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Message no. 1
From: The Digital Mage <mn3rge@****.ac.uk>
Subject: Free Actions
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 16:43:29 +0000 (GMT)
On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Mark Steedman wrote:

> a 'free action at your action' not 'a free action' to insturct or it
> 'smart frame with attack 10, fire at him [say in 21] , in 20, free
> again!, and in 19,18,17... e.t.c.! oops......], cannot remeber
> exactly which variation does this but one seems to.) you can
> ceratinly use active memory by the 1000's MP in a really top flight
> deck.
I seem to be hearing this a lot lately -I must admit its been a whiel
since I raed SR2 but I didn't think characters got a Free CAtion every
Phase. Instead I thought each Action a character gets consists of a Free
Action and either 2 Simple Actions or 1 Complex. With the rules allowing
a simple action to be converted to a free action.

Am i just totally wrong, should I just read my SR2 again????? :)

The Digital Mage : mn3rge@****.ac.uk
"So that which I imagine, is that which I believe" -Rush
Shadowrun Web Site http://www.bath.ac.uk/~mn3rge/Shadowrun.html
Message no. 2
From: Gallas William <gallas@**.ec-lyon.fr>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 95 21:39:25 MET
> On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Mark Steedman wrote:
>
> > a 'free action at your action' not 'a free action' to insturct or it
> > 'smart frame with attack 10, fire at him [say in 21] , in 20, free
> > again!, and in 19,18,17... e.t.c.! oops......], cannot remeber
> > exactly which variation does this but one seems to.) you can
> > ceratinly use active memory by the 1000's MP in a really top flight
> > deck.
> I seem to be hearing this a lot lately -I must admit its been a whiel
> since I raed SR2 but I didn't think characters got a Free CAtion every
> Phase. Instead I thought each Action a character gets consists of a Free
> Action and either 2 Simple Actions or 1 Complex. With the rules allowing
> a simple action to be converted to a free action.
>
> Am i just totally wrong, should I just read my SR2 again????? :)
>
> The Digital Mage : mn3rge@****.ac.uk
> "So that which I imagine, is that which I believe" -Rush
> Shadowrun Web Site http://www.bath.ac.uk/~mn3rge/Shadowrun.html

You've got a free action each phase you can act.
So, if your initiative is 23. You get a free action during phases 23, 13 and 3.

- Cobra.
Message no. 3
From: Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 15:50:47 -0500 (EST)
On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Gallas William wrote:

> You've got a free action each phase you can act.
> So, if your initiative is 23. You get a free action during phases 23,
> 13 and 3.

Actually, you get a free action *every* phase, whether you can
act or not. This is how you can speak more than a single word a second. :)

Marc
Message no. 4
From: Gallas William <gallas@**.ec-lyon.fr>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 95 22:54:56 MET
> On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Gallas William wrote:
>
> > You've got a free action each phase you can act.
> > So, if your initiative is 23. You get a free action during phases 23,
> > 13 and 3.
>
> Actually, you get a free action *every* phase, whether you can
> act or not. This is how you can speak more than a single word a second. :)
>
> Marc

Do you think you can be understood if you tell 10 words in a second?
A free action allows you to tell something. I allow a 3 seconds sentence (it is
not reallistic because they are able to speak 9 seconds during only 3 seconds
but it is playable...).
If you converse with someone, you just use your simple actions as free ones.
A free action is what you can do when you're doing something else. So, you can
speak and reload your weapon at the same time. But free actions can only be
used with other actions.

- Cobra.

_______
/ \
| _ )
\_/ \ /
/ ) /
/| / /
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ /
/ / __
/ /______/ )
(___________/\|
Message no. 5
From: Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 18:28:39 -0500 (EST)
On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Gallas William wrote:

> > Actually, you get a free action *every* phase, whether you can
> > act or not. This is how you can speak more than a single word a second. :)

> Do you think you can be understood if you tell 10 words in a second?
> A free action allows you to tell something. I allow a 3 seconds sentence (it is
> not reallistic because they are able to speak 9 seconds during only 3 seconds
> but it is playable...).

(Didn't we have this conversation this summer...?) You'd be
surprised how many words per minute you can wank out and still be
perfectly understandable. As a veteran of debate, the words-per-minute
count I have seen that is still understandable is nigh unto staggering.
Try the simple phrase:

"Not many people realize just how many words you can speak in
under three seconds when you want to."

With only a little bit of hurrying, you can get this out in less
than three seconds, fully understandable. And it's 19 words long. I
don't have wired reflexes. Given the small amount of time that spoken
communication actually takes, I think the one-word-per-free-action rule
is reasonable.

Marc
Message no. 6
From: "Hackers 'R Us" <Flake@***.nl>
Subject: RE: Free Actions
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 01:55:07 +-100
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Quote-----
With only a little bit of hurrying, you can get this out in less
than three seconds, fully understandable. And it's 19 words long. I
don't have wired reflexes. Given the small amount of time that spoken
communication actually takes, I think the one-word-per-free-action rule
is reasonable.

Marc

Unquote-----

It's not only reasonable, it's also by the book, although I can't tell you what pages
exactly.
And yes we did have this conversation back in the summer. Somebody proved the rule right
then.

Flake

Beware of what you ask, for you may recieve it......

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Message no. 7
From: The Digital Mage <mn3rge@****.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 09:54:08 +0000 (GMT)
On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Gallas William wrote:

> > I seem to be hearing this a lot lately -I must admit its been a whiel
> > since I raed SR2 but I didn't think characters got a Free CAtion every
> > Phase. Instead I thought each Action a character gets consists of a Free
> > Action and either 2 Simple Actions or 1 Complex. With the rules allowing
> > a simple action to be converted to a free action.
> >
> You've got a free action each phase you can act.
> So, if your initiative is 23. You get a free action during phases 23, 13 and 3.
>
I reread my SR2 last night and it could be taken either way as it says
something to teh effect of: A free action may be taken on any phase even
if teh character is ineligable for any normal type of action.

ANy hard and fast ruling on this? It just seems weird that a free action
can be taken every phase, yet only one can be taken per phase -so no
calling a shot with both simple actions, or calling a shot and delaying
teh second simple action. I personally say a shot can be called without
teh need for a free action.



The Digital Mage : mn3rge@****.ac.uk
"So that which I imagine, is that which I believe" -Rush
Shadowrun Web Site http://www.bath.ac.uk/~mn3rge/Shadowrun.html
Message no. 8
From: The Digital Mage <mn3rge@****.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 10:00:30 +0000 (GMT)
On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Marc A Renouf wrote:

> (Didn't we have this conversation this summer...?) You'd be
> surprised how many words per minute you can wank out and still be
^^^^
Excuse me?????!!! I guess you're American because this isn't exactly a
word that us British would use in that context. To us it refers to the
act of "self-pleasuring"! But it reminds me of an episode of Mork & Mindy
where there was this really nasty guy called Mr Wanker!!!

But then at least I haven't heard the expression "That guy's got spunk!".
Sorry for anyone who is offended by all this -but just pretend I'm
American and don't realise the British interpretations. :)

The Digital Mage : mn3rge@****.ac.uk
"So that which I imagine, is that which I believe" -Rush
Shadowrun Web Site http://www.bath.ac.uk/~mn3rge/Shadowrun.html
Message no. 9
From: Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 13:19:57 -0500 (EST)
On Wed, 29 Nov 1995, The Digital Mage wrote:

> On Tue, 28 Nov 1995, Marc A Renouf wrote:
>
> > (Didn't we have this conversation this summer...?) You'd be
> > surprised how many words per minute you can wank out and still be
> ^^^^
> Excuse me?????!!! I guess you're American because this isn't exactly a
> word that us British would use in that context. To us it refers to the
> act of "self-pleasuring"! But it reminds me of an episode of Mork &
Mindy
> where there was this really nasty guy called Mr Wanker!!!

No, no, I meant exactly what I said. "Wank" is indeed the proper
term. It's part of that quaint little American custom of using totally
inappropriate words to get a point across. Gets people's attention,
see. Kind of like, "coughing up" money, or "pounding out" copies.

Marc (satirically yours...)
Message no. 10
From: QuickSilver <QKSilver282@***.COM>
Subject: Free Actions
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 12:13:21 -0500
On 6 Nov 97 at 9:42, David Buehrer wrote:

Barbie wrote:
>> Sorry, by the book you must wait. A free action can only be made
>> after / the first simple/complex action has taken place by a
>> character.
>
> Could you do me a favor and tell me where that rule is and quote it?
> I can't remember ever having read it.

Actually page 81 SR2 Rulebook states that:

A character may take a free action during any Combat Phase of the
Combat Turn even if it is not a phase in which he is eligible for
action. Only ONE free action is possible during any given Combat
Phase. A character may NOT take a free action prior to his first action
unless that character has delayed an action from a previous Combat
Turn..... drekcetera..

So for all purposes the quote Barbie made is right even if it's wrongly
stated. A mage cannot perform a free action until the first Combat
Phase HE/SHE is eligible for an action.

QKS
Message no. 11
From: Drekhead <drekhead@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 12:37:43 +0500
On 6 Nov 97 at 12:13, QuickSilver wrote:

> Actually page 81 SR2 Rulebook states that:
>
> A character may take a free action during any Combat Phase of
> the
> Combat Turn even if it is not a phase in which he is eligible for
> action. Only ONE free action is possible during any given Combat
> Phase. A character may NOT take a free action prior to his first
> action unless that character has delayed an action from a previous
> Combat Turn..... drekcetera..

Ok, thanks Quicksilver. I remember why we do what we do now; it came
from that last sentence. We decided that in the very first combat
phase, all characters inaction (whatever they were doing previous to
initiative dice needing to be rolled) was considered to be
akin to delayed actions, and thus we granted a free action to
everyone on the first combat phase only (or anytime until their
action in the first round). We followed the quoted rule for every
round after the first.

--

===DREKHEAD==================================drekhead@***.net====
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Alley/6990/index.html
=================================================================
Best file compression around: 'DEL *.*' = 100% compression

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 12
From: "Leszek Karlik, aka Mike" <trrkt@*****.ONET.PL>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 20:43:05 +0000
On 6 Nov 97, QuickSilver disseminated foul capitalist propaganda by
writing:

> Actually page 81 SR2 Rulebook states that:
>
> A character may take a free action during any Combat Phase of
> the
> Combat Turn even if it is not a phase in which he is eligible for
> action. Only ONE free action is possible during any given Combat
> Phase. A character may NOT take a free action prior to his first
> action unless that character has delayed an action from a previous
> Combat Turn..... drekcetera..
>
> So for all purposes the quote Barbie made is right even if it's
> wrongly stated. A mage cannot perform a free action until the first
> Combat Phase HE/SHE is eligible for an action.

Which makes lots of sense if you think about it. After all, otherwise
you could take a Free Action during the 99, or 150, or 3545650
phase... BTW: Isn't Centering free action? <grin>
OK, OK I know you can Center only once for a given spell/action (in
case of PhysAds). Just kidding.


Leszek Karlik, aka Mike - trrkt@*****.onet.pl; http://www.wlkp.top.pl/~bear/mike; FIAWOL
FL/GN Leszek/Raptor II/ISD Vanguard, (SS) (PC) (ISM) {IWATS-IIC} JH(Sith)/House Scholae
Palatinae
Things are more like they used to be than they are now!
Message no. 13
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 22:08:59 -0500
In a message dated 97-11-06 16:08:42 EST, trrkt@*****.ONET.PL writes:

>
> Which makes lots of sense if you think about it. After all, otherwise
> you could take a Free Action during the 99, or 150, or 3545650
> phase... BTW: Isn't Centering free action? <grin>
> OK, OK I know you can Center only once for a given spell/action (in
> case of PhysAds). Just kidding.
>
Yes actually, it is...thus, something to consider, to obtain Centering
bonuses for a spell or magical action of some form (or a mundane action with
the Enhanced Centering Talents), you have to start on the action phase
precluding the phase the action itself is occurring within. Switching to
Astral Perception (to use Centering) is a Simple Action (or combining actions
gets a +2). Centering is a Free Action (which could be done after the switch
to Astral Perception), and goes with a magical action beginning most-probably
on the following phase (unless you are combining as I mentioned). And if you
start on the next action, then the entire magical pool refreshes at the
beginning of the next phase (think deeply folks, this is as per the BBB and
the Grimoire II and the Awakenings).

-K
Message no. 14
From: Lady Jestyr <jestyr@*******.DIALIX.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 1997 14:14:01 +1100
> Yes actually, it is...thus, something to consider, to obtain Centering
> bonuses for a spell or magical action of some form (or a mundane action with
> the Enhanced Centering Talents), you have to start on the action phase
> precluding the phase the action itself is occurring within. Switching to
> Astral Perception (to use Centering) is a Simple Action (or combining actions

Exsqueeze me? You have to be able to Astrally Perceive to center?

Oh boy, did I miss something?

(Poor widdle sorcery adepts... there goes the best part of your
metamagic...)

Lady Jestyr

-------------------------------------------------------------
"All right! Bovine intervention!!!" -- The Tick
-------------------------------------------------------------
Elle Holmes jestyr@*******.dialix.com.au
http://jestyr.home.ml.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 15
From: MCP <mcp@********.COM>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 1997 00:38:19 -0500
At 02:14 PM 11/7/97 +1100, Lady Jestyr wrote:
>> Yes actually, it is...thus, something to consider, to obtain Centering
>> bonuses for a spell or magical action of some form (or a mundane action
with
>> the Enhanced Centering Talents), you have to start on the action phase
>> precluding the phase the action itself is occurring within. Switching to
>> Astral Perception (to use Centering) is a Simple Action (or combining
actions
>
>Exsqueeze me? You have to be able to Astrally Perceive to center?
>
Of the three types of Centering (for effect, vs drain, and vs penalties),
only Centering for effect specifically calls out having to Astrally Perceive
the spell as it is being cast.

MCP
Message no. 16
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Free Actions
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 1997 08:35:57 -0500
In a message dated 97-11-07 00:46:40 EST, jestyr@*******.DIALIX.COM.AU
writes:

>
> Exsqueeze me? You have to be able to Astrally Perceive to center?
>
> Oh boy, did I miss something?
>
> (Poor widdle sorcery adepts... there goes the best part of your
> metamagic...)
>
> Lady Jestyr
>
It is something that I have wondered for a while. On page 43 of the Grimoire
II, right hand column, top paragraph. "When using centering to improve his
spellcasting, the magician must be perceiving astrally (p. 145 SRII) at the
time of the Centering Test.

So, it is an overgeneralization. The paragraph mentions spellcasting, but in
the previous column, it includes all magical actions. -I- just applied this
rule to all magical rulings. Yes, I have always thought that the Adepts were
getting shafted somehow. And people wonder why someone would want to come up
with a "Astral Sight" or similarly named spell theory....

-K

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Free Actions, you may also be interested in:

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Thwap!