Hi.
I'm wondering if characters can take free action as part of attack of opportunity. It would seem odd, if characters could, since you could end your barbarian rage ability, if some one caused AoO, but if there were no attack of opportunity, then he could not end it until his next turn.
Hi.
I'm wondering if characters can take free action as part of attack of opportunity. It would seem odd, if characters could, since you could end your barbarian rage ability, if some one caused AoO, but if there were no attack of opportunity, then he could not end it until his next turn.
Free actions can be taken at any time as they typically represent no time expenditure at all.
Barbarian can end his rage as a free action, which means he can end it even when it is not his turn.
No, it is specifically stated that only immediate actions can be used outside of a character's turn. An attack of opportunity must be an attack action.
You are right, I just read the description. :D
And yeah in that case you can't take a free action during aoo, only an immediate action.
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As an aside, this means you can't vocalize during anyone else's turn by RAW. It makes shouting suggestions/orders somewhat difficult.
The rules prefer to avoid shutting down wallflower geeks from interacting socially. ;)
"In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn't your turn. Speaking more than a few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action."
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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As an aside, this means you can't vocalize during anyone else's turn by RAW. It makes shouting suggestions/orders somewhat difficult.The rules prefer to avoid shutting down wallflower geeks from interacting socially. ;)
"In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn't your turn. Speaking more than a few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action."
I find it interesting that the definition of free actions doesn't actually state when it can be used - the closest we get is apparently the above-referenced bit about speaking, implying by its phrasing that the ability to use *that* free action outside your own turn is the exception rather than the rule. Interesting.
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I find it interesting that the definition of free actions doesn't actually state when it can be used - the closest we get is apparently the above-referenced bit about speaking, implying by its phrasing that the ability to use *that* free action outside your own turn is the exception rather than the rule. Interesting.
It isn't necessary to figure it out by implication or view it as mysterious. There are general rules and there are exceptions to those general rules. I'm not going to cite it all out, but reading through the combat section tells us how combat works: characters act in initiative order; they take actions during their turn, with a list of what actions are possible; free actions are on that list. Those are the general rules. Anything else is an exception..
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I find it interesting that the definition of free actions doesn't actually state when it can be used - the closest we get is apparently the above-referenced bit about speaking, implying by its phrasing that the ability to use *that* free action outside your own turn is the exception rather than the rule. Interesting.It isn't necessary to figure it out by implication or view it as mysterious. There are general rules and there are exceptions to those general rules. I'm not going to cite it all out, but reading through the combat section tells us how combat works: characters act in initiative order; they take actions during their turn, with a list of what actions are possible; free actions are on that list. Those are the general rules. Anything else is an exception..
Ah, right you are, O Wise Goat.
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"In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn't your turn. Speaking more than a few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action."
Notice the "in general" part? That prevents conversations from occurring in a single 6-second interval IMC. Which makes perfect sense to me as everything is happening simultaneously within that 6 seconds anyway.
Yes but lets say Barbarian has yet to enter rage and is knocked off 100' cliff during the giant's turn who pushed him. What DM, as a free action, wouldn't allow him to enter rage prior to hitting the very jagged rocks at the bottom and possibly allowing him to survive?
So let me get this straight, Immediate and Swift actions both of which consume more time, energy and effort than a free action, only the Immediate action can be performed out of turn, with speech being the exception? Barbarian plummeting to his doom screams, "Someone please save me! I am surely going to die unless some one helps me! Will no one heed my cries?" allowable as a free action-(no more than a few sentences)yet cannot enter rage instead ,something that consumes no time at all according to RaW? When can common sense be used in a round? Is it a standard or full round action? My point being this, in no place does it state that speech is the only exception to the rule(that I could find) and is only one of four actions listed under Free Actions descriptor. Why can't something that takes no time at all be allowed anytime? I understand allowing for initiative i.e. (has yet to act at all) and being surprised but beyond that...
P.S. Just read contradiction in book under Actions types, "Free Actions consume very small amount of time and effort," while under Free Actions title it states, "free actions don't take any time at all, yet there may be a limit to the number of free actions you can perform in a turn." What's up with this?
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Yes but lets say Barbarian has yet to enter rage and is knocked off 100' cliff during the giant's turn who pushed him. What DM, as a free action, wouldn't allow him to enter rage prior to hitting the very jagged rocks at the bottom and possibly allowing him to survive?
I am such a GM. I'm not less of a GM for that. As a player, I prefer GMs who don't softball gameplay and remove the threats faced by PCs within the game. I can think of other, more appropriate, game mechanics, such as a reflex save for the situation you've described. That said, the specific instance you've provided was constructed as an example and doesn't need to be debated on its merits.
Complete Warrior has the feat Instantaneous Rage, which allows a barbarian to enter into a rage at any time. In other words, it is of sufficient value to be able to rage when not your turn that WotC designers thought some players would be willing to spend a valued feat slot to be able to do so.
So let me get this straight, Immediate and Swift actions both of which consume more time, energy and effort than a free action, only the Immediate action can be performed out of turn, with speech being the exception?
Swift and immediate actions came about through the thought process of, "how could we make free actions more interesting?" Yeah, they take more time, energy, and effort, which is reflected in the limit on how often they can be taken..one of either during a turn for all practical purposes. Immediate actions cannot be taken outside of your turn. Swift actions cannot. Free actions cannot. Note, you can ready a swift or free action though.
Barbarian plummeting to his doom screams, "Someone please save me! I am surely going to die unless some one helps me! Will no one heed my cries?" allowable as a free action-(no more than a few sentences)yet cannot enter rage instead ,something that consumes no time at all according to RaW? When can common sense be used in a round? Is it a standard or full round action? My point being this, in no place does it state that speech is the only exception to the rule(that I could find) and is only one of four actions listed under Free Actions descriptor. Why can't something that takes no time at all be allowed anytime? I understand allowing for initiative i.e. (has yet to act at all) and being surprised but beyond that...
+1 on the sarcasm. As a practitioner, I rate your effort highly. :)
"In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn't your turn. Speaking more than a few sentences is generally beyond the limit of a free action."
Speaking is an exception. There were other exceptions in 3.5 (feather fall comes to mind); the introduction of immediate actions generally resulted in such being treated as immediate actions, since the entire concept of immediate action was that they were free actions that can be done when not one's turn to act.
I agree that there is a logical disconnect when an immediate action, taking more time than a free, can be done outside of one's turn, but most free actions cannot. One can make house rules to remove the problem if it is so egregious. The existing system, and how actions are classified, are partially a matter of history..remember that once upon a time there were free actions, but there were no swift or immediate actions. And, as such, there are some vestigial elements.
Free actions aren't going to be spelled out as working outside your turn (with the noted exception) for one simple reason: game flow. Interrupts slow things down. Many people complain about AoO for that reason. If you allow free actions at any time generically you allow a much higher frequency of interruptions. Magic items that are free to activate, stuff like that. At least AoO are pretty much universally reactive. If X, then AoO. General at-will free could get chaotic.
So it's deliberately up to the GM to decide if any given (free) action can be done out-of-turn.