Actions in Combat
The specific actions you can perform in combat are detailed in this section. For quick reference, specific combat actions are organized by their type in the Actions in Combat sidebar.
| Actions In Combat | |
|---|---|
| Standard Action Activate an item Attack (melee or ranged) Cast a spell Combat maneuver Concentrate to maintain a spell Covering fire Dismiss a spell Feint Fight defensively Harrying fire Total defense Use a special ability Move Action Crawl Direct or redirect an effect Draw or sheathe a weapon Guarded step Manipulate an item Move your speed Reload Stand up |
Swift Action Change grips Drop prone Full Action Charge Coup de grace Fight defensively Full attack Run Withdraw Reaction Attack of opportunity Other Actions Combat banter Delay Drop an item Ready an action Use a skill |
Source
Core Rulebook pg. 240
An action’s type essentially tells you how long the action takes to perform within the framework of a 6-second combat round. There are five types of actions: standard actions, move actions, swift actions, full actions, and reactions. In a normal round, you can perform one standard action, one move action, and one swift action, or you can instead perform one full action. Most characters will rarely perform swift actions, though occasionally using a special ability or class feature is a swift action. You can use your standard action to perform either a move action or a swift action, if you wish, and you can also use your move action to perform a swift action. You can also take one reaction each round, even if it isn’t your turn; however, reactions happen only in response to certain defined triggers. There are some other actions that do not fall into the normal action types. Source Core Rulebook pg. 244 |
A standard action is usually the main action you take each round, other than movement. Below are examples of standard actions. Source Core Rulebook pg. 244 |
Most move actions don’t require a check unless the circumstances are more difficult than normal. For instance, opening a door normally doesn’t require a check, but it does if the door is locked. The following actions are move actions. Source Core Rulebook pg. 247 |
You won’t commonly use a swift action, but occasionally you need to perform an action that is significantly less demanding than a move action. Some skills use swift actions, but special abilities are almost never swift actions. Source Core Rulebook pg. 247 |
A full action requires your entire turn to complete. If you take a full action, you can’t take your usual standard, move, and swift actions. The following actions are full actions. Source Core Rulebook pg. 248 |
A reaction is a special action you can take even if it’s not your turn, but only after a defined and concrete trigger. You can’t use a reaction before the first time you act in a combat. You can take only one reaction each round; you regain your reaction at the start of your turn. Unless their descriptions state otherwise, purely defensive reactions interrupt the triggering action: resolve the reaction first, then continue resolving the triggering action. Otherwise, resolve the reaction immediately after the triggering action. You gain access to most reactions through feats, items, and class features, but an attack of opportunity is a reaction that is universally available to all characters. Source Core Rulebook pg. 248 |
The following actions are important but used less frequently. Source Core Rulebook pg. 249 |
