Defeat The Vile 5' Step

[werk]

Reach weapon fighters should ready as often as possible Vs. Attacks. Simply ready an attack for when someone tries to attack you. If the person who triggered your ready is adjacent, taking your 5' step away with your ready negates thier attack [ unless you were deep inside thier reach to begin with] most times [your 5' step takes you outside thier reach] and then you will go again before they do from then on out. Ready an attack for when they tries to attack after that. If the fool rinses and repeats, have fun.

Hunh?

So are you readying to move or to attack?

Ready goes off before the trigger, so readying a 5' is usually pointless unless the attacker has used up all of their move.

If you ready to attack, you get one attack, but then you don't have reach anymore, same problem as before.

I guess I don't see it...

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Hunh?

So are you readying to move or to attack?

I stand still. I read an action to attack my opponent if he attacks me.

The greatsword wielder approaches (possibly provoking an AoO for movement).

He stands next to me, and attacks.

Before resolving his attack, my readied action goes off. I take a 5' step back (allowed because I haven't moved yet this round) and attack him. We resolve my attack.

Now, we return to his attack. Unfortunately, I am no longer in range of his attack, and therefore his attack automatically fails. He cannot elect to change his attack to something else, just like a wizard cannot decide to not cast a spell if my readied attack disrupts his spell or causes him to lose his target.

 

[werk]

I stand still. I read an action to attack my opponent if he attacks me.

The greatsword wielder approaches (possibly provoking an AoO for movement).

He stands next to me, and attacks.

Before resolving his attack, my readied action goes off. I take a 5' step back (allowed because I haven't moved yet this round) and attack him. We resolve my attack.

Now, we return to his attack. Unfortunately, I am no longer in range of his attack, and therefore his attack automatically fails. He cannot elect to change his attack to something else, just like a wizard cannot decide to not cast a spell if my readied attack disrupts his spell or causes him to lose his target.

So how does readying to attack get you a 5' move also?

edit: Ok, got it...
You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.

 

[Nail]

Huh.

Not: Huh?

Just: Huh.

 

[Nail]

So how does readying to attack get you a 5' move also?

edit: Ok, got it...
You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.

right. Your edit beat me to it.

Bizarre. I read your post, hit reply, and by the time it loads up, there's your edit.

 

[werk]

right. Your edit beat me to it.

Bizarre. I read your post, hit reply, and by the time it loads up, there's your edit.

I'm like that.



edit: so now this strategy looks great so long as you are fighting a single opponent.

 

[Nail]

edit: so now this strategy looks great so long as you are fighting a single opponent.

Ha! Caught yer edit....again.....

Anyway: Yea, the ready to 5-foot step away from a charging opponent seems rules-good and common-sense-bad. Sigh. Can't win 'em all.

 

[ThirdWizard]

You don't even need a reach weapon. You can take a 5' step after you attack them with your readied action. It can be a very annoying tactic.

 

[Nail]

Yep, reach isn't necessary....as you can take the 5-foot step after the attack too.

The only significant thing I can think of is to use Bullrush or Overrun as a tactic against this.

Having a wall or two around would also be nice.

 

[Hypersmurf]

But i'm not sure the Greatsword Ftr couldn't keep moving. After all, you've interupted his action.

You've interrupted his attack action. Your ready action can't trigger until he actually gets to the point in his turn where he's taking the attack action. He can't take the attack action while he's stillt aking his move action, therefore his move action is finished. He takes the attack action, then you interrupt it, 5' step back, and hit him. You're now ten feet away, and he's committed to an attack action with a 5' weapon.

-Hyp.