Discussion:How do movement actions in combat work?

How do movement actions in combat work?

24.211.13.1 08:11, 16 March 2008 (MDT)

Alright, I'm a little confused here.

I understand each combat round in DND you get 1 standard action, 1 movement action,and ass many free actions set by the DM. But I don't get this.

The 3.5 PHB says to unsheathe a weapon, is 1 movement action. and to sheathe one is the same. So, and I pretty much screwed if I want to switch weapons during combat? Because wouldn't I be standing still unless I make a 5-foot step each turn? But still, thats only moving 10 feet.

And I wrong? Or is this correct? Just want to make sure so on Friday night I'm not messing up the rules even moreso than I already am, being a newbie at D&D and all :D.

Aarnott 08:34, 16 March 2008 (MDT)

Hello -- here are some answers to your questions:

“	In a normal round, you can perform a standard action and a move action, or you can perform a full-round action. You can also perform one or more free actions. You can always take a move action in place of a standard action.	”
—SRD, Action Types

Key things to note:

• Each round you get a standard action and a move action OR a full-round action
• Each round you get as many free actions as you want
• You can turn a standard action into a move action

Also, not mentioned here (because it was added in the Player's Handbook II I believe), you get either 1 swift action or 1 immediate action per round.

To sheathe a weapon is indeed a move action. To drop a weapon is a free action, however. Take a look at Restricted Activities. You can also draw a weapon while making a regular move if you have a Base Attack Bonus of at least +1. A regular move means you are actually moving your character (not opening a door for example).

The only situation where you can make a 5-foot step is if you have not made a regular move of any type. So if you took a withdraw action (which is very useful for getting out of melee with a single opponent!), you cannot use a 5-foot step to go 5 more feet. If you made an attack and then sheathed a weapon, you could make a 5 foot step afterwards.

24.211.13.1 09:12, 16 March 2008 (MDT)

Okay. Thanks for the help! But on the Immediate action, is that used in the 3.5 ruleset?

Aarnott 09:20, 16 March 2008 (MDT)

It isn't used in the base 3.5 ruleset, but it was added for a lot of the later books. Basically anything after (and including) the Player's Handbook II has immediate actions. They are used with a few spells (some were updated, such as Feather Fall to have an immediate action casting time -- at least from what I can recall). There are also several abilities that use immediate actions.

24.211.13.1 11:03, 16 March 2008 (MDT)

Alrighty :). Thanks for your help!

This will definitley make combat ALOT more interesting. :D

Hijax 02:57, 9 August 2008 (MDT)

allright, there's to ways to think of weapon shifting. you dont want to use the current weapon any more in the fight. you use a free action to drop the weapon, 5'foot step to move away from the enemy you're currently facing, and then a move action to draw a new weapon. or, you want to use the weapon later in the fight. 5-foot step away, move to sheathe weapon, move to draw a new.

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