Standard actions

Actions in combat:
The Combat Round Each round represents 6 seconds in the game world. A round presents an opportunity for each character involved in a combat situation to take an action.
Each round’s activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds, in order, from there. Each round of a combat uses the same initiative order. When a character’s turn comes up in the initiative sequence, that character performs his entire round’s worth of actions. (For exceptions, see Attacks of Opportunity and Special Initiative Actions.)
For almost all purposes, there is no relevance to the end of a round or the beginning of a round. A round can be a segment of game time starting with the first character to act and ending with the last, but it usually means a span of time from one round to the same initiative count in the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative count that they began on.
Action Types An action’s type essentially tells you how long the action takes to perform (within the framework of the 6-second combat round) and how movement is treated. There are six types of actions: standard actions, move actions, full-round actions, free actions, swift actions, and immediate actions.
In a normal round, you can perform a standard action and a move action, or you can perform a full-round action. You can also perform one or more free actions. You can always take a move action in place of a standard action.
In some situations (such as in a surprise round), you may be limited to taking only a single move action or standard action.
Standard Action A standard action allows you to do something, most commonly make an attack or cast a spell. See Table: Standard Actions for other standard actions.
Move Action A move action allows you to move your speed or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. See Table: Move Actions.
You can take a move action in place of a standard action. If you move no actual distance in a round (commonly because you have swapped your move for one or more equivalent actions), you can take one 5-foot step either before, during, or after the action.
Full-Round Action A full-round action consumes all your effort during a round. The only movement you can take during a full-round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. You can also perform free actions (see below).
Some full-round actions do not allow you to take a 5-foot step.
Some full-round actions can be taken as standard actions, but only in situations when you are limited to performing only a standard action during your round. The descriptions of specific actions, below, detail which actions allow this option.
Free Action Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, there are reasonable limits on what you can really do for free.
Swift Action A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform only a single swift action per turn.
Immediate Action An immediate action is very similar to a swift action, but can be performed at any time — even if it's not your turn.
Not an Action Some activities are so minor that they are not even considered free actions. They literally don’t take any time at all to do and are considered an inherent part of doing something else.
Restricted Activity In some situations, you may be unable to take a full round’s worth of actions. In such cases, you are restricted to taking only a single standard action or a single move action (plus free actions as normal). You can’t take a full-round action (though you can start or complete a full-round action by using a standard action; see below).
Standard Actions
Attack Making an attack is a standard action.
Melee Attacks With a normal melee weapon, you can strike any opponent within 5 feet. (Opponents within 5 feet are considered adjacent to you.) Some melee weapons have reach, as indicated in their descriptions. With a typical reach weapon, you can strike opponents 10 feet away, but you can’t strike adjacent foes (those within 5 feet).
Unarmed Attacks Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for the following:
Action-Attack of Opportunity* Attack- (melee) No Attack- (unarmed) Yes Attack- (ranged) Yes Activate a magic item other than a potion or oil- No Aid another- Maybe** Bull rush- Yes Cast a spell (1 standard action casting time)- Yes Concentrate to maintain an active spell- No Dismiss a spell- No Draw a hidden weapon (see Sleight Of Hand skill)- No Drink a potion or apply an oil- Yes Escape a grapple- No Feint- No Light a torch with a tindertwig- Yes Lower spell resistance- No Make a dying friend stable (see Heal skill)- Yes Overrun- No Read a scroll- Yes Ready (triggers a standard action)- No Sunder a weapon (attack)- Yes Sunder an object (attack)- Maybe*** Total defense- No Turn or rebuke undead- No Use extraordinary ability- No Use skill that takes 1 action- Usually Use spell like ability- Yes Use supernatural ability- No
*Regardless of the action, if you move out of a threatened square, you usually provoke an attack of opportunity. This column indicates whether the action itself, not moving, provokes an attack of opportunity.
**If you aid someone performing an action that would normally provoke an attack of opportunity, then the act of aiding another provokes an attack of opportunity as well.
***If the object is being held, carried, or worn by a creature, yes. If not, no.