Has Anyone Houseruled Combat Actions?

TeeSeeJay

First Post
You can read my confusions in this thread

Has anyone refined the combat action system into something less confusing? If I sit down and do it myself, would you want to read it?

Yah, I COULD just wait for 3.5, but I've got a game to play now, not this summer.
 

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Well, here's what I've decided to do:

1. Define actions as "not an action," "free action," "simple action," and "complex action."

2. All not-an-actions and free actions remain the same.

3. All Standard, Partial, and Move-Equivalent actions become "Simple Actions"

4. All Full Round Actions become Complex Actions.

5. A character can perform 1 Complex OR 2 Simple actions each round.

6. Certain Simple actions, such as "Attack" can only be performed once per round.

7. "Full Attack" becomes a Simple action that can only follow a standard attack. So a character can (a) use only his first attack then do something else or (b) use his first attack and follow up with his additional attacks. This doesn't change the rules at all, just eliminates some -- IMO -- redundancy.

8. "Move" is defined as a Simple action -- you may move your speed as a simple action. That means you can move twice your speed in a single round by making both your simple actions "move" actions (So no need for the "Double Move" action -- again, redundant).

9. Any situation that calls for a "Partial Action" instead calls for a single "Simple Action" -- in the surprise round, under the affects of a Haste, etc.

Any thoughts or have I reinvented someone else's wheel?
 


Tonguez said:
Um I call them Non, Half and Full round actions

2 Halfs = 1 Whole =multiple Non

Yeah, that's intuitive. I stole the simple/complex terminology from shadowrun. 'Course that's just a matter of semantics. The important thing is recognizing the need for only three action types instead of five.
 

Mine's a little less simple, but only just.

Reactions can be done in response to someone else's action, even if it's not your turn. This includes things like the Reactive Counterspell feat or letting go of an item if someone tries to grab it from you. You can only perform reactions if something does something to you.

Free actions can be done during your turn while you're doing other things. This includes Quickened Spells, drawing a weapon with Quickdraw, or shouting up to 15 seconds of dialogue (I call it the "dramatic effect" paradox, which lets you say more in a 6 second combat round than would actually fit in 6 seconds; also, each person can lucidly say 15 seconds of dialogue each, which explains why in anime sometimes people spend a minute discussing their rival's strategies before counterattacking). You can perform a lot of free actions in a round, but the exact number is just left up to reasonability. Another free action you can do is move 5 ft. as an adjustment (not incurring an attack of opportunity), but only if that's your only movement in the round.

Move actions are movements, like normally drawing a weapon, moving 30 ft., or getting out an item from a bag.

Then there are standard actions, which are things like single attacks, casting a spell, or drinking a potion.

You can perform two move actions or a move and a standard action in one round.

Full-round actions are running, making full attacks, or casting long spells.

Oh, and I changed my summon spells now so they're like Magic: the Gathering. Summoning the creature is as fast as any other spell, but the creature has 'summoning sickness,' and can't attack until your next round.
 

RangerWickett said:

Oh, and I changed my summon spells now so they're like Magic: the Gathering. Summoning the creature is as fast as any other spell, but the creature has 'summoning sickness,' and can't attack until your next round.

Does that mean your summoned creature stands around dazed, confused, or flat-footed? An easy target, in other words, that might be put down before it has a chance to act?
 

I've been playing a Psion in a friend's campaign for a while now. I don't feel that there's any issue with summoning taking a full round. I still manage to flood the field with astral constructs, and I dish out as much damage as the fighters sometimes.

I do like the idea of summoning sickness, though. Might be feat or PrC worthy... could have a feat further down the chain, or a higher level ability to eliminate it entirely.
 

They aren't flat-footed or anything. Just like in magic, it isn't their turn yet, and so they don't get to use any of their abilities offensively, but they can defend themselves just fine. I just don't like to penalize summoners because opponents get a lot more opportunities to disrupt their spells.
 

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