Understanding Action Economy (And Why You Need It)

"Why Gilbert, you seem nearly apoplectic," Silke said, idly stacking his coins. "Surely a worldly man like you knows that gods and dice never cheat?"

"There's only one thing around here that's cheating," Gilbert snarled, leaping to his feet.

Before Gilbert could so much as reach for his blade, though, Silke had let fly. The dagger sank deep into Gilbert's chest. Its mate joined it with a sound like an ax thunking into a tree stump. Gilbert's fingers went slack, and his eyes rolled into his head. He crashed to the floor, death rattling in his throat.

"Worldly men also know dice may betray you," Silke said, tossing a gold piece onto the body before retrieving his blades. "But steel will ever be by your side."

A lot of the time the victor in an RPG is decided by who has the biggest stats, or who went first in a given encounter. Sometimes it's all about who got which spell off, or who made what saves. But a major factor in any game is something called action economy, which is a fancy way of talking about how much stuff your character can do in a given round. It isn't something we always think about, but it is something players need to understand if they want to exercise all of their options.

Understanding Action Economy

Every game has it's own version, but since I'm most familiar with Pathfinder, that's the basis I'll use for explanation.

Now, in Pathfinder, you have a certain number and type of actions you can take in a given round. You have a standard action, a move action, and a single swift or immediate action (swifts take place on your turn, immediate actions tend to happen when it isn't your turn, acting as a kind of interrupt). You also have the option of taking a single, full-round action (such as a full attack) instead of the usual standard and move combination. Lastly, as long as you don't move from the square you're standing in, you can take a single, 5-foot step at any point during your turn. Even if it's in the middle of your action, or when taking a readied action.

All right... I'm following so far.

Generally speaking, most rounds are pretty samey. You will either reposition yourself using your move action, and then use a standard action to make an attack, cast a spell, etc., or you'll take a full attack action on whatever big nasty is getting in your face. Sometimes you'll take a full round action to cast a spell whose effects will start on your next turn. However, action economy allows you to do more, thus getting more bang for your buck.

For example, let's look at drawing a weapon. Most of the time you're in a dangerous situation, you're going to have your weapon in your hand, but let's say you're walking the city streets, or just riding through the forest. Are you seriously walking around with bared steel? Of course not. However, that means that when you are attacked, you need to take a move action to draw your weapon.

This is a huge pain in the ass, especially if you're a mid-level character, because if you need to spend a move action to pull your sword it means you can only attack with it once. Alternatively, if you'd had it in your hand, you could take two, or even three, attacks with a full-round action. Maybe more, if you're a two-weapon fighter. It also means you can't charge, which is also considered a full round action.

However, there are ways around this. For example, if you have the Quick Draw feat, you can draw an unconcealed weapon as a free action, which means you can pull steel, and then take all the attacks you could get with a full round action. Alternatively, if you have a base attack bonus of at least +1, you can draw a weapon as part of a move action (or as part of a charge). So if you have to walk up to your target, you can pull out your weapon at no cost. Or if you have a spring-loaded wrist sheathe, you can draw a small weapon as a swift action, which is ideal for knife fighters and backstabbers.

It's All About Getting Your Costs Down

Action economy exists as a way to make certain actions more difficult. You can only cast one spell in a round, you only get one attack of opportunity, you can only take either a move or a standard action during the surprise round, etc., etc. The key is to look at the sort of action you're going to be taking most often, and then get the most bang for your buck out of it.

Put another way, how fast can you rack that slide?

Let's look at conjurers, for example. While there are a lot of spells under conjuration, most of the time these spellcasters are associated with summoning creatures to help them, and the party. After all, everyone loves having reinforcements. The problem is that summoning spells are full-round actions, so they take a while to get off, and there's always going to be a delay.

Unless you can find a way to cut it down.

For example, if you have an aura class feature (typically associated with clerics), then you could take Sacred Summons. This allows you to summon monsters whose alignment matches yours as a standard action, rather than a full-round one. Acadamae Graduate is a feat that is open to prepared arcane casters at level one, and it allows them to reduce the time of a summoning conjuration spell by one round, to a minimum of a standard action. Doing so is taxing, and the caster must make a Fortitude save to resist becoming fatigued. And, of course, there's the ever-popular Quicken Spell metamagic feat, which allows you to cast any spell up to a full-round action as a swift action. This is a popular way for high-level casters to cast multiple spells in a single turn.

These kinds of challenges to economy are quite common. An alchemist who specializes in bombs can only throw one per turn, unless they take the Fast Bombs discovery, which can turn them into a death blossom by letting them throw bombs at their regular rate of attack as part of a full-attack action. A character who specializes with a crossbow needs to be able to reload just as fast as they can shoot, taking feats like Crossbow Mastery to reload any crossbow as a free action, or using a repeating crossbow so there's a whole clip of ammunition to go through. The key is to find what you need, and to cut down on how long it takes you to do it.

A Few More Action Economy Tips

I've peppered this post with several tips to boost your economy, but I've got a few more that I'm a particular fan of. A lot of them are very class/build specific though, so keep that in mind before you embrace them too hard.

Economy is up, enemy victory down.

One of my personal favorite combinations uses the bandit rogue archetype. At 4th level it replaces Uncanny Dodge, and instead it states that you get a full round of actions when you can act during the surprise round. If you combine that with a class that gives you the power to always act in the surprise round, like the sohei monk archetype, or a diviner, then you have just netted yourself a free, full turn to do with what you will. And if you have a particularly high initiative score, you might even go before the bad guys do.

For those who love alchemical weapons, the fact that you can't quick draw them is a big drawback once you have more than one attack in a full-attack action. However, if you invest in the underground chemist rogue archetype you can quick draw them. Even better, you can get your sneak attack with splash weapons (under particular circumstances) which might make this an even more appealing route. Even if you're just dipping for something like an alchemist/rogue.

Additionally, never underestimate the usefulness of your attacks of opportunity. While very few players will take Combat Reflexes, unless they're using a reach weapon, it can make certain abilities significantly more powerful. A swashbuckler, for example, uses attacks of opportunity to make parries. That ability becomes significantly more powerful when he can try to parry 4 or 5 attacks in a round, instead of just one. The barbarian rage power Come and Get Me means your enemies get a bonus to attack you, but for every attack that comes your way, you get an attack of opportunity. And, lest you forget, attacks of opportunity are resolved first. So if you cold-cock your opponent, or use your AOO to trip them, then you've put them at a significant disadvantage.

I covered several other unique strategies in How To Make Your Attacks of Opportunity More Effective (In Pathfinder), if you're interested in other tricks.

At the end of the day, though, the key to action economy is to accomplish your tasks with the fewest number of actions possible. Sometimes it's easy... but sometimes you need to get clever.

Also, if you're looking for more tips on action economy, stop in at Risky Business and see what Razor Jack has to say on the subject.

That's all for this week's Crunch topic. Hopefully you all enjoyed, and I've given you some material to chew over. If you want to help support Improved Initiative, check out The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page. All it takes is $1 a month to earn some sweet swag, and my everlasting gratitude. Lastly, if you haven't followed me on Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter yet, what's stopping you?

The Best Alchemical Items For Your Pathfinder Party

Alchemical items are one of the most overlooked tools available to adventurers in Pathfinder. These unusual creations may seem quaint, even quirky, but they can be the difference between character death and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

Below is a list of some of the more useful items and groups of items that players will run into. In the descriptions you'll find the upsides, the downsides, and the appropriate levels to use these items at. Some of them are only good for starting parties, while others can be used all the way through epic level. It just depends on where your game is at.

Grenade Weapons

Athos, Porthos, and Inflammable

Everyone knows these items: alchemist fire, acid flasks, and holy water. Found on page 160 of the Core Rulebook they're the three musketeers of lower-level dirty tricks. Alchemist fire does 1d6 of fire damage to the main target, automatically setting it on fire and splashing out to do 1 point of fire damage to all adjacent squares. Acid also does 1d6 with splash to all adjacent squares, but no recurring damage. Holy water does 2d4 damage to an undead or evil creature, and can be poured out over incorporeal creatures which makes it a handy weapon at lower levels against ghosts and evil there-not-there enemies.

That said, none of these items are really much use past level 5, and most players dispense with them by level 3 or so. The reason is simple: not enough bang for the buck. They're great against swarms, who take double damage from grenade weapons, and they're a lovely touch attack against enemies with really high armor classes, but they take a move action to draw and a standard action to throw. Even Quick Draw can't solve this problem. As such players tend to stop carrying any of these except for emergency situations, or because they just plain forgot they had a grenade left over in the bottoms of their backpacks.

Smokesticks and Thunderstones

Ninja Vanish!

These two items are very undervalued for their strategic capabilities in a fight. Thunderstones have a range of 20 feet, a radius of 10 feet from the point of impact, and they require a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being deafened for an hour. That's a -4 to Initiative, a 20 percent miscast chance on spells, and a field day for rogues who only have to worry about keeping out of sight instead of being heard creeping up. This is a big boon, but the problem is that it comes with a relatively low save. A 15 is a terrifying proposition at lower levels, with even fighters and barbarians being at a 50/50 shot to avoid being deafened. As the threat levels increase and creatures get bigger, badder, and have Fortitude saves that would make PCs cry if they could see them, these stones may seem pretty useless. On the other hand, spellcasters are squishy at nearly any level, and the potential to lose spells makes one round spent to chuck a thunderstone seem like a pretty worthy endeavor when it could save you from a fireball or a flamestrike.

The thunderstone's companion, also found on page 160 of the Core Rulebook, is the humble smokestick. It creates a 10-foot cube of smoke as per the fog cloud spell, and unless the smoke is blown away by a strong wind (not common in dungeon settings) the cloud provides concealment. Said concealment works both ways sadly, but for those players who need to hide from archers, who need a distraction to make a stealth check, or who need a ninja-vanish for a retreat, smokesticks are a great way to Batman in or out of a fight.

Sticky Situations

Why am I dripping with goo?

Tanglefoot bags have become a phobia for several DMs, and for good reason. While players rarely use these items they are a great way to debuff a villain regardless of the thrower's class or combat capabilities. On a direct hit it requires a DC 15 Reflex save, or the creature is stuck to the floor. If the creature was flying the results on a failure mean that it crashes. Even if the target makes the save though, it's entangled for 2d4 rounds. That's half movement speed, -2 on attack rolls, -4 on Dexterity related checks, and a concentration check of 15+spell level any time it tries to cast a spell. While it doesn't work on anything bigger than Large size, a tanglefoot bag can be a huge pain in the butt for any enemy of the appropriate size.

Tanglefoot bags come in other flavors though! The tangleshot arrow (found in Elves of Golarion) is still a touch attack, but it has the ability to be drawn and fired like any other arrow complete with range (well, half the range anyway) and rate of fire. The trade off is that it's only a DC 10 Reflex save not to be stuck to the floor, and the concentration check is only DC 10+spell level. On the other hand, a barrage of these arrows can very quickly stick your enemies in their tracks. Also, for those who prefer the flavor of the friendly neighborhood web slinger, there's Spider Sac (found in the Advanced Race Guide). Spider Sac is, more or less, a 10 foot web-shooter that can be used when climbing, swinging through the air, falling, or it can be used as a lasso when a touch attack is made against an opponent. This leaves the opponent entangled, and at the end of your rope.

Weapon Blanches

Apply With Caution

Weapon blanch comes in a variety of shapes and styles. When applied to a blade it gives that blade the ability to overcome different kinds of damage reduction, or in the case of ghost salts the ability to hit incorporeal creatures. These items are typically considered useful until the players can start buying magic weapons, but it never hurts to keep blanch on hand for fighting creatures whose DR isn't going to be pierced by the weapon you've got.

An Ounce of Prevention, And A Pound of Cure

Because sometimes the cleric is the first to go down.

One of the most overlooked items that players can use are Antitoxins and Antiplague (the former in the Core Rulebook, the latter in the Advanced Player's Guide). These things give a +5 bonus to poison and disease saves respectively for an hour once ingested. They're great to keep on hand in case plague-born undead start reaching out from the streets for you, or in case an assassin with a trademarked poison has marked a party for death. They need to be used carefully, but a +5 bonus is nothing to sneeze at when it comes to staying healthy. Soothe Syrup (found in the Advanced Player's Guide as well) has a similar effect on sickened and nauseated characters. Lastly, for those who want to be prepared when battle breaks out, it's a good idea to take a draught of Troll Oil. This disgusting brew automatically stabilizes characters that have drunk it (for one hour), and it has a 50% chance to end any bleed effects.

Alchemical items can also fix you right up even if you don't take them before getting hurt. Bloodblock (from the Advanced Player's Guide) ends any bleed effect instantly, and provides a +5 bonus on Heal checks as if the person had used a healer's kit. Smelling Salts (from the Advanced Player's Guide) give players who are rendered unconscious or staggered by a spell effect a new save, and they automatically revive a dying character to consciousness. A handy trick if the fighter needs to drink a healing potion or the cleric needs to channel energy, but they're currently at negative hit points. For those who don't have access to magical healing, or for those occasions where the healer is dying, a dose of Troll Styptic (Seekers of Secrets) is a great field dressing. It automatically ends all bleeding effects and ongoing damage, granting the recipient 2d4 rounds of fast healing 2. It does require a Fortitude save of 15 to not be sickened while the dressing does its work, but being a troll is far from pleasant.

Miscellaneous Alchemical Items You Should Keep Around

Like a Canadian armory, you never know what you might need.

Sometimes it isn't worth stocking up on a certain alchemical item, but it's still nice to have in a pinch. Some of these include:
Ward Gel: Made for particular elements, this gel acts as protection from energy 5 up to 20 points of damage for one hour. Great for raiding dragons and frost giants alike!
Bachelor's Snuff: Golarion birth control, this snuff renders male humanoids sterile for 2-3 days or so.
Smoke Pellets: The original ninja-vanish, these items are great for quick distractions that confuse enemies and allow for fast escapes (or assaults).
Everburning Torch and Sunrods: With so many characters that can't see in the dark, don't you want to have a few of these handy?
Clear Ear: It provides a +2 alchemical bonus on Perception and Knowledge checks, but a -2 on Charisma. Cranky rogues anyone?
Barbarian Chew: Side effects may include ugly red teeth, and an extra round of Rage if a barbarian enters it in the next hour after chewing.

Carrying it All

One of the biggest downsides of alchemical items is that they tend to ride in a backpack, or buried at the bottom of a bag of holding. For those who want to have them close to hand, along with wands and other useful items, it's a good idea to check out the bandolier, the adventurer's sash, and other great items listed right here in my guide to non-magical equipment.

You know you want one.

Why Bother?

It's true that the bonuses and usefulness provided by alchemical items can easily be provided, or exceeded by, magic. That's why few players bother with alchemical items past level 5 or 7. However, alchemical bonuses are one more category of bonus to add to a player's array, and what's even better is that they can't be dismissed or dispelled. They're great backup weapons, and they get around all those nasty immunities and resistances that many creatures have. They're also great holdouts for well-prepared rogues and combat characters who need to have a trick or two up their sleeves to make an impact on the big bads.

That's all for this re-print. I hope folks enjoyed it, and remember, you can support Improved Initiative over at The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page. And, to stay up-to-date on all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter as well.