Combat: Actions
While each round takes ten in game seconds, it can still be difficult to determine what can be done with in that timeframe. This is where actions come into play. Everyone has a minimum of three actions per round. At the beginning of each round, you replenished actions back up to their maximum. Actions do not roll over into the next round. You waste any actions not used by the start of the next round.
Actions per Round = 3 + 2 Unlockable Actions
As your character increases their skills, they unlock more actions up to a maximum of five.
How to use Actions
You primarily used actions on your turn to execute attacks, channel spells, use items, or abilities, and more. However, outside of your turn, if you have actions you can use what is called counter actions.
When using your actions on your turn, you can break them up between your movement as movement does not cost any actions to use.
Counter Action
You interrupt other turns to execute all counter actions, which would usually be performed during your turn. While not everything normally performed during your turn can be a counter action, there are specific tasks that can. The individual ability, spell, or feature explains if you can use it as a counter action. Everyone can use some abilities as a counter action, while others require mastery or traits to be learned. For example, everyone can make advantage attacks against targets leaving their melee threat range if they have at least one action. It is not their turn, and the target is not engaged with them. However, using an action for a counter action ability means you have fewer actions to use on your actual turn.
Free Actions
Some actions are so quick or simple that they are what is called a free action, meaning they become part of another action. Performing two of these actions in a single turn is no longer a free action and costs actions. For every two free actions performed, they cost one action. It is possible to turn one action into two free actions.
If you are trying to perform a task and you are not sure what type of action it would be, ask your game master for a ruling.
- Communicating with each other to strategize (this does not allow free use of skills).
- Drawing an item from your person but not using it.
- Drawing and notching an arrow.
- Drawing or sheathing a single weapon.
- Dropping an item, you are holding, such as a weapon.
- Load a pistol crossbow.
- Load a sling.
- Picking up an item that does not require reaching for it (within easy arm’s length).
- Reload a single bullet into a chamber.
- Triggering bursts in advanced melee weaponry (up to two bursts).
Full Turn Action
Some actions do not cost a specific amount of actions but require your entire turn to perform. When performing these types of actions, you cannot use any other actions during the same round. Doing so negates the ability to perform a full turn action. Only one you can perform full turn action per round per character.
Types of Actions
Advantage Attack (1+ Counter Action)
See the advantage attack article.
Applying Medical Supplies (2-3 Actions)
Using two actions, you can apply medical supplies. The action cost is per application regardless of how many supplies you are using (i.e. salve and a bandage for a single application would be 2 actions).
Applying Poison (3 Actions)
You take the time to apply a single dose of poison to a weapon, tool, or other object. If you do not have the Handle Poison Mastery, you roll a d10. If you roll a one or two, you will poison yourself and waste the dose.
Chamber Loading Bullets (1+ Actions)
You can load arms that have a chamber quicker than ram rod loading, as the bullet does not need to be pushed down the barrel. When loading a bullet into a chamber, it requires one action for every two bullets. Arms without chambers use the ram rod loading method.
Channeling a Spell (1+ Actions)
Using the indicated actions of the spell, you can release its effects. It is possible to channel more than one spell in a single turn, but the second spell must cost only one action. Spells that show they take rounds or turns consume all actions for that round that are not counter actions from the counter mastery. So, if you don’t have the counter mastery and use one action for a counter action, you cannot channel any spells that require a full turn or round to complete until the next round.
Ultimately, you are only allowed to channel a maximum of two spells per turn (Energetically Ready gained from skill tiers ignores this), based on the spell’s actions, requirements, and your available actions.
Coup de Grâce (2 Full Turns)
A coup de grâce is a studied attack that takes time and patience to execute and, if successful, is an automatic critical strike with the total damage doubled. You can perform the attack only against an unconscious, helpless, or dying target, but it automatically succeeds. It requires one round to study the opponent and one round to make the attack. If the attacker is interrupted during any part of the attack, they must start the process over.
Defensive Stance (1 Actions)
Using an action, you can take a defensive stance to increase your defense. While in this stance, you cannot move but gain a +2 to your defense. This stance only lasts until the start of your next turn.
Disengage (3 Actions)
Using three actions, you can slowly and cautiously back away from an opponent. Withdrawing from the fight this way prevents them from being able to make an advantage attack against you.
Donning Armor (1-6 Rounds)
When putting on armor in combat, it takes time. You do not gain the armor’s protection until you have fully donned the armor. Once you have fully donned your armor at the start of your next turn, you gain your armor’s protection. While donning armor, you cannot perform any other actions.
The number of rounds it takes to don armor depends on the type of armor being donned. Hauberk takes one round; banded, brigandine, cuirass take three rounds; chain mail and scale take four rounds; and lamellar and full plate take six rounds.
Drawing Two Weapons (1 Action)
When drawing two single-handed weapons, one action is required.
Easy Access Area (1 Action)
You can reduce some actions to a single action depending on where it is on your person. You can retrieve and consume a potion with one action if you have it in a container on your belt or on a potion belt. If the potion were in a different location, such as your backpack or other hard to reach places, it would require two actions. Certain items might have a specific number of actions to use, no matter where they're stored. This excludes weapons, or items that can be used as a weapon.
Fast Walk (1 Action)
You can use one action to move an additional five feet beyond your maximum movement. You can only do this once per round.
Feint Attack (2 Counter Actions)
Using two counter actions, you distract a target, giving them an unlucky roll to their next roll.
Install Large Power Source (1 Turn)
Installing a large power source requires a full turn.
Install Small or Medium Power Source (2 Actions)
Installing a small or medium power source requires two actions.
Instinct Check (2 Actions)
Instinct checks use two actions. See instinctual skills in Chapter 5: Skills for more information.
Loading a Crossbow (1 Action)
Crossbows require one action to reload unless using a pistol crossbow, which is reloaded as a free action.
Moving a Heavy Object (2 Actions)
Trying to move an object that is heavy requires two actions. See General Game Rules.
One-Handed Attack (2 Actions)
Any weapon that requires one hand to wield uses this attack action. Attacking with the same weapon uses two actions, but attacking with different one-handed weapons does not. See dual wielding and the example below. This attack can use a gun, off-hand weapon, one-handed weapon, shield, or throwing item.
Martial arts are one-handed attacks, but each part of the body (fist, elbow, knee, foot, head, etc.) is a separate weapon.
For example, dual wielding two short swords requires both one-handed and off-hand skills. On your turn, you make your initial attack using your main hand (one-handed skill) for two actions. Next, you follow through with your off-hand sword (off-hand skill) as an off-hand attack for one action. Say you have all actions unlocked (5 actions) and switch back to your main hand sword (one-handed skill) to make another attack for one action. Last, you use your final action to make one last attack using your off-hand sword (off-hand skill) to complete your turn.
Perform a General Skill (1 or Free Action)
Making a skill check with a skill from the general category in combat (such as using perception to see if any additional opponents are hiding) requires one action if the skill is not at novice tier and is expertise. Otherwise, if it is at novice tier, it becomes a free action. Only basic skills can be general skills.
Performing Other Skill (2 Actions)
Skills that are not considered being in the general category require two actions (such as trying to hide in the shadows).
Picking up an Item (1 Action)
When picking up an item that is beyond arm’s length, such as needing to bend down or reach upward (items on the ground, on a high ledge/shelf).
Protect (1 Counter Action)
During an area of effect attack, you can sacrifice your roll to aid an alley on their roll. You can give them a lucky roll to their instinct check and move in front of them or move them back 5ft as you take their place. You must be adjacent to your ally for this to work.
Quick Strike (1 Action, 2 Essence)
When using a two-handed weapon, or wielding a single weapon, with your off-hand empty, you can make an additional quick strike using one action. The quick strike costs two essence and you have an unlucky attack roll. You can only perform this with melee weapons, and you can do it only once per round.
Ram Rod Loading (2 Actions)
Arms that do not have a chamber can be loaded with a single bullet by pushing it down the barrel. This is known as ramming the bullet into the barrel with a rod, ensuring it connects with the seal between the barrel and the power supply pipes. Ram rod loading takes longer to perform than chamber loading.
Readied Action (1+ Actions)
A readied action requires that you have enough actions to perform the future action being readied. Using a readied action, you prepare yourself for a specific situation you specify. Once the situation happens, you can interrupt the turn order to use your stored actions. Declaring a readied action doesn’t cost any actions except the required number based on what you are attempting to do. Once the situation you have specified happens, combat is interrupted to play out your readied action. Keep in mind that when readying an action, whatever you declare executed even if it ends up not being what you expected. Such as if attacking the next target that turns around a corner would require that you have at least two actions available to make the attack. You also would have to attack whatever comes around the corner, friend or foe.
For example, let’s say you hear something you think could be an enemy moving towards you from around a corner. You could ready your action by specifying that you are attacking the next thing that turns the corner. Your turn ends and the unknown creature turns the corner on their turn, of which you interrupt and take your action. However, if the creature was friendly, you still readied your action to attack the next target that comes around the corner, assuming it was an enemy. Therefore, you still must make your attack. Let us hope you miss.
Run (2 actions)
Running allows you to double your movement speed but makes turning more difficult. Running uses 2 actions. See Running later in this chapter for more information.
Specialty Attack (2 Actions)
Attacks such as charge, called shot, disarm, grapple, trip, or any other form of special attack that is not channeling a spell requires two actions.
Standing from Prone (1 Action, ½ Movement)
Standing upright from a prone position uses half your movement and one action.
Two-Handed Attack (2 Actions)
Any weapon that requires two hands to wield uses this attack action. Each Two-Handed attack uses two actions. The skills used with this attack action are archery (bows/ crossbows), gun (muskets/rifles), or two-handed (claymore/ maul).
Unjamming Advanced Weaponry (2 Actions)
Using any powered advanced weaponry will cause it to jam if you roll a one, and you will need to unjam it before using its powered features again. To unjam an advanced weapon, it takes 2 actions.
Using an Ability (2 Actions)
If you have a special ability from a mastery, trait, or other character aspect, it requires two actions to use unless the ability says otherwise.
Using an Item (2 Actions)
Items that are not in an Easy Access Area on your person require two actions to use.
