Initiative Actions

[Dr Peabody]

Hey, there; incoming n00b.  I haven't had a session with FC, yet, as I am still trying to get up to speed enough on the rules that I can explain it to new players.

I'm not finding a clear definition for Initiative Actions.  When are they used in the combat round?  I read the section in the book a couple of times and I'm not getting a clear idea of how they are different from the other actions involved in combat.  I assume I'm just not seeing the definition.

[Foghorn]

I don't have my book handy so I can't give you quotes or page numbers or anything, but unless an action says otherwise it is taken on your Initiative Count. Initiative actions are just a different category from movement and attack actions for purposes of abilities and effects that modify or tweak a certain kind of action.

[Nova]

Initiative actions are kinda badly named. Read the description on them and it'll tell you when each is used. Arrow cutting, for example.

All of them are written as "when this happens to your character, you can try and do X"
"this" is usually some sort of hit, pre damage roll, and X is usually "roll to reduce it to 0 though any side-effects still go through such as knockback or poison or all that".

Call'em "Reactions" or "reflexive action" or something, and everyone's brain suddenly understands them instantly.

[pawsplay]

Think of it as "sometime during your initiative, you choose one of these actions."

[Krensky]

Or "It's not a move action or an attack action, so it's an initiative action."

[Nova]

Think of it as "sometime during your initiative, you choose one of these actions."

That's not it at all though. In most cases initiative actions trigger on someone else's initiative, not yours.

[pawsplay]

My assumption was that you could apply only one Initiative Action trick on your initiative.

[Typhon]

Examples are always handy, guys

[Deral]

Or "It's not a move action or an attack action, so it's an initiative action."

This is effectively the definition the book gives- Initiative Actions are kind of the "Everything else" category, attack actions are referenced by group (Surge of Speed grants a non-attack half action) movement actions are referenced by group ("...if a character doesn't take any movement actions... he may take a bonus 5-ft step"), these are the only times they're mentioned like this but that the significance of their naming, there is no universal definition for any of the three action types, but attack and movement have more of a "theme," so it appears as if they do.

[pawsplay]

So can you both Shield Block and Parry?

[Deral]

So can you both Shield Block and Parry?

As far as I'm aware in one round, you can break out Surge of Speed on your Many-Armed Rootwalker and Aim, Anticipate, Distract, Shield Block, Parry, Breaking Twist, and Back At You, then using your Knife Basics throw a knife at the guy when he runs away after all that using Parting Shot.

[pawsplay]

So what about, "You may apply a single trick to any action listed in the trick's description. You may not apply more than 1 trick to any action?" Arrow Cutting, Parry, and Shield Block are all listed as Initiative Action.

[Deral]

So what about, "You may apply a single trick to any action listed in the trick's description. You may not apply more than 1 trick to any action?" Arrow Cutting, Parry, and Shield Block are all listed as Initiative Action.

But they aren't listed as tricks, keep in mind that section is for both tricks and advanced actions.

[pawsplay]

Hm. Never noticed that.