Actions and Action Points

D20 Open RPG uses a "point-based" Actions model. 

This post discusses the Action Points mechanics found at http://www.d20openrpg.com/gamemastering/combat-encounters/actions-in-combat

What does that mean? Well, instead of saying that a player has 1 "Standard" Action, 1 "Move" Action, and 1 "Swift" Action, each of those action types has a point value of 3, 2, and 1. In addition, there are 4 and 5 point actions. All characters and creatures may spend 5 Action Points (AP) in a round. That means they may perform two 2 AP actions and one 1 AP action, or one 3 AP action and one 2 AP action, or one 4 AP action and one 1 AP action.

Why?

The idea is that words like "Standard," "Move," and "Swift" are essentially meaningless and unimportant mechanically, not to mention unnecessarily complicating. The important part is how can a player use these actions in a round? Often there is an "exchange rate" where a player may trade one type of action for a lesser action. This is essentially the same thing as simply using a point-based model, yet isn't. It's missing the simplicity of the point-based model in exchange for... well what I don't know.

So, in d20 Open RPG, the Action Point mechanic opens a lot of options. If a creature is "hasted" it simply gets additional AP to spend in a round. If it's "slowed" it loses AP. Further, its more granular and flexible and maybe even easier for newer player's to understand. Instead of having to understand that a Standard Action is greater than a Move Action, and what a Full-Round Action is, they simply look at a menu of points and things they can do with them. If they have 5 points and the Actions Menu says "Attack: 2 AP" and "Move 2 AP" then the player can easily and quickly see that it can perform those two actions and even have 1 AP left.

What else can be done? A player can spend unused AP on additional defense. Instead of worrying about a full-defense or fighting-defensively concept, the player simply says "Oh wow, I have 2 AP left and nothing I really care to do, I think I'll spend them on additional Defense."

Oh yeah, Armor Class is called Defense in the model of d20 Modern.

What else? Spend 1 AP to not provoke a Reaction Action.

Reaction Actions are essentially Attacks of Opportunity with a new name and without being explicitly restricted to attacks. So, a player can do something that would normally provoke a reaction (like perhaps drink a potion) in a threatened area, and in addition to spending the AP required to perform the provoking action, he can spend one additional AP to negate the Reaction Attack. This is an intentional design meant to reduce the frequency of attacks of opportunity-type of actions so that player's have greater freedom to move about a battle or perform other desired actions.

Commanding or Directing Others

"Economy of Actions" is an oft-repeated phrase, and really for good reason. Any participant in an encounter that gets more actions than other participants is typically far more effective than the others. Characters or creatures that control or direct many subordinate companions, cohorts, summoned creatures, minions or whatever you'd like to call them, is at a distinct advantage over others, not to mention adding a good amount of complication and delay into the encounter. One effort of addressing this is inspired by other more recent descendents of the d20 system in that controlling subordinates requires actions by the controlling force. In the case of a PC controlling a summoned creature or a companion of some sort, the PC must expend his own action points to do so. Generally he must spend AP for each creature he manages since it takes effort to monitor and direct them effectively.

Inspirations

A creature can spend AP to "aim" at a target, reducing any penalties the attack would normally suffer due to the target being behind cover, being obscured due to fog/smoke, or due to the range to the target. This is another mechanic inspired by more recent descendents of the d20 system.

Ok, enough talk, head over to http://www.d20openrpg.com/gamemastering/combat-encounters/actions-in-combat and read more.

--john