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Basically if something can use an ability "at will" does it use an action or not?

Say you have a monster or godling or demigod etc. that has the pretty common ability to turn invisible at will. Can they use this ability without using an action or does the moment of concentration to enact the power count as an action?

I've already ruled in my games that it does use an action because I and my players agree that even though there is no motion involved in the act of using any at will power still requires conscious effort from the user which prevents them from doing other things while their concentration is focused on activating their at will ability.

Unless a maneuver or ability specifies that it does not require an action to use (trained parry, auto-dodge, etc.), with the exception of very simple skill checks, it requires an action. On a case by case basis, I would be willing to discuss other totally effortless effects being free to perform.

I take at will to mean no limitations on duration or cost. So IMO invisible at will take an action to adjust from visible (and then vice versa back for another action) but can be maintained indefinitely with no PPE/ISP/Chi/body investment etc.

On a side note I consider at will abilities like the above to be maintained throughout unconsciousness or coma (maybe death?? not sure on that one) but thats open for opinions too.

It seems I voted in good company!

I interpret "at will" to mean there is no obvious tell that it is going to happen and no predetermined limit to its duration, unless the effect is instant like damage or teleport (again, in good company it seems).

Well it seems we have a consensus of opinion.

In Palladium unless it says it doesn't take an action, everything you may want to do takes an action. Looking at your watch to check the time takes an action, opening a door takes an action, identifying what smells so good takes an action. Every conscious thing you do (and some sub- conscious things) takes an action.

Palladium products are also GM has final say games, so it's a free action if the GM says so.

I'm rather surprised that there is no debate here. I thought for sure that there would be some arguments for at will abilities to be used w/o using an action.

I guess it's one of those rare cases where the game rules are actually pretty straight-forward.

So how do people handle bio-regeneration? Does it cost an action or is it free?

This is particularly important for creatures that can regenerate each melee like vampires.

--flatline

flatline wrote:So how do people handle bio-regeneration? Does it cost an action or is it free?

This is particularly important for creatures that can regenerate each melee like vampires.

--flatline

I guess as long as it doesn't say you bio-regenerate "at will" or that you need to enter a healing trance its free.

The Bio-Regeneration psionic powers use an action. A creature that heals a set amount after a set period of time does so automatically at the end of that time.

Glistam wrote:The Bio-Regeneration psionic powers use an action. A creature that heals a set amount after a set period of time does so automatically at the end of that time.

This.

Bill wrote:

Glistam wrote:The Bio-Regeneration psionic powers use an action. A creature that heals a set amount after a set period of time does so automatically at the end of that time.

This.

agreed

It can depend at times for me, but generally speaking, it is not an action to activate, I generally limit it to toggling them once per action if required.

Bill wrote:Unless a maneuver or ability specifies that it does not require an action to use (trained parry, auto-dodge, etc.), with the exception of very simple skill checks, it requires an action. On a case by case basis, I would be willing to discuss other totally effortless effects being free to perform.

This is the correct answer.

flatline wrote:So how do people handle bio-regeneration? Does it cost an action or is it free?

This is particularly important for creatures that can regenerate each melee like vampires.

--flatline

Bio-regeneration the psionic power explicitly needs a healing trance that must be actived.

natural bio-regeneration, such as "heals 1d4*10 MDC per hour", is natural and constant. it need not be activated, it is simply it's healing rate