Pathfinder 2e's combat runs on a different engine than most fantasy tabletop games: three actions per turn, spent on whatever a creature can do, instead of a fixed action/bonus action/reaction split. Once a table gets comfortable with that shape, combat moves fast and rewards tactical choices.
The three-action economy
On your turn, you get three actions. Almost everything costs one action unless stated otherwise:
- Strike - one action, make an attack
- Stride - one action, move up to your Speed
- Cast a Spell - cost varies by spell, often one to three actions
- Some abilities cost two or three actions for a bigger effect
This means a turn is a menu, not a script: Stride + Stride + Strike, or Strike + Strike + Strike, or Stride + Cast a Spell (2 actions), are all valid depending on the situation. Encourage new players to think in terms of "three actions to spend" rather than "my one attack."
The Multiple Attack Penalty (MAP)
Attacking more than once in a turn gets progressively harder:
- First Strike: no penalty
- Second Strike: -5 penalty (-4 if the weapon has the agile trait)
- Third Strike: -10 penalty (-8 if agile)
This is the single most important number to track at the table, since it changes the math on every additional attack. Say the penalty out loud when a player declares a second or third Strike so nobody forgets to apply it.
Reactions happen on other people's turns
Every creature with a reaction (most player characters get one from a class feature, like Attack of Opportunity for some fighters) can use it during another creature's turn, if the trigger condition is met. This is the part newer GMs most often forget to prompt for - when an enemy tries to move away from a character with a reaction that punishes that, pause and ask if they want to use it.
Four degrees of success
Nearly every check in PF2e - attacks, skill checks, saving throws - resolves into one of four outcomes:
- Critical success (beat the DC by 10 or more, or a natural 20 that would otherwise succeed)
- Success
- Failure
- Critical failure (miss the DC by 10 or more, or a natural 1 that would otherwise fail)
This matters for pacing: many PF2e effects have a meaningfully different outcome on a critical result, so it's worth stating the margin, not just "hit or miss."
Keep pacing tight
With three actions per creature, PF2e turns can generate a lot of small decisions. A few things that keep it moving:
- Track MAP and remaining actions visibly so players don't have to ask "wait, how many attacks have I made this turn?"
- Resolve reactions as soon as their trigger happens, not after the round is already over.
- For big fights, consider handling weak mooks as a group rather than tracking each individually.
ArcForge's Pathfinder 2e combat tracker handles initiative, HP, and a notes field for MAP and conditions, so you can focus on running the encounter instead of the bookkeeping.