5 foot step trick

[Simm]

Does this work?

I can ready a free action.
I am is melee combat against an enemy with 5 foot reach. During my round I take a full attack action and ready a five foot step to be taken when my enemy attacks me. on my enemy's turn it attacks. I take a five foot step back. The enemy has wasted its attacks. since I am no longer a valid target.

 

[LiquidBlue]

Unfortunately, readying an action takes a standard action.

 

[TheGogmagog]

Also you can take a 5' step before after or in between your attack action, so even if you forego your full attack to ready the action he'll still follow you (unless he already took his 5' to move up to you or get a better position.)

 

[Dracorat]

You can't take a 5' step if you've taken other movement.

However, if your movement is interrupted by someone moving due to a readied action, when their readied action completes, you can keep moving, even if your eventual destination is different than you originally planned (and you have legal movement remaining).

 

[Nail]

Does this work?

No.

 

[mvincent]

No.

Well, he can ready a movement that can interupt an opponent's attack, but obviously not after full attacking (since readying an action is a standard action), unless he was a choker or something.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Well, he can ready a movement that can interupt an opponent's attack, but obviously not after full attacking (since readying an action is a standard action), unless he was a choker or something.

Interestingly, while I've commented on the accident of wording in the 3.5 Spring Attack feat that means your movement is part of the Attack action (not a separate move action), I'd never realised until this thread prompted an tangential thought that as written in 3.5, you can use Spring Attack to Ready an Attack action, and when that action triggers, move before and after the attack provided the distance moved does not exceed your speed...

In my own game, I require the expenditure of a Move action in addition to the Attack action to make use of Spring Attack, but that's my own house rule to keep the feat more in line with its 3E behaviour...

-Hyp.

 

[ThirdWizard]

You should ready an action to attack if you are attacked. Then you can attack them and take your 5' step back. When their attack resolves, you are no longer beside them and they can't hit you. Note that some DMs will make you declare the 5' step in your ready and some won't. It's best to find out their stance beforehand.

 

[Hypersmurf]

You should ready an action to attack if you are attacked. Then you can attack them and take your 5' step back. When their attack resolves, you are no longer beside them and they can't hit you.

Only if they haven't moved... remember, you can take a 5 foot step before, during, or after your other actions in the round, so there's nothing stopping them taking their 5 foot step during the attack you interrupted to stay with you.

-Hyp.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Interestingly, while I've commented on the accident of wording in the 3.5 Spring Attack feat that means your movement is part of the Attack action (not a separate move action), I'd never realised until this thread prompted an tangential thought that as written in 3.5, you can use Spring Attack to Ready an Attack action, and when that action triggers, move before and after the attack provided the distance moved does not exceed your speed...

In my own game, I require the expenditure of a Move action in addition to the Attack action to make use of Spring Attack, but that's my own house rule to keep the feat more in line with its 3E behaviour...

-Hyp.

Wait, what? So in 3.5 Spring Attack, you can as your attack action: move, attack, finish your move, and then you still have a move action left over?

Whoa.

He's right:

Spring Attack
When using the attack action with a melee weapon, you can...