So I recall seeing something in the previews on action points and the idea that characters would gain 1 per two encounters. As I recall I was excited by the idea that a DM could set it up so that the PCs could get a bunch of action points early in the adventure and use them later in the adventure, however it was pointed out to me that there was some kind of cap on Action Points.
Now I've just got through action points in the DMG and don't see any mention of some kind of cap on how many a player can have earned between long rests.
Am I just missing that part or did they remove the cap on Action Points?
No, just that they reset to 1 after an extended rest...
The likelihood of a party lasting more than a couple Milestones before NEEDING an extended rest is highly unlikely.
So, affectively, a single PC isn't likely to have more than 3 or 4 Action Points at any one time, max.
That said, there's nothing keeping you from awarding action point differently in order to accomplish whatever it is you want them to be in you games...
The accumulation of action points isn't a big deal anyway, since the players can only use 1 in an encounter.
I think, ideally, the idea is that the PC's will use an action point every other fight or so, since hoarding them is pointless.
The accumulation of action points isn't a big deal anyway, since the players can only use 1 in an encounter.
I think, ideally, the idea is that the PC's will use an action point every other fight or so, since hoarding them is pointless.
Exactly...
In order to end up with 3 action points, a PC would have to go 4 encounters without spending 1 and they would only make use of all 3 if they end up doing 5 more encounters in that day.
Ah - I think the cap I am thinking of is the rule that says you can only spend 1 AP per encounter.
I suppose I'll initially run 4E as the rules states. That said I'm not 100% happy with the restriction that says that you can only use one AP per encounter. I kind of wonder what the purpose of this rule is?
The reason this is rubbing the wrong way is because I think the ability of the players to stockpile APs is, at first blush anyway, a great mechanic for keeping the adventures pushing forward. It becomes a strong incentive for the players not to rest but to try and take their 4 APs into the final battle with the BBEG. I'd think this would be right down 4Es alley with its goal of high octane fantasy gaming. Certainly I'd usually be completely in line with this style of a game and would be cool with a really tough final BBEG and my players with enough APs that they could pretty much use one every round of the combat.
The encounter cap for action points keeps PCs from burning all their AP in one action or consecutive actions to juggle something. No daily power is going to match up against five consecutive attacks, and if those five attacks can be daily or encounter abilities themselves...
Also, action points add actions, and actions add time to player turns. If one guy saves up all his AP and everybody else uses theirs in moderation, then some guy gets 20 minutes of dedicated gameplay while he single-handedly mops up the encounter.
In other words, you can't use more than one AP in an encounter for the same reason you couldn't make attacks while using Time Stop in 3e.
The encounter cap for action points keeps PCs from burning all their AP in one action or consecutive actions to juggle something. No daily power is going to match up against five consecutive attacks, and if those five attacks can be daily or encounter abilities themselves...
Also, action points add actions, and actions add time to player turns. If one guy saves up all his AP and everybody else uses theirs in moderation, then some guy gets 20 minutes of dedicated gameplay while he single-handedly mops up the encounter.
In other words, you can't use more than one AP in an encounter for the same reason you couldn't make attacks while using Time Stop in 3e.
This would be mostly dealt with by capping how many APs one could use in a single round. I'd be completely on board with a rule that says you can only use 1 AP per turn.
Good thoughts. I had some similar thoughts on Action Points. I should be gaming this week at some point and at that time I will test run this little variance:
Players may use up to 3 APs in an encounter. APs reset to 1 after an extended rest.
2 may be better but we shall see.
I've had some of the same thoughts on action points as the rest of you. I want an incentive to keep adventuring until healing runs out (the characters are tired) and I want to avoid the 15 minute adventure day. I also want whether to spend (or save) an action point to be a hard decision.
In the rules as written, it is in the best interest of the characters to take an extended rest whenever possible to regain any per-day abilities. Accumulating action points that you can only use once per encounter does not seem enough of an incentive to keep going.
Obviously, my adventures often have a timeline, but when they don't the characters are usually pretty cautious about going into combat without all their resources. So here is what I'll do:
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After an extended rest, a character's action points reset to 0, not 1.
Action points are gained after encounters 1,3,5,etc. instead of 2,4,6,etc.
Action points can be spent once per round instead of once per encounter.
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Hopefully, this will create the dynamic I want. I welcome comments :)
