I ready an action.... again.

[big teej]

awhile back, I came to the forums asking questions about ready-ing an action.

I have a new one.

can you ready an action to attack someone that moves to attack you?

for instance,

lets say goblin steve is outside of attack range of bob the barbarian, but bob is going to charge steve next turn.

can steve prepare an action to smack bob as soon as bob gets to him?

it would work out sorta like this
steve prepares to smack bob
bob charges steve
steve smacks bob
bob then smacks steve.

does this work? it sounds hinky to me...

[Herabec]

awhile back, I came to the forums asking questions about ready-ing an action.

I have a new one.

can you ready an action to attack someone that moves to attack you?

for instance,

lets say goblin steve is outside of attack range of bob the barbarian, but bob is going to charge steve next turn.

can steve prepare an action to smack bob as soon as bob gets to him?

it would work out sorta like this
steve prepares to smack bob
bob charges steve
steve smacks bob
bob then smacks steve.

does this work? it sounds hinky to me...

Yes. Yes that does work.

That's what readied actions are for, really.

Just remember that readying an action is a full-round action. If he's going to get ready to smack Bob, he can't do anything else.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If Goblin Steve is using a Halberd, Trident, Spear, or Longspear, and readies an action to hit Bob when he charges to within reach, he'll actually deal double damage with that attack.

[Herabec]

If Goblin Steve is using a Halberd, Trident, Spear, or Longspear, and readies an action to hit Bob when he charges to within reach, he'll actually deal double damage with that attack.

I believe in the original game, this was actually a fighter special ability called "Set Spear vs. Charge". Been around a while, neh? :smallbiggrin:

[HappyBlanket]

Yes. Yes that does work.

That's what readied actions are for, really.

Just remember that readying an action is a full-round action. If he's going to get ready to smack Bob, he can't do anything else.

Readying is a standard action. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialInitiativeActions.htm)

But yes, attacking an oncoming enemy is one of the most common uses of the Ready action.

[Herabec]

Readying is a standard action. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialInitiativeActions.htm)

But yes, attacking an oncoming enemy is one of the most common uses of the Ready action.

Really? Oh dear. I've been lying to my party this whole time. :smalleek:

Why did I think it was a full-round action? *ponders*

[Ursus the Grim]

Really? Oh dear. I've been lying to my party this whole time. :smalleek:

Why did I think it was a full-round action? *ponders*

Probably because it involves fudging up your initiative count.

[Lapak]

Really? Oh dear. I've been lying to my party this whole time. :smalleek:

Why did I think it was a full-round action? *ponders*


Probably because it involves fudging up your initiative count.And because it burns whatever actions you have left when it triggers. So if you haven't taken your move action prior to readying, you're not going to get a move and a standard out of that turn: you're going to get either a move or a standard, but not both.

[big teej]

If Goblin Steve is using a Halberd, Trident, Spear, or Longspear, and readies an action to hit Bob when he charges to within reach, he'll actually deal double damage with that attack.

this part I was aware of thankfully. :smalltongue:


Yes. Yes that does work.

That's what readied actions are for, really.

Just remember that readying an action is a full-round action. If he's going to get ready to smack Bob, he can't do anything else.

interesting...

-shrugs-

works for me, I guess it just struck me as hinky for some reason.



And because it burns whatever actions you have left when it triggers. So if you haven't taken your move action prior to readying, you're not going to get a move and a standard out of that turn: you're going to get either a move or a standard, but not both.

so...

if you ready an action (a standard action)

you could move, prepare to smack bob, and that's your turn.

bob's turn comes around, and you smack him....

do you get to do anything else on your turn? does your intiative change?

what happens?

[Apophis]

Your initiative does change. In your example, Steve would now go right before Bob.

[Slipperychicken]

Pretty much... and this just made me think: If Steve started within [Steve's base speed + 5] of bob, Steve could also have readied his move action to run right up to bob when he advanced 5ft in his charge. Bob already blew his full-round action to start charging (or did he?), so the charge he initiated would be made illegal (having moved less than 10ft). I'm not so sure what would happen then: would bob be able to attack? would his charge action be retconned into a move action or 5ft-step? Would the rules groan weakly as another hole in it was discovered and exploited?

[Ksheep]

Your initiative is now moved to whenever you acted... Or, if the redid action didn't get triggered, it stays exactly where it was.

For instance, let's say Steve was first in init, and bob was 5th. Steve redies an action, and when Bob moves, the action is triggered. For the rest of the combat, Steve will be at the new place in init, in spot 4 (right before bob)... unless he redies another action and has his place swapped up again (or if he delays his action).

[Fitz10019]

Some options when you ready against a charge:

Charger has a reach weapon: 5' step within his non-threatened squares to ruin his attack [you can '5 step along with a readied action if you haven't moved before you readied]

Charger doesn't have a reach weapon: grapple him

Most characters built to charge don't wield light weapons, so the charger might not even get to attack unless he drops his weapon and tries an unarmed strike. Also, according to the Rules of the Game article on grappling (Part 2 (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050308a)), you can Release Your Hold on a grappled foe as a free action. If you win an opposed grapple check, you choose what square you exit the grapple into, and the movement does not count. You could end your readied action behind the charger.

[Person_Man]

As a side note, builds that have useful Standard Actions (casters, Warlocks, Binders, etc) should pretty much ALWAYS ready an action if they're in combat against casters. It's a fairly easy way to disrupt spells which is often overlooked by players.

[big teej]

what happens to your turn after your action though?

like, lets say you move and prepare to smack bob.
bob runs up to you and you smack him.

do you still get to act normally? since you're initiative has moved?

or is your whole turn spent doing whatever you prepared to do?

[Ksheep]

That turn is spent resolving your readied action, since you used your original initiative to get ready to do something, and the time just before the trigger activated to act upon the action. The following turn, your initiative has been shifted and you can act normally.

[Lapak]

what happens to your turn after your action though?

like, lets say you move and prepare to smack bob.
bob runs up to you and you smack him.

do you still get to act normally? since you're initiative has moved?

or is your whole turn spent doing whatever you prepared to do?

You ready.
Bob moves. Your readied action kicks in; this completes the turn you started earlier, when you readied, and sets your initiative for all future rounds to 'just before Bob.'

Bob finished what he was doing (assuming he's still able.) Combat moves on.

Everyone else in the combat will get a turn before either of you get another. Then you, then Bob.

[Ursus the Grim]

So here's a new question concerning readied actions.

What happens when you ready an action during Time Stop? While I was observing a strategy session for a party taking on a Great Red Wyrm, they mentioned the Sorc would Time Stop to counter any Forcecage/Enchantment Shenanigans. Then someone mentioned using his last turn to Ready an Action to Polar Ray the dragon the second the dragon did anything aggressive. This seems almost cheesy, and not in the way that Time Stop is normally considered. Turn order would go like this.

1. Dragon Time Stops
a. Dragon Forcecages
b. Dragon Incendiary Clouds.

2. Sorc Time Stops
a. Sorc Disintegrates Forcecage.
b. Sorc readies Polar Ray.

3. Dragon is about to attack so Sorc hits with Polar Ray. Sorc is now 'ahead' of Dragon in initiative count.

[Curmudgeon]

If you Ready an action when you've still got round(s) of apparent time left, the readied actions are wasted because external triggering events cannot happen. If you Ready on the last round of apparent time, it's just a normal readied action.

Note that "did anything aggressive" is pretty ambiguous, so be prepared to suffer for that vagueness. Ready has no divination magic associated with it; it's just a plan and uses the creature's senses to perceive the triggering action. If your character fails a Spot or Listen check your DM will probably have that plan go to waste.

[Graha013]

Really? Oh dear. I've been lying to my party this whole time. :smalleek:

Why did I think it was a full-round action? *ponders*

If goblin steve has..Hold the Line I think it is, and reach, he can actually stop Bob's charge if he hits him. Or is that actually just a function of AOO and reach vs. charge, not that feat? hrmmmm..

I know that it's possible to stop him though with the hit, just whether it's feat required or normal.

[Ursus the Grim]

If goblin steve has..Hold the Line I think it is, and reach, he can actually stop Bob's charge if he hits him. Or is that actually just a function of AOO and reach vs. charge, not that feat? hrmmmm..

I know that it's possible to stop him though with the hit, just whether it's feat required or normal.

I believe it is not available by virtue of AoO itself. Hold the Line stops enemy movement on a successful AoO. Other effects that move the opponent work too, if I'm not mistaken, like Snatch and Improved Grab because they function automatically on a successful attack.

Awesome Blow, however, does not, requiring a standard action.

[Username_too_lo]

Don't forget that for the first round, anyone who hasn't had a turn yet is flat footed, so by holding your action until the other guy attacks you're effectively losing any dex bonus to your AC.

Hinky, I know.

[Lapak]

Don't forget that for the first round, anyone who hasn't had a turn yet is flat footed, so by holding your action until the other guy attacks you're effectively losing any dex bonus to your AC.

Hinky, I know.

A character who has not yet acted during a combat is flat-footed, not yet reacting normally to the situation. A flat-footed character loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) and cannot make attacks of opportunity.
Readying an action is a standard action. Anyone who takes an action isn't flat-footed. So anyone who readies an action is no longer flat-footed.