What a standard action is

[noretoc]

One of the biggest problems here is people just can't seem to understand the concept of the actions (Not alot, but a few). Maybe you should think of it a different way. Think of it like this. A standard action is just that. An action. An attack, drinking a potion, etc. Anytime you take a standard action you may move up to your speed. Instead of moving up to you speed you may perform a MEA. It is not part of the standard action, though it must be done either before or after. End of story... No this=that or this is this+that, etc...
Now lets look a some options and see how they fit.
-A partial action is a standard action, but you cannot move before or after.
-You can as a standard action make a move up to your speed.
-Now, A double move is simply a standard action (moving your speed) and then moving you speed.
-In a partial action you move your speed, (and since is is a partial cannot move again)
-The charge action allows you to move up to your speed and make one attack (because this is a standard action you can also move up to your speed, hence the "able to move up to double your movement") In this special case though, your movement must be in a straight line and must all be before the attack.
-Spring attack allow you to make a standard action (but it must be a melee attack, per the feat restriction) and the move you add can be slpit between "before" and "after" your standard action.
If you understood how I said that, try different senarios and see if one dosen't fit. IF is does, then this defination can be used for other cases, (like a spring attack charge) (ride by attack) If you like it, we can see how if fits in later (it is the way I run it in my game)

 

[noretoc]

Ah, I would remove charge from above. It isn't a standard action, it is a special attack action. Sorry.

 

[AGGEMAM]

It seems you haven't understood it correctly either!

PHB, page 121.

Standard Action: A standard action allows you to do something and move your speed during a combat round. You can move before or after performing the activity of the action.

And btw,

PHB, page 124.
Charge
Charging is a special standard action ...

And Spring Attack allows you to divide your move and take it before and/or after the attack action (and only the attack action).

 

[Artoomis]

It's really not all that hard.

In a round you may (without regard for 5-foot moves):

Take a standard action, which includes a move. Examples include casting as spell or making a single attack.

Take a special standard action, which is "special" and requires reading the action carefully to see what you can do. (The SRD places "Charge" as a Full-Round Action, which is effectively what it is since you MUST move and can do nothing else). Example include a Charge and a Double Move (Someone else said this, I never went back and checked).

Take a Full-Round Action, which allows for no move. Examples include a Metamagic'd Spontaneous Spell and a Full Attack

Any time you can make a move, you may substitute a Move-Equivalent Action.

You may take a Partial Action only if you are Slowed, Hasted, Ready an Action, or have some sort of other circumstance that specifically grants you a partial action. You don't move And take an action with a Partial Action. (Charge is a special case that let's you move AND attack.) Examples of Partial Actions include a Casting a Spell and a Single Attack.

You may start a Full-Round Action with a Partial Action, and Finish it with your next action (either a Partial Action or a Standard Action)

I probably did not cover quite everything in there, but you see how simple this can be. Over-analyzing this will only produce confusion.

 

[IceBear]

Over-analyzing this will only produce confusion.

Such as that 11-page monstrosity below

IceBear

 

[Artoomis]

Oh yes, and for 5-foot moves - if you have not otherwise moved (and will not otherwise move in this round) you may take a "free" 5-foot step.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

Over-analyzing this will only produce confusion.

... Thou shalt not question...

 

[Artoomis]

... Thou shalt not question...

Magus, there are two forums here that have to do with what you want to do with actions.

1. D&D Rules. Here we try and look at what the rules actually are. Here is where we try and help folks who might be struggling to figure out what the rules say.

2. House Rules. Here we try and put forth new ideas and have them critiqued. Here is where you question the rules and put forth "better" rules. Things like taking two partial actions as your regular actions in a round.

Please keep things where they belong. Thanks.

 

[Caliban]

... Thou shalt not question...

What, are you mad that we dared to question your logic?

 

[Magus_Jerel]

[quoute]
Over-analyzing this will only produce confusion.
[/quote]

The "insinuation" implied by the above statement in and of itself is - to a philosophical mind - one of the gravest insults that is possible. Bluntly - it is calling the IDEA of questioning this particular series of statements (namely the initiative system) "a heresey", and is tantamount to threatening to "lynch" the questioner outright - if spoken in person.

"Questioning this will only confuse you (and thus bring you under the sway of the devil)" is the "old form" of the statement.

If you have a set of inconsistent premeses - but still hold them to be true - there is nothing I can do except point this out. Pointing out that someone's way of thinking is flawed however - tends to draw ... intense reactions. Sometimes - violent ones. I strongly resent the "devilish" characterization implied in that statement. - deliberate or not.