Action Economy

Combat Overview

On your turn you spend actions to do things: move, attack, cast spells, use abilities. Each action has a type — Standard, Move, Full-Round, Free, Swift, or Immediate — that determines when and how often you can take it. Most turns follow the same pattern: one standard action and one move action, in any order.

Attacks of Opportunity Many actions in the table below provoke AoOs. See the full rules — what threatens, what provokes, Combat Reflexes, and how AoOs interrupt.
AoO Rules

Action Types

Type What it represents Per Turn
Standard The core of your turn — attacking, casting a spell, using most abilities 1
Move Moving, drawing a weapon, standing up, retrieving an item 1 (or 2 if no standard)
Full-Round Consumes both your standard and move actions — full attack, charge, run 1
Free Negligible effort — dropping an item, speaking, releasing a held spell Unlimited*
Swift A very fast action — quickened spells, some class abilities 1
Immediate Like swift, but usable off your turn — costs next turn's swift action 1 / round
None Not an action at all — 5-foot step, Delay — but still subject to restrictions —

* The GM may limit free actions to a reasonable number per turn.

Actions in Combat

Showing 0 actions
Action Type AoO? Notes
Attack Standard No Make one melee or thrown weapon attack. Ranged attacks in melee provoke.
Attack (ranged, in melee) Standard Yes Firing or throwing a ranged weapon while a foe threatens you provokes an AoO.
Activate Magic Item Standard Usually no Command word, use-activated, or spell completion items. Check item description.
Aid Another Standard Maybe Grant an ally +2 on an attack roll or AC. Must be adjacent and able to act.
Bull Rush Standard Yes Combat maneuver — push a foe back. Moving into their space provokes.
Cast a Spell (1-round) Standard Yes Casting provokes AoOs. Make a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to avoid losing the spell.
Channel Energy Standard No Cleric/Paladin class feature. Affects all valid targets in 30 ft. burst.
Concentrate to Maintain Spell Standard Yes Sustain a concentration-duration spell for another round.
Disarm Standard Yes Combat maneuver — knock a weapon from a foe's hands. Both parties may provoke.
Dismiss a Spell Standard No End a dismissible spell you are maintaining.
Draw a Hidden Weapon Standard No Drawing a hidden or concealed weapon is a standard action, not a move action.
Escape a Grapple Standard No Make a CMB check (or Escape Artist) to break free of the grappled condition.
Feint Standard No Bluff check vs. foe's Sense Motive to deny their DEX bonus to AC until your next attack.
Grapple Standard Yes Combat maneuver — initiate or maintain a grapple. See grappled condition.
Overrun Standard Yes Combat maneuver — move through a foe's square, potentially knocking them prone.
Ready Standard No Declare a trigger and a standard action to take when it occurs. Interrupts the trigger. Changes your initiative count.
Reposition Standard Yes Combat maneuver — move a foe to a different square without leaving yours.
Stabilise a Dying Creature Standard Yes DC 15 Heal check to stop a dying ally from losing HP. Requires adjacency.
Steal Standard Yes Combat maneuver — take a held or worn item from a foe.
Sunder Standard Yes Combat maneuver — strike and damage a foe's weapon or item.
Total Defense Standard No +4 dodge bonus to AC until your next turn. You cannot attack or cast. You may still move.
Trip Standard Yes Combat maneuver — knock a foe prone.
Use Special Ability Standard Varies Spell-like abilities (Sp) provoke like spells. Supernatural (Su) and Extraordinary (Ex) do not.
Use Skill Standard Varies Most combat-relevant skill uses (Intimidate to demoralise, Perception to spot). Check skill description.
Move Move See note Move up to your speed. Provokes if you move through or out of a threatened square (unless 5-ft. step).
Draw or Holster Weapon Move No Free if you have a BAB of +1 or higher and move at least 1 square (combined with movement). Otherwise move action.
Load a Light Crossbow / Sling Move Yes Reloading provokes an AoO. Hand crossbow is also a move action.
Open or Close a Door Move No Normal (unlocked) doors only. Stuck or locked doors require a standard action or Strength check.
Pick Up an Item Move Yes Picking up an item from the ground provokes an AoO.
Ready or Lower a Shield Move No Readying a buckler or shield for its bonus takes a move action.
Retrieve Stored Item Move Yes Digging through a pack or pouch. Provokes an AoO.
Sheathe a Weapon Move Yes Sheathing provokes an AoO; drawing does not (with BAB +1).
Stand from Prone Move Yes Standing from prone provokes. Alternatively, crawl 5 ft. as a move action (also provokes).
Full Attack Full-Round No Make all iterative attacks (at BAB –5, –10, –15). Requires you haven't moved more than a 5-ft. step.
Charge Full-Round See note Move up to 2× speed in a straight line and make one melee attack at +2. –2 to AC until next turn. Provokes if moving through threatened squares.
Cast a Spell (full-round) Full-Round Yes Spells with a casting time of 1 full round (e.g. summoning spells). Also spontaneous casters applying metamagic.
Coup de Grâce Full-Round Yes Attack a helpless foe. Automatic critical hit; target must save or die (DC 10 + damage dealt).
Run Full-Round Yes Move up to 4× speed (3× in heavy armour). You lose your DEX bonus to AC and provoke AoOs from all threatened squares you pass through.
Use Skill (full-round) Full-Round Varies Skills that take a full round: Disable Device, Heal (long-term care), some Craft checks. See skill description.
Withdraw Full-Round No Move up to 2× speed. The first square you leave is not considered threatened — no AoO from that square. Cannot attack on a withdrawal turn.
Load Heavy / Repeating Crossbow Full-Round Yes Reloading a heavy crossbow (or inserting a new magazine into a repeating crossbow) takes a full round and provokes.
Cease Concentration Free No End a concentration-duration spell voluntarily.
Drop an Item Free No Drop a held item into your square or an adjacent one.
Drop to Prone Free No Fall prone voluntarily. Standing back up is a move action that provokes.
Prepare Spell Components Free No Retrieving a component from a component pouch is part of casting — not a separate action.
Release a Held Charge Free No Discharge a held touch spell harmlessly without delivering it.
Speak Free No A few words — a sentence at most. Extended conversation or giving detailed instructions is not a free action.
Cast a Quickened Spell Swift No Quicken Spell metamagic feat. Does not provoke. Only one swift action per turn.
Swift Class Ability Swift No Many class abilities (Warpriest sacred weapon, Magus arcane pool) specify Swift action.
Cast Feather Fall Immediate No The classic immediate action spell. Usable off your turn; costs your next turn's swift action.
Immediate Class / Feat Ability Immediate No E.g. Combat Expertise (as an immediate to boost AC in some interpretations), some rogue talents. Check ability description.
5-Foot Step None No Move exactly 5 ft. without provoking. Only if you haven't moved this turn (or took only a 5-ft. step). Not in difficult terrain.
Delay None No Skip your turn and re-enter the initiative order later. Your new initiative count becomes the count when you chose to act.

Restricted Activity

Some conditions and situations limit what actions you can take on your turn.

Situation What you can do
Staggered One standard or one move action only (not both). May still take free, swift, and immediate actions.
Nauseated One move action only. Cannot attack, cast spells, or use most abilities.
Stunned Cannot act at all. Drops held items, loses DEX bonus to AC, attackers get +2 to hit.
Grappled (caster) Can still cast, but must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + CMB of grappler + spell level) or lose the spell.
Helpless Cannot act. Subject to coup de grâce. Effectively AC 5 vs. melee (DEX treated as –5).