Ready Action

[Liquidsabre]

Again the book states that the triger of the action by the pc was "if the monster attacks me". The book states that the ready action is triggered when the monster attacks him and he moves back. This causes him to be out of range and the monster then can not perform his action so the monster is unable to perform his action.

Don't neglect the AoO the monster receives against the character leaving the threatened space. Withdrawing is a full-round action. Either way the monster gets an attack.

 

[Philip]

Don't neglect the AoO the monster receives against the character leaving the threatened space. Withdrawing is a full-round action. Either way the monster gets an attack.

That's not right, you only need a 5 ft. adjustment to make it work, 5 ft. adjustments do not draw AoO's.

 

[Benben]

The 5' adjustment isn't a standard action and therefore can't be readied. You can ready a 5 move but that will activate an AoO by the monster.

 

[thepriz]

The 5' adjustment isn't a standard action and therefore can't be readied. You can ready a 5 move but that will activate an AoO by the monster.

You can ready a "standard action, a move action, or a free action". a 5' adjustment is a free action which can be readied.

 

[Zoatebix]

Doesn't the wording for provoking an attack of opportunity from leaving a threatened square contain a clause that says you don't provoke if your total movement in the round is no more than 5 feet? It doesn't matter whether you use a 5 for step or a move-action - if the total movement is no more than 5 you're Scot-free to do it.

 

[Zoatebix]

Nevermind - I think I'm remembering 3.0 wording. The Attack of Opportunity rules for movement only mention 5 foot steps and the withdraw action, specifically.

 

[two]

It may be legal in the literal sense, but I think it's a major cheese.

It can get even worse: when I created my first Fighter with a reach weapon I immediately thought of this.

1. You ready to attack the enemy if he attacks you.
2. Enemy moves to within 5 ft. : Attack of Opportunity with glaive
3. Enemy attacks : you attack first due to your ready action, then you take your 5 ft. step, foiling his attack.

Then repeat.

I would too embarassed to even try this on my DM.

Ah, see above for a more long-winded description, which however missed the "readied attack plus 5' move" option which adds another attack to the total (7 to 1).

This I would actually allow in a game; it is one of the benefits of reach, and requires an opponent that's single-mindedly attacking. A rather dumb one.

 

[argo]

You can take a 5' step as part of a readied action but only if you have taken no other movement that round. So you can ready an action to attack and then 5' step in to attack (great for those pesky 5' steping wizards/archers) or attack and 5' step out (as in the above situation).

Yes the monster wiffs his attack. You are commited to your action after you trigger the readied action. Or rather I should say, you can complete your action if you are still able to and you choose to do so but you cannot change it for a different action.

This trick only works if the monster doesn't have reach, otherwise there is no way to get out of his reach without provoking AoO's. Also a character with spring attack can foil this: move in, attack, wiff because the other guy moved out, use spring attack to move up to him again. On the next round he can ready his attack/5' step combo and cause you to miss your first attack but you will still be able to 5' step and complete a full attack. In either case the monster should use its first available attack to trip or possibly grapple.

Beyond that it all depends on how smart the monster is. A dumb monster may very well fall for this trick for severall rounds and that seems perfectly OK to me: like a hunter using a pack of dogs to harry the prey while he safely kills it with a bow or spear. A smart monster will charge whoever has already attacked him that round/whoever doesn't have a readied action. If the readier is blocking for his teammates then overrun him, he must choose to either stand and take it (in which case you get to trip him) or move out of your way and let you past. Can't think of any other stunningly obvious counterattacks at the moment. I think the point of this thread is it just re-emphasises the advantages of good teamwork ganging up on somebody, the team couldn't do this if there were multiple opponents about.

Hope that helps.

 

[Benben]

You can ready a "standard action, a move action, or a free action". a 5' adjustment is a free action which can be readied.

No a 5' adjustment is a Miscellanous action or a Non-action depending on where in the SRD you're looking. You can take a 5' adjustment as part of a readied action as long as you've taken no other movement that round.

So in this case the player could ready to shout and then move back five foot back and it would be legal.

 

[thepriz]

Doesn't the wording for provoking an attack of opportunity from leaving a threatened square contain a clause that says you don't provoke if your total movement in the round is no more than 5 feet? It doesn't matter whether you use a 5 for step or a move-action - if the total movement is no more than 5 you're Scot-free to do it.

This is basicly true. You don't have to do a movement action. In fact you can't move any distance if you use a 5' step. Which means that if you perform a 5' step you still can perform a standard action or a move action after you have done a ready action.