Allowing a readied Charge

[Artoomis]

Forget intent and everything else, this is a pure attempt to see ifa very generous reading of the rules will allow a Readied Charge.

1. READY
The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun. Readying is a standard action. It does not provoke an attack of opportunity (though the action that you ready might do so).

COMMENT: The action occurs after your turn is over. Also, before your next turn. This could be interpreted to create a "virtual turn" - that time when you can only take:

...a standard action, a move action, or a free action...

Now...

If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn.

Since you are restricted to nothing more than a standard action or move action, you can take the charge - but only up to your move rate, not double.

Hmmm... that works. I'd allow it, but I would restrict it to only things like readying to interrupt a spell or things like that for which you need to ready an action. That balances it out nicely and prevents abuse.

Comments?

 

[Hypersmurf]

COMMENT: The action occurs after your turn is over. Also, before your next turn. This could be interpreted to create a "virtual turn" - that time when you can only take...

Except that prior to Readying, you had the option of taking a Move action.

Which means that your "virtual turn" must be considered to be a part of your "actual turn", during which you had the option of taking a Move Action, and subsequently can also take "a standard, move, or free action".

Thus, you are not restricted to solely a standard action, but rather to a move action and a standard action.

Which is to say, not much of a restriction at all.

-Hyp.

 

[Artoomis]

Except that prior to Readying, you had the option of taking a Move action.

Which means that your "virtual turn" must be considered to be a part of your "actual turn", during which you had the option of taking a Move Action, and subsequently can also take "a standard, move, or free action".

Thus, you are not restricted to solely a standard action, but rather to a move action and a standard action.

Which is to say, not much of a restriction at all.

-Hyp.

Ah , but "The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over " - the option of the move action was before your "turn is over." You have no option of a move [during the virtual turn.

Okay, it's shakey at best. I admit it. That's why I'd only allow it in circumstances when you want to do something that can only be done as a Readied Action - like spell interruption.

That's the way I would have like to have seen it written.

 

[frankthedm]

Ah , but "The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over " - the option of the move action was before your "turn is over." You have no option of a move [during the virtual turn.

Okay, it's shakey at best. I admit it. That's why I'd only allow it in circumstances when you want to do something that can only be done as a Readied Action - like spell interruption.

That's the way I would have like to have seen it written.

I would allow the readying of a 'partial charge' provided the player took no movment on the turn he readied.

 

[Silverglass]

I have absolutely no problem with Readying a charge, and not just for spell interruption.

Ready gives you a penalty by its nature, that you must specify what triggers the action, if it doesn't occur you lose your readied action. Also if it occurs in the next combat round you lose that action you would have taken in that round.
So for the bonus of interrupting someone you have to gamble that the conditions will be met so you can take the action.

As for Move-Ready-Charge I again don't see any problem with this from a rules point of view OR a realism point of view. The PC will not have moved further than they could on a normal charge. Effectively they get a similar result at the end of their turn as charging the person normally would give except that there is a greater risk that the target will be too close for a charge to count, unchargeable (is that a word) due to intervening obstacles or out of charge range, so again for the plus of interruption (which is the only extra thing that ready gives you) you risk not charging if the conditions are not exactly right.

 

[Li Shenron]

I have absolutely no problem with Readying a charge, and not just for spell interruption.

Ready gives you a penalty by its nature, that you must specify what triggers the action, if it doesn't occur you lose your readied action. Also if it occurs in the next combat round you lose that action you would have taken in that round.
So for the bonus of interrupting someone you have to gamble that the conditions will be met so you can take the action.

As for Move-Ready-Charge I again don't see any problem with this from a rules point of view OR a realism point of view. The PC will not have moved further than they could on a normal charge. Effectively they get a similar result at the end of their turn as charging the person normally would give except that there is a greater risk that the target will be too close for a charge to count, unchargeable (is that a word) due to intervening obstacles or out of charge range, so again for the plus of interruption (which is the only extra thing that ready gives you) you risk not charging if the conditions are not exactly right.

Someone mentioned before that the sad consequence could be a player move and then readying a partial charge with a fake trigger (such as, "as soon as... now") so to basically get a normal charge's bonuses but having been able to circumvent the charge's limitation of moving in a straight line, at least for the first half of the movement.

 

[Silverglass]

Someone mentioned before that the sad consequence could be a player move and then readying a partial charge with a fake trigger (such as, "as soon as... now") so to basically get a normal charge's bonuses but having been able to circumvent the charge's limitation of moving in a straight line, at least for the first half of the movement.

That would only be possible if the DM allowed such a loose interpretation of Ready. "Now" is not a condition to be met, "When the first person rounds the corner" is, but could still result in the charge conditions not being met.

I wouldn't allow what you are suggesting as it is an abuse of the rules and that is why we have DMs.

 

[RigaMortus]

As for Move-Ready-Charge I again don't see any problem with this from a rules point of view OR a realism point of view. The PC will not have moved further than they could on a normal charge. Effectively they get a similar result at the end of their turn as charging the person normally would give except that there is a greater risk that the target will be too close for a charge to count, unchargeable (is that a word) due to intervening obstacles or out of charge range, so again for the plus of interruption (which is the only extra thing that ready gives you) you risk not charging if the conditions are not exactly right.

Actually, in some instances the character would be able to move (charge) at different angles. Imagine a character is at the corner of a building, and they take a 30' move to the opposite end of the building. Upon reaching the next corner, they see enemies on the other side, about 20 feet away. Now normally, the character wouldn't have the ability to move up and attack. But if you allow them to "Ready" a charge if these enemies try to approach them, then you effectively allow a Charge with a 90 degree turn.

Set up (X is character, B is bad guys):

............B
..|------
..|
..|
..|
..|
X

Move action:

X..........B
..|------
..|
..|
..|
..|

Ready, and charge:

.........XB
..|------
..|
..|
..|
..|

It should be a "no no"... And it is...

 

[Keith]

Echoing what is above (especially Hsmurf), charge is a full round action, so cannot be readied. The smaller charge, which does not seem to be called partial anymore, or anything else, can only be used when “you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn.” On a normal turn, whether you moved or not before readying, you were not restricted from doing so, and this clause will not apply to that turn, no matter what circumstances you create for yourself.

How much does the ready action discourage movement? “You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.” There is no way at all you could charge.

 

[Storminator]

Actually, in some instances the character would be able to move (charge) at different angles. Imagine a character is at the corner of a building, and they take a 30' move to the opposite end of the building. Upon reaching the next corner, they see enemies on the other side, about 20 feet away. Now normally, the character wouldn't have the ability to move up and attack. But if you allow them to "Ready" a charge if these enemies try to approach them, then you effectively allow a Charge with a 90 degree turn.

<SNIP>

But that's simple to rule against. All movement in the round must be in a straight line. Problem solved.

I allow it.

PS