Movement in Combat: FAQ needed!

[Greatwyrm]

So let me get this straight:

1. Spell caster: I can move my base movement (say 30ft) in one round and cast a spell unless the spell is a full round action?

2. A full round is a standard action?

3. How does the attacks per round vary here. Lets say I have 3 attacks, do I get to move my full base movement (say 30) and attack 3 times? What if I double move or run or charge?

1. Yes

2. No. There is a chart in the PHB that covers this. I think it's in the combat chapter. You really need to look there.

3. If you take more than a 5 foot step, you only get one attack. It doesn't matter if you run, charge, fly, jump, or whatever. If you want to take more than one attack per round (two weapons, multiple attacks from BAB, flurry) you can only move a single five foot step.

 

[IceBear]

In order to attack more than once per round, you have to use a Full Round Action (FRA). A FRA only allows a 5ft step before, after, or during the action.

Thus, if you have a fighter with three attacks per round, he cannot use all three attacks if he moves more than 5ft that round. On the plus side, those monsters with two claws and a bite? Well, if they have to move more than 5ft in the round they only get one attack.

IceBear

 

[Ywain]

Everyone seems to have you on the right track for Partial, Standard and Free Actions. Full Round Actions have been glossed over, though.

Again, Full-Round Actions are not a measurment of time, it is an action type.

When an action is described it will say whether it is a Standard or a Full Round action, so read the descriptions and check the tables.

If you take a Full Round Action that is all you can do in that round. You cannot move your speed, or take a move-equivalent action. If your Full Round Action does not include movement, you can take a 5ft. step (before during or after the action itself).

The three most common Full-Round Actions are:

1) Full Attack Action. This is where you get to use multiple attacks (and the only action that allows multiple attacks). If you are fighting with two weapons, or have 4 attacks due to a high base attack bonus you must take a Full Attack Action in order to use the extra attacks.

2) Spontaneously Cast Metamagicked Spell. If a Sorcerer or Bard casts a metamagicked spell it takes a full round action to accomplish. The spell resolves on the same initiative count it was started (unlike casting a spell with a casting time of "1 full round").

3) Run. If you want to run all-out at 4X your speed (3X in heavy armor, 5X with the Run feat) you must do so as a Full Round Action. Again, all of your movement is resolved on your initiative order.

Cheers.

PS There is also a type of action called "Not an Action: Some activities are not even considered free actions. They literally don't take any time at all to do and are considered an inherent part of doing something else." (SRD). So the example above of Knocking an Arrow is actually not an action; it is considered to be an inherent part of firing a bow. Likewise, retrieving material components for most spells is considered "Not an Action", as it is an inherent part of casting the spell.

Enjoy.

 

[Nail]

not coming from 2E but a rather baffling 3E campaign where we are all lost on what constitutes rounds,turns, and partial and standard actions..

No such thing as "turns", kid. That's 2e mumbo-jumbo. Stuff's much simpler around here in 3e land ....just rounds, minutes, hours, days, months....

So let me get this straight:

1. Spell caster: I can move my base movement (say 30ft) in one round and cast a spell unless the spell is a full round action?

2. A full round is a standard action?

3. How does the attacks per round vary here. Lets say I have 3 attacks, do I get to move my full base movement (say 30) and attack 3 times? What if I double move or run or charge?

#1) Yup, unless yer opposing me, as I said. Then I want'cha ta hold real still.......

#2) Nope. Jus' like that other guy said.

#3)This is th' real meat o' the changes. If you move in a round (more than 5'), you only get one attack. Period. 'Cept, o' course, fer monsters. They get these 'natural attacks', see, an' so apparently they can do 'em all, even after movin'. As a PC, I can't. My attacks are "unnatural" see.........<controls rant, shuts trap>

grumble, grumble......

-Nail

 

[Leopold]

so explain the critters natural attacks? They get to make ALL the attacks normally even after they have moved their full base movement?

 

[Leopold]

ps thank you for all of your help on this y'all. We have been doing this wrong, oh so very very wrong for a long time (2 years now) and it's good we finnally get this straightened out.

 

[Xahn'Tyr]

so explain the critters natural attacks? They get to make ALL the attacks normally even after they have moved their full base movement?

For anyone (or anything) to get more than one attack in a round, they have to use the full attack action. This includes critters. So a beastie can move and attack once, or not move (or just do a 5ft step) and attack with all of it's attacks.

Note that the "Charge" action allows you to combine a move and an attack as a partial action. This would let you move 30ft and attack at the end. You get +2 to hit, but your AC drops by 2 until your next round. You also have to move in a straight line, and cover at least 10 ft.

So how most beasts will start a fight is:

1st round: move and swing once, or charge with one swing at the end of the charge.

2nd round: take all of it's attacks and an optional 5ft step before, during, or after.

3rd round etc. Either 5ft and all its attacks, or a normal move with just one attack (ie. if it needs to get to a new victime).

 

[IceBear]

so explain the critters natural attacks? They get to make ALL the attacks normally even after they have moved their full base movement?

No they do not. They follow the same rules as PCs (except for lions and other cats which have the Pounce ability which allows a full attack during the first round of movement).

There was some confusion with whether or not a monster with the following attacks:

2 claws +6
1 bite +1

would be allowed both claw attacks after moving as the claws were listed together as the primary attack. This has been clarified by the Sage to mean that if the monster moved 30ft, it could use one claw attack at +6 NOT two. There is some grey area as to whether or not the monster could bite at +6 instead (especially if the bite did more damage), but I wouldn't allow it in most cases.

This is described in the beginning of the Monster Manual, IIRC.

IceBear

 

[Xahn'Tyr]

That post about the Full Round Actions was right on; I wish I has said all that . I was trying to think of a summary that might help:

MOVEMENT BASICS

In a normal round, you can do a Standard Action and a move.
Or you can do a single Full Round Action.

You can swap a Standard Action for another move if you want.
You can swap any move for a Move-Equivalent Action instead.

Whenever the rules say you are limited to a partial action, then you can do a Standard Action (without an additional move).

In any round in which you do not actualy move (go from one square to another), you are entitled to take a free 5ft step.

 

[Nail]

For anyone (or anything) to get more than one attack in a round, they have to use the full attack action. This includes critters. So a beastie can move and attack once, or not move (or just do a 5ft step) and attack with all of it's attacks.

.....whoa, is my DM gonna be tastin' more than a bit o' boot leather.......

We had a huge arguement about this...it's not at all clear from the rules that critters get only one attack after movin'.....although now I can see how we (err....the DM) mis-interpreted the whole thing.


Wow.

I wonder if that means we retro-actively raise a few PCs.....

So....this one attack thingy after a move fer critters is clearly explained in the beginning of the MM?

-Nail (oh- look- I-kin- change- th'- color- o'-my- writtin'!)

(Ain't these new-fangled tek-now-low-gies jus' great? )