  We consider lattice field theories with topological actions, which are
invariant against small deformations of the fields. Some of these actions have
infinite barriers separating different topological sectors. Topological actions
do not have the correct classical continuum limit and they cannot be treated
using perturbation theory, but they still yield the correct quantum continuum
limit. To show this, we present analytic studies of the 1-d O(2) and O(3)
model, as well as Monte Carlo simulations of the 2-d O(3) model using
topological lattice actions. Some topological actions obey and others violate a
lattice Schwarz inequality between the action and the topological charge Q.
Irrespective of this, in the 2-d O(3) model the topological susceptibility
\chi_t = \l< Q^2 >/V is logarithmically divergent in the continuum limit.
Still, at non-zero distance the correlator of the topological charge density
has a finite continuum limit which is consistent with analytic predictions. Our
study shows explicitly that some classically important features of an action
are irrelevant for reaching the correct quantum continuum limit.
