Do any monsters have Move Action attacks?

[UltimaGabe]

So, the majority of attacks in 4e are Standard Actions. As we all know, there's plenty of monsters that have at-will attacks that are Minor Actions instead of Standards. Now, unless it's a recharge or non-at-will attack, there's nothing stopping them from turning all of their actions into minors to get three such attacks each round, right?

Well, that got me thinking. Since there's plenty of attacks that are Minor Actions (which both Moves and Standards can be traded down for), why are there no attacks that are Move Actions? Sure, it'd be more powerful than a Standard attack (since you could use it as well as another Standard), but it's less powerful than a Minor attack (which you could use as well as a Standard AND a Move).

Since there's so many attacks that are Minor Actions, why are there no Move attacks? Or are there, and I'm just not seeing them?

 

[Flipguarder]

Since you can convert a move action to a minor action if you wish. I think WOTC sees adding move action attacks as possible attack options simply as redundant.

There are flyby attacks that allow you to move and attack at the same time.

 

[Oompa]

Are there move attacks for players?

I think they kept the move action for movement purposes only..

 

[UltimaGabe]

I guess what I'm wondering is this: It seems that certain enemy attacks are (for lack of a better phrase) "weak enough" to allow the enemy to use such an attack three times a round- and others are "powerful enough" that they can only be used once per round (as a standard). Are there any powers that are "in the middle"- as in, weak enough to use it twice in a round?

I just think it would be interesting mechanic to explore.

 

[the Jester]

The fighter imc has a stance that lets her attack as a move action. Quicksilver Stance or something I think.

 

[Mesh Hong]

As Flipguader said move action attacks would be fairly redundant as you could achieve the same thing with a minor action.

I think I might have created a couple of move action powers with a secondary attack though I can't remember any specifics.

The most likely would be something like:

Acidic Step (move, recharge ) - acid, teleport
Burst 1; attack +12 vs. Reflex; 1d6+4 acid damage; hit or miss creature teleports 5 squares

You could also use a move action attack to simulate the old full round attack by giving the creature additional bonuses to its attack if it doesn't move:

Channel Fury (move, at will)
Creature deals an additional 1d6 damage with its next successful melee attack before the end of its current turn

Steady Aim (move, at will)
Creature gains a +2 bonus to its next attack before the end of its current turn

Gain the Advantage (move, at will)
Attack +12 vs. Will; on hit target grants combat advantage to the creature until the end of the creatures current turn

 

[Dionysos]

Not sure if it is the sort of thing you are after, but I recently used a Yuan-Ti Anathema in my campaign. As a move action it can move its speed through PC spaces, making slam attacks against and knocking prone those it hits in the course of its movement.

There may be others, I haven't specifically looked for this.

 

[Jhaelen]

There may be others, I haven't specifically looked for this.

There are definitely others. Just the other day I noticed that one of the monsters in Open Grave had one. Actually, it worked almost identical to the one the Yuan-Ti Anathema had, i.e. it allowed the monster to make a move through enemy squares and attack every enemy it moved through.

 

[the Jester]

Hmm, I think that maybe the nightmare has a move action that leaves a trail of fire behind, too...

Generally, philosophically, 4e tries to limit move actions to things that involve... moving. Is there a mechanical reason not to have abilities that require a move action as attacks more frequently? I dunno. There might be. But I doubt it- I think it's more a philosophical stance.

 

[keterys]

You generally want to avoid making move actions that don't actually move - it makes the fights more static.

So, trample is fine for a move, but you'll probably note that a lot of the 'minor' attacks are actually minor 1/round or on creatures that have ranged attacks and/or forced movement (putting the movement on the other shoe, effectively)