Can you ready a move action?

[Gansk]

Be very careful with that one. It can cause D&D to Crash to Desktop.

I don't think it was the intent of the rules to force a charge.

For example, a serval is fighting a minor flame snake. A serval is a cat with the pounce ability. The minor flame snake readies its burning hands spell-like ability, on the condition that the cat enters the 15 foot range.

The cat charges and is disabled by the burning hands. It is 15 feet away and has already moved more than its speed. It can only take a single action at this point.

Is it supposed to illegally continue its charge and pounce the snake? Can't it change its mind and run away, using only single move actions from now on?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is it supposed to illegally continue its charge and pounce the snake? Can't it change its mind and run away, using only single move actions from now on?

Continuing its charge isn't illegal. It's already taken a full-round action to charge - you noted that it's already moved more than its speed - so it's not taking any action after becoming disabled to complete the charge.

-Hyp.

 

[Gansk]

So it's not taking any action after becoming disabled to complete the charge.

-Hyp.

The DM is supposed to make judgement calls about whether a strenuous exertion will cause a creature's condition to change from disabled to dying.

Doesn't it go against the intent of the rules to say the creature is performing no action after it is disabled, so it can pounce on the snake and take rake attacks as well?

 

[irdeggman]

The DM is supposed to make judgement calls about whether a strenuous exertion will cause a creature's condition to change from disabled to dying.

Doesn't it go against the intent of the rules to say the creature is performing no action after it is disabled, so it can pounce on the snake and take rake attacks as well?

Almost but not quite.

from the SRD

Disabled: A character with 0 hit points, or one who has negative hit points but has become stable and conscious, is disabled. A disabled character may take a single move action or standard action each round (but not both, nor can she take full-round actions). She moves at half speed. Taking move actions doesn’t risk further injury, but performing any standard action (or any other action the DM deems strenuous, including some free actions such as casting a quickened spell) deals 1 point of damage after the completion of the act. Unless the action increased the disabled character’s hit points, she is now in negative hit points and dying.

A disabled character with negative hit points recovers hit points naturally if she is being helped. Otherwise, each day she has a 10% chance to start recovering hit points naturally (starting with that day); otherwise, she loses 1 hit point. Once an unaided character starts recovering hit points naturally, she is no longer in danger of losing hit points (even if her current hit points are negative).

Dying: A dying character is unconscious and near death. She has –1 to –9 current hit points. A dying character can take no actions and is unconscious. At the end of each round (starting with the round in which the character dropped below 0 hit points), the character rolls d% to see whether she becomes stable. She has a 10% chance to become stable. If she does not, she loses 1 hit point. If a dying character reaches –10 hit points, she is dead.

A charge is considered a full-round action regardless of whether it is a full move (i.e., double speed) or partial (less than double speed).

 

[Gansk]

A charge is considered a full-round action regardless of whether it is a full move (i.e., double speed) or partial (less than double speed).

So you agree with Hyp that once a creature "takes" an action, there is no consequence to completing the action, even if the creature's condition changes in the middle of the action?

 

[meleeguy]

Delving into the 3.5 DMG on page 25 there is a very interesting example involving a sorcerer, a beholder, and the readied action. It is clear from that example that the rules intend the DM to be creative in resolving these kinds of situations. In the example, a sorcerer is trying to use the ready action to interrupt a beholder's eye attack. The difficulty of this sounds on the same order of magnitude as that of trying to catch an archer at the moment (or just before) he releases the string. The preposed resolution in the example is opposed wis vs. dex check to see whether the sorcerer gets his action off before or after the beholder makes his.

I posit that in complex ready action situations the designers intend that they resolved by the DM creatively using this example as inspiration, and that this has the force of RAW, although not as a first source. I would also use this example as a template for resolving the ninja hobo dilemma of an earlier thread as well.

Wow, I used to hate 3rd edition until I gave into the dark side of the rules lawyer.

 

[Hypersmurf]

A charge is considered a full-round action regardless of whether it is a full move (i.e., double speed) or partial (less than double speed).

Well, that depends.

If you're not restricted to standard or move actions only, then a charge is a full round action, even if you only charge ten feet.

If you are restricted to standard or move actions only (such as when you're disabled), you can charge as a standard action, but you are limited to only travelling your speed. (See the footnote on the Table of Action Types.)

-Hyp.

 

[moritheil]

So you agree with Hyp that once a creature "takes" an action, there is no consequence to completing the action, even if the creature's condition changes in the middle of the action?

Hm, so then we have the example of a wizard being threatened by a longspear who decides to cast shocking grasp and shock the longspear wielder. He gets hit en route to the longspear wielder and is incapacitated (<0 hit points). I presume that he does not actually get to deliver his shocking grasp attack or finish his move action, and instead simply keels over once hit.

 

[Gansk]

Hm, so then we have the example of a wizard being threatened by a longspear who decides to cast shocking grasp and shock the longspear wielder. He gets hit en route to the longspear wielder and is incapacitated (<0 hit points). I presume that he does not actually get to deliver his shocking grasp attack or finish his move action, and instead simply keels over once hit.

That's logical, right?

PHB pg. 160 - "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."

 

[two]

My all-time favorite movement-related readied action is the old "5' step with reach weapon trick."

What you do is ready an "attack" as soon as the bad guy (without a reach weapon) attacks you.

So the bad guy runs up with his sword and tries to hack you up. You first of all get an AOO due to the bay guy moving through your threatened space.

Then your readied action goes off when the bad guy tries to nail you with his sword. Since you can combine a 5' step with an attack (during a readied action) you move 5' backwards and hit him with your reach weapon (the bad guy is now 10' away). Then the bad guy resolves his sword attack. Thing is, you are 10' away and his sword can't hit you. So he swings at air and misses. He can't move anymore, because he's started his attack sequence. And he can't make a 5' step, because he's moved this round. He's stuck. Too bad.

Next round, since you have initiative, you do a full attack against the guy and then step back 5' again (bad guy is now 15' away). Bad guy has to move through another threatened space to get to you (another AOO) and then finally gets to attack.

Then you step back 5' and full attack next round.

This nets you 2 AOO's, 1 standard attack, and 2 full attacks in the time it takes the bad guy to get a SINGLE attack in.

That's a good ratio!

With any luck, the bad guy is dead at the cost of possibly hitting you once.

Granted -- this works best when 1-on-1 with a bad guy, not multiple baddies.

Reach is goooood.