Battle: Characters that haven't acted yet - what can they do?

[Iksilak]

In a recent session we weren't sure what a character in their first round, before they had their first action, can do. No opportunity attacks, right? What about other opportunity actions? What about immediate reactions? What about immediate interrupts? I found preciously little about that in the PHB - in the first at least.

[Dimers]

Huh. I would have thought that's right, but I can't find evidence.

The only restriction I see is that anyone surprised can't take actions in a surprise round -- after that, it's business as usual. In fact the entry on surprise rounds seems to be saying that you can take immediates and opportunity actions before your turn comes up; there's no "flatfooted" as in 3rd-ed. And it also says the surprised condition ends at the end of the surprise round, meaning even a surprised creature can OA and take immediates as soon as the new round starts.

I can't find anything on special conditions for Round 1.

[Vhaidara]

I can't find anything on special conditions for Round 1.

That would be because there are none. The reward for winning initiative is getting to take your standard actions and such first, not negating enemy defensive measures. That is a surprise round.

I've actually used this on my battlemind to use Lightning Rush on turn 0. The party included a Cipher, so they got to move when they lost initiative and I Lightning Rushed an OA they provoked.

In another fight that was even funnier, another battlemind was speed of thoughting, provoked an OA, I Lightning Rushed, slid them into ranger of the cleric who Mighty Hewed the OA, and in range of the Talaric Strategist who Anticipation Tacticsed. And that was how 3 immediate interrupts were used and a monster was killed in response to the party rolling initiative.

[Yakk]

Immediate and Opportunity actions are actions.

While surprised, you cannot take actions until you are no longer surprised.

You can no more do an Opportunity Action when surprised than you can while unconscious.

[tiornys]

Immediate and Opportunity actions are actions.

While surprised, you cannot take actions until you are no longer surprised.

You can no more do an Opportunity Action when surprised than you can while unconscious.
I agree with this, but my understanding of the question is that it involved the first full round of combat, not surprise rounds.

On that point, I agree with Keledrath. There are no restrictions on taking opportunity actions or immediate actions during the first round of combat before your initiative.

[Iksilak]

I agree with this, but my understanding of the question is that it involved the first full round of combat, not surprise rounds.
Which would be right, that was the intent of my original question. I was under the mistaken belief that not only surprise rounds were subject to restrictions, but the first regular round of combat also.

I wasn't up to speed on the restrictions on the surprise round anymore as well, so, everybody, your answers were a big help!

[Dimers]

That would be because there are none.

Ah, good. I was worried they were gonna take away my librarian card for missing a reference. :smallwink:

[ScrivenerofDoom]

In a recent session we weren't sure what a character in their first round, before they had their first action, can do. No opportunity attacks, right? What about other opportunity actions? What about immediate reactions? What about immediate interrupts? I found preciously little about that in the PHB - in the first at least.

FWIW, you're probably thinking back to the 3.xE rules that prevented PCs from taking off-turn actions until they had acted. 4E never had that rule hence it was not covered in the 4E PHB.

[Anxe]

The flat-footed condition got moved into a class feature for Rogues. First Strike gives Rogues combat advantage against creatures that haven't acted yet, just like flat-footed did in 3.5. As everyone else has said, there's no other differences in 4e after the first round starts.