PDA

View Full Version : [3.x/Pathfinder] Ready action to intercept?



Telasi
2011-02-07, 03:46 PM
Can a character ready an action to charge another character who moves into a designated area? Basically, I'm looking at ways to intercept enemies.

I've looked in my rulebooks and I think it's arguably legal, but I want to get some feedback, both from RAW and general opinions of GMs.

Magic Myrmidon
2011-02-07, 06:09 PM
I'm personally pretty lenient with readied actions. Readying to charge is somewhat odd to me, though. I mean, it's a lot longer to run and attack then just to swing a sword when a person rounds a corner.

I don't think I'd allow it, but I generally don't go by RAW, I go by what makes sense.

Note that this conclusion came after a bit of internal debate, since it's not exactly going to ruin the balance of everything ever.

AslanCross
2011-02-07, 06:35 PM
Readying actions is pretty much reserved for standard actions, but I do remember someone mentioning that a "partial charge" is possible. I'm not sure where this was mentioned, though.

There is a feat in PHB2 called Cometary Collision, which pretty much is a readied counter-charge.

Kyrthain
2011-02-07, 06:57 PM
There is a feat that does this. Cometary Collision from PHBII

Your charge also gets some slight buffs on your charge.

And as I am writing this, I can see that I have been swordsaged

Human Paragon 3
2011-02-07, 07:24 PM
You could always just ready an action to move in front of him, blocking his path. That way he would provoke attacks of opportunity for trying to get around you, with which you could take your "charge" attack, albeit without the +2 bonus, or even start a grapple if your aim is really to prevent movement. The Standstill feat would definitely help if this is your goal, too.

Telasi
2011-02-07, 07:33 PM
You could always just ready an action to move in front of him, blocking his path. That way he would provoke attacks of opportunity for trying to get around you, with which you could take your "charge" attack, albeit without the +2 bonus, or even start a grapple if your aim is really to prevent movement. The Standstill feat would definitely help if this is your goal, too.

This was my reserve if an outright charge was shot down.

I looked it up, and Cometary Collision is pretty nice. Thank you.

Duncan_Ruadrik
2011-02-07, 07:38 PM
I know its not quite readying an action, but...:

pathfinder feat: Combat Patrol: Allows you to designate an area equivalent to your threatened squares +5ft per 5 BAB you have as threatened. you can move to make attacks of opportunity within this area as long as the distance moved to make the AoO's does not exceed your movement.

D&D 3.5 feat: Hold The Line: Allows you to stop a target in their tracks after making an AoO on them for attempting to move through their threatened squares.

I know its not exactly what you asked for, but it seems similar to me. I could be wrong. Sorry if this doesnt help.

Telasi
2011-02-08, 05:10 AM
I know its not quite readying an action, but...:

pathfinder feat: Combat Patrol: Allows you to designate an area equivalent to your threatened squares +5ft per 5 BAB you have as threatened. you can move to make attacks of opportunity within this area as long as the distance moved to make the AoO's does not exceed your movement.

D&D 3.5 feat: Hold The Line: Allows you to stop a target in their tracks after making an AoO on them for attempting to move through their threatened squares.

I know its not exactly what you asked for, but it seems similar to me. I could be wrong. Sorry if this doesnt help.

Those are both fine, though I was aware of them. Thanks anyhow.

stainboy
2011-02-08, 07:17 AM
Readying actions is pretty much reserved for standard actions, but I do remember someone mentioning that a "partial charge" is possible. I'm not sure where this was mentioned, though.

There is a feat in PHB2 called Cometary Collision, which pretty much is a readied counter-charge.

Readying a partial charge isn't RAW-legal. A partial charge is still a full-round action, it's just a special one that you can use when you're slowed or staggered. (If you could ready a partial charge, you'd never need to make a normal charge. You'd ready an action to partial charge with the condition "when I finish moving" and then take a single move in whatever direction you wanted.)

Anyway, in Pathfinder an Order of the Shield cavalier can move and attack as an immediate action. They don't get it until level 15 though so that probably doesn't help.

JeminiZero
2011-02-08, 07:41 AM
Psions/Wilders have Synchronicity (not in OGL, but in CPsi), that plays havoc with readied action shenanigans. Essentially, when you manifest the augmented version, you can choose to take any one standard action, at any point of time before your next turn.

Normally manifesting it burns a standard action, so you lose a standard to gain a standard, with the benefit that you do not need to specify the trigger event or the action until it comes up. However it can be twinned letting you in theory ready 2 actions at once.

Greenish
2011-02-08, 09:36 AM
Readying actions is pretty much reserved for standard actions, but I do remember someone mentioning that a "partial charge" is possible. I'm not sure where this was mentioned, though.In the charge rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#charge):
If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn.I don't think readying counts as only being able to use standard or move action during the turn, because you can use move action and then ready a standard.

D&D 3.5 feat: Hold The Line: Allows you to stop a target in their tracks after making an AoO on them for attempting to move through their threatened squares.You mean Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill)?

Hold the Line (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#holdTheLine) is pretty nice, too, but only grants you an AoO against anyone who charges into one of your threatened squares.