If you're trying to make your game feel less stiff, you've probably realized that finding the right roblox action id is the first step toward getting things moving. It isn't just about making a character walk or jump—we're talking about those custom combat moves, silly emotes, or specialized cinematic sequences that make a game actually feel finished. If you've ever wondered why some games have characters that move with so much personality while others feel like generic bricks, the difference usually comes down to how well the developer handled their animation assets.
Getting your hands on a roblox action id is pretty straightforward once you know where to look, but there are a few quirks to the system that can trip you up if you're new to the platform. Whether you are building a full-scale RPG or just a hangout spot for your friends, understanding how these IDs work is going to save you a lot of headaches down the road.
Where Do These Action IDs Actually Come From?
Before we get into the "how-to" part of things, let's talk about what these IDs actually represent. Every single asset on Roblox—whether it's a hat, a shirt, a sound, or an animation—is assigned a unique numerical string. This is essentially the asset's social security number. When you tell a script to play an action, you aren't telling it to "play the dance move"; you're telling it to go fetch the specific data tied to that number.
Most people find their roblox action id through the Creator Marketplace. This is the massive library where everyone shares their creations. If you're looking for something common, like a sword swing or a wave, there's a good chance someone has already made a public version of it that you can use. However, keep in mind that "Public" doesn't always mean "Free to use in any way." You still have to make sure the asset is configured to allow others to use it in their own experiences.
Digging Through the Creator Marketplace
The marketplace is your best friend here. You can filter by "Animations" and search for keywords like "punch," "sit," or "fly." Once you find an animation that looks right, you'll click on it to open its main page. The roblox action id isn't listed in a big box labeled "ID HERE," unfortunately. Instead, you have to look at the URL in your browser's address bar.
It usually looks something like roblox.com/library/123456789/Cool-Punch-Animation. That string of numbers in the middle—the 123456789—is exactly what you're looking for. Copy that, and you're halfway there.
Grabbing IDs From the URL
Sometimes people get confused and try to copy the whole link into their scripts. Don't do that! The game engine only wants the digits. If you're using a script to load the animation, you'll usually prefix the number with rbxassetid://, but the core of it is always that unique number found in the URL. It's a bit of a manual process, but it's the most reliable way to get what you need without relying on third-party plugins that might be outdated or broken.
How to Actually Use an Action ID in Your Script
So, you've got your roblox action id, and you're ready to see it in action. If you're just starting with scripting, this might feel a little intimidating, but it's actually one of the simpler things to do in Luau. Generally, you'll need an Animation object. You can create this manually in the Explorer window under your script or even under the character itself.
Once you have that object, you look at its properties and find the AnimationId field. This is where you paste your number. If you're doing it through code, it looks something like this: myAnimation.Animati.
The real magic happens when you load that animation onto the character's Humanoid. You can't just tell the animation to "play" by itself; you have to tell the character to "load" the animation first. Once it's loaded, you get an AnimationTrack, and that is what you actually hit the play button on. It sounds like an extra step, but it's actually really helpful because it lets you control things like the speed of the animation or whether it should loop.
Why Your Animation Might Not Be Working
We've all been there. You find the perfect roblox action id, you write the script, you press play, and nothing. Your character just stands there like a statue. It's incredibly frustrating, but nine times out of ten, it's one of three things.
First, check the Animation Priority. Every action has a priority level, like Core, Idle, Movement, or Action. If you're trying to play a "wave" animation (Action priority) while the character is "running" (Movement priority), the running animation might override your wave if the priorities aren't set correctly. If you want your custom action to take center stage, make sure its priority is set to "Action" or even "Action4" to ensure it overrides everything else.
Second, check the Ownership. This is a big one. Roblox has some pretty strict security rules about animations. Generally, an animation will only play in your game if it was created by the same person or group that owns the game. If you found a cool roblox action id that belongs to a random user, it might not work in your game unless they have specifically set it to be public and allowed for use by others. If you're really stuck, you might have to re-upload the animation under your own account.
Lastly, make sure the R6 vs R15 rig type matches. This is a classic mistake. If you have an animation made for an R6 character (the blocky, 6-jointed version) and you try to play it on an R15 character (the more detailed, 15-jointed version), it simply won't work. The bones don't line up, and the engine just gives up. Always make sure your roblox action id matches the rig type of the players in your game.
Creating Your Own Custom Actions
Sometimes, you just can't find the right roblox action id in the marketplace. Maybe you want a very specific sword slash or a custom "victory pose" that nobody else has. In that case, you're going to have to dive into the Animation Editor. It's built right into Roblox Studio and it's surprisingly powerful.
When you create your own animation, you aren't just limited to the basic movements. You can move every joint, rotate the torso, and even animate the "HumanoidRootPart" to move the character through space. Once you're happy with your masterpiece, you publish it to Roblox. After it's published, you'll get your very own roblox action id. Since you own this one, you won't have to worry about those pesky permission issues we talked about earlier.
Dealing With Permissions and Ownership
I can't stress this enough: permissions are the "final boss" of working with any roblox action id. If you are working in a Group Game, the animation must be published to the group, not your personal profile. If you publish it to your profile and try to use it in a group-owned game, it'll work for you in Studio, but it won't work for anyone else in the live game.
It's one of those things that makes you want to pull your hair out because everything looks fine on your screen. Always double-check that the "Creator" of the animation asset matches the "Creator" of the game itself. It's a small detail that saves you from a mountain of bug reports from confused players.
Finding the Coolest IDs Out There
If you're just looking to experiment, there are tons of community-made lists and "ID libraries" floating around on Discord servers and developer forums. These are great for finding a specific roblox action id that has already been vetted by other developers.
Just remember that the platform is always changing. Sometimes an old ID gets deleted, or the creator takes it off the market. It's always a good idea to keep a local "manifest" or a folder in your game where you keep track of the IDs you're using. That way, if something breaks, you know exactly which number you need to replace.
At the end of the day, mastering the use of the roblox action id is what separates the beginners from the pros. It gives you the power to make your world feel alive, expressive, and unique. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of the workflow, but once you do, you'll be able to add polish to your games that keeps players coming back for more. So, go ahead and start digging through the marketplace—there is a whole world of motion waiting to be added to your project.