Will D&D 3.5 have action dice?

[Negative Zero]

i dunno about having it in 3.5E but i think action dice are a great idea, and just what was missing from DnD. we use a different system, but one that was inspired by the original action dice mechanic in 7th Sea, and it's the best addition to DnD IMO.

what it brings to the game, is that heroic feeling that's missing from standard DnD play. there are so many times when you'd like your character to do something dramatic, but you just know that it won't happen the way you envision it more than likely because of the "too-random" nature of a d20. action dice, especially in a limited form, really help to fix that.

just my 2 cents.

~NegZ

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

Negative Zero,

I agree but I think that should be campaign specific rather than in the core rules.

 

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

What if you need Action dice to power specially powerful magic items? That way, only true heroes could use them.

That's a cool idea

 

[Negative Zero]

Negative Zero,

I agree but I think that should be campaign specific rather than in the core rules.

an optional rule in the DMG then?

~NegZ

 

[Ranger REG]

More than likely IF it is to be included in the rulebooks -- it's a big "IF" -- action dice rule would just be a variant rule.

 

[Roland Delacroix]

Action Dice are important to a game system that has few to no stat-enhancing boosters, such as Spycraft, Modern, or Star Wars. You need something to take the place of potions, scrolls, and some magic items, to give characters an extra boost when the chips are down.

Therefore, IMHO adding action dice to D&D would be similar to having ice cream a la mode for a dessert.

I've played and run in Legend of the Five Rings, 7th Sea, Spycraft, and D20 Modern which have Void Points, Drama Dice, Action Dice and Action Points respectively. I've also played and run 1e, 2e, 3e, GURPS(lite), Wheel of Time, Shadowrun, and any other number of games without a similar mechanic. Everytime the difference was clear cut, in the systems with bonus dice/points the players ROLEplayer better, took more heroic actions more often, and in general had more fun.

So, IMO, action dice would have a MASSIVE effect on D&D 3.5, and probably one for the better.

Personally I would preffer the Action Die system to the Action Point system. With Action Die players and DM both have a determined number and can bid against each other. Player spends a die, DM spends a die to negate it. Both still have a pile of Action dice to spend, just how bad do either want the effect? Makes for a great test of wills, wits, and bluffing for the players but it also give the DM a tool to either let the PC's shine or have the villian get away for the final scene later.

The alternate uses of Action Dice are superb as well. The last Spycraft game I ran (at the ENboard Chicago meet) was investigative heavy and a couple of uses of action dice to make Intuition Checks were critical in keeping the pace rolling. If I run D&D again i'll definitely consider using Spycraft's Action Dice system.

 

[AdamBank]

Hit points used offensively

I have occasionally thought of using hit points as hero points--that is, a player can choose to use hit points offensively by adding them to a saving throw, check, or attack.

Hit points already represent a character's ineffable "heroism" as well physical injury, so why not?

 

[haiiro]

I have occasionally thought of using hit points as hero points--that is, a player can choose to use hit points offensively by adding them to a saving throw, check, or attack.

Hit points already represent a character's ineffable "heroism" as well physical injury, so why not?

This seems like it would favor the classes with higher HD types, primarily fighters and barbarians, unless you implement it in a way that's not tied to how many HP a PC has available. Why should a martial character be able to take more heroic actions than a wizard or sorcerer (etc.)?

 

[Negative Zero]

This seems like it would favor the classes with higher HD types, primarily fighters and barbarians, unless you implement it in a way that's not tied to how many HP a PC has available. Why should a martial character be able to take more heroic actions than a wizard or sorcerer (etc.)?

based on hit dice as opposed to points, perhaps?

~NegZ

 

[LostSoul]

Action Dice are important to a game system that has few to no stat-enhancing boosters, such as Spycraft, Modern, or Star Wars. You need something to take the place of potions, scrolls, and some magic items, to give characters an extra boost when the chips are down.

Therefore, IMHO adding action dice to D&D would be similar to having ice cream a la mode for a dessert.

Except that a lot of "effects" in D&D boil down to save-or-die. And these effects take into account the magic items that the PCs have. Action points would reduce the number of times you have to rely on the randomness of the d20 to survive.

Hit Points are a similar mechanic, in that they allow you to resist many effects that should kill your character outright (explosions going off right at your feet or swords through the gut), but many things in D&D avoid Hit Points.