Actions
From D20advanced
The things characters can do during combat are broken down into actions, described in this section.
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The Combat Round
Each round represents about 6 seconds of time in the game world. In the real world, a round is an opportunity for each character to take an action. Anything a person could reasonably do in 6 seconds, your character can do in 1 round.
Each round begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds, in descending order, from there. Each round uses the same initiative order. When a character’s turn comes up in the initiative order, that character performs his entire round’s worth of actions.
For almost all purposes, there is no relevance to the end of a round or the beginning of a round. The term “round” works like the word “week.” A week can mean either a calendar week or a span of time from a day in one week to the same day the next week. In the same way, a round can be a segment of game time starting with the first character to act and ending with the last, but it usually means a span of time from one round to the same initiative number (initiative count) in the next round. Effects lasting a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative number where they began.
| one round = span of time from one initiative count to the same initiative count in the next round |
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Types of Actions
The three types of actions are one, free, and reaction. In a normal round, you can perform two actions. You can also perform as many free and reactions actions as your GM allows.
In some situations (such as in the surprise round) you may be limited to taking only one action.
One Action
One action allows you to do something. You can make an attack, use a skill, feat, or FX (unless it requires a two actions to perform; see below), move up to your speed, climb one-quarter of your speed, draw or stow a weapon or other object, stand up, pick up an object or perform other similar actions. During a combat round, you can take two actions total.
If you move no actual distance in a round, you can take a 5-foot “step” before, during, or after the action. For example, you can stand up (one action), take a 5-foot step, and attack (one action).
Two Actions (Full-Round Action)
Actions which require two actions require all your attention during a round. The only movement you can take during such an action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. Some full-round actions do not allow you to take a 5-foot step. You can also perform free actions (see below) as the GM allows.
Free Actions/No Actions
Free actions consume very little time and, over the span of the round, their impact is so minor they are considered to take no real time at all. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action. However, the GM puts reasonable limits on what you can do for free. A good rule of thumb is your Dexterity or Intelligence bonus +1 in free actions per round, with a minimum of one. For instance, dropping an object, dropping to a prone position, speaking a sentence or two, and ceasing to concentrate on maintaining a power are all free actions.
Reaction
A reaction is something that happens in response to something else, like a reflex. Like free actions, reactions take so little time they’re considered free. The difference between the two is a free action is a conscious choice made on the character’s turn to act. A reaction is a reflex or automatic response that can occur even when it’s not your turn to act. Characters can react even while unable to take normal actions, such as while stunned. A resistance is an example of a reaction, something you instinctively do to avoid danger. Some resistance and other traits are usable as reactions.
