[3.5E] New Revision Spotlight article - The Combat Chapter

[Gez]

Yes, but they contradict themselves by saying it's a standard action (see the [standard] thingie in bracket).

Anyway, discussing that is arguing for the sheer sake of arguing, since this rule will be remade to be clearly consistent.

 

[MerricB]

"Use a melee attack" reads to me as "you roll as for a melee attack..." - thus, you can't make a missile attack or likewise.

The text is very specific in the SRD for Disarm, Trip and Grapple: Action Type Varies; substitutes for a melee attack.

Check table 8-4 on page 128 of the PHB:

Standard Actions
Strike a weapon (attack)

Action Type Varies
Disarm(*)
Grapple(*)
Trip an opponent(*)

*: 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.

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The PHB is extremely confusing about actions, breaking them into
Attack Actions
Magic Actions
Partial Actions
Miscellaneous Actions

When instead the relevant terms are
Free Actions
Move-Equivalent Actions
Standard Actions
Full-Round Actions
Action Type Varies

Cheers!