Editing Gameplay (section)

== Actions and timers ==

Everything you actively do in Primal Idle is an '''action''' belonging to a [[Skills|skill]]. Each action defines:

* a '''level requirement''' — the skill level you must reach before it unlocks;
* a '''base time''' — how long one completion takes (shown as seconds or minutes);
* an '''experience reward''' — granted to the skill each completion;
* '''inputs''' — items consumed each completion (gathering actions have none; processing actions consume raw materials);
* '''outputs''' — the items produced, some guaranteed and some chance-based.

When you select an action it runs on a repeating timer. Each time the timer fills, the game grants the experience, consumes the inputs, and rolls the outputs, then immediately starts the next repetition. Only '''one action runs at a time'''; starting another replaces it.

The game measures real elapsed time rather than counting ticks, so an action behaves identically whether the tab is focused, backgrounded, or closed — a key reason offline progress stays consistent.

=== When an action stops ===

An action keeps repeating until something interrupts it. Common reasons it stops on its own include running '''out of the inputs''' a recipe needs, your '''Bank being full''' with no room for the output, your '''Stable being full''' during [[Taming]], or your '''health running too low''' during [[Hunting]] or [[Expeditions]]. You can also stop or switch actions manually at any time.

While you are '''offline''' a low-health combat action always stops safely before a knockout. While you are '''actively playing''', however, running out of food mid-fight can end in death and the loss of a piece of gear — see [[Expeditions#Death and reclaiming gear|Death and reclaiming gear]].

=== Drop chances ===

Some outputs are guaranteed every completion, while others appear only some of the time. Rather than exact percentages, drop tables label chances by rarity tier — '''Always''', '''Common''', '''Uncommon''', '''Rare''', and '''Very rare''' — so you know roughly how often to expect something without the number changing under you.