On page 86 of the Black Book Beta, there’s a sidebar entitled “What Type of Action Is It?” If you’re so inclined, I’d like to get your feedback on it.
For certain activities and abilities, the type of action is defined. (For example, it requires a standard action for a cleric to turn undead.) But at other times, the DM will have to make a judgment call about what type of action is required to carry out a particular intention. Here are some rules of thumb you can use:
• Any action which doesn’t require an action check is probably a move action.
• If it involves moving through space or traversing a given distance, then it’s probably a move action even if it does require an action check.
• If it’s any other action requiring an action check, then it’s probably a standard action.
• Full actions should be used for anything which feels like it should take more time or involves multiple steps. (But, when in doubt, default to a standard action.)
• Actions which could be resolved in the blink of an eye (like dropping something held in your hand) are probably a free action. But if executing the action is non-trivial, makes a substantial contribution to the battle, or just feels like something which should be limited in its repetition you can probably go ahead and bump it up to a swift action or move action.
Immediate actions should generally be reserved for specific special abilities because being able to act out of turn is a major advantage. However, if an action is immediately reactive by necessity (like catching someone as they fall past you) it may be appropriate to make an exception.
Legends & Labyrinths eschews a lot of the specific guidelines that you’d find in an advanced 3rd Edition rulebook, so this type of general advice — aimed at giving the DM widely applicable guidelines on how to make rulings — is, I think, necessary. The question is: Does this feel on target to you? Does it match your gut feeling for what different actions represent in the 3rd Edition ruleset?
Longtime lurker, first-time commenter. Those are excellent rules of thumb; I wish more 3e products had been so succinct. You might want to clarify how actions that combine moving-through-space with hurting-other-people would fit. I can see players arguing that their charge is either a move or a standard, depending on whether they’ve already used their standard that round.
I’ve used guidelines similar to these, subconsciously, I think, for years, to save time looking up things in the book, and they’ve rarely caused me to assign the wrong action to something that was pre-defined. In that respect, I think you’ve covered all of the necessary bases here.
Good summary guidelines
I’m really enjoying both the content and artwork of L&L. Your latest posts on the book, Justin, have pushed me over the edge and I will be investing in it for sure!
I hope that some of the art is representative of lower tier threats/characters. The early part of the game is my favorite; and anyone who has seen The Grey with Liam Neeson (wolves + environment vs group of pc’s) or has read your excellent essay discussing lvl 5 as the human – superhuman juncture knows the value of that early lvl perspective.
Keep it up,
I’m not quite sure about the movement action thumb rule. It seems to make things such as a charge, or spring attack, or casting a spell while moving into a move action.
Maybe qualify: “unless an action is taken as part of the move, which would usually be an attack action.”
Those are good guidelines, but, for instance, following your rules casting a spell, concentrating on a spell, reading a scroll, lighting a torch and others should be move actions.
Here’s my first attempt:
* swift and immediate actions should take almost no time and usually require a feat, a special ability, or similar
* anything that requires your undivided attention for almost a round (six seconds) should be a full-round action
* anything that could be considered an attack should be a standard action
* anything that requires your full attention should be a standard action
* anything that takes almost no time and attention should be a free action
* anything that requires only moving (yourself or objects) should be a move action
* anything that you can do while concentrating on something else should be a move action
That seems to cover almost anything. I’m not sure how “attack actions” fit in, but these were never defined very well to begin with…
Looks good, but I think the main text establishing the basis for these guidelines is probably more important.
Generally very good, but stm’s comment about the need to include spells in the guidance is important.
Re: Spells. They’ve all got their casting times defined, so they’re covered by the first sentence. Can anyone think of an action like spellcasting that wouldn’t have its action defined?
At the risk of repeating myself: What of lighting a torch with a tindertwig, draw a hidden weapon, drink a potion which are SAs in 3.5. Are these MAs in your book?
They’re not anything in my book. What do you think they should be?
I’m not sure. A potion is a spell in a bottle, so using it should be a SA. Like activating most other magic items. Drawing a hidden weapon is a very special thing. Could be both. Lighting a torch feels like it requires a certain amount of concentration, so I would make it a standard action.
Sorry, Justin, I missed that you call out pre-defined action types at the start of the entry. Seems that a few other people also did.
Perhaps to emphasise the point, pre-defined actions should go into the bullet pointed list?
Well, even if they’re just guidelines for special cases, it’s a good sign when they correctly classify the pre-defined actions, too. Which is why I still have doubts if the “if it requires an action check” guideline is such a good rule.