combat.md

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• _  Core Rulebook_

• • Getting Started
  • Races
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• _  Advanced Player's Guide_

• • Races
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• _  Advanced Race Guide_

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• _  Ultimate Magic_

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• _  Ultimate Combat_

• • Gunslinger
  • Ninja
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  • Class Archetypes
  • Feats
  • Mastering Combat
  • Vehicles
  • Variant Rules
  • Spell Index
  • Spell Lists

• _  Ultimate Equipment_

• • Arms and Armor
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  • Appendix

• _  Game Mastery Guide_

• • Planar Adventures
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• _  Ultimate Campaign_

• • Character Background
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• _  Mythic Adventures_

• • Glossary
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• _  NPC Codex_

• • Core Classes
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  • Appendix

• _  Bestiaries_

• • Monster Introduction
  • Bestiary Monster Index
  • Bestiary 2 Monster Index
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  • Variant Monster Index
  • Monster Cohorts
  • Animal Companions
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  • Monster Roles
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  • Monster Creation
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  • Universal Monster Rules
  • Creature Types
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  • Bestiary Monsters by Type
  • Bestiary Monsters by CR
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• _  Index_

• • Feats Index
  • Magic Item Index
  • Spell Index
  • Spell List Index

• _ Open Game License_

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How Combat Works

Combat is cyclical; everybody acts in turn in a regular cycle of rounds. Combat follows this sequence:

1. When combat begins, all combatants roll initiative.

2. Determine which characters are aware of their opponents. These characters can act during a surprise round. If all the characters are aware of their opponents, proceed with normal rounds. See the surprise section for more information.

3. After the surprise round (if any), all combatants are ready to being the first normal round of combat.

4. Combatants act in initiative order (highest to lowest).

5. When everyone has had a turn, the next round begins with the combatant with the highest initiative, and steps 4 and 5 repeat until combat ends.

The Combat Round

Each round represents 6 seconds in the game world; there are 10 rounds in a minute of combat. A round normally allows each character involved in a combat situation to act.

Each round's activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds in order. When a character's turn comes up in the initiative sequence, that character performs his entire round's worth of actions. (For exceptions, see Attacks of Opportunity and Special Initiative Actions.)

When the rules refer to a