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It used to be assumed that Speaking was the only Free Action that could be taken off turn. However this FAQ established that Free-action reloading of ranged weapons can be done in conjunction with Attacks of Opportunity (off turn).
And this FAQ added the Grab, Trip, Pull, Push, and Rock Catching abilities to the list of "free action abilities" that can be performed off turn.
It makes me wonder just how many other free actions can be performed off turn. Looking through d20pfsrd, there were a lot of abilities that specifically tell you you can use them off turn, while others specifically said you could only use them on your turn. Of the remaining abilities, I compiled the following list.
So - Which of these abilities could be initiated in conjunction with an Attack of Opportunity?
- FEATS
- Power Attack
- Enforcer
- Beartrap Bite
- Draconic Manifestation
- Snatch (both the grab-like action and the free action release of target)
- Shield Material Expertise(Darkwood)
- Shield Material Expertise (Living Steel)
- Iconoclast
- Shared Stash (Free action taking a weapon from a willing ally)
- Gun Twirling - to free action holster a firearm
- Mark of Evil - free action ability to deform the target of a melee attack
- Combat Style Master - ability to change combat style as a free action
- Master Combat Performer - performing a combat performance check when the conditions of an AoO meets the trigger criteria (critical hit, max damage, successful trip attempt, etc)
- Quick Draw - to draw a different weapon than the one you are already threatening with.
- Broken Wing Gambit
SPELLS
- Invoke Primal Power (free action trip)
- Glimpse of The Akashic (free action knowledge activation that grants bonuses to attack & damage rolls)
- Keif Vigor (once/round free action to increase bonus granted)
- Dazzling Blade (free action discharge of spell to affect adjacent creature)
- Brow Gasher (free action discharge of spell to add bleed damage to a melee attack)
CLASS ABILITIES
- Unchanged monk Ki Blocker
- Gunslinger's Bleeding Wound
- Tranquil Guardian Paladin's Serene Strike
- Ironskin Monk's Staggering Blow
- Investigator's Twilight Talon Improvisation Talent
- Devoted Muse's Circling Strike
GENERAL FREE ACTIONS
- Drop a weapon
- Stop concentrating on a spell
- Drop Prone
- Change grip on a weapon (e.g., letting go of a two handed weapon with one hand, putting a second hand on a one-handed weapon you are already wielding, etc)
So - Which of these abilities could be initiated in conjunction with an Attack of Opportunity?
FEATS
- Power Attack
Sean addressed this here. Power Attack can be turned on before any attack (even an AoO) and remains on until your next turn. Turning Power Attack on is not any sort of action, so free action limits don't come into play.
Paizo's 2015 publication of Melee Tactics Toolbox listed Power Attack, as well as Combat Expertise, Cleaving Finish, and even Attacks of Opportunity themselves as Free Actions.
Also - while I fully agree with Sean, his comment in that thread was not an official FAQ response, and therefore can not be pointed to as RAW, per the PDT's own rules about FAQs
this FAQ established that Free-action reloading of ranged weapons can be done in conjunction with Attacks of Opportunity (off turn). And this FAQ added the Grab, Trip, Pull, Push, and Rock Catching abilities to the list of "free action abilities" that can be performed off turn.
It makes me wonder just how many other free actions can be performed off turn.
Only those specified in the FAQ.
I think you meant this FAQ for the first one.
That second FAQ says "While you can’t take most free actions off your turn ..." So the answer is you can't take most free actions off your turn EXCEPT those specifically allowed by these FAQs (or your GM). RAI might be another matter.
Paizo's 2015 publication of Melee Tactics Toolbox listed Power Attack, as well as Combat Expertise, Cleaving Finish, and even Attacks of Opportunity themselves as Free Actions.
Interesting. Rear Inside Cover, if you're looking for it in your copy.
Also - while I fully agree with Sean, his comment in that thread was not an official FAQ response, and therefore can not be pointed to as RAW, per the PDT's own rules about FAQs
In the absence of RAW, you go with what you've got
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this FAQ established that Free-action reloading of ranged weapons can be done in conjunction with Attacks of Opportunity (off turn). And this FAQ added the Grab, Trip, Pull, Push, and Rock Catching abilities to the list of "free action abilities" that can be performed off turn.
It makes me wonder just how many other free actions can be performed off turn.
Only those specified in the FAQ.
That second FAQ says "While you can’t take most free actions off your turn ..." So the answer is you can't take most free actions off your turn EXCEPT those specifically allowed by these FAQs (or your GM). RAI might be another matter.
Exactly.
I understand that the one FAQ says "While you can’t take most free actions off your turn..." but that would just indicate that less than 50% of the free actions that are available in the game can be done off turn.
Honestly, the phrasing is vague and seems rather anecdotal in nature (rather than fact-based). Do you really think the PDT actually went through the entire list of printed free actions and categorized them in to "Free Actions that can be done OFF turn" and "Free Actions that can only be don ON turn"?
I find that to be unlikely. But, if they did happen to do that much research into the matter, it would be great if they could share their findings.
Like I said, there were a bunch of Free Action abilities I came across that ONLY work if you perform them off turn. There were also a large number of Free Action abilities that indicated that they could be performed at any point before the start of your next turn (i.e., on turn or off turn). But, there were also a great number of Free Actions that explicitly stated that they could only be done on the character's turn. So, it is quite possible that every single one of the abilities I listed in my first post COULD actually be done off turn, without invalidating the FAQs statement about you not being able to take "most free actions off turn".
But - until the PDT explicitly states it can be done (via FAQ or Errata), it remains unclear. But that is the entire purpose of the post - looking for clarification (in detail) to a frequently asked question.
Owner - D20 Hobbies
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Also - while I fully agree with Sean, his comment in that thread was not an official FAQ response, and therefore can not be pointed to as RAW, per the PDT's own rules about FAQs
Often forgotten, that before the charge thread where SRM said "all posts are unofficial", all posts were in fact official. All FAQ were made by SKR under his profile.
Did the "all posts are unofficial" post invalidate all answers SKR had provided thus far?
Are those old answers still considered RAW unless they had been specifically contradicted by new PDT FAQ Responses?
Mmmh... As, for me, it seems that the writers of the Melee Tactics Toolbox have forgotten about the difference between "Immediate action" and "Free action"... :)
It's easy to forget the fact that a "free action" should only be allowed on your turn and "immediate action" is what should be defined as "can be used on others turn"...
That's the problem with using "simple to grasp" terms... The term "Free action" is easy to grasp... It's an action that is free to do... Call it an "Alpha action", and give it the definition "Alpha action are actions you can do for free on your turn", and it's not that easy to grasp... It's not players friendly... But in the end for rules lawyer it's easier to grasp... :p
Every actions you can do on others turn and on your turn for free should be labelled as "Immediate action", "Free action" should only be used for things you can use on your turn... So "Speaking" should be an "Immediate action" not a "Free action you can do on others turn"... This way you avoid making an exception on a rule that worked perfectly fine before... :p
I agree with the first post, but I won't agree with "make more exception" but say "can you label as "Immediate action" all things that are, in fact, immediate action ? :)
Did the "all posts are unofficial" post invalidate all answers SKR had provided thus far?
Are those old answers still considered RAW unless they had been specifically contradicted by new PDT FAQ Responses?
Well, as I was told before, and in my opinion rightly so, we are in the Rules Forum.. So even if author RAI can help GM to houserule, in the Rule Forum we should only argue with RAW... And as I have learned on this forum too, FAQ is RAW even if there's no reprint yet... So yes, you can't considered answers by anyone on this forum as RAW, be it the one who made the rule... If it's not in a book, if it's not in a faq then it's not RAW...
I can understand this, to an extant, since not every PS GM can read all posts on this forum and only consults the faq and books, and RAW is only relevant to PS since at at home the GM can do whatever he wants... ;)|
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you can't considered answers by anyone on this forum as RAW, be it the one who made the rule... If it's not in a book, if it's not in a faq then it's not RAW...
100% true. But generally that phrase is used to interpret a sentence in a way that disagrees with a post by a design team member's post. Just because you have a different interpretation of the rule doesn't mean the one you disagree with isn't RAW.
Many of those forum posts that are rejected as "not RAW", happen in the age where we had much more communication from PDT members on exactly how to read the rules correctly. We don't have that now, in my opinion, due to the chilling effect of "RAW! RAW! RAW!".
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It's easy to forget the fact that a "free action" should only be allowed on your turn and "immediate action" is what should be defined as "can be used on others turn"...
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So "Speaking" should be an "Immediate action" not a "Free action you can do on others turn"...
Your understanding of "immediate action" is incredibly wrong. If speaking was an immediate action, you could only speak once per round. And if you ever spoke, you wouldn't get your swift action on your turn. And you couldn't speak if you were flat-footed. That's frankly a preposterous suggestion.
Your understanding of "immediate action" is incredibly wrong. If speaking was an immediate action, you could only speak once per round. And if you ever spoke, you wouldn't get your swift action on your turn. And you couldn't speak if you were flat-footed. That's frankly a preposterous suggestion.
Oh after reading it seems you're right, an immediate action is a swift action taken during others turn, not a free action... they should have introduced "Free Immediate action" :p
Yeah, up until now I have authorized my players to only shout once a round as immediate action... :)100% true. But generally that phrase is used to interpret a sentence in a way that disagrees with a post by a design team member's post. Just because you have a different interpretation of the rule doesn't mean the one you disagree with isn't RAW.
You're also right, it can help, but it's not a definite answer to the "lack of rules"... Which is not that bad, if I want rules I wouls still play Rolemaster... :p
Honestly, even if they just made it an online resource, it would go a long way.