Actions

Actions in Combat
A turn is divided into three parts: a movement action, an attack action, and a standard action. These actions can take place in any order in the turn, and any of these actions can be left out of a turn.

Movement Action

 * This phase of a turn is used for movement and mobility. By default, characters have a move speed of 30' per turn; this is how far they can move in their movement action. A movement action can also be used for actions such as climbing (performed at 10' per turn), or swimming (20' per turn). A character can also give up their attack action to make a second movement action in a turn.

Attack Action

 * This phase is used for direct combat. Making an attack requires an attack action. Any type of attack, such as casting a spell, attacking with a melee weapon, or firing a bow or gun, takes up an attack action. A character may skip their attack action for an extra movement action or an extra standard action.


 * In a single attack action, a character can make a number of attacks equal to one plus their Agility; the exception to this is spellcasting, which may only be performed once per attack action. A character cannot exceed this number of attacks in their attack action.

Full Attack Action

 * A character may skip their movement action in a turn to make a second attack action. This is known as a Full Attack. It will allow the character to make more attacks than their Agility would normally allow, but each attack made this way incurs a cumulative -1 penalty on all attack rolls.

Standard Action

 * A standard action is used for smaller actions that are still time-consuming or require concentration. Making a Spellcraft roll to begin spellcasting is a standard action, for instance. Standard actions are usually labeled as such. A character has one standard action available per turn, but can sacrifice his attack and/or movement actions for extra standard actions.

Free Action

 * An action requiring little to no time or effort. Speaking is a free action. While there is no set limit on the number of free actions that can be taken in a turn, gamemasters should take an effort to set reasonable limits on free actions during gameplay.

Swift Action

 * The middle ground between a standard action and a free action. A swift action requires a minor amount of effort and time, but not as much concentration as a standard action. Defending oneself (such as by parrying or dodging an attack) comprises a swift action, for example. A character may perform a number of swift actions per turn equal to their Agility plus 1. Attempting to make more swift actions than their Agility would allow incurs a cumulative -1 penalty to each skill check made in this way. This penalty will apply first to ranks in a skill, then to attribute dice, then to any bonus dice applied. If the character is reduced to 0 dice, they cannot make any more swift actions in the turn. While an attack is considered a swift action, a character cannot exceed their number of swift actions in a turn by attacking unless they make a Full Attack, as noted above.

Full-Round Action

 * An action taking the entire turn. Engaging in such an action precludes the possibility of making a standard, movement, or attack action for that turn. Typically used for long or strenuous activity, such as reloading a gun.

5-Foot Step
Standard Action

A 5-foot step is a movement action that may be made as a standard action. When performing a 5-foot step, the character may move five feet in any direction without provoking an attack of opportunity. A 5-foot step may also be made on an opponent's turn as a response to their action on a successful Evasion check, but being a standard action, can only be performed once in this way per round of combat.

Tumbling
Standard Action

While a character cannot normally pass through a space (typically defined as a five-foot square) occupied by an enemy combatant, this action becomes possible when attempting to tumble through the space. This action can be performed by making an opposed Acrobatics check; the opponent occupying the space to be tumbled through may respond, if not otherwise occupied or distracted, with an Agility check (if attempting to simply halt the character's movement) or with a weapon skill check (if attempting to attack the character as they pass). If the tumble check is a greater success than the opposed check, if one was made, the action succeeds and the character may continue their movement action as though the space were unoccupied, at a 5' movement speed penalty. If the opposed check is a greater success, however, the tumble maneuver fails; the character attempting the tumble is stopped adjacent to the opponent.

Grappling
Attack Action

Grapple checks can be performed with a simple opposed Unarmed check. If the attacker succeeds, the opponent is considered grappled; while grappled, the opponent is considered restrained. The attacker cannot be wielding a weapon when making a grapple check. Depending on the type of grapple, various actions may be taken; restraining the arms will allow both fighters to move and to kick, for instance. Depending on how the opponent is restrained, certain actions may not be possible, or may be severely hindered-- a fighter attempting to defend himself against an attack with both of his arms restrained may be restricted to the use of just his Power or Agility bonus. A grappled enemy may also be thrown into an adjacent square if the combatant performing the throw wins an opposed Unarmed check as a swift action; the throw does no damage, but will cause a loss of 10 Clarity to the victim. A fighter who has been grappled may attempt to escape from the grapple or to reverse it and grapple their opponent instead by making another opposed Unarmed check at a -1 penalty. A grapple may be reversed or escaped as a swift action.

Throwing a Weapon
Attack Action

Typically, this will occur with something made to be thrown, such as a rock or throwing knife, and such a weapon will be labeled "throwable" in its properties. In the case of such weapons, a throwing attack can be made at a distance of 5' per point of Strength, simply by rolling a regular attack with the weapon; however, the weapon will (of course) no longer be in your possession and must be retrieved after this. For weapons not designed to be thrown (such as swords or improvised weaponry), the maximum throwing distance is reduced by half, and a -2 penalty is applied to the attack roll. Heavy weapons cannot be thrown.

Restraining an Opponent
Attack Action

If a weapon allows a combatant to restrain an opponent, he or she may make an attack roll with that weapon, which will be opposed by the opponent's Unarmed skill; if the restrain attempt succeeds, the opponent is considered restrained. If the weapon does not allow restraining, then a Grapple check must be made instead.

Disarming an Opponent
Attack Action

If a combatant's weapon allows for disarming, he or she may roll an attack with that weapon as normal; the opponent will oppose this check with their own weapon check. If the disarm attempt succeed, the opponent will lose their weapon and be disarmed until they can reacquire their weapon. If the equipped weapon does not allow for disarming, the check may be made as normal, but at a -1 penalty.

Shield Bash
Attack Action

If you're using a shield, you can make a Shield roll as an attack against an opponent. A successful shield bash will reduce the target's Clarity by 10 and stuns the opponent.

Shield Counter
Swift Action

An individual using a shield can counterattack after a successful defense. When making an opposed Shield check against an enemy in melee combat as a swift action, if the Shield check succeeds, the user can attempt a shield counter as a second swift action. This counts against the total attacks/defenses in a round granted by a character's Agility bonus. The shield counter is performed like a character's regular attack action against an opponent, and the opponent is able to defend as normal.

Counterattack
Swift Action

Much like the shield counter, an individual who is wielding two weapons at once can counterattack after a successful defense. After making a success on an opposed weapon check against an enemy, the individual dual-wielding may attempt to make an attack against that opponent with his free weapon as a swift action. This counts against the character's swift actions in a round granted by his Agility bonus. The attack functions like a normal attack action, and the opponent may defend themselves as normal.

Called Shot
Attack Action

Sometimes you need to attack a very specific part of an opponent; for example, attacking their leg to prevent escape. In this case, a called shot will need to be declared. To do this, first declare a part of the opponent's body to target; then, make an attack roll, with Agility instead of Power (as applicable) at a -1 penalty. If the target is small or difficult to hit, the penalty will be increased to -3 instead. A remarkably small target, or a small target on a distant opponent, induces a -5 penalty. The opponent being targeted, if not restrained or incapacitated, will receive a +1 to defense rolls against the attack. If the attack succeeds, the opponent will receive penalties based on the part of their body attacked; if the attack fails, at the gamemaster's discretion, the damage may be dealt to the opponent as normal, or the attack may miss completely.

Blade Lock
Free Action

In armed melee combat, if one combatant makes an attack and his opponent successfully parries it, the fighter who parried the attack may choose to lock blades with his opponent. If he does so, both fighters are now considered restrained, and may not attack or defend against other opponents with their weapons. The blade lock may be broken at any time by either opponent by making a 5-foot step backwards as a swift action; alternately, either participant may try to overpower the other by making a Power check or an Agility check, opposed by the opponent's choice of Power or Agility. If the opponent is overpowered with Power, that opponent is pushed to the ground and is considered fallen; if the opponent is overpowered with Agility, the combatant who succeeded at overpowering may make an attack against his opponent as a swift action. The blade lock will continue indefinitely until broken.

Note that despite the name, a blade lock may be performed with any melee weapon type, such as Polearms, Blunt, Exotic, or Unarmed, as well as Blades.