Chapter 8: Playing the Game
Source Player Core pg. 414
You affect the world around you primarily by using actions, which produce effects. Actions are most closely measured and restricted during the encounter mode of play, but even when it isn't important for you to keep strict track of actions, they remain the way in which you interact with the game world.
You will need to track your actions carefully in an encounter. At the start of each turn you take in an encounter, you regain 3 actions and 1 reaction to spend that round. (Regaining your actions is described in detail on page 435.) You can spend your actions in many different ways.
There are four types of actions: single actions, activities, reactions, and free actions.
Single actions can be completed in a very short time. They're self-contained, and their effects are generated within the span of that single action.
Activities usually take longer and require using multiple actions, which must be spent in succession. Stride is a single action, but Sudden Charge is an activity in which you use both the Stride and Strike actions to generate its effect.
Reactions have triggers, which must be met for you to use the reaction. You can use a reaction anytime its trigger is met, whether it's your turn or not. Outside of encounters, your use of reactions is more flexible and up to the GM. Reactions are usually triggered by other creatures or by events outside your control.
Free actions don't cost you any of your actions per turn, nor do they cost your reaction. A free action with no trigger follows the same rules as a single action (except the action cost). It must be used on your turn and can't be used during another action. A free action with a trigger follows the same rules as a reaction (except the reaction cost). It can be used any time its trigger is met.Action Icon Key
These icons appear in stat blocks as shorthand for each type of action. As a player, you'll usually see the icon in an action's header (such as in a basic action, skill action, feat, or spell). In a creature stat block, or a feat that gives you a new action in addition to other benefits, the icon will appear in the running text. For examples, see the formatting of rules on page 15.
[one-action] Single Action
[two-actions] Two-Action Activity
[three-actions] Three-Action Activity
[reaction] Reaction
[free-action] Free Action
Source Player Core pg. 414
An activity typically involves using multiple actions to create an effect greater than you can produce with a single action, or combining multiple single actions to produce an effect that's different from merely the sum of those actions. In some cases, usually when spellcasting, an activity can consist of only 1 action, 1 reaction, or even 1 free action.
An activity might cause you to use specific actions within it. You don't have to spend additional actions to perform them—they're already factored into the activity's required actions. (See Subordinate Actions on page 415.)
You have to spend all the actions of an activity at once to gain its effects. In an encounter, this means you must complete it during your turn. If an activity gets interrupted or disrupted in an encounter (page 415), you lose all the actions you committed to it.
Source Player Core pg. 414
Outside of encounters, activities can take minutes, hours, or even days. These activities usually have the exploration or downtime trait to indicate they're meant to be used during these modes of play. You can often do other things off and on as you carry out these activities, provided they aren't significant activities of their own. For instance, if you're Repairing an item, you might stretch your legs or have a brief discussion, but you couldn't Decipher Writing at the same time.
If an activity outside of an encounter is interrupted or disrupted, as described in Disrupting Actions on page 415, you usually lose the time you put in, but no additional time.
Source Player Core pg. 414
You can use free actions that have triggers and reactions only in response to certain events. Each such reaction and free action lists the trigger that must happen for you to perform it. When its trigger is satisfied—and only when it is satisfied—you can use the reaction or free action, though you don't have to use the action if you don't want to.
There are only a few basic reactions and free actions that all characters can use. You're more likely to gain actions with triggers from your class, feats, and magic items.Outside of encounters, activities can take minutes, hours, or even days. These activities usually have the exploration or downtime trait to indicate they're meant to be used during these modes of play. You can often do other things off and on as you carry out these activities, provided they aren't significant activities of their own. For instance, if you're Repairing an item, you might stretch your legs or have a brief discussion, but you couldn't Decipher Writing at the same time.
If an activity outside of an encounter is interrupted or disrupted, as described in Disrupting Actions on page 415, you usually lose the time you put in, but no additional time.
Source Player Core pg. 414
The triggers listed in the stat blocks of reactions and some free actions limit when you can use those actions. You can use only one action in response to a given trigger. For example, if you had a reaction and a free action that both had a trigger of “your turn begins,” you could use either of them at the start of your turn—but not both. If two triggers are similar, but not identical, the GM determines whether you can use one action in response to each or whether they're effectively the same thing. Usually, this decision will be based on what's happening in the narrative.
This limitation of one action per trigger is per creature; more than one creature can use a reaction or free action in response to a given trigger. If multiple actions would be occurring at the same time, and it's unclear in what order they happen, the GM determines the order based on the narrative.
Source Player Core pg. 415
Sometimes you need to attempt something not already covered by defined actions in the game. When this happens, the rules tell you how many actions you need to spend, as well as any traits your action might have. For example, a spell that lets you switch targets might say you can do so “by spending a single action, which has the concentrate trait.” Game Masters can also use this approach when a character tries to do something that isn’t covered in the rules.
Source Player Core pg. 415
Effects can change the number of actions you can use on your turn, or whether you can use actions at all. The slowed condition, for example, causes you to lose actions, while the quickened condition causes you to gain them. Conditions are detailed in the appendix on pages 442–447. Whenever you lose a number of actions—whether from these conditions or in any other way—you choose which to lose if there's any difference between them. For instance, the haste spell makes you quickened, but it limits what you can use your extra action to do. If you lost an action while haste was active, you might want to lose the action from haste first, since it's more limited than your normal actions.
Some effects are even more restrictive. Certain abilities, instead of or in addition to changing the number of actions you can use, say specifically that you can't use reactions. The most restrictive form of reducing actions is when an effect states that you can't act: this means you can't use any actions, or even speak. When you can't act, you still regain your actions unless another effect (like the stunned condition) prevents it
Source Player Core pg. 415
Various abilities and conditions, such as a Reactive Strike, can disrupt an action. When an action is disrupted, you still use the actions or reactions you committed and you still expend any costs, but the action's effects don't occur. In the case of an activity, you usually lose all actions spent for the activity up through the end of that turn. For instance, if you began to Cast a Spell requiring 3 actions and the first action was disrupted, you lose all 3 actions that you committed to that activity.
The GM decides what effects a disruption causes beyond simply negating the effects that would have occurred from the disrupted action. For instance, a Leap disrupted midway wouldn't transport you back to the start of your jump, and a disrupted item hand off might cause the item to fall to the ground instead of staying in the hand of the creature who was trying to give it away.
Source Player Core pg. 416
Basic actions represent common tasks like moving around, attacking, and helping others. As such, every creature can use basic actions except in some extreme circumstances, and many of those actions are used very frequently. Most notably, you'll use Interact, Step, Stride, and Strike a great deal. Many feats and other actions call upon you to use one of these basic actions or modify them to produce different effects. For example, a more complex action might let you Stride twice, and a large number of activities include a Strike. An action or activity might also modify a basic action, such as having you Stride up to half your Speed.
Actions that are used less frequently but are still available to most creatures are presented in Specialty Basic Actions starting on page 418. These typically have requirements that not all characters are likely to meet, such as wielding a shield, having a burrow Speed, or falling through the air.
In addition to the actions in these two sections, the actions for spellcasting can be found on pages 299–300, and the actions for using magic items appear on page 220 of GM Core.
Delay and Ready: If you want to change when you take actions, two basic actions let you do so. Delay shifts your entire turn later in the round, and Ready lets you prepare to take one specific action when a trigger you choose is met.Aid [reaction]
Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0Trigger An ally is about to use an action that requires a skill check or attack roll.
Requirements The ally is willing to accept your aid, and you have prepared to help (see below).
You try to help your ally with a task. To use this reaction, you must first prepare to help, usually by using an action during your turn. You must explain to the GM exactly how you’re trying to help, and they determine whether you can Aid your ally.
When you use your Aid reaction, attempt a skill check or attack roll of a type decided by the GM. The typical DC is 20, but the GM might adjust this DC for particularly hard or easy tasks. The GM can add any relevant traits to your preparatory action or to your Aid reaction depending on the situation, or even allow you to Aid checks other than skill checks and attack rolls.
Critical Success You grant your ally a +2 circumstance bonus to the triggering check. If you’re a master with the check you attempted, the bonus is +3, and if you’re legendary, it’s +4.
Success You grant your ally a +1 circumstance bonus to the triggering check.
Critical Failure Your ally takes a –1 circumstance penalty to the triggering check.
Crawl [one-action]
Move Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0Requirements You are prone and your Speed is at least 10 feet.
You move 5 feet by crawling and continue to stay prone.
Delay [free-action]
Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0Trigger Your turn begins.
You wait for the right moment to act. The rest of your turn doesn’t happen yet. Instead, you’re removed from the initiative order. You can return to the initiative order as a free action triggered by the end of any other creature’s turn. This permanently changes your initiative to the new position. You can’t use reactions until you return to the initiative order. If you Delay an entire round without returning to the initiative order, the actions from the Delayed turn are lost, your initiative doesn’t change, and your next turn occurs at your original position in the initiative order.
When you Delay, any persistent damage or other negative effects that normally occur at the start or end of your turn occur immediately when you use the Delay action. Any beneficial effects that would end at any point during your turn also end. The GM might determine that other effects end when you Delay as well. Essentially, you can’t Delay to avoid negative consequences that would happen on your turn or to extend beneficial effects that would end on your turn.
Escape [one-action]
Attack Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0
You attempt to escape from being
grabbed,
immobilized, or
restrained. Choose one creature, object, spell effect, hazard, or other impediment imposing any of those conditions on you. Attempt a check using your unarmed attack modifier against the DC of the effect. This is typically the
Athletics DC of a creature grabbing you, the
Thievery DC of a creature who tied you up, the spell DC for a spell effect, or the listed Escape DC of an object, hazard, or other impediment. You can attempt an
Acrobatics or Athletics check instead of using your attack modifier if you choose (but this action still has the
attack trait).
Critical Success You get free and remove the grabbed, immobilized, and restrained conditions imposed by your chosen target. You can then Stride up to 5 feet.
Success You get free and remove the grabbed, immobilized, and restrained conditions imposed by your chosen target.
Critical Failure You don’t get free, and you can’t attempt to Escape again until your next turn.
Manipulate Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0
You use your hand or hands to manipulate an object or the terrain. You can grab an unattended or stored object, open a door, or produce some similar effect. You might have to attempt a skill check to determine if your Interact action was successful.
Leap [one-action]
Move Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0
You take a careful, short jump. You can Leap up to 10 feet horizontally if your Speed is at least 15 feet, or up to 15 feet horizontally if your Speed is at least 30 feet. You land in the space where your Leap ends (meaning you can typically clear a 5-foot gap, or a 10-foot gap if your Speed is 30 feet or more).
If you Leap vertically, you can move up to 3 feet vertically and 5 feet horizontally onto an elevated surface.
Jumping a greater distance requires using the
Athletics skill.
Ready [two-actions]
Concentrate Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0
You prepare to use an action that will occur outside your turn. Choose a single action or free action you can use, and designate a trigger. Your turn then ends. If the trigger you designated occurs before the start of your next turn, you can use the chosen action as a reaction (provided you still meet the requirements to use it). You can’t Ready a free action that already has a trigger.
If you have a multiple attack penalty and your readied action is an attack action, your readied attack takes the multiple attack penalty you had at the time you used Ready. This is one of the few times the multiple attack penalty applies when it’s not your turn.
Manipulate Source Core Rulebook pg. 470 4.0
You release something you're holding in your hand or hands. This might mean dropping an item, removing one hand from your weapon while continuing to hold it in another hand, releasing a rope suspending a chandelier, or performing a similar action. Unlike most manipulate actions, Release does not trigger reactions that can be triggered by actions with the
manipulate trait (such as
Attack of Opportunity).
If you want to prepare to Release something outside of your turn, use the
Ready activity.
Seek [one-action]
Concentrate Secret Source Core Rulebook pg. 471 4.0
You scan an area for signs of creatures or objects. If you're looking for creatures, choose an area you're scanning. If precision is necessary, the GM can have you select a 30-foot cone or a 15-foot burst within line of sight. You might take a penalty if you choose an area that's far away.
If you're using Seek to search for objects (including secret doors and hazards), you search up to a 10-foot square adjacent to you. The GM might determine you need to Seek as an activity, taking more actions or even minutes or hours if you're searching a particularly cluttered area.
The GM attempts a single secret Perception check for you and compares the result to the
Stealth DCs of any
undetected or
hidden creatures in the area or the DC to detect each object in the area (as determined by the GM or by someone
Concealing the Object). A creature you detect might remain hidden, rather than becoming
observed, if you're using an imprecise sense or if an effect (such as
invisibility) prevents the subject from being observed.
Critical Success If you were searching for creatures, any undetected or hidden creature you critically succeeded against becomes observed by you. If you were searching for an object, you learn its location.
Success If you were searching for creatures, any undetected creature you succeeded against becomes hidden from you instead of undetected, and any hidden creature you succeeded against becomes observed by you. If you were searching for an object, you learn its location or get a clue to its whereabouts, as determined by the GM.
Concentrate Secret Source Core Rulebook pg. 471 4.0
You try to tell whether a creature's behavior is abnormal. Choose one creature, and assess it for odd body language, signs of nervousness, and other indicators that it might be trying to deceive someone. The GM attempts a single secret Perception check for you and compares the result to the
Deception DC of the creature, the DC of a spell affecting the creature's mental state, or another appropriate DC determined by the GM. You typically can't try to Sense the Motive of the same creature again until the situation changes significantly.
Critical Success You determine the creature’s true intentions and get a solid idea of any mental magic affecting it.
Success You can tell whether the creature is behaving normally, but you don’t know its exact intentions or what magic might be affecting it.
Failure You detect what a deceptive creature wants you to believe. If they’re not being deceptive, you believe they’re behaving normally.
Critical Failure You get a false sense of the creature’s intentions.
Step [one-action]
Move Source Core Rulebook pg. 471 4.0Requirements Your Speed is at least 10 feet.
You carefully move 5 feet. Unlike most types of movement, Stepping doesn't trigger reactions, such as
Attacks of Opportunity, that can be triggered by
move actions or upon leaving or entering a square.
You can't Step into
difficult terrain, and you can't Step using a Speed other than your land Speed.
Strike [one-action]
Attack Source Core Rulebook pg. 471 4.0
You attack with a weapon you're wielding or with an unarmed attack, targeting one creature within your reach (for a melee attack) or within range (for a ranged attack). Roll the attack roll for the weapon or unarmed attack you are using, and compare the result to the target creature's AC to determine the effect. See
Attack Rolls and
Damage for details on calculating your attack and damage rolls.
Critical Success As success, but you deal
double damage.
Success You deal damage according to the weapon or unarmed attack, including any modifiers, bonuses, and penalties you have to damage.
Source Core Rulebook pg. 471 4.0Requirements You are benefiting from cover, are near a feature that allows you to take cover, or are prone.
You press yourself against a wall or duck behind an obstacle to take better advantage of
cover. If you would have standard cover, you instead gain greater cover, which provides a +4 circumstance bonus to AC; to Reflex saves against area effects; and to
Stealth checks to
Hide,
Sneak, or otherwise avoid detection. Otherwise, you gain the benefits of standard cover (a +2 circumstance bonus instead). This lasts until you move from your current space, use an attack action, become
unconscious, or end this effect as a free action.
Source Player Core pg. 418
These actions are useful under specific circumstances. The Arrest a Fall, Burrow, and Fly actions require you to have a special movement type (page 420). The climb and swim Speeds use the corresponding actions from the Athletics skill (pages 234–235).Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0Trigger You fall.
Requirements You have a fly Speed.
You attempt an
Acrobatics check to slow your fall. The DC is typically 15, but it might be higher due to air turbulence or other circumstances.
Success You fall gently, taking no damage from the fall.
Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0
You avert your gaze from danger. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to saves against
visual abilities that require you to look at a creature or object, such as a
medusa's petrifying gaze. Your gaze remains averted until the start of your next turn.
Burrow [one-action]
Move Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0Requirements You have a burrow Speed.
You dig your way through dirt, sand, or a similar loose material at a rate up to your burrow Speed. You can’t burrow through rock or other substances denser than dirt unless you have an ability that allows you to do so.
Concentrate Source Core Rulebook pg. 305 4.0
You end one spell effect or magic item effect. This must be an effect you are allowed to dismiss, as defined by the spell or item. Dismissal might end the effect entirely or might end it just for a certain target or targets, depending on the spell or item.
Fly [one-action]
Move Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0Requirements You have a fly Speed.
You move through the air up to your fly Speed. Moving upward (straight up or diagonally) uses the rules for moving through difficult terrain. You can move straight down 10 feet for every 5 feet of movement you spend. If you Fly to the ground, you don’t take falling damage. You can use an action to Fly 0 feet to hover in place. If you’re airborne at the end of your turn and didn’t use a Fly action this round, you fall.
Manipulate Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0Trigger You fall from or past an edge or handhold.
Requirements Your hands are not tied behind your back or otherwise restrained
When you fall off or past an edge or other handhold, you can try to grab it, potentially stopping your fall. You must succeed at a Reflex save, usually at the Climb DC. If you grab the edge or handhold, you can then
Climb up using
Athletics.
Critical Success You grab the edge or handhold, whether or not you have a hand free, typically by using a suitable held item to catch yourself (catching a battle axe on a ledge, for example). You still take damage from the distance fallen so far, but you treat the fall as though it were 30 feet shorter.
Success If you have at least one hand free, you grab the edge or handhold, stopping your fall. You still take damage from the distance fallen so far, but you treat the fall as though it were 20 feet shorter. If you have no hands free, you continue to fall as if you had failed the check.
Critical Failure You continue to fall, and if you’ve fallen 20 feet or more before you use this reaction, you take 10 bludgeoning damage from the impact for every 20 feet fallen.
Mount [one-action]
Move Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0Requirements You are adjacent to a creature that is at least one size larger than you and is willing to be your mount.
You move onto the creature and ride it. If you’re already mounted, you can instead use this action to dismount, moving off the mount into a space adjacent to it.
Auditory Manipulate Visual Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0Requirements A creature is undetected by one or more of your allies but isn’t undetected by you.
You indicate a creature that you can see to one or more allies, gesturing in a direction and describing the distance verbally. That creature is
hidden to your allies, rather than
undetected. This works only for allies who can see you and are in a position where they could potentially detect the target. If your allies can't hear or understand you, they must succeed at a Perception check against the creature's
Stealth DC or they misunderstand and believe the target is in a different location.
Source Core Rulebook pg. 472 4.0Requirements You are wielding a shield.
You position your shield to protect yourself. When you have Raised a Shield, you gain its listed circumstance bonus to AC. Your shield remains raised until the start of your next turn.
Concentrate Source Core Rulebook pg. 534 4.0Requirements You have at least one magic item activation that you can sustain and you are not fatigued
Choose one magic item activation with a sustained duration you have in effect. The duration of that activation continues until the end of your next turn. Some activations may have slightly different or expanded effects if you sustain them. Sustaining an Activation for more than 10 minutes (100 rounds) ends the activation and makes you
fatigued unless the item's description states a different maximum duration (such as “up to 1 minute” or “up to 1 hour”).
If your Sustain an Activation action is disrupted, the item's effect immediately ends.