Anyone do anything interesting with Action Points?
I'm speaking old school style, not 4e style.
Right now I award my players 5 + 1/2 character level when they level up.
They can spend any amount of action points during an encounter (but certain effects can only be used just so may times).
Here are some of the things they can do.
1. Add the result of a d6 to the d20 roll. (Once per die roll, any number of times per encounter. I also allow them to spend more than 1 in a turn.)
2. Roll the d30 instead of the d20. (Usable once per encounter. Recalculating critical hit ranges can be a slight headache if you don't know ratios.)
3. Instantly Stabilize if your dying.
4. Use a power or ability that is only usable 1/day a second time per day. (2 action points, 1/day, this option cannot be used to select this option)
5. Apply a metamagic feat to a spell without increasing its levels or increasing the casting time (1 action point, + 1/2 the amount of levels the spell would be increased, minimum 2 action points). Can be used on spells already prepared.
6. Increase Speed by 5ft. for 1 round. (1 action point)
Also, if i make a mistake and my player's catch me, I award them an action point. If one of the players springs for chips or soda they get an action point (extra if the chips are cooler ranch doritos and the soda is throwback dew, heh heh).
And I liked the idea of healing surges, but my players are into the grim and gritty idea of hp, so they hate them. However, I was toying around with spending an action point to gain temp hp equal to 1/4 your total, usable maybe 1/encounter.
what are some other uses you guys use them for?
what are some other uses you guys use them for?
My system is similar to what you describe. I link Action Points to player-defined roleplaying goals and adventure progress. I explain the system in this thread.
:)
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I don't really use "Action Points" but occasionally will reward players with a token. It can do a lot of things, depending on the situation, but I generally do not tell the players what it can and can not accomplish, (and that can be a lot). Once spent, they are gone forever, and your level has nothing to do with gaining them. It is all about smart ideas (even if they fail), good roleplaying and stuff like that.
Things that they can accomplish are to make thing that are impossible possible, (such as making a role that you normally can not or can not succeed at), to automatically overcome an affect, (like an Enchantment) or to get another Save or ignor it for a round or two, depending on the characters experience vs the affects power level.
Sometimes I will even allow the Player to come up with something and have it be true for the game, (though this might need to be modified or might be wasted if it is too much or abussed).
Sometimes, I may allow a Character that should have dies to instead stabalize at 1 point from death.
I don't like Action Points though. I perfer them to be much rarer, but more special than the typical Action Points. That being said, I actually liked the 4E Action Points more than Eberrons/3E, or even the Force Points of Star Wars.
I like to use Action Points with a ittle twist of Earthdawn's Karma system. That way it can be used to balance a race you might deem "less powerful" than the others. As the name implies, you can award Karma points for performing deeds that match their alignements.
my friend awards role playing tokens, if you describe your character doing something nifty or you succeed at doing something really difficult you get a token worth a d4 which can be added to any dice roll, one token per roll.