Types of Actions
Types of Actions
All actions are classified in a number of different ways, which help to structure what you can and can not do in a given length of time. There are Free Actions, Fast Actions, Move Actions, Standard Actions, and Full Actions. Additionally, you can modify these actions with Readied Actions or Delayed Actions. There are also actions that are much longer, requiring too much time to be included in combat rounds, such as rituals. See the main article link below for details on each type of action.
Free Action
Free actions are actions which either do not take any time at all, or are difficult to determine how long it actually takes. Thinking a thought, calling out a message in the heat of battle, and similar non-actions are all classified as free actions. You may take any number of free actions in a round, subject to Storyteller discretion. A full conversation would take more time than just a quick battle cry, even though both are 'just talking'.
Fast Action
Fast actions are similar to free actions, in that they are actions which take almost no time at all, but more than free actions do. Examples include drawing a weapon with Quick Draw and drinking a potion. You may only make 1 fast action in a round. You may not take a Fast Action in a round in which you take a Full Action.
Move Action
Move actions are slower than fast actions, and consume actual effort to conduct. Walking down the hall, drawing a weapon without Quick Draw. You may only make 1 move action in a round, unless you do not also take a standard action, in which case you may make two Move Actions.
Standard Action
Standard Actions are the standard combat action speed, and is the common action length for most actions. Attacking, casting most spells, and similar actions. You may only make one standard action per round. You may exchange your standard action for a second move action if you wish.
Full Action
Full Actions are the slowest combat actions, and take up the entire combat round. A Full Action replaces either two Move Actions or a Move Action and a Standard Action. You may still take Free Actions, but not Fast Actions.
Readied vs Delayed Actions
A readied action is a prescribed action which may be any action above, or valid combination of actions above, which is to occur when the conditions you specify are met. No other action may be taken this round, regardless of what type of action that is. When the triggering conditions are met, initiative is changed to the point in the initiative order which corresponds to when the trigger condition is met, and the readied action is performed before anything else at that initiative. For example Quiv readies an action to counterspell the enemy mage. Quiv's initiative and all actions are deferred to when the enemy mage begins casting a spell. When that trigger is met, Quiv casts his counterspell as his only action that round, and the counterspell occurs before the mage completes his cast. Quiv's initiative becomes the same as the enemy mage's, only immediately preceding the mage for the same tied initiative. If Quiv had also specified a move action as part of the readied action, then the move would take place as well, if it was still a valid move. If the enemy mage did not attempt to cast a spell that round, Quiv would not act at all, and would have lost his actions.
A delayed action is similar to a readied action in that the initiative and all actions are deferred till later in the round. However, no conditions are pre-specified, and all actions are possible when the player elects to take action. Using the above example, if Quiv didn't want to risk wasting an action, he could instead delay his action to respond to the enemy caster, and choose to take his actions when the mage casts. However because the action was not readied, Quiv can not cast a spell prior to the mage casting a spell (and thus not successfully counterspell), and Quiv's new initiative would become the same as the enemy mage, only immediately after the enemy mage's action in same tied initiative.
The distinction between readied actions and delayed actions lies with what you gain for what you are giving up. A readied action sacrifices flexibility of what to act, risking taking no action at all, to be able to get in an action that prevents another action from taking place, or synchronizes perfectly with a partner's action. A delayed action gives up the advantage of timing to retain the flexibility of what to do at that time.
Other Actions
Other actions can take much longer. For example Rituals are typically 10 minutes long. Most of actions that do not fall into action types above are up to the Storyteller's discretion unless otherwise detailed.