Standard Action
A standard action allows you to do something, most commonly make an attack or cast a spell. See Table: Standard Actions for other standard actions.
Melee Attacks
With a normal melee weapon, you can strike any opponent within 5 feet. (Opponents within 5 feet are considered adjacent to you.) Some melee weapons have reach, as indicated in their descriptions. With a typical reach weapon, you can strike opponents 10 feet away, but you can’t strike adjacent foes (those within 5 feet).
Standard Action Table |
|
Action | Attack of Opportunity1 |
Attack, Melee | No |
Attack, Unarmed(special) | Yes |
Attack, Ranged | Yes |
Activate magik item | No |
Aid Another | Possibly2 |
Binding Wounds, etc. | Yes |
Bull Rush | Yes |
Cast a spell, Call a Talisman | Yes |
Concentrate to maintain spell | No |
Dismiss a Spell | No |
Draw a hidden weapon | No |
Drink a potion, apply an oil | Yes |
Escape a grapple | No |
Feint | No |
Grapple | Yes |
Light Torch, Lantern, etc. | Yes |
Overrun | No |
Parry | No |
Read a Scroll | Yes |
Rebuke or Command Undead | No |
Use a Skill that takes 1 action | Yes |
Use spell-like ability | Yes |
1. Regardless of the action, if you move out of a threatened square, you usually provoke an attack of opportunity. This column indicates whether the action itself, not moving, provokes an attack of opportunity. Attacks of Opportunity detailed under Combat Maneuvers.
2. If you aid someone performing an action that would normally provoke an attack of opportunity, then the act of aiding another provokes an attack of opportunity as well. |
Unarmed Attacks
Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for the following:
Attacks of Opportunity
Attacking unarmed provokes an attack of opportunity from the character you attack, provided she is armed. The attack of opportunity comes before your attack. An unarmed attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity from other foes nor does it provoke an attack of opportunity from an unarmed foe. An unarmed character can’t take attacks of opportunity (but see “Armed” Unarmed Attacks below).
“Armed” Unarmed Attacks
Sometimes a combatant’s unarmed attack counts as an armed attack. A monk, a spell-caster delivering a touch attack spell, and a creature with natural physical weapons all count as being armed. Note that being armed counts for both offense and defense (the character can make attacks of opportunity)
Unarmed Strike Damage
An unarmed strike from a Medium character deals 1d3 points of damage (plus your Strength modifier, as normal). A Small character’s unarmed strike deals 1d2 points of damage, while a Large character’s unarmed strike deals 1d4 points of damage. All damage from unarmed strikes is non-lethal damage.
Dealing Non-Lethal Damage
You can specify that your unarmed strike will deal non-lethal damage before you make your attack roll, but you take a -4 penalty on your attack roll. Non-lethal damage is weapon damage halved minus strength bonus.
Ranged Attacks
With a ranged weapon, you can shoot or throw at any target that is within the weapon’s maximum range and in line of sight. The maximum range for a thrown weapon is five range increments. For projectile weapons, it is ten range increments. Some ranged weapons have shorter maximum ranges, as specified in their descriptions.
Attack Rolls
An attack roll represents your attempts to strike your opponent. Your attack roll is 2d20 + your attack bonus with the weapon you’re using. If the result is at least as high as the target’s AC, you hit and deal damage.
Automatic Misses and Hits
A natural 2 (the 2d20 adds to 2) on the attack roll is always a miss and an automatic Fumble. A natural 40 (the 2d20 adds to 40) is always a hit and an automatic Critical.
Damage Rolls
If the attack roll result equals or exceeds the target’s AC, the attack hits and you deal damage. Roll the appropriate damage for your weapon. Damage is deducted from the target’s current hit points.
Multiple Attacks
A character that can make more than one attack per round must use the full attack action in order to get more than one attack.
Concentration Check Table | |
Skill or Action | Adjustment |
Combat Casting | +4 |
Intelligence Adjustment | +11 |
Wisdom Adjustment | +11 |
Dexterity Adjustment | +12 |
Title Bonus | +13 |
Alertness | +1 |
Oratory | +1 |
Close-Quarter Fighting | +2 |
Initiative Won | +1 |
1. +1 per point above 14
2. +1 per point above 16 3. +1 per Title |
Shooting or Throwing into a Melee
If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a -4 penalty on your attack roll. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.)
If your target (or the part of your target you’re aiming at, if it’s a big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character, you can avoid the -4 penalty, even if the creature you’re aiming at is engaged in melee with a friendly character.
Precise Shot
If you have the Precise Shot skill you don’t take this penalty.
Critical Hits and Fumbles
A natural 2 (the 2d20 adds to 2) on the attack roll is always a miss and an automatic Fumble. A natural 40 (the 2d20 adds to 40) is always a hit and an automatic Critical. A roll of 3, 4 or 5 is a potential Fumble, while rolls of 37, 38, and 39 are potential Critical hits. The chance for either is the difference of the unadjusted to hit number and the final unadjusted to hit roll. Light and Heavy Crossbows gain a bonus when fired at point blank range. Light Crossbows gain a bonus of 1.5x and Heavy Crossbows gain a bonus of 2x percent chances.
Cast a Spell, Call a Talisman
Most spells and talismans require 1 standard action to cast. You can cast or call either before or after you take a move action. Note: You do not retain your Dexterity bonus to AC while casting.
Components
To cast a spell or call a talisman with a verbal (V) component, your character must speak in a firm voice; if you’re gagged or in the area of a silence spell, you can’t cast such a spell or talisman. A mage or savant who has been deafened has a 20% chance to spoil any spell he tries to cast if that spell has a verbal component. To cast a spell or call a talisman with a somatic (S) component, you must gesture freely with at least one hand. You can’t cast a spell of this type while bound, grappling or with both your hands full or occupied. To cast a spell with a material (M), focus (F), or divine focus (DF) component, you have to have the proper materials, as described by the spell or talisman. Unless these materials are elaborate, preparing these materials is a free action.
Concentration
You must concentrate to cast a spell or call a talisman. If you can’t concentrate you can’t cast a spell or call a talisman. If you start casting or calling but something interferes with your concentration you must make a Concentration Check or lose the spell or talisman. The check depends on what is threatening your concentration. If you fail, the spell fizzles with no effect and you lose the power points; talismans simply don’t operate but may be attempted again.
If a Concentration Check is called for then a roll is made on a d20. The base number necessary to maintain concentration is twenty (20) modified by certain skills or actions as listed on the Concentration Check Table. If the check is successful then the spell or talisman goes into effect, if they fail then the spell or talisman fails and the power points are lost and the talisman is forfeit.
Concentrating to Maintain a Spell
Some spells require continued concentration to keep them going. Concentrating to maintain a spell is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Anything that could break your concentration when casting a spell can keep you from concentrating to maintain a spell. If your concentration breaks, the spell ends unless otherwise noted in the spell.
Casting Time
Most spells have a casting time of 1 standard action. A spell cast in this manner immediately takes effect.
Attacks of Opportunity
Generally, if you cast a spell or call a talisman, you provoke attacks of opportunity from threatening enemies. If you take damage from an attack of opportunity, you must make a Concentration Check or lose the spell or talisman. Spells or Talismans that require only a free action to cast don’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
Casting on the Defensive
Casting a spell or calling a talisman while on the defensive does not provoke an attack of opportunity. It does, however, require a Concentration check to pull off. Failure means the spell or talisman fails and power points are lost.
Touch Spells in Combat
Many spells and talismans have a range of touch. To use these, you cast the spell or call the talisman and then touch the subject, either in the same round or any time later. In the same round that you cast the spell or call the talisman, you may also touch (or attempt to touch) the target. You may take your move before casting, after touching the target, or between casting and touching the target. You can automatically touch one friend or use the spell or talisman on yourself, but to touch an opponent, you must succeed on an attack roll.
Touch Attacks
Touching an opponent with a touch spell is considered to be an armed attack and therefore does not provoke attacks of opportunity. However, the act of casting a spell does provoke an attack of opportunity. Touch attacks come in two types: melee touch attacks and ranged touch attacks. Your opponent’s AC against a touch attack does not include any armour bonus, shield bonus, or natural armour bonus. His size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) all apply normally.
Holding the Charge
If you don’t discharge the spell or talisman when casting a touch attack in the round when you cast the spell or talisman, you can hold the discharge of the spell or talisman (hold the charge) indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell or talisman discharges. If you cast another spell or talisman, the spell or talisman dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. (If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack.) If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.
Move Actions Table | |
Action | Attack of Opportunity1 |
Move | Yes |
Control a frightened mount | Yes |
Direct or redirect active spell | No |
Draw a weapon2 | No |
Load a crossbow | Yes |
Open or close a door | No |
Mount a horse or dismount | No |
Move a heavy object | Yes |
Pick up an item | Yes |
Sheathe a weapon | Yes |
Stand up from prone position | Yes |
Ready or lose a shield2 | No |
Retrieve a stored item | Yes |
1. Regardless of the action, if you move out of a threatened square, you usually provoke an attack of opportunity. This column indicates whether the action itself, not moving, provokes an attack of opportunity.
2. If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can combine one of these actions with a regular move. If you the Two-Weapon Fighting skill, you can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take to draw one. |
Dismiss a Spell
Dismissing an active spell is a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
Activate Magik Item
Many magik items don’t need to be activated. However, certain magik items do need to be activated, especially potions, scrolls, some rings, wands, rods, and staffs. Activating a magik item is a standard action (unless the item description indicates otherwise).
Spell Trigger, Command Word, or Use-Activated Items
Activating any of these kinds of items does not require concentration and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Use Class Ability Table
Using a Class Ability Table is usually a standard action, but whether it is a standard action, a full-round action, or not an action at all is defined by the ability.
Spell-Like Abilities
Using a spell-like ability works like casting a spell or calling a talisman in that it requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. Spell-like abilities can be disrupted. If your concentration is broken, the attempt to use the ability fails, but the attempt counts as if you had used the ability. The casting time of a spell-like ability is 1 standard action, unless the ability description notes otherwise.
Using a Spell-Like Ability on the Defensive
You may attempt to use a spell-like ability on the defensive, just as with casting a spell. If the Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) fails, you can’t use the ability, but the attempt counts as if you had used the ability.