Action Basics

On your turn, you get 3 actions and 1 reaction per round. Actions can be spent however you like from your available options, such as attack, move, cast a spell, raise a shield, interact with an object, etc. Your reaction is a special resource spent outside your turn in response to a trigger (like blocking an attack). There are four action (and one reaction) costs to keep in mind:

• Action ◆ : The most common action type, used for most activities.
• Two-Action ◆◆ : Costs 2 actions at once. It is a more significant action, often used for powerful attacks or complex maneuvers.
• Three-Action ◆◆◆ : Consumes all 3 actions in a turn. It is the most substantial action type, typically reserved for major abilities or unique actions.
• Free Action ◇ : Costs nothing, but usually limited to once per trigger, such as drawing a weapon or speaking.
• Reaction ⟳ : Used outside your turn and refreshes each round.

Available Actions

Your character's class, ancestry, feats, and skills all determine which actions you have access to:

• Class Actions & Features: Your class gives you signature actions. Fighters get Attack of Opportunity (a reaction). Rogues get Sneak Attack (a passive that modifies strikes). Clerics can Channel Divinity. These define your combat role.
• Feats: Both class feats and general feats frequently grant new actions or reactions. For example, Shield Block (a General feat) gives you a reaction to reduce damage.
• Skill Actions: Many skills unlock actions. Intimidation lets you use Demoralize (◆). Athletics lets you Shove or Trip (◆ each). Investing in skills isn't just for out-of-combat, as it directly expands your action menu in a fight.
• Spellcasting: Most spells list their cost explicitly. A heal spell is ◆ to ◆◆◆ depending on how you cast it, with different effects at each cost. Learning to spend your actions efficiently on spells is a major part of playing a caster.

Multiple Attack Penalty

Every time you an attack where you must make an attack roll in a round, your subsequent attacks that round take a cumulative penalty to your attack rolls. This means spamming three attacks is often a bad idea. Smart action use — mixing a Strike with a Shove, a Step, or raising your Shield — is usually better than attacking three times:

• 1st Attack: No penalty
• 2nd Attack: -5 penalty (-4 with Agile trait weapons)
• 3rd Attack: -10 penalty (-8 with Agile trait weapons)