What do you do if a player wants to "hold action" on their turn?

question
#1

I’m getting ready to run my first ICRPG game, Last Flight of the Red Sword, on Roll20.

I’m reading through the core book again, reading the mobile edition for rules changes, and questions pop into my head.

What do you do if a player wants to “hold action” on their turn? I mean, they should only be rolling dice on their turn, right?

What are your thoughts?

Jeff

#2

It doesn’t really matter in the long run. Just be clear about it. And then be consistent.

You can go for narrow:
What will you do and what is your trigger?

Or broad:
You loose your movement and you must act before the end of my (my meaning you as the GM) turn. But you can’t take a breather.

Or, nope.

I recommend broad, and if allowed to wait till after your turn to decide to take a breather…that would all of my breathers.

I’m sure there are other little things you’ll want on the exclude list, but those are the only ones that stand out in my head at the moment.

Also, given the nature of round table initiative…if 2 players want to do a joint action…let them, so there is no waiting till billy hands me the potion so I can throw it at the principal.

#3

I let players hold their action, no problem.

#4

I let them hold their turn but they have to set a trigger and what action to take.
No trigger, no action.

#5

Then I think their action would be Ready Action, trigger is such-and-such. I figure if their turn went before the trigger’s then they would do the thing. If their turn came back around before the trigger then they can Ready Action again if they want. Savage Worlds you might make an Opposed Roll to act before the trigger but, again, your turn was before the trigger’s so you can react first.

Less to keep track of with no Ready Action but at least I I have an idea of what to do when it seems appropriate. Maybe make the player responsible for keeping track.

I just don’t want to funk up the turn order and have to jump around the table. I may as well have them roll for initiative then.

#6

Honestly I’ve barely seen it come up in ICRPG except for people to move together as a group. Don’t stress :slight_smile:

#7

Trying to anticipate calls I might have to make. “Unpossible!”

#8

i do what @GMagnus said… “no trigger no holds… otherwise forfeit their turn.

#9

This seems reasonable. One of the advantages of going first is the ability to wait and see what happens, and then act.

#10

Same as in school: they can go to the back of the line, but they can’t cut in front of others.

#11

I went narrow: “OK, hold your action, what’s your trigger?” Pretty easy.

#12

The ability to hold actions makes initiative important because they get to react to what the enemy is doing. It makes them feel powerful and cool if they have it and makes them feel like scared little worms when the badguys do it to them, blasting at them as soon as they try to move from cover.

It’s one of my favorite things.