Free actions???? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Free actions???? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dragen White
09-26-05, 03:40 PM Ok my DM is being totally unreasonable and restricting me down to only one free action, its horable, im having to drop weapons all over the place and its so slopy, what is the general rule amongst gamers for free actions, or at least what does everyone think it should be, not what my dm thinks it needs to be.
Murrdox
09-26-05, 03:51 PM You'd have to give some examples of Free Actions that your DM is not allowing before I could tell you for sure that he is being unreasonable. I drop weapons all the time... if you want to switch weapons, it is the simplest way to do it.

Most DMs allow 2 Free actions per turn. For example, in a round, it would be typical for me to:

1) Free Action - Shout "Kill the Gnoll Leader!"
2) Standard Action - Fire crossbow at Gnoll Leader
3) Free Action - Drop Crossbow
4) Move Action - Draw Sword and move 5' towards Gnoll Leader

Now, while yelling a phrase is a Free Action, you cannot for example use SEVERAL Free Actions to shout multiple phrases. But different types of Free Actions should be allowed.
Reinforcements
09-26-05, 03:52 PM Well, if your DM is reading this I can tell him definitively that one free action per round is too few. In fact, that's a different action - a swift action. That is, a swift action is a free action, but you may only take one swift action per round. The most common example of a swift action is a Quickened spell.

But yes, one free action a round is ludicrous. What, if I shout, "Heal me!" to the cleric, it means I can't also drop my weapon that round?
OctoberRaven
09-26-05, 04:04 PM Unless it was something that would cause extreme levels of brokenness, I'd let you use as many free actions as possible.

Insert joke here.
cambric
09-26-05, 04:32 PM Actions (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050621a)

He can read Part One also, there's a comment towards the bottom of the page.

Cam
Thievingrouge
09-26-05, 06:32 PM I've had the same problem.

Point out to him talking and dropping a weapon in the same 6 seconds is impossible "Stop, please *drops weapon* we mean no harm" dosen't work.

A bow user only gets one arrow a round.

He is probably assuming the Deity ability to use automatic actions- it needs to be re-worded.
Abulafia
09-27-05, 12:39 PM Your DM may be confused as to why some actions are free, and why some are not. Actions are considered free for one (or more) of three reasons:

1) they take an immeasurably small amount of time to accomplish. Example: dropping a weapon.

2) they take longer to accomplish, but they should not take up an entire action slot since a character can perform another action at the same time. Example: talking.

3) while in reality they take some time to accomplish, and would prevent other actions from taking place at the same time, game balance requires them to be a free action. Example: fishing a material component out of a spell pouch.

Your DM may (rightly) think it impossible to speak a sentence, drop a sword, pull out a pinch of sulfur and bat guano, say another sentence, move 30 feet, and cast Fireball all in six seconds, but that's because he is mixing the rationales behind each of these free actions. Ask him why he limits free actions to once per round, and see if he understands that not all free actions are supposed to happen instantaneously.
Bruunwald
09-27-05, 12:49 PM Though for most of us it would be a matter of the sorts of free actions you were talking about, this question is actually really easy to answer.

The rules actually state that the number of free actions available is entirely up to the DM.

Personally, as a DM, I generally allow two, maybe three. For instance, you could shout or talk reasonably (so long as you haven't already recited the Gettysburg Address in the same round) and you can drop something in your hands.

Keep in mind that some things are not counted as actions, or are combined with others. For instance, drawing an arrow is part of the attack action. Drawing a sheathed weapon is free while you move, if you have a BAB of +1 or more.

So when you think about, a guy can drop his crossbow, move 30 ft. while drawing his sword, take an attack, then shout out to his buddy to look out for something, all in one round. Which is a good amount of stuff to do in such a short time. Consider that in the same amount of time you might react to others' attacks, including making saving throws against area effects. The DM has to consider all the activities going on in the whole round, so a limit is reasonable.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dragen White 09-26-05, 03:40 PM	Ok my DM is being totally unreasonable and restricting me down to only one free action, its horable, im having to drop weapons all over the place and its so slopy, what is the general rule amongst gamers for free actions, or at least what does everyone think it should be, not what my dm thinks it needs to be.
Murrdox 09-26-05, 03:51 PM	You'd have to give some examples of Free Actions that your DM is not allowing before I could tell you for sure that he is being unreasonable. I drop weapons all the time... if you want to switch weapons, it is the simplest way to do it. Most DMs allow 2 Free actions per turn. For example, in a round, it would be typical for me to: 1) Free Action - Shout "Kill the Gnoll Leader!" 2) Standard Action - Fire crossbow at Gnoll Leader 3) Free Action - Drop Crossbow 4) Move Action - Draw Sword and move 5' towards Gnoll Leader Now, while yelling a phrase is a Free Action, you cannot for example use SEVERAL Free Actions to shout multiple phrases. But different types of Free Actions should be allowed.
Reinforcements 09-26-05, 03:52 PM	Well, if your DM is reading this I can tell him definitively that one free action per round is too few. In fact, that's a different action - a swift action. That is, a swift action is a free action, but you may only take one swift action per round. The most common example of a swift action is a Quickened spell. But yes, one free action a round is ludicrous. What, if I shout, "Heal me!" to the cleric, it means I can't also drop my weapon that round?
OctoberRaven 09-26-05, 04:04 PM	Unless it was something that would cause extreme levels of brokenness, I'd let you use as many free actions as possible. Insert joke here.
cambric 09-26-05, 04:32 PM	Actions (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050621a) He can read Part One also, there's a comment towards the bottom of the page. Cam
Thievingrouge 09-26-05, 06:32 PM	I've had the same problem. Point out to him talking and dropping a weapon in the same 6 seconds is impossible "Stop, please drops weapon we mean no harm" dosen't work. A bow user only gets one arrow a round. He is probably assuming the Deity ability to use automatic actions- it needs to be re-worded.
Abulafia 09-27-05, 12:39 PM	Your DM may be confused as to why some actions are free, and why some are not. Actions are considered free for one (or more) of three reasons: 1) they take an immeasurably small amount of time to accomplish. Example: dropping a weapon. 2) they take longer to accomplish, but they should not take up an entire action slot since a character can perform another action at the same time. Example: talking. 3) while in reality they take some time to accomplish, and would prevent other actions from taking place at the same time, game balance requires them to be a free action. Example: fishing a material component out of a spell pouch. Your DM may (rightly) think it impossible to speak a sentence, drop a sword, pull out a pinch of sulfur and bat guano, say another sentence, move 30 feet, and cast Fireball all in six seconds, but that's because he is mixing the rationales behind each of these free actions. Ask him why he limits free actions to once per round, and see if he understands that not all free actions are supposed to happen instantaneously.
Bruunwald 09-27-05, 12:49 PM	Though for most of us it would be a matter of the sorts of free actions you were talking about, this question is actually really easy to answer. The rules actually state that the number of free actions available is entirely up to the DM. Personally, as a DM, I generally allow two, maybe three. For instance, you could shout or talk reasonably (so long as you haven't already recited the Gettysburg Address in the same round) and you can drop something in your hands. Keep in mind that some things are not counted as actions, or are combined with others. For instance, drawing an arrow is part of the attack action. Drawing a sheathed weapon is free while you move, if you have a BAB of +1 or more. So when you think about, a guy can drop his crossbow, move 30 ft. while drawing his sword, take an attack, then shout out to his buddy to look out for something, all in one round. Which is a good amount of stuff to do in such a short time. Consider that in the same amount of time you might react to others' attacks, including making saving throws against area effects. The DM has to consider all the activities going on in the whole round, so a limit is reasonable.