Its all about Actions
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Full-Round Actions
In the first post, a full-round action uses up all your time in a round. You can’t combine a full-round action with a standard or a move action, though if your full-round action does not involve moving any distance, you can take a 5-foot step.
Remember that you complete a full-round action during your turn. You do not have to wait until the next round to complete the action (unless you use two standard actions to start the action during one turn and finish it the next; see Part Three).
Full Attack: This works just like the attack standard action except that you can make any extra attacks you have available because of your base attack bonus or equipment. 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.
You decide between the full attack and attack actions after you make your first attack. If you decide to use a move action after attacking, then your first attack is considered the attack standard action. Even if you choose the full attack action, you can take a 5-foot step before, after, or during the action. You can interrupt your attacks with a 5-foot step to bring new opponents within reach.
Cast a Spell: Spells with 1 round casting times break the rule about completing full-round actions during your turn. You use a full-round action to cast the spell, but the spell comes into effect just before the beginning of your turn in the round after you began casting the spell.
When a spell takes longer than 1 round to cast, you use a full-round action each turn for the entire casting time, and the spell takes effect just before your turn the round after you finish. For example, a spell with a 1-minute casting time comes into effect just before your turn 1 minute later. Your full-round actions must be consecutive and uninterrupted, or the spell automatically fails. You can, however, take a 5-foot step each round you spend casting.
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. Any material or XP components the spell requires are used up when you begin the spell.
You provoke attacks of opportunity only when you begin casting a spell, even though you might continue casting for at least 1 full round. While casting a spell, you don’t threaten any squares around you.
From PH pg 188: “Spontaneous Casting and Metamagic Feats: A cleric spontaneously casting a cure or inflict spell can cast a metamagic version of it instead. For instance, an 11th-level cleric can swap out a prepared 6th-level spell to cast an empowered cure critical wounds spell. Extra time is also required in this case. Casting a 1-action metamagic spell spontaneously is a full-round action, and a spell with a longer casting time takes an extra full-round action to cast.”
Spontaneous spellcasters, such as sorcerers and bards, must use at least a full-round action to cast spells modified with metamagic feats. If such a spell has a casting time of less than 1 round, the character uses one full-round action to cast the spell, and the spell takes effect on the character’s turn (see page 88 in the Player’s Handbook). If the spell has a casting time of 1 round or longer, the spellcaster must use an extra full-round action to complete the spell.
Use Special Ability: As noted in Part Three, using a special ability is usually a standard action, but some may be full-round actions, as defined in the ability description.
Withdraw: When you withdraw, you can move up to double your speed. The space you start out in is not considered threatened by any opponent you can see, and therefore visible enemies do not get attacks of opportunity against you when you move from that space. (Enemies you cannot see still get attacks of opportunity against you, and you can’t withdraw from combat if you’re blinded.)
The withdraw action doesn’t exempt you from attacks of opportunity when you leave spaces other than the first one you exit during the withdraw action. Because you move when you withdraw, you cannot take a 5-foot step during the same turn.
If you’re limited to a standard action during your turn, you can withdraw as a standard action.
Run: When you run, you can move up to four times your speed in a straight line (or three times your speed if you’re in heavy armor). You lose any Dexterity bonus to AC unless you have the Run feat. You can run for only a limited time; see page 144 in the Player’s Handbook. You can’t run if the terrain slows your movement or if you can’t see where you’re going.
Move 5 Feet Through Difficult Terrain: In some situations, your movement may be so hampered that you don’t have sufficient speed even to move 5 feet (a single square). In such a case, you may spend a full-round action to move 5 feet (1 square) in any direction, even diagonally. Even though this looks like a 5-foot step, it’s not (you can’t take a 5-foot step if your movement is hampered), and thus it provokes attacks of opportunity normally.
Special Actions
Most special actions are standard actions or nonactions.
Aid Another: As a standard action, you can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. The opponent must be within melee reach. You make an attack roll against Armor Class 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next melee attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to Armor Class against that opponent’s next melee attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and the bonuses stack.
From PH pg 154: “Aid Another: In melee combat, you can help a friend attack or defend by distracting or interfering with an opponent. If you’re in position to make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat, you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll against AC 10. If you succeed, your friend gains either a +2 bonus on his next attack roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to AC against that opponent’s next attack (your choice), as long as that attack comes before the beginning of your next turn. Multiple characters can aid the same friend, and similar bonuses stack.”
You also can use this action to assist with a skill check, as noted on page 154 of the Player’s Handbook.
Bull Rush: You perform a bull rush as a standard action (the attack action) or as part of a charge. You must move into your foe’s space to initiate a bull rush. If you’re charging, moving into the foe’s space is part of your charge movement (this is an exception to the general rule against charging through occupied spaces). If you’re bull rushing with the attack action, you must move into the foe’s space using a move action or a 5-foot step. See page 154 of the Player’s Handbook for more information on bull rushing.
Charge: The charge action lets you move up to twice your speed in a straight line and make a single melee attack. If you’re limited to standard actions during your turn, you can charge as a standard action, moving up to your speed. Because you move when you charge, you cannot take a 5-foot step during the same turn. See page 154 of the Player’s Handbook for more information on charging.
Disarm: You can attempt to disarm someone as a melee attack. You usually use the attack or full attack action for a disarm, but you also can disarm as an attack of opportunity.
You can knock something out of a creature’s hands with the disarm action, or you can use a free hand to snatch away something. In the latter case, you wind up with the target item in your hand if the disarm succeeds. See page 155 of the Player’s Handbook for more information on disarming.
Feint: Feinting is a standard action you use in melee combat. It does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
The rules don’t say so, but you may want to assume that your foe does not notice a successful feint attempt. If a player character is subjected to feint attempt, the DM should make the required opposed check (see page 155 in the Player’s Handbook) secretly. To take advantage of a successful feint, you must make a melee attack against your foe on or before your next turn. If you cannot make the attack in time, the feint is wasted.
The Improved Feint feat allows you to feint as a move action.
Grapple: You grapple using the attack or full-attack action. Grappling requires several steps; see Page 155 in the Player’s Handbook and Rules of the Game: All About Grappling.
Initially in a grapple, you grab your foe as an attack action; all the opposed grapple checks you make after that to resolve the grapple attempt are nonactions for you and for your opponent. Because you grapple as a melee attack, you can initiate a grapple as an attack of opportunity.
If you begin your turn with a foe in your grasp (or vice versa), your initial grapple check to affect your foe (or escape) is an attack action and the check your foe makes to resist you is a nonaction.
Overrun: You attempt an overrun as a standard action that you take concurrently with a move action. This means that you can move up to your speed when overrunning. (As noted in the errata for the Player’s Handbook, you cannot overrun as part of a charge.) See page 157 in the Player’s Handbook for more information on overruns.
Sunder: You can attempt to sunder an object as a melee attack. You usually use the attack or full attack action for a sunder, but you also can sunder as an attack of opportunity.
Throw Splash Weapon: You throw a splash weapon as a ranged attack. It takes a move action to draw a splash weapon (though if it is stored in easy reach, you can draw it as a nonaction as part of a move or as a free action with the Quick Draw feat). You use the attack or full attack action to throw a splash weapon. If your splash weapon requires any special preparations, such as lighting a wick, you need a full-round action to prepare the weapon. The splash weapon descriptions in Chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook (acid, alchemist’s fire, and holy water) make no mention of preparation and I recommend that DMs simply allow characters to draw and throw these weapons. Save the prepare splash weapon action for improvised splash weapons such as flasks of lamp oil.
Trip: You can attempt to trip someone as a melee attack. You usually use the attack or full attack action for a trip, but you also can trip as an attack of opportunity.
Tripping usually is an unarmed attack, but you can use some weapons to make trip attacks as well. Refer to the weapon’s description to determine if it’s useful for tripping.
From PH pg 160: “Initiative Consequences of Readying: Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the readied action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your readied action, you don’t get to take the readied action (though you can ready the same action again). If you take your readied action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that round.”
Turn or Rebuke Undead: You turn or rebuke as a standard action that doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity, which is the norm for a supernatural ability. The rules don’t say so, but it may help to treat a turn or rebuke as a supernatural effect that fills a burst (60 feet in the case of a cleric or paladin, though be aware that it has a maximum number of targets it can affect, and the effect cannot exceed a designated HD cap). See page 159 in the Player’s Handbook for details on turning and rebuking.
Two-Weapon Fighting: As noted in Part Three, you must use the full attack action to attack with multiple weapons.
Ready: You can use a standard action to prepare another action later in the round. Readying does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
From PH pg 160: “Distracting Spellcasters: You can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger “if she starts casting a spell.” If you damage the spellcaster, she may lose the spell she was trying to cast (as determined by her Concentration check result). Readying a Weapon against a Charge: You can ready certain piercing weapons, setting them to receive charges (see Table 7-5: Weapons, page 116). A readied weapon of this type deals double damage if you score a hit with it against a charging character.”
You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action; regardless of the readied action, it always costs you a standard action to ready it. When you ready, you must specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. It pays to be as general as possible when specifying conditions. For example, it’s far better to prepare to shoot the first creature that comes around a corner than the first orc that comes around the corner (unless you really are interested in shooting only orcs, or if you’re concerned that an ally may come around the corner). When in doubt, ask your DM how specific you must be.
If you do not take your readied action by the time your next turn comes, your opportunity to act is lost, but you can ready your action (or another action) again. When you take a readied action, your initiative number changes, as noted on page 160 of the Player’s Handbook. When you take your readied action, you usually resolve your action before resolving whatever triggered the readied action. For example, if you readied to shoot a creature coming around a corner, you take the shot before your foe completes his movement. You can use a readied action to disrupt an enemy’s spell or deal extra damage to a charging enemy, as noted in the Player’s Handbook.
From PH pg 160: “Initiative Consequences of Delaying: Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the delayed action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed an action, you don’t get to take a delayed action (though you can delay again). If you take a delayed action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that round.”
Delay: Delay is a nonaction you use to put off your turn until a point in the initiative order that’s more favorable to you. You act normally (that is you can choose from the menu of actions noted in Part One) when you finally decide to act. When you finally take your delayed action, your initiative number changes, as noted on page 160 of the Player’s Handbook. If you delay until another creature’s turn, you can choose to act either before or after that creature acts, but of you choose to act before the creature, you must do so before you know what that creature will do.
Readying vs. Delaying: Readying gives you fewer options than delaying, but readying also allows you to interrupt a foe’s action, as noted above.
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Action Shenanigans that can be played to optimize yourself in combat.
Mount (Extra Move Action) PHB
Celerity, Greater (Obvious) Spell Compendium
Greater Arcane Fusion (Again) Complete Arcane
Arcane Spellsurge Dragon Magic
Spellblade Tennis Magic of Faerun
Belt of Battle Magic Item Compendium
Leadership (Extra Character) DMG
Familiar (UMD+Share Spell) PHB
Animal Companion PHB
Timestop PHB
Synchronicity Expanded Psionics Handbook
Schism Expanded Psionics Handbook
Twin Spell Complete Arcane
Repeat Spell Complete Arcane
Quicken Spell Complete Arcane
Sanctum + Arcane Fusion Tome and Blood
Simbul’s Spell Trigger Player’s Guide to Faerun
Contingency Player’s Handbook
Chain Contingency Tome and Blood
Spell Matrix, Greater Spell Compendium
Simbul’s Spell Sequencer Magic of Faerun
Craft Contingent Spell Unapproachable EastBattlemagic Perception [Heroes of Battle] is a free action counterspell.
Linked Power [CPsi] and Twin Power [CPsi] are all obvious means of breaking the action economy.
Symbiont (For share spells) Ebberon Campaign Setting and Magic of Ebberon -
[Source: Mercenaries; AEG]
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H halfgiant referenced this topic on
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SYNCHRONICITY
Clairsentience
Level: Psion/wilder 1
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Power Points: 1
You gain a brief glimpse into the future that allows you to arrange a coincidence of events.When you manifest this power, you can ready a standard action (without spending an action to do so) and use it whenever you choose during the next round. Unlike the normal use of readied actions, you need not specify the condition under which you will take your readied action. If you do not perform your readied action before your next turn, you lose that action.
Augment: If you spend 2 additional power points, you do not need to specify the standard action you are readying. In effect, you can take your normal move action and then take any standard action at some later point in the round, depending on how events unfold.
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Linked Power
( Complete Psionic, p. 62)[Metapsionic]
You can link a power to the power you manifest in this round so that it goes off next round.
Prerequisite
Benefit
To use this feat, you must expend your psionic focus.
Manifesting a power altered by this feat means that you must choose two powers–one you intend to manifest in this round, and one you intend to manifest in the next round. The power that is manifested in this round is not altered in any way, nor is the linked power that goes off in the next round–however, you do not need to spend any of your actions or power points next round to manifest the linked power.
The linked power is automatically targeted on the same area or target as the power you manifest in this round (if the power you manifest this round has no area or target, choose an area or target in this round for the linked power to affect in the next round). If the same creature is targeted by both powers, the target experiences all the effects of both powers individually and receives a saving throw (if applicable) for each.
In some cases, such as a psionic charm followed by a linked psionic charm, failing both saving throws results in redundant effects (although, in this example, any ally of the target would have to succeed on two dispel attempts to free the target from the charm effect). It is possible that by the time the linked power comes into effect on the following round, the area where it goes off or the target that it affects no longer has relevance.
On the other hand, you are free on the subsequent round to take actions normally. Using this feat increases the power point cost of the power manifested this round by a number equal to the power point cost of the linked power.
Thus if you manifest energy stun (3 power points) and energy burst (5 power points) as the linked power, the metapsionic cost is 8. The total of power points you spend in this manner cannot exceed your manifester level. -
Schism
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Telepath 4
Display: Auditory and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Power Points: 7
Your mind splits into two independent parts. Each part functions in complete autonomy, like two characters in one body. Your new “second mind” does not control your body physically but is free to take one standard action in each round if the action is purely mental (such as manifesting a power) in the same round you take your normal actions.Your second mind can manifest powers using your power point reserve, but only as if your manifester level were six lower than it is. Your second mind doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity when manifesting a power, because doing so doesn’t distract your primary mind.
Your second mind takes its first action on your turn in the round after schism is manifested.
Both your minds communicate with each other telepathically. If you are subject to a compulsion or charm effect while you are of two minds, make a second saving throw if you fail the first. If you fail both, then the schism ends and you are affected normally by the power. If you fail just one, the schism ends immediately, but you are not subject to the compulsion or charm.
Your second mind does not gain any advantages if you are subject to a haste effect, although you gain the overall standard benefits.
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ANTICIPATORY STRIKE
Psychoportation
Level: Psion/wilder 2
Display: Auditory
Manifesting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Power Points: 3
You take your normal action for the round at the time that you manifest this power, rather than waiting for your turn to come up in the initiative sequence. In subsequent rounds, your place in the initiative order does not change—you anticipate your action for this round only.You can take a standard action and a move action, or a full- round action, just as you could if you were taking your action at your normal place in initiative order. You can’t activate this power if you’re flat-footed, and you can’t use the power a second time until after your next turn has passed.
For example, if you normally act on initiative count 15, you could use this power to take your turn again on initiative count 12, but this means that you wouldn’t be able to act on the next round’s initiative count 15 (since you’ve already used that turn’s actions), and you wouldn’t be able to use the power again until after your next turn (that is, after the next round’s initiative count 15).
Augment: If you spend 2 additional power points, your place in the initiative order changes, much as if you had delayed (but you may move earlier in the initiative order rather than later).
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Repeat Spell [Metamagic]
Prerequisite
Any other metamagic feat.Benefit
A repeated spell is automatically cast again at the beginning of your next round of actions. No matter where you are, the secondary spell originates from the same location and affects the same area as the primary spell. If the repeated spell designates a target, the secondary spell retargets the same target if the target is within 30 feet of its original position; otherwise the secondary spell fails to go off. A repeated spell uses up a spell slot three levels higher than the spell’s actual level. Repeat Spell cannot be used on spells with a range of touch. -
Belt of Battle
Category: other
Description:
Price (Item Level): 12,000 gp (13th)
Body Slot: Waist
Aura: Moderate; (DC 19) transmutation
Activation: — and swift (mental)
Weight: —This leather belt bears a platinum buckle set with three small black pearls.
A belt of battle helps you avoid being caught off guard in combat and allows occasional bursts of extra activity. While worn, it grants you a +2 competence bonus on initiative checks. This is a continuous effect and requires no activation.In addition, a belt of battle has 3 charges, which are renewed each day at dawn.
Each time you activate the belt, one of the black pearls set into its buckle turns white. The pearls return to normal when the ring’s charges renew. Spending 1 or more charges grants you an extra action, which must be taken immediately (before you take any other action).1 charge: 1 move action.
2 charges: 1 standard action.
3 charges: 1 full-round action. -
Arcane Fusion, Greater
(Complete Mage, p. 96)Universal
Level: Sorcerer 8,
Components: V, S, see text
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: InstantaneousYou weave two powerful spells together in your mind and release them in a single intertwined display of magical prowess.
This spell works like arcane fusion, except that you choose any 4th-level or lower sorcerer spell that you know and any 7th-level or lower sorcerer spell that you know to cast together.
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Celerity Greater
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 8
Components:v
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: personal
Target: you
Duration: Instantaneous
Source: Player’s Handbook IIThis spell works like Celerity, except upon casting this spell you can immediately take a full-round action (or a standard action plus a move action, or two move actions). After performing this action, you are dazed until the end of your next turn.
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Multispell [Epic]
Prerequisites
Quicken Spell, ability to cast 9th-level arcane or divine spells.Benefit
The character may cast one additional quickened spell in a round.Special
A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack. -
Eyes of the Oracle
(Dragon Magic)Divination
Level: Cleric 6, Sorcerer 6, Wizard 6, Wu Jen 6 (all),
Components: V, S, M,
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level or until expendedVague, translucent shadows of your body’s form move just out of sync with your own motions, a visible sign that you exist in two places in time.
You can see into the future, slightly anticipating your opponents’ next moves.
You gain a +2 insight bonus to Armor Class and a +2 insight bonus on Reflex saves.
Additionally, at the end of your turn, you can ready a single standard action regardless of the number of actions taken this turn.Thus, you can move at your movement rate, make a single attack, and then at the end of your turn ready an action to cast a single spell with a casting time of one standard action.
This behaves as a readied action in all other ways, including the change in your initiative.
If you take the readied action, the spell’s effect ends immediately.
Special: If you are of the dragonblood subtype (see page 4), your bonus to Armor Class and on Reflex saves improves to +3.