Coup de Grace: "Disruptable" Full-Round Action?

[el-remmen]

In my game we use the "covered" house rule:

"Covering" someone means readying an attack against a helpless foe based on the action of others - if a character uses a "Cover" action and the circumstances of the readied action go off he gets an additional +4 to hit and damage.

So if the foe says "Stay Back or the Elf Gets It!" while he holds a dagger to the staggered elven bard and someone steps forward - he'd get his readied action with the above bonuses.

 

[Jhulae]

This might be 3.0, but can't you ready an action to begin the first part of a full-round action? I don't know why you'd do it, but you could ready the CDG, the readied action goes off interrupting something else, and then next round you would be able to finish the CDG with less than a full-round action. Similarly, you could...

First round:
Move 30' to helpless guy. (move action)
Begin CDG. (Standard action)

Next round:
Finish CDG. (Standard action?)
Move 30'. (Move action)

Actually, it's the same way in 3.5. A character can 'begin' a full round action as a Standard Action. The character then has to use a Standard Action at the beginning of her next turn to complete it.

Note that this means a CDG can be readied, because it's only a Standard Action to initiate a full round action. (Unless I'm missing something somewhere.) But, again, note that you'd have to be at least within a 5' step of the target (assuming you didn't move before readying) and you'd have to assume she's *going* to get held or become immobile somehow. It really makes readying a CDG pointless because of all the factors involved.

 

[Felix]

Actually, it's the same way in 3.5.

Yeah, that's what I thought but I was too lazy to check on it.

It really makes readying a CDG pointless because of all the factors involved.

Yeah, but it makes the "Throw your weapons down or the girl gets it!" threat a little more cinematically sound. At least you can begin cutting the throat or whatever to give the heroes pause.

Either way, eh?

 

[Jhulae]

Yeah, but it makes the "Throw your weapons down or the girl gets it!" threat a little more cinematically sound. At least you can begin cutting the throat or whatever to give the heroes pause.

Well, that's true, and would be a good usage of a 'readied' CDG.