Started playing, and confused about how AP works

[Hummingbird]

Hi all, I started playing A:EftP last night and fought 4 battles...still in the very early in the game.

 

I read in the manual that's included in the game that it takes 9 AP to attack, but my characters start with 8 AP at the start of combat...also I can attack even if I have 1 AP left? Also, if I'm next to an enemy and I attack without moving before...all of my AP depletes and I can't go away. I'm confused...what's going on? The way that AP is working in combat now doesn't match with how it's described in the in-game manual. Maybe I mis-read something?

 

Any clarification would be helpful, thanks.

[Jerakeen]

Welcome to the forums, Hummingbird! Yeah, the AP system can be a little confusing, especially since it varies from game to game.

 

Basically, if you have 9 AP or fewer, attacking will use them all up. So if you want to use a consumable item (which takes 5 AP), or move, do that first. If you have 10 AP or more, attacking will use 9 of them, allowing you to potentially attack a second time. When you get access to Adrenaline Rush, you will sometimes get enough AP to attack 3 times in one round.

 

There are other things that can affect this, for example Haste will occasionally (33%) reduce the AP cost of your attack to 5, allowing you a second attack. And stepping away from an enemy in combat will "slow you down", effectively costing you 4 AP. Battle Frenzy (from speed items, or the third level of Haste) will increase your AP by 5, letting you take a few steps and still attack twice.

 

I hope that helps.

[Alorael at Large]

You can do whatever you'd like at any amount of AP. The cost isn't how much you need, it's how much the action takes from you. So attacking at 4 AP is fine, but then you're left with -5 afterwards and your turn ends.

 

—Alorael, who would describe this basically as attacking can be done anytime during your turn but will end your turn. That can change when you start getting more AP, but for now it's true.

[cbecker78]

—Alorael, who would describe this basically as attacking can be done anytime during your turn but will end your turn. That can change when you start getting more AP, but for now it's true.

 

Not to mention that any "buffs" applied through a mage/priest spell or as a battle discipline will also end your turn in the same way as attacking (i.e., consuming 9 AP).

 

The one exception here is adreneline rush. While you can attack three times after activating that, it does stop you from moving further once it was used. There are many times playing this game that I have really wished the moving action was decoupled from attacking/casting. There is nothing more infuriating than activating adreniline rush as a swordsman, only to find out you were actually still one square away from that dangerous dude standing on an incline. At least once my poor fighter just threw all of his mushroom meal onto the ground and pouted.

[Rya.Reisender]

You should note that after attacking or using a skill you can NEVER move, no matter how many AP you have left.