Is a full round action multiple single attacks or a single declared action that has multiple attack rolls?
This stems from a continuous True Strike item debate on Reddit.
Do not debate the merits of True Strike items, I don't care. I am not trying to make them or defend them.
I am question how the trigger would work, and more so how it wouldn't.
FRA technically only grants one single attack action, with multiple BAB attack rolls. You would then not have True Strike active past the first until your round was finished.
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Is a full round action multiple single attacks or a single declared action that has multiple attack rolls?
This stems from a continuous True Strike item debate on Reddit.
Do not debate the merits of True Strike items, I don't care. I am not trying to make them or defend them.
I am question how the trigger would work, and more so how it wouldn't.
FRA technically only grants one single attack action, with multiple BAB attack rolls. You would then not have True Strike active past the first until your round was finished.
I do not understand your question. But I'll pretend.
A full round action is a type of action that consumes both your move action and your standard action. It can be used to do many, many things. One of those is a "full attack", which is one or more melee or ranged attacks, depending on your BAB, and any additional effects like haste or Two Weapon Fighting.
A full-round-action does not grant "one single attack action". It grants multiple attack actions. You can - for instance - mix melee and ranged, and indeed some combat maneuvers.
The true strike spell says "You gain temporary, intuitive insight into the immediate future during your next attack. Your next single attack roll (if it is made before the end of the next round) gains a +20 insight bonus. Additionally, you are not affected by the miss chance that applies to attackers trying to strike a concealed target."
It specifically calls out "your next attack" and "your next single attack roll". So even if you've got iteratives or other sources of multiple attacks, the true strike spell applies to precisely one of them. The inclusion of the word "roll" makes it very clear what true strike does and what it does not: apply to more than one attack.
If you create an item that lets you cast true strike at will, it will apply to one and only one attack. Most magic items are command activated, requiring a standard action, which means this item would give you +20 on one attack every other round.
That said, it's also possible to create continuous effect items. That gets a bit debatable. I'm pretty sure that continuous effect items that "stop" have to be started again as a standard action. For instance I recall a flaming weapon that is shut "off" has to be activated as a standard action, but it then remains "on" until it is shut off. In theory, a continuous effect true strike item would be "on" until its spell discharged, on your next item. You may - or may not - need to activate the item again. I'd expect table variance on this from DM to DM. I admit to not being 100% confident on this entire paragraph, so if someone comes along and corrects me on it, I won't be shocked.
Hopefully something here answers your question.
Creative Director
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Beyond the insightful explanation Anguish provides above... there's a common sense element as well that needs to be kept in mind for ALL magic item design. One of the core suggestions for item pricing that affects attack rolls is the rule for weapon enhancements—that a +1 bonus to hit and damage on a weapon is equal to the bonus squared x 2,000 gp.
Magic items that grant bonuses to attack rolls in other ways should be much rarer than that (as evidenced by their relative rarity among published sources).
Common sense should also play a role in the simple idea that allowing someone to gain the effects of true strike over and over again on attack rolls is not good for game balance; as a 1st level spell it's already a bit powerful, but held in check by the fact that it requires an action to cast and cannot be cast on someone else—it only affects the spellcaster, who normally isn't nearly as good at fighting as non-spellcasters. An effect that grants true strike all the time and on every attack is ridiculous. A classic example of theory-craft that should hold no water in actual game play, and that should never be allowed by any sane GM who wants to maintain game balance.
I can think of one case where something like this would be legit—an artifact. But that's because artifacts break rules, and since they can't be created by PCs, their introduction into the game is 100% controlled by the GM, who knows what he/she is getting into, in theory, when allowing an artifact into play.
You perform attacks as part of actions. Attacks and attack rolls are not actions in themselves. If you ever see anything that says "the attack action," the text refers to a specific standard action that allows you to perform a single attack. The Vital Strike feat is a good example.
Is a full round action multiple single attacks or a single declared action that has multiple attack rolls?
This stems from a continuous True Strike item debate on Reddit.
Do not debate the merits of True Strike items, I don't care. I am not trying to make them or defend them.
I am question how the trigger would work, and more so how it wouldn't.
FRA technically only grants one single attack action, with multiple BAB attack rolls. You would then not have True Strike active past the first until your round was finished.
I do not understand your question. But I'll pretend.
A full round action is a type of action that consumes both your move action and your standard action. It can be used to do many, many things. One of those is a "full attack", which is one or more melee or ranged attacks, depending on your BAB, and any additional effects like haste or Two Weapon Fighting.
A full-round-action does not grant "one single attack action". It grants multiple attack actions. You can - for instance - mix melee and ranged, and indeed some combat maneuvers.
The true strike spell says "You gain temporary, intuitive insight into the immediate future during your next attack. Your next single attack roll (if it is made before the end of the next round) gains a +20 insight bonus. Additionally, you are not affected by the miss chance that applies to attackers trying to strike a concealed target."
It specifically calls out "your next attack" and "your next single attack roll". So even if you've got iteratives or other sources of multiple attacks, the true strike spell applies to precisely one of them. The inclusion of the word "roll" makes it very clear what true strike does and what it does not: apply to more than one attack.
If you create an item that lets you cast true strike at will, it will apply to one and only one attack. Most magic items are command activated, requiring a standard action, which means this...
Yup. Perfectly.
I always assumed that "full BABs" are not actually multiple single swings but part of an overall action.
Continuous True Strike would only work a single swing. Plus it seems when a spell is made continuous or permanent it is cast as that spell and functions more or less like that spell would.
This means continuous True Strike would have to be turned off andnon like a weapon special ability. Since it's trigger is not enough to reset itself.
This means continuous True Strike would have to be turned off andnon like a weapon special ability. Since it's trigger is not enough to reset itself.
Sounds close to wielding a weapon in one hand and a True Strike wand in the other. Which is completely within the rules and usually no balance problem - because you can only attack once per two rounds that way.
This means continuous True Strike would have to be turned off andnon like a weapon special ability. Since it's trigger is not enough to reset itself.Sounds close to wielding a weapon in one hand and a True Strike wand in the other. Which is completely within the rules and usually no balance problem - because you can only attack once per two rounds that way.
"Continuous" means it requires no action to activate. Its effect is continuous.
"Continuous" means it requires no action to activate. Its effect is continuous.This means continuous True Strike would have to be turned off andnon like a weapon special ability. Since it's trigger is not enough to reset itself.Sounds close to wielding a weapon in one hand and a True Strike wand in the other. Which is completely within the rules and usually no balance problem - because you can only attack once per two rounds that way.
Sure the single cast is on said item is continuous but True Strike the spell has verbiage and spell rules that already limit that. Meaning that once it's used it doesn't refresh itself.
Its kind of impossible to make a true continuous True Strike item.
You could create a magic item that added 20 to every attack roll you made.
You could create a magic item that added 20 to the first attack roll you made each round.
You could create a magic item that added 20 to all attacks that rolled prime numbers on the die but only when used on a day that was a holiday both in and out of character (i.e. you're playing on Easter IRL and it's the Emperor's birthday in game).
Each would be balanced at a different cost.
Flat competence bonuses is normally the route people take to explain continuous or permanent True Strike items.
This is wrong. True Strike is a spell, and thus still has to act like it, even when made continuous.