Usage Values

In D&D there are many abilities described that have a limited number of uses or that consume a limited resource. Shard includes a variety of features to model these abilities depending on how the ability is described and abilities interact.

Feature Uses

Any feature can define a use count. If the feature is shown on the character sheet then the use count will be shown with the feature allowing the user to increase/decrease the available uses. Spells, and actions can also consume uses when they are used. The uses can recover on short or long rests.

Uses: configures the number of uses for a feature.

• Fixed count: configure a constant specific number of uses.

• Based on ability score: configure a number of uses based on an ability score with an additional count.

• Based on level: select a number of uses based on character level.

• Based on proficiency bonus: defined based on proficiency bonus of character with an additional count:

• Recovery types:

  • Recover after a short rest: recovers after a short or a long rest.

  • Recover after a long rest: recovers only after a long rest.

  • does not recover: will only recover when the user makes an action to recover uses.

Usage Name: configures a name for the uses count. Configuring a name allows uses counts to be used across features. All features with the same name, case insensitive, will use the same uses counts. Usage count behaviors:

• If a usage name is set on a feature without setting a uses count then the uses will only be available if another feature defines the usage count.

• If multiple features define a uses count then the maximum uses count be largest value configured.

• If multiple features define a uses count with different recovery types then on a short rest the available uses will only change if the short rest value is larger than the current number and will be set to the value of the short rest count.

Feature actions that consume uses are based on the uses definition of the feature.

Class Custom Level Attributes

Classes frequently include counts that behave as uses in the definition of the class as part of the class table. These show up as columns with counts by level. Features then consume the counts as part of activation. When the attribute is defined as “Show as Points”, the value is treated as a named usage count. The attribute name can be used as a “Usage Name” on any feature, allowing features to leverage those point values like any other usage.

Example: Meta Magic & Sorcery Points - Meta magic can define usage name of “Sorcery Points” and consume usage when the meta magic action is activated.