Help my party learn the rules.

[rillian]

I think there may be a misconception about Partial Actions and Standard Actions.
Every Standard action consists of a Partial Action and a Movement Action. In fact, everything that is defined as a Standard Action is really a Partial Action. Taking a Single attack, for example, is defined as a Standard Action. However, the Standard Action is really Taking a Single Attack, AND making a Movement action. Taking a Single Attack can be performed as a Partial Action, without taking a Movement action. This is true of all Standard Actions, and is one of the most confusing things in 3rd Edition.

The significance of the Standard Action, is that it is one of the 2 main ways to spend a round. The other is a Full Round Action.

 

[Jasperak]

WOTC has a small set of diagrams concerning movement and AoO on their web site under Role Models.

Attached is the PDF file that may help.

 

[wilsonodk]

I think there may be a misconception about Partial Actions and Standard Actions.
Every Standard action consists of a Partial Action and a Movement Action. In fact, everything that is defined as a Standard Action is really a Partial Action. Taking a Single attack, for example, is defined as a Standard Action. However, the Standard Action is really Taking a Single Attack, AND making a Movement action. Taking a Single Attack can be performed as a Partial Action, without taking a Movement action. This is true of all Standard Actions, and is one of the most confusing things in 3rd Edition.

The significance of the Standard Action, is that it is one of the 2 main ways to spend a round. The other is a Full Round Action.

Actually that isn't correct.
There is a partial action charge. There is no equivilent in the standard action, only a full-attack action. I think what you meant was, in your round you are entitled to a standard action and a move (or equivilent) action. A full attack action you take a standard actions and use your move-equivilent action to finish your action.

As Ki Ryn stated earlier, partial actions are only taken at special times, those include:

• The Surprise Round Everyone who is not surprises is entiled to a partial action
• Hasted When hasted you gain an extra partial action each round
• Slowed When slowed you are only given a single partial action each round

There could be other times where someone is given a partial action or is limited to a partial action, but these are rare and usally reserved for special cases by the DM

BTW, i wish Drawmack were correct, 4 charges a round would be awesome!!!

 

[Kyramus]

someone made a cheat sheet for dms players and such, i forget where the link is, but I think that will help our questioner.

It details what they can do in standard, partial and such, what stacks, etc.

 

[Magic Rub]

Please correcty me if I'm wrong in any of this...

Actually that isn't correct.
There is a partial action charge. There is no equivilent in the standard action, only a full-attack action. I think what you meant was, in your round you are entitled to a standard action and a move (or equivilent) action. A full attack action you take a standard actions and use your move-equivilent action to finish your action.

As Ki Ryn stated earlier, partial actions are only taken at special times, those include:

• The Surprise Round Everyone who is not surprises is entiled to a partial action
• Hasted When hasted you gain an extra partial action each round
• Slowed When slowed you are only given a single partial action each round

There could be other times where someone is given a partial action or is limited to a partial action, but these are rare and usally reserved for special cases by the DM

BTW, i wish Drawmack were correct, 4 charges a round would be awesome!!!

Haste
You can cast a spell in the extra partial action you gain from haste provided it's not a spell with a casting time greater then 1 action.
Slow
Also you can still cast a single spell in the partial action when slowed (this is the same for "The Surprise Round")

Here are the valid combinations:
NaA - can be performed infinatly
FA + PA + PA + PA + PA
FA + PA + PA + MEA/SA
FA + MEA/SA + MEA/SA
MEA/SA + MEA/SA
FA + FRA
FRA

However you cannot cast 4, 1 - action spells per this little chart.

Nice chart but kind of confusing IMO.

Here's a letter I wrote to my player way back when to help explain things...

Here's the basics.

If you are Just moving you can...
-Move double ( 2 x base) your movement, which will be 12 squares for most, in any direction turning when you like.
-Run (4 x base) which will be 24 squares for most, it's suppose to be just in a straight line but we should houserule this a bit to allow some turns (I think)
- You may not RUN on a partial action (only double your movement)

Attacking works like this.
- If you are taking a single attack, if by choice or because you only have one (regardless). Before or after your attack you may move your FULL movement rate in distance, which will be (30ft.) 6 squares for most, in any direction turning when you like. You may not split the movement up, for example half before & half after (See spring attack)
- The same rule for single attacks goes for casting single action spells ie) Magic missile.

- For a full attack action... If you are taking more then one attack (a full attack action), if by multiple weapons or because your base attack bonus is high enough that you have multiple attacks, you may only move a single 5ft square. If you have not yet moved a 5' square, & if you have only taken one attack, you may decide to negate the full attack action, & move your movement rate as detailed above.

SPRING ATTACK
- If you are using Spring Attack you may only take 1 attack on your target, however you may move both before & after your attack. The total movement may not be more then your base movement, which will be (30ft.) 6 squares for most, in any direction turning when you like.

Well that's my 2 cents

 

[Spatzimaus]

Short version:

In one turn you have three options:
1> Do one Standard Action. This usually consists of one Partial Action (attack/cast spell) and one Move-Equivalent Action; the order may be reversed.
2> Do two Move-Equivalent Actions (a double move)
3> Do one Full-Round Action. Note that you don't have to decide whether to make a Full Attack until after the first attack (a partial action) has been resolved.

Free actions may be inserted as needed. If you don't make any move actions you can take a free 5' step.

 

[wilsonodk]

In one turn you have three options:
1> Do one Standard Action. This usually consists of one Partial Action (attack/cast spell) and one Move-Equivalent Action; the order may be reversed.

It's generaly better not to think of a Standard Action as a Partial Action and a Move-Equivalent.

Because, you are allowed a slightly different selection of actions for a Standard action and a Partial action. The first time a PC tries to do a move and then a partial charge, you will see the error of this way of thinking.

Example
If you say the a Standard action consists of a Partial action and a Move-Equivalent then you could move your distance (let's say 6 squares, bc that is the PC average) then you could Partial action charge, which occording to the PH allows you to move double your movement that's an additional 12 squares of movement, for a total move of 18, 6 of which doesn't have to be in a straight line!

Your round consist of a Standard action and a Move-Equivalent action.
Sometimes you can only make a Partial action, sometimes that is a good thing, like when you aren't surprised by a Troll. Sometimes that is a bad thing, like when you are a Zombie.
At other times you are allowed to make an additional partial action, like when you are hasted.

The reason this causes so many problems is because most Standard actions are also Partial actions.

To get back to the root of this thread. It is extremely important when dealing with 3e to not mence words. In previous versions of the game (and i have played them all) the game might one time say something one way one time and another way a different time. Not in 3e. A Standard action is not the same thing as a Partial action and a Standard action does not include a Partial action. They are seperate, hence why they are referred to seperately in the Combat section of the PH.

When trying to get your PCs to learn the new rules, be sure not to allow the definitions of the terms of the game become corrupted. Sean K Reynolds has an interesting rant on his web site about this in regards to enhancement bonuses. Read here. Although not the exact same thing it is important here, and anywhere when reading 3e.

BTW, I'm a LN Programmer.
Care way too much about syntax

 

[Pielorinho]

Just point your players toward this thread, Heroditus -- it should clear everything up for them nicely .

Drawmack, I think your chart has several errors in it -- not least the idea that you can do four partial actions per round. At most, you can do one partial action in a round -- the others aren't partial actions.

And it's important to know that you can't substitute standard actions and partial actions freely: a partial charge, for example, can't be combined with a normal movement in order to make a turn in the middle of the charge.

And your chart also suggests that you can make two standard actions in a round -- which is never possible.

One way to think about it is that different actions take up different amounts of time:

Free actions: 0
Move: .4
Move Equivalent Actions: .4
Standard actions: .6
Partial actions: .7
Full Round actions: 1

You can do any set of actions (excluding partial actions) that add up to less than or equal to one. You can only take a partial action when the rules specifically direct you to do so, as people stated above; you can use your partial action to do anything on the list that has a lesser value (e.g., a standard action, or a movement action). You can do as many free actions as your DM will let you get away with.

This is how I think about it; dunno if it helps other folks.
Daniel

 

[Mistwell]

Personally, I would not introduce the concept of a partial action at all until the other types of actions are well understood by your players. Just stick to Full Round Action, Standard Action, Move or Move Equivelent Action, and Free Action for now.

 

[dcollins]

"Thumbnail Rules" to help with an AD&D to 3rd Edition conversion: www.superdan.net/dnd3.html