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Solo Combat Guide - Action Economy

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I thought this topic deserves its own entry. Adding what I cooked to the existing stuff in Part II would be too chaotic, anyway.

# ACTION ECONOMY

Action economy is maximizing the things you do in one combat turn with what you carefully picked for your PC's class. It's basically a measurement for how efficiently a creature can accomplish its goals within a single turn.

But in terms of both sides of the battlefield (For GMs);
It is the " balance " of two opposing sides in combat as per the number & efficiency of actions they can take, or at least actions considered viable in current circumstances. So, Solo GMs should also keep monsters' action economy in mind.
For Soloing purposes, we tend to choose classes that maximize their action economy to make impactful use of each of our actions in productive ways that not just enable us to survive but also clear maps. Or build our class that way.

Just like in a strategy game, thinking in terms of economy -the heart of the enemy's source of power- is key to survive as a loner. Play your cards to destroy that economy so that the enemy can't find a chance to overwhelm you.

## Solutions for Action Budgeting

5th Edition D&D jams the vast majority of options into the 'action' slot. Not to mention most of these actions that are jammed are things like concentration buff spells for certain classes, such as Cleric.

In order to compensate the action budgeting obstacle while playing with only 1 PC, we can use "2nd action" or "Special Action" variant rules that applies only to the Solo PC. Pick one or the other.
Action Budgeting: The decision of allowing certain abilities into an action slot (i.e: when leveling) as oppose to another of the same type. This depend on the efficiency & viability of actions in comparison with each other for certain circumstances in combat.
### 2 Solutions

* 2nd Action: You can weapon attack if you didn't attack in your current turn, after you used your action for a non-attack action. OR you can use a non-attack basic action if you attacked in your current turn. Use one or the other.

* OR Special Action: Aside from action / bonus / reaction, you add yourself a special action, such as a panic button in MMO's (i.e self heal) and use it once per long rest.

NOTE: "Dungeon Oracle" by Paul Bimler has 1-2 PC Conversion Table that takes action economy into account and gives you a level chart for Solo Mode if you want to play adventures that is balanced for 4 x Level ? PCs.

## Action Slots

Fundamental Resource Pool in a Combat Turn;

  • limited movement,
  • an action,
  • a bonus action,
  • and a reaction.

First of all, you should spread useful combat abilities through these slots instead of picking abilities of 1 type, as much as your class choice provide at each level.

Sometimes this means sacrificing some cool spell in favor of another of a different slot type.

Using your action to attack is not enough. +Bonus attack? Maybe.

### Focus Fire as One-Man-Army

If you can cover all 3 types of offense slots at first level, your chances of survival increase tremendously.

Ideally, when you have the following, you're set;

  • 1 spammable offense action; consider its efficiency.
  • 1 CC (preferably as bonus action); consider its applicability.
  • and 1 defense / counter-attack reaction; if you don't have one, use Attack of Opportunity to your advantage.

Not all classes can do this, though. If you can't have it all, consider starting at higher level or as another class to multiclass back to your first choice, later.

### Econ Efficiency

Next, play to your highest efficiency by utilizing all your slots at every turn.

Remember, there are also ways to raise your initiative bonus to strike first (i.e: Improved Initiative feat).

## Basic Maff

In GM side of Solo Play, you are also responsible for generating enemies. Knowing monsters' abilities and their slot types is as important as knowing their stats.

Simply count how many actions all enemies in an encounter can do and compare it to your PC's number of actions to determine fight or flight choice. Yes, sometimes Solo Combat means to bail the heck out of there! If their action number + efficiency overwhelms your PC, consider fleeing.

Choosing your battles is the wisest thing you can do. But if you have to fight, at least know whom to focus fire first.

  • If there are no high priority monsters with lethal abilities to worry about,
  • next best choice is always the one with the most actions / highest damage,
  • then comes lower level of threats.

It's always better to deal with 1 enemy at a time until it is dead than to damage multiple and leave them alive. Of course, this is ideally done in an order of lethality and that depends on monster composition / CR, mob numbers and their abilities. Boss fights challenge this strategy, though.

Other than that, there is no harm in using an Area of Effect ability/spell to chip off HPs of many creatures to deal with them 1 by 1 easier, when surrounded.

# ECON WARFARE 101

## Econ Warfare Terminology


Assuming an action is viable for a given situation, you have 2 main things on your plate to consider in a conflict:

* Number of Actions: Self explanatory. Be wary of Legendary Reactions of bosses that can be used in your turn.

* Action Efficiency: Gaining maximum advantage with minimum wasted effort or expense with an action. If you can achieve gaining max advantage while giving your opponent disadvantage with 1 action, the action is max efficient. And it is based on applicability. Just because an action is efficient doesn't mean it is applicable for your current situation. Also consider viability of an action in relation to its efficiency. Some variables may prevent its chances of success.

These are for killing 2 birds with 1 stone.

  • Move to gain positional advantage & leave them in disadvantage. i.e: High ground.
  • How many enemies can an action eliminate, disable or kill at once?
  • Potency of damage in an attack?
  • How effective can a spell be as oppose to other actions for a given situation?

## Tactics to use this knowledge to your benefit

1. Increase Your Own Action Efficiency / Number:

*BUFFS, Increase Crit Chance, Initiative, Dmg (2H)
*SUMMONS, Action Surge, Charm

2. Reduce Action Efficiency of Enemies:

*DEFENSE (Increase AC, Temp HP, Cover, Mirror Image),
*Precautionary Strategies (Resistance potions, Invisibility, Hide & Guerilla Tactics, Choke points),

3. Reduce Enemies' Number of Actions:

*Get Out of Range. Traps.
*Preventive Strats (CC, Intimidation, Deadly Environment used as advantage, Deception & Cunning)

4. Deny Them to Act:

If you're not there, there is no fight:
*Stealth. Being Out of Reach. Darkness. Crowd Control. Flee with your current knowledge about them.

NOTE: Think of ways to do multiple of these things with fewest possible slot burns as possible. For example, a counter-attack type reaction (such as AoO, Hellish Rebuke) solves 2 problems at once: Damage + Not wasting your action pool in your turn.

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Updated February 11th, 2025 at 07:18 by Tempered7

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