Actions are a key piece of the game experience within Alchemy. They help with creating macros for many functions on a character sheet. Using items, making an attack, or performing a check using modifiers are all useful to create as actions to streamline these rolls in a simple way to get results fast.

Actions can be used by players and gamemasters to perform many types of specific dice rolls as they relate to character features, items, or abilities. For instance, a player may look to make an attack on an enemy which may involve multiple different dice rolls and modifiers for each. Actions are able to combine all of these dice rolls so everything to resolve that decision is immediately presented.

There are many other ways Actions can be leveraged.

Each of these scenarios can be created as an action to roll dice and add text to the chat window to explain what is happening in the game.

Currently, actions can be created or in the following areas of the platform:

Once actions are created in this way, they can be used in the corresponding areas:

Actions can be created quickly and simply by players and gamemasters alike. When first creating an action, the player will be presented with the following modal.

On this screen, an action can be named and the specific action type can be selected. Currently, there are three main action types available within Alchemy for any system.

Further, additional actions can be combined with one another to create more complex actions. For instance, a player may want to roll dice to stab an enemy with a dagger and display a message within the chat window saying "I stab my enemy with my dagger!"

Dice Roll Actions enable players to roll several dice together with the ability to add static bonus and attribute modifiers.

A player is able to add a description to describe the context of this action. From there, they can specify a number of dice and a dice type along with adding a static number modifier. Additionally, they can associate an attribute modifier with the action.

Within this action type, multiple rolls can be strung together through selecting the 'Add Roll' button. Each roll can specify the number of dice, type of dice, and modifiers separately. When the action is used, the number presented in the Journal Panel is the value for every role in the action combined.

Command actions enable players to automate rolls involving complex dice notations and create other repeatable messages within the Journal Panel.

Once a description has been added, one of three commands can be selected.

/me commands can be used to italicize a message; implying the message is something a character is doing as opposed to something they are saying.

/ooc (or Out Of Character) is a command used in the journal panel to speak as you and not as your character (or as the game master). When sending a message using this command, the message will appear to come from your Alchemy username; not as your character's name or as the game master.

/roll commands automate complex dice rolls through an advanced form of notation. More on the specifics of /roll notation can be found in 'Rolling Dice in Alchemy' section of our 'Chat within the Alchemy Platform' article.

/whisper (or /w) commands enable players to send private messages to one another. Whispers display in gold text bubbles and only appear in the Journal Panel for the two players whispering to each other. To whisper another player in the game, simply use the notation below and specify the target of the whisper by replacing the text in the parentheses with either the character's name or the player's Alchemy username.

Message actions simply send predetermined text for all to see in the Journal Panel when used. These can be great when text can be prepared preemptively such as a gamemaster adding a small description when a player lands a killing blow on their enemy or a player adding a description to a spell they are casting.

Roll Table actions allow players and gamesters to set up actions that take a list of custom entries, roll a die, and send any entries matching a value rolled to the Journal Panel.

When a Roll Table action type is selected, players are presented with a screen where they can input any dice (and modifiers) that should be rolled as a part of the action. Nontraditional dice values can be used here, so if a roll table as 32 entries, a die of 1d32 can be rolled to resolve the table and produce an effect.

From there, players may use to input static text values in a list format, representing different outcomes of the roll table. Each of these values can then be assigned a range where if the die roll falls in that range, that text value is broadcasted in the Journal Panel.

If a result should only happen when the die rolls a value of 2, then the result of the effect should be 2 - 2. If the effect should produce across multiple values rolled on the dice, a range can be notes so that the effect broadcasts on a result of 2 - 4.

Multiple effects can overlap in the roll table, broadcasting all effects in the Journal Panel that match the value rolled on the dice. The table below will produce the following message in the Journal Panel when a 2 is rolled on the dice.

The Attack action can be configured when creating actions using the Fifth Edition system. This action enables players to configure all of the details required to streamline attacking enemies when playing a game using that system.

Once the Name and Description have been set, players can set the Action Type of this particular attack. They can then adjust the Ability Modifier, Proficiency Bonus, and additional Bonus that should be applied to the attack in addition to the D20 roll. The player can also designate which values on the D20 rolled are to be considered a critical hit, If the attack is considered a Ranged Attack, and if a Saving Throw is required as a result of the attack hitting (such as fighting against being poisoned from a poisoned weapon).

When all of these details are entered, players will be presented with the information needed to resolve the action in the Journal Panel. Below is an example Poison Dagger Attack action created in Alchemy.

Below is how this Poison Dagger Attack action appears when it is rolled during a game. The roll can be seen in the Journal Panel and when clicked, the additional information can be viewed in the modal that appears.