| 4 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
For years, I've been using Flyby attack as "As a full round action: Move, take a standard action, move." I just took a closer look at the text, though, and discovered that it wasn't at all clear, and the Pathfinder version is also self-contradictory.
Flyby Attack [General]
Prerequisite
Fly speed.Benefit
When flying, the creature can take a move action (including a dive) and another standard action at any point during the move. The creature cannot take a second move action during a round when it makes a flyby attack.Normal
Without this feat, the creature takes a standard action either before or after its move.
Flyby Attack
This creature can make an attack before and after it moves while flying.
Prerequisite: Fly speed.
Benefit: When flying, the creature can take a move action and another standard action at any point during the move. The creature cannot take a second move action during a round when it makes a flyby attack.
Normal: Without this feat, the creature takes a standard action either before or after its move.
The SRD version doesn't have an action type specified for using the feat, leading to three possible interpretations:
1) It's a full round action: Movement, standard action, movement.2) It's a standard action: As #1, except you can do it even when restricted to a single action.
3) It's a move action: You get two standard actions, one in the middle of your move, one either before or after.
The PRD version also doesn't have an action type, and doesn't change the wording of the benefit itself. However, it also adds the descriptive text that reads "before and after". This adds a fourth scenario:
4) Standard, movement, standard.
At this point, I'm completely confused. Help?
Yeah, I've always ran it like you Bobson.
There's a couple other threads about this apparently. Such as here, and here.
It seems it's just worded very strangely though. I think this quote fixes it up pretty well though.
Ignore the flavor text; it's obviously inverted from "move before and after an attack".
As for the rules text, it's much clearer when you add the missing commas: "Benefit: When flying, the creature can take a move action and another, standard, action at any point during the move."
Yeah, I've always ran it like you Bobson.
There's a couple other threads about this apparently. Such as here, and here.
It seems it's just worded very strangely though. I think this quote fixes it up pretty well though.
Ignore the flavor text; it's obviously inverted from "move before and after an attack".
As for the rules text, it's much clearer when you add the missing commas: "Benefit: When flying, the creature can take a move action and another, standard, action at any point during the move."
Yeah, that's how I have run it, and will continue to run it, but is there any justification for using it that way other than logic? Because with the commas it's a very contrived sentence. Easier to just remove the "another", and then it makes perfect sense.
Well, with the commas, I can see how the wording makes sense. It's basically saying you're using two actions together, hence why 'another' is in there.
I admit though, it is poor wording, and could definitely use clarification.
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Well, with the commas, I can see how the wording makes sense. It's basically saying you're using two actions together, hence why 'another' is in there.
I admit though, it is poor wording, and could definitely use clarification.
There's a lot of those wonky wording glitches floating around, especially in material that was carried over in whole or in part from the older editions. Overrun is another one of those weird ones. "As a standard action as part of a charge..." Say what?
It looks like Darkwolf's fix quote makes it work as (I assume) intended.
It looks like Darkwolf's fix quote makes it work as (I assume) intended.
It's that "I assume" part that bugs me :(
Ive always used it as: you can move your distance and during that move you can take a standard action.
That is an improvement over Shot on the Run or Spring Attack where you are only allowed a single attack during the move. With flyby attack a dragon can move its speed and use it's breath weapon somewhere along the way.
However, I agree the wording is wonky.
- Gauss