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[Ambrus]

Originally Posted by CanadienneBacon

If you want to delay because you just don't know what the combat landscape will look like when your turn arrives, let me know.

Seems prudent to wait and see since, having failed his perception check, my PC isn't yet aware of what the commotion is about. Assuming he eventually sees something it also seems entirely possible that there will be too big a press of bodies in the way for him to do anything significant on the first full round of combat either.

Relevant rules

Just a quick copy paste of the relevant parts of the Pathfinder rules concerning the surprise round and charging, assuming that's what some players might be considering.

Originally Posted by Pathfinder Beta

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.

Originally Posted by Pathfinder Beta

[A charge] may be taken as a standard action if you are limited to taking
only a single action in a round.

Originally Posted by Pathfinder Beta

CHARGE
Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to
move up to twice your speed and attack during the action.
Charging, however, carries tight restrictions on how you
can move.
Movement During a Charge: You must move before
your attack, not after. You must move at least 10 feet (2
squares) and may move up to double your speed directly
toward the designated opponent.
You must have a clear path toward the opponent, and
nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult
terrain or obstacles). You must move to the closest space
from which you can attack the opponent. If this space is
occupied or otherwise blocked, you can’t charge. If any
line from your starting space to the ending space passes
through a square that blocks movement, slows movement,
or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge.
Helpless creatures don’t stop a charge.
If you don’t have line of sight to the opponent at the
start of your turn, you can’t charge that opponent.
You can’t take a 5-foot step in the same round as a charge.
If you are able to take only a standard action or a move
action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only
allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double
your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted
to taking only a standard action or move action
on your turn.
Attacking on a Charge: After moving, you may make a
single melee attack. You get a +2 bonus on the attack roll
and take a –2 penalty to your AC until the start of your
next turn.
A charging character gets a +2 bonus on combat maneuver
attack rolls made to bull rush an opponent (see
Bull Rush).
Even if you have extra attacks, such as from having a
high enough base attack bonus or from using multiple
weapons, you only get to make one attack during a charge."

All this assumes that a character has a weapon in hand with which to attack however. Normally drawing a weapon is a move action, but:

Originally Posted by Pathfinder Beta

If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can
combine one of these actions with a regular move.