Refocus combo - legal?

[Malin Genie]

Refocus is listed as a full-round action, raising your initiative to 20 + initmod, and possibly thereby changing your order in the initiative cycle.

Let's say Ferocious Fighter is last in the initiative order.

At some point (either a fellow spellcaster, or an item) FF becomes hasted.

On her action, she takes a partial charge action as a haste bonus action. Instead of full attacking, however, she refocuses, moving to first on the initiative order.

She then full attacks, and either takes an extra attack or withdraws with the bonus partial.

It seems like she just got a partial action 'for free' - is this legal or not?

 

[hammymchamham]

of course its legal, they gave up a full round action in round 1 though, to go first in rund 2. But now everyone else gets to go in round 2.

 

[THEBIGLOU]

How 'bout with a bard

Take a bard who uses his bard song to give everyone a +1 (free action) and then refocuses. I know many bards who do this to great effect to give everyone a bonus much earlier in the next round than they would have otherwise received.

THEBIGLOU

 

[Pielorinho]

She then full attacks, and either takes an extra attack or withdraws with the bonus partial.

It seems like she just got a partial action 'for free' - is this legal or not?

My only problem with this would be if she withdrew with the extra partial. I'd consider it all to be part of one turn, and I don't allow any other movement on a turn in which a character uses the charge or partial charge action. Otherwise, it looks fine.

If you use the initiative card system, I think you'll see that the fighter gains no particular benefit from refocusing like this; they don't actually gain any actions at all.

Unless i"m way misunderstanding you.

Daniel

 

[AuraSeer]

Re: How 'bout with a bard

Take a bard who uses his bard song to give everyone a +1 (free action) and then refocuses. I know many bards who do this to great effect to give everyone a bonus much earlier in the next round than they would have otherwise received.

That doesn't work. Inspire Courage does not take effect until the targets hear the bard sing for "one full round." If the bard starts singing on initiative count 9, then the bonus doesn't kick in until initiative count 9 on the next round, regardless of how many actions the bard takes in the meantime.

 

[Malin Genie]

The point is that the fighter was acting 'last'; now they are acting 'first'....

So:

Enemies and allies get their actions
Fighter's Turn - partial action + refocus
(Beginning of new round) - full-round action + partial action
Enemies and allies get their actions
(Beginning of new round) Figher gets her actions
etc

Thus they have eked out an additional partial action without enemies or allies getting an extra turn.

In an initiative 'card' system (which I have tried before) the fighter is not moving their card at all - but getting partial + full + partial.

There is a definite advantage and no corresponding disadvantage I can see, which is why I am asking if it is legal...

 

[Janos Antero]

It's legal, the question remains whether or not you think it should be doable.

I do much the same thing actually, but using a 2nd level spell from Relics and Rituals that lets you refocus as a free action. Roll low and go last in a round, refocus for free and I basically get two actions in quick succession with my wizard.

 

[IceBear]

Isn't this going to go away in 3.5 when haste doesn't give a partial action?

IceBear

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

It gives hime, what, 1 more partial action than everyone else for the whole combat? Yes, its an advantage, albeit not an unbalancing one i think.

Maitre D

 

[Mahali]

Refocus doesn't allow you to take any actions during your round. Haste gives you an extra partial action but doesn't allow you to break rules. It just allows you to do more during your round.

So a Hasted person spends the whole round refocusing and doesn't get an extra partial action.