Can you ready an action to cast a spell?

[Question]

Can you ready an action to cast a spell based on enemy actions?

For example could you say "When the orcs move within 15 ft i will hit them with color spray"?

Or "If any enemies pop around the corner i will nail them with an acid arrow"?

 

[Artoomis]

Absolutely.

"You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action."

 

[Infiniti2000]

Can you ready an action to cast a spell based on enemy actions?

Yes, but keep in mind that DM adjudication may limit the trigger events. For example, I would not allow (nor do I think the rules allow) you to say, "If enemy A comes around the corner, I hit him with magic missile, but if enemy B sticks his face out of the window, I hit him with an acid arrow."

It's "IF __ THEN __." No ELSE clauses.

 

[Presto2112]

Absolutely.

"You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action."

You can't ready a swift action?

 

[Artoomis]

You can't ready a swift action?

Perhaps not, techincally, but I think I'd assume that WotC simply failed to update the SRD to take Swift Actions into account and I'd allow it.

 

[Infiniti2000]

You can't ready a swift action?

That's because they don't exist.

 

[ThirdWizard]

You can't ready a swift action?

You could always ready a Standard Action and when it triggers use a Swift Action.


How about this: can I ready an action to ready an action?

 

[Kurashu]

Only if you use it ready an action.

 

[Infiniti2000]

You could always ready a Standard Action and when it triggers use a Swift Action.

No, you can't.

How about this: can I ready an action to ready an action?

Sure, as long as you specify the trigger and the readied action.

 

[Vegepygmy]

You could always ready a Standard Action and when it triggers use a Swift Action.

No, you can't.

Sure you could.

"You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally." PHB, page 139.

"You can take a swift action any time you would normally be allowed to take a free action." Spell Compendium, page 4.