I ready an action...

[big teej]

greetings playgrounders,

after last session, I can't help but feel I'm approaching readied actions wrong.

for example

lets say Player A ( a ranged copmbatant)
believes that some nasty gribbly is going to enter the room shortly, and thus readies an action to "shoot at the hole in the wall"

let us also assume that said nasty gribbly DOES enter the room. Player A gets his shot off, and then we roll for initiative. now, once his intiative comes up, Player A may go again and act normally correct?



for a second example (one far more pertinent to the discussion at hamd)


Player A is already in combat and "readies an action to shoot on Player B's turn"
Player B's turn comes up, Player A shoots, Player B acts, and carry on. Player A's intiative comes up again. and acts normally.

you know... now that I've read that back to myself... I may already have my answer.
oh well.

tl;dr
what are the precise limits of a readied action?
what are the (negative) ramifications of a readied action?
what are the (positive) ramifications of a readied action?
what are the effects of a readied action on intiative?
is "holding/delaying" the same as "readying"?

what are the answers to any other questions I should have thought of but forgot?!

oh one last one,
you can't ready an action except on your turn right?

[kharmakazy]

Whenever your readied action occurs, your initiative is shifted to then.

If he shoots a readied shot on player B's turn then his initiative is now right before player B, He does not get 2 turns.



Ready

The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun. Readying is a standard action. It does not provoke an attack of opportunity (though the action that you ready might do so).
Readying an Action

You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action. To do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. Then, any time before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character’s activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action. Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.

You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.
Initiative Consequences of Readying

Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the readied action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your readied action, you don’t get to take the readied action (though you can ready the same action again). If you take your readied action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that round.
Distracting Spellcasters

You can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger "if she starts casting a spell." If you damage the spellcaster, she may lose the spell she was trying to cast (as determined by her Concentration check result).
Readying to Counterspell

You may ready a counterspell against a spellcaster (often with the trigger "if she starts casting a spell"). In this case, when the spellcaster starts a spell, you get a chance to identify it with a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level). If you do, and if you can cast that same spell (are able to cast it and have it prepared, if you prepare spells), you can cast the spell as a counterspell and automatically ruin the other spellcaster’s spell. Counterspelling works even if one spell is divine and the other arcane.

A spellcaster can use dispel magic to counterspell another spellcaster, but it doesn’t always work.
Readying a Weapon against a Charge

You can ready certain piercing weapons, setting them to receive charges. A readied weapon of this type deals double damage if you score a hit with it against a charging character.

[Ceaon]

- what are the precise limits of a readied action?
Define a specific trigger, define a specific standard action (or move action, or...);
- what are the (negative) ramifications of a readied action?
Your initiative is lowered, you may lose your action;
- what are the (positive) ramifications of a readied action?
You may interrupt an opponents' action, you could act when it is must valuable.
- what are the effects of a readied action on intiative?
Your initiative changes to when you act on the trigger;
- is "holding/delaying" the same as "readying"?
No, they are two different things.

When you ready an action and your trigger comes up, your initiative moves to right before the initiative of the trigger. If the trigger does not come up, you lose your action and start at your normal initiative count.
Delaying just means voluntarily lowering your initiative count, and you can 'come out of it' on whatever initiative count you want, not just when your trigger comes up.

[big teej]

Whenever your readied action occurs, your initiative is shifted to then.

If he shoots a readied shot on player B's turn then his initiative is now right before player B, He does not get 2 turns.

thankyou for the srd quote. I couldn't find it on the SRD, hence the thread :smallredface:


- what are the precise limits of a readied action?
Define a specific trigger, define a specific standard action (or move action, or...);
- what are the (negative) ramifications of a readied action?
Your initiative is lowered, you may lose your action;
- what are the (positive) ramifications of a readied action?
You may interrupt an opponents' action, you could act when it is must valuable.
- what are the effects of a readied action on intiative?
Your initiative changes to when you act on the trigger;
- is "holding/delaying" the same as "readying"?
No, they are two different things.

When you ready an action and your trigger comes up, your initiative moves to right before the initiative of the trigger. If the trigger does not come up, you lose your action and start at your normal initiative count.
Delaying just means voluntarily lowering your initiative count, and you can 'come out of it' on whatever initiative count you want, not just when your trigger comes up.

also much helpful. thankyou :smallbiggrin:

[kharmakazy]

thankyou for the srd quote. I couldn't find it on the SRD, hence the thread :smallredface:



also much helpful. thankyou :smallbiggrin:

Oddly enough its the first result if you google readied action.:smallwink:

[big teej]

Oddly enough its the first result if you google readied action.:smallwink:

-facepalm-

I typed it into the SRD search, not google.

[Person_Man]

Also, I'm not sure if this is RAW or not, but in my games an encounter does not start until the DM says it starts. Thus you can't can't ready an action before combat. The mechanism for being prepared before an enemy is the Surprise Round. The Ranger (and anyone in his party) Listens or Spots an enemy (or just guesses and announces it to the DM), enemy who failed to Listen or Spot the PC's walks through the door, Ranger (and anyone in his party who was also aware) gets a Surprise Round (which is limited to a single Standard Action). Everyone who is ready rolls Initiative, and act in that order. Then normal combat begins, and everyone who was Surprised rolls Initiative, and get slotted into their appropriate place in the Initiative order.

[Boci]

Also, I'm not sure if this is RAW or not, but in my games an encounter does not start until the DM says it starts. Thus you can't can't ready an action before combat. The mechanism for being prepared before an enemy is the Surprise Round. The Ranger (and anyone in his party) Listens or Spots an enemy (or just guesses and announces it to the DM), enemy who failed to Listen or Spot the PC's walks through the door, Ranger (and anyone in his party who was also aware) gets a Surprise Round (which is limited to a single Standard Action). Everyone who is ready rolls Initiative, and act in that order. Then normal combat begins, and everyone who was Surprised rolls Initiative, and get slotted into their appropriate place in the Initiative order.

Problem is the example provided in the player's handbook (I know they aren't the primary source) involves a readied action before the enemy has appeared, the trigger being the first enemy to appear.

[Cog]

Problem is the example provided in the player's handbook (I know they aren't the primary source) involves a readied action before the enemy has appeared, the trigger being the first enemy to appear.
It's not whether they've "appeared", it's whether you're aware of them. A listen/spot/etc check, or a successful divination, or even just being told they're coming, is sufficient.

[Person_Man]

Problem is the example provided in the player's handbook (I know they aren't the primary source) involves a readied action before the enemy has appeared, the trigger being the first enemy to appear.

Yeah, WotC did a poor job of defining when combat starts, and they changed their mind as they wrote additional supplements.

If you run with the above example, does the Ranger in question get 2 Standard Actions (The one that he readied, and the second one during the Surprise Round) before his enemies can act?

Or if the Ranger only gets 1 Standard Action (the one he readied) does that mean that all of his allies miss out on a chance to Surprise the enemy, even though someone in the party was clearly aware that one might appear?

Or if the Ranger gets 1 Standard Action (the one he readied) should all other players in the party announce what their readied action should be as well, with the DM keeping a list of all the various conditions?

And if the enemy doesn't show up and the readied action is wasted, what next? As they continue to explore the dungeon, does the Ranger need to constantly announce that he is readied for an enemy that might walk through a door, or pop out of a sewer grate, or ethereally float through a wall, or risk missing out on the extra Standard Actions? Do all of his party members need to do the same?

Again, I'm not arguing that my position is RAW. I'm just saying that everything flows a lot easier when you assume that the PCs are always on the lookout for danger, and you use the Spot/Listen rules to determine whether or not a Surprise Round takes place and who participates in it.

[KillianHawkeye]

I entirely agree with Person_Man.

[Boci]

It's not whether they've "appeared", it's whether you're aware of them. A listen/spot/etc check, or a successful divination, or even just being told they're coming, is sufficient.

That's not the issue. The issue is how does readying an action effect your initiative if you haven't rolled it yet.


And if the enemy doesn't show up and the readied action is wasted, what next? As they continue to explore the dungeon, does the Ranger need to constantly announce that he is readied for an enemy that might walk through a door, or pop out of a sewer grate, or ethereally float through a wall, or risk missing out on the extra Standard Actions? Do all of his party members need to do the same?

I think most group would accept a "You cannot use a readied action if you are suprised" as RASM.

[big teej]

my players (for my summer group) are going to whine when I tell them they can no longer ready an action before combat....

tough rocks. :smallamused:


on an a related note.... that likely warrants its own thread.

"any tips on dealing with whiney players?"

[Boci]

my players (for my summer group) are going to whine when I tell them they can no longer ready an action before combat....

tough rocks. :smallamused:


on an a related note.... that likely warrants its own thread.

"any tips on dealing with whiney players?"

For this specific example just say "Do you want every monster you ever run into to have readied a standard action before hand?" and they will probably agree your ruling is best.

Also, be reasonable. Tell them that if they come to a door marked "Behind this lies the lost beast, under the see surrounded in fire" it is acceptable for 2 party members to ready actions to "KILL IT WITH FIRE" whilst the other two cautiously open it, standing well back.

Edit: Cookie if you catch the reference. Actually two cookies since I was quoting it off memory since I didn't feel like loading the video just for this post and thus it may not be completly acurate.

[big teej]

For this specific example just say "Do you want every monster you ever run into to have readied a standard action before hand?" and they will probably agree your ruling is best.

Also, be reasonable. Tell them that if they come to a door marked "Behind this lies the lost beast, under the see surrounded in fire" it is acceptable for 2 party members to ready actions to "KILL IT WITH FIRE" whilst the other two cautiously open it, standing well back.

Edit: Cookie if you catch the reference. Actually two cookies since I was quoting it off memory since I didn't feel like loading the video just for this post and thus it may not be completly acurate.

that is an excellent counterpoint

unfortunately being reasonable doesn't win me many points.

as my "reasonable" is their "harsh and brutal" mostly because I have a much greater emphasis on "make your moment" than their normal DM, but I digress.

however, you're point is entirely valid, and understood.

I'm seldom so obvious with my warnings however.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

In melee with an opponent, ready an action to attack and 5-ft. step away when he attacks you. Opponent goes to attack you, you hit him and 5-ft. step out of reach, he swings into an empty square, and can then 5-ft. adjust toward you and continue his full attack (if he would get another attack). Your initiative moves to immediately before his initiative, so you repeat that every round.

If you're in melee with two opponents, you ready an action to attack and 5-ft. adjust if either of them attacks you. Whichever of the two acts first goes to swing, you attack the other guy hopefully dropping him before he can act, and 5-ft. step out of reach. That guy swings into an empty square and can step toward you to continue his full attack as above.

[Nashwolfe]

In melee with an opponent, ready an action to attack and 5-ft. step away when he attacks you. Opponent goes to attack you, you hit him and 5-ft. step out of reach.
You can't.

You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action.
You may not ready an attack AND a step. That's a good thing, else you'd never be able to flank an enemy; they'd just ready to attack you and step out of the flank.

big teej, just tell your players that by RAW readying is a standard action and that characters can only take combat actions when they are in initiative. So no readying outside of initiative. Simples :smallbiggrin:

[Boci]

You can't.

You may not ready an attack AND a step. That's a good thing, else you'd never be able to flank an enemy; they'd just ready to attack you and step out of the flank.

You can take a 5ft step anytime on your turn as long as you do not otherwise move, it doesn't require an action.

[Forbiddenwar]

Oddly enough its the first result if you google readied action.:smallwink:


-facepalm-

I typed it into the SRD search, not google.

An Aside: Google results can vary greatly based on your location, what computer you're using and your browsing and searching history. There's a wonderful TED talk on this piece of google analytics.

[Fitz10019]

In my experience, you have to be in initiative to ready an action. It is something you may do during your turn, and D&D is only a turn-based game after combat has begun / you have gone into initiative.

[NNescio]

You can't.

You may not ready an attack AND a step. That's a good thing, else you'd never be able to flank an enemy; they'd just ready to attack you and step out of the flank.

big teej, just tell your players that by RAW readying is a standard action and that characters can only take combat actions when they are in initiative. So no readying outside of initiative. Simples :smallbiggrin:

You can.


Readying an Action

You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action. To do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. Then, any time before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character’s activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action. Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.

You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.

...though there are still restrictions in doing so.

[Nashwolfe]

Do you have that in an official printed source? If so, there's a DM I need to have a few words with :smallyuk:

[Boci]

Do you have that in an official printed source? If so, there's a DM I need to have a few words with :smallyuk:

Player's handbook, page 160, first sentance of the third paragraph.