1) Unless otherwise specified, SLAs take a standard action to activate. Also lasting one round at level one is not too terrible. Summon Monster I takes a full round to cast and the critter only lasts one round at first level. Since you don't gain this ability until 8th level, it should last at least 8 rounds, which is about 2 combats. If it were supposed to be a swift action, the ability description would have stated such.
2) Both spells that this ability have a dismissable duration. From the section on Magic in the PFRPG:
(D) Dismissible: If the duration line ends with “(D),” you can dismiss the spell at will. You must be within range of the spell's effect and must speak words of dismissal, which are usually a modified form of the spell's verbal component. If the spell has no verbal component, you can dismiss the effect with a gesture. Dismissing a spell is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
A spell that depends on concentration is dismissible by its very nature, and dismissing it does not take an action, since all you have to do to end the spell is to stop concentrating on your turn.
And, since all SLAs act like the spell they mimic unless otherwise stated, it would take a standard action to dismiss the change shape.
3) A duration of one round ends just before the beginning of your turn. From the Combat section of the book:
When the rules refer to a “full round”, they usually mean a span of time from a particular initiative count in one round to the same initiative count in the next round. Effects that last a certain number of rounds end just before the same initiative count that they began on.
Hope that helps!
Most rounds-per-day abilities require no action to activate or deactivate. I believe that this was the intent for Change Shape.
Most rounds-per-day abilities require no action to activate or deactivate. I believe that this was the intent for Change Shape.
Just how many Rounds/Day abilities are there?
Barbarian Rage - an EX ability that explicitly states that it is a free ation.
Bardic Performance - Either SU or SLA that has explicit rules describing what action is used at what level, but even at 20th level it is NOT a free action to activate.
Several level 8 Wizard school powers, none of which state the action to use the power.
What else? A few magic items like Boots of Speed. Not really abilities so much as items, each with its own rules.
In fact, every instance I can find of a Rounds/Day ability (except the wizard schools) has explicit instructions about how to activate it. In those cases, the "specific" trumps the "general" rule.
As for me, almost all of them seem to be severely gimped if you have to use one round to activate it and a second round to use it. You are supposed to get the ability a number of rounds equal to your level, but really, you can only use it a number of rounds equal to half your level (if they're not consecutive).
I would be all for houseruling all of these powers (except maybe the Wall of Energy power, but I hate exceptions) to be a Swift action to activate and a Swift action to maintain. That way there isn't a built in usage penalty for non-consecutive rounds, and there is also a (very minor) expense of a swift action to maintain the ability.
Without that houserule, I would agree that it takes a standard action to activate any of these school powers.