Types of Actions
The fundamental combat actions of moving and attacking cover most of what you want to do in a battle. They’re all described here.
Standard Actions
A standard action is usually the most important action you’ll take in a round, and it often consists of some sort of attack—swinging a lightsaber, firing a blaster, throwing a punch, hurling a grenade, and so on. You can perform one standard action on your turn.
A standard action could be any one of the following:
Attack with a Melee Weapon
With a melee weapon, you can strike any target in a square you can threaten. Small and Medium characters threaten the squares adjacent to them. Bigger creatures may threaten a larger number of squares, as defined by their reach (see Reach).
Two-Handed Melee Weapons: When you wield a melee weapon two-handed, add double your Strength bonus (if any) to the damage. This higher Strength modifier does not apply to light weapons (weapons smaller than your size).
Improvised Melee Weapons: Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons can be used: chairs, bottles, crates, and so on. Because these objects are not designed for such use, characters who use improvised melee weapons are treated as not proficient with them and take a −5 penalty on their attack rolls. The GM determines the size and damage dealt by an improvised weapon.
Attack with a Ranged Weapon
With a ranged weapon, you can throw or shoot at any target within your line of sight if there are no obstructions (including other characters) between you and the target. The maximum range on a ranged weapon depends on the weapon used (see Table: Weapon Ranges).
A ranged weapon can attack a target at point blank, short, medium, or long range. If you make a ranged attack against a target within the weapon’s point blank range, you take no penalty on the attack roll; your penalty on attack rolls increases to −2 at short range, −5 at medium range, and −10 at long range.
Improvised Thrown Weapons: Sometimes objects not crafted to be weapons can be thrown in a dangerous manner: small rocks, vases, pitchers, lightsabers, and so forth. Because these objects are not designed for such use, characters who use improvised thrown weapons are treated as not proficient with them and take a −5 penalty on their attack rolls. The GM determines the size and damage dealt by an improvised weapon.
Aid Another
As a standard action, you can aid an ally’s next skill check or attack roll, or you can interfere with an enemy’s attacks.
Aiding a Skill Check or Ability Check: You can help another character achieve success on their skill check or ability check by making the same kind of skill check or ability check in a cooperative effort. If you roll a 10 or higher on your check, the character you are helping receives a +2 bonus on their check. You can’t take 10 on a skill check or ability check to aid another.
Aiding an Attack Roll In combat, you can aid another character’s attack by forcing an opponent to avoid your own attacks, making it more difficult for them to avoid your ally. Select an opponent and make an attack against a Reflex Defense of 10. If you succeed, you grant a +2 bonus on a single ally’s next attack roll against that opponent.
Suppressing an Enemy In combat, you can distract or interfere with an opponent, making their attacks more difficult. Select an opponent and make an attack against a Reflex Defense of 10. If you succeed, that opponent takes a −2 penalty on its next attack roll.
Attack an Object
Sometimes you need to attack an object such as a door, a control console, or a held weapon, either to destroy it or bypass it. An unattended, immobile object has a Reflex Defense of 5 + its size modifier. If you hit it, you deal damage as normal. However, an object usually has damage reduction (DR), which means that any attack that hits it has its damage reduced by the indicated amount. (Lightsabers ignore an object’s damage reduction.) An object reduced to 0 hit points is disabled. If the damage that reduces the object to 0 hit points also equals or exceeds the object’s damage threshold, the object is destroyed instead.
Like characters, objects become increasingly debilitated if they take a lot of damage at once. If an object takes damage from a single attack that equals or exceeds its damage threshold, it moves −1 step on the condition track. An object that moves −5 steps on the condition track is disabled.
Held, Carried, or Worn Objects: A held, carried, or worn object is much harder to hit than an unattended object, and has a Reflex Defense equal to 10 + the object’s size modifier + the Reflex Defense of the holder (not counting armor bonus or natural armor bonus, if any).
Multipart Objects: Very large objects have separate hit point totals for different sections. For example, you can break the window of an airspeeder without destroying the whole speeder.
The Right Weapon for the Job: The GM may determine that certain weapons just can’t deal damage effectively to certain objects. For example, you will have a hard time breaking open a blast door with a cesta or cutting a cable with a club. The GM may also rule that certain attacks are especially successful against some objects. For example, it’s easy to sheer or ignite a curtain with a lightsaber.
Strength: All objects have a Strength score that represents their innate ability to bear weight (see Encumbrance). An object supporting weight in excess of its heavy load moves −1 step along the condition track immediately, and another −1 step each round on the same Initiative count. If an object is supporting weight in excess of twice its heavy load, it is immediately disabled.
Breaking an Object: When you try to break something with sudden force rather than dealing regular damage, use a Strength check to determine whether you succeed. The DC depends more on the construction of the item than on the material, but it is usually equal to 15 + the object’s Strength modifier. Attempting to break an object is a standard action. If the object has moved down the condition track, apply the condition penalty to the object’s break DC.
| Statistics for Objects and Substances | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Object | DR1 | Hit Points |
Damage Threshold |
Strength (Break DC2) |
| Manufactured Objects | ||||
| Fine (comlink) | — | 1 | 5 | 1(10) |
| Diminutive (datapad) | — | 1 | 5 | 1(10) |
| Tiny (computer) | — | 2 | 5 | 1(10) |
| Small (storage bin) | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4(12) |
| Medium (desk) | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10(15) |
| Large (bed) | 5 | 10 | 20 | 10(15) |
| Huge (conference table) | 10 | 10 | 35 | 20(20) |
| Gargantuan (small bridge) | 10 | 20 | 55 | 40(30) |
| Colossal (house) | 10 | 30 | 85 | 80(50) |
| Tools and Weapons | ||||
| Computer console | — | 5 | 10 | 10(15) |
| Weapon, Tiny (hold-out blaster) | 5 | 2 | 10 | 10(15) |
| Weapon, Small (blaster pistol) | 5 | 5 | 12 | 15(17) |
| Weapon, Medium (blaster rifle) | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20(20) |
| Weapon, Large (heavy blaster rifle) | 10 | 10 | 17 | 25(25) |
| Weapon, Huge (E-Web) | 10 | 20 | 30 | 30(30) |
| Bindings | ||||
| Mesh tape | — | 1 | 15 | 20(20) |
| Liquid cable | — | 2 | 19 | 28(24) |
| Syntherope | — | 4 | 20 | 30(25) |
| Chain | 10 | 5 | 26 | 32(26) |
| Binder cuffs | 10 | 20 | 25 | 40(30) |
| Locks | ||||
| Cheap | — | 1 | 5 | 1(10) |
| Average | 2 | 5 | 10 | 10(15) |
| Good | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20(20) |
| High security | 10 | 120 | 30 | 50(35) |
| Ultrahigh security | 20 | 150 | 35 | 60(40) |
| Barriers | ||||
| Metal bars (2cm thick) | 10 | 30 | 25 | 40(30) |
| Permacrete wall (30cm thick) | 10 | 150 | 30 | 50(35) |
| Metal wall or hull (15cm thick) | 10 | 150 | 35 | 60(40) |
| Wooden door (5cm thick) | 5 | 25 | 10 | 10(15) |
| Metal door or airlock (5cm thick) | 10 | 50 | 30 | 50(35) |
| Blast door (50cm thick) | 10 | 750 | 40 | 70(45) |
| Substances | ||||
| Substance | DR | Hit Points | ||
| Paper (flimsiplast, durasheet) | — | 1 | ||
| Rope (syntherope, liquid cable) | — | 1 per cm of thickness | ||
| Soft plastic (synthmesh, synthleather) | — | 1 per cm of thickness | ||
| Glass (duraplex, plastex) | — | 1 per cm of thickness | ||
| Ice or delicate crystal | — | 1 per cm of thickness | ||
| Ceramic (ceramisteel) | — | 1 per cm of thickness | ||
| Hard plastic (duraplast, plasteel) | 2 | 2 per cm of thickness | ||
| Wood (synthwood or any natural variety) | 5 | 5 per cm of thickness | ||
| Light metal (transparisteel) | 5 | 5 per cm of thickness | ||
| Stone (permacrete, ferrocrete) | 10 | 5 per cm of thickness | ||
| Metal (durasteel, quadanium steel) | 10 | 10 per cm of thickness | ||
| Heavy metal (duranium, lanthanide) | 10 | 15 per cm of thickness | ||
| Exotic metal (neutronium, Mandalorian steel) | 20 | 20 per cm of thickness | ||
| 1 Lightsabers ignore an object’s damage reduction. 2The DC of the Strength check to disable the object. | ||||
Charge
As a standard action you can move your speed (minimum 2 squares) in a straight line and then make a melee attack at the end of your movement. You gain a +2 competence bonus on your attack roll and take a −2 penalty to your Reflex Defense until the start of your next turn. You cannot charge through low objects or squares occupied by enemies (allies do not hinder your charge), and charging through Difficult Terrain costs twice as much per square as normal. You cannot tumble (as per the application of the Acrobatics skill) during your movement as a part of a charge. After you resolve a charge attack you can take no further actions this turn.
Disarm
As a standard action, you may attempt to disarm an opponent, forcing them to drop one weapon (or other object) that they are holding.
Making a Disarm Attack: Make a normal melee attack roll against your opponent, who gets a +10 bonus to their Reflex Defense. If your opponent is holding the weapon with more than one hand, you take a −5 penalty on your attack roll to disarm them.
If the attack succeeds, your opponent is disarmed. If you successfully disarm your opponent with an unarmed attack, you can take the disarmed weapon. Otherwise, it’s on the ground at your opponent’s feet (in their fighting space).
If your disarm attack fails, your opponent can make an immediate free attack against you.
Improved Disarm: If you have the Improved Disarm feat, you get a +5 bonus on your melee attack roll to disarm an opponent, and your opponent doesn’t get to make an immediate free attack against you if your disarm attack fails.
Ranged Disarm: If you have the Ranged Disarm talent, you can attempt to disarm your opponent with a ranged attack. If the attack fails, your opponent doesn’t get an immediate free attack against you.
Fight Defensively
As a standard action, you can concentrate more on protecting yourself than hurting your enemies. You can take a −5 penalty on your attack rolls and gain a +2 dodge bonus to your Reflex Defense until the start of your next turn. If you choose to make no attacks until your next turn (not even attacks of opportunity), you gain a +5 dodge bonus to your Reflex Defense until the start of your next turn.
Acrobatics: If you are trained in the Acrobatics skill, you instead gain a +5 dodge bonus to your Reflex Defense when you fight defensibly, or a +10 dodge bonus if you choose to make no attacks.
Grab
As a standard action, you can make a grab attack. A grab attack is treated as an unarmed attack except that it doesn’t deal damage and you take a −5 penalty on the attack roll. You can only grab an opponent up to one size category larger than yourself, and only one opponent at a time.
Until it breaks the grab, a grabbed creature takes a −2 penalty on attack rolls unless it uses a natural weapon or a light weapon. Additionally, it cannot move until it breaks the grab. Breaking the grab is a standard action, and automatically clears one grabber per character level. (The grabbed creature chooses which grabbers it clears if there are any left over.)
Grapple
A grapple attack is an improved version of the grab attack (see above). You can only make a grapple attack (a standard action) if you have the Pin feat, the Trip feat, or both. You can only grapple an opponent up to one size category larger than you, and only one opponent at a time.
A grappling attack is treated as an unarmed attack except that it deals no damage. If the grappling attack hits, you and the target immediately make opposed grapple checks. A grapple check is 1d20 + base attack bonus + Strength or Dexterity modifier (whichever is higher) + size modifier (see below). If your check result equals or exceeds the target’s check result, the target is grappled.
The effects of a grapple depend on the specific feat or combination of feats you are using: Pin, Pin and Crush, Trip, or Trip and Throw.
Alternatively, if you are armed with a light weapon, you may deal damage with that weapon if you win the opposed grapple check; no attack roll is necessary.
Size modifiers for grapple checks are as follows: Fine, −20; Diminutive, −15; Tiny, −10; Small, −5; Medium, +0; Large, +5; Huge, +10; Gargantuan, +15; Colossal, +20.
Move Actions
A move action represents physical movement. The most common move action is moving your speed. You can perform one move action on your turn, or two if you give up your standard action. With the exception of specific movement related skills, most move actions don’t require skill checks. In some cases (such as shouldering a stuck door), ability checks might be required.
Move actions include the following:
Move
You can move up to your speed as a move action. Even moving 1 square is considered a move action.
Nonstandard modes of movement are also covered by this type of action, including climbing or riding an animal.
Draw or Holster a Weapon
Drawing or holstering a weapon is a move action.
Quick Draw: If you have the Quick Draw feat, you can draw or holster a weapon as a swift action instead of a move action.
Manipulate an Item
Manipulating an item includes picking up an item, loading a weapon, opening a door, or moving a heavy object.
Retrieving a Stored Item: Retrieving a stored item out of a backpack, carrying case, or other closed containers requires two move actions, one to open the container, and one to get the item. Holsters, utility belts, and bandoliers are not considered to be closed containers for this purpose.
Stand Up
Standing up from a prone position requires a move action.
Acrobatics: If you are trained in the Acrobatics skill, you can stand up from a prone position as a swift action with a successful DC 15 Acrobatics check.
Withdraw
You can withdraw from combat as a move action. To withdraw, the first 1 square of your movement must take you out of your opponent’s threatened area by the shortest possible route. If you must move more than 1 square to escape the threatened area, you can’t withdraw. You can move normally (take a move action) in order to escape an opponent, but you provoke an attack of opportunity when doing so.
Once you clear the threatened area, you may continue to move, up to a total of half your speed.
You can disengage from more than one opponent in the same action, but only if you can clear all threatened areas in your first 1 square of movement.
Disengaging protects you from attacks of opportunity during your first square of movement, but you may provoke attacks of opportunity later in your turn (for example, you may move through another character’s threatened area).
Swift Actions
Things that require very little time of effort can be accomplished with a swift action. Some actions, feats, and talents require one or more swift actions to perform. You normally get one swift action per round, but you can take a second swift action instead of a standard action or move action, and you can take three swift actions in a round if you give up both your standard action and move action. Multiple swift actions usually have to occur on the same round, or consecutive rounds, and some actions require that the multiple swift actions be consecutive (that is, no other action interrupts them). This is noted in the action’s description.
Swift actions include the following:
Activate an Item
A swift action allows you to activate an item. Starting a vehicle, turning on a computer, and lighting a fusion lantern are all examples of activating an item.
Aim
2 Swift Actions
You can take two consecutive swift actions in the same round to more carefully line up a ranged attack. When you do so, you ignore all cover bonuses to your target’s Reflex Defense on your next attack. You still must have line of sight to the target, however.
You lose the benefits of aiming if you lose line of sight to your target or if you take any other action before making your attack. Aiming provides no benefit when making an area attack.
Careful Shot: If you have the Careful Shot feat, you gain a +1 bonus on your ranged attack roll when you take the time to aim first.
Deadeye: If you have the Deadeye feat, you deal extra damage when you take the time to aim first.
Catch a Second Wind
As a swift action, you can catch a second wind (see Second Wind). You can only catch a second wind once per day. Only heroic characters can catch a second wind; nonheroic characters, objects, devices, and vehicles cannot.
Extra Second Wind: The [Extra Second Wind]] feat allows an heroic character to catch a second wind one extra time per day (but never more than once in a single encounter). A nonheroic character that takes the Extra Second Wind feat can catch a second wind once per day.
Drop an Item
Dropping an item is a swift action (but picking one up is a move action). You can drop an item so that it falls on the ground in your fighting space or lands in an adjacent square.
Fall Prone
Falling into a prone position requires a swift action.
Acrobatics: If you are trained in the Acrobatics skill, you can fall prone as a free action with a successful DC 15 Acrobatics check.
Recover
3 Swift Actions
You can spend three swift actions in the same round or across consecutive rounds to move +1 step on the condition track (see Conditions). You cannot use the recover action while afflicted by a persistent condition (see Persistent Conditions).
Switch Weapon Mode
Some weapons have multiple weapon modes. Examples include blaster pistols, which have both a lethal setting and a stun setting, and blaster carbine, which have both a single-shot mode and an autofire mode. Switching to another weapon mode takes a swift action.
Full-Round Actions
A full-round action consumes all of your effort during a given round, effectively replacing all other actions on your turn. A full-round action can’t span multiple rounds; for example, you cannot perform a full-round action that replaces your move action, and swift action in the first round and your standard action in the following round.
Full-round actions include the following:
Coup de Grace
As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a Coup de Grace to a Helpless creature or Droid. You can also use a ranged weapon, provided you are adjacent to the target. You automatically score a Critical Hit, dealing double Damage. A defender reduced to 0 Hit Points by a Coup de Grace dies instantly, or, in the case of a Droid, is destroyed. An Unconscious or Disabled defender Hit by a Coup de Grace also dies or is destroyed instantly.
You can’t deliver a Coup de Grace against a Vehicle or object.
Full Attack
As a full-round action, you can make more than one attack. To gain extra attacks, you must be wielding two weapons, wielding a double weapon, or using a special ability that grants extra attacks. When making multiple attacks, you may resolve your attacks in any order desired, declaring the target of each attack immediately before making the attack roll. Extra attacks granted from different sources are cumulative. Any penalties associated with gaining an extra attack apply to all attacks that the character makes until the start of their next turn.
Attacking with Two Weapons: As a full-round action, a character armed with two weapons can attack once with each weapon, but the character takes a −10 penalty on all attacks for the round. This penalty assumes that the character is proficient with the weapon in hand; apply an additional −5 penalty on the attack roll if the character is not proficient with the weapon.
A character armed with three or more weapons still only gains one extra attack, but that character may choose which weapon it wishes to use for this extra attack each round.
Attacking with a Double Weapon: As a full-round action, a character armed with a double weapon (such as a double-bladed lightsaber) can attack once with each end of the weapon, but the character takes a −10 penalty penalty on all attacks for the round. This penalty assumes that the character is proficient with the weapon in hand; apply an additional −5 penalty on the attack roll if the character is not proficient with the weapon. (A character who chooses to attack with only one end of a double weapon can do so as a standard action.)
Dual Weapon Mastery: The Dual Weapon Mastery (I, II, and III) feats reduce the −10 penalty on attack rolls when fighting with two weapons or both ends of a double weapon. A character with all three Dual Weapon Mastery feats negates the −10 penalty entirely.
Double Attack and Triple Attack: The Double Attack feat allows a character to make one extra attack during a full attack, but the character takes a −5 penalty on all attacks until the start of their next turn. The Triple Attack feat allows a character to make one extra attack in addition to that granted by Double Attack, giving the character an additional −5 penalty (total −10 penalty) on all attacks until the start of their next turn. If the character is armed with more than one weapon, they may choose which weapon (or weapons) they will use to make each extra attack.
Run
You can run as a full-round action, moving up to four times your speed in a straight line (or three times your speed in a straight line if wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load). See the Endurance skill for running rules.