all actions are equal; some are just more equal

[Alzrius]

At times like this, its pretty obvious Im not as familiar with the rules as I should be.

Im still fuzzy on the concept of how types of actions compare to other kinds in terms of time. I know that sounds rather confusing, so I have some example questions:

How many partial actions equals a standard action?
Does a full-attack action take an entire round?
Is a standard action as long as a movement action?

Etc. etc.

Is there any sort of helpful chart that basically just lists how all the actions compare to each other in terms of what can be done in a single round?

Thanks guys.

 

[Henrix]

You seem to be confusing different types of actions with measures of time.
All actions taken by all participants during a six second round are more or less simultaneous.
For playability reasons we stagger these actions in initiative order.

During a partial action you may basically do one of the two things you can do during a standard action, like move or attack. (See table 8-3).
This does not mean that you can trade a standard action for two partial actions. You can only take partial actions when it explicitly says that you can, such as during surprise, when Slowed or Hasted.

A full attack action is indeed a full-round action.

What do you mean by "Is a standard action as long as a movement action?"?
There is no fixed time length for actions. But ordinaririly you can take a standard action (including a move) during one round, which, on the average, is about six seconds.

I can refer you to table 8-1, 8-3, and 8-4, as well as p.121ff in the PHB.

 

[Caliban]

At times like this, its pretty obvious Im not as familiar with the rules as I should be.

Im still fuzzy on the concept of how types of actions compare to other kinds in terms of time. I know that sounds rather confusing, so I have some example questions:

How many partial actions equals a standard action?
Does a full-attack action take an entire round?
Is a standard action as long as a movement action?

Etc. etc.

Is there any sort of helpful chart that basically just lists how all the actions compare to each other in terms of what can be done in a single round?

Thanks guys.

In one round you can do:

A) A Full Round Action
or
B) A Standard Action (which includes a Move or Move Equivalent Action)
or
C) Two Move Actions (rr Move Equivalent Actions)

The general hierarchy of actions (in terms of time to do them) is:

Full Round Spell -> Full Round Action -> Partial Action -> Move/MEA -> Free Action

You can use two Partial Actions to perform a full round action, but you can't normally do two partial actions in the same round. (You can if you are hasted though.)

 

[Deset Gled]

Here's part of a little visualization bit that I posted before. At the time, it was meant to help understand some stuff about why different movements cause AoOs.

[repost]

It may be more confusing than helpful, but here's an (incomplete) idea of how I view some of the action options in rounds. Consider an action to be a space along time. Visually:

XXXXXXXXXXXX
A players turn

Next, consider a move equivalent action to take up about 1/3 of the characters round, and a standard (or partial) action to take up 2/3. A full round action takes up about 5/6 of the round. A 5 foot step would take up 1/12 or a round. Things that are free actions don't take up any time, as they are considered to be happening at the same time a different action is taking place (like pulling a sword out of a sheath while you walk towards an enemy). Visually:

A move followed by a standard action:
XXXX|XXXXXXXX
Move|standard action

A full attack followed by a 5 foot step:
XXXXXXXXXX|X|X
Full Attack|5' Step|Leftover time

A double move:
XXXX|XXXX|XXXX
Move|Move|Leftover time

The real significance of this visualization is that it shows that when you do a double move or a 5 foot step, there's some time in the round that isn't directly accounted for with the actions stated. This extra time is why the double move and 5 foot step don't draw attacks of opportunity; the character takes time to pay attention and wait for an opportunity to do their move rather than move recklessly and give others that opportunity.

[/repost]

I hope this helps you out a bit. I've changed some of the fractions involved a bit since the first time I posted this, because I think that the ones here show it a bit better, but I advise you to not get hung up with them. The system of rounds is really meant to just be an abstraction of time. Visualizations are a way that some people like me deal with it, but the pictures are still only abstractions.

 

[Sir Hawkeye]

The whole mess works out better if you distinguish between Attack Equivalents ("standard actions") and "the standard action" (attack eq.+move eq.). The terminology is a bit wacky there. Just so there's no confusion, I just invented the term "attack equivalent.(AEA)"


MEA < AEA < 2MEA
standard action = (AEA + MEA)
partial action = (AEA)
AEA < Full-round action < standard action
5' step = 0 + infinity*number of previous movements in round.

I think that's a fair mathematization of the rules.


I also like gled's approach. It's a pretty good visualization.