Action Points Concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

Action Points Concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Abyssal_Eye
12-23-07, 12:31 PM Attention: This is not intended to reveal too much content of Unearthed Arcana and I tried to leave out as much as I could without being too vague and unclear in my descriptions. If it does reveal too much please erase it immediately and believe me when I say it wasn't intended.

that being said...

In our group we tried to introduce a kind of Action Point system like the one in Unearthed Arcana but it turned out to be rather crude and overpowered. Because we will soon start a new Campaign I thought about using the UA system of Action Points. Now, the first impression I had was like "Cool, it seems to be balanced rather well"... then I read through it again and noticed some things that seem really unbalanced to me. For one thing the Spell Recall could have dire consequences in conjunction with level 9 spells and there doesn't seem to be a feature for fighting class types that would be of equal power.
While in some way that one just might be tolerable, there is another, even potentially more powerful option for casters. Action Point use in conjunction with metamagic feats, especially Quicken Spell seems to be a tool for certain disaster in my opinion. Just compare it to Sudden Quicken from Complete Arcane (requirements!) and think about what a high level caster could do with it.

Anyways, my solution to this metamagic disaster fomula would be as follows:

For spell-preparing casters:
You can spend 1 action point to reduce the spell level adjustment made when preparing a spell modified by any one metamagic feat by two, to a minimum of the spell’s original level.
A quickened Fireball for instance would use up a level 5 spell slot instead of a level 7 spell slot. This adjustment stacks with any class feature or feat reducing the level adjustment caused by applying a metamagic feat. The action point has to be spent when preparing spells for the day and cannot be taken back even if the spell is not used up or otherwise lost.

For spontaneous casters:
You can spend 1 action point to reduce the spell level adjustment made when casting a spell modified by any one metamagic feat by one, to a minimum of the spell’s original level.
A quickened Fireball for instance would use up a level 6 spell slot instead of a level 7 spell slot. This adjustment stacks with any class feature or feat reducing the level adjustment caused by applying a metamagic feat. The action point has to be spent when casting the spell. There is no increase of casting time.

Heighten Spell as an exception could be kept as it is, I guess.

Reasoning: Spontaneously applying a metamagic feat seems to me rather powerful when opposed to preparing spells with inflexible, 'equipped' metamagic. As there is no difference in casting time I figured a difference in spell level adjustment might even the field again.

Some feedback and critique on this would be nice.
mycroftb
12-23-07, 01:10 PM Say whatever you like about Action Points as described in Unearthed Arcana, it's open content, and online for reference (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/actionPoints.htm).

I can't be of much help elsewhere, I've only played at lower levels. Just in case you missed it, though, I'd like to point out that you can only spend one action point a round, so your caster can't spontaneously metamagic a spell and recall it, since the recall must be spent in the same round as the cast spell.
Abyssal_Eye
12-23-07, 02:04 PM No, I knew that there is a one point per turn limitation, but thanks anyway. I guess I might have formulated it a bit bad, though. And I don't even want to think about high level PCs going through multiple Action Points in a single round when fighting my BBEG. That would end in a veritable hailstorm of quickened and maximized level 9 spells for sure... :rolleyes:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Abyssal_Eye 12-23-07, 12:31 PM	Attention: This is not intended to reveal too much content of Unearthed Arcana and I tried to leave out as much as I could without being too vague and unclear in my descriptions. If it does reveal too much please erase it immediately and believe me when I say it wasn't intended. that being said... In our group we tried to introduce a kind of Action Point system like the one in Unearthed Arcana but it turned out to be rather crude and overpowered. Because we will soon start a new Campaign I thought about using the UA system of Action Points. Now, the first impression I had was like "Cool, it seems to be balanced rather well"... then I read through it again and noticed some things that seem really unbalanced to me. For one thing the Spell Recall could have dire consequences in conjunction with level 9 spells and there doesn't seem to be a feature for fighting class types that would be of equal power. While in some way that one just might be tolerable, there is another, even potentially more powerful option for casters. Action Point use in conjunction with metamagic feats, especially Quicken Spell seems to be a tool for certain disaster in my opinion. Just compare it to Sudden Quicken from Complete Arcane (requirements!) and think about what a high level caster could do with it. Anyways, my solution to this metamagic disaster fomula would be as follows: For spell-preparing casters: You can spend 1 action point to reduce the spell level adjustment made when preparing a spell modified by any one metamagic feat by two, to a minimum of the spell’s original level. A quickened Fireball for instance would use up a level 5 spell slot instead of a level 7 spell slot. This adjustment stacks with any class feature or feat reducing the level adjustment caused by applying a metamagic feat. The action point has to be spent when preparing spells for the day and cannot be taken back even if the spell is not used up or otherwise lost. For spontaneous casters: You can spend 1 action point to reduce the spell level adjustment made when casting a spell modified by any one metamagic feat by one, to a minimum of the spell’s original level. A quickened Fireball for instance would use up a level 6 spell slot instead of a level 7 spell slot. This adjustment stacks with any class feature or feat reducing the level adjustment caused by applying a metamagic feat. The action point has to be spent when casting the spell. There is no increase of casting time. Heighten Spell as an exception could be kept as it is, I guess. Reasoning: Spontaneously applying a metamagic feat seems to me rather powerful when opposed to preparing spells with inflexible, 'equipped' metamagic. As there is no difference in casting time I figured a difference in spell level adjustment might even the field again. Some feedback and critique on this would be nice.
mycroftb 12-23-07, 01:10 PM	Say whatever you like about Action Points as described in Unearthed Arcana, it's open content, and online for reference (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/actionPoints.htm). I can't be of much help elsewhere, I've only played at lower levels. Just in case you missed it, though, I'd like to point out that you can only spend one action point a round, so your caster can't spontaneously metamagic a spell and recall it, since the recall must be spent in the same round as the cast spell.
Abyssal_Eye 12-23-07, 02:04 PM	No, I knew that there is a one point per turn limitation, but thanks anyway. I guess I might have formulated it a bit bad, though. And I don't even want to think about high level PCs going through multiple Action Points in a single round when fighting my BBEG. That would end in a veritable hailstorm of quickened and maximized level 9 spells for sure... :rolleyes: