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The feat is Spitting-Cobra Stance. As long as the stance ends, if an opponent within 5 squares of you moves closer to you, you can make a basic ranged attack against it.
The rules on opportunity actions say you can only make 1 per combatant's turn. So if, say, 4 opponents delayed their action to move closer to you on the same initiative, would you only be able to target one of them?
I think technically, there's no such thing as two people going on the same initiative. It's officially more like "Mook one goes at 16. Mook two delayed, so he goes at 15.99. Mook three goes at 15.98."
But I think it's a fair tactic to say, "Shiff! Every time someone goes at him, the elf shoots him. Let's all charge at once. He can't kill all of us!"
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Author of the War of the Burning Sky serialized novel, free at EN World. Part Two, The Irons Have Tolled, now available.
Until the stance ends, you can make a ranged basic attack as an opportunity action against any enemy within 5 squares of you that moves closer to you.
is the text for the power
Trigger: Opportunity actions allow you to take an action in response to an enemy letting its guard down. The one type of opportunity action that every combatant can take is an opportunity attack. Opportunity attacks are triggered by an enemy leaving a square adjacent to you or by an adjacent enemy making a ranged attack or an area attack.
Once per Combatant’s Turn: You can take no more than one opportunity action on each other combatant’s turn. You can’t take an opportunity action on your own turn.
Interrupts Action: An opportunity action interrupts the action that triggered it.
Bah that's a lot to type.. As you can see it's not on an initiative count but on the creatures turn.
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KD: I don't think that works. Instead, have the bad guys *all* ready an action to go as soon as Mr. Spitting-Cobra Stance attacks. Since the bad guys then go during Mr. Spitting-Cobra Stance's turn, he can't make opportunity attacks against them.
__________________ - Nail
Last edited by Nail: Today....just a few minutes ago
KD: I don't think that works. Instead, have the bad guys *all* ready an action to go as soon as Mr. Spitting-Cobra Stance attacks. Since the bad guys then go during Mr. Spitting-Cobra Stance's turn, he can't make opportunity attacks against them.
Actually, it does work (unless you have a rules quote where it does not?).
Your solution is even better. Zero opportunity attacks instead of one.
__________________ The first sign of a broken rule is when someone suggests that the way to stop it is by readying an action.
Does this means a character can generaly avoid taking an opportunity attack by declaring the action as a readied action?
For example, can a ranged character use a ranged attack on a adjacent opponent without taking an attack of opportunity, by declaring the attack as a readied action: "Whenever the opponent taks a minor, move or standard action" ?
Does this means a character can generaly avoid taking an opportunity attack by declaring the action as a readied action?
For example, can a ranged character use a ranged attack on a adjacent opponent without taking an attack of opportunity, by declaring the attack as a readied action: "Whenever the opponent taks a minor, move or standard action" ?
That seems a bit gamey and cheap to me. :-/
I believe it does, which yes, it's VERY gamey and cheap.
I know I wouldn't do it nor allow my players too. If this happened in my game, I'd probably (depending on the situation, have the monsters go for someone else if that's not possible.. Call for reinforcements (wave 2 with artillery!)
Does this means a character can generaly avoid taking an opportunity attack by declaring the action as a readied action?
For example, can a ranged character use a ranged attack on a adjacent opponent without taking an attack of opportunity, by declaring the attack as a readied action: "Whenever the opponent taks a minor, move or standard action" ?
That seems a bit gamey and cheap to me. :-/
Well, you're essentially readying an action to do something when you're opponent is otherwise occupied.
Does this means a character can generaly avoid taking an opportunity attack by declaring the action as a readied action?
For example, can a ranged character use a ranged attack on a adjacent opponent without taking an attack of opportunity, by declaring the attack as a readied action: "Whenever the opponent taks a minor, move or standard action" ?
That seems a bit gamey and cheap to me. :-/
It really depends on how specific your DM wants you to be in choosing a trigger for the readied action. For example, I don't think it would be too out of line to request that you be more specific than minor/move/standard. A trigger such as "this enemy attacks myself or an ally" would be more in line than simply "takes a standard action."
A few other considerations:
-The readied action is an immediate reaction. If your attack would kill the enemy, you've just let it do it's nastiness anyway. Not much difference if their on-turn attack is the same as their opportunity attack, but if they have conditions/effects/riders to their on-turn attack, then they get the extra opportunity to inflict it upon you & your allies.
-Similarly, if you are inflicting an effect, inflicting it during the enemy's own turn can weaken its effectiveness.
-If your target has allies who can get in melee around you before the target takes the triggering action, your attack will still draw OAs from these other baddies.
Overall, you could ready an action to avoid allowing one creature one chance at an OA, but usually there are much better things you could be doing than attacking in this fashion.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by caranha
Does this means a character can generaly avoid taking an opportunity attack by declaring the action as a readied action?
Yep!
Quote:
Originally Posted by caranha
That seems a bit gamey and cheap to me. :-/
Are sound tactics cheap?
Concider these two things:
Readied actions are often inferior to a full set of actions, given that you often must charge, and thus have only a basic melee attack. You also lose your place in initiative.
There are plenty of ways to describe cinematicly how this would look. "All of them wait for you to make a move, then spring by you while you are distracted." Using the rules to move tactically doesn't have to be cheesy.
__________________ - Nail
Last edited by Nail: Today....just a few minutes ago
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA PCs now: Genasi Warlord 5 Human BRV Fighter 5
Posts: 8,000
Quote:
Originally Posted by KarinsDad
Actually, it does work (unless you have a rules quote where it does not?).
I *think* that it doesn't work because the moves are still occuring on a turn other than the OA guy's turn, therefore he still gets to make OAs. I could be wrong.
__________________ - Nail
Last edited by Nail: Today....just a few minutes ago
I *think* that it doesn't work because the moves are still occuring on a turn other than the OA guy's turn, therefore he still gets to make OAs. I could be wrong.
Pssst read my post a couple above yours
__________________ "Ná Eru veria le, ná elenath dín síla erin rád o chuil lín."
So if all the enemies readied their actions to take place when the Ranger took an action...
1. The Ranger now has an incredible Power available: "Do Nothing". The power effectively stuns all the enemies for an entire turn. Not much fun, but powerful.
2. Question: If the DM readies an action (or delays, I suppose) should the DM communicate this to the players?
So if all the enemies readied their actions to take place when the Ranger took an action...
1. The Ranger now has an incredible Power available: "Do Nothing". The power effectively stuns all the enemies for an entire turn. Not much fun, but powerful.
2. Question: If the DM readies an action (or delays, I suppose) should the DM communicate this to the players?
As for your question, there was an interesting article about game transparency in Dragon recently. There's multiple ways of handling this depending on what level of game transparency you want to use in your game.
You can have:
No transparency (the DM says nothing - generally discouraged)
Mild transparency (the DM describes how the creature prepares for something)
Moderate transparency (the DM describes how the creature focuses its eyes on you, raising its blade to assault you)
Full transparency (the DM explains what action it readied and with what trigger)
So, really, pick one that fits with your playstyle, but stay consistent about it.
So if all the enemies readied their actions to take place when the Ranger took an action...
1. The Ranger now has an incredible Power available: "Do Nothing". The power effectively stuns all the enemies for an entire turn. Not much fun, but powerful.
2. Question: If the DM readies an action (or delays, I suppose) should the DM communicate this to the players?
1 - Well, it IS a daily power.
2 - Unless the opponents have a hivemind of sorts, I think they'd have to communicate amongst themselves, and the characters should hear something like "wait for my signal".
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