Question and Answer section

How long is a round? 6 Seconds

What can I do in a round? A standard action and a full-round action are the two things you can do in a round, each is made up of smaller parts.

-A full-round action is an action that takes all of your effort during a round, you may only take a 5-foot step when doing a full-round action. Things like lighting a torch, refocus, Climb at ½ 1/2 your move rate, or taking multiple attacks in a round, are all full-round actions.

-A standard action is a combination of doing something and moving your full move rate, or taking a move equivalent action. Walking your move rate and casting a spell or attacking is both standard actions. Loading a Light crossbow and firing it is a standard action as well but you used a move equivalent action.

Then what is a move equivalent action? An action that takes the place of your movement in a round is a move equivalent action. Getting up from prone is an example of a move equivalent action as is drawing a weapon. You can also move when using a move equivalent action taking your whole action.

When you just want to move take a double-move or a move and a move. A double-move is a standard action and because all you are doing is moving you don’t draw an attack of opportunity when you move your first 5 feet. If you need to get somewhere quick and don’t mind the bad guys taking a swing at you, run. This is a full-round action and does draw an attack of opportunity but you get to move 4x your normal speed you also loose your dex bonus because you cant avoid attacks. You also only go 3x your speed if you are in heavy armor. Once you have run for as many rounds as you have Con you have to make a con check (DC 10) or stop running and take it easy for a minute (just walk).

Attacks of Opportunity (AOO) are tricky but good to keep in mind. They can really rip your heart out if your not careful.

Check out the chart on Pg 128 of your player’s handbook (PH) for an idea of what draws an AOO and on the next page is disabled (0 Hp), Dying (-1 to –9 Hp) and Dead (-10 Hp) good stuff to know.

Top 5 things to remember about AOO

1. If you only move 5’ NO AOO

2. If all you do is move for the first 5’ NO AOO.

3. Using a missile weapon or casting a spell in Melee Draws an AOO. Take the 5’ step before you shoot/cast.

4. You only get one AOO a round

5. You never have to make a AOO but when you do its at your highest Attack Bonus even if you have already attacked this round.

Fighting Defensively makes you take a -4 to all attacks and grants a +2 to AC for a round.

Total Defense only allows you to defend and move, and you gain a +4 Dodge bonus to AC.

Casting Defensively lets you cast a spell and not draw an AOO. When you use this option you make a Spellcraft roll at DC 15+ the level of the spell, if successful no AOO, if not no spell.

Flanking grants a +2 to hit and no Dex bonus for the bad guy, and rogues get their Sneak dice.

Charge grants you a +2 bonus to hit and double damage if mounted and using a lance. You have a –2 penalty to your AC and can take extra damage if they prep for the charge. You must move at least 10 feet before attacking and must stop at your target.

Cover is when you have something between your opponent and you. The chart is on Pg 133 of the PH. In a nutshell you get a bonus of +2 to +10 to your AC for cover and it even adds to reflex saves, so try to attack from around a corner or behind a tree.

Concealment is when your opponent can’t see you well or does not know exactly where you are, like when you are affected by a blur spell, in fog, invisible, or just a dark night. It grants a miss chance of 10% - 50%, and the charts can be found right after cover on page 133.

When a defender is helpless they are easy prey. For a standard attack you get a +4 bonus to attack and their Dex is considered 0 (so that’s –5 to their AC total bonus to hit +9 give or take a few) If you want to take a full-round action you can do a Coup de Grace (it does draw an AOO) you automatically get critical damage and the damage you do is turned into a Fort save or they die, no matter how many hits they have left. Rogues also get their sneak dice so look out for the tag team mage/rogue or a rogue with paralyzing poison.

Ready an action when you are going first you may not always like what the slower people are going to do. You can ready a partial action to do all sorts of things as long as you dictate what the trigger is, “casting a spell”, “the fighter drops”, “if the Troll charges me”. Your initiative is now lower but you have a chance to stop what they are doing.

Refocus lets you take a bad roll and shoot to the top of the charts. You do nothing for one round and the next round your initiative is 20 + your Ini Bonus.

Subdual Damage is for when you want the bad guy alive. You take a –4 to hit but the damage will not kill.

Mounted Combat can be fun with the right talents and skills. If it is something that interests you check it out on page 138 of the PH

You can Bull Rush either on an attack action or a charge action a bull rush will push your opponent back instead of doing damage to him. It does draw an AOO so watch out. PG 136,7 PH

To Sunder you opponents weapon or shield can make you feel like Billy Bad A$$ and you take away defense or attack power from your opponent. It does draw an AOO but only 15 points of damage shatters a Long Sword or Small Shield.

To Aid Another in combat requires that you both threaten the same target. If you succeed at an attack roll against AC 10 you can give your ally either a +2 to AC or a +2 to hit. It stacks if you ring a bad guy that you can’t hit and 3 aid the 4^th a +6 to hit helps.

The next 3 are different they take the place of an attack so you can do them more then once in a round if you have more than one attack.

To Disarm your opponent can save the day as he no longer has a weapon to attack you with and he will draw an AOO when trying to pick up the weapon. It is easy to do but does draw an AOO. PG 137 PH

Grappling can mess up your whole day especially if you are a mage and need to move around to cast your spells. Plus you can do things like squeeze for damage or pin them to give everyone a +4 to hit. PG 137 PH It does draw and AOO, but worth it.

Have a nice Trip, all you have to do is make a Touch attack in melee and Then a opposed Strength check (vs dex or str) if you win you get the satasifiction of a +4 to hit while he is on the ground and an AOO when he tries to gets up.

If a rogue has multiple attacks in a round and they would all be sneak attacks, only the first gets the dice bonus to damage the other attacks get a +1 per die for damage

There will be a statements phase to initiative. Lowest initiative score states their actions first in order to the highest initiative. Then actions are taken from highest to lowest. You may not change your action because of others statements, but you may tailor you actions based on what the slower initiatives have stated as their actions. If you change your stated action you new action will receive a –4 penalty to the die roll. Initiatives are not rerolled each round but statements are made each round.