Attack actions/standard actions? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Attack actions/standard actions? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Igfig
10-01-05, 01:24 PM What exactly is the difference (if any) between an attack action and a standard action?

I ask this mainly because of the feat Awesome Blow. It says that it takes a standard action to use. Can this be used as an attack of opportunity (which is an attack action)?
Jaid
10-01-05, 02:21 PM a standard action can do many different things. an attack action is only usable for attacking.

also, an attack action can be combined to do more than 1 if you have multiple attacks by using a full round action. you cannot do that with standard actions.

in any event, i am not familiar enough with the feat to really answer, but i always thought it was just part of an AoO.
Shadowfax7
10-01-05, 02:32 PM I ask this mainly because of the feat Large and In Charge. It says that it takes a standard action to use. Can this be used as an attack of opportunity (which is an attack action)?
No.
Inigo Carmine
10-01-05, 02:37 PM Let me break it down like this:

Standard action = Fruit
Attack action = Apple

A Standard action is a general heading under which many actions fall; an attack action is a more specific term (though it is one possible use of a standard action).

Whenever you are allowed a standard action, you can use it to perform an attack action (or any of the other 500 things you can do with a standard action).

The converse is not true.

Whenever you are allowed an attack action, you can not perform any old standard action. You can only perform an attack action.

Its kind of like, if someone says "Pass me a piece of fruit" (a standard action) you can pass them an apple. Or you can pass them a pear (casting a spell), an orange (drink a potion) etc.

If someone says "Pass me an apple" (an attack action) you cannot hand them any old piece of fruit; only an apple will do.

This comes into play with things like full attacks and attacks of opportunity.

Full attacks allow multiple attack actions, not multiple standard actions. This is why you can make multiple sword attacks in a full attack, but you cannot cast multiple spells with a full attack.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Igfig 10-01-05, 01:24 PM	What exactly is the difference (if any) between an attack action and a standard action? I ask this mainly because of the feat Awesome Blow. It says that it takes a standard action to use. Can this be used as an attack of opportunity (which is an attack action)?
Jaid 10-01-05, 02:21 PM	a standard action can do many different things. an attack action is only usable for attacking. also, an attack action can be combined to do more than 1 if you have multiple attacks by using a full round action. you cannot do that with standard actions. in any event, i am not familiar enough with the feat to really answer, but i always thought it was just part of an AoO.
Shadowfax7 10-01-05, 02:32 PM	I ask this mainly because of the feat Large and In Charge. It says that it takes a standard action to use. Can this be used as an attack of opportunity (which is an attack action)? No.
Inigo Carmine 10-01-05, 02:37 PM	Let me break it down like this: Standard action = Fruit Attack action = Apple A Standard action is a general heading under which many actions fall; an attack action is a more specific term (though it is one possible use of a standard action). Whenever you are allowed a standard action, you can use it to perform an attack action (or any of the other 500 things you can do with a standard action). The converse is not true. Whenever you are allowed an attack action, you can not perform any old standard action. You can only perform an attack action. Its kind of like, if someone says "Pass me a piece of fruit" (a standard action) you can pass them an apple. Or you can pass them a pear (casting a spell), an orange (drink a potion) etc. If someone says "Pass me an apple" (an attack action) you cannot hand them any old piece of fruit; only an apple will do. This comes into play with things like full attacks and attacks of opportunity. Full attacks allow multiple attack actions, not multiple standard actions. This is why you can make multiple sword attacks in a full attack, but you cannot cast multiple spells with a full attack.