I've heard people say Eschalon is "turn based", but in reality it's nothing like the "please stand still while I use my action points to get near you and whack you with my hammer" games we've all learned to love and admire. It's more similar to very simple roguelike combat – when you stand still, the world stands still with you; when you move, you don't move alone. (Sorry if you don't get the obscure reference I'm trying to make.) You try to hit someone, they attempt to fight back. Why "very simple"? One thing is that the speed mechanics are quite, um, basic. All creatures (save for a few exceptions) act with the same speed. One square of movements equals one strike. This means that fleeing and chasing often become ridiculous, as most of the time the attacker and the poor victim move with exactly the same speed. The only thing you can count on is that your AI opponent is not as effective as you at moving around the trees and other obstacles you might encounter on your way. This means that Haste potions, which double your action speed, are very powerful, and are a big reason why the Alchemy skill is a valuable one.​