Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Edymnion 04-14-05, 11:22 PM	Something that struck me while working up a situation in a non-Eberron game. The sorcerer wearing armor (ASF 10%) is doing something dramatic with their new spell. Thing is, the potential ASF is a problem. A one in ten chance of killing the moment is a bit much, but I'm going to completely "forget" about the ASF because its going to be a cool effect. And then it hit me. In an Eberron game, what about simply spending an Action Point to be able to ignore spell failure for that round?
Crimsonsun 04-14-05, 11:46 PM	Hrm... for one round? Sounds fair to me...
3nigma 04-15-05, 12:17 AM	When if comes to action points in my games, I basically just shoot from the hip. The whole philosophy of APs is exciting, intense, cinematic action. I ran a stand-alone adventure from the WoTC site, "Wreck Ashore." There is a lighthouse that has been broken by pirates, and they set up a dummy lighthouse higher upshore, so ships mistakenly think the lighthouse is guiding them around a shore but the ships slam into the rocks. I had the players fighting pirates and taking over the pirate makeshift lighthouse while a ship was about to careen to its doom on the rocks. THe party managed to put out the fake lighthouse, but needed a way to illuminate the proper one a little down the shore. A cleric had the ability to cast "light," but the range was too far. I allowed him to use an AP to pray to his deity for an almighty divine intervention. The lighthouse exploded with shimmering light from his spell, and the ship veered away from the shore just in time. The effect was absolutely phenomenal, exactly what the whole purpose was to be. The game seemed like watching an intense action movie, and the AP made it exactly that =). I just allow basically anything within reason for APs. Obviously not idiotic crap like allowing a bonus feat or something, but I just make the game keep moving, fun and exciting. I would easily use it for this purpose. I don't think the action points are supposed to be explicitly defined for only the circumstances and purposes they can be used in. Just use this rule of thumb- if the AP usage will represent in-game the character "giving his all," and it's within reason, there ya go =). -3nigma =)
Ravenscroft 04-15-05, 12:24 AM	I have been allowing PCs to use an action point to confirm criticals , since for some reason they thought this wasnt an option.
Straylight 04-15-05, 04:37 AM	I tend to play it about like 3nigma does, APs are there to make the cinematic moments really shine, and so long as that's what the players are using them for, I've got not problems with it. That said, this is one use I've never thought of, and I'll be sure to bring it up to my players when next we meet. We don't actually have a spellcaster in the current party, but one of my players is talking about rerolling as a Wizard, so it might become important. ...you know, I don't think I've ever had a player use an AP for improving a D20 roll... they always try to be more creative than that, and they usually succeed.
Makabriel 04-15-05, 08:20 AM	I have been allowing PCs to use an action point to confirm criticals , since for some reason they thought this wasnt an option. Where did you get that? Befoer I picked up the ECS, I thought that was what you had to do as well. THen I read through and couldn't find that rule. Where is that from?
MarkB 04-15-05, 10:05 AM	Where did you get that? Befoer I picked up the ECS, I thought that was what you had to do as well. THen I read through and couldn't find that rule. Where is that from? I believe D20 Modern uses APs this way. In Eberron, you can't spend an AP to auto-confirm a critical, but you can spend one to improve your d20 roll when making the confirmation roll. On the original subject, I'd say it's reasonable to use an AP to negate up to 10% ASF, and to 'stack' multiple APs for this purpose for higher ASF values, but not to automatically negate all ASF.
Makabriel 04-15-05, 10:40 AM	I believe D20 Modern uses APs this way. In Eberron, you can't spend an AP to auto-confirm a critical, but you can spend one to improve your d20 roll when making the confirmation roll. On the original subject, I'd say it's reasonable to use an AP to negate up to 10% ASF, and to 'stack' multiple APs for this purpose for higher ASF values, but not to automatically negate all ASF. Ah, yes! I think it was the Stargate system..
(Psi)SeveredHead 04-15-05, 12:14 PM	I believe D20 Modern uses APs this way. No, it does not. Spycraft and StarGate (which is based on Spycraft) do use that system, however.
MarkB 04-15-05, 02:17 PM	No, it does not. Spycraft and StarGate (which is based on Spycraft) do use that system, however. Ah yes, it's Spycraft I was thinking of. I've only played about one game of each at conventions, so I tend to confuse them.