Recently the Don and I reviewed the idea of customizing players. While I'll spare you all the details of the screaming and sobbing and tender make up, let's discuss here one of the three good ideas that sprang forth from our creative constipation.
Action points.
Often talked about, but seldom used, Action Points are one of the players, and some monsters, best forgotten friend. The basics on Action Points (AP) are straight forward. After taking an extended rest you reset to one AP. After completing two encounters without a break you gain an additional AP. You can only use one AP per encounter. The most common use of the AP is to take an addtional action; either standard, move or minor.
But what could be a non-standard use of an AP? The PHB suggest using AP's to take an additional action, use specific feats or use paragon path powers. However, it doesn't specificly prohibit it from being used for something altogether. The non-standard use of an AP would have to be on equal standing as taking an extra standard action, but be somehow unique. After a while all the class powers start to read the same. How could AP's be used to spice things up?
For what stunt could you imagine using an Action Point?
21 Comments
3 Man
6/5/2009 07:54:45 am
What about an extended range? The dragon flies away. You run to the edge of the cliff, but are 5 or 6 squares out of range. The big nasty thinks he's in the clear, but wait! Our hero uses his Action Point and thwack! The nefarious lizard takes one in the pooper and spirals to his death!
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3 Man
6/5/2009 07:58:33 am
How 'bout spell effects? Instead of a fireball doing just damage you spend an Action Point and blam! The baddy's clothes catch on fire causing him to roll around and put out the flames or take ongoing damage!
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Donk7
6/7/2009 03:05:02 pm
EVERYONE WRITE THIS DOWN.
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3 Man
6/7/2009 11:11:26 pm
Thanks for the ringing endorsement... I think. How 'bout a for example for the kids playing along at home?
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wiggi
6/8/2009 11:37:19 am
Personally, I vowed to use my AP in the first round of the encounter. I like Don's idea of the bad guy dies in round 1 no need to worry about round 2 with him. Now that's not completely perfect since round 2 brings other bad guys but hey it's all I got. (I think of it like the guy dying in the desert with a full canteen because he planned on rationing the water; he should have drank it all at once and gotten its benefit.)
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3 Man
6/8/2009 12:47:43 pm
Hmmm...
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wiggi
6/9/2009 12:40:19 am
I didn't quite do the math right for the double move charge thing. It would allow Usul to move 24 squares and attack with a charging power. That is cool. (Thanks for reminding me.)
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Donk7
6/9/2009 02:56:10 am
These rules were made for Nat. LIGHTEN up use your big brain to be creative and push the rules.
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3 Man
6/9/2009 03:46:11 am
(Ignoring Don, for now)
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Donk7
6/9/2009 05:51:23 am
I allready sent an e-mail to Wiggi apologizing. I didnt mean to attack him and I am deffinatly not attacking the idea of running 20something squares to smash a baddie. My (calmer) point is as players we need to grab every chance we can to open this lame ass game up. Not to overpower our characters but to make them unique.
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wiggi
6/9/2009 06:34:04 am
1) Sorry i miss calculated earlier, it isn't 24 spaces it's 18 - no run needed.
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3 Man
6/9/2009 06:49:12 am
Yeah! A happy post!
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Donk7
6/9/2009 07:00:10 am
I dont want 2 handed melee I want a Zulu warrior type, light shield and javelin attacks, ability to defend himself with the javelin in melee but that is not his stregth.
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Donk7
6/9/2009 07:00:55 am
Screw your happy post.
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wiggi
6/9/2009 07:29:13 am
sorry sir. i didn't know what your whole design was.
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Donk7
6/9/2009 07:54:11 am
reach and ranged the same thing? Not even on a thursday. (I dont know what that is supposed to mean it just came out).
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wiggi
6/9/2009 12:18:00 pm
an actual suggestion for AP use that might work - with a ranged attack with a heavy thrown (so using the STR attack) you can spend an AP to increase your range by your STR mod; however you take a penalty to your AC equal to your STR mod until the end of your next turn (due to your extreme focus on the throw and using all abilities to achieve that goal).
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3 Man
6/9/2009 12:25:04 pm
Good thought, but, not to agree with Don, the penalty is not required. Remember the alternate AP use should be as powerful as taking an entire other standard action. So no AP needed.
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wiggi
6/9/2009 01:25:36 pm
OK no AC penalty.
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wiggi
6/9/2009 01:25:58 pm
OK no AC penalty.
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wiggi
6/9/2009 01:29:43 pm
sorry for the double (triple) posting. the website said it was unavailable due to a permanent error (change of address).
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Author3 Man an aspiring DM relying on story telling and gracious players to enjoy a little game of dice. Archives
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