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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 7572516" data-attributes="member: 6987520">Good. Since we (at least) agree on how the official rules work, now we can discuss how absurd they are IMO. While you are correct that examples exist where you would get shot first, there are also examples where the lever is pulled. Since it could go both ways, why don't the rules reflect that? How could these scenarios never arise in play testing and if they did, why rule it in such an ambiguous manner?Consider what you wrote: "if he was moving onto the trap door and that was your trigger, you could drop him then." So, the reasoning here is that because he was moving and not attacking, your reaction is faster? He is moving when he draws an arrow to shoot, takes aim, and fires. How is that faster than him walking, or you pulling the lever?There are no speeds for actions, so unfortunately it comes down to the wording of the trigger--which is sad IMO since the intent is clear and it becomes a case of word-smithing.Thanks. I was hoping it would be a clear example. Now we are just talking semantics. Obviously the intent to pull the lever before the attack is there either way. Has D&D gotten to that point? Where wording is so nit-picky that it causes such strange results?Your idea of stopping the action and rerolling initiative in this case would work, but that is a DM deciding how to proceed. Like many of the rules in 5E, perhaps it was left this way to create options for the DM/table to use as they see fit. I know other editions had so many rules to make such situations overly clear and they wanted to avoid having a horde of rules.-------------------------------------------------------------------Same situation except now I am a player as well (new text in italics):A bowman is standing over a trap door in the floor and you have your hand on the lever that triggers it. He is holding his bow, but his arrows are still in his quiver. He has valuable information, so you don't want to just trigger the trap and possibly kill him. I am there ready to fire my crossbow at the guy if he moves at all. You have won initiative and are acting first. I am second. The bowman is last:You: I tell him not to attack or I will pull the lever.Me: If he moves at all I am just going to shoot him with my crossbow.DM: Ok, so you are Readying your action to Use an Object, the lever, if he attacks. And you are Readying your attack with the crossbow if he moves.You: Yep. I know I could interact with it for free now, but I don't want to do it unless I have to.Me: Sure shooting! *laughsDM: Sure, he shoots you then.You: What!? Wait, don't I get to pull the lever first?DM: You would think so, huh? But since the triggering action was his attack, and your readied action doesn't take place until after the triggering action, he still gets his attack against you.You: That can't be how it works!?DM: Sure it is. Page 191 of the PHB. I'll read it to you: "When the trigger event occurs [his attack], you can either take your reaction right after the trigger finishes or ignore the trigger." So, you can pull the lever after I resolve his attack on you, but not before it. Sorry.Me: Wow, that sucks.You: Then what was the point of my standing there holding the lever???DM: Nothing, I guess you should have just pulled it on your turn and hoped he survived. *grins*Me: Well, don't I get to shoot him? My circumstance for attacking was if he moves at all, he must be moving to draw an arrow and shot.DM: Huh? Oh, well... yeah, I guess so. You get to roll to attack him first.You: Wait, wait, wait! So, he can shoot his crossbow first, then the bowman is shooting me, and then I get to pull the lever? This is so messed up...So, unfortunately, because of the wording and despite the intent of both you and me, I would get to shoot and you get shot. I think this ruling needs some serious revamping.</blockquote>

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