Combat Actions

These actions are summarised in the Combat Crib Cards. Beautifully printed and laminated, the Combat Crib Cards always grace my gaming table.

To put it simply, you have a choice between performing a full round action (an action that takes the entire round) or a standard action plus a move action. There are other actions open to you, but it basically boils down to these two choices. Here is a full list of all the action types available in a combat round:

• Standard Action
• Move Action
• Full-Round Action
• Free Action
• Swift Action
• Immediate Action
• Miscellaneous Actions

Told you it sounded complicated. Just hold on to the fact that you can either take a Standard Action + a Move Action or a Full Round Action and you won't go far wrong.

Note that in some situations, such as the Surprise Round or while magically slowed, your choice of actions may be restricted. When, or if, this comes up the GM will have the wherewithal to deal with it.

And now a closer look at actions in combat:

Standard Actions

The most common, straight-forward actions you could take in a combat round. These are actions where you do something dynamic. Normally, if you take a standard action you have time left in the round for a move action. There are various types of things you can in your standard action. Here is a list of the most common:

Attack

Making a single attack roll is a standard action. You can make this attack roll either before or after your move action. Characters with multiple attacks in a round would need to make a full-round action to use of them all.

Mêlée Attacks

You make a single attack at a foe in range with your mêlée weapon. You use your highest attack bonus. Normally foes within five feet are in range of your weapon. If you have a Reach weapon you can attack foes that are ten or fifteen feet away, but the weapon is useless at attacking anyone nearer. Certain races have natural reach due to their size. They can make a attack at any foe within the limit of their Reach.

Unarmed Attacks

You punch or kick a foe with your natural weapons. If your natural weapons usually deal nonlethal damage (such a human's fists and feet) then the foe gets to take an attack of opportunity against you before you roll to attack. Equally, you are unable to take attacks of opportunity that present themselves if you are unarmed. You can get around this limitation by taking the Improved Unarmed Strike feat.

Ranged Attacks

You can shoot or throw a single weapon up to its maximum range as a standard action. Taking this action provokes an attack of opportunity from any foe within mêlée range. See the section on Cover and Concealment for information on the consequences of firing or throwing a weapon into mêlée.

Fighting Defensively

As a standard action you can choose to make your single attack roll at -4 to hit to gain a +2 dodge bonus to your Armour Class. This reflects the fact that your character is dodging and weaving outlandishly to avoid being hit. Characters with the Combat Expertise feat gain better benefits when fighting defensively. Characters with 5 or more ranks in Tumble gain a +3 bonus to AC instead of +2 when performing this action.

Cast a Spell

It is a standard action to cast a spell that has a casting time of one standard action. Spontaneous casters who modify their spells with metamagic feats need to use the full-round action to cast such a spell. A spell cast as a standard action may be cast before or after your move action. The spellcaster retains his Dex bonus to AC when casting a spell.

Spell Components

The use of components is part of the Cast a Spell standard unless otherwise stated. The act of taking a material component out of a pouch and using is therefore considered a free action (see below). Obviously, you must be able to speak to cast spells with verbal components, have any necessary material components or foci to hand and be able to freely gesture to cast spells with Somatic components. Note the rules for armour and spell failure have changed.

Concentration

You must be able to concentrate to cast a spell. If someone threatens you when you try to cast a spell then they will get an attack of opportunity against you. You can avoid this by making a roll to cast on the defensive (a Concentration check at DC 15). The feat Combat Casting adds +4 to rolls made to cast spells on the defensive.

Concentrating to Maintain a Spell

Some spells require the caster to maintain their concentration in order to keep it running. Maintaining concentration is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. But, if you are hurt or distracted you will need to make a concentration check or lose the spell.

Disrupting Spells

A spellcaster who takes damage from either an attack of opportunity or a readied action during the casting of a spell must a Concentration roll at DC 10 + damage dealt + spell level or lose the spell. This roll is in addition to any roll to cast spells on the defensive. Note that the attack must fall while the spell is being cast - that means the exact Initiative for a spell with a casting time of one standard action, or at any point during the round for a spell with a full-round casting time. A spellcaster struck while concentrating to maintain a spell must also make the same check.

Touch Spells in Combat

As long as the casting time of the touch spell is one standard action, you may cast the spell and attempt to touch the target as a standard action. You may take a move action inbetween the casting and the touching, so you could cast chill touch out of combat, move thirty feet into combat and try to touch a foe with it (make an attack roll). Touch attacks are regular attacks and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Once cast the charge of a touch spell remains in your hand indefinitely until you touch something. You can touch up to six willing allied with a touch spell in one round (assuming the spell allows it). However, this does provoke an attack of opportunity from foes who threaten you.

Dismiss a Spell

Dismissing an active spell is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Not all spells can be dismissed. Those that can have a (D) in their description in the PHB.

Activate Magic Item

A large number of magic items do not need to be activated. A belt of strength works the moment you put it on and continues to work without you thinking about it. Some magical items are different, as detailed below:

Spell Completion Items

Activating these items (such as scroll) is exactly the same as casting a spell, and therefore requires concentration and provokes an attack of opportunity. Casting on the defensive can be applied to such items.

Spell-Trigger, Command Word or Use Activated Items

Activating these items does not require concentration or provoke an attack of opportunity. It still counts as a standard action.

Use Special Ability

Most special abilities are standard actions. Some, however, are full round actions or perhaps not even actions at all. Here are some of the most common:

Spell-like Abilities

These are standard actions that (surprise-surprise!) function like spells! They require concentration, provoke attacks of opportunity and can be cast on the defensive. Treat spell-like abilities exactly like the Cast a Spell action.

Supernatural Abilities

Normally a standard action, these abilities do not provoke attacks of opportunity, require no concentration and cannot be disrupted.

Extraordinary Abilties

Normally these are reactive abilities that happen in response to something else, and therefore do not provoke attacks of opportunity. They cannot be disrupted and do not require concentration.

Combat Manoeuvres

Imagine all the things a character could do in combat. You could charge your opponent, dive between their legs and stab them in the groin, climb up a wall and drop on your foe's head….. the options are limited only by the imagination of the player. The D&D game lays down rules for the most common combat manoeuvres, the specifics of which can be found in their own section on this site.

The following combat manoeuvres are considered standard actions. Some combat manoeuvres are full round actions and are listed below. Some combat manoeuvres may be both standard or full-round actions depending on the circumstances.

• Aid Another
• Bull Rush
• Disarm
• Feint
• Grapple
• Over-run

Total Defence

As a standard action you can attempt to do everything in your power to avoid being hit. You get a +4 dodge bonus to your armour class that counts from the start of your action until your action the following round. You cannot combine total defence with any form of attack so its bonus cannot stack with that gained from Fighting Defensively or the Combat Expertise feat. Characters with 5 or more ranks in Tumble get +6 instead of +4 to their AC when performing this action.

Start/Complete Full Round Action

If circumstances are such that you are prohibited from taking full round actions you can begin a full-round action as a standard action in one round, and finish it as your standard action in the following round. Some full-round actions such as a full attack, charge or withdraw cannot be performed over two rounds.

Move Actions

These are actions that allow you to move your speed or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. You can exchange your standard action for a second move action in a combat round (although you cannot exchange your move action for a second standard action). Note that you can always move five feet in a round as a free action if you don't otherwise move. So if you spend your move action(s) doing something that doesn't get you anywhere, you can still take a five foot step. Here are the most common move actions:

Move

You move your speed in feet, by any movement type listed on your character sheet. Most PCs will only be able to walk. Such characters may swim or climb a distance in feet equal to a quarter of their speed as a move action. You can accelerate your climbing and climb half your speed in feet by taking a -5 penalty to the climb roll. If you are crawling on your hands and knees, you can only move five feet as a move action. If you select this action, you may not take the free five foot step.

Draw or Sheathe a Weapon

Drawing your weapon or something like a weapon (a scroll, a wand) is a move action. Drawing ammunition for your weapon (such as nocking an arrow in your bow) is a free action. If you have the Quickdraw feet you may draw or sheathe a weapon as a free action.

Ready or Loose a Shield

Strapping or unstrapping a shield to your arm so you get a shield bonus to your Armour Class is a move action. Dropping a shield you are not wearing is a free action.

Manipulate an Item

Picking up an item from the ground, taking something out of your pack, opening a door, moving a heavy object….. all these activities are considered move actions.

Direct or Redirect a Spell

Some spells, such as flaming sphere or spiritual weapon allow you to redirect the effect to new targets. This counts as a move action. It does not require concentration or provoke an attack of opportunity.

Stand Up

Standing up from a prone position requires a move action and provokes attacks of opportunity. If you have the Prone Attack feat you can get up from prone as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Mount/Dismount a Steed

Mounting or dismounting from a steed requires a move action.

Fast Mount or Dismount: You can mount or dismount as a free action with a DC 20 Ride check (your armor check penalty, if any, applies to this check). If you fail the check, mounting or dismounting is a move action instead. (You can't attempt a fast mount or fast dismount unless you can perform the mount or dismount as a move action in the current round.)

Full-Round Actions

This action consumes all your attention for the round. Examples include making multiple attacks with your weapon, or casting a spell with casting time of one round. You cannot couple a full-round action with a standard or a move action. If the full-round action does not involve you travelling any distance, you may take a free five foot step.

Full Attack

If you get more than one attack per round because your base attack bonus is high enough, because you fight with two weapons or a double weapon or for some special reason you must use a full-round action to get your additional attacks. You do not need to specify the targets of your attacks ahead of time. You can see how the earlier attacks turn out before assigning the later ones.

The only movement you can take during a full attack is a single 5-foot step. You may take the step before, after, or between your attacks. If you get multiple attacks because your base attack bonus is high enough, you must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to lowest. If you are using two weapons, you can strike with either weapon first. If you are using a double weapon, you can strike with either part of the weapon first.

Once you make your first attack you can decide if you want to continue with your full round attack, or whether you want to count the attack as a standard action and have a move action instead.

Fighting Defensively as a Full-Round Action: You can choose to fight defensively when taking a full attack action. If you do so, you take a -4 penalty on all attacks in a round to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC for the same round (or +3 bonus if you have 5 or more ranks in Tumble).

A Note on Cleave: If you drop your opponent you may still get one (or more) extra attacks with the Cleave or Great Cleave feats even if you attacking as a standard action. This is an exception to the normal limit to the number of attacks you can take when not using a full attack action.

Cast a Spell

Any spell that takes one round to cast is a full-round action. The spell comes into effect just before the beginning of your turn in the following round. You can act normally in the following round. If the spell takes a minute to cast, it will come into effect just before your turn one minute later (and for each of those 10 rounds, you are casting a spell as a full-round action). These actions must be consecutive and uninterrupted, or the spell automatically fails.

When you begin a spell that takes 1 round or longer to cast, you must continue the invocations, gestures, and concentration from one round to just before your turn in the next round (at least). If you lose concentration after starting the spell and before it is complete, you lose the spell.

You only provoke attacks of opportunity when you begin casting a spell, even though you might continue casting for at least one full round. However, anyone who attacks and damages you during the casting time will require you to make a Concentration roll at DC 10 + damage dealt + spell level or lose the spell.

In all other respects the this action is identical to casting a spell as a standard action.

Casting a Metamagic Spell: As noted spontaneous casters must cast metamagically-enhanced spells as a full-round action. This isn't the same as casting a spell with a casting of one round however. The spell still takes one action to cast, and goes off the same round you cast it. It simply takes your entire actions for the round.

Use Special Ability/Special Attack

Using a special ability is usually a standard action, but some may be full-round actions, as defined by the ability. The following special abilities are full-round actions:

Charge: As a full-round action you can move between 10 feet and twice your speed in feet in a straight line toward your foe and make a single mêlée attack at your highest attack bonus. You gain +2 to hit with this attack, but suffer a -2 penalty to AC. Charging does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Certain weapons, such as lances, deal double damage if used from a charging mount. Other weapons, such as spears, inflict double damage on charging characters if they are set to receive the charge.

Charging characters may attempt to Bull Rush an opponent (see Standard actions) instead of attack. In this case they gain +2 to their opposed Strength roll, and must follow all the rules for a Bull Rush.

If you can only take Standard or Move actions in a round you may still charge, but you may only more your speed in feet. Note that taking a charge as a standard or move action is only an option if you an unable to perform it as a full round action. Taking the charge action prohibits you from taking the free five foot step.

Many feats exist that can improve or augment your skill at charging opponents including Hurling Charge, Powerful Charge, Improved Powerful Charge, Reckless Charge, Shield Charge, Spirited Charge and Tremendous Charge. The feat Fleet of Foot allows you to make one turn of up to 90° while charging.

Disarm: This may be part of a full-round attack. See details in the Standard Action section above.

Grapple: You may make a grapple attempt for every mêlée attack you have, so it is possible to take the Grapple action as a full-round action. See the description of Grapple under standard actions above.

Withdraw

Withdrawing from mêlée combat is a full-round action. This action doesn't imply that you run away from combat. Instead you safely disengage yourself from mêlée combat and move away at up to twice your speed in feet. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity from enemies who threaten you that you can see (so if you were fighting an invisible opponent he would get an attack of opportunity). Your opponent can chase you and attack, but they would have to make a charge attack to do so.

You cannot take the bonus five foot step in the same round your withdraw. If you pass through any areas threatened by your foes then you could suffer attacks of opportunity from them. You may not withdraw using a form of movement for which you don't have a listed speed.

Restricted Withdraw: If you are limited to taking only a standard action each round you can withdraw as a standard action. In this case, you may move up to your speed (rather than up to double your speed).

Run

You can run as a full-round action. Running characters move at four times their speed in feet, or five times their speed if they have the Run feat. Heavy armour will slow a character's running speed. While running you must move in a straight line and you lose any positive Dex modifiers to your AC unless you have the Run feat.

You can run for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution score, but after that you must make a DC 10 Constitution check to continue running. You must check again each round in which you continue to run, and the DC of this check increases by 1 for each check you have made. When you fail this check, you must stop running. A character who has run to his limit must rest for 1 minute (10 rounds) before running again. During a rest period, a character can move no faster than a normal move action.

You cannot run across difficult terrain or if you can't see where you're going.

Difficult Terrain

Sometimes the terrain might be so bad that you cannot move your speed or even five feet. Movement made be cut in half, or further limited if the terrain is very steep, tremendously overgrown or boggy.

Free Actions

Free actions don't take any time at all. There are no game rules to limit the number of free actions you can perform in a turn beyond the GM's common sense. Free actions rarely incur attacks of opportunity. Some common free actions are described below:

Drop an Item

Dropping an item at your feet, or anywhere within five feet of you, is considered a free action.

Drop Prone

Dropping flat to the ground is a free action.

Speak

Speaking is a free action, and in general your character can talk in combat even if it isn't your turn. Speaking must be normally kept to a few sentences, but a little conversation can heighten otherwise dull combat as you shout a warning to your companions, and engage the villain in some snappy banter. It is also put to good use by villains who wish to sneer at heroes. "You are a fool to challenge me! I am undefeatable!" Cue maniacal laughter.

Cease Concentration on Spell

You can stop concentrating on an active spell as a free action. Note this is not the same as actively dismissing a spell, which is a standard action.

Swift Actions

First introduced in the Miniature's Handbook a Swift action is basically a free action in all respects except that you can only perform one Swift action in a round. Swift actions normally only apply to the casting of certain magic:

Cast a Quickened Spell

Casters who prepare their spells in advance cast quickened spells as swift actions. This means that they can perform a move action and a standard action (which may be the casting of a second spell) in the same round. Spontaneous casters gain no benefit from quickening spells unless they prepare them in advance (using the Arcane Preparation feat). Casting a quickened spell is does not provoke an attack of opportunity even if you are not casting on the defensive.

Cast a Special Spell

Some spells, such as Feather Fall, act as if they were a quickened spell and can therefore be cast as a swift action. Such spells do not provoke an attack of opportunity. Spontaneous spellcasters (such as sorcerers) can still cast Feather Fall and have a standard and a move action left for the round.

Cast a Swift Spell

Swift spells were also first introduced in the Miniature's Handbook. These are new versions of existing spells whose casting time has been reduced to a swift action, and whose duration has been reduced to one round. This enables a spellcaster to cast the spell as a swift action, but gain the benefits only briefly. Like quickened spells, the caster of a swift spell can also perform a standard and a move action in the same round, so it is possible to cast a second spell. Unlike quickened spells, Swift spells may be cast by spontaneous spell casters without extending the casting time. Therefore a sorcerer could cast a swift spell and another spell in the same round. Swift spells do not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Immediate Actions

First introduced in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, Immediate Actions are exactly the same as Swift actions with one exception. You can perform an Immediate Action at any point in a round, you do not have to wait until it is your turn.

You may perform only one Immediate Action in a round. In a round you use an Immediate Action, you may not take a Swift or Quickened action. You cannot use an Immediate Action if flat-footed.

Immediate Actions usually apply to certain spells, or in very special circumstances that the GM will have information about. Your character will not normally be able to take an Immediate Action as a matter of course.

Miscellaneous Actions

As always, some actions do not fall into any category - or perhaps they fall into more than one category. Here are the highlights of the actions we have missed:

Not an Action

Some things you do are not considered to be actions at all - not even free actions. These are actions that are considered an inherent part of doing something else. For example, using the Use Magic Device while trying to activate a a device is not an action, it is part of the standard action used to activate a magical item.

Take 5' Foot Step

Okay, let's belabour the point with this. If you don't perform any other kind of movement in a round you may take a free five foot step. You can still take move actions and be eligible for this step, but the move action cannot actually move you anywhere. Is that clear?

If you are permitted this step you can take it before, after or during your other actions. This step never provokes an attack of opportunity, because it is considered part of whatever standard action you were doing.

If difficult terrain (GM's call) hampers your movement you do not get this free step. You cannot take the step using any movement for which you do not have a listed speed.

Use Feat

Certain feats let you take special actions in combat. Other feats do not require actions themselves, but they give you a bonus when attempting something you can already do. Some feats are not meant to be used within the framework of combat. The individual feat descriptions tell you what you need to know about them.

Use Skill

Most skill uses are standard actions, but some might be move actions, full-round actions, free actions, or something else entirely. The individual skill descriptions tell you what sorts of actions are required to perform skills.