This material is Open Game Content, and
is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
Combat
is cyclical; everybody acts in turn in a regular cycle of rounds. Combat
follows this sequence:
1.
Each combatant starts out flat-footed. Once a combatant acts, he or she is no longer
flat-footed.
2.
Determine which characters are aware of their opponents at the start of the
battle. If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a
surprise round happens before regular rounds of combat begin. The combatants
who are aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for
initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the
battle aware of their opponents each take one action (either a standard action
or a move action) during the surprise round. Combatants who were unaware do not
get to act in the surprise round. If no one or everyone starts the battle
aware, there is no surprise round.
3.
Combatants who have not yet rolled initiative do so. All combatants are now
ready to begin their first regular round of combat.
4.
Combatants act in initiative order (highest to lowest).
5.
When everyone has had a turn, the combatant with the highest initiative acts
again, and steps 4 and 5 repeat until combat ends.
COMBAT
STATISTICS
This
section summarizes the statistics that determine success in combat, and then
details how to use
ATTACK ROLL
An
attack roll represents your attempt to strike your opponent on your turn in a
round. When you make an attack roll, you roll a d20 and add your attack bonus.
(Other modifiers may also apply to this roll.) If your result equals or beats
the target’s Armor Class, you hit and deal damage.
Automatic
Misses and Hits:
A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on an attack roll is always a miss. A natural
20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also a threat—a
possible critical hit.
ATTACK BONUS
Your
attack bonus with a melee weapon is:
Base
attack bonus + Strength modifier + size modifier
With
a ranged weapon, your attack bonus is:
Base
attack bonus + Dexterity modifier + size modifier + range penalty
|
Table:
Size Modifiers |
|||
|
Size |
Size Modifier |
Size |
Size Modifier |
|
Colossal |
–8 |
Small |
+1 |
|
Gargantuan |
–4 |
Tiny |
+2 |
|
Huge |
–2 |
Diminutive |
+4 |
|
Large |
–1 |
Fine |
+8 |
|
Medium |
+0 |
|
|
DAMAGE
When
your attack succeeds, you deal damage. The type of weapon used determines the
amount of damage you deal. Effects that modify weapon damage apply to unarmed
strikes and the natural physical attack forms of creatures.
Damage
reduces a target’s current hit points.
Minimum
Damage:
If penalties reduce the damage result to less than 1, a hit still deals 1 point
of damage.
Strength
Bonus: When you hit with a melee or thrown weapon, including a sling, add your
Strength modifier to the damage result. A Strength penalty, but not a bonus,
applies on attacks made with a bow that is not a composite bow.
Off-Hand
Weapon: When
you deal damage with a weapon in your off hand, you add only 1/2 your Strength
bonus.
Wielding
a Weapon Two-Handed: When you deal damage with a weapon that you are wielding
two-handed, you add 1-1/2 times your Strength bonus. However, you don’t get
this higher Strength bonus when using a light weapon with two hands.
Multiplying
Damage:
Sometimes you multiply damage by some factor, such as on a critical hit. Roll
the damage (with all modifiers) multiple times and total the results. Note: When
you multiply damage more than once, each multiplier works off the original,
unmultiplied damage.
Exception:
Extra
damage dice over and above a weapon’s normal damage are never multiplied.
Ability
Damage:
Certain creatures and magical effects can cause temporary ability damage (a
reduction to an ability score).
ARMOR CLASS
Your
Armor Class (AC) represents how hard it is for opponents to land a solid,
damaging blow on you. It’s the attack roll result that an opponent needs to
achieve to hit you. Your AC is equal to the following: 10 + armor bonus +
shield bonus + Dexterity modifier + size modifier
Note
that armor limits your Dexterity bonus, so if you’re wearing armor, you might
not be able to apply your whole Dexterity bonus to your AC.
Sometimes
you can’t use your Dexterity bonus (if you have one). If you can’t react to a
blow, you can’t use your Dexterity bonus to AC. (If you don’t have a Dexterity
bonus, nothing happens.)
Other
Modifiers: Many other factors modify your AC.
Enhancement
Bonuses: Enhancement
effects make your armor better.
Deflection
Bonus: Magical
deflection effects ward off attacks and improve your AC.
Natural
Armor: Natural
armor improves your AC.
Dodge
Bonuses: Some
other AC bonuses represent actively avoiding blows. These bonuses are called
dodge bonuses. Any situation that denies you your Dexterity bonus also denies
you dodge bonuses. (Wearing armor, however, does not limit these bonuses the
way it limits a Dexterity bonus to AC.) Unlike most sorts of bonuses, dodge
bonuses stack with each other.
Touch
Attacks:
Some attacks disregard armor, including shields and natural armor. In these
cases, the attacker makes a touch attack roll (either ranged or melee). When
you are the target of a touch attack, your AC doesn’t include any armor bonus,
shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. All other modifiers, such as your size
modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) apply normally.
HIT POINTS
When
your hit point total reaches 0, you’re disabled. When it reaches –1, you’re
dying. When it gets to –10, you’re dead.
SPEED
Your
speed tells you how far you can move in a round and still do something, such as
attack or cast a spell. Your speed depends mostly on your race and what armor
you’re wearing.
Dwarves,
gnomes, and halflings have a speed of 20 feet (4 squares), or 15 feet (3
squares) when wearing medium or heavy armor (except for dwarves, who move 20
feet in any armor).
Humans,
elves, half-elves, and half-orcs have a speed of 30 feet (6 squares), or 20
feet (4 squares) in medium or heavy armor.
If
you use two move actions in a round (sometimes called a “double move” action),
you can move up to double your speed. If you spend the entire round to run all
out, you can move up to quadruple your speed (or triple if you are in heavy
armor).
SAVING THROWS
Generally,
when you are subject to an unusual or magical attack, you get a saving throw to
avoid or reduce the effect. Like an attack roll, a saving throw is a d20 roll
plus a bonus based on your class, level, and an ability score. Your saving
throw modifier is: Base save bonus + ability modifier
Saving
Throw Types:
The three different kinds of saving throws are Fortitude, Reflex, and Will:
Fortitude:
These
saves measure your ability to stand up to physical punishment or attacks
against your vitality and health. Apply your Constitution modifier to your
Fortitude saving throws.
Reflex:
These
saves test your ability to dodge area attacks. Apply your Dexterity modifier to
your Reflex saving throws.
Will:
These
saves reflect your resistance to mental influence as well as many magical
effects. Apply your Wisdom modifier to your Will saving throws.
Saving
Throw Difficulty Class: The DC for a save is determined by the attack itself.
Automatic
Failures and Successes: A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on a saving throw is always
a failure (and may cause damage to exposed items; see Items Surviving after a
Saving Throw). A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a success.
INITIATIVE
Initiative
Checks:
At the start of a battle, each combatant makes an initiative check. An
initiative check is a Dexterity check. Each character applies his or her
Dexterity modifier to the roll. Characters act in order, counting down from
highest result to lowest. In every round that follows, the characters act in
the same order (unless a character takes an action that results in his or her
initiative changing; see Special Initiative Actions).
If
two or more combatants have the same initiative check result, the combatants
who are tied act in order of total initiative modifier (highest first). If
there is still a tie, the tied characters should roll again to determine which
one of them goes before the other.
Flat-Footed: At the start of a battle,
before you have had a chance to act (specifically, before your first regular
turn in the initiative order), you are flat-footed. You can’t use your
Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) while flat-footed. Barbarians and rogues have
the uncanny dodge extraordinary ability, which allows them to avoid losing
their Dexterity bonus to AC due to being flat-footed.
A
flat-footed character can’t make attacks of opportunity.
Inaction: Even if you can’t take
actions, you retain your initiative score for the duration of the encounter.
SURPRISE
When
a combat starts, if you are not aware of your opponents and they are aware of
you, you’re surprised.
Determining
Awareness
Sometimes
all the combatants on a side are aware of their opponents, sometimes none are,
and sometimes only some of them are. Sometimes a few combatants on each side
are aware and the other combatants on each side are unaware.
Determining
awareness may call for Listen checks, Spot checks, or other checks.
The
Surprise Round:
If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise
round happens before regular rounds begin. Any combatants aware of the
opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In
initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware
of their opponents each take a standard action during the surprise round. You
can also take free actions during the surprise round. If no one or everyone is
surprised, no surprise round occurs.
Unaware
Combatants:
Combatants who are unaware at the start of battle don’t get to act in the
surprise round. Unaware combatants are flat-footed because they have not acted
yet, so they lose any Dexterity bonus to AC.
Sometimes
a combatant in a melee lets her guard down. In this case, combatants near her
can take advantage of her lapse in defense to attack her for free. These free
attacks are called attacks of opportunity.
Threatened
Squares:
You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it
is not your action. Generally, that means everything in all squares adjacent to
your space (including diagonally). An enemy that takes certain actions while in
a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from you. If you’re
unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of
opportunity.
Reach
Weapons: Most
creatures of Medium or smaller size have a reach of only 5 feet. This means
that they can make melee attacks only against creatures up to 5 feet (1 square)
away. However, Small and Medium creatures wielding reach weapons threaten more
squares than a typical creature. In addition, most creatures larger than Medium
have a natural reach of 10 feet or more.
Provoking
an Attack of Opportunity: Two kinds of actions can provoke attacks of opportunity:
moving out of a threatened square and performing an action within a threatened
square.
Moving:
Moving
out of a threatened square usually provokes an attack of opportunity from the
threatening opponent. There are two common methods of avoiding such an
attack—the 5-foot-step and the withdraw action (see below).
Performing
a Distracting Act: Some actions, when performed in a threatened square, provoke
attacks of opportunity as you divert your attention from the battle. Table:
Actions in Combat notes many of the actions that provoke attacks of
opportunity.
Remember
that even actions that normally provoke attacks of opportunity may have
exceptions to this rule.
Making
an Attack of Opportunity: An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack, and you
can only make one per round. You don’t have to make an attack of opportunity if
you don’t want to.
An
experienced character gets additional regular melee attacks (by using the full
attack action), but at a lower attack bonus. You make your attack of
opportunity, however, at your normal attack bonus—even if you’ve already
attacked in the round.
An
attack of opportunity “interrupts” the normal flow of actions in the round. If
an attack of opportunity is provoked, immediately resolve the attack of
opportunity, then continue with the next character’s turn (or complete the
current turn, if the attack of opportunity was provoked in the midst of a
character’s turn).
Combat
Reflexes and Additional Attacks of Opportunity: If you have the Combat Reflexes feat
you can add your Dexterity modifier to the number of attacks of opportunity you
can make in a round. This feat does not let you make more than one attack for a
given opportunity, but if the same opponent provokes two attacks of opportunity
from you, you could make two separate attacks of opportunity (since each one
represents a different opportunity). Moving out of more than one square
threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn’t count as more than
one opportunity for that opponent. All these attacks are at your full normal
attack bonus.
ACTIONS
IN COMBAT
THE COMBAT ROUND
Each
round represents 6 seconds in the game world. A round presents an opportunity
for each character involved in a combat situation to take an action.
Each
round’s activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result
and then proceeds, in order, from there. Each round of a combat uses the same
initiative order. When a character’s turn comes up in the initiative sequence,
that character performs his entire round’s worth of actions. (For exceptions,
see Attacks of Opportunity and Special Initiative Actions.)
For
almost all purposes, there is no relevance to the end of a round or the
beginning of a round. 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 count in the next round. Effects
that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative count
that they began on.
ACTION TYPES
An
action’s type essentially tells you how long the action takes to perform
(within the framework of the 6-second combat round) and how movement is
treated. There are four types of actions: standard actions, move actions,
full-round actions, and free actions.
In
a normal round, you can perform a standard action and a move action, or you can
perform a full-round action. You can also perform one or more free actions. You
can always take a move action in place of a standard action.
In
some situations (such as in a surprise round), you may be limited to taking
only a single move action or standard action.
Standard
Action: A
standard action allows you to do something, most commonly make an attack or
cast a spell. See Table: Actions in Combat for other standard actions.
Move
Action: A
move action allows you to move your speed or perform an action that takes a
similar amount of time. See Table: Actions in Combat.
You
can take a move action in place of a standard action. If you move no actual
distance in a round (commonly because you have swapped your move for one or
more equivalent actions), you can take one 5-foot step either before, during,
or after the action.
Full-Round
Action: A
full-round action consumes all your effort during a round. The only movement
you can take during a full-round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or
after the action. You can also perform free actions (see below).
Some
full-round actions do not allow you to take a 5-foot step.
Some
full-round actions can be taken as standard actions, but only in situations
when you are limited to performing only a standard action during your round.
The descriptions of specific actions, below, detail which actions allow this
option.
Free
Action:
Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform
one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, there
are reasonable limits on what you can really do for free.
Not
an Action:
Some activities are so minor that they are not even considered free actions.
They literally don’t take any time at all to do and are considered an inherent
part of doing something else.
Restricted
Activity:
In some situations, you may be unable to take a full round’s worth of actions.
In such cases, you are restricted to taking only a single standard action or a
single move action (plus free actions as normal). You can’t take a full-round
action (though you can start or complete a full-round action by using a
standard action; see below).
Table: Actions in Combat |
|
|
Standard
Action |
Attack of Opportunity1 |
|
Attack
(melee) |
No |
|
Attack
(ranged) |
Yes |
|
Attack
(unarmed) |
Yes |
|
Activate
a magic item other than a potion or oil |
No |
|
Aid
another |
Maybe2 |
|
Bull
rush |
Yes |
|
Cast
a spell (1 standard action casting time) |
Yes |
|
Concentrate
to maintain an active spell |
No |
|
Dismiss
a spell |
No |
|
Draw
a hidden weapon (see Sleight of Hand skill) |
No |
|
Drink
a potion or apply an oil |
Yes |
|
Escape
a grapple |
No |
|
Feint |
No |
|
Light
a torch with a tindertwig |
Yes |
|
Lower
spell resistance |
No |
|
Make
a dying friend stable (see Heal skill) |
Yes |
|
Overrun |
No |
|
Read
a scroll |
Yes |
|
Ready
(triggers a standard action) |
No |
|
Sunder
a weapon (attack) |
Yes |
|
Sunder
an object (attack) |
Maybe3 |
|
Total
defense |
No |
|
Turn
or rebuke undead |
No |
|
Use
extraordinary ability |
No |
|
Use
skill that takes 1 action |
Usually |
|
Use
spell-like ability |
Yes |
|
Use
supernatural ability |
No |
|
Move
Action |
Attack of Opportunity1 |
|
Move |
Yes |
|
Control
a frightened mount |
Yes |
|
Direct
or redirect an active spell |
No |
|
Draw
a weapon4 |
No |
|
Load
a hand crossbow or light 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 |
Yes |
|
Ready
or loose a shield4 |
No |
|
Retrieve
a stored item |
Yes |
|
Full-Round
Action |
Attack of Opportunity1 |
|
Full
attack |
No |
|
Charge5 |
No |
|
Deliver
coup de grace |
Yes |
|
Escape
from a net |
Yes |
|
Extinguish
flames |
No |
|
Light
a torch |
Yes |
|
Load
a heavy or repeating crossbow |
Yes |
|
Lock
or unlock weapon in locked gauntlet |
Yes |
|
Prepare
to throw splash weapon |
Yes |
|
Run |
Yes |
|
Use
skill that takes 1 round |
Usually |
|
Use
touch spell on up to six friends |
Yes |
|
Withdraw5 |
No |
|
Free
Action |
Attack of Opportunity1 |
|
Cast
a quickened spell |
No |
|
Cease
concentration on a spell |
No |
|
Drop
an item |
No |
|
Drop
to the floor |
No |
|
Prepare
spell components to cast a spell6 |
No |
|
Speak |
No |
|
No
Action |
Attack of Opportunity1 |
|
Delay |
No |
|
5-foot
step |
No |
Action Type Varies |
|
|
Disarm7 |
Yes |
|
Grapple7 |
Yes |
|
Trip
an opponent7 |
Yes |
|
Use
feat8 |
Varies |
|
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 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. |
|
|
3
If the object is being held, carried, or worn by a creature, yes. If not, no. |
|
|
4
If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can combine one of these
actions with a regular move. If you have the Two- Weapon Fighting feat, you
can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take
you to draw one. |
|
|
5
May be taken as a standard action if you are limited to taking only a single
action in a round. |
|
|
6
Unless the component is an extremely large or awkward item. |
|
|
7
These attack forms substitute for a melee attack, not an action. As melee
attacks, they can be used once in an attack or charge action, one or more
times in a full attack action, or even as an attack of opportunity. |
|
|
8
The description of a feat defines its effect. |
|
STANDARD ACTIONS
Making
an attack is a standard action.
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).
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 character’s or creature’s unarmed attack counts
as an armed attack. A monk, a character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat,
a spellcaster 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 nonlethal damage. Unarmed strikes
count as light weapons (for purposes of two-weapon attack penalties and so on).
Dealing
Lethal Damage: You
can specify that your unarmed strike will deal lethal damage before you make your
attack roll, but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. If you have the
Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you can deal lethal damage with an unarmed strike
without taking a penalty on the attack roll.
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 1d20 + 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 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on the attack roll is always a miss. A natural
20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also a threat—a
possible critical hit.
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 who can make more than one attack per round must use the full
attack action (see Full-Round Actions, below) in order to get more than one
attack.
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 feat you don’t take this penalty.
Fighting
Defensively as a Standard Action: You can choose to fight defensively when attacking.
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.
Critical
Hits:
When you make an attack roll and get a natural 20 (the d20 shows 20), you hit
regardless of your target’s Armor Class, and you have scored a threat. The hit
might be a critical hit (or “crit”). To find out if it’s a critical hit, you
immediately make a critical roll—another attack roll with all the same
modifiers as the attack roll you just made. If the critical roll also results
in a hit against the target’s AC, your original hit is a critical hit. (The critical
roll just needs to hit to give you a crit. It doesn’t need to come up 20
again.) If the critical roll is a miss, then your hit is just a regular hit.
A critical hit
means that you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses,
and add the rolls together. Unless otherwise specified, the threat range for a
critical hit on an attack roll is 20, and the multiplier is x2.
Exception: Extra damage over and
above a weapon’s normal damage is not multiplied when you score a critical hit.
Increased
Threat Range:
Sometimes
your threat range is greater than 20. That is, you can score a threat on a
lower number. In such cases, a roll of lower than 20 is not an automatic hit.
Any attack roll that doesn’t result in a hit is not a threat.
Increased
Critical Multiplier: Some weapons deal better than double damage on a critical
hit.
Spells
and Critical Hits: A spell that requires an attack roll can score a
critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a
critical hit.
Most
spells require 1 standard action to cast. You can cast such a spell either
before or after you take a move action.
Note:
You
retain your Dexterity bonus to AC while casting.
Spell
Components:
To cast a spell 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. A spellcaster 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 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. Unless these
materials are elaborate preparing these materials is a free action. For
material components and focuses whose costs are not listed, you can assume that
you have them if you have your spell component pouch.
Some spells have
an experience point (XP) component and entail an experience point cost to you.
No spell can restore the lost XP. You cannot spend so much XP that you lose a
level, so you cannot cast the spell unless you have enough XP to spare.
However, you may, on gaining enough XP to achieve a new level, immediately
spend the XP on casting the spell rather than keeping it to advance a level.
The XP are expended when you cast the spell, whether or not the casting
succeeds.
Concentration: You must concentrate to
cast a spell. If you can’t concentrate you can’t cast a spell. If you start
casting a spell but something interferes with your concentration you must make
a Concentration check or lose the spell. The check’s DC depends on what is
threatening your concentration (see the Concentration skill). If you fail, the
spell fizzles with no effect. If you prepare spells, it is lost from
preparation. If you cast at will, it counts against your daily limit of spells
even though you did not cast it successfully.
Concentrating
to Maintain a Spell: Some spells require continued concentration to keep them
going. Concentrating to maintain a spell is a standard action that doesn’t
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.
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, you provoke attacks of opportunity from
threatening enemies. If you take damage from an attack of opportunity, you must
make a Concentration check (DC 10 + points of damage taken + spell level) or lose
the spell. Spells that require only a free action to cast don’t provoke attacks
of opportunity.
Casting
on the Defensive: Casting a spell while on the defensive does not provoke an
attack of opportunity. It does, however, require a Concentration check (DC 15 +
spell level) to pull off. Failure means that you lose the spell.
Touch
Spells in Combat: Many spells have a range of touch. To use these spells, you
cast the spell and then touch the subject, either in the same round or any time
later. In the same round that you cast the spell, you may also touch (or
attempt to touch) the target. You may take your move before casting the spell,
after touching the target, or between casting the spell and touching the
target. You can automatically touch one friend or use the spell 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. You can score critical hits with
either type of attack. Your opponent’s AC against a touch attack does not
include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. His size
modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) all apply normally.
Holding
the Charge: If
you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can
hold the discharge of the spell (hold the charge) indefinitely. You can
continue to make touch attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a
standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch
anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell
discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell 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.
Dismiss
a Spell:
Dismissing an active spell is a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of
opportunity.
Many
magic items don’t need to be activated. However, certain magic items need to be
activated, especially potions, scrolls, wands, rods, and staffs. Activating a
magic item is a standard action (unless the item description indicates
otherwise).
Spell
Completion Items: Activating a spell completion item is the equivalent of
casting a spell. It requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity.
You lose the spell if your concentration is broken, and you can attempt to
activate the item while on the defensive, as with casting a spell.
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.
Using
a special ability 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 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.
Supernatural
Abilities:
Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined
otherwise by the ability’s description). Its use cannot be disrupted, does not
require concentration, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Extraordinary
Abilities:
Using an extraordinary ability is usually not an action because most
extraordinary abilities automatically happen in a reactive fashion. Those
extraordinary abilities that are actions are usually standard actions that
cannot be disrupted, do not require concentration, and do not provoke attacks
of opportunity.
You
can defend yourself as a standard action. You get a +4 dodge bonus to your AC
for 1 round. Your AC improves at the start of this action. You can’t combine
total defense with fighting defensively or with the benefit of the Combat
Expertise feat (since both of those require you to declare an attack or full
attack). You can’t make attacks of opportunity while using total defense.
The
“start full-round action” standard action lets you start undertaking a
full-round action, which you can complete in the following round by using
another standard action. You can’t use this action to start or complete a full
attack, charge, run, or withdraw.
MOVE ACTIONS
With
the exception of specific movement-related skills, most move actions don’t
require a check.
The simplest
move action is moving your speed. If you take this kind of move action during
your turn, you can’t also take a 5-foot step.
Many
nonstandard modes of movement are covered under this category, including
climbing (up to one-quarter of your speed) and swimming (up to one-quarter of
your speed).
Accelerated
Climbing:
You can climb one-half your speed as a move action by accepting a –5 penalty on
your Climb check.
Crawling: You can crawl 5 feet as a
move action. Crawling incurs attacks of opportunity from any attackers who
threaten you at any point of your crawl.
Drawing
a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have
a free hand, requires a move action. This action also applies to weapon-like
objects carried in easy reach, such as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like
object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as
retrieving a stored item.
If
you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may draw a weapon as a free
action combined with a regular move. If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat,
you can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take
you to draw one.
Drawing
ammunition for use with a ranged weapon (such as arrows, bolts, sling bullets,
or shuriken) is a free action.
Strapping
a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to your AC, or unstrapping and
dropping a shield so you can use your shield hand for another purpose, requires
a move action. If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can ready
or loose a shield as a free action combined with a regular move.
Dropping
a carried (but not worn) shield is a free action.
In
most cases, moving or manipulating an item is a move action.
This
includes retrieving or putting away a stored item, picking up an item, moving a
heavy object, and opening a door. Examples of this kind of action, along with
whether they incur an attack of opportunity, are given in Table: Actions in
Combat.
Some
spells allow you to redirect the effect to new targets or areas after
you cast the spell. Redirecting a spell requires a move action and does not
provoke attacks of opportunity or require concentration.
Standing
up from a prone position requires a move action and provokes attacks of
opportunity.
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
A
full-round action requires an entire round to complete. Thus, it can’t be
coupled with a standard or a move action, though if it does not involve moving
any distance, you can take a 5-foot step.
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 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.
Deciding
between an Attack or a Full Attack: After your first attack, you can
decide to take a move action instead of making your remaining attacks,
depending on how the first attack turns out. If you’ve already taken a 5-foot
step, you can’t use your move action to move any distance, but you could still
use a different kind of move action.
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.
Cleave: The extra attack granted
by the Cleave feat or Great Cleave feat can be taken whenever they apply. This
is an exception to the normal limit to the number of attacks you can take when
not using a full attack action.
A
spell that takes 1 round to cast is a full-round action. It comes into effect
just before the beginning of your turn in the round after you began casting the
spell. You then act normally after the spell is completed.
A
spell that takes 1 minute to cast comes into effect just before your turn 1
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. While casting a spell,
you don’t threaten any squares around you.
This
action is otherwise identical to the cast a spell action described under
Standard Actions.
Casting
a Metamagic Spell: Sorcerers and bards must take more time to cast a metamagic
spell (one enhanced by a metamagic feat) than a regular spell. If a spell’s
normal casting time is 1 standard action, casting a metamagic version of the
spell is a full-round action for a sorcerer or bard. Note that this isn’t the
same as a spell with a 1-round casting time—the spell takes effect in the same
round that you begin casting, and you aren’t required to continue the
invocations, gestures, and concentration until your next turn. For spells with
a longer casting time, it takes an extra full-round action to cast the
metamagic spell.
Clerics
must take more time to spontaneously cast a metamagic version of a cure or
inflict spell. Spontaneously casting a metamagic version of a
spell with a casting time of 1 standard action is a full-round action, and
spells with longer casting times take an extra full-round action to cast.
Using
a special ability is usually a standard action, but some may be full-round
actions, as defined by the ability.
Withdrawing
from melee combat is a full-round action. When you withdraw, you can move up to
double your speed. The square 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 square. (Invisible enemies
still get attacks of opportunity against you, and you can’t withdraw from
combat if you’re blinded.) You can’t take a 5-foot step during the same round
in which you withdraw.
If,
during the process of withdrawing, you move out of a threatened square (other
than the one you started in), enemies get attacks of opportunity as normal.
You
may not withdraw using a form of movement for which you don’t have a listed
speed.
Note
that despite the name of this action, you don’t actually have to leave combat
entirely.
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).
You
can run as a full-round action. (If you do, you do not also get a 5-foot step.)
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 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
can’t run across difficult terrain or if you can’t see where you’re going.
A
run represents a speed of about 12 miles per hour for an unencumbered human.
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, and thus it
provokes attacks of opportunity normally.
FREE ACTIONS
Free
actions don’t take any time at all, though there may be limits to the number of
free actions you can perform in a turn. Free actions rarely incur attacks of
opportunity. Some common free actions are described below.
Dropping
an item in your space or into an adjacent square is a free action.
Dropping
to a prone position in your space is a free action.
In
general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn’t your
turn. Speaking more than few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free
action.
You
can stop concentrating on an active spell as a free action.
You
can cast a quickened spell (see the Quicken Spell feat) or any spell whose
casting time is designated as a free action as a free action. Only one such
spell can be cast in any round, and such spells don’t count toward your normal
limit of one spell per round. Casting a spell with a casting time of a free
action doesn’t incur an attack of opportunity.
MISCELLANEOUS
ACTIONS
You
can move 5 feet in any round when you don’t perform any other kind of movement.
Taking this 5-foot step never provokes an attack of opportunity. You can’t take
more than one 5-foot step in a round, and you can’t take a 5-foot step in the
same round when you move any distance.
You
can take a 5-foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the
round.
You
can only take a 5-foot-step if your movement isn’t hampered by difficult
terrain or darkness. Any creature with a speed of 5 feet or less can’t take a
5-foot step, since moving even 5 feet requires a move action for such a slow
creature.
You
may not take a 5-foot step using a form of movement for which you do not have a
listed speed.
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.
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.
INJURY
AND DEATH
Your
hit points measure how hard you are to kill. No matter how many hit points you
lose, your character isn’t hindered in any way until your hit points drop to 0
or lower.
LOSS OF HIT POINTS
The
most common way that your character gets hurt is to take lethal damage and lose
hit points
What
Hit Points Represent: Hit points mean two things in the game world: the ability to
take physical punishment and keep going, and the ability to turn a serious blow
into a less serious one.
Effects
of Hit Point Damage: Damage doesn’t slow you down until your current hit points
reach 0 or lower. At 0 hit points, you’re disabled.
At
from –1 to –9 hit points, you’re dying.
At
–10 or lower, you’re dead.
Massive
Damage: If
you ever sustain a single attack deals 50 points of damage or more and it
doesn’t kill you outright, you must make a DC 15 Fortitude save. If this saving
throw fails, you die regardless of your current hit points. If you take 50
points of damage or more from multiple attacks, no one of which dealt 50 or
more points of damage itself, the massive damage rule does not apply.
DISABLED (0 HIT
POINTS)
When
your current hit points drop to exactly 0, you’re disabled.
You
can only take a single move or standard action each turn (but not both, nor can
you take full-round actions). You can take move actions without further
injuring yourself, but if you perform any standard action (or any other
strenuous action) you take 1 point of damage after the completing the act.
Unless your activity increased your hit points, you are now at –1 hit points,
and you’re dying.
Healing
that raises your hit points above 0 makes you fully functional again, just as
if you’d never been reduced to 0 or fewer hit points.
You
can also become disabled when recovering from dying. In this case, it’s a step
toward recovery, and you can have fewer than 0 hit points (see Stable
Characters and Recovery, below).
DYING (–1 TO –9
HIT POINTS)
When
your character’s current hit points drop to between –1 and –9 inclusive, he’s
dying.
A
dying character immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions.
A
dying character loses 1 hit point every round. This continues until the
character dies or becomes stable (see below).
DEAD (–10 HIT
POINTS OR LOWER)
When
your character’s current hit points drop to –10 or lower, or if he takes
massive damage (see above), he’s dead. A character can also die from taking
ability damage or suffering an ability drain that reduces his Constitution to
0.
STABLE CHARACTERS
AND RECOVERY
On
the next turn after a character is reduced to between –1 and –9 hit points and
on all subsequent turns, roll d% to see whether the dying character becomes
stable. He has a 10% chance of becoming stable. If he doesn’t, he loses 1 hit
point. (A character who’s unconscious or dying can’t use any special action
that changes the initiative count on which his action occurs.)
If
the character’s hit points drop to –10 or lower, he’s dead.
You
can keep a dying character from losing any more hit points and make him stable
with a DC 15 Heal check.
If
any sort of healing cures the dying character of even 1 point of damage, he
stops losing hit points and becomes stable.
Healing
that raises the dying character’s hit points to 0 makes him conscious and
disabled. Healing that raises his hit points to 1 or more makes him fully
functional again, just as if he’d never been reduced to 0 or lower. A
spellcaster retains the spellcasting capability she had before dropping below 0
hit points.
A
stable character who has been tended by a healer or who has been magically
healed eventually regains consciousness and recovers hit points naturally. If
the character has no one to tend him, however, his life is still in danger, and
he may yet slip away.
Recovering
with Help:
One hour after a tended, dying character becomes stable, roll d%. He has a 10% chance
of becoming conscious, at which point he is disabled (as if he had 0 hit
points). If he remains unconscious, he has the same chance to revive and become
disabled every hour. Even if unconscious, he recovers hit points naturally. He
is back to normal when his hit points rise to 1 or higher.
Recovering
without Help:
A severely wounded character left alone usually dies. He has a small chance,
however, of recovering on his own.
A
character who becomes stable on his own (by making the 10% roll while dying)
and who has no one to tend to him still loses hit points, just at a slower
rate. He has a 10% chance each hour of becoming conscious. Each time he misses
his hourly roll to become conscious, he loses 1 hit point. He also does not
recover hit points through natural healing.
Even
once he becomes conscious and is disabled, an unaided character still does not
recover hit points naturally. Instead, each day he has a 10% chance to start
recovering hit points naturally (starting with that day); otherwise, he loses 1
hit point.
Once
an unaided character starts recovering hit points naturally, he is no longer in
danger of naturally losing hit points (even if his current hit point total is
negative).
HEALING
After
taking damage, you can recover hit points through natural healing or through
magical healing. In any case, you can’t regain hit points past your full normal
hit point total.
Natural
Healing:
With a full night’s rest (8 hours of sleep or more), you recover 1 hit point
per character level. Any significant interruption during your rest prevents you
from healing that night.
If
you undergo complete bed rest for an entire day and night, you recover twice
your character level in hit points.
Magical
Healing:
Various abilities and spells can restore hit points.
Healing
Limits:
You can never recover more hit points than you lost. Magical healing won’t
raise your current hit points higher than your full normal hit point total.
Healing
Ability Damage:
Ability damage is temporary, just as hit point damage is. Ability damage
returns at the rate of 1 point per night of rest (8 hours) for each affected
ability score. Complete bed rest restores 2 points per day (24 hours) for each
affected ability score.
TEMPORARY HIT POINTS
Certain
effects give a character temporary hit points. When a character gains temporary
hit points, note his current hit point total. When the temporary hit points go
away the character’s hit points drop to his current hit point total. If the
character’s hit points are below his current hit point total at that time, all
the temporary hit points have already been lost and the character’s hit point
total does not drop further.
When
temporary hit points are lost, they cannot be restored as real hit points can
be, even by magic.
Increases
in Constitution Score and Current Hit Points: An increase in a character’s
Constitution score, even a temporary one, can give her more hit points (an
effective hit point increase), but these are not temporary hit points. They can
be restored and they are not lost first as temporary hit points are.
NONLETHAL DAMAGE
Dealing
Nonlethal Damage: Certain attacks deal nonlethal damage. Other effects, such
as heat or being exhausted, also deal nonlethal damage. When you take nonlethal
damage, keep a running total of how much you’ve accumulated. Do not deduct
the nonlethal damage number from your current hit points. It is not “real”
damage. Instead, when your nonlethal damage equals your current hit points,
you’re staggered, and when it exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious.
It doesn’t matter whether the nonlethal damage equals or exceeds your current
hit points because the nonlethal damage has gone up or because your current hit
points have gone down.
Nonlethal
Damage with a Weapon that Deals Lethal Damage: You can use a melee weapon that deals
lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage instead, but you take a –4 penalty on
your attack roll.
Lethal
Damage with a Weapon that Deals Nonlethal Damage: You can use a weapon that deals
nonlethal damage, including an unarmed strike, to deal lethal damage instead,
but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll.
Staggered
and Unconscious:
When your nonlethal damage equals your current hit points, you’re staggered.
You can only take a standard action or a move action in each round. You cease
being staggered when your current hit points once again exceed your nonlethal
damage.
When
your nonlethal damage exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious.
While unconscious, you are helpless.
Spellcasters
who fall unconscious retain any spellcasting ability they had before going
unconscious.
Healing
Nonlethal Damage: You heal nonlethal damage at the rate of 1 hit point per
hour per character level.
When
a spell or a magical power cures hit point damage, it also removes an equal
amount of nonlethal damage.