Each character gets one standard action every turn. They can take that action at any point before, during, or after their movement action.

When taking a standard action, a character can attempt a number of different maneuvers. They include:

• Attack
• Dodge
• Escape
• Grab
• Help
• Move
• Use a power

Attack

There are two different kinds of attacks: close combat and ranged combat. Close attacks are made with fists and handheld weapons. Ranged attacks are made with guns and bows and many kinds of powers.

For a close attack, the target must be within the attacker’s reach. For average-sized characters, that’s 1 space. The attacker makes a Melee check against their target’s Melee defense. If the attack succeeds, it inflicts the attacker’s Melee damage on the target, including the effects of any weapons or powers used. On a Fantastic success, double the damage.

You don’t need a weapon to make a close attack, but they can help. Details on weapons appear later in this chapter.

For a ranged attack, the target must be within the attacker’s line of sight and double the weapon’s listed range. Most of the time, the attacker makes an Agility check against the target’s Agility defense. If the attack succeeds, it inflicts the attacker’s Agility damage on the target, including the effects of any weapons or powers used. On a Fantastic success, double the damage.

Dodge

The character actively dodges to avoid incoming attacks. Any attacks against the character have trouble until the character’s next turn—or the end of the next round at the latest.

Escape

If the character is grabbed or pinned by another character, they can attempt to break free. They make a Melee check against the grabber’s Melee defense. If they succeed, they free themselves and can then use the rest of their turn normally.

This works the same way if a character tries to free someone else who is grabbed or pinned. They make a Melee check against the opponent’s Melee defense. If they succeed, the trapped character is freed.

A character can also attempt to free themselves or someone else from being pinned or paralyzed by something physical. The Narrator sets the target number for such attempts. Common target numbers include 20 for webbing or chains and 16 for ropes.

Example: Kraven the Hunter is trapped in Spider-Man’s webbing. He must make a Melee check against a target number of 20 to escape.

Grab

If the character wants to get a hold on an unwilling target—like a foe—they need to grab them. To do this, they make a Melee check against the target’s Melee defense. If they succeed, they grab the target. On a Fantastic success, the target is pinned as well.

Neither the grabbed character nor the grabber can move unless they can carry the other person with them. The grabber can let go at any time, but the grabbed character must escape to be free.

A pinned character has trouble on Melee and Agility action checks and cannot move at all.

Anyone making an attack against an entangled character has trouble. If the attack against the intended target fails, compare the same attack check against the other target’s Agility defense to see if it hits them instead.

If the attacker doesn’t care who gets hit, the attacker has an edge on their check. If the result is high enough to hit one of the targets but not the other, that’s who it hits. If it’s high enough to hit either of them, determine the actual target randomly.

Example: Baron Zemo pins Captain America. Crossbones tries to shoot at Captain America. He rolls 2 3 3, which adds up to 8, plus his Agility of 5, which totals 13. That misses Captain America, as it is less than Captain America’s Agility defense of 14. Crossbones then compares his result against Baron Zemo’s Agility defense of 13. That’s a hit!

The Red Skull opens fire at Captain America too, but he doesn’t care if he hits either of the two entangled characters. He gets an edge on the attack, and his total result is 15. That’s enough to hit either target, so he rolls a die, stating that an even number hits Captain America and an odd number hits Baron Zemo. He gets a 3, which means Baron Zemo is having a rotten day.

Help

The character does something—which their player should describe—to help out a target character. That target character gets an edge on their next action, as long as it happens before the aiding character’s next turn—or the end of the next round at the latest.

The character can even pick themselves as the target character, helping themselves out by preparing for their next action.

Example: Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) and Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) are fighting Thanos. Hawkeye would have a hard time hurting Thanos on her own, so she decides to start shouting ridiculous insults at Thanos to distract him. This gives Captain Marvel an edge when she tries to punch Thanos.

Move

If the character likes, they can use their standard action to move, just like they would with a movement action. This way they can move twice in a single turn, which represents them putting their energy into an all-out sprint.

Use a Power

Many powers require an action to activate. The description of the power tells you what kind of action is necessary: either standard, movement or reaction.