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Pathfinder Unchained / Revised Action Economy

Simple Actions

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 103
The following are some of the more common actions. To take any of them, you need to commit only 1 act (though some can be taken as free actions under special circumstances).

Aid Another: You take the aid another action. This action has all of the subtypes of the action you aid.

Appraise a Single Item: You spend time using your senses to appraise a single item that you can see. If you are holding the item, you gain a +2 bonus on the check and this action has the complex subtype.

Attack (Attack): You make one or more attacks against a single foe within your melee reach (if making a melee attack) or range (if making a ranged attack).

Bull Rush (Attack): You push a foe that is at most one size category larger than you straight back. Attempt a bull rush combat maneuver check. If you're successful, you push the foe back 5 feet. For every 5 by which your check exceeds your foe's CMD, you push that foe back 5 additional feet. You can choose to move along with the target if you have the necessary acts to do so. The foe's movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity unless you have the Greater Bull Rush Feat.

Cast a Swift Spell: You cast a single spell or use a single spell-like ability with a casting time of 1 swift action.

Control a Frightened Mount (Complex): You attempt to control a mount that's not trained for combat in battle. If you fail the Ride check, you can't try again until your next turn.

Crawl (Move): You crawl 5 feet while prone.

Demoralize: You shout threats at a foe within 30 feet that can see and hear you, attempting to demoralize it.

Direct or Redirect a Spell: If a spell allows you to redirect an effect to a new target, you take this action to do so.

Disarm (Attack): You attempt to disarm your foe. If your disarm combat maneuver check is successful, your foe drops one item of your choice that it's carrying or wielding (even if it's holding the item with two hands). If you exceed your foe's CMD by 10 or more, the foe drops two items of your choice. If you fail your combat maneuver by 10 or more, you drop any weapon you were using to disarm your foe.

Dismiss a Spell: You dismiss the effects of a dismissible spell.

Draw or Sheathe a Weapon: You draw or sheathe a weapon. If your base attack bonus is +0, this action provokes an attack of opportunity.

Escape a Grapple: You attempt to escape or gain control of a grapple by attempting either an Escape Artist check or a combat maneuver check. The second time in a turn you take this action, you take a –5 penalty on the check. The third time, you take a –10 penalty on the check.

Feint (Attack): You use Bluff to attempt a feint against an opponent. If you succeed, that opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC for the next attack you make against it this turn. If you have the Improved Feint feat, this action doesn't have the attack subtype.

Handle an Animal: You command an animal to perform a trick it knows by attempting a Handle Animal check. Some class abilities let characters attempt this as a free action.

Light a Torch with a Tindertwig or Open Flame: You ignite a torch with a tindertwig or an open flame.

Load a Hand Crossbow or Light Crossbow (Complex): You load a hand crossbow or a light crossbow with a bolt. If you have the Rapid Reload feat with the weapon you are reloading, this is a free action.

Lower or Reactivate Spell Resistance: You lower any spell resistance that is active, or reactivate a spell resistance that has been lowered.

Manipulate an Item (Complex): You grab an item that is in a backpack, pouch, pocket, or other similar container on your person; pick up an item; or move a heavy object. Sometimes, the GM might rule that manipulating an item is an advanced action and determine the number of acts that must be committed to succeed. Based on what you want to do, those actions may need to be committed consecutively.

Move (Move): You move up to your speed. Typically you move across the land at either a walk or a sprint, but this covers other movement modes, including burrowing, flying, jumping, and swimming.

Mount or Dismount a Steed (Move): You mount or dismount a steed. You can do this as a free action by attempting a DC 20 Ride check; failure means you provoke attacks of opportunity.

Open or Close a Door: You open or close a door that is within your reach (not counting expanded reach from reach weapons). You must have at least one hand free to take this action.

Overrun (Attack): You move up to your speed, and over the course of this action you attempt to move through the space of a foe that is no more than one size category larger than you. When attempting to move through your foe's space, your foe can choose to allow you to pass through and let you continue your movement. If the foe doesn't choose to or can't let you move past, you attempt an overrun combat maneuver check. If you succeed, you move through the target's space. If your check exceeds your foe's CMD by 5 or more, you move through the target's space and the target is knocked prone. If the target has more than two legs, it gains a bonus to its CMD against overrun combat maneuvers equal to +2 for each additional leg it possesses. If you fail this check, your movement stops in the space directly in front of the opponent.

Ready a Simple Action or an Advanced Action: You ready a single simple or advanced action that you can take before the start of your next turn as a reaction. You must designate a definite trigger for that reaction (such as “if a foe attacks me,” “if a foe casts a spell,” or “if a foe moves adjacent to me”), and you must have enough acts left to complete the action you ready. Once you ready an action, your turn ends. If you don't take the action you readied as a reaction by the start of your next turn, you lose that reaction.

Ready or Drop a Shield: You either strap a shield to your arm to gain its shield bonus to AC or unstrap and drop the shield. If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can do either of these as a free action when you take the move simple action.

Search: You use Perception to search a room for salient hidden creatures or clues, or you make a detailed search of a 10-foot-square area to detect traps, triggers, hidden objects, or footprints. When you search an area, this action has the complex subtype.

Spell Combat (Attack, Complex): You make an attack roll with a light or one-handed melee weapon, then cast a spell on the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action. You take a –2 penalty on the melee attack, but the spell is cast regardless of whether the attack hits. If you cast the spell defensively, you can subtract your Intelligence bonus from the result of the attack roll to add the same value as a circumstance bonus on the concentration check. You must have the spell combat class feature to take this action, and can take this action only once per turn. To take this action, you must have one hand free. You can't also take the following actions this turn: cast a standard-action spell or cast a 1-round-action spell.

Stand Up (Move): You stand up from being prone.

Step: You move 5 feet.

Sunder (Attack): You try to sunder an item held or worn by your foe. Attempt a sunder combat maneuver check. If you succeed, you deal damage to the item normally. Damage that exceeds the item's hardness is subtracted from its hit points. If an object has less than or equal to half its total hit points remaining, it gains the broken condition. If the damage you deal reduces the object to 0 or fewer hit points, you can choose to destroy the object. If you choose not to destroy it, the object is left with only 1 hit point.

Trip (Attack): You try to trip your opponent. Attempt a trip combat maneuver check against a foe that is no more than one size category larger than you. If you succeed, you knock the target prone. If you fail by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead. If the target has more than two legs, it gains a +2 bonus to its CMD against this attempt for each additional leg it possesses.

Use a Swift Ability: You use a single ability that can be used as a swift action.

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Simple Actions