts as an improvised action, but I didn't feel that was needed. I figured people would improvise things anyway.

 

[Wrathamon]

I don't agree that having a list of things you can do with inspiration limits your ability to perform those stunts without inspiration. I have seen mages improvise with their spells since I started playing 2e, so I simply do not get why people think that codified abilities harms improvisation.
.

from personal play experience

I had a long list (long being about 10 things) of action point maneuvers in 3rd edition, gave them out as rewards, and no one used them, ever.

changed it to you get to re-roll (basically advantage) any roll, and take the better roll. They were used all the time.

its a common issue in designing games

Analysis paralysis

"A decision can be treated as over-complicated, with too many detailed options, so that a choice is never made, rather than try something and change if a major problem arises. A person might be seeking the optimal or "perfect" solution upfront, and fear making any decision which could lead to erroneous results, when on the way to a better solution."

If you gave me a list of things I can do with inspiration I might be okay with looking at it and figuring out what I can do. But, now i have a list of awesome things I can do that's not on my character sheet. I need to remember to be able to do this things along with all my other actions. Should I use my bonus action for this? Or use another abilities bonus action? Now Bonus Actions are everywhere.

So now I have an Action, movement, ton more bonus actions, and couple free ones.

BTW I think this is a cool idea. I would try it out with your players and see how it goes. Just bringing up potential issues.

I wouldnt make this the default thou, and I dont think I would use it (I probably would have 5 years ago) but I think I have acquired the appreciation of having things be less itemized. That is why I original said I was on the fence about it. I liked it (for me) but wasnt sure if it's needed. Is it already covered by the rules in someway?


question/advise

If its a auto-success as you mentioned then that is different use of inspiration as currently designed. Would you ever use it for its original use? That would be the question I would ask every time I made a new stunt to add to the list.
If you find a stunt is I would always use this stunt instead of the reroll, then that stunt might be too much.

edit: Analysis paralysis <-- this is also a problem in designing games is that we sometimes worry about this TOO much and end up leaving cool ideas on the table.