When is the action free, when is it swift? [Archive] - Wizards Community

When is the action free, when is it swift? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Seamonster
02-25-08, 11:29 PM I'm getting ready to play a cleric of St. Cuthbert who has the domains of Destruction and Strength. Now, the Strength power says it's a free action, but the Destruction smite ability doesn't specify. I hope it's not a standard action, but I can't find a way to tell.

Also, since swift and immediate actions were recently coined, do these powers fit under either of those? How do I know if a PHB or DMG ability is free, swift, or immediate?
Fireclave
02-25-08, 11:49 PM IIRC, generally, for sources that existed prior to the introduction of swift and immediate actions, actions that specified you could use it as a free action once per round became swift actions, and actions that specified you could uses them as a free action during your opponent's turn became immediate actions.

However, much of the commonly used material, including the core rule books, have been errated (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20060531a) with the correct changes for these new action types (notice that Quickened spells are swift actions and Feather Fall is an immediate action, for example).

But that has little barring on the Destruction domain's smite ability since it is a supernatural ability. Supernatural abilities are always an standard action to use unless stated otherwise.

Edit: Fixed for correctness.
jaelis
02-26-08, 12:03 AM The Strength domain ability is a free action, since it says it is.

The Destruction domain ability doesn't say, so it defaults to a standard action like Fireclave mentioned.
Jay_Ibero_911
02-26-08, 01:12 PM Use of the destruction domain smite (or just about any other smite for that matter) is no action on it's own. You simply declare it's use as part of any other attack. This is supported by the fact that there are feats and abilities designed around charging smite attacks, which would be impossible if a smite was a standard action on it's own.
jaelis
02-26-08, 01:26 PM Maybe you're right, but a paladin's smite ability specifically says it can be done as a regular attack. So you could reasonably rule that by extension anything called "smite" works the same way, but I wouldn't say it is very well supported.

In fact the phrasing of the destruction ability:

You gain the smite power, the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a +4 bonus on attack rolls...

sounds to me like it is one action where you make a single attack.
Dheran
02-26-08, 03:21 PM (notice that Quickened spells and Feather Fall are swift actions, for example). Actually, Feather Fall is an immediate action, so you can us it if, say, you get bull rushed off a cliff.
Fireclave
02-26-08, 04:07 PM Actually, Feather Fall is an immediate action, so you can us it if, say, you get bull rushed off a cliff.
Right. Thx for the correction.
runestar
02-27-08, 09:27 PM sounds to me like it is one action where you make a single attack.

I take it to mean that you simply decide which attack you wish to modify on the fly.

For example, your cleric could make a full attack, then opt to augment his 1st attack with smite. Or smite as an AoO.:)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Seamonster 02-25-08, 11:29 PM	I'm getting ready to play a cleric of St. Cuthbert who has the domains of Destruction and Strength. Now, the Strength power says it's a free action, but the Destruction smite ability doesn't specify. I hope it's not a standard action, but I can't find a way to tell. Also, since swift and immediate actions were recently coined, do these powers fit under either of those? How do I know if a PHB or DMG ability is free, swift, or immediate?
Fireclave 02-25-08, 11:49 PM	IIRC, generally, for sources that existed prior to the introduction of swift and immediate actions, actions that specified you could use it as a free action once per round became swift actions, and actions that specified you could uses them as a free action during your opponent's turn became immediate actions. However, much of the commonly used material, including the core rule books, have been errated (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20060531a) with the correct changes for these new action types (notice that Quickened spells are swift actions and Feather Fall is an immediate action, for example). But that has little barring on the Destruction domain's smite ability since it is a supernatural ability. Supernatural abilities are always an standard action to use unless stated otherwise. Edit: Fixed for correctness.
jaelis 02-26-08, 12:03 AM	The Strength domain ability is a free action, since it says it is. The Destruction domain ability doesn't say, so it defaults to a standard action like Fireclave mentioned.
Jay_Ibero_911 02-26-08, 01:12 PM	Use of the destruction domain smite (or just about any other smite for that matter) is no action on it's own. You simply declare it's use as part of any other attack. This is supported by the fact that there are feats and abilities designed around charging smite attacks, which would be impossible if a smite was a standard action on it's own.
jaelis 02-26-08, 01:26 PM	Maybe you're right, but a paladin's smite ability specifically says it can be done as a regular attack. So you could reasonably rule that by extension anything called "smite" works the same way, but I wouldn't say it is very well supported. In fact the phrasing of the destruction ability: You gain the smite power, the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a +4 bonus on attack rolls... sounds to me like it is one action where you make a single attack.
Dheran 02-26-08, 03:21 PM	(notice that Quickened spells and Feather Fall are swift actions, for example). Actually, Feather Fall is an immediate action, so you can us it if, say, you get bull rushed off a cliff.
Fireclave 02-26-08, 04:07 PM	Actually, Feather Fall is an immediate action, so you can us it if, say, you get bull rushed off a cliff. Right. Thx for the correction.
runestar 02-27-08, 09:27 PM	sounds to me like it is one action where you make a single attack. I take it to mean that you simply decide which attack you wish to modify on the fly. For example, your cleric could make a full attack, then opt to augment his 1st attack with smite. Or smite as an AoO.:)