Two swift actions in one round

[Mistwell]

Assume I have a magic item that triggers as a swift action, and a spell that takes a swift action to cast. I want to use both in the same round - and that is all I want to do with the round.

Is there any way to use two swift actions in a single round, but spending MORE time on a swift action?

In other words, could you do one swift action and another swift action done instead as a standard action?

 

[kreynolds]

I don't believe so, but I wouldn't have a problem with someone "spending" a standard action to use a swift action.

 

[Christian]

Yeah, RAW gives only one swift/immediate action per round, but there shouldn't be any balance issues to allowing someone to spend a standard action to use one. (Not a move action, though--that way lies madness!)

 

[Abisashi]

In the new Star Wars RPG, either a standard or a move action can be converted into a swift action. However, as the swift-action abilities in D&D were not designed with this in mind, I'd be wary of allowing this in D&D.

Swapping standard actions for swift actions is probably fine for 95% of cases, and most of the rest should be obviously bad.

 

[blargney the second]

Ruby Knight Vindicator is a prestige class in the Book of Nine Swords that gives you the ability to expend turn attempts for extra swift actions in a round.

 

[Mistwell]

In the new Star Wars RPG, either a standard or a move action can be converted into a swift action. However, as the swift-action abilities in D&D were not designed with this in mind, I'd be wary of allowing this in D&D.

Swapping standard actions for swift actions is probably fine for 95% of cases, and most of the rest should be obviously bad.

Can you name any of the one in twenty cases where a swift action and another one as a standard action would be obviously bad? I cannot. In fact, one could add a metamagic enhancement to a swift spell to increase it's casting time and do it that way, right?

 

[kreynolds]

The only real concern might be all those 1-round duration swift spells out there. While very brief in duration, they can be very useful. Even still, I don't think being able to cast two of those and still move would be especially game-breaking.

 

[Abisashi]

Can you name any of the one in twenty cases where a swift action and another one as a standard action would be obviously bad? I cannot. In fact, one could add a metamagic enhancement to a swift spell to increase it's casting time and do it that way, right?

Nope, I can't. I'd be more afraid of prestige class abilites or feats that use swift actions than I would of spells.

You could just blanket-allow trading standard actions for swift actions and ban things on a case-by-case basis. The players help you find the bugs (if any), and they get to exploit the bug once as a reward.

 

[Darklone]

The only real concern might be all those 1-round duration swift spells out there. While very brief in duration, they can be very useful. Even still, I don't think being able to cast two of those and still move would be especially game-breaking.

I wouldn't worry about these spells, usually they are great because they are a good buff for the following standard action... if this standard action is used for another 1 round duration thing, the effect might be nearly wasted.

 

[kreynolds]

Yeah, that's a really good point, Darklone. I'm guessing most of the those swift-action spells are only truly beneficial for the round in which you cast it (such as those that grant an attack bonus, movement rate increase, etc). I would guess very few remain beneficial after the round in which you cast it (anything that grants an AC bonus, for example, would still be handy, such as when being subjected to enemy attacks before the beginning of your next round of actions).