Action Points and Resting

I've always been confused by Action Points and Milestones. 

The general rules about action points are on page 286 PHB.  These rules mention milestones and extended rests.

The definition for a milestone is: When you complete two encounters without stopping for an extended rest.  Pg 259 PHB.

The rules for extended rests and their benefits is on Pg  263 PHB.

As straightforward as they seem there is a lot of confusion generated by these simple rules.

Here's my interpretation from a DM's point of view.

Basic Rules for Action Points and Resting

First there are three basic rules:

Basic rule for Action Points & Resting

After an extended rest, start numbering encounters from one.

At the end of each even numbered encounter, receive an action point.

and:

Extended Rest Resets Action Points

At the end of an extended rest, set your number of action points to one.

and:

Spending Action Points

Action points can only be spent in an encounter.  You may only spend one action point per encounter.

No action points may be spent in the surprise round, or in other characters turns.

Follow this suggested sequence:

• • Begin your turn

  • In your turn, complete your actions.

  • Then (as a free action) spend your action point.

  • Fire action point effects at this time.

  • Take another action (move, standard or minor).

  • End of turn effects occur.

If desired you can, instead of following the suggested sequence, spend the action point right after beginning your turn, before completing your normal allotted actions.

However if you do so, problems occur when those actions have unexpected results - eg you get a critical hit and dispatch your foe, and then your planned second attack has no target.  Or you plan to double-move and attack, but the move is interrupted by an opportunity attack leaving you out of range for the planned attack.

To avoid this problem of potentially wasting an action point following the suggested sequence.

The times when action points can be spent are restrictive - if for example you want to activate the warlords effect, or a veterans armor power, you need to be in an encounter. 

What counts as an encounter?  There are guidelines in the DMG - Pg 281 specifically, and chapters 3, 4 and 5. Generally the DM will determine if something is an encounter, so players do not have to worry about that.

A Game Context Example

Lets see how these rules operate in an example.

Lets say Bob the Ranger and his party have just had an extended rest and they go adventuring.

Whatever his action points were before the rest, Bob now has one action point.  See Extended Rest Resets Action Points.

Bob cannot spend the action point wandering around the village or forest.  It can only be spent in an encounter. 

Bob's party encounters kobolds.  Encounter number one, since their extended rest.

Bob wants to do some damage - by spending an action point he can (for example) in his turn:

• •   double move and attack, or

  •   move and attack twice

  •   move, attack, and move again

  •   do four minor actions

The action point does not give you another turn, just another action - move, standard, or minor.

In this example Bob plans to use an action point to double move and then attack.

First Bob double-moves, substituting his standard action by a move action to get the double move.  He resolves the double-move with his miniature, arriving within range of his target.

Then (as a free action) Bob spends his action point.  At this time, he crosses the action point off his character sheet.

Action point effects fire at this time - only now does powers like the veterans armor effect occur.

Lastly Bob takes his extra action; in this example the attack.

Can Action Points be Stockpiled?

After the encounter, the Bob's party has a short rest.

Then another group of kobolds attacks.  Bob has no action point left.

The party beats the kobolds.  The action moves out of rounds, and the DM declares the encounter over. 

This was the end of encounter number two, since the extended rest - Bob (and everyone else in his party) gets an action point.  Bob records that he has one action point.

Two more encounters occur, and Bob's party reaches the end of encounter number four since the extended rest, so they all get another action point.

Bob didn't spend any action points in encounters 2, 3 and 4.  At this point Bob has two action points.

However allowing action points to accumulate in a stockpile does not provide any benefit.

Bob cannot spend both of his action points in one encounter, even if he was using one for a paragon path power, and the other for an extra action.

If Bob continues with his busy day, into encounters 5 and 6 he better spend those action points - one in each encounter - since when he finally has an extended rest he will lose them and his action point total will be reset to one.

Completing Encounters without Resting

Extended rests:  "If at the end of the extended rest you have not slept at least 6 hours in the past 24, you do not gain the benefits of the extended rest".  Pg 263 PHB.

So lets say Bob's party had gotten up at 7am, and had the four encounters with the kobolds.  It is now 5pm, and the party has used up all its daily powers, and decides to have an extended rest.

Extended Rest Benefits

A character starts a 6 hour extended rest, but will not sleep through it.

Apply the following test to see if the character receives extended rest benefits:

Count the number of hours spent sleeping in each of the 18 hours previous to now;

If that number is 6, the character receives the benefits; but

If that number is less than 6:  the character must sleep the number of hours to make up the shortfall.

After an extended rest, as soon as the number of hours slept in the last 24 is made up to 6 hours, the benefits are received.

They're concerned about a surprise attack so they plan to rest by sitting in their campsite for 6 hours.  The DM decides if they are not actively on guard, but are just relying on their waking passive perception - that is OK as a rest.  You take a -5 to perception when you're asleep, so staying awake even if you're not actively on watch seems reasonable.

Looking back over the last 18 hours, since 11pm last night, the party has slept 6 hours, so their plan will work.

At 11pm, the 6hrs extended rest finishes, and the party gains the benefits of the extended rest - daily powers are recharged.

Let's say the kobolds attack again at this point, and Bob uses his daily powers.

Its now 1am.

Bob wants to have an extended rest again. 

Looking back over the last 18 hours, takes it back to 7am the previous day when they awoke.  The party must sleep all 6 hours of the next extended rest to gain any benefit.

Sleeping in Difficult Conditions

Bob is the only one in the party who used daily powers.

The rest of the party wants to press on to its next destination.

Lets say Bob decides he will sleep, taking an extended rest in the back of the cart, as the party travels to its new destination, 8 hours cart ride away.

Does Bob's plan work?

Here is a house rule for taking extended rests in difficult conditions.

Examples of difficult conditions:

• • Poor campsite - failed Nature check to locate a good campsite in an unfamiliar location

  • Harsh conditions - cold climate or poor weather

  • Interrupted rest due to animal pests, noise or environmental effects (the cart ride)

House Rule for Sleeping in Difficult Conditions

Sleeping in difficult conditions is an endurance test.  After attempting to sleep for 6 hours or more:

Endurance Check - 10 = number of hours slept.

Generally no roll is required - unless the party is under attack, or other similar variable conditions prevail.

Therefore normally the check can use the "take 10" rules.  This means:

A character can sleep in difficult conditions a number of hours equal to their endurance skill bonus.

Using a bedroll gives a +2 to the bonus for this purpose.

Each additional hour over 6 gives a +1 bonus.

Bob's endurance skill bonus is +3 - +2 for being level 4, and +1 for his Constitution of 12. 

Bob does not have a bedroll but manages to borrow one from a party member.  Another +2.

If he spends 7 hours attempting to sleep in the back of the cart, he gets another +1.  That takes his endurance skill bonus for the purposes of resting in difficult conditions to +6, and he manages to take his extended rest in the back of the cart.

He wakes up an hour before the cart arrives at the party's destination.