Action Economy
Overview
To illustrate this system, we start at the initiative check and go though the turns and rounds of an encounter.
Initiative
At the start of combat, each participant rolls an initiative check as normal. Characters are flat-footed before they act in either the surprise round or the first round of combat.
Surprise Round
When combat starts, if some but not all of the participants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round occurs before the first round of combat. Those who are aware can commit up to 2 acts during the surprise round, and gain a reaction when that round is over. If all combatants are aware of their opponents, skip the surprise round.
Your Turn
When your turn comes up in the initiative order, you can commit up to 3 acts. Sometimes, acts are committed discretely as simple actions, while other times 2 or more acts can be committed together as an advanced action. You can take these simple and advanced actions in any order you choose, except when the rules for individual actions state otherwise. You can also take a number of free actions your GM deems appropriate. Your turn ends once you have committed all 3 acts and any free actions you wish to take. Once your turn is over, you gain the ability to take one reaction before the start of your next turn. (Some abilities grant additional reactions; see the sidebar.)
When your turn comes up in the initiative order, you can choose to delay instead. When you do, you can’t commit acts. You keep any reactions you haven’t used since your previous turn, but don’t gain any more. At any point after another combatant has taken its turn, you can choose to end your delay and reenter the initiative order. When you do so, your initiative changes to the point in the initiative order directly after the last acting creature’s turn.
Others’ Turns
Reactions are like actions, but can be taken only when they are triggered, and only during other characters’ turns. Usually, reactions are triggered by actions taken by other combatants. For instance, the most common reaction you’ll likely take is the attack of opportunity: an attack you can make when a foe in your threatened area drops his guard (typically by moving, making a ranged attack, or casting a spell).
Other times, something that happens to you might grant you the ability to take a reaction. Spells and abilities that are used as immediate actions in the default action economy are reactions in this system. For example, the spell feather fall is cast an immediate action in the default action economy in this system, it’s a reaction.
Action Types
Free Actions: A free action in this action economy is a free action. Free actions typically don’t have a subtype, and thus don’t provoke attacks of opportunity. Keep in mind that some free actions are used in conjunction with other actions—that’s still true in this system. To use such a free action, you must take the other action it supports.
Swift Actions: A swift action in this action economy is a free action with the limit of a single swift action per turn(additional swift actions can be made but is counts as a single action).
Move Actions: A move action in this action economy is normally a single action in this system a move action can also be taken as part of a movement.
Standard-Action Attacks and Combat Maneuvers: Most actions that involve an attack roll or a combat maneuver check as a standard action in this action economy are single actions in this system. For combat maneuvers that can’t be substituted for one attack in a full-attack action and other complicated attacks they require further consecutive acts to complete. Look at combat maneuvers such as drag, grapple, and reposition these will require two actions to complete.
Standard-Action Supernatural and Spell-Like Abilities: Typically, these actions are advanced actions that require 2 actions.
Full-Round Actions: Typically these actions take 3 or more actions to complete.
Swift Actions
Step: You move 5 feet.
Move Actions
he following are some of the more common actions. To take any of them, you need to commit only 1 action or they can be taken as part of a move action.
Draw or Sheathe a Weapon: You draw or sheathe a weapon. If your base attack bonus is +0, this action provokes an attack of opportunity.
Manipulate an Item (Complex): You grab an item that is in a backpack, pouch, pocket, or other similar container on your person; pick up an item; or move a heavy object. Sometimes, the GM might rule that manipulating an item is an advanced action and determine the number of acts that must be committed to succeed. Based on what you want to do, those actions may need to be committed consecutively.
Ready or Drop a Shield: You either strap a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to AC or unstrap and drop the shield.
Single Actions
The following are some of the more common actions. To take any of them, you need to commit only 1 act.
Aid Another: You take the aid another action. This action has all of the subtypes of the action you aid.
Appraise a Single Item: You spend time using your senses to appraise a single item that you can see. If you are holding the item, you gain a +2 bonus on the check and this action has the complex subtype.
Attack (Attack): You make one attack against a single foe within your melee reach (if making a melee attack) or range (if making a ranged attack).
Bull Rush (Attack): You push a foe that is at most one size category larger than you straight back. Attempt a bull rush combat maneuver check. If you’re successful, you push the foe back 5 feet. For every 5 by which your check exceeds your foe’s CMD, you push that foe back 5 additional feet. You can choose to move along with the target if you have the necessary acts to do so.
Control a Frightened Mount (Complex): You attempt to control a mount that’s not trained for combat in battle. If you fail the Ride check, you can’t try again until your next turn.
Crawl (Move): You crawl 5 feet while prone.
Demoralize: You shout threats at a foe within 30 feet that can see and hear you, attempting to demoralize it.
Direct or Redirect a Spell: If a spell allows you to redirect an effect to a new target, you take this action to do so.
Disarm (Attack): You attempt to disarm your foe. If your disarm combat maneuver check is successful, your foe drops one item of your choice that it’s carrying or wielding (even if it’s holding the item with two hands). If you exceed your foe’s CMD by 10 or more, the foe drops two items of your choice. If you fail your combat maneuver by 10 or more, you drop any weapon you were using to disarm your foe.
Dismiss a Spell: You dismiss the effects of a dismissible spell.
Escape a Grapple: You attempt to escape or gain control of a grapple by attempting either an Escape Artist check or a combat maneuver check. The second time in a turn you take this action, you take a –5 penalty on the check. The third time, you take a –10 penalty on the check.
Feint (Attack): You use Bluff to attempt a feint against an opponent. If you succeed, that opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC for the next attack you make against it this turn. If you have the Improved Feint feat, this action doesn’t have the attack subtype.
Handle an Animal: You command an animal to perform a trick it knows by attempting a Handle Animal check. Some class abilities let characters attempt this as a free action.
Light a Torch with a Tindertwig or Open Flame: You ignite a torch with a tindertwig or an open flame.
Load a Hand Crossbow or Light Crossbow (Complex): You load a hand crossbow or a light crossbow with a bolt.
Lower or Reactivate Spell Resistance: You lower any spell resistance that is active, or reactivate a spell resistance that has been lowered.
Move (Move): You move up to your speed. Typically you move across the land at either a walk or a sprint, but this covers other movement modes, including burrowing, flying, jumping, and swimming.
Mount or Dismount a Steed (Move): You mount or dismount a steed. You can do this as a free action by attempting a DC 20 Ride check; failure means you provoke attacks of opportunity.
Open or Close a Door: You open or close a door that is within your reach (not counting expanded reach from reach weapons). You must have at least one hand free to take this action.
Overrun (Attack): You move up to your speed, and over the course of this action you attempt to move through the space of a foe that is no more than one size category larger than you. When attempting to move through your foe’s space, your foe can choose to allow you to pass through and let you continue your movement. If the foe doesn’t choose to or can’t let you move past, you attempt an overrun combat maneuver check. If you succeed, you move through the target’s space. If your check exceeds your foe’s CMD by 5 or more, you move through the target’s space and the target is knocked prone. If the target has more than two legs, it gains a bonus to its CMD against overrun combat maneuvers equal to +2 for each additional leg it possesses. If you fail this check, your movement stops in the space directly in front of the opponent.
Ready a Simple Action or an Advanced Action: You ready a single simple or advanced action that you can take before the start of your next turn as a reaction. You must designate a definite trigger for that reaction (such as “if a foe attacks me,” “if a foe casts a spell,” or “if a foe moves adjacent to me”), and you must have enough acts left to complete the action you ready. Once you ready an action, your turn ends. If you don’t take the action you readied as a reaction by the start of your next turn, you lose that reaction.
Spell Component (Complex): You may begin casting a spell, each spell component takes a single action to complete any interruptions between completing all component of a spell will cause the spell to be lost.
Stand Up (Move): You stand up from being prone.
Sunder (Attack): You try to sunder an item held or worn by your foe. Attempt a sunder combat maneuver check. If you succeed, you deal damage to the item normally. Damage that exceeds the item’s hardness is subtracted from its hit points. If an object has less than or equal to half its total hit points remaining, it gains the broken condition. If the damage you deal reduces the object to 0 or fewer hit points, you can choose to destroy the object. If you choose not to destroy it, the object is left with only 1 hit point.
Trip (Attack): You try to trip your opponent. Attempt a trip combat maneuver check against a foe that is no more than one size category larger than you. If you succeed, you knock the target prone. If you fail by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead. If the target has more than two legs, it gains a +2 bonus to its CMD against this attempt for each additional leg it possesses.
Use an additional Swift Action: You use a single ability that can be used as a swift action.
Full Round Actions
Search: You use Perception to search a room for salient hidden creatures or clues, or you make a detailed search of a 10-foot-square area to detect traps, triggers, hidden objects, or footprints. When you search an area, this action has the complex subtype.
Combat Maneuvers
All Combat feats should fall under the category of something you can do already the new system makes it so all you need to is make a Combat Maneuver roll, thus any old feat like power attack, two weapon fighting, and vital strike are all something you can do normally it just requires a combat maneuver roll instead. The changes to these mechanics will be listed below other feats might fall into this category. A new system was introduced
Character Specializations to allow for addition character customization that is effectively replacing the feat system.
DCMO vs SCMO
Dexterity based combat maneuvers use Dexterity Combat Maneuver Offense (DCMO)
Strength based combat maneuvers use Strength Combat Maneuver Offense (SCMO)
New Combat Maneuvers
All combat maneuvers have their base penalties removed and you no longer take attacks of opportunity when using them without the correct feats. In addition some combat maneuvers will be ineffective vs targets several times larger than yourself like grappling a giant five times your size it's simply just not going to work. I plan on adding additional combat maneuvers to this list as I find them/find ways to implement them.
Attack Maneuvers are a special variation of attack you can elect to make replacing a normal attack action(single action) they have varied effects so of these will used your normal attack roll and some of these with use you combat maneuver offense stat.
Defense Maneuvers are action taken to raise your defense and are listed below.
Attack Maneuvers
All Maneuvers below cause you to take a -2 penalty on your attack or CMO roll; if you combine these
Attack Maneuvers the penalties stack.
Cleave (Melee) (Combat Maneuver - Single Action) - Roll a Combat Maneuver Offense check if successful you deal damage to the target of the attack and one adjacent target, for every 5 points you beat the targets AC you cleave an additional foe. When used against a troop the upper damage limit is doubled and for every 5 points you beat the targets armor class the upper damage limit is increased by the original upper limit amount.
Deadly Aim (Ranged) (Attack Action - Single Action) - Roll an attack roll if successful increase the size of your weapon by one step, for every 5 points you beat the targets AC you add additional damage equal to your dexterity modifier.
Flurry (Melee) (Attack Action - Single Action) - Roll an attack roll if successful add an additional damage die this damage is multiplied on a critical hit, for every 5 points you beat the targets AC you add an additional damage die.
Power Attack (Melee) (Attack Action - Single Action) - Roll an attack roll if successful increase the size of you weapon by one step, for every 5 points you beat the targets AC you add additional damage equal to your strength modifier.
Rapid Shot (Ranged) (Attack Action - Single Action) - Roll an attack roll if successful add an additional damage die this damage is multiplied on a critical hit, for every 5 points you beat the targets AC you add an additional damage die.
Two Weapon Flurry (Attack Action - Single Action) - Roll an attack roll if successful the damage die from your off hand weapon is added to the attack in addition you gain a 1.5 damage modifier for str/dex instead of just the str/dex mod; this damage is multiplied on a critical hit.
Example: A fighter wielding a longsword with a strength of 18 would normally deal 1d8+4 (1d8+str mod) that same fighter using two weapon flurry with two longswords deals 2d8+6 {1d8x2+(str mod x1.5)}
Vital Strike (Combat Maneuver - Full Round Action) - Roll a Combat Maneuver Offense check on flatfooted target if successful the attack bypasses any stamina the target has and applies the damage directly to their hit points.
Defense Maneuvers
Guard
Weapon Proficiency
Any weapons you have proficiency in gain a +1 on attack rolls
Weapon Type
Weapons will each have a different type classification Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing some weapons have multiple types (this means different ways of attack with these weapons yield different results). Bludgeoning weapons will bypass a certain amount of damage reduction on every attack, piercing weapon will have an amount of armor they can ignore with every attack and slashing weapons will have a bonus when cleaving multiple enemies.
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