Bit of a silly rules question

[cryosphinx]

so we have conflicting opions are something im sure is really simple. is a full attack considered an attack action for feats like vital strike? or anything that requires you to make an attack action

[Lyrax]

I'm pretty dog gone sure full attack cannot possibly be compatible with vital strike. So I'm gonna say 'no'. Attack actions are actions that make a single attack, like Aoo's, standard attacks, etc.

[Lathiira]

Attack actions are a special type of standard action, while a full attack requires a full-round action to use. This makes Vital Strike incompatible with a full attack, as you must use a standard action to Vital Strike, whereas a full attack takes more time. It's not a case of "well, if you use at least a standard action, you can use Vital Strike".

[Evil Lincoln]

This is an unfortunate choice of words in the rulebook. It becomes clear if you use the table on page 183 of the CRB. The actions called simply "attack" on that table (with parenthetical notes) are the valid actions for Vital Strike. Full attack is (erm...) different from an attack action. It should read as a "Standard Attack" action.

The rules language is not very clear, but the intent has been expressed frequently by the devs. Hope a hypothetical future edition in the distant future clears this up a bit.

[Elven_Blades]

Evil Linconis correct

Additionally, Vital Strike specifies "one attack at your highest BAB", indicating that, that is the only attack you get this turn, barring AoOs and such...

[DeathQuaker]

I would also note that as far as Vital Strike specifically goes, it appears (to me, anyway) to be a way to give a martial character a chance to do more damage when they are unable to make a full attack.

Note that you can take Vital Strike and advance on the feat tree when you hit BAB +6, +11, and +16. This is when you gain an additional attack, 2 attacks, and 3 attacks respectively. It's a way of replacing full attack with a standard attack. You do lose out on additional strength and enhancement bonuses but the trade off is that it's multiple dice of damage for one die roll at highest BAB. Based on my in play experience, often the first hit for a dedicated martial character will always hit, whereas the additional attacks for a full attack often miss (at least the last hit at the lowest BAB, at least when fighting strong monsters). So Vital Strike is essentially multiple dice of damage on a near guaranteed hit, versus a full attack where there is only a chance of multiple damage rolls being made. (This of course depends widely circumstantially on the build in question, tactics being used, and/or the creatures being attacked.)

If you were able to Vital Strike during a Full Attack you would essentially have a chance at two full attacks' worth of damage for a single feat, which strikes me as a bit much.

[Damon Griffin]

File this under "Stupid GM Tricks" --

I realized that Vital Strike is used only with single/standard attacks only after I'd chewed up a party using two raging Ogre/Barbarian opponents with large ogre hooks.

Vital Strike + Power Attack meant the ogres were each dealing 6d6+23 damage per hit, and I was handling their first attack that way, then [incorrectly] allowing a second attack but without the Vital Strike (so it "only" dealt 3d6+23.)

Oops. :)