Clarification and Houserule about Action Points [Archive] - Wizards Community

Clarification and Houserule about Action Points [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Belfur
08-29-06, 11:55 AM I know the action point system only from d20srd.org, but I would like to integrate it into my upcoming campaign.
Question: A character gets 5+1/2 his new level action points whenever he gains a new level. Is this his new total or are these new action points added to all action points saved from lower levels.
Idea: as I do not like deadly campaign, I would like to introduce a house rule: whenever a character dies (no matter if from damage, a spell effect,...) he may burn 1/2 his level Action Points (maybe even 1/2 of the action points they gained at their level) and automatically stabilize at -9 hit points. What do you think (please no discussion about killing or not killing PCs and fun in game, that is not the point here). This of course could only happen once per level (or more if APs could be saved between levels or if PCs are below 10th). Or do you think that people would no longer use any action points to save them in case of their characters dying. In my last campaign I had the rule that PCs drop automatically to -9 (whatever kills them), but have to be stabilized within one round by someone else (no 10% here). But then this happened too often in the end and was no longer heroic.
Thanks for your opinion.
Thelon Fairblade
08-29-06, 02:51 PM In D&D, according to Eberron (where they are "Core") and UA (where they are optional), Action Points do not accumulate. Use them or lose them.

Your house rule: Looks fine. However, a wise player is going to end up never spending more than "2 + 1/2 level, rounded down", to make sure he alays has the safety net to fall back on. Which discourages use of the Action Points.

IMC, I use the following:
1 Action Point: Simulate Improved Toughness (or Toughness), immediate action.
--> This gets you an extra HP per level, usually enough to bring your total back to some number over -10.

1 AP: Maintain a simulated Toughness feat for 1 additional round.
--> Buys you time for friends to come to your aid, without a momentary drop below -10 and death.

2 AP: Simulate "The Dark One's Own Luck", "Favored of the Gods", etc (i.e. 1 reroll per day). You must keep the second roll.
--> You can only do this once per day, because even if you simulate the feat again, you've already spent the 1/day. But, reroll the damage of that dragonbreath. OR reroll the critical hit that dropped you. OR the Climb check that you failed to plunge 280' to your doom.

5 AP: Change the result of 1 roll, 1 category. I.e. a Critical Hit becomes a "hit", a "hit" becomes a "miss", a "miss" becoms a "fumble".
Belfur
08-29-06, 03:25 PM Thank you for your thoughts.
Yes, the biggest problem I have is: how to keep people from saving their AP?Ok first if it is use them or lose them there is an incentive for the PCs to use up their AP hence they can not save them forever (but they still might think it is better to lose them...). Perhaps, I will first try the standard rule with no "Last Save" rule and see what will come from it (in the end the PCs still can reroll their save etc.).
Still happy about comments, though.
Thelon Fairblade
08-29-06, 10:14 PM Another thing I have used (before action points) is Escape Points. You get one per level, and they accumulate. When you are "killed", you spend an Escape Point and are dramatically-appropriately removed from the battle/scene/encounter and left at 0 hp. the ogre's club catches you in the gut and hurls you down the hallway... you bounce off several protrustions on the way down the cliff, battering you, but making the fall survivable...etc.

Here's the catch -- you may not spend more than 1 Escape Point per encounter. So yes, you can heal up and charge back into the fray, but if you die again, you are dead. (1 character died that way, a druid that Cure Minor Woudns to get up to 1 hp, then came back to the battle to deliver a Poison spell. Through a Fire Shield. That inflicted 11 damage. Pop went the druid.)
Belfur
08-30-06, 03:27 AM Another thing I have used (before action points) is Escape Points. You get one per level, and they accumulate. When you are "killed", you spend an Escape Point and are dramatically-appropriately removed from the battle/scene/encounter and left at 0 hp.
Sounds good, I will think about it...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Belfur 08-29-06, 11:55 AM	I know the action point system only from d20srd.org, but I would like to integrate it into my upcoming campaign. Question: A character gets 5+1/2 his new level action points whenever he gains a new level. Is this his new total or are these new action points added to all action points saved from lower levels. Idea: as I do not like deadly campaign, I would like to introduce a house rule: whenever a character dies (no matter if from damage, a spell effect,...) he may burn 1/2 his level Action Points (maybe even 1/2 of the action points they gained at their level) and automatically stabilize at -9 hit points. What do you think (please no discussion about killing or not killing PCs and fun in game, that is not the point here). This of course could only happen once per level (or more if APs could be saved between levels or if PCs are below 10th). Or do you think that people would no longer use any action points to save them in case of their characters dying. In my last campaign I had the rule that PCs drop automatically to -9 (whatever kills them), but have to be stabilized within one round by someone else (no 10% here). But then this happened too often in the end and was no longer heroic. Thanks for your opinion.
Thelon Fairblade 08-29-06, 02:51 PM	In D&D, according to Eberron (where they are "Core") and UA (where they are optional), Action Points do not accumulate. Use them or lose them. Your house rule: Looks fine. However, a wise player is going to end up never spending more than "2 + 1/2 level, rounded down", to make sure he alays has the safety net to fall back on. Which discourages use of the Action Points. IMC, I use the following: 1 Action Point: Simulate Improved Toughness (or Toughness), immediate action. --> This gets you an extra HP per level, usually enough to bring your total back to some number over -10. 1 AP: Maintain a simulated Toughness feat for 1 additional round. --> Buys you time for friends to come to your aid, without a momentary drop below -10 and death. 2 AP: Simulate "The Dark One's Own Luck", "Favored of the Gods", etc (i.e. 1 reroll per day). You must keep the second roll. --> You can only do this once per day, because even if you simulate the feat again, you've already spent the 1/day. But, reroll the damage of that dragonbreath. OR reroll the critical hit that dropped you. OR the Climb check that you failed to plunge 280' to your doom. 5 AP: Change the result of 1 roll, 1 category. I.e. a Critical Hit becomes a "hit", a "hit" becomes a "miss", a "miss" becoms a "fumble".
Belfur 08-29-06, 03:25 PM	Thank you for your thoughts. Yes, the biggest problem I have is: how to keep people from saving their AP?Ok first if it is use them or lose them there is an incentive for the PCs to use up their AP hence they can not save them forever (but they still might think it is better to lose them...). Perhaps, I will first try the standard rule with no "Last Save" rule and see what will come from it (in the end the PCs still can reroll their save etc.). Still happy about comments, though.
Thelon Fairblade 08-29-06, 10:14 PM	Another thing I have used (before action points) is Escape Points. You get one per level, and they accumulate. When you are "killed", you spend an Escape Point and are dramatically-appropriately removed from the battle/scene/encounter and left at 0 hp. the ogre's club catches you in the gut and hurls you down the hallway... you bounce off several protrustions on the way down the cliff, battering you, but making the fall survivable...etc. Here's the catch -- you may not spend more than 1 Escape Point per encounter. So yes, you can heal up and charge back into the fray, but if you die again, you are dead. (1 character died that way, a druid that Cure Minor Woudns to get up to 1 hp, then came back to the battle to deliver a Poison spell. Through a Fire Shield. That inflicted 11 damage. Pop went the druid.)
Belfur 08-30-06, 03:27 AM	Another thing I have used (before action points) is Escape Points. You get one per level, and they accumulate. When you are "killed", you spend an Escape Point and are dramatically-appropriately removed from the battle/scene/encounter and left at 0 hp. Sounds good, I will think about it...