How much one can do on one turn while exploring

[Jormaine]

I am familiar with the kinds of constraints a PC has during combat (3 actions/turn, one movement, one free, one standard), though the rulebooks I have are not explicitly clear on what can be done during a PC's turn during exploration (be it in a town, or in a room with treasure inside). Can he/she walk as long as they feel like and take as many actions as they want during their turn, or is there some sort of constraint during exploration? Or is the GM supposed to draw the line themselves?

[Grick]

Jormaine wrote:

I am familiar with the kinds of constraints a PC has during combat (3 actions/turn, one movement, one free, one standard)

Action Types: "There are six types of actions: standard actions, move actions, full-round actions, swift actions, immediate actions, and free actions.

In a normal round, you can perform a standard action and a move action, or you can perform a full-round action. You can also perform one swift action and one or more free actions. You can always take a move action in place of a standard action."

Jormaine wrote:

Or is the GM supposed to draw the line themselves?

Generally, if you're not in initiative, there are no turns. People just say what they're doing. If one person is hogging up the table, stop them and let someone else do things for a while. It's highly up to the GM how to handle this.

[Jormaine]

ok, so when exploring the dungeon and not in initiative, PC's can just walk without counting squares and the like?

I also want to thank you and everyone else who have been answering my questions the last couple of days for your support. It has been a great help.

[Lakesidefantasy]

Jormaine wrote:

ok, so when exploring the dungeon and not in initiative, PC's can just walk without counting squares and the like?

Yes, just remember that Pathfinder is not a boardgame. As a GM it is important that you pace the action. Running non-combat action with initiative is a sure way bore your players.

Half the game is played running combat encounters, the other half is played assuming the roles of heros interacting with their environment.

Ignore the battle map when you don't need it, which is most of the time as many combat encounters can be played without it. Look your players in the eye, be very descriptive, and tell them a story.

[thejeff]

Note that even when not worrying about turn order and initiative, you'll probably want to keep rough track of how fast they're moving and roughly what they're doing.
Are they moving carefully searching the passage for traps and secrets as they go? Are the running full tilt? Walking along at a normal pace?

You'll need to know roughly how long it's been between encounters for things like spell durations. It can also be important for what the local inhabitants are doing, especially if they've been alerted to the invaders.