5 foot step and readied actions.

[Sekhmet]

Can you five foot step (no action) and then declare a readied action?

 

[Empirate]

Readying an action is a standard action. You could even move, then ready an action. Or draw a weapon, then ready an action.

 

[Sekhmet]

If you're allowed to ready a move action as a ready action, is it therefor allowed to five foot step and then declare your readied action to move when an opponent approaches?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

If you're allowed to ready a move action as a ready action, is it therefor allowed to five foot step and then declare your readied action to move when an opponent approaches?

No.

But you could move (any distance up to your speed, including 5') and then ready an action to move when an opponent approaches.

 

[Sekhmet]

If readied actions occur immediately prior to the event which triggers them, could a readied action "Move when X opponent swings at me" negate an opponents attack?

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.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

If readied actions occur immediately prior to the event which triggers them, could a readied action "Move when X opponent swings at me" negate an opponents attack?

Yes.

But be careful about the AoO you'll provoke when doing so.

 

[frankthedm]

If readied actions occur immediately prior to the event which triggers them, could a readied action "Move when X opponent swings at me" negate an opponents attack?

Depends on how the GM rules the interrupting works, but many seem to run it that way.

 

[Sekhmet]

Yes.

But be careful about the AoO you'll provoke when doing so.

I don't believe an AoO can occur in the middle of a swing. According to the rules, if the opponent chose to make a Full Attack, he would continue his swings at the same location which you used to be in without altering his course of action for your move.

IE: Lv20 barbarian approaches Lv20 fighter, fighter has a readied action to 5 Foot Step backwards as soon as the barbarian makes his first swing.
Barbarian declares Full Attack (4 hits) against Fighter.
Fighter interrupts!
Fighter makes 5 Foot Step backward.
Barbarian swings at empty square four times.


This would make a character invulnerable to one melee combatant (without Reach), allowing for other PCs to take him down during that time. He would be a very effective tank.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I don't believe an AoO can occur in the middle of a swing.

It can. In fact, your AoO can provoke an AoO, which can provoke, etc.

So, be really, really careful if you've got two beings with Supreme Reflexes (IIR the name C).

IE: Lv20 barbarian approaches Lv20 fighter, fighter has a readied action to 5 Foot Step backwards as soon as the barbarian makes his first swing.

Depending on how he approaches, he can't take the full attack action (e.g., if he took a normal move).

If he hadn't moved yet, then he could potentially auto-miss on his first swing, then take a 5' step, and make his remaining attacks.

Elsewise, the barbarian would make his first attack, realize that he wouldn't be able to hit with the others, and then would retroactively decide to not make his full attack, instead making only a single attack, which leaves him with a move action.

Deciding between an Attack or a Full Attack

After your first attack, you can decide to take a move action instead of making your remaining attacks, depending on how the first attack turns out. If you’ve already taken a 5-foot step, you can’t use your move action to move any distance, but you could still use a different kind of move action.

This would make a character invulnerable to one melee combatant (without Reach), allowing for other PCs to take him down during that time. He would be a very effective tank.

For one round. At which point, he gets ignored, and the Barbarian goes off and kills something else.

 

[Sekhmet]

Yes, I understand the "every other round" limitation.

During a Full Attack action, can anyone point me to the rule that says you can make a 5 Foot during your action?

I've always played that declaring your action means that -is what you will do-, regardless of circumstance, except in the occasion where one of your attacks fells an opponent (so that you can further attack).
This rule states that you can change your decision after your first attack, but not after any iterative attacks. Does this mean that you cannot make a TWF off hand attack and then change your action?
Similarly, does this mean that you cannot change opponents after your first attack, regardless of it's status (living, dead, prone, etc)?