D&D 5E Take the Ready action.

[mrpopstar]

Hey, all! Been a long time!

So, I searched the forums and scanned a few threads. Started a conversation with my group and now I'm overthinking it.

It seems that when you take the Ready action, all you can reasonably use your reaction to do is move up to your speed, make one attack, cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, or use an object.

I understand the rules to imply that taking the Ready action allows me to use any of the other standard actions listed under "Actions in Combat" when I take my triggered reaction, but in reality that's not exactly true given the limited benefits.

• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Dash.
• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Disengage.
• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Dodge, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could technically benefit by taking the the Ready action to Help, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Hide, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could maybe benefit by taking the Ready action to Search given the corner case scenario.

I felt as though the precedent of previous editions was informing an assumptive understanding, but now that I look closer I see that Ready hasn't exactly changed, it's just that two thirds of the options aren't really options. Am I misunderstanding something?

 

[overgeeked]

Hey, all! Been a long time!

So, I searched the forums and scanned a few threads. Started a conversation with my group and now I'm overthinking it.

It seems that when you take the Ready action, all you can reasonably use your reaction to do is move up to your speed, make one attack, cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, or use an object.

I understand the rules to imply that taking the Ready action allows me to use any of the other standard actions listed under "Actions in Combat" when I take my triggered reaction, but in reality that's not exactly true given the limited benefits.

• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Dash.
• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Disengage.
• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Dodge, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could technically benefit by taking the the Ready action to Help, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Hide, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could maybe benefit by taking the Ready action to Search given the corner case scenario.

I felt as though the precedent of previous editions was informing an assumptive understanding, but now that I look closer I see that Ready hasn't exactly changed, it's just that two thirds of the options aren't really options. Am I misunderstanding something?

If X moves towards me, I dash away.

If X moves adjacent to me, I disengage.

You might want to wait if you're in a tense negotiation. Standing there's bobbing and weaving while negotiating is kinda indicative that you expect to be attacked. So you ready a dodge.

You can't help a person do a thing until they try to do that thing. I can't help you pick a lock until you try to pick the lock. "When X tries to pick the lock, I'll help" is a readied help action. If you're in combat, that precision matters.

If you're poking around a room you're not hiding. If you're not supposed to be there and a guard shows up, ready action to hide.

You aren't going to search a fighting goblin. You're going to search a dead one. If you're in combat, that precision matters.

Basically, it's all about the pressure and precision of timing things in combat. Hence "actions in combat". Initiative order can matter a lot. So certain readied actions can matter a lot.

 

[Oofta]

You can ready to take a single action or move.

Hey, all! Been a long time!

So, I searched the forums and scanned a few threads. Started a conversation with my group and now I'm overthinking it.

It seems that when you take the Ready action, all you can reasonably use your reaction to do is move up to your speed, make one attack, cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, or use an object.

I understand the rules to imply that taking the Ready action allows me to use any of the other standard actions listed under "Actions in Combat" when I take my triggered reaction, but in reality that's not exactly true given the limited benefits.

• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Dash.

You can ready an action (dash) or move.

• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Disengage.

There would be no reason to since you wouldn't be able to move afterwards.

• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Dodge, but why would you wait before you act?

I see no reason to.

• You could technically benefit by taking the the Ready action to Help, but why would you wait before you act?

You may want to help the next person to do X. How specific the trigger has to be is a bit vague, but I would certainly allow "I will help the next person to attack the orc."

• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Hide, but why would you wait before you act?

I see no reason to do so. The only exception would be how your DM runs stealth. If, for example the opposition could be coming from the left corridor or the right and you could hide from one direction but not the other because of sight lines. This would be really DM dependent though.

• You could maybe benefit by taking the Ready action to Search given the corner case scenario.

Perhaps there's something someone else can do to make the search easier or possible? But yes, it would be rare.

I felt as though the precedent of previous editions was informing an assumptive understanding, but now that I look closer I see that Ready hasn't exactly changed, it's just that two thirds of the options aren't really options. Am I misunderstanding something?

 

[mrpopstar]

If X moves towards me, I dash away.

If X moves adjacent to me, I disengage.

You might want to wait if you're in a tense negotiation. Standing there's bobbing and weaving while negotiating is kinda indicative that you expect to be attacked. So you ready a dodge.

You can't help a person do a thing until they try to do that thing. I can't help you pick a lock until you try to pick the lock. "When X tries to pick the lock, I'll help" is a readied help action. If you're in combat, that precision matters.

If you're poking around a room you're not hiding. If you're not supposed to be there and a guard shows up, ready action to hide.

You aren't going to search a fighting goblin. You're going to search a dead one. If you're in combat, that precision matters.

Basically, it's all about the pressure and precision of timing things in combat. Hence "actions in combat". Initiative order can matter a lot. So certain readied actions can matter a lot.

When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement for the current turn.
If you take the Ready action to use Dash, you can't also move.

When you take the Disengage action, your movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
If you take the Ready action to Disengage, you can't also move.

You can ready to take a single action or move.

You can ready an action (dash) or move.

There would be no reason to since you wouldn't be able to move afterwards.

I see no reason to.

You may want to help the next person to do X. How specific the trigger has to be is a bit vague, but I would certainly allow "I will help the next person to attack the orc."

I see no reason to do so. The only exception would be how your DM runs stealth. If, for example the opposition could be coming from the left corridor or the right and you could hide from one direction but not the other because of sight lines. This would be really DM dependent though.

Perhaps there's something someone else can do to make the search easier or possible? But yes, it would be rare.

Thank you! Very helpful.

 

[billd91]

When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement for the current turn.
If you take the Ready action to use Dash, you can't also move.

Of course you can, you just used the Dash action and gained extra movement. So use that movement.

 

[mrpopstar]

Of course you can, you just used the Dash action and gained extra movement. So use that movement.

Are you sure? I understand the Dash action to offer extra movement equal to your speed, but you still have to move to benefit, no?

 

[MarkB]

Are you sure? I understand the Dash action to offer extra movement equal to your speed, but you still have to move to benefit, no?

Exactly. You don't actually move when you take the Dash action, you simply unlock extra movement that you can take during your current turn. Using Dash as a readied action does literally nothing - it doesn't even let you move your normal speed.

 

[Oofta]

Of course you can, you just used the Dash action and gained extra movement. So use that movement.

So move on your turn and then ready to dash? That would work.

 

[mrpopstar]

Rounding back on these so as not to ignore...

You might want to wait if you're in a tense negotiation. Standing there's bobbing and weaving while negotiating is kinda indicative that you expect to be attacked. So you ready a dodge.

When you take the Dodge action, you focus entirely on avoiding attacks.
Bobbing and weaving not required!

You can't help a person do a thing until they try to do that thing. I can't help you pick a lock until you try to pick the lock. "When X tries to pick the lock, I'll help" is a readied help action. If you're in combat, that precision matters.

When you take the Help action, you lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task that must be performed before the start of your next turn.
It doesn't matter if you take the Help action on your turn, or take the Ready action to Help when you take your reaction. The creature gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform the task you're helping with either way.

If you're poking around a room you're not hiding. If you're not supposed to be there and a guard shows up, ready action to hide.

If you take the Ready action to Hide when you take your reaction, you must have already moved into position to hide otherwise you're stuck mid-poking around.

You aren't going to search a fighting goblin. You're going to search a dead one. If you're in combat, that precision matters.

I said above that there are maybe certain corner cases, but I agree with Oofta that such instances would be rare.

Basically, it's all about the pressure and precision of timing things in combat. Hence "actions in combat". Initiative order can matter a lot. So certain readied actions can matter a lot.

I don't disagree!

 

[overgeeked]

PHB, p193. Under Ready.

First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it. Examples include "If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I'll pull the lever that opens it," and "If the goblin steps next to me, I move away."