D&D 5E Double Dash

[Esker]

I Readied a 2nd Dash on my turn. Being unable to Dash twice would have prevented this, as you cannot Ready an action you don't have available (a Champion Fighter, frex, cannot Ready a Meteor Storm just because it doesn't hapoen on his turn).

You certainly need to be able to do the thing you're readying at the time you actually do it, but it doesn't have to be something you could have done on your turn. I can ready an attack even if there is no available target on my turn, for example. The other issue is that it's not clear that readying movement actually even involves taking the dash action, since the rule on readying calls out movement as a special case. I mean, you can define your house rule however you want, so it doesn't matter that much, but I'm just pointing out that if you wanted to rule out readied dash contingent on how you spent your bonus action, saying "you can't take the dash action twice in a turn" doesn't do that. You'd have to say "you can't dash twice in a round" and clarify that you interpret readying movement to involve taking the dash action. The only other things I can think of in the rules that are restricted by round, rather than turn, are reactions themselves, and legendary actions. But even those aren't restricted in a way that is contingent on what happens during the turn. So it seems like it'd be not just a new rule, but a new kind of rule.

 

[Ovinomancer]

You certainly need to be able to do the thing you're readying at the time you actually do it, but it doesn't have to be something you could have done on your turn. I can ready an attack even if there is no available target on my turn, for example.

Not if you can't attack, which is the point.

The other issue is that it's not clear that readying movement actually even involves taking the dash action, since the rule on readying calls out movement as a special case.

It doesn't, not sure why you think that's relevant. It's certainly not something U've claimed ir would claim.

I mean, you can define your house rule however you want, so it doesn't matter that much,

Thank you?

but I'm just pointing out that if you wanted to rule out readied dash contingent on how you spent your bonus action, saying "you can't take the dash action twice in a turn" doesn't do that. You'd have to say "you can't dash twice in a round" and clarify that you interpret readying movement to involve taking the dash action. The only other things I can think of in the rules that are restricted by round, rather than turn, are reactions themselves, and legendary actions. But even those aren't restricted in a way that is contingent on what happens during the turn. So it seems like it'd be not just a new rule, but a new kind of rule.

You can't Dash twice seems to cover not being able to Dash and then Dash and not being abke to Dash and then Ready a Dash. It's the repetition of "Dash" that does it fir me.

Also, I don't play with jerks, so I doubt such an attempt to rules lawyer a flimsy case wouldn't be likely. I appreciate you warning of what might happen if I do decide to start playing with jerks, though. Very handy reminder why you shouldn't do that.

 

[FarBeyondC]

Quick question: do you allow monks, rogues, and users of expeditious retreat to "double dash" (bonus action dash, action dash, move with their regular speed)? Or do you limit them to only using a given action once per turn?

I suspect most allow for double dashing. It does mean that Rogues and others are much faster than other characters in chases or other things like that. If you limit someone to only using the dash action once per round, then those abilities are more about multitasking (attacking while dashing) rather than inherent speed boosts.

What are your thoughts?

I allow as many Dashes as a given character can possibly take, because the game by default doesn't put a restriction on it.

So if someone showed up with a hasted rogue fighter and wanted to Quadruple Dash (Cunning Action Bonus Action Dash, Normal Standard Action Dash, Haste Standard Action Dash, Action Surge Standard Action Dash), they'd be able to do so, no questions asked.

 

[Esker]

It doesn't, not sure why you think that's relevant. It's certainly not something U've claimed ir would claim.

Huh? If you want to say "you can't dash twice" then it seems to matter whether the thing you're trying to do involves dashing twice, no? Also you keep calling it "readying a dash", which to a layperson sounds like you think you wind up taking the dash action when the trigger occurs. If you don't, then you've only dashed once. For the record, I think it would be totally reasonable -- perhaps elegant, even -- to treat readied movement as simply readying the dash action, given that dash adds to the amount you can move during the turn you dash, which would normally be zero if it's not your turn.

Also, I don't play with jerks, so I doubt such an attempt to rules lawyer a flimsy case wouldn't be likely. I appreciate you warning of what might happen if I do decide to start playing with jerks, though. Very handy reminder why you shouldn't do that.

I don't think the main risk is that you're going to get people holding up the game arguing over things like this. Extended rules discussions at the table are bad, unless I suppose everyone thinks that's the best way to spend their time in that moment (which I'm sure is extremely rare in almost any group). I think the risk is that if you're playing with anyone who likes to know what rules they're playing under, then you should state your house rule in a precise way. That doesn't mean you can't revise them later if they turn out to have unexpected consequences, but you should at least try to cover the expected consequences precisely. Again, maybe neither you or any of your players care about any of that. But a lot of players do, and since you're posting about it here, it's probably meaningful whether your proposed house rule is one that would work for other tables.

Just saying "You can't dash twice" isn't well defined. Twice per what? "You can't take the dash action more than once in a turn" is well defined, but doesn't cover the readied case. "You can't take the dash action more than once per round" is well defined, but only covers the readied case if you clarify that readied movement (as distinct from other kinds of movement that occur as a reaction) counts as a readied dash. It's still a nerf to the rogue, and IMO a bad idea, but if you clarify that, it at least does what you want it to do (I think).