When On the Lam is played the defender interrupts to preform a move which does not actually move the figure but simply gives it movement points equal to its speed.

The only reason On the Lam allows a figure to move out of line of sight of an attack is because when a figure gains movement points outside of their own activation the are forced to spend them immediately.

If a figure used On the Lam during its own activation it would gain movement points equal to its speed which would just enter its movement point pool instead of being immediately spent to avoid the attack.

For example, if a weequay attacks Han Solo, during its activation, and Han returns fire on the weequay and the weequay uses On the Lam, since it is during the weequay's activation it gains 4 movement points which enter its movement point pool and the attack resolves before the figure gets an opportunity to move out of line of sight of the attack.

Am I missing something or is On the Lam actually next to useless on your own activation?

You are not missing anything. Movement points gained during your own activation go into your movement point pool, whatever the source. (Except when gained as part of a special action.)

I think you are just looking for something that does not exist. On the Lam has not been designed to be used during your own activation against counter-attacks. Otherwise it would use "move spaces up to your Speed" instead of giving movement points.

(You can prevent counter-attacks by arranging to not having reciprocal line of sight. It is also how you work around Slow on the Draw.)

The second sentence is not exactly correct.

Movement points gained by a special action must immediately be spent during that action, even if gained during your activation.

Its not a special action. Special actions are abilities marked with Arrow (action and totally not tap! ) symbol.

1 hour ago, Szycha said:

Its no a special action. Special actions are abilities marked with Arrow (action and totally not tap! ) symbol.

E.g. (just to see the difference) Urgency is a special action, Fleet Footed is not.

There might still be the odd situation here and there to play On The Lam when being attacked during your own activation, not as a get-out-of-a-sticky-situation, but because you might suddenly find yourself with more than plenty movement points to do something utterly spectacular, unexpected, and game-changing with your activation.


...that is if you can survive the attack.

It’s still a free move action, just not a free dodge on top of a free move action.