Can you ready an action to cast a spell?

[Infiniti2000]

I have a not quite vivid recollection of an advice piece from some WotC source regarding fighting creatures with 10' reach. It specifically suggested readying an attack with a 5 foot step triggered when the creature moved within 10', so that you would avoid attacks of opportunity. Anyone recall this? It would seem to directly conflict with the FAQ. Of course, as others have pointed out, you need to declare the free action as part of your readying.

The difference is that a 5ft-step is not a free action, it is "not an action" at all. So, when you take a 5ft-step as part of a readied action, you are not in fact taking two actions. The reason you can take a 5ft-step is because the rules clearly allow you to as part of a readied action.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Reading the text I don't think the intent is to allow doing more than 1 action with a readied action. My logic is that if it was intended that you could perform a free action in addition to the "readied" action then it would state that you can ready a free action - since they are part of another action in the first place (the logic that people seem tto be using for allowing performance of a free action with a readied standard action).

Would you allow an archer to draw an arrow as part of his Readied Action to attack?

Would you allow a wizard to pull out spell components as part of his Readied Action to cast his spell?

Would you allow a monster with Improved Grab to get a free grapple on a successful strike during a Readied Action to attack?

Why are these different than, say, Quick Draw? Or dropping prone? Or dropping your sword?

 

[irdeggman]

Would you allow an archer to draw an arrow as part of his Readied Action to attack?

No because IMO you would have had to have your bow nicked when you readied the action to fire. You don't ready a "make an attack" you ready "shoot an arrow" - hence the actin must be set to go with the standard action taken to ready the action. But my opinion not withstanding it could be done since drawing the ammunition is part of the action itself.

Would you allow a wizard to pull out spell components as part of his Readied Action to cast his spell?

As long as the components were small yes since that is "part of casting the spell" - which is a standard action. Although if he had to retrieve his componets from his backpack thenthe answer is no since that is a totally separate action.

Would you allow a monster with Improved Grab to get a free grapple on a successful strike during a Readied Action to attack?

Now this is a "special" case since that is the specfic to the action taken itself so yes. The same as could a character with the cleave feat make an immediate attack against an adjacent opponent if he felled the one he had used his readied action on. Yes becaseu both of these conditions specify you can specifically.

Why are these different than, say, Quick Draw? Or dropping prone? Or dropping your sword?

Because we are talking about what you can do with a ready action not what you can do with a normal set of actions. If they had meant for you to always be able to perform free actions along with your readied standard action then why did they even bother to list free actions as things you can do with a ready action? I mean if the rules weren't meant to be different than they needn't have mentioned it all all right? And if so then they wouldn't have had a FAQ which appears to say the same thing also.

 

[ThirdWizard]

As long as the components were small yes since that is "part of casting the spell" - which is a standard action. Although if he had to retrieve his componets from his backpack thenthe answer is no since that is a totally separate action.

Of course, its a Free Action to do so.

Now this is a "special" case since that is the specfic to the action taken itself so yes. The same as could a character with the cleave feat make an immediate attack against an adjacent opponent if he felled the one he had used his readied action on. Yes becaseu both of these conditions specify you can specifically.

The grapple is specifically a Free Action. For example, you can't make use of Improved Grab during an Attack of Oppurtunity because you aren't taking an Action. Cleave is not a Free Action.

If they had meant for you to always be able to perform free actions along with your readied standard action then why did they even bother to list free actions as things you can do with a ready action?

To specify that you can ready ony a Free Action? If they hadn't specified that you could ready a Free Action then you wouldn't be able to Ready, say, to drop to the ground if someone shot an arrow at you. As it is, you can indeed Ready a Free Action.

Since the text on Free Actions specifically says you can take one whenever you are taking an Action, why is it that you believe you can't take a Free Action whenever you are taking an Action?

 

[MarkB]

Would you allow an archer to draw an arrow as part of his Readied Action to attack?

That's not a separate action, it's part of the attack action.

Would you allow a wizard to pull out spell components as part of his Readied Action to cast his spell?

No, I'd allow him to do so as a free action on his turn as part of Readying his subsequent Cast a Spell action.

Would you allow a monster with Improved Grab to get a free grapple on a successful strike during a Readied Action to attack?

Only if it specified its intent to do so as part of the Ready action.

Why are these different than, say, Quick Draw? Or dropping prone? Or dropping your sword?

The distinction I make with Ready is about choices. When you Delay your action you don't get to interrupt another character, but you get to take a full round's actions and choose what to do with them. When you Ready an action, you get the very powerful option to interrupt another character, at the expense that you have absolutely no choice in the circumstances of your action or the nature of your action.

Personally, though I think it is slightly outside the rules, I would allow a character to take one or more Free (but not Swift) actions in addition to a move or standard action as part of a Readied action - but only if he specifies in advance exactly what those actions will be.

 

[ThirdWizard]

That's not a separate action, it's part of the attack action.

It's a Free Action, actually.

Draw or Sheathe a Weapon

Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. This action also applies to weapon-like objects carried in easy reach, such as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored item.

If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may draw a weapon as a free action combined with a regular move. If you have the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, you can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take you to draw one.

Drawing ammunition for use with a ranged weapon (such as arrows, bolts, sling bullets, or shuriken) is a free action.

Personally, though I think it is slightly outside the rules, I would allow a character to take one or more Free (but not Swift) actions in addition to a move or standard action as part of a Readied action - but only if he specifies in advance exactly what those actions will be.

It is definately not outside the rules to do so.

Check out the rules on Counterspelling:

How Counterspells Work

To use a counterspell, you must select an opponent as the target of the counterspell. You do this by choosing the ready action. In doing so, you elect to wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to cast a spell. (You may still move your speed, since ready is a standard action.)

If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell’s level). This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, you correctly identify the opponent’s spell and can attempt to counter it. If the check fails, you can’t do either of these things.

To complete the action, you must then cast the correct spell. As a general rule, a spell can only counter itself. If you are able to cast the same spell and you have it prepared (if you prepare spells), you cast it, altering it slightly to create a counterspell effect. If the target is within range, both spells automatically negate each other with no other results.

Finally, I stumble upon concrete wording that yes, you can take Free Actions in Readied Actions.

Okay, now the major stumbling block is whether or not you can take them without declaring them first. We won't find that anywhere. But, by my reasoning, if you can take one Free Action during a Readied Action, you can take any Free Action during a Readied Action. There is no text saying that you can take only the action that you Readied. Free Actions can be performed during other Actions. It just seems like a logical consequence.

 

[Infiniti2000]

There is no text saying that you can take only the action that you Readied.

If that's true then by extrapolation you can ready a free action and take any standard action you want with it.

 

[ThirdWizard]

If that's true then by extrapolation you can ready a free action and take any standard action you want with it.

Not unless there is a rule that says you can take Standard Actions when taking another action.

 

[MarkB]

Okay, now the major stumbling block is whether or not you can take them without declaring them first. We won't find that anywhere. But, by my reasoning, if you can take one Free Action during a Readied Action, you can take any Free Action during a Readied Action. There is no text saying that you can take only the action that you Readied. Free Actions can be performed during other Actions. It just seems like a logical consequence.

To you, perhaps. To me, it goes utterly against the nature of Readied actions.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Well despite controversy over one point, at least I can be happy taht I proved the FAQ wrong.

EDIT: Hmm actually, what I appear to have found is an inconsistancy in the RAW, which I'll have to wait until I have my books to check. Drat.