Are Readied Actions Obvious?

[Exquisite Dead Guy]

Can an opponent tell that you are readying one of the following actions? My thoughts follow the relevant sections from the SRD:

Distracting Spellcasters
You can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger "if she starts casting a spell."

Predictable in some situations, but not in all.

Readying to Counterspell
You may ready a counterspell against a spellcaster (often with the trigger "if she starts casting a spell").

Probably not going to deter the enemy caster in either case. You could be delaying or readying an attack action against the enemy caster so I'd say it isn't obvious. Predictable perhaps, but not obvious.

Readying a Weapon against a Charge
You can ready certain piercing weapons, setting them to receive charges. A readied weapon of this type deals double damage if you score a hit with it against a charging character.

I'd say no otherwise it severly limits its usefulness IMHO. Why bother doing this when you can just ready an action to attack the first foe that comes into range? The extra damage isn't worth the gamble of losing your attack completely IMO.

I can see all three of these situations coming up soon IMC judging by the way my players seem to be building their characters. Your interpretations are welcome.

 

[frankthedm]

Yes they are obviously waiting for something. I do believe the DMG 3.0 called this out.

The warrior is focused on the caster, blade ready, watching every movement the magus makes.

The caster watches his rival, hand posibly poised to gesture.

You've never heard of setting a spear vs. charge?

 

[Exquisite Dead Guy]

You've never heard of setting a spear vs. charge?

As I said, if it is obvious it makes this action pretty useless. If I suspect you might charge me from a distance of 15' why bother setting the spear to receive the charge when all you have to do is close first and then attack? I not only lose the chance to attack you for double damage, I can't attack you at all. I'm thinking that if you're using a weapon that can be set to receive a charge all you have to do is drop the butt end of it to the ground at the last second (Braveheart anyone?). Thus your opponent doesn't know whether you've readied to receive the charge or if you've readied an action to attack him normally when he comes within range. All he can tell is that you are holding your spear at the ready and focusing in his direction.

Anyway, that's my take on it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm thinking that if you're using a weapon that can be set to receive a charge all you have to do is drop the butt end of it to the ground at the last second (Braveheart anyone?).

Remember, setting a spear requires the Ready action.

However, you can Ready any standard action, and the Ready action happens to be a standard action.

I would consider an example of the Ready action to set a spear being the scene in The Thirteenth Warrior; the spear is set on the character's initiative count:
"What do I do with this?"
"Put your foot on it! And stand!"

Whereas Braveheart is one step removed - they're taking the Ready action to Ready the Ready action to set a spear. The spear is not set on the character's initiative count; the spear is not set until the opponent charges, triggering the first Ready action, which resolves by them taking the Ready action to set the spear.

-Hyp.

 

[Plane Sailing]

DMG p17 (NPC Actions) covers the describing of what NPCs are doing, and it specifically calls out Ready a ranged weapon "He's got his weapon trained on that area, obviously waiting for something"

This suggests that the most appropriate way of handling the spear issue is something like "He's got his spear prepared, and he's waiting for you to approach" - you don't know exactly what he's going to do, but you've certainly got the gist of it.

My personal solution to your problem is different though - if I may digress into a houserule for a moment. I don't enforce 'readying' against a charge. Rather, if you charge anyone with a spear (or weapon which can do double damage against a charger), they *automatically* get double damage on their attack against you. It makes spears a bit nastier, and also more accurately reflects their usage in medieval combat as I understand it (and as modelled in tabletop ancients wargames... never charge a spear-armed unit!)

Cheers

 

[frankthedm]

My personal solution to your problem is different though - if I may digress into a houserule for a moment. I don't enforce 'readying' against a charge. Rather, if you charge anyone with a spear (or weapon which can do double damage against a charger), they *automatically* get double damage on their attack against you. It makes spears a bit nastier, and also more accurately reflects their usage in medieval combat as I understand it (and as modelled in tabletop ancients wargames... never charge a spear-armed unit!)

OUCH! And here I thought a feat for that benefit was fair!

My only disagreement on the way you are runing it is that in the wargames, it is generally assumed you see the foe coming at you at quite a distance, plenty of time to ready.

Though I do hate those charge based one trick ponies and this would send them to the glue factory very fast...

 

[Exquisite Dead Guy]

My personal solution to your problem is different though - if I may digress into a houserule for a moment. I don't enforce 'readying' against a charge. Rather, if you charge anyone with a spear (or weapon which can do double damage against a charger), they *automatically* get double damage on their attack against you. It makes spears a bit nastier, and also more accurately reflects their usage in medieval combat as I understand it (and as modelled in tabletop ancients wargames... never charge a spear-armed unit!)

I was thinking the same thing. I was just looking to see if there was anything official I was missing before I posted something similar to the house rules forum for opinions.

I'll need to decide between Hyp's "Ready action to Ready the Ready action to set a spear" and the house rule before the next session. One of my player's has a halfling paladin on a war dog that needs taking down a notch.

 

[Plane Sailing]

One of my player's has a halfling paladin on a war dog that needs taking down a notch.

Hey, I've been playing a halfling paladin on a wardog recently, and i've got to say... overpowered it aint! (unless there are some funky feats which are being used, but in the worlds largest dungeon even with mounted combat and spirited charge I'm only just matching the other fighting PCs damage on the rounds when I actually *can* charge

Cheers

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hey, I've been playing a halfling paladin on a wardog recently, and i've got to say... overpowered it aint! (unless there are some funky feats which are being used, but in the worlds largest dungeon even with mounted combat and spirited charge I'm only just matching the other fighting PCs damage on the rounds when I actually *can* charge

Have you been enjoying the wardog shuffle once you get into combat, though?

Stab with lance, dog steps 5' in, bite.
Bite, dog steps 5' out, stab with lance.
Stab with lance, dog steps 5' in, bite.
Bite, dog steps 5' out, stab with lance.
Repeat.

-Hyp.

 

[Artoomis]

Hey, I've been playing a halfling paladin on a wardog recently, and i've got to say... overpowered it aint! (unless there are some funky feats which are being used, but in the worlds largest dungeon even with mounted combat and spirited charge I'm only just matching the other fighting PCs damage on the rounds when I actually *can* charge

Cheers

I played a paladin on a celestial war dog with celestial armor (limited flying)

On those rounds when charging was actually possible (the minority), if he hit, it was AWESOME. Because he could only hit once, and because charging was often not posible due to very restrictive 3.5 charge rules, it balanced out very well.

For pure fighting, he was less effective than the fighter, even though mounted on a flying (part-time) war dog. Fortunately, he had spells and powers to balance that out and make him more useful that just for fighting.