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Actions

Actions represent the things characters can do in your game. They're similar to items but represent abilities, skills, spells, or maneuvers rather than physical objects.

What are Actions?​

Actions are the verbs of your ruleset - the things characters can perform. Common examples include:

  • Combat abilities - Attack, defend, dodge, parry
  • Spells - Cast fireball, heal, teleport
  • Skills - Persuade, investigate, stealth
  • Special abilities - Rage, sneak attack, divine smite
  • Social actions - Intimidate, charm, deceive
  • Movement - Sprint, climb, swim, fly

Creating Actions​

To create an action:

  1. Navigate to the Actions page in your ruleset
  2. Click "New Action"
  3. Fill in the action properties:
    • Title - The name of the action
    • Description - What the action does and how it works
    • Category - Optional grouping (e.g., "Spells", "Combat", "Skills")
    • Image - Visual representation of the action
    • Inventory Size - Width and height if the action can be stored in inventory components

Action Properties​

Each action has the following properties:

Basic Information​

  • Title - The action's name
  • Description - Detailed explanation of what the action does, its effects, costs, and requirements
  • Category - Used to organize actions (e.g., "Level 1 Spells", "Combat Maneuvers")

Visual Properties​

  • Image - An icon or illustration representing the action
  • Inventory Width - How many grid spaces wide (if stored in inventory components)
  • Inventory Height - How many grid spaces tall (if stored in inventory components)

Using Actions​

In Character Inventories​

Actions can be added to character inventories, making them available for use during gameplay. This is useful for:

  • Learned abilities - Characters gain actions as they level up
  • Prepared spells - Casters prepare specific spells from a larger list
  • Acquired skills - Characters learn new skills through training
  • Temporary abilities - Buffs or special states that grant actions

To add an action to a character's inventory:

  1. Open the character
  2. Click the inventory icon in the sidebar
  3. Click "Add Item" and switch to the Actions tab
  4. Select actions to add to the character

In Inventory Components​

Actions can be placed in inventory components within windows, just like items. This is useful for:

  • Hotbars - Quick-access action slots
  • Spell books - Organized collections of spells
  • Ability panels - Combat or skill ability displays
  • Loadouts - Switchable action configurations

To add an action to an inventory component:

  1. Double-click the inventory component on a character sheet
  2. Browse available actions
  3. Click to add the action into the grid
  4. Actions must fit based on their inventory size

Actions vs. Items vs. Attributes​

It can be unclear when something should be an action, item, or attribute. Here's a guide:

Use Actions when:​

  • It's something a character does (verbs)
  • It represents an ability, skill, or act
  • Not all characters will use it

Use Items when:​

  • It's a physical object (nouns)
  • It can be carried, equipped, or consumed
  • It has weight or takes up space
  • It has a quantity

Use Attributes when:​

  • It's a property or state (adjectives/numbers)
  • All characters have it (even if the value is 0)
  • It changes frequently during play
  • It's used in calculations or comparisons
  • It represents stats, resources, or conditions

Examples:

  • Action: "Cast Fireball" (you do this)
  • Item: "Wand of Fireballs" (you hold this)
  • Attribute: "Spell Power" (you have this)

Organizing Actions​

Categories​

Use categories to organize actions into logical groups:

  • By type - "Spells", "Combat", "Social", "Movement"
  • By level - "Level 1 Spells", "Level 2 Spells"
  • By class - "Warrior Abilities", "Rogue Abilities"
  • By resource - "Mana Abilities", "Stamina Abilities"
  • By frequency - "At-Will", "Daily", "Encounter"

Categories appear as filters on the actions page and when adding actions to inventories.

Action Descriptions​

Write clear, complete descriptions that include:

  • What it does - The mechanical effect
  • How to use it - Requirements or prerequisites
  • Costs - Resources consumed (mana, stamina, uses)
  • Duration - How long effects last
  • Range - How far it reaches
  • Targets - What it can affect
  • Limitations - Restrictions or conditions

Example:

Fireball
Level 3 Evocation Spell

Launch a ball of flame at a point within 150 feet.
All creatures within 20 feet must make a Dexterity
saving throw. On a failure, they take 8d6 fire damage,
or half as much on a success.

Cost: 3rd-level spell slot
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 150 feet
Area: 20-foot radius sphere

Actions and Automation (Coming Soon)​

Future versions of Quest Bound will support scripting, allowing actions to:

  • Automatically modify attributes
  • Roll dice and calculate results
  • Check requirements and costs
  • Apply effects to targets
  • Trigger other actions or events

Best Practices​

For Ruleset Creators​

  • Complete descriptions - Include all necessary information
  • Consistent formatting - Use similar structure for all actions
  • Appropriate images - Visual icons help players identify actions quickly
  • Logical categories - Group related actions together
  • Reasonable inventory sizes - Consider how actions will fit in hotbars
  • Test in play - Create test characters and try using your actions

For Players​

  • Organize your inventory - Arrange actions logically in inventory components
  • Read descriptions - Understand what each action does before using it
  • Track resources - Monitor costs and uses
  • Coordinate with party - Share action capabilities with other players

Importing and Exporting Actions​

Actions can be imported and exported as TSV files, making it easy to:

  • Create actions in spreadsheet applications
  • Share action libraries with other creators
  • Back up your content
  • Migrate actions between rulesets

When exporting a ruleset, actions are saved in an actions.tsv file with columns for all properties.