Any ideas on a "system" to give a cost to characters who constantly keep one (or more) ongoing actions active (by reactivating when they have no more recharge tokens)?

I'm not really seeing the need for this. I mean, you have to use your action for the turn to reactivate it. Isn't that enough?

No, this is not a problem since the action is made during a non-combat scene, so that when a combat scene begins the ongoing action is still in effect.

LukeZZ said:

Well, at least, it should not be in effect for its full duration.

When he activates it in story mode, you need to define some sort of time slice that would suit your story at that precise moment (like they are trying to get info in a tavern full at diner/night) and each time the player does something in that time slice, you take a token off (you tell them that whatever they do, it takes them about the same amount of time each, so they know). As an exemple, every 10 minutes you allow your players to do something (talk to folks, ask questions, just watch the crowd to try to find something/one, etc.). It somewhat becomes an encounter mode, without initiative and precise objective(s), but allows you to mitigate the "always on" effects that should not by using the recharging tokens. Also, the guy using it should not allowed to act in the "time slice" he uses the actions. If any player uses recharging actions in story mode, you need to transfert somewhat in encoutner mode to take tokens off.

If after a few, someone gets into someone else's face and starting a bar brawl, you get in encounter mode, initiatve is rolled, the action recharging previously may still be active, but with less tokens on it.

Can you give an example or two?

I agree with above re time slices. Either mode is "time doesn't count, use action, it resolves, charges but also effect is over, next" (so no benefit from that tactic) or it's some sort of encounter mode whether time is being sliced by second, minute, 10 minutes, 15, 60, a day, etc. The rules are clear that GM decides the scale of such things, even if when moving around is "long range" across market square or are we at a scale where it's across town.

To me, the rules pretty much dictate that you enter encounter mode with no actions "in play". Your power and favour are at equilbrium for example, you can't channel power and go around concentrating to keep it for when an encounter starts, your stance is at neutral etc.

Also, whatever good effect they can derive from this sort of thing, exactly the same effect should be available to opponents.

i had in mind something like : at sundown, after a day's travel, the group enters a tavern with the objectives of taking a room for the night, having diner and listening to the latest gossips and rumors. Maybe they'll hear a couple of things that may be worth knowing about the area. They may be looking for a job in a couple days after resting, or they are on a job and need some more intel. However you want to set that up, you don't really need to be in encouter mode most of the time, just ask the players what they want to do, talk to anyone, ask questions, etc. No order required. (it could take 15 minutes real time to pass that scene if they don't interact too much with locals and just want to get to the next morning)

Then, one of them having the Big City Bravado card says he wants to have it on all the time, just because (he keeps doing that over and over). I'd tell him he can't (he keeps doing the "always on trick" of non combat actions). If he wants to use it, we enter encounter mode (he's the 1st acting in the round with his action and rolls as normal to have results) and we'll play round by round basis, each characters acts once, no NPCs unless special circumstances, removing tokens as usual. The rounds duration will be in the like of 15 minutes, maybe more, so that in the end they will have a limited amount of actions (number of rounds) before it's night time (let's say that most people are out by 11pm). The player will need to re-activate his action at least once to have it on all night.

The problem here is that it will take more than 15 minutes real time to resolve, which you may not want. They best option to an arguing player wanting to have something on that you think it should not have always, is saying "No, you can't". He is abusing the rules in a way that is not fair for other players and you. Action cards are not passive effects like some Talents or Career traits, they need to be activated (you need to concentrate or something) to receive its advantages.

Depending on the player's attitude, i allow the use of those cards without encounter mode (or if i know it'll last a couple "rounds"). Like my Woody Bounty Hunter has the Call of the Wild card and he tells me he's using it while tracking down a target escaping in the woods. I can't really know how long it'll be but the intent is fine. I'll allow him to active it (he rolls) and take a token off each time he tracks again (about the same as encounter mode, but other characters don't really act, they just follow the tracker). When it recharges (no more tokens), he activates it again (new check) but looses one step/action in the tracking process, the fleeing prey may get further away.

If your player is abusing a thing that gives a combat status bonus, like a Blessing giving Invigorated Status, as you mentionned he always started with something on, i'd tell him "No you can't" and have him use his 1st action for it.

Or as mentioned in my 1st message : if he has the reason/opportunity to activate it before combat starts, you enter encounter mode when he uses it, starting to take tokens off of the card then. A couple rounds later the fight breaks (like a bar brawl after a heated argument around dwarven women ) and he has it on but with much less tokens on it. If the numbers of rounds before the combat erupts is unknown, maybe just roll a d10 You'll be in encounter mode longer that required because that guy keeps slowing the group down.

Those are 3 situations i can think of at the moment. If you have other exemples you'd like to have an opinion about, fell free to ask

Edit : in fact, as soon as a player activates an Ongoing Effect, you should enter Encounter mode, because of the recharging Token mechanic. It's up to you to have the full encounter mode (time consuming), or not (like the hunter tracking exemple)

One of my player also has Call Of The Wild : in encounter mode (round by round), you remove a token per round... But it is also often a token per check in fact, isn't it ?

I rule the same in story mode : the scout use call of the Wild and afterward he removes 1 token per check he rolls implying that ability...

In example, the PCs walk to the top of a mountain, and there will be no encounter (fight or anything else).

• He will remove 1 token in the forest to the mountain after a naturelore check,
• 1 token in the pass starting the mountain after an Observation check against a possible ambush,
• 1 along the cliff of the mountain after an Athletic check to find a good way to go,
• 1 on the top of the mountain to establish a good camp with a naturelore check....

What I have done when in true story mode and not "extended time lapse encounter" (thus not part of the Act structure etc.) for the Big City Bravado sort of deal is indicate that " you can use that card once in this given period of time " where such periods are usually never more than one day. For example I typically divvy short interludes into morning/afternoon/evening - are you shopping, seeing Doctor, kibbitzing for info, loitering to observe, spending a relaxing afternoon enjoying your ill-got ahem well-deserved gains.

You developed your PC that way, it's part of your concept, it's part of your "spend", fine you get return on the spend, you get to "be that person" at the table in the fiction. But you don't get to swamp the fiction and the table with it. Think about when and where and for what you use your abilities.

valvorik said:

Your examples might also be called "extended time lapse Social encounters" if it requires some social skills checks.

I totally, truely, fully agree with your second paragraph. Spending XP in a Support Card is a very good occasion to mix rules and roleplay through the card. It invites the player to get new ideas on how to use its social cards and to act his character.

Since these actions benefit from being in play I simply rule that when used outside of encounter mode they recharge right away and no tokens are placed on them, because they can always be used again for the next check or situation they are needed.

I agree with Cwell. Essentially, tracking tokens becomes important, then an Encounter has been started. So, his example of the bar was excellent. If the PC is expecting trouble and casts a timed spell, then the Encounter starts and PCs begin performing actions in rounds. Before the bar fight erupts, potentially.

Yes, this will likely slow down the game a little. Eventually players will either learn to live with the slow-down, or else will just wait to cast the spell once an Encounter begins.