Quick Question. In issue 337 the sage responds with a yes to a "fiendish "player wanting to shape change into a choker and get 3 spells off in a round...ouch. My question/ The player states"Could you cast a swift action spell in a round when you take an extra standard action?" When in the world can you take a extra standard action???? I am rusty but...huh?
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Chokers get an extra standard action as a supernatural ability(they used to just get haste back in 3.0, but when haste was changed, they still got to keep the old haste effect.) Shapechange allows you to get the creatures supernatural abilities.
Thus chapechange into choker = extra standard action.
Sebastian
Yep - Sebastian is exactly correct. Here's the text from the SRD:
Quickness (Su): Although not particularly dexterous, a choker is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra standard action or move action during its turn each round.
Not a bad ability for a CR 2 critter...
Ahhh,makes sense though...My Monster manual states "It can take an extra partial action each round,as if affected by a haste spell." very odd. Ok I follow this but is a "swift action spell" some feat (and from where) or just a spell with a short cast time? How do we get 3 spells in one round if not a feat but if it is a feat then we could do it.....? I've just gone crosseyed Basil!
Ahhh,makes sense though...My Monster manual states "It can take an extra partial action each round,as if affected by a haste spell." very odd. Ok I follow this but is a "swift action spell" some feat (and from where) or just a spell with a short cast time? How do we get 3 spells in one round if not a feat but if it is a feat then we could do it.....? I've just gone crosseyed Basil!
Sounds like you have the 3.0 MM...
The feat is called Quicken Spell, allowing a character to cast one extra spell as a swift action. The stipulation is that the quickened spell takes up a spell slot 4 levels higher than normal. So in a nonepic game, this shapechanging wizard is limited to 5th level and lower spells for his swift action. Note that this feat is useless to Sorcerers (except as a prerequisite for Auto Quicken at epic levels), since they take a full round at least to cast spells with metamagic alterations.
So the character, in the form of a choker, begins his turn by casting a Quickened Empowered fireball. He then takes his move and standard action as normal (he moves into position and casts mass haste). Then he takes an extra standard action, because of being a choker, and casts time stop, opening up a whole new can of worms.
For another mind-blower... A wizard polymorphed into a spell weaver (MM II p 187) can cast up to 7 spells a round (though one would be Quickened, and the rest would be 1st level spells... good for a magic missile barrage, though.).
Don't forget his stuff he set up with Contingency that has the trigger, "When I cast a quickened empowered fireball and I'm in the form of a choker..."
:D
*ahem* anyway...
You definitely seem to have the 3.0 MM. As was said, a Quickened spell has been changed from a "free" action to a "swift" action. There's very little difference between the two types of actions (so few, actually, I'm coming up blank in remembering what those differences are...)
:DDon't forget his stuff he set up with Contingency that has the trigger, "When I cast a quickened empowered fireball and I'm in the form of a choker..."
:D
*ahem* anyway...
You definitely seem to have the 3.0 MM. As was said, a Quickened spell has been changed from a "free" action to a "swift" action. There's very little difference between the two types of actions (so few, actually, I'm coming up blank in remembering what those differences are...)
Free actions can be performed any number of times in a round, limited by the rules for a specific action (such as 3.0 Quicken Spell) and DM whim. Sometimes a free action can even be used when it's not your turn (such as 3.0 feather fall. 3.5 feather fall is now counted as an immediate action).
Only one swift action can be performed each round, and only on your turn.
Only one immediate action can be performed each round, at any time.
Oh the humiliation of it all...lol.I just moved and I have a pile "o books"here and yes it was the 3.0 MM.I understand now and God bless you for the schoolin'.The timestop and Contingency options will haunt me for the night ...week...month. Man am I glad you guys are not in my campaign! I will now take this knowledge and appear like an all knowing rules God to my unwitting players and pray non of them read this forum. This is why I love D&D and not those unnamed online games! I'm always learning.
I cannot find a reference to swift or immediate actions in the PHB. Where were these at? A book I don't have? ......excuse this knucklehead....
Well [sheepish grin], they're not in the PHB, or the DMG, or 3.5 MM. The idea of a "swift action" and an "immediate action" came about through the pages of Dragon & Dungeon magazines, and then became incorporated into nearly all the "Complete" books, "Races of" books, and most everything else. So, alas, unless they're about to come out with v3.75, you'll have to pick up some supplement to see the official rules. And then you'll likely still be confused by them...like we all are.
Happy gaming!!
I thought Swift and Immediate actions were introduced in Miniatures handbook, actually.
For the purposes of this talk, David, a Swift action is the same thing as a Free action - it allows you to cast a Quickened spell.
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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I thought Swift and Immediate actions were introduced in Miniatures handbook, actually.
For the purposes of this talk, David, a Swift action is the same thing as a Free action - it allows you to cast a Quickened spell.
You are probably right. The first time I saw them was in Complete Arcane, but I think I vaguely remember them referencing an earlier product I did not own (like the Minatures Handbook).
Also, I think Complete Adventurer had the same level of explanation as Complete Arcane.
Sebastian
Wow,thank you much,everyone. I think I have found a new home for my D&D talk. Great responses quick! The help is appreciated!
Just remember that when you use an immediate action (such as feather fall or the psionic power anticipatory strike from Races of Destiny) that you are, in effect, "borrowing" your swift action for the following round.
Thus, you use your immediate action during your opponent's place in the intiative order. When your place in the initiative order comes up, you can't use a swift action, as the immediate action catches up with you.
Just remember that when you use an immediate action ... snip ...
Huh... I'd missed that particular rule. Yeah, you can't use a swift action the same round as an immediate action, and if you use an immediate action when it's not your turn, you can't use a swift action on your next turn or an immediate action until after your next turn. Also, you can't use an immediate action while flat-footed.