Action Points

Action Points are one of the central game mechanics in Help Will Come Tomorrow. Properly choosing what do do with a character's action points, as well as making sure character's needs are met so that have the maximum the following day, are part of the games most important mechanics related to survival and victory.

Every character has 3 action points by default. These action points are used when performing tasks like construction in camp, taking actions at stations (filtering water, building tools, clothes, making food or medicine, harvesting at the palisade etc). Action points are also used in expeditions. 1 point is drained from each character up creating an expedition, and additional action points may be drained based on the number of tiles traversed. Characters on expeditions with drained action run a very high risk of getting stranded.

A character's remaining action points are clearly visible of the left side of the screen. Action points are also displayed on the character sheet

After a character has depleted their action points, the only way to refill them is by ending the day, or consuming a Power Tincture. The Shelter may help turn unused action points into fatigue reduction.

As mentioned before, bad statuses can reduce the amount of action points the character has the following day. This will vary depending on game difficulty. Ensuring a character is properly fed, rested, sheltered, hydrated, and relieved of injuries etc will ensure they have the maximum action points every day, and prevent their health bars from declining. For more details read up about morale and morale checks.

Of special note for using character points effectively is combining a pair of characters while working on construction projects in the camp. A character working independently will use 3 action points on construction, whereas a pair of characters working together only use 1 action point each, thereby saving an action point from the total that would have been consumed.

Certain character traits can prevent a character from using action points during certain tasks, thereby great extending the number of actions that a character can perform. For example, a character with the medic trait can have a chance not to lose action points when performing a care action on another survivor, creating antidotes, power tinctures, and several other actions at the Quarantine Point. (not counting gather strength). A character with the cook trait has a chance not to lose action points while cooking etc. The chance not to use an action point in these circumstances is based on a RNG.

Having a shovel creates a chance not to use up action points while performing unsnow on a station.