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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Vigwyn the Unruly" data-source="post: 1681768" data-attributes="member: 20345">Admittedly it is poorly written, but the basic idea is true. A free action can be taken "while taking another action" (quote from SRD). A 5' step, on the other hand, is taken before, during [as in between], or after standard or move actions. So, it can't be done if the only thing you can do is take a standard or move action.I think this is the weakest part of my argument, but I still think I'm right. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> By "during," I think the authors meant "between" and I'll tell you why. First, note that in both examples they give (PHB 144), the 5' actually takes place between, not in the course of, the actions. Second, the book says you can take a 5' step during actions (plural), not during an action (singular). This is more consistent with a "between" meaning for "during."That's fine, it may not be in the primary spot, but it is still a rule. Since nothing in the primary sections directly contradicts what is in the Action Types rules, we can't just throw out that sentence. It's perfectly consistent with the other sections.Again, this argument doesn't work. They also don't mention move actions, and I don't think you would suggest that you can only take standard actions just because that's all that's mentioned in the Surprise Round section.OK, I can make two different arguments against this.First, a "surprise round" is not a "round." That might seem funny, but remember that an "incorporeal touch attack" is not a "touch attack."Second, if you don't buy that argument (and I'm not even sure that I do <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> ), I challenge the use of the word "any" in this context. This is not the only place in the PHB where the authors say "any" but clearly don't mean it. For example, the SRD says "With a normal melee weapon, you can strike any opponent within 5 feet." This is clearly not true, because you cannot strike an incorporeal creature with a normal melee weapon, even when it is within 5 feet.</blockquote>

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