Awesome Blow + Vital Strike


Rules Questions

Dataphiles

Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I know this is answered somewhere but to help clarify something.

Awesome Blow is a standard action.

Vital strike is used as a apart of an attack action.

Can you vital strike while using awesome blow?

Thank you.


No. Awesome Blow is a standard Use Feat action. Vital Strike modifies the standard Attack action. These are two separate actions. As a rule of thumb, if the feat/ability says "attack action", it is only the attack action and excludes any feats/abilities that say "as a standard action". However, multiple feats/abilities that ride on the attack action can be used in conjunction. For instance, Vital Strike can work with Overhand Chop because both ride on the Attack action.

Dataphiles

Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Thanks

The term "attack action" get me every time. I hope Paizo clears that term ors changes it in Pathfinder 2.0


not sure what Kazaan is talking about feat action, there is no such thing. But he is correct you can't combine the two. Awesome blow is a specific combat maneuver that take a standard action like, over run and grapple. It can't be used in place of an attack like sunder, trip and disarm. Which they do allow you to use vital strike with it but has no effect expect with sunder.


KainPen wrote:
not sure what Kazaan is talking about feat action, there is no such thing. But he is correct you can't combine the two. Awesome blow is a specific combat maneuver that take a standard action like, over run and grapple. It can't be used in place of an attack like sunder, trip and disarm. Which they do allow you to use vital strike with it but has no effect expect with sunder.
PRD/Combat wrote:

Use Special Ability

Using a special ability is usually a standard action, but some may be full-round actions, as defined by the ability.
...
Use Feat
Certain feats let you take special actions in combat. Other feats do not require actions themselves, but they give you a bonus when attempting something you can already do. Some feats are not meant to be used within the framework of combat. The individual feat descriptions tell you what you need to know about them.

Before challenging someone on what they say, it's usually best to put forth a modicum of effort into making sure you're actually correct. Even a rudimentary glance at the Actions in Combat table in the Combat section would show that "Use Special Ability" and "Use Feat" are defined actions. When you use Cleave, you are using the standard Use Feat ability to use the Cleave feat. By contrast, if you have the Vital Strike feat, you can, at your option, allow it to passively modify the standard Attack action.


The action for Awesome Blow is the Combat Maneuver action, which in this case is a standard action.


Casual Viking wrote:
The action for Awesome Blow is the Combat Maneuver action, which in this case is a standard action.

Good catch on that. I didn't notice that the feat calls it out as a combat maneuver. But the same reasoning applies; Use Feat, Use Special Ability, Use Combat Maneuver, etc. are distinct actions from Attack.

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