A free action takes a negligible amount of time. The PHB says, "You can take one or more free actions while taking another action normally." Does that mean you can literally take a free action in the middle of another action?
Say a wizard is stuck in melee, and takes the Full Attack action to get his two iterative attacks. He swings his dagger once at the enemy, and hits, but does no apparent damage; he suspects that Stoneskin or a similar spell is in effect. Can the wiz throw Quickened Dispel Magic as a free action, and then take his second attack? (Assume his off-hand is free to perform the somatic component.)
Another example: Take a Ftr/Wiz with the Shield spell and the Cleave feat. He is in melee with a goblin and an orc. The Shield is protecting him only from the orc. He swings at the orc, hits, and kills it. Cleave allows him an attack on the goblin; he decides to disarm it. Can he use a free action to swing the Shield around before his disarm attempt, thus gaining the AC bonus against the goblin's AoO?
The Shapechange spell states that the caster can change form as a free action, but only before or after his regular action. I don't know whether this is an exception to the normal action rules, or a reiteration of how all free actions are supposed to work.
Thoughts? Comments? Anyone for tennis?
Say a wizard is stuck in melee, and takes the Full Attack action to get his two iterative attacks. He swings his dagger once at the enemy, and hits, but does no apparent damage; he suspects that Stoneskin or a similar spell is in effect. Can the wiz throw Quickened Dispel Magic as a free action, and then take his second attack? (Assume his off-hand is free to perform the somatic component.)
Another example: Take a Ftr/Wiz with the Shield spell and the Cleave feat. He is in melee with a goblin and an orc. The Shield is protecting him only from the orc. He swings at the orc, hits, and kills it. Cleave allows him an attack on the goblin; he decides to disarm it. Can he use a free action to swing the Shield around before his disarm attempt, thus gaining the AC bonus against the goblin's AoO?
The Shapechange spell states that the caster can change form as a free action, but only before or after his regular action. I don't know whether this is an exception to the normal action rules, or a reiteration of how all free actions are supposed to work.
Thoughts? Comments? Anyone for tennis?
