Questions tagged [actions]
For questions involving the rules that apply to taking a certain action in a specified system.
692
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Does surprise prevent both moving and acting?
Note: I am not a native English speaker.
The surprise rules state (emphasis mine):
If you're surprised, you can't move or take an action on your first turn of the combat, and you can't take a ...
3
votes
1
answer
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Casting Leveled Action Spell and Bonus Action Scroll in the same turn? [duplicate]
I'd like to cast Spirit Guardians and Sanctuary (Bonus) in the same turn, but I can't. So I bought some Sanctuary scrolls. Can I cast Spirit Guardians and read a Sanctuary (Bonus) Scroll in the same ...
8
votes
1
answer
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How long does it take to set up a Hunting Trap? How does it work?
Can you affix the heavy chain to an immobile object when you use your action to set a Hunting Trap (PHB p. 152), or is it just the opening of the teeth that takes an action? The text says:
When you ...
2
votes
4
answers
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Ready Action and Bonus Action [closed]
In our weekly game we had a pretty typical question about a ready action, reaction and bonus action.
I was DM and here is how it starte.
The players decided to explore some ruins. As they explored, ...
10
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1
answer
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Why do I need the Raging Intimidation feat in order to Demoralize while Raging?
While building a Barbarian, I was reviewing the rules for Rage and Intimidation. The Barbarian has a level 1 class feat called Raging Intimidation that states:
While you are raging, your Demoralize ...
4
votes
1
answer
255
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While wearing Illusionist's Bracers, can a Player Hold Action with Booming Blade (for Reaction) and strike on your turn with a Bonus Action?
By RAW can a Rogue High Elf wearing Illusionist's Bracers use Hold Action with Booming Blade to trigger Illusionist's Bracers feature to then use their Bonus Action (on their turn) to cast Booming ...
4
votes
1
answer
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Does bestow curse third option prevents you from using bonus action and reaction?
Bestow curse third option prevents target from using action
While cursed, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw at the start of each of its turns. If it fails, it wastes its action that turn ...
12
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1
answer
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Can a Gloom Stalker Ranger (potentially) make an attack roll five times in one turn via the Attack action?
As the DM, a player at my table is playing a Gloom Stalker Ranger, at level 11. This player was able to make an attack on their first turn of combat while utilising two-weapon fighting, per the PHB ...
2
votes
1
answer
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Does a freshly mounted creature get a new turn? [duplicate]
The rules for mounted combat say:
The initiative of a controlled mount changes to match yours when you mount it. (...) A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it.
What, ...
8
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2
answers
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Can multiple Legendary Actions be used in 1 round?
I had a whole thing typed for this and then saw I need to broaden the scope of my question.
If a creature has 4 Legendary Actions on its sheet (like the Lich) and it states:
The lich can take 3 ...
8
votes
2
answers
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What actions can I use in battle forms, and how?
If I have Intimidating Glare, I can Demoralize without speaking. So I think it should work in Animal Form. However, what is my Charisma? Is it changed?
If I want to Tumble Through, how high is my ...
0
votes
0
answers
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Can I attack nothing? [duplicate]
Combat Expertise can only be triggered via an attack (either standard action or full-round action).
When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty of as ...
12
votes
1
answer
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What does "last action" mean?
Taste Blood says:
[...]To drink a creature's blood, either your last action must have been a fangs Strike that damaged the target[...]
If on my first action I use Flurry of Blows to make 2 Strikes, ...
10
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2
answers
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How do the prone condition and AC against ranged attacks interact?
So, this is just a clarification about how a character's AC interacts with the Prone condition aside from the Flat-Footed condition. Mostly because being prone gives you the ability to Take Cover and ...
3
votes
2
answers
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Can you interact with objects or communicate verbally (or telepathically) while ritual casting?
My understanding of ritual casting and longer cast times is that it prohibits other actions, other than casting a bonus action cantrip such as Magic Stone or Shillelagh. You can still walk around, use ...
10
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1
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After I finish casting Teleportation Circle, can I prevent the portal from immediately opening?
My party often has my wizard start casting teleportation circle while everyone else is still grabbing treasure. If I finish casting the spell but someone hasn't made it back in time, can I wait to ...
9
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1
answer
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Does a running jump have the move trait?
I see two actions that represent a running jump: High Jump and Long Jump. Each of them are made of a Stride action, an Athletics skill check, and a Leap action that is modified by the result of the ...
6
votes
1
answer
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How does one-handed/two-handed switching work?
The specific scenario:
I have a fighter character with Quick Draw feat and Sidestep
Charge feat, and this fighter charges to a enemy wizard with his
longsword two-handed to utilize his 1.5 * STR DMG ...
11
votes
2
answers
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Does Irresistible Dance force me to use *all* my actions?
(Otto's) Irresistible Dance says:
As an action, a dancing creature makes a Wisdom saving throw to regain control of itself.
This is a strange phrasing, in that is does not specify whether one ...
3
votes
3
answers
540
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What does "takes an action" mean?
The context of this question, is the following: I've recently joined a D&D table, which happened to be with only new players, including the DM himself.
The other day, our DM introduced us a new ...
17
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4
answers
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Does a legendary action occur “outside” of a turn?
The rules for legendary actions state:
A legendary creature can take a certain number of special actions — called legendary actions — outside its turn. Only one legendary action option can be used at ...
3
votes
1
answer
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Multiattack defense vs legendary actions
I have a question about DnD 5E Ranger Hunter Multiattack Defense feature.
Should you or do you get Multiattack Defense against legendary actions? For example, when you get a bite and two claw attacks ...
8
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2
answers
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Can you use a Sustain action on the same turn you cast it?
Many spells in DnD 4e take a Standard action to cast, and then have a Sustain Minor for additional effects (e.g. Crown of Madness, Bigby's Icy Grasp). Is it possible to cast the spell as a Standard ...
16
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1
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What prevents enemies from speaking command words to turn off your magic items?
The Magic Items section of the PFSRD says this about command words (emphasis mine):
Command Word: If the activation is on command or if no activation method is suggested either in the magic item ...
10
votes
1
answer
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When does the target of Otto's Irresistible Dance start to dance?
The spell Otto's Irresistible Dance enchants a creature so that it
begins a comic dance in place: shuffling, tapping its feet, and capering
which has several negative effects on the creature:
A ...
12
votes
3
answers
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Does a creature have to see to be affected by the Fear spell initially since it is an illusion?
Does a creature in the target area of the Fear spell have to be able to see to be affected by the spell when cast, since it is an illusion? It is not worded like Hypnotic Pattern which explicitly says ...
8
votes
1
answer
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Does the victim of a Carrionette's Soul Swap, get a Carrionette's actions, when it gets control of its body?
The Carrionette listed in Van Richten's Guide To Ravenloft, is given a Challenge Rating 1 (!?!) and features a pair of actions which seem very powerful:
Silver Needle. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ...
1
vote
2
answers
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Can the Hunter subclass use their Volley feature with a melee weapon?
The Ranger subclass in D&D 5e, Hunter, has an 11th-level feature called Multiattack which allows them to pick Volley or Whirlwind.
Volley.
You can use your action to make a ranged attack against ...
4
votes
1
answer
259
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Climbing Movement (stay in place)
A creature making use of climbing movement, on a suitable surface, when interrupting its movement during climbing, can it act freely by remaining in the place where it is? Is it necessary to spend an ...
5
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1
answer
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In a Conflict, what does it mean to Defend on your turn?
According to the rules for Conflicts:
Next, each character takes a turn in order. On their turn, a character can take one of the four actions. Resolve the action to determine the outcome. The ...
1
vote
1
answer
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Can this Pact Hag power make the target move?
So in D&D 4e, Monster Manual 3, there's the Pact Hag (p.108).
One of their attacks is the Compelling staff.
The description says this:
"Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage, and the target makes a melee basic ...
1
vote
6
answers
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When summoned creatures are "defending themselves from hostile creatures" on a turn without commands, does this include taking Actions of any type?
The descriptions of many "Conjure ..." spells (e.g. Conjure Animals pp.225 PHB) contains text like this:
If you don't issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile ...
20
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2
answers
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Can a Bladesinger wizard cast a Bonus Action spell and still use their Extra Attack feature to cast a cantrip on the same turn?
I noticed a peculiar rule interaction. The rule on casting bonus action spells states:
A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell,...
7
votes
3
answers
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Does covering an object with Darkness cast upon it count as using an object as described in the combat actions?
In the rules for Darkness spell it states:
Completely covering the source of the darkness with an opaque object, such as a bowl or a helm, blocks the darkness
So my question basically boils down to ...
4
votes
4
answers
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Do siege weapons have a maximum rate of fire?
Siege weapons typically take a series of multiple actions to make an attack. Ballistae, for example, require the input of a load action, aim action, and fire action to make a single attack roll - ...
5
votes
3
answers
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Object Interactions and the location of the object?
Is there a rule or rules clarification about the location (or change of location) of an object during the object interaction / Use an Object action?
E.g.:
stuff some food into your mouth or drink all ...
8
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3
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Does a Vial of Acid, Oil, Alchemist Fire, or other improvised weapon adventuring gear still require an Object Interaction to 'draw' first?
A specific example being Thief Rogue: If they don't have the vial in their hand at the beginning of combat, would they still need to use Object Interaction to take out the vial, and then use either a ...
16
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3
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Does a player character who becomes a vampire gain the vampire's Legendary Actions?
One of my players became a vampire by choice and according to the Monster Manual, "the character gains the vampire's damage resistances, darkvision, traits, and actions" (p. 298). Does that ...
7
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3
answers
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Stowing and drawing weapons?
"I'd probably say they can throw one axe, while holding their polearm in their other hand, and be ready to use it again next turn. I don't think it's reasonable to allow a character to stow their ...
3
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2
answers
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Can you use your action to take a bonus action? [duplicate]
During a game tonight, I had a DM state using an action to do a bonus action is allowed by RAW. I was always taught this is not the case. I understand it's the DM's table, but for my own knowledge for ...
0
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2
answers
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Does Slow spell allow a move and an action?
Just looking for a clarification on what a target can do in a round when hit with Slow spell.
normally we get a 'move' and an 'action' (in addition to bonus etc)
my question is about just the two ...
12
votes
1
answer
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Can monsters take actions that aren't detailed in their stat blocks? [duplicate]
Me and my players got into an argument as to whether or not an Oni could take the Dodge action. This led me to question whether a monster can take normal actions other than the ones in its stat block. ...
9
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4
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What does it mean that an Ancient Blue Dragon's legendary action 'Wing Attack' costs 2 actions?
What does it mean that an Ancient Blue Dragon's legendary action 'Wing Attack' costs 2 actions?
Doesn't a dragon get one action on its turn like everyone else, whether it's a multi-attack, casting a ...
6
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1
answer
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Are there any beasts eligible for the druid's Wild Shape feature that have Legendary or Lair Actions?
The Druid's Wild Shape class feature states, in part:
[...] If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.
I do not recall ever seeing any creatures with Legendary or Lair ...
0
votes
1
answer
708
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Can a bladesinger use vampiric touch with his multi-attack after the initial casting?
During the initial casting it's a levelled spell so I believe he can't at first, but after the spell takes effect you can use the attack without expending a spell slot does that make it count as a ...
10
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2
answers
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As a Magus, does Spellstrike take 3 actions?
I'm level 2 right now. My DM says it takes 1 action to melee with Spellstrike, and 2 actions to cast my spell. Which means that's all 3 of my actions... So I can't move to an enemy to use my skill?
I'...
12
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1
answer
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What are the “Dynamic Manoeuvres” in Dark Souls?
In the Dark Souls tabletop RPG, one of the uses for spending Position is (p.103):
Perform one Dynamic Manoeuvre. These are special actions, enabling you to do extraordinary things, pushing yourself ...
1
vote
1
answer
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Does the melee attack in Retributive Strike require an action?
The text for Retributive Stike says:
You protect your ally and strike your foe. The ally gains resistance
to all damage against the triggering damage equal to 2 + your level.
If the foe is within ...
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3
answers
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Is Stabilizing a Creature 'Broken' due to not stating range?
There is a claim that Stabilizing a Creature is broken mainly due to range not being listed. The main argument is in this youtube video, but the core of the argument is that since Stabilizing a ...
5
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1
answer
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Can every character apply untrained skills without limitation?
With 'trained only' skills it is obvious, but I am not sure whether everybody can use all other skills even without being an expert in it.
Let us take as an example the 'Palming an object' action ...