Action Economy in Scarlet Horizons

Heroes on their turn, during combat, make move up to thirty feet and make a single attack. This is perhaps the most common combo.

Alternatively, a PC may forego any movement other than an optional free 5-ft step and may attack once and hold the other action back In Defense. This is declared at the beginning of a PC's turn in combat, before any dice are rolled. When declared, it confers a 4-point bonus to Armor Class to that PC until the beginning of that PC's next combat turn. A hero declaring In Defense may not in that same round use a Heroic Deed that involves more than 5-ft horizontal movement.

When declaring In Defense, a PC may replace a melee attack with an attempt to Quaff Potion. The PC makes an unmodified d20 roll. On a natural '1', he fumbles, dropping the potion (DM determines chance of breakage). Otherwise, she quaffs it successfully. To maintain In Defense, the character would do nothing that round except defend, quaff the potion, and (optionally) take a 5-ft. step.

Most of the time for spellcasters, a combat round involves casting a spell — which takes the place of making a melee attack — and (optionally) up to 30 ft. of movement. If the spell description requires a full round to cast the spell, the caster may do nothing else other than take an optional free 5-ft step. A spellcaster who casts a spell in a given round may not also declare In Defense for that round, due to having to manipulate spell components. However, a spellcaster doing nothing other than meleeing may forego battlefield mobility and declare In Defense.

A PC at the top of their turn in combat may declare Total Defense. In that case, no movement other than an optional 5-ft step is possible, but the bonus to AC is 6 points (most PCs), or 7 points (if the PC has 3+ levels in Fighter). Total Defense precludes any spellcasting or Heroic Deeds. Unlike in using In Defense a potion cannot be quaffed when using Total Defense. It requires absolute concentration.

In Defense and Total Defense apply only to melee attacks, not to ranged attacks, area effects, or automatically targeted spells against the one using these defenses. However, both In Defense and Total Defense do apply versus touch attacks. In those instances, apply the AC bonus to the target's normal Touch AC.

Isn't it unfair that PCs never get more than one attack per round (outside of any Heroic Deeds or magical items making this possible)? Yes, terribly unfair. It's much better to be a monster than a PC. Lots of monsters get two, or even three or more attacks per round.