Immediate Actions question


Rules Questions

Silver Crusade

In the Core Rulebook chapter on Combat, casting Feather Fall is listed as the only example of an immediate action, and it specifically states that it does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Does the same hold true for other spells cast as immediate actions? Usually spellcasting does provoke, but it sounds like maybe those that can be cast quickly enough to be immediate actions don't require you to let your guard down long enough to provoke. For that matter, casting a quickened spell as a swift action doesn't provoke, either, so this is probably the case.

I'm thinking in terms of the bard spells Timely Inspiration and Gallant Inspiration, and whether the bard could use those while in melee without provoking an AoO.


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The casting time needs to be immediate, not the effect duration, which is the case with feather fall. If the casting time is immediate instead of a standard action it does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Magic wrote:
Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 swift action doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.
Combat wrote:
Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action and counts as your swift action for that turn.

The quoted text and the example with feather fall equates swift and immediate actions enough that I would rule a spell with a casting time of immediate doesn't provoke an AoO.

Silver Crusade

That's what I was thinking, but I just wanted to be sure.

Like I said, Timely Inspiration and Gallant Inspiration are immediate action spells for bards, and they seem very cool, so it's good to know they can be used without provoking.


For the rogue talent Resiliency, it states that it is an immediate action that can be performed when the rogue is brought to below 0 HP. I presume that this means the rogue takes the damage, and then the action is "performed". If the blow would outright kill the rogue (to below negative CON), does is this talent still "performed"? Does this give the rogue the temporary hit points that might take him above death (but possibly still unconscious)?


ZonkerH wrote:
For the rogue talent Resiliency, it states that it is an immediate action that can be performed when the rogue is brought to below 0 HP. I presume that this means the rogue takes the damage, and then the action is "performed". If the blow would outright kill the rogue (to below negative CON), does is this talent still "performed"? Does this give the rogue the temporary hit points that might take him above death (but possibly still unconscious)?

An immediate action always happens in response to some triggering event and is resolved before the latter (which is sometimes weird). So the rogue gets the temp hp just before he takes the damage. This may save his life, yes.

I realize the ability in question is not worded quite that way, but that's just how immediate actions work. Try not to think about the "immediate action resolves before triggering event" bit too much or you will hurt your brain.

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