Action Points/Logic Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Action Points/Logic Question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Violet Typhoon
12-31-04, 03:31 PM Hi, everybody. My upcoming campaign is designed to be "cinematic," so I was thinking of adding Action Points for the occasional extra kick. However, I'm not sure exactly how to implement them. I do not have Eberron or Unearthed Arcana, but I do have D20 Modern, so I know how AP function.

My question is this: how do you determine whom to give the AP to? If you give them to just the PCs, then they gain an unfair advantage over the opposition. If you give them to any creature with class levels, then every 1st-level commoner has the power to add d6 to his attacks and skill checks, and I'm not sure how realistic that is. If only "Heroic" classes get the points, then where do you draw the line?

In Modern, there are six classes, with "Heroic" and "Ordinary" versions of each, and only the "Heroic" types got AP. Unfortunately, there is no such distinction in D&D.

Any suggestions on how I could handle it or how it works in Eberron/UA would be very helpful. Thank you all in advance!
zodiki
12-31-04, 03:37 PM By design, they're supposed to give the PCs an advantage and therefore only PCs get them. In Ebberon, an NPC can have them if they take a Feat that grants them(3/level IIC), but even this is strongly discouraged.
clarkvalentine
12-31-04, 03:41 PM We use AP in my campaigns, and only the PCs get them. Does this give them an advantage over their adversaries? Yes - that's the point.
Violet Typhoon
12-31-04, 03:57 PM Thanks to both of you, I didn't know how Eberron AP worked. I suppose that the point is to make PCs better, but I liked in Modern how opposing forces could have them too, since you had to be a little more careful against them when you had everyone on equal footing.

I'll probably end up giving them just to the PCs, but does anyone have a system that makes it a more diverse distribution? Mostly I'm just curious how this would work and what logic you used to decide who gets them.
clarkvalentine
12-31-04, 04:02 PM In the game I play in, the GM usually just gives one out to everyone at the end of each session.

The game I GM uses them differently. PCs started the campaign at level X. Each player had the option of starting at level X-1 in exchange for getting one action point to use each session (they can't build up, you use it or lose it.)
LukiLoki
12-31-04, 04:15 PM IMC PCs get 1 per level every time they level up. Use 'em or lose 'em, meaning you can't carry any extras over when you go up a level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Violet Typhoon 12-31-04, 03:31 PM	Hi, everybody. My upcoming campaign is designed to be "cinematic," so I was thinking of adding Action Points for the occasional extra kick. However, I'm not sure exactly how to implement them. I do not have Eberron or Unearthed Arcana, but I do have D20 Modern, so I know how AP function. My question is this: how do you determine whom to give the AP to? If you give them to just the PCs, then they gain an unfair advantage over the opposition. If you give them to any creature with class levels, then every 1st-level commoner has the power to add d6 to his attacks and skill checks, and I'm not sure how realistic that is. If only "Heroic" classes get the points, then where do you draw the line? In Modern, there are six classes, with "Heroic" and "Ordinary" versions of each, and only the "Heroic" types got AP. Unfortunately, there is no such distinction in D&D. Any suggestions on how I could handle it or how it works in Eberron/UA would be very helpful. Thank you all in advance!
zodiki 12-31-04, 03:37 PM	By design, they're supposed to give the PCs an advantage and therefore only PCs get them. In Ebberon, an NPC can have them if they take a Feat that grants them(3/level IIC), but even this is strongly discouraged.
clarkvalentine 12-31-04, 03:41 PM	We use AP in my campaigns, and only the PCs get them. Does this give them an advantage over their adversaries? Yes - that's the point.
Violet Typhoon 12-31-04, 03:57 PM	Thanks to both of you, I didn't know how Eberron AP worked. I suppose that the point is to make PCs better, but I liked in Modern how opposing forces could have them too, since you had to be a little more careful against them when you had everyone on equal footing. I'll probably end up giving them just to the PCs, but does anyone have a system that makes it a more diverse distribution? Mostly I'm just curious how this would work and what logic you used to decide who gets them.
clarkvalentine 12-31-04, 04:02 PM	In the game I play in, the GM usually just gives one out to everyone at the end of each session. The game I GM uses them differently. PCs started the campaign at level X. Each player had the option of starting at level X-1 in exchange for getting one action point to use each session (they can't build up, you use it or lose it.)
LukiLoki 12-31-04, 04:15 PM	IMC PCs get 1 per level every time they level up. Use 'em or lose 'em, meaning you can't carry any extras over when you go up a level.