What Type of Action is Rock Throwing?

[Cuup]

What type of action is Rock Throwing?

It isn't listed in the Universal Monster Rules. The monster entries of creatures with Rock Throwing suggests it's a Standard Action, as the Attack Bonus is listed once, with no iterative bonuses following, much like a single Natural Attack. However, the Fire Giant's Heated Rock ability says this:

Heated Rock wrote:

Fire giants transfer the heat of their bodies to rocks as part of an attack action when they throw rocks. A heated rock deals 1d6 points of additional fire damage on a hit.

Can anyone verify? Is it a Standard Action or an Attack Action?

[Forseti]

An attack action is a standard action.

[Cuup]

No, there is a difference. A high BAB allows multiple Attack Actions in a single round as a "Full Attack Action". A Fire Giant, for example, would be allowed 3 uses of Rock Throwing as a Full Attack Action, due to their BAB of +11. If Rock Throwing was merely a Standard Action, though, they would only ever get 1 use.

[Saldiven]

No, there is an Attack action, which is a standard action that allows a single attack.

Then there is a Full Attack action, which is a full-round action that allows all available attacks.

It sounds like in this case that the Fire Giant can only heat up rocks as part of an Attack action. In other words, they can either Full Attack to make multiple rock-chucking attempts, or a single Attack with a hot rock.

[Forseti]

To elaborate: the attacks made as part of the Full Attack action are not Attack actions but simply attacks. The Attack action is the first listed action under the "Standard Actions" header of the combat chapter.

[Shaun]

Also, unless a giant has a way of producing rocks as a free action, drawing or picking up a rock is a move action. Therefore the giant wouldn't be able to throw three rocks as a full attack without at least the quick draw feat.

[Cuup]

I see. Thanks for your clarifications.