Question of Rounds per day class abilities.

[ChaosRain]

I'm currently in the process of making an elementalist wizard (air) and I was wondering what type of action the Cyclone Ability is. It doesn't state the action required to start and it doesn't state an action to continue it.

Cyclone (Su): At 8th level, you can create a vortex of turbulent wind around yourself as a standard action. This vortex has a radius of up to 10 feet and a maximum height of 10 feet per wizard level you possess. Any ranged attack passing through this vortex automatically misses. Any f lying creature moving through the vortex must make a Fly skill check or immediately fall from the sky, taking falling damage (the creature cannot make a Fly check to reduce or negate this damage). Creatures on the ground cannot pass through the vortex without first making a Strength
check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + your caster level. The vortex is faintly visible and can be spotted with a DC 15 Perception skill check. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to your wizard level.
These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

What action is it to use this ability?

[Roberta Yang]

Cyclone (Su): At 8th level, you can create a vortex of turbulent wind around yourself as a standard action.

[MrSin]

Supernatural abilities, if not stated otherwise are always standard with things like this. This one... sorta has the answer in the title I guess though doesn't it?

[PhelanArcetus]

In general, unless specified, there is no action needed to continue the ability. You instead spend an action to end it (or let the daily duration run out). That action to end it would also be a standard action, similar to dismissing a spell.

So standard action to start, standard action to end, no action to maintain.

[Grick]

PhelanArcetus wrote:

That action to end it would also be a standard action, similar to dismissing a spell.

Do the rules say this anywhere? I've always assumed that if it doesn't tell you an action to end, there is no action to end. You just don't do whatever non-action it is to maintain the ability.

[bbangerter]

PhelanArcetus wrote:

You instead spend an action to end it (or let the daily duration run out). That action to end it would also be a standard action, similar to dismissing a spell.

I know it is a standard to cancel an ongoing spell (though concentration spells are free action - just stop concentrating). Do you have a rules reference that it is a standard action though to end a per day ability? There are a number of classes with per day abilities like this, and several magic items as well. Requiring a standard action would requiring burning them at a minimum of 2 round increments. E.g, first round I start it up, 2nd round shut it back down - but timers like this tick at the time it is activated, then again when it is the start of your turn before you can act to cancel.

So I've always ruled it as a free action - but I could be wrong on this.

[SlimGauge]

bbangerter wrote:

I know it is a standard to cancel an ongoing spell (though concentration spells are free action - just stop concentrating).

This only works if the spell is dismissable (and some other conditions are met). Most spells are, but there are some that aren't.

Core Rules wrote:

(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.

This means that even though Silence is a dismissable spell, since it has verbal components, if you cast it on yourself, you can't speak the words of dismissal ! You'll just have to wait it out, or leave the area of effect if it's cast on something else.