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Message: <blockquote data-quote="irdeggman" data-source="post: 5349392" data-attributes="member: 16285">Don't hink in term of the amount of time it takes (that was only ever given as an approximation and to provide some kind of overall perspective as to how long a combat might last).Actions are best thought of in terms of the "amount of effort" it takes.A full round action consumes all of the effort a character can take within a given round.A standard action takes most of the effort it takes but not allA move action takes a little less effort than does a standard action (my logic here is that you can take a move action instead of a standard action but not vice-versa)A swift action takes almost no effort but enought effort so that you can only do it once in a roundA free action takes almost no effort and the amount of effort it takes is ejudicated by the DM (basically you can take as many free actions as the DM feels is appropriate)An immediate action is special (like magic is special) and is akin to making an anticipatory action - it is basically making your swift action early)A 5 ft step is a "non-action", so it take no effort whatsover - but you can only take one a round  and you can't "move" (not move action, but move) in the same round.The reason I say not to get consumed with the amount of time it takes is because D&D combat is abstract in its design and when you start to assign "times" to actions then you are assigning logic to the combat and then that will break down or lead to "analysis paralysis" because you will end up trying to quantify everything to the point that you won't be able to get through the round in a "fun" way.Look at it this way it takes as much effort for a 16th level fighter to make 4 attacks with his great axe as it does for a 1st level human wizard to move 30 ft and cast magic missile.Oh yeah - welcome aboard</blockquote>

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