# Action FX

> Add an event to an AI scene, such as an explosion, a lightning strike, an earthquake or a magic portal. Pick up to 2 of 72 tested action effects.

Source: https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/action-fx

The **Action FX** picker adds an event that happens in the scene: a disaster, a blast, an electric discharge, a combat impact, a sci-fi beam or a spell. You choose up to two effects from its catalog, such as Earthquake Tremor, Lightning Strike Impact, Large Explosion, Force Field Impact or Magic Portal. Nodaro adds tested wording for them to the prompt of every node you connect it to. The picker never calls a model, so it costs no credits.

- Found in: Creative Controls › Effects
- Output: text
- API type: `action-fx`

## When to use it
- Stage a disaster: Major Earthquake, Building Collapse, Tsunami Wave or Volcanic Eruption.
- Add an action-movie beat: Large Explosion, Muzzle Flash, Ground Shockwave or Debris Field.
- Give a sci-fi or fantasy scene its effect: Laser Blast, Portal Opening, Fireball Spell or Healing Glow.
- Build a world with events in the background, such as Smoke Pillar, Ember Shower or Distant Wildfire.

## How to use it
### Add the picker

Open the node picker and choose **Creative Controls › Effects › Action FX**.

### Choose up to two effects

Click the node and choose an effect from the list. The effects are grouped into **Disaster**, **Fire & Blasts**, **Electric**, **Combat**, **Sci-Fi** and **Magic**. Choose a second one to combine two events. A new node starts with nothing selected.

### Connect it

Drag from the picker's output to the **Look** input of a [Generate Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/generate-video) node.

### Run the video node

The effect's wording is added to the prompt when the video node runs.

Workflow: A lightning strike, slowed down, in a clip made from a generated start frame.

- Generate Image → Generate Video (start frame)
- Action FX → Generate Video (look)
- Temporal → Generate Video (look)

## Settings
| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Action FX** | The effects to add. Pick up to 2. A new node starts with nothing selected. |
| **Custom text (before)** | Your own words, added before the effect's wording, for example `mid-recoil`. |
| **Custom text (after)** | Your own words, added after the effect's wording, for example `fading into smoke`. |
| **Prompt hint** | **Full** (default) adds a longer description of each effect. **Compact** adds only the short terms. See [Full or Compact](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls#full-or-compact). |

To see the exact words the picker will add, switch the node to the **Prompt** or **Both** display mode. The settings panel shows the same text under **Will inject into prompt**.

## Action FX or Character FX

| | Action FX | Character FX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **What happens** | An event in the environment | A change to the subject, or an effect bound to it |
| **Example** | Lightning strikes the building. An earthquake hits the scene. | The subject turns into a werewolf. The subject breathes fire. |
| **Test** | It would make sense in an empty room | It needs a character at its center |

You can connect both pickers to the same video node. See [Character FX](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/character-fx).

## Every action effect

Filter by group or search by name. The words under each name are the term the picker adds in **Compact** mode.

**Disaster**

- Earthquake Tremor
- Major Earthquake
- Building Collapse
- Tsunami Wave
- Tornado
- Hurricane
- Blizzard Whiteout
- Sandstorm
- Dust Storm (Haboob): `haboob dust storm`
- Distant Wildfire
- Engulfing Wildfire
- Volcanic Eruption
- Lava Flow
- Falling Ash Rain: `falling volcanic ash`
- Avalanche
- Hailstorm

**Fire & Blasts**

- Small Explosion
- Large Explosion
- Massive Explosion
- Nuclear Detonation
- Airborne Fireball
- Gas Explosion
- Oil Fire
- Blazing Inferno
- Flame Burst
- Ember Shower
- Smoke Pillar
- Mushroom Cloud

**Electric**

- Lightning Bolt
- Lightning Strike Impact
- Lightning Storm
- Ball Lightning
- Plasma Arc
- Taser Sparks
- Electric Discharge
- Transformer Blowout
- St. Elmo's Fire
- Static Shock Burst

**Combat**

- Muzzle Flash
- Gunshot Impact
- Bullet Trail
- Sword Spark: `metal-on-metal friction sparks`
- Blade Clash
- Ricochet Spark
- Debris Field: `debris frozen in mid-air`
- Airborne Glass Shatter: `glass shattering in mid-air`
- Ground Shockwave
- Sonic Boom
- Smoke Grenade
- Flashbang
- Blood Spray
- Arrow Hit Spark: `arrow impact sparks`

**Sci-Fi**

- Laser Blast
- Energy Beam
- Plasma Bolt
- Force Field Shimmer
- Force Field Impact
- Portal Opening: `sci-fi portal opening`
- Warp Distortion: `spacetime warp distortion`
- Hologram Flicker
- Ion Storm
- Antimatter Flash

**Magic**

- Fireball Spell
- Magic Aura
- Summoning Glyph
- Lightning Magic
- Ice Shard Burst
- Energy Rune
- Magic Portal
- Healing Glow
- Dark Vortex
- Light Explosion: `explosion of white-gold light`

## Tips
- **Compound a disaster.** Combine two related events, such as Major Earthquake with Building Collapse.
- **Chain more events.** For more than 2 effects, connect a second Action FX picker to the same input, for example with Dust Storm (Haboob).
- **Fill the air.** Add smoke, dust or embers around the event with [Atmosphere](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/atmosphere).
- **Slow the impact.** Pair an effect with Slow Motion from [Temporal](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/temporal) to show the moment in detail.
- **Add the camera.** Connect a [Camera Motion](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/creative-controls/camera-motion) picker to the same video node to choose how the camera moves around the event.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does the Action FX picker do?

It adds an event that happens in the scene, such as an earthquake, a lightning strike, an explosion or a force field, to the prompt of every node it is connected to. It never runs a model and costs no credits.

### Does the Action FX picker cost credits?

No. Pickers only change the prompt. You pay only for the generation node that uses it.

### What is the difference between Action FX and Character FX?

Action FX is an event in the environment, such as lightning striking a building. Character FX happens to the subject, such as a werewolf transformation. If the effect would make sense in an empty room, use Action FX.

### How do I add more than two effects?

The picker holds up to 2 effects. For more, connect a second Action FX picker to the same Look input. Both pickers add their effects.