Eberron-Style Action Points

I want to add a house rule that allows for Eberron-style action points in this campaign. I don't really care if it wasn't accounted for in the game balance, or if it wasn't play tested, the truth is Eberron-style action points made combat WAY more interesting since it basically offered a controlled game mechanic that allowed the normal flow of things to be disrupted in a super heroic, cinematic way that I came to thoroughly enjoy. It gave us a chance to say, "Okay, so for my next round, even the rules are up to our imaginations." I loved the increased risk and gain involved, in which we could try something ultra crazy, knowing that the stakes are higher, but that success would be SO worth it... like a D&D adrenaline rush.

Do you not like how action points are set up in 4th edition? I kind of prefer how they give you an entire extra action because that really gives a lot of leeway to set up combos and crazy stuns and something super heroic...

Yeah I am not sure what you are looking for here? Like the only real difference I see is in Eberron it let you add damage and +to a skill check...
I mean as far as like stuff I recall from Eberron it was like ok I will go here and use an action point to jump off this table and do whatever, which equates down to using another movement which is fine.

I am curious like as to what part of it made combat way more exciting? I remember most of them going by the wayside and occasionally getting used to beef up a crappy roll or one where it was like oh need a little bit more to try and get lucky. If that is what you are looking for (+1d6 to rolls) I think it's ok but I mean yeah I don't get it totally I guess what you are looking for. Like this statement

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I loved the increased risk and gain involved in which we could try something ultra crazy, knowing that the stakes are higher,

doesn't make sense to me since action points never had a "down-side"

[quote] "Okay, so for my next round, even the rules are up to our imaginations. [quote] I think I get this part like Tank saying ok I take a flying leap and try to smash his face or whatever, to me you don't need Action Points for this....like back in the day stuff like this we would do and just make a skill check or something. I wouldn't oppose that at all like barring your guy couldn't do it (Ok I want to jump 50' and fly and dive bomb the guy) it was always just like "Ok I want to do X (crazy stunt)" when we played a long time ago and we would say ok well roll this check and an attack or whatever. Granted action points were guaranteeing it but I think the roll adds to that excitement like the rush of a chance to fail or win.

To Patrick:

Honestly, I don't know because I haven't used an action point yet. Amidst all the other stuff that is new I just keep forgetting about it. I suppose if I were actively thinking about what to do in combat for the entire session I'd remember to do this eventually, but I've been having a hard time focusing for that long.

Quote :

Granted action points were guaranteeing it but I think the roll adds to that excitement like the rush of a chance to fail or win.

Perhaps I just have to care whether I fail or win, and for some reason so far I don't. I'll think about it some more and see if I can figure out why.

...

Actually, I have an idea what it could be. This could all be part of a learning curve, growing pains, low-level characters, etc... and I suppose I just don't have enough patience for any of that right now. On the other hand, historically, I've always enjoyed the first few levels in D&D (except maybe first level) becuase since we have fewer abilities we are forced to be more "colorful" in our playstyle, using imagination and creativity over a page-long list of powers. Anyway, I'll roll this around a bit more.


... Thought about it, coming back for more.

see my response here

Sorry Troy, it looks like I'm going to have to break our cranky solidarity and agree with Patrick and Dean on this one. Back in Eberron, the reason I campaigned for the house rule that allowed anyone to use 2 action points to get an extra action was because that extra action allows you to do interesting actiony things. The +1d6 mechanic kind of bored me. I'm really glad that they built that idea into 4e.

If you're really dissatisfied, I don't see any reason why we couldn't house rule that you can use an action point for an extra d6. Though, as I've said elsewhere, I would be in favor of letting things ride for a while and seeing how it shakes out. I'd say give it a bit of time, try out some action points whenever it seems appropriate to you, and see what you think.

This thread is somewhat misleading. The problem is at the time that I started this, I just knew I was not having fun and I couldn't put my finger on why. So, I was trying very hard to think of why and during that time few thoughts occured to me, with one of those thoughts being that I really liked your cinematic use of the Eberron Action Points and that perhaps encouraging you to do that again would help. Since then, however, I've decided that the problem was really a lack of depth in our current setting/adventure, and a lack of options with my character (as everyone tried to point out to me).